Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 367 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

4 nll ra SS A Royal Flush. $A — You are only making matters worse, Poor | hostages, but the foul fiend seemed to be his fool!” coldly added Rachel Brown, her rec curling in scorn, her dark eyes all azlow. | *‘'You are doubly risking your life. If any of our ruffians should chance to come this way, they could not save you, be the result to us what it might. I swear by my children to kill you rather than permit your escape!” | accompanied the litt Aces-and shivered anew, for he could not. doubt her intense earnestness nor. that she would carry out her threats without the slightest hesitation, should the occasion ar- rive. Andas he sunk back in sullen fear, he hoped that his men would keep their distance, He knew | | lips | patron saint, and success rewarded his effort. Knowing that the two brave women did not suspect, that two of his gang were constantly kept on guard at the entrance to the cavern, Aces-and trusted that they were still at their posts. If drawn spike by the sounds which had e procession of three—if they were among those gathered in the main chamber: ard he dared not make the attempt to count the rascals while those small but stern hands were urging him on—he knew that little short of a miracle could preserve his life. But it was a chance, and the only one he saw of re- quite as ardently as he had hoped for their com- | deeming himself and preserving his show of win- ing but a moment before. achel was quite cool enough to note the ef- fect of her words, and with increased confidence she resumed: ‘“‘ There is only one hope of your saving your | time striking out with am | tripping his captors up, not only saving himself, worthless life for a few hours or days. about to point out that chance. If you reject it, so much the worse for you, since it will not be offered again. ‘We are about to set your feet and your tongue at liberty. We aregoing to take you by the arm, one on each side, and march you out through the cavern. We will each hold a pistol at your breast, and if a hand is lifted to bar our way, two bullets will seek your heart! This we swear by all the world holds dear and precious to us!” ‘By our husbands and our children! By our hopes of a blessed hereafter!” solemnly added May Scott, all traces of fear vanishing from her face, her voice ringing out clear and firm as that of her friend. ‘You are warned,” said Rachel as she cut the leather thongs and permitted the bleeding ruffian to stagger to his feet. ‘‘ You can elect life or death, at your pleasure. Come! we are going out to freedom!” It was a strange scene then presented! A wo- man on each side, holding fast to his arms, their other hands pressing a cocked pistol to his chest. And mingled with the look of fearon his face, was an expression of intense shame and mortification. } ning the big game. ith a desperate effort he tore loose from those hands, flingin himself face down in the passage to avoid the Ve ret gay at the same th hands in the hope of but detaining them long enough for his rascals to effect their recapture. A wild curse of rage and pain escaped his lips as he felt a stinging yet stunning pain shoot through his every fiber. He knew that at least | one of those shots had hit him, and he felt that | | death was claiming him. Like one in a dream he distinguished angry cries, savage oaths, pan- ting breaths and confused strugglings at the mouth of the entrance, only a few feet beyond where he lay. And then—heavy feet trampled over him, drawing a groan of agony from his partially benumbed lips. ‘*The boss!” ejaculated one of the outside guards, as he entered the main chamber, bear- ing on one arm the fainting form of May Scott, his fellow following with Rachel Brown, dis- armed, helpless yet stern and defiant. ‘‘ He’s in thar, livin’ yit I reckon, from the way he groan- ed out when I tromped onto him, onawar’s. Look to him, you critters!” There was but a scanty show ’of haste mado by the kidnappers, and one of the party even muttered in an audible tone: ** Tain’t goin’ to break my neck hurryin’! A full-growed man as’d let two wimmen take his ns an’ march him out through a gang like he ‘*They’ll kill you rather than let you go!” he | did—ugh p muttered, huskily, as the women forced him to- ward the narrow passage. “You don’t want to let the boss hear you sing them kind o’ tunes, Tinklin’ Bill,” signifi- “They will seal your death-warrant at the | cantly muttered the man who held May Scott same time,” was the icy retort. is free. Use it when the timecomes. Tell them that we will stand no trifling. That you die at their first attempt to bar our passage. That is sworn to!” | | | i ‘Your tongue | on his arm, casting a swift glance toward the darkened passage. ‘‘ He ain’t the fu’st man as ot fooled by a op her nur I don’t reckon ell be the last. Ef