Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 365 — page 22: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

22 ~ = ~ - Sed Keen Kennard, the Shasta Shadow. ss ess I’ve done enough for to-night!” laughed Vera. ‘‘I don’t see anything of Keen Kennard whom I sent back here to pele ner, and the boy’s cabin is on. I could Warn out | this mountain nest and I would if it were not 7 for the lure and the foil I have left here. The of alcalde will come back to Red Eye; he will find the are it his pards will see the other paper, I would like to witness the scene that will follow.” A minute later Vera was moving down the deserted street followed by her horse whose bridle rein she held, : ry at once the animal stopped and lifted his ead. ‘‘ What is it now, Pluto? Have the roughs of Red Eye come back already?” A loud laugh that rent the night fell suddenly upon the woman’s ears and forced her into the shadow thrown by her steed. ‘If they catch me there will be no Queen Moro to interfere this time,” she muttered and then as she drew a revolver and silently cocked it she hissed: ‘‘ Before I go I will send ahead the dastard elder of Mormondom!” Escape she knew was next to impossible, for the laugh told her of the close proximity of a number of men, and suddenly a loud “hello!” announced that she had been discovered. Vera stepped out from her horse and faced the dozen men who stood like statues a few feet away with their eyes fastened upon her. “Tt is a woman! Vera our sorceress!” ex- claimed several, ‘Ther woman what killed Grim George!” The last announcement seemed enough; it started the men forward, and the cool woman heard the ominous clicking of the pistol locks. **Dropshot ain’t hyer, but we transact busi- ness for him!” cried the giant who stood at the head of the gang. ‘‘ Throw up yer hands, Vera. We've got ther drop on ther sorceress ov Red Eye, an’ thar’s no masked female about ter in- ' terfere now!” The huntress saw the gleaming barrels at the end of the uplifted hands of the sierra pards; she knew them all—men who would not hesitate ' to carry out any threat they might make. Placed thus suddenly at the mercy of such men, Vera advanced toward them. “Halt her!” said a voice in the crowd, *‘Don’t let ther sorceress get in any ov her black art. Stop her with yer pistol! you in front thar! Ther touch ov a witch is death!” ‘‘ A witch!” broke out Vera with a derisive laugh. ‘‘ The men of Red Eye would run at the shadow of one. I’m no witch, Behold in-me rF) only Vera, a woman, human, like you all, Is | Thunder Tom here?” ‘* Hyer I am!” ‘**Go to your shanty and read what is written on your table.” ‘**T will arter we've settled with you.” **Go now.” ‘*T will not. I am Dropshot’s pard. I lead ke these men, You came back ter Red Eye at ther wrong time, Vera. What shall it be, pards +e —death or liberty?” th The stalwart speaker had turned to the crowd again, and Vera stood erect with her eyes re- garding all. ‘**Court is liable ter open hyer at any time,” he went on, shooting her a swift glance. ‘‘We ‘want to hear no evidence now. Ther dead man on ther mountain is proof enough. You’ve con- | fessed ter killin’? him, woman. By ther mid- night stars, Vera, you came back at ther wrong ‘| time for yer own good!” The sorceress was about to reply, but Thunder ee executed a forbidding gesture with his —— Se | ‘Silence! ther court’s in session!” he cried. ‘* What’s yer verdict, men? This is no Dagger i} Johnny case, we want no sympathy now, is a woman killed Grim George!” | The pards did not consult long. Vera read a) the “talent in their bronze faces while the leader spoke. ‘‘ Our verdict is death,” said one of the men, Ap addressing both Thunder Tom and the sorceress. Hi - Tn what form?” Is, ‘* Cabin number four!” Despite her assumed calmness, the woman gave a great start. | ** It is the most horrible death you can inflict,” she said. ‘‘Once more, Thunder Tom, I beg of you to go to your cabin.” | fal os ‘* Arter ther execution!” was the answer, as ed the hand of the speaker touched Vera’s arm, ay and he went on in a whisper. ‘I think you g don’t remember me., We mountain larks always ey: hev ter change our names sometimes in life, ’'m ae, one ov thet kind. I’ve figured out finally who eg youar’. You ar’ the daughter ov ther Gentile captain, who with his family—all save you— war killed in Mormondom on ther 10th of uly.” | Vera could not keep back an exclamation of ’ surprise which was a confirmation of Thunder Tom’s words. “*T hit it, didn’t I?” laughed the Red Eye pard. / “You ar’ Edna Boynton an’ I—wal, I