Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 38 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

— Se - “And such a man you take this velvet chap to be, eh?” and Redan’s lip curled in contempt as he put the question. ‘Right you are ag’in! I’m a reg’lar old sockdologer of a b’ar, I am! I’m anybody’s meat but the man’s wot kin make meat outen me; then I draw out; I ain’t riding in funerals as much as | was.” “Tl give Cinnabar City a chance for a first-class funeral if this, Dick, Velvet comes prowling over my hunting-grounds!” and Redan spoke with fierce emphasis. “ All right, sport; Pll be on hand; but Isay, hump yourself lively when you commence the fun, for this chap is lightning on the jump, they say.” The superintendent laughed contemptuously and then the two proceeded toward Cinnabar. When they reached the bend in the road, whence the way was straight to the town, they could distinguish plainly the well pro- portioned form of the velvet sharp striding along in the distance, “Tf you'll take my advice, sport,” said Yuba to his companion as they walked toward the mining village, “ you'll go slow in this matter, an’ ef it does come to grabbing fur the under-grip jes’ do it by proxy, you know; git some other pilgrim to lay him out fur’ you... Thar’s plenty of men in the town that hev been buckin’ ’g’in’ bad luck till they’re clean broke an’ ready to jump at ary chance to make a stake. Go fur some of ’em; let ’em lay in wait fur this sharp an’ knock fits outen him some dark night; it will cost you something, but it’s a heap sight the best way. That’s the lead I’d foller,” he added, emphatically. “Well, every man to his own game,” Redan observed, quietly. .‘*That sort of thing might work with you but it wouldn’t suit me at all. Ill just wait for awhile and see how the land lies, and then if I find out that he is going to interfere with me, |’ll settle him, or be shall settle me.” “Go in; root hog or die!” exclaimed Yuba, ‘¢] den’t usually call for aid until my own resources fail.” By this time the two had reached the town and with a parting salutation they separated, Yuba making a bee-line for the nearest saloon, and the superintendent continuing on down the street toward the Cinnabar works. ‘Fernando, must know of this meeting,” Redan mused as he walked along. ‘It will touch his haughty Spanish pride to the very quick to know that his sister has condescended to give secret interviews to this gambler. Fernando is thick enough with him, too, but that will make the smart all the greater, for he will believe that the fellow has presumed to woo Blanche on account of his intimacy with him. Engage bravos, eh, Yubai Oh, no! I know a trick worth two of that. Fernando del Colma shall be the cat’s-paw to pull my chestnuts out of the fire. I know his nature as well as though I were his brother. He is rash, hot-headed, impetuous; a few words from me will set his blood into a flame; he is always armed; he will rush forth at once in search of this velvet sharp and will either kill him or be killed; either way I make my point. If the gambler is removed the only rival I have to fear is disposed of; if Del Colma dies why then Cinnabar City will be too hot to hold Mister Dick Velvet and he will be compelled to fly for his life. And Fer- nando dead, the mine falls at once into my grip, and Blanche, bereft of her natural protector, most certainly will cling closely to me, Why, I don’t see how I can fail to win every point!” No common trickster was Bertrand Redan but a master-hand in craft. One must play well and watch the game sharp to beat him in the rubber of life. Entering the little building which served as an office for the works, Redan found Del Colma. CHAPTER XVI. FIRING THE MINE, Tue Californian was extended at full length upon the buffalo- robe which was still spread upon the cracker-boxes, thus forming a sort of a couch. His generally disordered appearance, blood- shot eyes and listless demeanor told plainly of the night’s dissipa- tion, It was the first meeting that day between the owner of the Cin- nabar lode and the superintendent, and Bertrand’s practiced eye saw at once that Fernando had been making a “‘ night of it” and was considerably the worse for it. ; “Good-morning. Were you at it again last night?” Redan asked, seating himself upon a keg near the door; articles of furnt ture were scarce in the Cinnabar office. ** Yes,” the Californian answered, gloomily. “* And how was the luck?’ ‘Satan himself was in the cards!” “You lost?’ “ Yes,’ “Heavily?” , i iy very heavily,” and then a deep sigh came from Fernan ’s lips, . ‘“‘ Who were you playing with?’ * Velvet Hand.” nie ae rs + ou generally play with hisa, I believe?” “‘And he generally wins?” eee apd again the Californian sighed. eard.” “ Yes, very kiiiter & Avett BAYe:D ““And not always honest, either.” Del Colma lifted his heavy eyes and looked with amazement mto Redan’s face; he di d the superintendent’s wo a clearly understand the meaning of * How not honest?” Velvet; Hand. 13 “Why, he sometimes helps luck by holding good hands,” Redan replied, bluntly. ** You mean to say that he cheats?’ sé Yes. ” The Californian shook his head. ** You don’t believe it, eh?” . No. “And yet he always wins when you play with him?” | “He is a better player than I; I lack judgment. 1 lose my temper and play hotly—foolishly. He, on the contrary, alway» plays carefully; besides, he does not seem to care whether he wins or loses—” ‘“‘And Fortune is a fickle jade, eh? and like a woman favors the man who is indifferent to her favors.” “Tt seems so sometimes,” replied Del Colma, in a melancholy tone. ‘That mortgage is due pretty soon, isn’t it?’ Redan asked, carelessly. ‘Yes, and where to raise the money to meet it I know not.” “Why, I thought that you had made arrangements to get the money from Fr’isco.” “Right thousand dollars only; I still lack two of the amount.” “Ten thousand, isn’t it?’ cé Yes. ”? “But, even supposing that you can’t raise the odd two thov- sand the parties will give you time?” ““No, not a day; they are anxious to get the mine in their hands, for they think that there is money in it, although, so far, I have not succeeded in making 1 1ch out of it.” ‘“It is improving every day, though.” “‘True, but not enough to enable me to tide over this crisis,” Fernando replied, gloomily. ‘According to the terms of the loan I must give up the mine within ten days if I do not meet the payment; then it will be sold by the sheriff, and, as the chances are that it will not fetch over six or seven thousand dol- lars, money is so tight and che reputation of'the mine so bad, I shall be ruined.” “Not a very bright outlook, is it?” “ No.” “By the way, you might borrow the couple of thousand that you lack from this Velvet Hand,” Redan observed, A glance of fire shot from the dark eyes of the Californian. ‘What! do you think that I would ask a favor of such a man?” Del Colma cried. Redan affected to be astonished. “Why, what is the matter with him?’ “ A common gambler!” ““Oh, yes, I forgot bis profession; and, by the way, speaking of that, don’t you think that it is rather imprudent for your sister to meet this fellow privately on the outskirts of the town?’ With a single bound Del Colma was on his feet, his face dark, rage in every feature. ‘* What do you say?” he exclaimed, hoarsely. *‘Is it possible that you didn’t know that Blanche was acquain- ted with him?” Redan demanded, pretending astonishment. ** Acquainted with him, the villain!” cried the Californian, hot with rage. ‘By my soul, if I caught them together I’d kill the fellow on the spot!” “Tt’s lucky for him then that you wasn’t with me a little while ago,” Bertrand replied. ‘I was coming from Angel’s Bar and on the road met Yuba Bill, and just as we came to where the Bar trail joins the main road our attention was attracted by the sound of voices, male and female; we rather wondered at it, for women are not over plentiful in this region, and so we quietly came forward to see who the parties were. The man was this Velvet Hand—” “And the woman—the woman was my sister?’ cried Fer- nando, fiercely. “The woman was your sister, Blanche!” “Impossible! your eyes must have deceived you!” “Oh, no, there is no mistake about the matter,” the superin- tendent replied, firmly. ‘‘I was quite near enough to see her face distinctly, and, even if I had been further off, the spotted mustang which the woman rode would easily have identified her, for there isn’t another horse like it in this section,” ‘Possibly it was a chance meeting only,” Del Colma said, after a few moments of thought. ‘I cannot bring myself to believe that my sister, within whose veins runs as good blood as any Californian family can boast, would so far forget her station as to meet this common blackleg alone and in secret.” “ Fernando, 1 say nothing but what I know,” Bertrand said, earnestly, and with an appearance of great frankness. ‘I dis- tinctly saw your sister in conversation with this Velvet Hand on the outskirts of the town. She was,on horseback, he on foov. It did not seem to be a chance meeting, for when it was ended she galloped back to town and he followed slowly after, I was not near enough to overhear the conversation, but it was a very earnest one, and at its close Velvet Hand gave your sister soms- thing. I wasn’t close enough to see what it was, but I distinctly saw her carry it to her lips and kiss it, and from that I naturally judged that it was some pledge of affection.” | A ringing curse came from the lips of the enraged brother, “Oh, would I had been there!” he cried. ‘‘The wretch! to dare to lift his eyes to my sister, and she—she must be mad! Is it possible that she has repulsed the love of s0 many worthy gen- tlemen to give at last her virgin affection to this gambler—this blackleg who lives by cards, and who in a civilized world would be driven out of all decent society? Ob, no! | cannot believe it, and yet what explanation can be given of this secret meeting ex- cept the natural inference which you have drawn?’ Bertrand shrugged his shoulders but made no other answer. Then Del Colma sat down abruptly upon the rude couch, drew GOMIGROOKS ee a ———-=