Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 38 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

18 ““T wish to speak to you in regard to a certain lady.” Velvet Hand was amazed and fully showed it in hisface. It was only for a moment though, for his active mind, used to drawing inferences, quickly guessed the connection that Mr. Ber- trand Redan had with a certain matter. ‘“ A lady, eh?” quoth the sharp, reflectively, with the design of drawing the other on. “Yes, and that lady is Miss Blanche del Colma,” ‘“‘ Ah, is that so?’ and Velvet Hand’s smile was “childlike and bland” as he looked the sullen-faced superintendent straight in the eye. ‘*T come to you as a friend to tell you that you had better give up all idea of that lady, because if you persist in your present course you will only get yourself into trouble.” “Into trouble, eh?’ remarked the sharp, as quietly and as mildly as possible. ‘Yes, and if you want to avoid trouble you had better let her alone in the future.” “Who says so?’ demanded Velvet Hand, abruptly, but still very quietly. “‘T do,” replied the superintendent, roughly. Deceived by the manner of Velvet Hand, he began to believe that he had suc- ceeded in making an impression upon him. ‘‘ Excuse the question, respected stranger, but what on earth have you got to do with this matter, anyway?” asked the sharp. ‘‘T don’t know that I care to satisfy your curiosity om that point,” replied Redan, loftily. ‘Oh, don’t you?” “No; I don’t know why I should!” ‘‘Oh, perhaps you hav’n’t any interest in the matter, at all, and you are only interfering in something that doesn’t concern you in the least.” “Tf you keep on you will find out whether it concerns me or not!” Redan exclaimed, threateningly. ‘‘Perhaps you want the lady yourself.” ‘Perhaps I do.” : ** And you fancy that I stand in your way, eh?” “That is my business, sir, and not yours.” “‘Oh, I only asked for information,” Velvet Hand responded, as quietly and as coolly as possible. “ Just you content yourself with keeping away from her, that’s all.”’ “Who says so?” “Tsay sol” Again the anger of the superintendent was rising ; these frivolous words annoyed him. “You are quite confident that I have been in pursnit of the lady?’ “Quite, sir.” ‘‘ No use for me to attempt to deny the fact?” “Not the slightest. I would sooner trust my eyes than your ” bas Oh !?? Just a single exclamation from the lips of Velvet Hand, buta world of meaning in it, It was all plain to him now. This was the man who had played the spy upon the chance interview between the Califor- nian girl and himself, and who had hastened to Del Colma with ne tale, thereby leading the hot-headed Californian to attack m. The sharp fully understood all now. This fellow wanted Blanche for himself; it was ten to one that he was the party to whom Joe Bowers had referred—the man who intended to wrest the Cinnabar mine from the weak Del Colma’s hand, And this fellow—evidently a scamp and an adventurer—sneered at him, the card-player. Velvet Hand resolved to bring matters to a focus at once. “ And who are you, anyway, that dare to interfere in my con- cerns?” the Cinnabar sharp cried, contemptuously. ‘‘ You had better not poke your nose in other people’s business or else you may get it pulled!” | Redan could hardly believe his ears when he listened to this bold defiance. | “Why, you infernal scoundrel!” he cried, mad with rage, doubling up his fist and shaking it in the face of the other, but more he did not do, for on the instant Velvet Hand, with his open palm, hit him a most terrific crack on the side of the face, so violent that it sounded like a pistol-shot, and the miner, not being braced to receive the blow, went reeling backward like a drunken man, Redan’s loud words had attracted the attention of the little crowd, lounging in front of the Occidéntal, and they had turned their attention to the two just in time to see the vigorous slap administered. | The superintendent recovered himself in a moment and thrust nis hand behind him to draw his revolver. “— Quick and yet not quick enough! for Velvet Hand, expecting the motion, was fully prepared for it. ; Springing forward he dealt the superintendent a most terrible blow between the eyes which floored him as if he had been shot. The bystanders ran to his aid, for he had been stunned by the blow; and when he recovered his senses, and it was fully five minutes before he did so, he seemed dazed and bewildered. The crowd expected a first-class “ shooting-match ” immediate- ly, but, to the surprise of all, Redan did not attempt to pursue the quarrel further, although Velvet Hand was leaning against a post evidently prepared for the fight, but the superintendent had evidently got enough for the time being, for without a word he turned and walked off down the street toward the mine, much to the disappointment of the anxious bystanders, The superintendent had taken ‘‘ water.” a8 Beadle’s Dime Library. CHAPTER XXIII WAITING FOR THE CONFLICT. Or course the news of the affray between the Cinnabar sport and the superintendent of the mine soon spread around town and one and all ‘‘ reckoned ” that it would be ‘ shootin’ on sight ” the