Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 379 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

24 | me that you are acting under the law, and that cancels any claim I might have on the dog. And now, can I have a few minutes alone wit this poor fellow?” The bland smile vanished and the thin face hardened, though the voice of the detective was polite enough as he made reply: ‘* It is against our instructions to lose sight of our game for an instantafter itis fairly brought to bag. You need not fear to speak out before Jones. He can be both blind and deaf on oc- casion.”’ Frank Spartan knew that it would be useless to argue a decision given with that face and in that tone, so he bowed coldly, and gently led the man without a brain to the corner farthest re- Sree Ts eer ~~ eee ee ee er are ee ee Howling Jonathan. critter fer downin’ Ugly Dan, while the other is jest red-hot to set Perry Blair free an’ curry- comb you fellers all over fer pickin’ him up so mighty neat.” ‘They are acting in concert then?” ‘‘T should remark! Concert with a hull brass band to it, now J tell ye, boss!” enthusiastically cried Howling Jonathan. ‘‘ Won’t be no lack o’ music when the curtain once rolls up, fer sure! An’ this outfit hes got to do some mighty tall dancin’ ef it don’t want to get left ’way be- hind the chune, too, J’m tellin’ ye, honeys!’ ‘** Are they divided, or are they going to act as one gang?” repeated the detective, changing his mode of expression for one better suited to the one addressed. } ‘*One gang fer sart’in,” was the prompt re- ——————— coldly until the body was lost to view, then he turned and entered the gambling-room, a slight signal summoning the barkeeper and the faro- dealers to his side. In low, guarded tones he whispered to them for a few moments, then turned again to the saloon, where only a few members of the for- mer crowd remained. In cold, measured tones he spoke to them: ‘* As the pure white article for us all, gentle- men, it is only fair that I tell you I have given my boys strict orders to mark down the name of every man who cuts up rusty in The Mint to- night. Ive got a little business on hand which must be promptly attended to, but when I have gotten that off my hands, ’m coming back to | moved from the prisoner and his guard. He in- elance over the list the boys make. And I'll duced him to sit down on the floor, if such it | ply. ‘‘ Nighas 1 could make out, they was some | pay it off, if my sand bolds out long enough.” | could be called, since it was no more than the | fifty in the outfit when I see’d ’em, an’ ef I ain’t hat was all, but it was ample. All who bare earth, then passed over and borrowed the | wide mistook, they’re waitin’ fer more to come heard him knew that any one who engaged in | | lantern. in. Oh, they'll be a-plenty fer to go ’round, | another row at the saloon that night would He held this so that the rays fell fairly | don’t you fret, pard! Won't be no need o’ any | have to make ample amends or else rub Iceberg || across the face of the unfortunate being, gazing | 0’ this crowd goin’ hungry fer lack o’ good, | Dave out slick and clean! | at him keenly, striving to again trace the resem- | tough chawin’—no, sir !” Apparently David had nothing to conceal, or blance which he had seen while in The Mint. else felt perfectly secure against being followed i\ Inch by inch, feature by feature, trying to see CHAPTER XV. through curiosity as to what important business én them as they might look with the hair shaven ICEBERG DAVE MAKES HIS REPORT. he could have on hand for that evening, for he s off and the skin cleansed of dirt and grime. And| THERE was no answer made to the blunt hint | strode direct to My House, entering the bar and the faint hope grew more strong—the dim con- | which Howling Jonathan made on the threshold | office combined, asking for Colonel Joe] Malli- viction became almost a certainty! of The Mint. Those to whom it was more par- | son: was he within? 7 Surely this was the original of the photograph | ticularly addressed, just then had eyes and ears ‘* Up in his room, ef he hain’t gone out with- i over which he had pored for hours at a time, | only for Good Leather’s cool sport. out my seein’ of him,” was the prompt response < impressing every line, every feature indelibly Iceberg Dave held them under a spell, as it | of the tough-looking lad-of-all-work, before the P| upon his brain! Surely this was the long-lost | were, and while he chose to hold them thus, | barkeeper could speak. ri Franz Moskau! they were little more than mute and jointless ‘‘ He always leaves the key to his room with | Returning the lantern, he came back and sat | puppets, subject wholly to his will. me, when he goes out, and as he hasn’t done so | : down beside the unfortunate man, taking his e would have been more or less than man | this evening, I reckon you'll find him up in his | hii hand in his own, trying to fix his wandering | had he not felt a certain degree of pleasure in | room, Dave,” added the barkeeper. ‘Shall L gaze, speaking in slow, clear tones, choosing | this exhibition of his peculiar power, but not a | send up—” . the words which he felt