Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 367 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

hands of his Infant, who was looking efter the injury inflicted by the lad’s first shot. This was but trifling in its nature, Willie’s will having far out-paced his skill with the pistol. A flesh -wound in the shoulder; two holes in ene, as Johnny’s Infant expressed it, greatly to his own relief. ‘*No out-cross there, Aces,” the little despe- rade uttered, nodding his head meaningly. ‘**Dan Brown in miniature, sure enough!” ‘‘And I'm glad of it,” was the response. ** He'll make so much the surer card for us to play in our little game. Live-stock is rising, and Dan Brown will be a few more ducats poor- er for this little circus with his hopeful son and heir as clown.” ** We can’f do more than skin him clean, and that we agreed to do before dealing the first hand 'round,” laughed Johnny -jump-up, yet casting a glance that was almost admiring up- on the lad. ‘Pity he belongs to that infernal bloodhound! He’d makes a rare ’un with the proper care and training. I'd like just such another to bring up after my own notions, \Wouldn’t I make a chief out of the little rascal, though!” ‘He'll never live to wear gray bairs,” mut- tered Aces-und, one hand mechanically going up to his bullet-pierced cheek as a fresh twinge of pain affected it. ohnny-jump-up noticed the action, and a aver expressicn came over his handsome face. usied with their desperate game until now, he had hardly time to remember the fact of his brother’s being shot, but now an anxious light filled his eyes and he stepped forward to the other’s side. A glance showed him that there was little to fear, however, and he gave a breath of relief that showed how close was the bond which united the brothers; all the closer rhaps, from the knowledge that they stood shmaelites in the land, with the hands of all honest men turned against them. ‘* A little deeper in the meat than my scratch Aces, but nothing to go into mourning over, I reckon. Still, pou don’t want to neglect it too long. Go inside and let the Infant patch you up for the time being.” ‘*T will. Tell the boys to keep an eye on the rascals over yonder, and to look out for break- ers. You bring in the woman and her kids. I want them where I can keep my eye on them!” Rachel Brown dared not hesitate to obey the mock polite request of Johnny-jump-up. She had her children to think of, and her old brave will was greatly weakened by those precious charges. With mock ceremony Johnny-jump-up usher- ed her into the parlor, the threshold of which showed red with the life-blood of the poor ser- vant who had, regardless of self, rushed to the assistance of her mistress at the first alarm. Rachel shivered and a tear dimmed her eyes as she noted this. She almost broke down, and only the thought of her children prevented. For their sake she must hold out. Johnny’s Infant busied himself over the wounded chief, showing a natural skill as sur- geon hardly to be expected in one of his mental caliber. While the giant was thus engaged, Aces-and was busily thinking, his glowing eyes and cor- rugated brows betraying how intently. And when Johnny’s Intant put the finishing touch to the strips of court-plaster, drawing back to view the effect of his handiwork, the outlaw chief rose and shook himself, once more all alive and living in the present. ‘* Baby, you will keep the door and see that no one intrudes. Johnny will have an eye to the window. And you, Mrs. Brown, will please lend me your ears for a brief space.” Pale, fearing the worst, she bowed slightly. She knew that she could only submit. . Aces-and rested one hip carelessly upon the center table, his free foot swinging lightly to and fro, his black eyes resting steadily on the pale face of the woman who sat opposite, as though he wished to closely observe the effect of each word as uttered. ‘You have seen enough, Mrs. Brown, to feel assured that we are here to-day on no ordi- nary mission of plunder, that we are not com- mon thieves. Indeed, though you may notas yet fully realize the fact, we are not thieves at all.” e paused, but if he expected a reply or re- tort, he was disappointed. Rachel remembered how much might depend on her prudence, and simply bowed her head in a non-committa] man- er. “A model, if not a woman,” with a mocking bow. ‘‘ Well, we won’t quarrel on that point, for of all things I detest an idly wagging tongue in a woman.” ‘‘Come down to_ business, Aces!” muttered Johnny-jump-up. ‘‘ Talk is good enough in its roper Niwas but a wise man lets his cards do e ing in a big game.” “‘ Business it is! And first, Mrs. Dan Brown, let me repeat: We belong to the crowd your husband bas gone out of his* ay to hunt down to death by the rope route. We didn’t trouble him nor his. We worked a range many miles