am Tom | Sheldon.” ‘*One of the two men who helped Dropshot Bluff that night. Ithought he League caught and hung you afterward.” ‘ze ‘*So they did, but it isn’t every hange 1 thet dies in the noose,” grinned the rough. man “Ty guess we'll finish in California the work begun | in Red Eye who will face this sierra chick an’ in Mormondom,” Thunder Tom turned away as he finished. ‘*To cabin number four with this woman!” he said to the mountain pards. Vera drew back with acry, but at that mo- ment the crowd rushed forward, and she was caught by a dozen hadns. In the twinkling of an eye the sorceress was lift- ed from the ground and a moment later she was nent carried over the ground as fast as the men could transport her. ‘“‘T must make one effort for release,” she cried. ‘‘I have two blows to strike before my work ends,” Already the crowd was at the door of the cabin built over the pit with its deadly trap- door, A boot kicked it open. ‘Carry out the sentence, men ov Red Eye!” cried Thunder Tom, ‘‘Throw Grim George’s assassin inter number four!” Vera resisted, and summoning all her strength, she drew back. ‘** Listen to me!” she cried. ‘‘ Your alcalde is Dave Dastard the hunted Mormon elder and Thunder Tom is his proscribed pard!” CHAPTER XXV,., SWIFT VENGEANCE. A porsteRovus laugh rolled from Thunder Tom’s throat. ‘* Thet’s ther last play ov a desperate woman!” he cried, seeing the men hesitafe at the door of the fatal cabin. ‘*T swear it, men,” exclaimed Vera with up- lifted hand. ‘‘ By the living God, it is true!” ‘*Oh, toss her in! Thar’s no proof ter sustain a declaration like that. Dropshot Bluff can’t be ther man she says he is an’ I—ha, ha! whata lie she kin coin! Inter number four with the sorceress, pards.” ‘*Give me time and I will prove my words,” versisted Vera. ‘*Thunder Tom has just con- essed his identity. He has confided bis well- kept secret to me when he thought I could never get to strike him. Your alcalde is Dave Dast- ao and aobody knows it better than that villain ere! Vera’s finger covered the stalwart rough who had the eyes of aJl fastened upon him. YS AD right then; let her gO," he suddenly wled. ‘‘ Take her word rather than Thunder om’s and let Grim George go unavenged. Think how for three years that woman played sorceress and spy here, think how she made half ov ther camp superstitious an’ afraid of her. Oh, yes! take her word and let her go.” Thunder Tom stepped back witha well feigned look of disgust, but the pards of Red Eye still held Vera before the cabin door. ‘We've got ter do suthin’ with this woman,” said one of the men. ‘ There is blood on her hands.” ‘** Keep her till Dropshot comes.” ‘* Yes,” said Vera whirling upon the speaker; **Keep me till your alcalde comes back. Iam satisfied. Stand me face to face with that man. Let me prove to this camp that he is Dave Das- tard the hunted Mormon elder.” ** What do you say, Tom?” asked one appeal- ing to the man who had partially turned away. *Do what you _—— with her was the snap- pish reply. ‘“‘Ifl had my way I'd finish ther tigress now.” era’s eyes gleamed with derision as they fol- lowed the man who walked away. She did not see him enter his cabin where he lit a lamp, and the next moment started at the sentences traced in chalk across his table. ‘That woman must die!” he hissed. ‘‘She knows who Dropshot is an’ I hev told her that I am one ov the three who played that big game in Mormondom. Let Dropshot keep the gold secret if he has it. I will get my share ov ther bonanza when it is found. Dare they sparether life ov Vera ther Viper? By Jehu! they shall not save it if they do!” He erased the chalk marks with his sleeve and went out. Ten minutes had passed since his separation from the mountain pards and Vera before the death-trap cabin. In that time much could happen; Vera could -be killed or saved. ‘** What did yer do with that woman?” he said stopping a man who emerged from a cabin near his own. ‘*She got away.” Thunder Tom bit his lip and let slip a terrible curse. **‘You mean you let her go,” he grated. The pard said nothing. 