would be the surest to | sign of such appeared in his white, cold face. ‘‘ Never mind—I know my way, and won’t \/ awaken the memory of the past. Sternly erect he stood before the cowed men, | trouble you,” smiled the cool sport as he turned He spoke of the old home, pictures of which | pistols in hand, his big gray eyes roving swiftly | and left the room by a door opening into the Amelia had often drawn for him in their hours | from face to face as though watching for the | narrow passage which also contained the flight of communion after the weary work and tramp- | first symptom of rebellion. But none such were | of stairs leading to the second story. ing of the long days were done, telling him ev- | to be seen. The cold, white-faced sport was too As he emerged from the office, he caught sight ery little detail until he could close his eyes and | thoroughly. understood for that, and though | of widow Mercy Watkins standing at the door see i¢ start up before him—as it was before | they must have known that a single concerted | of the back parlor, one finger on her lips as Franz went away, before the mother died, be- | movement would have put kim beyond the | though warning him to silence and caution, then fore they wete crushed to the earth by trouble | power of interfering again, they also knew that } beckoning to him. He instantly glided toward fis) and heart-pain. death would surely be the portion of those who | her, following her into the room in which we But not a sign came into that blank, wan | made the first move against him. last saw her with Frank Beery lat face or vacant eyes to give him encourage- As though to fwly prove his power, Iceberg ‘‘T heard you asking for the colonel?’ she Thy ment! Dave held them thus for fully one minute before | whispered, guardedly. | ‘ He spoke of the blind minstrel, and of Ame- | he spoke again, and even then his words were ‘t-Yes, but he can wait,” was the quick reply, | } lia, his sister. He told of their pathetic hopes, | such that the party did not care to take the the big gray eyes beginning to glow and kindle | of their weary wanderings in search of their | risk of breaking away without hearing him | as they bad once before that day. ) . missing dear one. But in this, too, he was | through. There was what seemed a reflected glow in her | : doomed to suffer keenest disappointment. At ‘‘ As I spoke plainly to that gang, gentlemen, | brown eyes, but before Iceberg Dave could as- | hy times the unfortunate man would look at him | so I'll give you words with the bark on, and | sure himself of this, the long lashes drooped and | with a vague curiosity, only to turn his wild | straight as though you found them inside the | she spoke softly: t rl eyes away with a low murmur about his miss- | Bible. If any of them scratch too deep for ‘*] wish to ask a very particular favor of you, 1 ing brain, about the devil who killed him by | comfort, lay it to your mistake in trying to Mr. Ingram—” “i. dy — pet! stealing it away, condemning him to wander | turn The Mint into a bear-garden. Outside,I| ‘‘Itis granted beforehand,” was the quick in- b Ate over the earth a corpse, yet unable to lie down | have nothing to say. You might fight from | terjection, ‘My time, hand, life—all are at | at in a grave where he might find rest and ce, | now until the crack of doom, for allI care. | your service, Mercy |” | bf his efforts were in vain, and finally Prank But in these four walls my word is law, and I’m ‘* After you have seen the colonel—” | Fob by Spartan was forced to relinquish his efforts, | judge, jury, sheriff, and executioner, all com- ‘‘ The colonel be—blessed!” and there was far ) though still clingi to the one frail hope bined |” more than the usual amount of animation in the : pir which he had so often heard fal) from the lips of ‘* Was we to stan’ by an’ see Ugly downed like | voice and looks of Good Leather’s cool sport, en . Herman Moskau—music might restore his rea- | that, with never a word or look, even?” growled que then, as his white hands caught her plump | tT son, Jack Croaker. ittle paw between them. | ane For by this time Frank Spartan was firmly ‘“‘The less you say about Daniel Bennison to| ‘‘No; see him and finish your business we, convinced that he had indeed discovered the | me, my dear fellow, the more me you will be to | with him,*then I will explain my wants, David,” : long missing Franz Moskau! live long enough to see him safely planted,” Ice- | with a warm smile and a sparkle of the brown a Begging the detective on guard to keep an | berg Dave softly retorted, showing his white | eyes. ' : val ole eve on the unfortunate fellow, and enforcing | teeth in a smile that was even more to be avoid- ‘** And I will find you here?” _ me this with a handful of gold, Frank rapped on | ed than the blackest scowl, when coming from a| __ ‘ Unless I find you,” with a light laugh, as she eh a the door and was permitted to emerge justin | man of his nature. ‘“‘T had important business | freed her hand and led the way to the door, a6 - time to see Howling Jonathan come running up | that kept me occupied until a bit ago, or that | opening it to afford him