Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 38 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

Velvet Hand. “Well, 1 don’t mind telling you, provided that you keep it quiet,”’ the sharp replied, sober as a judge. “Qh, we won’t mention it, honest!” ‘‘ He said I couldn’t drink!” And under cover of the roar of laughter drawn from the crowd, at the expense of the eager seeker after knowledge, Vel- vet Hand retired, | By daylight then the superintendent of the mine would seek to get square with the cool and hardy sharp, But the morrow came and no Bertrand Redan was to be seen, A couple of impatient souls, unable to restrain their curiosity, made it their business to visit the Cinnabar mine with the intent to interview the superintendent in regard to the matter. Their curiosity was not gratified, for they found Del Colma only, and in answer to their question in regard to the where- abouts of the superintendent the Californian stated that he had been suddenly called out of town on business; and, furthermore, he had not any idea where Redan had gone or when he would be back. | And from the tenor of Del Colma’s words the listeners gathered that he was not aware that there had been any trouble between — his superintendent and Velvet Hand. Eagerly then—as became .men possessed of such an excellent story—they related how severely the iron-fisted sharp had handled Redan, Del Colma listened in wonder; the cause of the quarrel was no mystery to him. Redan was in love with Blanche; he had suspected that for some time; the superintendent was jealous of Velvet Hand and had essayed to drive him from the town, and Del Colma, with the particulars of his own encounter with the steel-muscled still fresh in his memory, could clearly under- stand how Redan had been so easily discomfited. | The superintendent had evidently left town unwilling to show the marks of Velvet Hand’s skill upon his handsome face. In time he would return, and then, perhaps, there would be one card-sharp Jess in the town, or else the Cinnabar mine might need a new superintendent. Del Colma was in a quandary; he knew not how to act. Velvet Hand had spoken the truth in regard to his interview with Blanche for the girl had shown him the diamond-ring and related how strangely she had recovered it. But whither had Bertrand Redan gone and what did he seek? In the mountain caves, beneath the shadow of Shasta’s mighty peak, he held council with the masked men of Captain Death’s band and together they plotted the death of the daring Cinnabar sport, CHAPTER XXIV, THE FANDANGO, ANTON VELARDE was his name, and “the City of Mexico Sa- toon” was the place that he kept. A little yellow-skinned Mexican, evil of face and supple of con- science; nO brawny desperado, and yet few men in the town of Cinnabar bearing a harder name, | Within the limits of the young metropolis of the Shasta val- ley there might be worse places than the den presided over by the Mexican; noisier, rougher-appearing saloons there certainly were, but when it came to mischief within the walls of “the City of Mexico,” it meant death. The place was saloon, gaming-hell and dance-house combined. In the outer apartment a man could drink; in the next there were always six or eight beauties, more or less indebtéd to art for their charms, and there the light fantastic toe could be shaken; and the inner room of all was sacred to the god of chance, and the flush miner, hot from the mountain gulches, with his little buckskin bag of gold-dust; could freely risk it at almost any game from Spanish monte down to the rude chuck-a-luck board, so common to the south-western border. And once a; week—-on Sunday night, too, to relate the exact truth—there was always a grand fandango held in the saloon; and so common had the habit grown among the miners of attend- | ing these wild orgies, that on Sunday evening in Cinnabar if one wished to find any prominent man, the chances were about ten to one that at some time in the evening, varying from nine to twelve, the party could be found, looking on at the ‘‘fun” so strongly indulged in at the Mexican saloon. Two out of every three who visited the place took no part im the orgies, but were merely “ lookers-on in Vienna,” It'was the correct “thing” among the little circles into which the inhabitants of the town were naturally divided, to stroll down the street and take a look at the elephant on Sunday evening, when conversation flagged and topics of interest were | scarce. It was on the Sunday evening | closing the week wherein the fray between the Cinnabar superintendent and Velvet Hand had occurred that we visit ‘the City of Mexico,” and quite a crowd had assembled, as usual, in the Mexican saloon, The fandango had commenced, and as was only common, a little group was gathered around the doorway of the dance- — hall, watching the fun; a smell number of, players, too, were within the gaming-room, intent upon wooing the fickle god- dess, Fortune. ; | Velarde, the proprietor of the place, ever on the alert, © noticed that within the precincts devoted to the fickle dame, were two men who only made a pretense of playing, and ever and anon a man would saunter into the room from the dance-hall, exchange a few words with the two, and then saunter out again. , One man only of the three was known to the Mexican, and he was the