Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 379 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

. ee ee ee > ea . = — SS o was when I first knew Franz Moskau. an her as though about to claim the reward thus demanded, for demand it was after all. Herman Moskau, with a power and energy which was hardly to be loakea for in one so aged and shaken, pushed Ugly Dan back, his face flushing, his breath coming fast and strong. **Tt is not that way our maidens are to be treated, sir!” “Just as you say,” with a short, careless laugh. ‘* You know myterms. The gold is for my mates, the kiss for me. Refuse, and you can go your way to find the lost son and brother as best you may. Not another word falls from my lips until Lam fully paid for my trouble.” ***Melie—it is for Franz!” brokenly muttered the poor old man. “Itis not so much, after all—one kiss! It may never come another chance—the world is so big, the places so many ach, mein Got !” He bowed his head with a groan that came from the uttermost depths of his bleeding heart. He looked the very picture of hopeless misery, and though the hot tears of shame and indigna- tion filled the big blue eyes, Amelia came for- ward and took his hand in both of hers, her voice faint and strained: ‘*Tt shall be so, my poor father! It is not your ’Melie that shall be blamed for losing even this poor chance! If you hold my hand—so!” She stepped toward Ugly Dan, motioning him paar as he stepped forward with a mocking Jaugh. ‘Tt is hard price you demand, sir, but I will pay it, for his sake, I would pay it double oyer, to know that you are true in what you promise.” ‘Shall T take my oath?” smiled Ugly Dan. ‘Tt would break as easy as your simple pro- mise, if you are cruel enough to fool this poor, helpless blind man,” was the cold response as she offered her pale cheek for the kiss, But Ugly Dan was not content with that. He deftly turned her face with his hands, and while his evil eyes flamed into hers, he pressed her ede a with his foul ones, laughing malicious- y as she started back. ‘“ Was it such a bitter dose, little angel?” ** You haf your pay—now tell!” she gasped, averting her face, her strong young arms encir- cling the trembling form of her blind father, as though feeling he would soon require some such support. “The Franz Moskau I knew, lived at a min- ing-camp then known as the New Rush. He had a half-interest in a valuable mine called The Plenty.” The old man shivered, a faint groan coming from hislips. Amelia turned paler than ever, as though fie worst suspicions were verified. ‘*That much we knew, long ago. It is after he left New Rush that we miss him,” she uttered, forcing herself to utter the words, more to satisfy the father than from aught of hope for fresher aay rh **T’'m brea ing it to you, little by jerks, you see, little angel,” laughed Ugly Dan, with that wolfish smile. ‘If you know so much; you also know that the worthy Franz left New Rush in something of a hurry; between two days, not to put too fine a point on it!” “Tt is blind words he-speaks, ’Melie! I can- not see what they mean! Is it anything against our poor boy?’ muttered Herman Moskau, brushing one thin hand across his sightless eyes. “You want plain talk? Good enough! Pll give it to you with the bark on, then! ooh ) second time I met him, and when we became such intimate friends, was when I had the ex- uisite pleasure of fitting a necktie about his throat and sending him to glory—for stealing a horse!” ’ An indignant cry escaped the lips of the sister, but Herman Moskau apparently had his strength restored by those cruel words. His form was drawn proudly erect, his voice was strong and haughty, as he said: ‘“Tt is manly to insult a blind and feeble old man through his son—yes! You would not dare say so, if I was with eyes—you coward dog!” Bah 1” and stepping lightly forward, Ugly Dan struck the old man across the lips with the ‘back of one hand. ‘‘T killed your son—I would just as soon kill you, you canting beggar! But as for you, my little lump of sweetness,” and he turned upon Amelia with the devil filling his eyes, ‘I have a better fate in store!” ‘¢ Look out fer her claws, boss!” cried Blister, springing forward. Maddened, realizing the terrible peril that threatened her, Amelia Moskau drew a small pistol from her pocket, and, with a choking cry, pointed it ati the breast of the head rascal. Only his. cat-like activity saved Ugly Dan from a richly-merited doom. The weapon ex- ploded, but his right hand knocked its muzzle aside sufficient to carry the lead clear of his hody, though the missile fairly grazed his ribs, Herman Moskau, his olden spirit fully aroused, sprung forward at the sharp cry which broke from the lips of his child, and blindly sought to grapple with the athletic ruffian. Ugly Dan easily avoided his blind