egress, but after such a. Sy - to the party, a broad grin on his face and run- | crazy fellow would never have been quick | fashion that no one who might chance to be in nt ' ning over in his voice as be panted: enough to down Ugly Dan. I counted him my | the passage could catch even a glimpse of her, a | ‘Bf the pot ain't beginnin’ to boil up like | meat, for insulting a lady whom all Good | though this proved an unnecessary caution, Di - fun, then I don’t want a red cent! Good Lawd! | Leather is proud to honor, love aud respect. Iceberg Dave ran lightly up the steep steps s,s ut’ the critters is chawin’ soap an’ chompin’ ‘Ugly Dan led the life of a brute, and I am | and knocked quickly at the door of Colonel Joel hem their teeth wuss than two boars with a stout | glad he died the death of a dog, my only regret | Mallison’s room, ard when a surly voice bade ; i~e fence ’atween ’em!” ing that another hand than mine sent him to | him enter, it was the cold, grave, steel-nerved | | “What have you discovered?” sharply de- | the devil his master. But I'll take the responsi- | sport whom Good I cather held up as a mcdel of - . manded the tall detective, who appeared to be | bility, anyway. And if Ugly Dan’s friends | ‘‘sand” and “cit thar” that entered the cham- Nia the head of the party. want to avenge his death you can send them to ! ber and closed the door softly behind him, ity _ “ ’Nough to set my old boots to dancin’ a | me for final settlement. Is that sufficiently | - Just as we have seen him once before on this ey jig ef the weight of my trotters didn’t_hold | clear, gentlemen?” same eventful eve, Colonel Joel Mallison was sit- aie 7em down too tight!” chuckled Howling Jona- ‘It’s that cuss who played crazy we want, | ting at the httle round table, with brandy end ube 4. then. not a white man like you be, Iceberg,” sullenly | cigars close at hand. The room was blue with . 4 va ‘‘ Business, if you please, sir!” sharply chided | muttered Croaker, smoke, and from the unusually flushed face as: Mm ¥ the detective. ‘This is no time for folly. If ‘Well, you can go and take him, for all I | well as the thick voice that greeted David In- . | danger is brewing, the sooner we know it the | care,” was the cool reply. ‘After you cross | gram, it was clear enough that the colonel had ane _ better. Plain talk,and no exaggeration, mind.” | my threshold, I have no further jurisdiction. not spared these comforts, fa“. Te wr _ With a visible effort Howling Jonathan sober- | You can lynch half of Good Leather for aught “Sit down. You've kept me waiting long tee - ed down and tersely narrated what discoveries | I care; be sure I'll never lift a finger to hinder enough, the devil knows!” _ ty ; * - hehad made on his brief scout. They were quite | you from stretching the neck of that crazy fool, Iceberg Dave drew a chair to the opposite side: -——-._ enough to bring hard, thoughtful looks into the | or even Frank Spartan, for that matter.” of the table, leaning his elbows upon it as he kes - faces of all present, save himself. Even while| The dark, sullen faces began to lighten up, | stared with his big gray eyes direct into the , ay - his face was sober enough, his eyes danced and | and there was a faint show of raising a chéer | bloodshot blue ones of the other. His face was: | ,= sparkled as though he could conceive nothing | to reward the magnanimous owner of The } cold and hard-set, though his thin lips curled a -* ‘etter or more to be welcomed than a fight to | Mint, but Iceberg Dave yer this with a | trifle. His voice was harder still as he spoke: is . __. the death with the lynchers! single motion of his armed hand. ‘““T have been at work. And you? Swilling ,) iby i ‘Be course I didn’t put myself too much| ‘Get down to solid business just as soon as | bad liquor like a hog up to its eyes in swill! Mh F for’ard,” he added, with a grim humor that was | best pleases you, gentlemen, but don’t cut in | Muddling your never too clear wits, Unsteady- i eee readily understood if not fully appreciated by | ahead of the hearse, Croaker, The Mint has no | ing what few nerves you could boast of at the aK G2 those who listened to this report. ‘That | further use for a stiff of Ugly Dan’s dimensions. | best, just when you ought to be preparing your- + ts moughtn’t ’a’ bin good medicine fer our side, ye | You and his other pards want to tote him out of | self for hard and bitter and merciless fighting! ‘Mie Cars mind! But I see’d an’ hearn a-plenty fer to be | this, first off, or he may meet with less consider- | Of the two, Mallison, Ireckon I’ve got the whitest: + on the safe side o’ the fence in tellin’ ye that | ate treatment. You sabe 7” record!” Nc Por’. * Good Leather is gittin’ up on her ear like a In silence the burly ruffian andy his chosen The colonel stared open-mouthed at his visitor,, . qt: mice! It’s a sort o’ double-bar’led a’fair, ye | mates picked up the ghastly burden and bore it | his wits too much befogged to keep pace with gee, One gang’s dead sot fer lynchin’ the crazy ' out into the night. Iceberg Dave watched them those cold, scornful sentences, though they were: ah, | Comilebooks:com — . . ee” ae