Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 374 — page 30: what you’re looking at

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

9 2 30 hotel clerk sprung up at a sound that had no significance in Kid’s ears. ‘You've kept me here long enough,” he ex- «claimed. ‘**Somehow or other every sound I[ hear makes me think that somebody is about to lay hands on me for that New York matter. I’m going away.” “Whar to?’ asked Quartz Kid looking into . I | fiercely. the young clerk’s white face with a grin. ‘‘Somewhar—lI don’t care where,” was the an- swer. “ Adele knows thet I am Jasper Judd, you know it, and Heaven knows who else.” ** An’ so ye’r’ goin’, Cyrus?” ‘“T am! You’ve kept me here three days ‘which have seemed three years. It’s worth my peace to stay here another day.” ‘‘ Very well. Ef you run across ther Major—” Cyrus broke his companion’s sentence with a strange cry. “Do you think I'll meet him?” “Why not?’ smiled Quartz Kid, ‘You know that Fred Ferret killed only Wild Alaric in ther cave, Gideon Goldbird died of . his wounds, an’ Andros Ruby, or ther Major, eluded him.” For a moment the fugitive hotel clerk said mothing, but looked across the table into the tantalizing face of the boy spy. “Tf I thought I would meet that.man, I’d die here,” he murmured at last. ‘It is true, as ou say, Quartz, that Andros Ruby is still at arge: but as Mark has not come back, may we not hope that he is on the trail of the lost man?” ‘‘That looks reasonable. See hyer, Cyrus, you can start back to Custer ter-morrow with Adele an’ ther Broadway Spotter.” “To Custer?” cried the hotel clerk. ‘‘ Where Claude Cressy and his Vigilantes know that I am Jasper Judd? I'd just as soon go to New York direct!” ‘All right!” layghed the boy spy. “*T hope ‘you'll find a soft pillow somewhar, Cyrus. If I war ycu, ’d—” Quartz Kid stopped and slowly shook his ead, ‘No! T'll not offer any suggestions,” he went on extending his hand. ‘‘ Good-by, Cyrus.” The hands of the two youths met over the table, and the young clerk went toward the door. Hedid not like to leave, yet he wanted to get beyond the shadow of his one crime. He stopped at the threshold and looked at the young Custerite, then he jerked the door open and bounded out into the night. “T'll peep in on Adele before I bid Coyote adieu,” he said to himself. ‘‘She played smash with my love-making the other night, and made me afraid of my own shadow, but by Jupiter! one of these days I'll pay her back.” He walked toward Burt Browne’s shanty, and soon saw the little structure loom between him and the stars. The night was not far advanced, yet Coyote seemed asleep, and the only sounds that came to his ears were now and then the voices of men from Terrapin Tom’s den. ‘‘In Jupiter’s name, what does that mean?” suddenly exclaimed Cyrus, as the door of Adele’s house flew open and a figure stepped out. The next moment the fugitive clerk stepped into the shadow of a cabin, and kept his eyes on the person who had appeared so unexpectedly. “Halt!” rung out on the air in the sternest of tones from a spot behind the clerk’s station, and the person who had emerged from Burt Browne’s mt in his tracks. ‘“*Don’t draw, Andros Ruby,” continued the voice. ‘‘Tuisis not Wild Alaric’s trap. I lost Aide there, ol know. I shall now deal with the t man of the New York gang.” Andros Ruby! The name almost flew from the clerk’s throat in wild accents; he felt like taking to his heels like a deer; indeed he did start, but a hand from within the same shadow that screened him dropped upon his shoulder, and he looked into a pair of eyes that had a merciless glare. “Nota step!” said a voice at the youth’s side. *‘Stay here and see the long game played out. The iron blades have met on the same field and theirs is a common foe.” Cyrus Slinkum turned his attention to the two men standing scarcely ten feet apart in the brilliant star-light. The hand of the man who had just left the cabin rested on the butt of a re- volver half drawn while the six-shooter of the ether covered him completely. : ‘Tam Fred Ferret once more!” said the last- named man. ‘I am the Broadway detective )who by your orders was run down by your men, and walled up in Mother Redbird’s trap. You are the last member of that infamous gang, Andros Ruby. I have found you by accident tonight, but I shall make