Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

through a single head-line, which told him what he owed to reportorial enterprise; and without stopping to read the article in detail, he crushed the paper in his hand, and—we ask the indulgence of the reader!—expressed his sentiments in exclamatory ‘‘ French.” ‘“‘Whats the row, Dick?” asked Detective Farnsworth. ‘Row!’ repeated the Tiger. ‘‘ They’ve let some infernal reporter into the thing; and he’s blowed it to the four quarters of Heaven!” “The deuce they have! Well, they may have a few lives on their consciences! That thine lets us out.” ‘‘In or out, that ain’t the point. There must be no lives lost!’ cried the Tiger, en- ergetically. ‘‘Come! there’s not a moment to lose! Mount, men! and away!” He bounded into the saddle. His men took fire at his example, and were scarcely a whit behind him. ‘‘Look you, Senor Giacomo Monteverro!”’ cried the Tiger, in those ringing tones that made him the master of weaker men, “| will accept you as my guide, If you are faithful to me, and can do anything like what you promise, you shall have such a re- ward as will leave you no reason for dissatis- faction. But if I see one doubtful sign, one act that awakens the faintest suspicion of treachery—mark you! I'll not wait for ex- planation; but I'll put a bullet through your heart so quick that you'll never know what hurts youl” ‘“‘Do me the justice, then, to remember that my life hangs upon the correctness of your judgment, biased—I think you your- self will admit the fact—by some slight pre- judice,”’ ‘*You shall have the benefit of every doubt,” was the Tiger’s assurance. ‘* Gracias! Shall I lay my motives open to suspicion, then, if I say that, in my opin- ion, there is time enough to lay your plans with due deliberation?” ‘‘ What leads you to think that the Golden Serpent will not be beforehand with us?” ‘‘T being well-mounted, as you see, have ridden without break direct from San Fran- cisco,, This paper was not five minutes off the press when I received it, At that time the Golden Serpent was at least a day’s ride away from the metropolis, according to in- tellizence which I received by telegraph. I have, therefore, that much the start of her, even if she was in telegraphic communica- tion with the city, and was informed of this on its appearance.” ‘‘Look here!” cried the Tiger. ‘‘ It seems to me that you keep yourself very well informed as to the movements of the Golden Serpent!” And he darted a piercing glance at the glib Spaniard. Don Giacomo smiled so as to show his glit- tering teeth. ‘Tf you had my hatied, and the purpose to which I am sworn, you too might be as watehful!” ‘And you feel that it has paid you tc have spies upon her for six months?” asked Dick, ‘incredulously. ‘Por two days only,” corrected the Span- iard, ‘* And why for two days?” ‘Because I could not watch her and you at the same time, senor.” ‘‘Me! Why have you watched me?” ‘To learn your relations with her.” ‘Pray explain yourself.” ‘‘Knowing that the Golden Serpent had captured the Legislative committee, I at first supposed that it was with a view to exacting aransom. it Wasmy purpose to devise some plan to get her into the clutches of the law. T tracked her to the Capital, to her interview with His Excellency, the Governor. The counsel of notable men that followed, to- gether with your appearance in connection with it, gave me a cue to her rea! purposes. While pausing to rearrange my plans in harmony with this new situation, the paper informed me of the plot on your side. 1 at once conceived what I have since carried owt, Zs All of this was told very frankly. It might be true; it maght be a clever trap. Tiger Dick saw all the possible bearings. In any yee it would not injure his position to be outspoken. yah We ‘Look you, Senor Giacomo!” he said, in The Golden Serpent. the tone he had previously adopted. ‘I shall be perfectly frank with you. You may be dealing squarely with me, and you may be dealing mighty crooked! Whichever way it be, I put my life in the balance against yours. If you trick me, you’re a dead man! That is my only protection. Ill risk it on that!” To himself he said: ‘““The scoundrel is too cowardly to put himself up as a target for my pistol-prac- tice!” That matter being thus settled between them, Tiger Dick was now at leisure to think out his immediate plan of operations. ‘* Tow shall I secure the prisoners first?” he meditated. And while he rode forward at a breathless gallop, a bold plan gradually formed itself in his mind. ** It will be leaping into the lion’s mouth!” he said to himself, But the dash of the scheme and the danger fascinated him, Tis face lighted up with a glow of enthusiasm. ‘“‘T’ll do it!” he cried, aloud, ‘Do what?” asked Jim Farnsworth. Without answering him, Tiger Dick turned and scrutinized the Spaniard keenly, CHAPTER XXIV. A BOLD SCHEME, ‘‘Don Gracomo,” said the Tiger, ‘‘if I remember rightly, you personated the Golden Serpent for two nights at the faro-table.”’ ‘To my shame and misery!” groaned the Spaniard. ‘* Nevertheless, the resemblance was so close that even her servants, and others who had daily intimacy with her, did not detect the imposture.” ‘| being en masque. her in feature,” ‘Exactly. It is not necessary to my pur- pose,” ‘Your purpose? Por Dios! you do not expect me to again put myself in that devil’s trap?” ‘‘ Not quite. Fortunately, the Golden Ser- pent has met you half-way.” ‘* Explain, senor,” ‘«She now dresses, I am told, in a sort of composite costume—the attire suited to her sex modified to meet the requirements of her mode of life.” ‘Yes; her apparel is a cross between the ordinary riding habit of a Mexican lady and the accouterments of a caballero.” ‘So that any one seeing her at such a dis- tance that her face was not distinguishable, I bear no likeness to would yet be able to recognize her?” “Of a verity. No one else ever presented such an appearance as she.” ‘*She goes masked?” ‘« $i, senor.”’ | ‘Then one bearing the close physical re- semblance to her which you have been proved to bear, might still personate her as easily as before.” “May all the fiends rain purning brim- stone upon me, if—” ‘“Make no rash vows,” interposed the Tiger, with a quietness which showed how immovable was his iron determination. ‘Stick to the point. You might personate her, if disposed?” ** Which I never shall be!’ “That depends,” ‘You have overlocked one obstacle,” the Spaniard interposed, nervously. ‘“What obstacle?” asked the Tiger, cold- ‘There was then no necessity for me to speak. Now, any one may know her voice, though her face is yet masked. How would my barytone pass for her soprano?” “| have thought, of that,” said the Tiger, indifferently. ‘‘'There will be no need for you to speak.” ‘Mil demonios!” cried Don Giacomo. ‘* You speak as if it were decided that | should again assume this infamous position!” Tiger Dick smiled upon the excited speaker a most significant smile, ‘* We won't consider the infamy,” he said, quietly. The Spaniard’s eyes dropped before that sarcastic scrutiny. | ‘You have watched her throughout these months while she has pursued her new life?” pursued the Tiger. thE ALES, SER, ae a, SE a ee rae mum JeerREERER ANES RE i “ a ‘‘ Waiting for my revenge!” growled Dom Giacomo, sullenly. “Then you are familiar with all her haunts?’ sé All!” ‘‘Tfer prisoners are not in her usual re- treat?’ ‘No, senor.” “Tt is then probably but weakly guardca?’” ‘Two men only are detailed for that pur- ose,” ‘‘Good! Weeshall have no diflleulty. Don Giacomo, place me under obligatien, by leading us at once to that retreat. Arrange so that we can surprise the guard, and cap ture them without fail,” The Spaniard’s face was now a study. All these months had he nursed his revenge,, planning all sorts of dire requital. Now, when it seemed at last in his grasp. he found, himself sudden!y confronted with the menace: of a fresh humiliation. But he had gone too far to retreat. He knew Tiger Dick well enough to need nao assurance that his will was without appeal. Consumed by impotent rage, he could only gnaw his mustache in silence. So he led the way to the Golden Serpent's: retreat, unable to guess what use was to be made of it when captured. _ “Here we must stop,” he said, at last. ‘* A half-dozen men on foot will be best able to accomplish the rest.” Tiger Dick selected his men; and under the lead of the Spaniard they crept forward. to the mouth of a narrow defile. Suddenly the Tiger rose to his feet. ‘Go slow, pard!” he said, in his ordinary” tone. His eyes were fixed upon a man whem hiss noiseless appearance had surprised on his. post. Apprehending the assault of no cnemy,. the guard thought only of not being found off duty by the unexpected return of his: leader; and he had therefore become careless, ‘* Drop it!” commanded the Tiger, as thee fellow’s hand involuntarily sought his wea~ on. A Seeing that he was checkmated in this, yet: with the sense of duty still dominant, the guard inflated his lungs for a yell of warn- ing to his comrade, somewhere in the pocket to which the defile gave admittance, ‘*It will be your last!” warned the Tiger, divining his purpose. ‘‘You've got me, stranger,” guard at last. ‘You bet I have!” ‘Who air you; and what d’ye want round. hyar?” “Tam Tiger Dick!” ‘‘The deuce ye say!” ‘‘ Shall I answer your other question?” ‘Don't trouble yerself, Mister Man! Ive hveard o’ you before! Jest walk in, an’ helps yerself to whatever suits ye. You'll do it anyway!” ‘You're a sensible fellow. You'll live to hang, I have no doubt, by reason of your having the wisdom not to run into needless danger,” The fellow grinned, as he said: ‘T ain’t buckin’ ag’in Tiger Dick; an’ don't you forgit it!” ‘“Whom were you going to call to just. now?” asked the Tiger, “My pard, Lone Lan,” ‘Ts there any one else with you?” ‘(Nary!"” “Call him, But mind iow you eall him!” And the Tiger dropped out of sight in the underbrush, **' Waal, | swear! both of us! Waal, he kin, fur all the resk | I’m goin’ fur to take o’ gittin’ my hide per-— forated fur nothin’!” And muttering thus prudently, the sur- prised guard shouted: ‘*Ho, Lan!” - ‘* What yer want?” came back an unmusi- cal voice, **Come hyar, quicker!” After an interval, which the proved by whistling the refrain o song, a man slouched up carelessly. ‘“What’s the matter with ye?” he de- manded. ‘*Let me interduce ye to His Honor, Tiger Dick! said the guard, with a grin that showed that he enjoyed the joke. Dick rose into view, smiling serenely. said the uard im- a border He’s goin’ to corral the Gomicbooks i a