they did take him, he tuck them back ag’in, didn’t he? Ef he let ’em lead And this was the ipectect that burst upon the | him through the gang, it was only so’s to ketch astonished eyes of the kidnappers in the main chamber a moment later. No wonder that they leaped to their feet with cries of wondering in- dignation. But before the quickest hand among them all could draw a weapon, Rachel cried: ‘“Aces-and dies at your first move, you rascals! Give us free passage to the outer air— free passage to the horses, or he dies!” “It’s so, lads,” growled the discomfited kid- napper, flushing hotly at having to make the admission even In the jaws of death. ‘ They’ve got me foul. They'll kill me if you don’t make way. Let them go!” Hotter still he flushed, then turned pale as death as he heard the low, angry mutterings which ran around the rock chamber. He knew that he had fallen very low in the estimation of his own rascals by his craven fear, that he could never hope to regain his former high station in their opinions. If rascals, they numbered few cravens among them. Yet even now they showed how firmly dis- cipline had been insisted upon while at work, for they fell back, leaving the passage clear for the escape of their valuable captives. Curse and frown they might, but Aces-and was still their chief, and as such entitled to prompt obedience. And the head rascal began to breathe a little freer. Rachel Brown felt this by the thrill that ran along his arm, and she held him more firmly, pressed the pistol closer to his side as she spoke rapidly, sternly: ‘Your chief bears us company until we are safely mounted and rendy to rideaway. Until then we hold his life in our hands. Until then you will remain as you are. If one ven- tures to follow, it will scal his fate as surely as though the heavens fell!” She slowly forced the chief kidnapper toward the cave entrance, keeping her glowing eyes fixed on the doubting, irresolute outlaws, her finger in readiness to put the fatal pressure on the trigger at the first sien of interference, And then, as the narrow passage was gained, and only a few feet separated them from the outer air, a glad cry escaped her lips. Too soon! With a sharp cry Aces-and flung himself face downward, just as strong hands grasped the women—but then two pistol-shots rung out, their red glare lighting up the strange scene, CHAPTER XX, BEGINNING OF THE LAST DEAL, Tr was a desperate chance Aces-and took to save himself and regain control of his valuable ’em all the more sart’in. ‘* With your help,” muttered the other. ‘* He didn’t wait fer that,” was the swift re- tort. ‘‘Wesce him comin’, but he was outlined ’ginst the light, while we lay low. He couldn't be sure we was thar yit. It was a even chaince we'd run in when the bobbery broke out here. He didn’t wait to see. He tuck his chances an’ made the riffle, slick as grease! An’ while we're talkin’ here, mebbe he’s tyin’ in thar, bleedin’ to death!” ‘*Or dead—wuss luck!” growled the other guard. That was sufficient. Let his faults be what they might, Aces-and was their chief, and his value as such seemed to suddenly strike the kid- nappers with unusual force, And with angry, vengeful glares toward the two fair captives, some one lifted the savage cry: ‘* They done it, cuss "em! They done it, but they sha’n’t ever live to make thar’ brags! Kill the bloody hussis! Drap’em,Davey! Turn’em over, Mose!” “ A fa’r shake fer us all—no skullduggery !” The ruffian in charge of May Scott gave a Savage snarl, crying: ‘You durned fools! didn’t I say the boss was alive? Didn’t I tell ye he give a groan as I trompled onto him onawar’s? An’ we gabbin’ here while mebbe he’s bleedin’ out his life in thar! Here! you—ketch hold!” The fellow broke off abruptly, flinging his fair burden into the arms of his nearest mate, then turned to dash back into the dark passage when he was saved the trouble by Aces-an staggering forth into the circle of light cast by the candles, A grim and ghastly-looking object, too, with his powder-blackened face, with the blood flow- ing freely from a wound in his cheek, and with another widening crimson stain on his shoulder. In one hand he grasped a cocked revolver, which he had caught up from the rock floor where it had dropped from the grasp of one of the two women. He glared around the group of kidnappers, his dark eyes glowing like balls of living fire, seeming to be in search of a sneer or mocking smile. But there were none to be seen. The ruffians shrunk back a little, but each man was careful to keep his hands from close proximity to his weapons. They knew Aces-and must be “ red- hot” over his shameful humiliation before them all, and would be only too eager and ready to wipe off the score in the heart’s blood of the first man who gave him even the ghost of an ex- cuse, ‘‘ Three cheers fer ther boss, an’ the slick way / — —— ee he tuck to let the ladies down