charge, and with a cruel blow beneath the ear with clinched fist, sent the ee eee old man reeling away, to be promptly knocked down by Blister. ** Shell I salivate the cantankerous critter, boss?” he cried, kneeling on the insensible min- strel, his right hand uplifted, clasping a bare blade. ‘‘ Shell I punch his ticket fer over the divide?” Ugly Dan hesitated for a moment—a pause that was almost fatal to Herman Moskau, for the ruffian gripped his murderous weapon tight- er and felt for the faintly-throbbing keart—then uttered: ‘* Not just yet. He may come in handy if this dainty bit of flesh and blood tries to cut up too rusty. Make sure he don’t come charging along again, though.” All this time Amelia was striving to free her- self from that loathsome emibrace, too busy to think of sereaming. And of what use? Whoin that wild, remote region would hear and answer such an appeal? With a laugh that was half a curse, Ugly Dan now made use of both hands, catching and con- fining the maiden’s wrists, laughing anew as he bent her backward until she was helpless, until her face lay along his left arm, her lips wholly at his mercy. ‘‘Screech away, my dainty music-box! got you right—” A snarling curse came to his lips as he caught the sound of rapid hoof-strokes approaching the spot, and snatching a revolver from his belt, he whirled about to defend his prize. An instant later the. rider came dashing around the bend, and Ugly Dan flung up his pistol-hand—only to lower it as rapidly, while a erating curse of surprise and chagrin came up in his throat. “Hands off, you cur! Release the lady, or die!” came sharply over a leveled revolver, CHAPTER V. A HARD PAIR TO DRAW AGAINST. SHARP and peremptory came these words over the taveled tube as the good horse was reined in with a steady hand, when still a dozen yards distant from the little camp-fire. And Ugly Dan knew enough of the speaker to feel ra each and every word was really meant, 00. Yet that speaker was a woman! With a savage snarl he showed his teeth, but it was only in that first start of surprise that he showed any signs of freeing his prize. ‘““You heard my song, Daniel? Don’t make me repeat it, I beg of you!” A trifle harder, a little less musical sounded the tones, and it seemed as though the nut- brown eyes flashed more vividly over the revol- ver-barrel, and with quick glances one at the other, Tom Wacker and Blister crouched low, and began to steal out of range to either side, ‘“*- You too, fellows!” sharply cried the beauti- ful amazon, detecting this movement, and ap- parently suspecting treachery on their part. ‘Hold your places, unless you want a more par- ticular invitation—round, and lead-color! Ive got one for each of you, if I am obliged to waste them, You understand?” Beyond a doubt they did understand, for with marvelous promptness both Blister and Tom Wacker checked their hasty retreat, the latter, with asickly grin and fawning tone uttering: ‘‘ Wouldn’t putt ye to so much trouble fer a gold-mine, we wouldn’t, ma’am! Good—Lawd —no, sir!” A savage snarl escaped the grating teeth of Ugly Dan as he heard this, but his glowing eyes never once removed from the fair face be- yond—and a fair face it really was, despite a certain spice of recklessness and dare-devilism. “Good! You are not half the fools you look!” and ashort, mellow laugh came through the red lips, to be cut short with the words: ‘And you, Ugly Daniel, will make money by taking pattern after their example. Must I re- peat my—” ‘Ts not your chi lve in, widow,” growled the ruffian, his eyes on fire, his voice filled with deadly menace, mixed with impatience. ‘‘ You go your way, and keep your dainty fingers out of my game, I don’t want to have a row with you, but—” “You will have unless you set that girl free, Ugly Dan!” was the clear, incisive interjection, and it seemed as though the fair face grew older and harder as the rascal looked, “T don’t want it, but if it must come, all right,” was the slow retort. ‘‘ I wouldn’t crowd it, if I were you, widow. I’m only a man, after all, with aspice of Mormonism in my blood. I may take a notion to make it a double-header, if you crowd me too close!” A hot flush came into the woman’s face as she caught these words, as she saw the vicious glit- ter which filled those black eyes. A half-stifled sound passed her clinched teeth, and her finger contracted on the trigger of her weapon, the re- port ringing out sharp and clear. | But she had to do with a cunning adversary ; one who had carried his life in his hand for years past; who had learned to read the brain through the eye; toact with lightning quickness when the need came. Ugly Dan knew that his taunt would bring a shot, and he ducked his head, leaping swiftly ee ————ee———eEE—————eEeEEEee 4 —__—$— $$ —$ ep a5 pe cE oasthewseee ee) — see ee we to