Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 375 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

mo +e ’ Ae | Ne — ‘A square back-down for you, David. All right. Ta-ta; I'll see you later.” And with careless grace he strode right through the crowd toward a_ dark-faced stranger, who, he saw, was standing in the door and beckoning to attract his attention, CHAPTER XXIII. ELENA EXPRESSES HERSELF. THe younger Mrs. Ormsby opened her eyes and looked around as composedly as could well be expected under the circum- stances, What the hour was could only be a matter of guess-work since without the light, that came and went through the ceiling in a way | that was not so apparent, the place was shrouded in darkness. From the way she felt, however, the little lady suspected it was | full daylight in the world outside. If it was desired to keep the party corraled in quiet no better plan could have been de- vised; yet, as she yawned and stretched her arms, the li¢ht flashed down again, and she could once more see her surroundings, Harry Hurley at almost the same moment | raised himself to a sitting posture, and stared around. At first he did not seem to understand ex- actly where he was, and he dropped his hand to his hip in an instinctive way that showed he was no tyro in the carrying of fire-arms. The finding of the pocket empty brought } that I could decide quickly; but as I am 'very much in love | suppose I might event- him to his senses, and in a flash he remem- bered all the occurrences of the previous night. At once he got up and walked over to his feminine friend, who had been staring at him with rather a quizzical look on her face. She was in the best of humor if he was not. | | ‘‘From your face I should say that you are inclined to laugh. If there é anything funny about this, some ludicrous point that I can’t see, supposing you tell me so that I can laugh too. I swear, I begin to wish I was well out of it; and lam about as reck- less as they generally make them.” ‘Oh no, Harry, l’'m not laughing at you atall. I think, perhaps, we are in more danver even than we have thought, but I | really cannot help being a little amused when 7 ‘‘T mean to say all that, and more when the time comes. But really you are getting impertinent. I would scarcely try to deceive you. I know that it must be a shock, but on my soul I thought that I knew that he was dead, and only wanted to get the legal proof of it. What do you think? I can’t have the earth. I must give up one or the other, for the present. Are you worth more than the Ormsby fortune?” She was certainly a very lovely looking woman, and as the low murmur fell from her lips, and she looked up at him with a pouting smile on her ripe full lips, it was no wonder that Henry Hurley, cold-blooded sharp that he was, felt a thrill of genuine unselfish passion. ‘* Por the present? There is something in that. I swear that | am honest—with you. | There’s no man living that is worth a million, You are one of and precious few women. Give me your them, and I believe in you. promise and | can wait.” ‘Pity that Mr. Ormsby did not have the same view of my value. I believe in your honesty, especially as you are willing to take | both beyond peradventure, and meantime you can get neither. Don’t frown. I don’t want to offend you, but when I talk I’m apt to deal in the frozen truth. You tell a little of itnow. Honor bright, which would you take if you had the choice of but one?” ‘You, beyond a doubt. | am not sure ually make up my mind to about the same thing,” ‘*T think it is the fear of that agitating the mind of Royal George, that has brought us into this box. Your appearance was a thunder-stroke. I see no way to explain it, and the best thing to do will be to run away if we get the chance.” ‘‘And if we don’t get the chance?” ** Look out for your throat. I will take as good care as I know how of mine; and it will need it. I needn't tell you that we are in a heap of danger.” ‘*And these other women; who are they?” ‘*Can’t say. They may be subsequent wives or they may be rank impostors. Anyway, > ee - ele = Royal George, the Three in One. ee ah tet eee the first time I have even imagined I hack got near him, If he continues to be as hard to find I should judge that you would die of old age before you strike him again. Yow and | haven't much love for each other: and - the more we talk the bigger cur quarrel will be apt to be. I think the best plan weuid be to say nothing until after we have had breakfast. Maybe, then, we can stand on the same platform a while, without gush- ing; but just now J feel like taking your head off, and | guess you're in the same box. If a nod isn’t good enough, beware when | have to wink.” As neither trusted the other it was’ not likely that their conversation would be ver genial; and the advice was so good that it. was a wonder that it was taken. It was, though; showing that the elder of the two was a woman of plenty of gcod sense. She bowed, remarked that she thought so her- self, and then sat down sullenly to wait for the next development, which came in the shape of one of the outlaws with a fairly plentiful breakfast for four. CHAPTER XXIV. ROYAL GEORGK BEGINS TO STIR HIS ‘ ANA~ MILES.” BREAKFAST meant daylight outside, sure; it was almost as good as though Royal George had carried in a clock. ‘The nrison- ers, being pecple of considerably more than less sense, enjoyed their opportunity, laying by a large fund of surplus vitality m the shape of a good, square meul, that was after- ward well digested. So far, no great amount of insult and very little bodily harm had been offered, and the prisoners were getting into a more placid frame of mind. The seeming respect of the outlaws who served the breakfast was reassuring, though it was evident that they had received orders. not to speak a word outside the line of their duty, and to keep a sharp lookout for any attempt to escape. _ After a while, Royal George himself came in. He was well armed, and as the door opened to admit him, Hen Hurley had a glimpse of a . ? ' I look around and see us woe-begone wretches they are not our friends, whatever they may | several figures without—men, doubtless, | cooped up here—three women to one man, | be to Royal