easy!” cried Tink- ling Bill, rapidly ‘‘ hedging” as the best metkcd of covering the reckless venture he had mace but a little while before. ‘‘ They ain’t *nothcr critter in seventeen Statcs as could ’a’ wound up the job so slick!” Aces-and lifted his armed hand, and the cheer was smothered in its birth. His glittering eyes were fixed upon the face of Tinkling Bij] with an intenseness that made the squat rufilan. shrink and cower, cursing his headlong haste to kick at a fallen lion. Could it be that Aces-and. had overheard his speech? Hardly, else a bullet would have wiped out the memory before this. So he thought, but he was terribly uneasy until those keen eyes passed. on to other faces. And little by little he slu back and Aces-and spoke sharply: ‘* All who are not particular enemies of mine, will blot from their minds everything that has occurred within the last few minutes. If a mis- take has been made—if a fault committed—all has been rectified in good time. As for the rest —Il'll satisfy the curious!” Savagely, defiantly Aces-end glared around over the downcast faces cf his men. He seem- ed eager to catch some excuse for using his wea- pon, but none was offered. And then, with a. short, cold laugh, he added: ‘‘ Bring the ladies back to their prison. I'll see that they play no more tricks of this descrip- ticn. They don’t seem able to appreciate polite treatment; we'll see how they relish the con- trary !” He strode on ahead, followed only by the two. guards, each man with one of the captives. And. when once within the little rock cell, Aces-and had them bound hand and foot, then placed. side by side on the rude pallet of grass and blankets. He said not a word to them, but the devilish. glow in his eyes told both Rachel and May again in possession of her scnses, that he had neither forgotten nor fcrgiv n their victory over him. A time cf reckoning would come, and then— Never very loquacious, Accs-and was sullenly silent as he returned to the outer chamber and. rat down to have his wounds cleansed and Cressed. The strong liquor was still seething in his brain, and making his blocd course hotly through his veins. The air in the cavern seem- cd to choke him, and when the rude surgery was completed, when his hurts were all ban- Caged, giving his face a grim and repulsive look, he rose and without a word to his fellows passed out from the cavern into the cool nigh air. For a brief y an Aces-and strode to and fro at the base of the slope up which the cave en- trance lay, thinking only of cooling his fevered. blood and easing his throbbing brain. He tricd. to fight off all thoughts of his recent adventure, for it was most disagreeable food fer reflecticn: but a more he tried, the less perfectly did he succeed, The cool, fresh air was rapidly sobering him off, and as his wits grew clearer, he all the more realized what a miserable fool he had. shown himself that night! To risk all for the poor satisfaction of taunting two helpless wo- men! To show them his real cards—to give them a clew which they might yet follow up to. his utter defeat and the loss of his big gamef It was worse than folly—it was a crime! Not until now had he fully realized it. Not until now had heseen by whet a terribly narrow margin had he escaped death and defeat of all his dearest schemes! And as he realized this, a. new fear took hold upon his shaken nerves, He began to distrust the gocd faith and the vigilance of his men who were stationed about the cavern to give warning of the approach of the enemy or his spies. He began to fear that fome one among them all might be tempted to betray him—to Cesert his pest and hasten with the news to the Royal Flush! He even mutter- ed acurse over the long Celay in the return of Johnny-jump-up. What if he was playing a couble seme? Whet if he should— With a savage oath Aces-and shock off the thought. Whatever the rest of the gang might: prove, John Sand was true and trusty! “All the same, it won't do any harm to take a look after the lads cn guard duty,” he mut- tered, more for the sake of occupation then from any fear of their proving faithless, now . that he had thrown off those merbid musings. He had no difficulty in finding the man stationed nearest the cave entrance, the same to whom had been intrusted the power which br send up the signal cf death in case of need, ** Keep your eyes open, my good fellow,” mut- tered Aces-end. ‘‘ You know your duty. If trouble comes to us from those hellhounds—if you hear me give the signal—send up the smoke for Johnny’s Infant to put the kids out of the way. You have only that to look after. You are not to mix in any row at the cave until the light goes up. You sabe ?” + ruffian megs grimly. it, ‘*T was waitin’ fer your signal a bit when the row broke out in viene. wae aol toward the cavern. “I hed the stuff ready— see!” and he lifted the corner of a hide, showing | 3 TA GOmIicDOOKS.GO ¢ . «=