one side, still retaining his grasp on Amelia Moskau, despite her struggles to free herself, And then, before the enraged Woman could real- ize her failure, he rose erect, his pistol covering her brain, a mocking laugh parting his lips. _ ‘* Just ikea woman! If you want to hit me, why don’t you aim at one of those cowering rascals over yonder?” ° ‘Not me!” hurriedly spluttered Blister, crouching still lower. ‘*Durned ef I’m in the game, a-tall!” cried Tom Wacker. The fair rider paid no attention to the lesser rascals, her pistol following the movements of Ugly Dan, her brown eyes filling with a red- dish light, her voice sharp and menacing: ‘* Release that gir], Dan Bennison!” ** Jealous?” sneered the rascal. ‘‘ Bah! there’s enough for two, any day, and your share’s wait- ing your—” ‘Set her free, I tell you, dog! If she is not at liberty befora I count ten, Pll kore your evil brain with a bullet!” ‘Tf I fail to drop you as your dainty lips say nine!” cried Ugly Dan, with a sudden flaming forth of his brutal passions, his revolver cover- ing the fair rider, his black eyes filled with murder, She saw this, and despite her nerve—a nerve that had grown into a proverb almost in that section—her flushed cheeks grew a little paler, her pistol-hand drooped a trifle as her trim re seemed to shrink from the threatened shot. Ugly Dan laughed sneeringly as he noted this, and there was conscious victory in his tones as he added: ‘Tt’s my trick, widow, and the wisest thing you can do is to turn to the rightabout and travel about your own business. I don’t want to spoil your beauty; my old pard might kick up arow at the loss or injury of his bright, particu- lar treasure, and Id rather keep on his good side, if it can be done without too much trouble. But you can’t come in here. It’s a private game, and I prefer to play it to the sweet end without your yes or no, Is that plain encugh, my dear? Or, if you will have it, I can shoot a woman as well as a man!” There were very few men who would care to face Ugly Dan when in this fiercely playful mood; fewer still in that section who would not have betrayed far more agitation and fear when under his deadly aim, than did this woman whom he called widow. She was no ordinary woman, this widow Merey Watkins, in either outward looks or in- ward qualities. Good Leather was more than proud of ber, and probably Ugly Dan was the only man who claimed a citizenship in that lively camp who would have dared stand up be- fore her ey while her nut-brown eyes filled with the light of anger, much less have drawn a weapon on her in return. There was but little of the traditional border amazon in ber face, voice or figure, under ordinary circumstances. She was hardly up to the aver- age of her sex in hight, though her figure was trim-built and gracefully rounded, now admira- bly set off by her neatly aed riding-habit— one that would not have seemed out of place in a city park, only for the weapons which were su orted by the belt about her round waist. er small face was as clear and pink-white as that of a baby, but her features were clear- cut, showing character and decision. Her eyes were nut-brown, a shade darker than her hair, Her mouth small, her lips red and a thought full, arched in a true Cupid’s bow. Her chin rounded and daintily dimpled. Her throat white and shapely. Her figure well developed, without being either too plump or not plump enough, iy in outward seeming, was the woman who so boldly faced Ugly Dan, a terror to stout men when in a mood like the present. She came to Good Leather soon after it began to attract attention in mining circles, and appa- rently she came to stay. She came alone, but it took scant time for the rough diggers to con- clude that ‘the widow” was a little army in her own self.” She apparently had an abundance of money, and yn it with a free hand whenever the occa- sion demanded, She “ put up a corner ” in Jum- ber, and kept the little saw-mill running for her particular benefit until she had sufficient to erect a building such as few mining-camps in their infant days dared imagine, much less expect to see. For where so much wood is required to make tunnels and shafts secure, there is ordi- narily precious little wasted in upper-world building. Not until the two-story structure was com- plete, inside and out, did widow Mercy Wat- ins deign to give even & hint as to its uses; but then a sign was hung out, the same which we have seen when Howling Jonathan drew u witha flourish after his break-neck drive, ‘‘M HOUSE,” ; As a hotel, My House was a success; as a landlady, widow Mercy Watkins roved even se ye ’ Her pluck deserved success, reasoned he miners, and to Aa the rs ge pe ye of their judgment, they every pains to guard seaiaet its failure. A lack of iar boarders or | ] | : oS (EC ANIICEl exexe) (E S) COM |