none the less cer- tain my revenge. You have just come from Adele’s home. Heaven knows in what condition you have left the only child of the man you and pies gang killed that memorable night in otham. Look over my revolver into the eyes that rejoice that they have found you. This is not Alaric’s trap to which Mark Delancey was decoyed by a letter anda map. This is Coyote, and we stand under the stars that shall witness the last hand played in this red e. It would do Mark good to play it but his iron dagger accomplidhea all the werk it willeverdo, No TEE | has | ished by his body knows where he is. If he is on your trail, he will find you after I have avenged the black past. Are you ready, Andros Ruby? I count five for you!” The Sport of Two Cities, thus faced by the Broadway Spotter, seemed to increase an inch in stature. ‘““Touch your trigger, Fred Ferret,” he said, ‘““ft was Alaric’s fault that you are here. Press your trigger, I say, and then look into the cabin behind me.” ‘‘ Which means that you have killed Adele?” ‘Go and see!” At that moment the man beside Cyrus Slin- kum took one step forward, and reached the edge of the shadow. The hotel. clerk saw a knife-like object in 3 — which was suddenly lifted above his ead. ‘‘ One—two—” began the Broadway Spotter behind his weapon; ‘‘ three—four—” All at once something that had no glitter left the hand of the man in the cabin’s shadow. It went through the air like an arrow and struck with a thud, that drew forth a wild cry! It was the iron blade again! Andros Ruby had not time to throw up his hand, and the first intimation that Fred Ferret had of the flight of the dagger was the out- law’s ery and his sudden recoil! ‘“Too late, Mr. Ferret,” said the clerk’s com- panion, ‘After this, when you see an enemy, shoot him on sight.” ‘* Mark Delancey!” In the brilliant starlight stood the handsome man whose hand had thrown the dagger straight at the human target. Andros Ruby had already struck the his career ended within a few feet of infamous crime, Mark Delancey looked once at him as he sprung toward the cabin, and in a moment he was beyond the threshold. The interior of the place was dark, but a light soon illumined it. Fred Ferret had also reached the spot, and was the first to give utterance to a startling ound, is last cry. “Dead! the last crime of Andros Ruby is his foulest. He has killed Adele!” Mark Delancey, who had lifted the form of the girl from the floor, made no reply, but his compressed lips and flashing eyes told his feel- ings. He bore the girl to the light and looked anx- iously into her face for several moments. ‘‘ What’s the verdict?” asked the young detec- ti ive. ‘‘ There’s life here yet!” ‘‘Thank Heaven!” Mark Delancey looked up into Ferret’s face, “Go out and look at the last man,” he said. ‘‘T may have failed to hit his heart, but I think not.” The Broadway Spotter departed, and as he left the cabin he saw a human figure bending over Andros Ruby. Ina second he was there. “Ts this your work, Fred Ferret?’ cried the rson springing up and drawing a revolver be- toss the detective. ‘¢ Not mine, but I rejoice in it all the same!” was the reply. ‘This man was my friend and—” ‘Friend?’ interrupted Ferret as his hand grasped the speaker’s arm. ‘‘ Friend did you say, oer Kid?” ' ‘ es.” ‘‘He was the bitterest enemy you ever had. ea know the girl called Zoe in Custer?” 0. ‘* She is your sister,” “What?” “Your sister,” repeated the detective. ‘‘She is Crimson Con’s child, and was stolen in ’Frisco years ago by Captain Dandy, who lies dead at your feet.” ' Quartz Kid looked at the desperado lying in the starlight, and then lifted his eyes mutely to the detective. | “Tt is true—I will prove it to you by and by. Zoe is your sister and Crimson Con was your father,” said the detective. ‘ “T have served that man!” cried the boy, pointing at the dead, ‘‘I have been his spy against Adele, and against all his hunters. I hate myself for havin’ served the mountain rattler!” = is here that we must bring Our romance to a close. Adele, it was discovered, was not fatally hurt by Andros Ruby’s last clutch, and her recovery was rapid and certain. { The Sport of Two Cities having eluded his two hunters, Mark Delancey and Fred Ferret, in the cave, had returned to Coyote to strike them by taking the girl’s life, but fortune had