first time that the two encountered each other. Great was the astonishment of the good folks of the mining town too when they learned the particulars of the affray. That Velvet Hand should be able to ‘‘ handle himself ” so well—to use the common phrase—was a matter of great wonder, That he was not excelled as a pistol-shot by any man in the town was well known and few of the townsmen doubted that the arrogant Redan had waked up the wrong passenger when he essayed to quarrel with the most skillful card-player in all the Shasta region. Expectation then was on tiptoe after the news spread around, and there was not a place of public resort in the town without its little circle eagerly discussing the affair and waiting impa- tiently for the quarrel to be renewed. That the superintendent would never be willing to “‘ give it up so, Mr. Brown,” everybody believed, although the gossips of the young metropolis were rather puzzled that Redan had not pushed the affray to a summary conclusion at once. Various were the reasons assigned for the superintendent’s withdrawal from the scene of action. ‘‘ Mebbe he wasn’t heeled,” one suggested. ‘¢You see Velvet’ Hand had the ‘drop’ on him,” anether ex- plained. ‘ Arter he gi’n the sup’t that crack atween the eyes he had his we’pon out to onc’t, and if Redan had a-gone fur to draw his tool the sharp would have let daylight right through - him, see?” And this was the general opinion; taken at a disadvantage, the superintendent had hauled off for repairs, intending to renew the quarrel at a more favorable occasion. But what the quarrel was about—why Redan and Velvet Hand should be at sword’s point was a mystery to the entire town. The two men were not»even acquainted, and the loungers in front of the Occidental, who had witnessed the affair from the beginning to the end, were not able to explain how the matter had commenced, although more than one had guessed shrewdly at it. & Velvet Hand had won large sums of money from Del Colma, the Californian, the owner of the Cinnabar property; Redan was superintendent of the mine; the mine was not prospering; Redan had taken it upon himself to call Velvet Hand to account for winning Del Colma’s money—had called him a cheat, some of the party insisted; almost ready to swear that they heard the epithet applied, so often does the imagination confuse the senses; . Velvet Hand—no man’s lackey—had promptly resented the insult oo mortal eyes. In fine, by alapping the face of the insulter and had then administered the terrible blow which had so completely taken all the fight out of the miner. | “They'll have it out afore the night’s over!” was the common declaration, and no one in the town dissented from the cpinion. And therefore the people in the various saloons were all on the alert, ready to rush out into the street on the instant that the warning was given that the two men were out in hostile array. And in no better way can we show the drift of public opinion regarding this matter than by simply stating that the betting was five to one that Velvet Hand would plug the superintendent. Joe Bowers, who was always to the fore whenever anything of this kind wag going on, was wildly offering to bet twenty to one on Velvet Hand, but the solid men of the town looked askance at the greasy bummer, and no one accepted the banter. The night drew on apace, but no ringing pistol-shots breaking the quiet of the hour told the watching town that Bertrand Redan and. Velvet Hand: had joined forces in mortal combat. Velvet Hand was around town in his accustomed haunts as usual, but the tall figure of the superintendent appeared not to he was conspicuous by his absence. The hour of midnight arrived and the expected meeting had not taken place. Quite a little crowd of loungers had collected in the saloon of the Occidental, believing that as that locality was the common resort of the card-sharp the hostile meeting would surely take place there if anywhere. And Billy King, the affable proprietor of the hostelry, having recently fitted up the saloon with some expensive mirrors, ‘‘ first- class Eastern style,” quietly confided to his intimate friends his hope that the affray would be settled elsewhere, not that he wanted to interfere with any man’s fun, but the freight on the glasses from Fr’isco up was enough to make an angel swear, and stray bullets were no respecters of property. But as we have said the hour of twelve arrived and no Ber- trand Redan appeared. Velvet Hand consulted his watch, remarked that the hour was late and that he “reckoned” he would retire, then took his candle and marched for. the door, All withim the room drew a long breath; with the disappear- ance of the sharp the suspense would be ended, and one bold youth, rendered desperate by curiosity, took it upon himself to question Velvet Hand, ‘“‘Say, mister, that was as putty a thing as I ever see’d!” he exclaimed.’ ‘‘How.did it happen, anyway? I reckon he ’sulted you, didn’t he?’ no od “Yes, sir,” responded Velvet Hand, gravely, turning in the open doorway. “That’s what I reckoned!” cried the guileless youth, eagerly; .| “what did he say?" » GOmicodoOoks (C (E ~——— ee —— rr ——— — —— ee ae a