from him, and so long as he held his hand, we were content not to chip in ageinst him. ‘** You know what he did. He not only took A Royal Flush. the field against us, with Sol Scott, but he sent off for other Lloodhounds and swore to never rest until he had swept us from off the face of the earth! ‘You know this?” ‘** It was his sworn duty,” slowly, replied Ra- chel, secing that Aces-and was determined to wrest an answer of some sort from her. ‘**How do you make that out, pray?” ** He had not resigned his commission as de- tective, though | hoped he would do so ere long. There cane a call, and he had to obey.” ‘* And a terrible strain on his conscience it proved, no doubt!” the outlaw sneered, with a savage smile. ‘‘ How he pitied us poor devils! What bitter anguish was his whenever he sent one of our number to languish his few days out in prison! When the lynchers broke open the bars and caigg briny poor devils to the nearest tree or sign-post, how sincerely Dan Brown la- mented—what prayers for pity and forgiveness he sent up on high! How—bah!” with a short, harsh Jaugh. ** You know better, even as we know better. You know that Dan Brown has proved himself the worst and deadliest bloodhound mortal man ever had on his track!” ‘* He has simply performed his sworn duty,” | with a flash of spirit. ‘Let it go at that, if you prefer,” returned Aces-and, suddenly resuming his cold, hard de- | meanor at a warning glance from Johnny-jump- - up. ‘* The past is past, and it’s a r gambler who grieyves over a bad deal while he has the deck in his hands for a fresh one. ‘** Dan Brown and his brother hounds hit us mighty hard, but we had grit enough left to rally for a fresh game. That game has opened to-day and it will end only with our death ora straight victory.” ** Boil it down, Aces!” muttered Johnny-jump- up, shortly. ‘* It’s a game of freeze-out we are playing now, and in you and your two kids we hold three of the best cards in the deck. So long as you be- have yourself and don’t crowd us too hard, no harm shall come to you or the little ones. We hold them and You the better to bluff Dan Brown and bring him down to our limit. You three— and when we draw two more of the same sort, we'll hold a royal flush! Understand?” If so, Rachel gave no sign. Cherry, less bold than her brother, was beginning to cry again frightened by the rough men heed Rachel bent over the child, softly soothing her as best she could. The eyes of Aces-and glowed vividly, and _he made a quick signal with one hand which the In- fant promptly acted upon. One great stride car- ried him from the door to the side of the mother, and before she could divine his purpose, his strong hands tore Willie from her arms, holding the struggling child at arm’s length above his head as the half-distracted woman strove to res- cue him, And then the voice of Aces-and rung out clear and sharp: ‘* No harm shall come to the kid, I repeat, un- less you raise too big a row, youfool! Don’t you understand that he is worth far more to us alive and sound in wind and limb than dead? Dan Brown will pay more for him living than dead, You know that, and so do we. Sit down—sit down and listen to what you have to do for us.” ‘Tf she don’t, work the lad, Baby,” cried out Johnny-jump-up. “Spare him—I will be calm—I will obey!” paspet the tortured mother, sinking back into ver chair, clasping wailing Che tightly to her bosom, but with wet eyes fixed on her dar- ling ot The Infant lowered . Willie, grasping both hands in one of his, tucking the lad under bis arm, holding him a a “Stop your sniveling and look at me, my dear,” resumed Aces-and in a cold, smooth tone. Rachel Brewn obeyed, so far as glancing in his direction, but the hot tears so Granted er vision that naught but a shapeless blur was to be seen. Still, Aces-and was content, and ad- ‘*'Welack two more cards of having an in- vincible hand. Those twocards you must as- sist us in drawing. They are Mrs, Sol Scott and her kid. Will you do it?” Rachel shivered, but made no reply. : You won’t speak?” sharply demanded Aces- and. ‘* Spare me—don’t force me to betray my best friend!” Johnny-jump-up caught up a small rawhide whip that lay on the floor near the window, and tossed it over to the Infant, whose free hand caught it deftly, a broad grin overspreading his sleepy face. “Tune the kid up a bit, Baby,” the little vil- lain said, shortly. There was no need of his speaking any plainer. The Infant laid all his blunders or mishaps that ed on the shoulders of Willie Brown, and now, holding the struggling lad by the collar, he plied the whip with a brutal malignancy rarely seen in one of his vast proportions. One in- voluntary cry of pain was that broke from the brave boy’s lips. He saw his mother flinch and utter a wild wail—saw Aces-and spring be- fore her as she started toward him chec