2 **'You took her lie an’ threw my word ter ther winds,” Tom went on. ‘‘A woman who kin play sorceress in Red Eye for three years is capable ov comin’ any kind ov a scheme. You tle her go, I say.” ** She swore positively—” ‘*Ter Tartarus with her oaths!” interrupted Thunder Tom. ‘‘ She killed Grim George; that war enough ter consign her ter number four.” ‘*But she swore that George war Dave Das- tard’s pard in that Mormon bizness.” ‘** She said I war thar, too. Wharis ther man say thet?” hunder Tom stepped back a pace and drew a revolver. ‘*T’m able ter fight my own way,” he went on. ‘‘The woman just set at liberty will link her name ter Red Eye in a manner that you won't like. She'll paint this camp red, for she'll get inter her head thet we all had a hand in that Mormon murder, an’ our lives won’t be safe, Thet’s ther kind 0’ women you spare. I tell yer now thet when I get ther drop on her thar’ll be a dead huntress in these mountains. Whar’ ther boys?” ‘**T left °em at Pluto Phil’s cabin.” Thunder Tom, boiling with madness, strode om ‘‘T want ter tell ’em all ter the’r faces thet they let ther wrong bird go back ter ther bush. It war sworn once in solemn conclave in this rary camp thet ef we ever found Dave Dastard an’ his pards, we’d hand ’em over ter ther Gen- tile League. Dropshot an’ I took ther oath laughin’ in our sleeves. I never thought thet she would find us hyer: never suspected thet Vera ther Viper war ther avenger ov thet Gen- tile family.” Thunder Tom was half-way between his cabin and Pluto Phil’s, where he expected to find the men he had lately left. ** Hello! what’s thet?” he suddenly exclaimed, coming to a halt and leaning forward. ‘I saw suthin’ like a ghost between ther two shanties thar. Say, you spy?—you—” ‘Not another word, Thunder Tom,” said a voice, and there halted before the desperado a figure from which he recoiled. ‘I have not left the camp after finding game like you. Drop your revolver! Throw up your hands!” There was a weighty reason for Thunder Tom to obey these startling commands. He was looking into the muzzle of a six-shooter, which was held by a woman who stood like a statue of retribution in his sips ‘*T war lookin’ for some sneak game on yer part,” hissed the Red Eye rough. ‘‘ When they saved you, they gave a tigress liberty.” ‘‘That they did! Were you going down to fathom the depths of cabin number four in search of Vera, Thunder Tom?” ** You will go with me, however. Iam afraid that your confession of guilt was spoken at an unlucky hour for you.” ‘Which means thet in yer estimation, wo- man, Thunder Tom is at ther end ov his string?” Vera’s eyes flashed reply, but her lips said: “March down between the cabins here. Raise no cry, send out no signal of distress, I step aside for you to pass. It is light enough for me to watch hey closely, and I touch a deadly trig- ger with the finger of vengeance. Remember! march!” Thunder Tom was at the mercy of the woman from Mormondom. He looked over the leveled revolver into the i ames of her merciless eyes and stepped forward. Vera hugged the cabin logs till he had passed then stepped quickly behind him and said: “To Grim George’s grave! The spot is not unknown to you Thunder Tom. Forward!” “Give me half a chance an’ I'll show this wo- man a turn that will startle her!” the Red Eye pard hissed between his teeth, ‘* She is playin’ a desperate game oy her own; she came from Mormondom ter play it. I must hold ther win- nin’ hand soon or die.” Vera said nothing while she marched the sierra rough back of the cabins toward the mountain where in the light of moon and stars lay the grave of her first victim. She kept outof reach of Thunder Tom’s arms; he could not turn and seize her before she could shoot him dead. © The march to the grave did not occupy much time. For the most part, it led through the moonlight and on the mound itself the silvery beams lay like a coverlet of white. Thunder Tom halted alongside the grave and turned upon the woman. ‘* Wal, hyer we ar’,” he said, and then he con- tinued in threatening tones: ‘‘ Remember, if you strike me, you strike all Red Eye. They won’t let you go ther second time.” ‘That is to be tested, Thunder Tom,” was the answer. ‘I throw off the mask here, I am Edna Boynton the daughter of the Gentile ma- jor who, with his wife and three children were asely murdered by Dave Dastard and two ards. I escaped the massacre by being from ome when it took place. It was no fault of the murderers, however. I need not detail my long hunt for the infamous villains. One lies 7 your feet, another is still at large, and I stand before the third. Move one step back- ward, Thunder Tom.” The ruffian hesitated; the move would force him to stand upon the grave behind him. ‘‘ Back!” said Vera sternly. ‘* There is no mercy here!” Thunder Tom moved back and stood directly over the grave of the dead pard., ‘*T did not bring you here to spare,” Vera went on. ‘When you thought you bad me at the threshold of death, you confessed your com- plicity in the Mormon murder. I t you, ECONNIE OOO (C S) | ;