superintendent of the Cinnabar mine, Bertrand Redan. ad x the best,’ can continued. up into the loft above. The face of the mining superintendent sf bore visible marks of Velvet Hand’s iron knuckles, and the oily Mexican, know- ing the story of the meeting between the two men, quickly guessed that Redan was lying in wait for the Cinnabar sharp. The two..men with the superintendent were both utter strangers to the Mexican; they were big, burly fellows, and from their look Velarde judged that they were gentlemen untram- ‘meled by any foolish ideas of right and wrong. Now the Mexican bore the Cinnabar sharpno good will; one evening when Velvet Hand had strolled into the place he had ‘been bantered to play; few men were there in the Shasta valley as expert at ‘short cards ” as the tawny saloon-keeper, but when he encountered the pet of the Occidental he met his master. Anton had never forgotten nor forgiven Velvet Hand, and therefore he was not at all sorry when he saw preparations on foot to double-bank—that is, assault with overwhelming force— the Cinnabar sharp. Carelessly sauntering up to the superintendent, he saluted him, Redan, although annoyed that he had attracted the atten- tion of the landlord, responded civilly. Then Anton cast a rapid glance around him, saw that no one excepting Bertrand’s companion was near, drew Redan a few paces away, and then came at once to business. ‘“You make some quarrel here, eh?” the Mexican said, speak- ing witha very perceptible accent, ‘Oh, no,” Redan replied, annoyed that his movements had at tracted the attention of the lynx-eyed saloon-keeper. ‘‘Oh, yes! you no fool me!” Amton cried, decidedly. ‘Both your friends, eh?” Andas hespoke the Mexican nodded to the stranger by Re- ‘dan’s side and tothe other who had just re-entered the room, but who hesitated to approach his leader, perceiving that he was in company with the saloon-keeper. “Yes.” Bertrand saw that it was useless to attempt to deny the truth. ‘‘ And you wait for Velvet Hand, eh?’ “Oh, no, ’'m not waiting for any one,” ‘“‘But if Velvet Hand comes you will settle with him for those marks upon your face, eh?’ questioned the Mexican, shrewdly, ‘Well, what of it?’ ‘‘You have your friend watching for _ your man; when he comes you will receive warning—you will step out, and then, as he is the best shot in the town, he will kill you,” This manner of disposing of the affair did not agree with ‘We the superintendent’s ideas at all, ‘“‘That remains to be seen,” he replied, grimly. are three to one against him, and we won’t give him much chance to use his weapon.” The Mexican shook his head. “This man is very quick; you must take him by surprise to get the advantage; s’pose | tell you a way?” | ‘Why, what have you got against him?’ asked the super- intendent, rather astonished at this unexpected ally, - ‘‘He win one t’ousand dollars off me, carambo!” hissed Ve- larde, ina passion, his rage rising as he thought of the skillful manner in which the sharp had “ flaxed” him. ‘‘Oho! and you will help me, then, in the affair?” ‘‘ Yes, s’pose you quarrel—you shoot, all is fair; spose you no quarrel but shoot without; it is murder; look out! the vigilants are sleeping now, but they will wakesome time, I willshow you @ place where you can secrete yourself—take deadly aim at your man—kill him and no one know where the shot came from, or who fired it! How will that suit, eh?’ ‘‘Splendidly!” cried Redan; this cool proposal of bloody as- assination suited him exactly. ‘‘Does Velvet Hand know either one of your friends?” Redan hesitated for a moment before he replied. ‘‘ Perhaps he might recognize them,” ‘And he knows that they are friends of yours? “No, but if he did recognize them it would be pretty apt to put him on his guard.” ‘Do not think that they will see him and he not see them,” Anton cautioned. ‘‘ He has the eye of a hawk. My plan is far The Mexican had drawn the superintendent to one side dur- ing this conversation so that Redan’s companions could not over- hear, “Tell your friends. to wait here until you return,” the Mexi- “You are an expert pistol-shot?” ‘Few better.” “Good! I'll put you within twenty feet of him!” ‘The devil must be in it then,if-I miss him!” “Oh, you caunot miss if you area good shot. Instruct your - companions and then follow me.” The superintendent did as he was bid. The Mexican then led the way to the back of the gaming-room. There was a small door there through which the two passed. The door led into a small room, fitted up as a bed-chamber. This was the private apartment of the Mexican. This room and the gambling apart- ment were ‘ceiled over, at the cross beams, but the dance-hall was open from the floor to the roof. _larde pushed open a trap-door in the ceiling, and then resting Mounting upon a chair Ve- his arms upon the beams of the open space easily pulled himself Redan followed. The two found themselves in a small loft which extended all over the gaming-room, ‘* Come—tread lightly,” Velarde said. The Mexican led the way to the wall at the further end os the loft which rose from the cross-beams to the roof. wall was a window about two feet square, covered with some | thin, white meshy stuff, which at a distance could not be dis tinguished apart from the whitewashed walls. COMMIUGCL LOO) In the . 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