ng her with a rude grasp—and lest her punishmen — Haan rae r eee ere sss cscs —_—_—_—_— SO 9 should be the greater, he clinched his teeth and bore the pain without a sound. ** Devils!” gasped the tortured mother almost wild with grief and indignation, ‘‘ Have you no mercy? Lash me, notthat poor child!” Aces-and lifted his hand and the Infant sul- lenly held his hand in obedience. ‘** Thank your own stubbornness if the boy has his tender hide ruffled a bit,” coldly uttered Asa Sand. ‘* You refuse to—” ‘“*T yield—I will door say anything, just so you spare my poor, innocent, helpless babes!” moaned Rachel, her brain reeling, her limbs trembling and refusing to support her longer. Aces-and lowered her into a chair, and turned toward Johnny-jump-up, who glided to the table, Sitges, 9 thereon pen ink and a slip of paper, with all of which he had evidently come provided, He rolled the table in front of Rachel, saying shortly: ‘Boil it down, Aces. We can’t afford to waste too much time. Make her understand that every hitch on her part will end in pair to the youngster, and I reckon it'll all go off right.” Aces-and promptly acted on this advice. He tapped Mrs. Brown on the shoulder, then thrust the pen into her hand. ‘* What do you wish me to write?” she asked. ‘*A note to your friend, Mrs. Sol Scott,” re- plied Aces-and. ‘* What lies am I to tell her?” ‘*That you wish her to ride over with her child to pass the night with you. Hint, but don’t say in somany words, that you have re- ceived news from her husband. That will bring her, hot-foot, I reckon, or she’s no true wife,” laughed the cunning villain, rubbing his hands with delight at his own adroit plotting. “That you may have no excuse for abusing my poor boy, tell me word for word what to write,” added Rachel, with a strangely cold and composed tone of voice. With a frown, Aces-and obeyed, and as the words fell from his lips, they were faithfuli written down by Rachel Brown. When he end- ed, she signed her name to the note, pushing it across the table for inspection. Aces-and read it twice over, so suspicious had he become of this icily calm woman, but if it contained aught to his injury, he failed to make the discovery. He walked to the window with Johnny-jump-up, and after the smaller despe- rado read the note, they conversed for a brief space in low and guarded tones, ‘You can depend on me,” Jobn Sand said then thrust the note into his bosom and leaped out at the window. Aces-and watched him until he saw him take horse and ride rapidly away, followed by sever- al of the band, Then he turned again to Rachel Brown, who still sat at the table, scothing her child. ‘So far, so good, my beauty! And now for another bit of writing, if you will be so agree- able, If not—well, the Infant looks as though he would like nothing better than to flay your hopeful kid alive by inches! Of course you will not drive him to such extremities?” ‘““Spare me ars taunts, if you have a spark of decency left in your composition. am wholly in your power, and for the sake of my children I will do what youask. Wereonlymy own life at stake, ] would defy you to the bit- ter end!” “Tm not caring just what motives guide you, my dear,” was tbe rude retort. ‘All L want is for you to obey, promptly. I want you to take your pen in hand und inform your highly-respected husband that east ag import- ant events have transpired at Single Pot Ranch this day.” He broke off with a lew laugh as Rachel | Brown looked swiftly up into his mocking face, but quickly added: ‘‘T'm giving it to you straight as a string, my dear madam. I’m not going to hide my light under a bushel. I’ve mace my first play in the big game of freeze-out, and it’s Dan Brown’s turn next,” ** And you expect me to help you against him, my husband!” ‘Not a bit of it, my dear,” was the cool re- tort. ‘‘l simply give you permission to write out the events of this afternoon, and I pledge you my word as a rascal that the paper shall reach the hands of Dan Brown without a word being altered or added to it. And still you are not satisfied? Listen, once more: ; ‘LT leave this ranch within the hour. You and the kids go with me, to be held for ransom. The sooner Dan Brown understands the exact game Iam playing, the socner will you he re- stored to him, safe and sound. It is for this purpose I bid you write him a note. Write it you must, or the Infans con bring his little per- suader into play again. Which? While he was talking, Rachel was per She shivered as he declared his pu ose of tak- ing them away with him, though she had an- ticipated no less from the start. And then, as he “aaggi speaking with that blunt query, she spoke: “T will write, and set down naught but the plain truth, if I ye A ‘‘That is precisely what I want. Let Dan Brown know just how the cards run at present. <€om €DOCKS GO « : =