Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 365 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 ce No 9 ** Are you hunting the lost Ophir like Dropshot Bluff and pards?” ‘* We'd all like to find a stake like that; but don’t let that myth bother you, Gilbert. I am glad that I have met you.” Gilbert Golden put up his hand which Magic Merle seized and pressed cordially, “TI like you already,” said the youth. “I fancy that we could be friends and even pards.” ** 1 think so.” ‘‘Say the word and we will be!” cried Gil- bert. ‘‘Friends and pards then!” answered Magic Merle smiling. The young gold-hunter got up and put his hand on the Californian’s shoulder. ‘* Are we alone?” he asked in a manner that seemed to impress Magic Merle that an impor- tant revelation was coming, ‘* We are alone.” “Then let me say that it has all come back to me at last after so many months of waiting and darkness.” ‘* What has?’ ‘The trails to the mine,” was the reply. ‘It is as clear to me now as though I had them traced on a map before me. Isn’t it singular, Magic Merle?” ‘* Wonderful!” ‘‘ Recollection came back in a flash as it were,” the yonth went on, ‘I will show you. Ah! what is this?—a piece of chalk on the floor! I wonder how it came there? See! I will draw the diagram on my table! I tell you it is as clear as morning light.” Magic Merle seemed laboring under a terrible excitement which he was trying to suppress. ‘*No; not on that table for the world!” he cried, clutching Gilbert's wrist and drawing him back, ‘‘ Keep it where it is for the present— written on your heart!” “Why? Don’t you want to see it?” ‘Yes; but I can wait. The mine won’t run off.” ‘No, but my head might,” laughed Gilbert. “Tl risk that,” was the reply. ‘' Will you obey me?” ‘““T will; we are friends and pards, you know.” ‘* Then, not a word about the mine to a single citizen of Red Eye Bar. To them all remember that you know nothing. It would be to our hand if you played insane for awhile.” ‘*My God! lean’t do that,” exclaimed Gil- bert. ‘‘ I have passed through that awful stage in reality. Ican’t mimic it. Is it to my ad- vantage to keep silent about the mine to the pards of Red Eye Bar?” + Yous’ ‘“T believe you, Magic Merle. I wish I knew what makes me feel so sore. I must have been pitched against something.” ‘“ Maybe you were,” said Magic Merle. ‘In finding you, Gilbert, [ have accomplished a part of my sworn mission. Let us go to the end to- oung — a She is Max Mogal- gether. Do you recollect a ** Floss!” cried Gilbert. le’s child. Where is she, Magic Merle? Oh, but she has forgotten the boy Gilbert.” ‘‘Not by a thousand leagues,” was the an- swer. ‘‘ But hush! Dropshot Bluff is here. Re- member! we are not friends and pards. You know nothing about the big bonanza.” Gilbert dropped back upon his blanket and quickly assumed the usual position of a person sound asleep. The next moment the cabin door opened and a mage voice announced the alcalde’s return, ‘* Hyer’s suthin’ that needs explainin’,” cried Dropshot Bluff extending a paper. ‘‘ Hyer’s a charge ag’in’ yer, Magic.” ic Merle took down the lamp and to his astonishment read: “Dropsnor BLurr:—The man who has invaded ut Eye is Keen Kennard the Sleuth-hound of ta. CHAPTER VI. FACING THE MUSIC, ‘“ Wat have yer ter say ter thet?” asked the alcalde of Red Eye when he saw by Magic Merle’s expression that he had reached the end of the brief letter. ‘‘Tn the first place, Keen Kennard ov Shasta would prabably be a fool ter_come hyer with a game ov his own ag’in’ Red Eye, an’, secondly, ther writer ov this note doesn’t know what he’s writin’ about.” These words were apples: with a coolness that evidently staggered Drepshot Bluff. eR Who delivered this paper?” continued Magic erle. ‘‘T don’t know exactly how it got inter camp. Dagger Johnny gave it ter me awhile ago, say- in’ thet thar war suthin’ that’d probably interest ”? ‘‘ An’ it has?” observed Magic Merle, with a smile. ‘Ter some extent.” There was a lull in the conversation at this ae and Dropshot Bluff looked down at ilbert “ How’s ther boy?” he asked. ‘¢Sound asleep yet,” said the visitor. OO oo Ne ee | | | hard ter tell whether he’ll waken sensible or not.’ “You can’t do anything for him, Magic Merle?” ‘* 1 don’t know.” “Td be willin’ ter divide with yeref yer could put us on ther track ov ther big bonanza, pro- vidin’ thar is one, through him.” Tl] do thet ef I kin, ov course,” said Magic Merle, and then he looked at the paper again and continued: ‘‘So ’m Keen Kennard, ther Shasta Sleuth, eh? What would I be huntin’ hyer ef I war?” ‘‘ Hang me ef I know,” laughed the alcalde. ‘‘Ef you war Kennard, Magic, we'd be likely ter make Red Eye Bar too hot ter hold yer. This is our play-ground, an’ by Heaven! we'll hev no detectives prowlin’ about it.” ‘* You'd make it warm for them, eh?” ‘‘ Hotter than tartarus?” exclaimed Dropshot Bluff. ‘‘This Keen Kennard isn’t unknown ter me, though I’ve never seen ’im. I don’t think we hev a man in camp thet ever sot eyes on ’im without it be Dagger Johnny, who used ter prospect, dance an’ fight among ther camps round about Shasta. Don’t think thet I b’lieve you ter be Keen Kennard. Thet note says thet ther man what’s invaded Red Eye is ther Shasta Sleuth. We may hey another visitor. Watch ther boy till I investigate.” The bie aicalde was off before Magic Merle coule reply, and when the door had shut behind him Gilbert Golden opened his eyes. A moment later he got upon his feet and laid his hand on Magic Merle’s shoulder, while he looked searchingly into his face. ‘You may deceive Dropshot Bluff an’ pards, but, pardon me, you cannot hoodwink Gilbert. You are indeed Keen Kennard.” The boy spoke so earnestly and full of confi- dence that a smile appeared at the corners of the stranger’s mouth. ‘Tf IT am,” he said, ‘‘do you intend to give me away q” ‘* A thousand times no!” wasthe answer. “I remember that we are friends and pards. You have told me about Floss, Max Mogalle’s child. That strengthens the bond. Give you away? They’d have to torture me to death first!” Gilbert Golden’s hand dropped until it found itself in Magic Merle’s palm. ‘* You have guessed it,” saidhe. ‘‘ I am Keen Kennard. An oath has sent me to this camp. Your name was the last one I heard spoken ere I left Sacramento. I have found you—the lost man of Gold Gorge! My mission is next to find the lost bonanza. ‘‘That will be no trick now, I think,” said Gilbert. ‘‘My mind clear again still retains what I told you awhile ago. I can draw on yon table or anywhere else an exact route to the mine. We will go there together. You bere sent out after it, you say?” ‘* By whom?” ‘““ By a masked woman.” Gilbert started. “A young girl come into the room and pro- tested.” ‘‘ That must have been Floss!” cried the young man. “T don't know. I did not stay. As Kennard of Shasta, I swore to find both you and the lost Ophir. I am here for that p se. I can’t imagine who sent in that letter which told Drop- shot Bluff whoIam. Have I somebody on my track who has sworn to baffle me? If I have, then I must fight. I must meet this Dagger Johnny who used to prow] about Shasta as the alcalde says. The sooner I know what I have to meet Red Eye the better. Keep cool. We've a hig game to 2 slg Magic Merle or Keen Kennard, as we can now call him, went to the door and looked good- by at the young man who regarded him with something akin to speechless astonishment. ‘‘Vera the Sorceress might know him, ‘she knows everybody,” he said to himself. ‘‘I ought to tell him about her and put him on his guard.” Before he could make up his mind to do this, Keen Kennard had crossed the threshold and was gone, and Gilbert was the sole occupant of the little cabin. Meanwhile, Dropshot Bluff had found the pard called Dagger Johnny. ‘Did yer read thet letter you gave me?” asked the alcalde. ‘No. Isaw thet it war directed ter you, an it warn’t my business ter read it.” ‘* Whar did you get it?” ‘‘T found it at ther edge of ther camp, fast- ened ter a stone. War it important?’ ‘‘Somewhat, ef it tells ther truth,” said Dropshot. “ When you war about Shasta, J ohnny, did yer ever see a man called Ken- nard?’ ‘‘Keen Kennard, eh?’ cried the desperado. ‘* Wal, I should gently remark, cap’n.” ‘* D’yer think ye’d know ’im?” **T would!” ‘* Wal, you’ve seen ther camp’s visitor, ther man who calls himself Magic Merle?” aa Yes.” ‘*Ts that man Keen Kennard?’ ; ‘Jehu! yer don’t think he is, d’yer?” exclaim- ? “It’s ed Dagger Johnny, starting back. ee ce npr tA bac) Keen Kennard, the Shasta Shadow. “‘T asked you for an opinion,” was the an- swer, and the alcalde’s eyes covered his pard in a stern manner. ‘‘ We can’t afford ter make any mistakes, nor kin we afford ter miss our man. What is yer opinion? Is Magic Merle Keen Kennard?” ‘**T didn’t look at him in thet light. I never thought ov ther Shasta Sleuth-hound then.” ‘*Thet’ll do,” said the alcalde, biting his lip. ‘Tf you didn’t know then you don’t know now,” “Pll take another squint at him,” said Dag- ger Jobnny. . ** Very well. window.” The two men departed, and Dagger Johnny moved off on his self-imposed mission. ‘“He can’t be Keen Kennard,” he said to him- self. “‘ But if he is, I kin guess what fetched him hyer. He’s always on the trail ov suthin’ big, an’ he’s trackin’ down ther lost bonanza. He has followed us from Gold Gorge ter Red Eye, an’ he’s just ther kind o’ man ter get ter ther mine ahead ov us,” Dagger Johnny was nearing Gilbert’s cabin, when the door opened, and he saw the man from Shasta step out. For a moment Keen Kennard stood exposed to view in the lamp-light, and Dagger Johnny’s eyes became riveted upon him, ‘“‘T see ‘im now as I didn’t see’im when he first came,” the Red Eye pard said to himself. ‘ Ef thet letter said thet he is Keen Kennard ov Shasta, by Jehosaphat! it didn’t lie! That man is the famous detective ov ther north, an’ ther sooner Red Eye throttles him ther better! Now whar’s ther big alcalde?” Dagger Johnny said no more, but glided back in search of Dropshot Bluff. ‘‘Tt’s ther biggest find ov my life,” he mut- tered. “With that man on ther hunt ov ther lost Ophir we'll never see it. Ter insure success we hev ter throw ’im out o’ our way. Thar’s no other way out o’ ther dilemma!” The speaker walked straight to the alcalde’s little cabin and entered without knocking. ‘“T war right!” exclaimed Dagger Fenty, springing at the man who sat at a table, his face in the light of alamp. ‘‘ Ther galoot at Gilbert's is Keen Kennard, ther Shasta Sleuth-hound!” Dropshot Bluff looked into the man’s face and Go down an’ look in at Gilbert’s said, quietly: “We want ter be sartain ov this, Johnny.” ‘* TP ll swear ter it!” was the quick reply. ‘‘I got a good look at him in ther light ov Gilbert’s lamp. He is ther man.” “Then, by heavens! we'll nip in_the bud his little game, whatever it is. Keen Kennard, eh? Yow’ Tevet ter it, Johnny?” ** Bet yer boots, cap’n.” The aicalde of Red ye came around the table with resolution flashing up in his eye.‘ Thar’s no use in ee ae this thing,” he said. “‘ We'll take ther Shasta bull by ther horns right away. Come!” Dagger Johnny stood still and looked at his friend the big alcalde. ‘* What ar’ yer goin’ ter do?” he asked. ‘*Goin’ ter confront ther man from Shasta with ther eternal truth,” was the response. ‘* You know ’im, thet’s enough! All you'll hev ter do, Johnny, is ter stand up before him, an’ swear that he is Keen Kennard ov Shasta.” rk a Johnny seemed to recoil an inch. “ t! you don’t go back on it?” cried Drop- shot Bluff, grasping the sport’s arm. : ‘*No, no! He’s een ennard, 1 know it!” ‘Then come along an’ tell im so! You'll hev the hull camp at yer back, an’ what’s one man ag’in’ all Eye?” fore the hestitating sport could reply, a light rap sounded on the door, and the alcalde dropping his pard’s arm, said: ‘““Come in.’ The next moment the cabin door swung open, and the person who came in was the man from Shasta. Dropshot Bluff threw a rapid glance at Dagger Johnny, who was staring at the unexpected visi- tor with but little color left in his hardened ace, ‘‘T'm a bearer ov news, cap’n,” said Keen Kennard, smiling. ‘‘ A wagon which is a curi- osity has ee come ter Red Eye. Thar isn’t a sign ov life about ther trap, an’ ther hosses seem asleep. D’ yer often hev such things in this region?” ; “ We never do!” exclaimed the alcalde. “A wagon come ter Red Eye? Whar is it, Keen— Magic Merle?” “Tt has halted just inside ov camp.” aie uss Jupiter! we'll see what it means. Some- body lost, mebbe. We hevn’t seen a wheel since we founded Red Eye.” Dropshot Bluff started toward the door, fol- lowed by Dagger Johnny, who pressed his hand significantly as he passed into the starlight. The alcalde looked down and caught his pard’s glance, but said nothing. ‘Which way, Magic?” he asked the mountain detective. “This,” was the answer, and Keen Kennard started off at a rapid gait. A short walk down the street and toward the west brought the trio rather suddenly upon two horses, and a poer waren covered with a canvas standing in the starlight. (COU (C S Sy ett