George. Keep cool, and perhaps | ready to rush in at a signal. The cutlaw and then think how nicely I have been | we may be able to find out.” had his prisoners, and intended to keep | fooled.” ‘“‘I'm more interested in getting out.” them. ’ ‘“Mr. Ormsby also seemed amused last | For once the gambler began to crawfish the ‘*Good-mornin’, friends! Dropped in ter _ night, and in more ways than one. He | least bit. He was in deep water and could | See thet you war all alive an’ bloomin’.. Ef — smiled to see you here, and laughed out- not see which way to strike out. It might | thar’s ary complaints I'm right hyar now, _ right when he made the big strike on seven- | be that he would be harming the woman that, | an’ you Kin spit ’em out. | Bin treated square, up.” for the time at least, he really loved, and that | ain't yer? No one a-treadin’ on yer toes er ‘I’m not as sure about the first part of beyond redemption. He knew that there | steppin’ on’ yer coat-tails—eh?” (ins that as IT was last night. I'd almost swear were ties between her and the road-agent, | Ife stared around with a good-natured grin to his face, but his voice and his age don’t | and that more than likely, had it not been for | on his battered face. To look at him one correspond. The fact is, Thad _a hint from his interference in the game, she would have | would hardly suppose him to be the desper- our friend, whom you know as Royal George, | been safe from bodily harm, and most likely | ate road-agent that was making for himself f and I jumped at the conclusion, Caton may have been the chosen, as she was the rightful a record that stopped one’s breath to listen be dead after all. If not Il may as well give claimant to the Ormsby fortune—provided | to. | me it up for gocd, get a divorce, and help you | the Ormsby himself, in whom the title really | Tis guests heard him, but they made no make a fortune some other time. I don’t believe there’s much left in this,” ** And who in the name of wonder is this Royal George?” ° “You can’t prove it by me. Some time before | met you, sir, I saw him. He told me that he had been on the track of Caton Ormsby —he would not reveal how he knew rested, had actually been dead. Now, the | ° | only hope was to, in some way, escape. | answer. He looked around, as he had done a dozen | _ times or more before, but with solid rock on every side save where the heavy doors barred their exit, the outlook did not seem very encouraging. In addition, he saw that their two fellow-prisoners had opened their eyes; } something, and it required time to digest. them. out A purpose. ‘All quiet, my daisies. caravan hez nothin’ but well-tamed beasts. fer attractions. Royal George’s — Thet’s right; Vll do ther © Such questions as those meant — 7 A wrong answer could be followed — by a shot, and they were hardly asked with- t that I had any interest in him—and that if L and were watching them with a hungry sort talkin’! Ef ten hours hez subdued ’em that — came when he sent for me, he would furnish | of curiosity. Seeing that they were ob- fur, thar’s no tellin’ what a week er so kin — pracs of his death, and other peace: for a served, Bess Stanley turned her face toward | bring’round. It's takin’ big risks—fur thar’s iberal percentage. As he advanced liberally the wall; but the other Mrs. Ormsby came | no doubt thar’s adozen trailers a-lookin’ over = __ on the strength of it, and I was just then out of an engagement, I agreed to the proposal. It was after that that I stumbled across the other Mrs. Ormsby, and now here I find her again. To tell the Gospel truth, those two women are worstof all. 1’m not sure but that George intends to cut my throat and step one of them into my shoes.” ‘You are not in earnest?” ‘“ Very much in earnest The only redeem- ing feature 1s that they will have to kill off Caton Ormsby first, wherever he may be, and he is hard to slay. Up to that time they won't be so particular abort his widow, but after that—if they really mean to go for the forward. '«* Whether we are to be friends or foes,” she said, ‘‘ you certainly will not hesitate, if you know it, to tell me the meaning of this? Why are we brought together here? who is it that has planned and carried out this out- rage? You may be sure that sooner or later | it will be dearly paid. for.” ‘T don’t think it advisable to threaten | / until you are fairly out of the woods,” was the cold answer. ‘You ought to be able to guess out a pretty good set of answers to all those questions. Jf you claim to be Mrs. Caton Ormsby you should know enough about [the gentieman to be aware that he is i ther ground, an’ ef they found this spot, thar’s no tellin’ but what they'd be able ter raise ther hull Bar at us. though. an’ know ther hull road clean through, an they say so; mebbe they kin count me P’r’aps ye'r’ askin’ fur why these thin in. thusly? Don’t yer do it. " Ef yer don't de-— serve it yer sha’n’t be hurt, an’ that’s good — -ernuf fur you.” Kay sh Brilliant Bess, with the most experience in — $ * Pd ’ Let em come, — Lain’t spilin’ fur a fight—not yit. | | When I git right down ter ther fine pints, nate be Pd _ the ways of Blazer’s, and its mysteries, was — the one most deeply moved. She stared at— the speaker as though trying to pierce a vail, and her fingers worked convulsively. She — was torn with a struggle to speak, and a struggle to keep silent. Elena—the youn Mrs. Ormsby—watching her as much as Ormsby find—I’m afraid they will be willing to take the best maternal for their purposes, and I suppose f don’t altogether fill the bill.” _“¥ou still insist that all that work last capable of a great deal more. Perhaps he ‘has placed us here to be held until he gets a good start; maybe he has only offered a fair | price for our being put out of the way. If ht was bona fide, and tuat the man you you wanted any further information you outlaw, was interested, after her airy, c ted your husband and this mountain out- | should have got it from him last night. I’ve Jess way. She laid her hand lightly on Picnic not mm partnership?” . been looking for him some years and this is arm of the girl. - ‘3 , Ne > * ; ae oa be oka. : ye * <¥ ; = 1X FF; : | WwW f: *, : ). — comicbooks.cc ni ca la eft ds os ‘ eae ; ill ’ a é . te woe J