decr that his villainy should not be successful. . The iron blades had payee the game out and when Andros Ruby fell there died the head of the most desperate gang that ever infested East and West. The infamous murder of the banker Ralph Delancey, Adele’s father, had been fully avenged by his brother Mark’s iron blade, and every member of ee gang; save Wild Alaric, had per- nd. had tracked them down to find Fred Surely he ' eit ~ r* aly Major Blister, the Sport of Two Cities. Ferret already on their track, but he had al most entirely baffled the New York detective. It was true that Zoe—Andros Ruby’s pro- tegee in Custer—and Quartz Kid were brother and sister, and at the reunion the boy cursed himself again for having been the villain’s spy. Cyrus Slinkum, alias Jasper Judd, was pre- vailed upon to go back to Custer, where he got back his old place in the hotel. After a short service, Mark Delancey took him East almost by force; there he confronted his old employers, who accepted his penitence and refused to prose- cute him. No little stir was created in Custer by the dis- covery that Mark the Unknown was Adele’s uncle. Captain Cressy of the Vigilantes was not much surprised, for it will be recollected that he did Mark a service the night Andros Ruby caused his arrest, They were friends, and had met before. A few months ago Adele added the closing chapter to our romance by becoming the wife of Fred Ferret, and ere long Cyrus Slinkum, who has reformed and is a rising young mer- chant in a Western town, will lead Quartz Kid’s sister to the altar. Gideon Goldbird never went back to Custer with a new mustache, and he never knew that the John Leopard who met him in New York when he went thither to inspect Mother Red- bird’s dungeons, was Fred Ferret’s brother. Mark Delancey, restless and shadowed as it seemed by his long man-hunt, has returned to India, and with him, a terrible memento of the desperate game, went the fatal iron dagger. It had accomplished its work—the avenging of a brother’s blood. Quartz Kid is still in the Black Hills, but heis no longer anybody’s spy. — He hates the memory of Andros Ruby, alias Major Blister, the cool Sport of Two Cities. THE END. Half-Dime Singer’s Library 1 Waoa, Ema! and 59 other Songs, 2 Caprain Curr and 57 other Songs, 3 Toe Garnssporo’ Hat and 62 other Songs. 4 Jonnny MorGan and 60 other Songg. 5 l'un Starke You Wire A FEATHER and 62 others, 6 GrorGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs. ? Tar Bevis of Rockaway and 52 other Songs, , 8 YounG Ie.uAn, You’RE Too Pras and 60 others, 9 Say Youna Grru and 65 other Songs. 10 I’m THe GoverRNoR’s Onty Son and 58 other Songs 11 My Faw and 65 other Songs. 12 Comm’ TuHro’ Tux Rye and 55 other Songs. 18 Tar Rouiickine IrtsHmMan and 59 other Songs. 14 Oip Doe Tray and 62 other Songs. 15 WaHoa, CHARLIA and 59 other Songs, 16 IN TH1Is WHEat By Anp By and 62 otner Songs. 17 Nancy Lee and 58 other Songs. 18 I’m roe Boy THAT’s Bounv To BLAzE and 57 others 19 Tae Two OrpHans and 59 other Songs, 20 WHAT ARE THE Witp Waves Sayine, SISTER? and 59 other Songs. 21 InpiGNaANT Portiy Woe and 59 other Songs. 22 ‘Ine Otp Arm-CHAiR and 58 other Songs. 23 On Conny IsLanp Bracu and 58 other Songs, % OLp Stmon, THE Hot-Corn Man and 60 others, 25 I’m my Loves and 56 other Songs. 26 PARADE or THE Guarps and 56 other Songs. 9% Yo, Heavy, Ho! and 60 other Songs. 98 "Twrit Never po To Giz It up So and 60 others. 299 Buur Bonnets OVER THE Rorper and 54 others, 380 Tue Merry LAUGHING Man and 56 other Songs, 81 Swent ForGxT-ME-Not and 55 other Songs. 92 Terrie BAsy Mrne and 53 other Songs. 83 Du BANJO AM DE InsrRuMENT FOR Mz and 53 others. 4 Tarry and 50 other Songs. _ 85 Jus’ TO PLEASE THE Boys and 52 other Songs, 86 SKATING ON ONE IN THE GUTTER and 52 others, 87 KoLorep Kranxs and 59 other Songs, 38 Nit Desprranpum and 53 other Songs. 89 Tur Girt I Lerr BesiND ME and 50 other Songs. 40 "Tis nur aA Lirriz® Faprp Fiower and 50 others 41 Prerry Ware uMtna and 60 other Songs. 42 DancrnG IN THE Barn and 63 other Songs. 43 H. M.S. Prnarors, compiers, and 17 other Songs Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cents per copy, or sent post-paid, to any address, on ree ceipt of Six cents per number. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Puprisners, 98 Witiiaw Strmet, Naw York, i -_— ~+ =-- —