Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 383 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Sl a) eta SSA oe Miia = am LRAFS ~ ~~ ll ae = * : 4 - — Ps . a > aed ' —— = 3 — * a! a —— se em — — se : a rc=—_ . es ir a sr =" es = z 2 $2 SS . * a st ° ; - NE i, aot m/e » ‘ ! * oo . 7 . ar ¥ t vt om , ‘ 7 (> a * Se ee ee sz 10 lanche were plainly visible where it had plowed en eee — Silver Sam, Detective. **He told me that the property would amount its way in two sections down to the bottom of | to more than fifty thousand dollars, but he the valley. Josh Cattermole stepped forward, and looked back over the roof at the mountain-side. ‘*T was right, then,” said Bet Rawson, speak- ing as quietly as if an avalanche were an every- day occurrence. ‘*I was right, then, and the shanty did shed the slide.” ** Not much,” answered the emissary. ‘It ot no chance to shed it. The slide shed itself. he durned thing didn’t sag, as I was afraid it would, but split in the middle, and passed by on each side of us. If that ain’t luck, you may | kick me all the way back to Butte.” The woman. at Bet Rawson’s side spoke up in feeble but eager tones. “You have come from Butte, and you brin news from there. I beg you to tell me what am dying to know. How are—” * All right, mum,” quickly interposed Catter- mole. ‘Everybody is well, and everything is as right as it can be. All you’vé got to,do is to reel pa and waitawhile. That’s all I know, and all you can get out of me.” Bet Rawson quietly but forcibly led the wo- man away, in spite of her feeble protests, and locked her up ih her room again. Josh Cattermole assisted in repairing the little | damage that bad been done to the cabin, and the next morning he set out to return to Butte, | skimming swiftly along on his snow-shoes, and | Nae mountain-sides as wide a berth as possi- e, CHAPTER XIV. THE MISSING HEIRESS. WueEn Andrew Birkett’s emissary got back to Butte, he hastened to give an account of his journey to his employer. He found Birkett in a comfortable and almost luxurious apartment, looking over papers, filing letters, and generally considering and arranging his business affairs, “That was a big streak of luck,” he said, when Cattermole had related rather graphically the episode of the avalanche. “Tt was bigger luck than could have been hoped for, though I must confess that I had never calculated the chances of that kind of thing. How did the slide happen to split?” Josh Cattermole explained that a friendly and immovable point of rock on the mountain-side had interposed just at the right place to divide the avalanche in two sections and change the course of each sufficiently to save the cabin by a close shave, ‘It was immense luck,” said Birkett. “If that slide had got in its work as it meant to, it would have swept away the most promising speculation I have struck for years, to say noth- ing of making an end of you and Bet. How - does the old girl seem to stand the pressure, shall get On 4 then she Josh?’ : ‘Tike a rock. She’s tough as quartz, as you well know. But she told me, govw’nor, and ber eyes snapped as she said it, to tell you that she is alive, and that she don’t mean to stand any nonsense,” ‘*Who wants her to stand any nonsense? No- wants to give her any, that I know of. She away from there aftera while, and will have an easy time.” - ** Reckon she wants more than that, gov’nor.” ask *\ ele Ly ie ao ‘| oe ¥ vi! age ME SESS en ** What does she want?” ‘*She wants you,” “T don’t bother about what she wants. She will get what I choose to give her. I mean to go out there as soon as the weather will let me, and ‘then I will fix up that matter of business, and will give her the share of the money that I promised her.” ‘She says that you had better.” “Getting sassy again, is she? I hope she __-won’t have one of her tough old tantrums until i + this thing is settled.” | “What is the prospect, gov’nor?” Good enough. There don’t seem to be any- yy ing in the way but what I can pass through or " ‘at climb over. I have just got another letter from | ‘that lawyer in Kansas City, Moses Atterbury.” | ss ** What does he say now? | + About what I wanted him to say. It is all | __ satisfactory as far as it has gone. I said when I | _._ first wrote to him, you know, that I thought I ! ——s eould find the woman he wanted, and in my second letter I told him that I was pretty sure of | __ it, and believed that I could lay hands on her at | any time. Reckon I can do that easy enough, ii “fs Josh, since that snow-slide failed to sweep her + 9) away.” : Re ae Sie is safe enough, gov’nor, if she is the i A. right woman.” «eybee ‘T am as sure of that as I am sure that Iam Andrew Birkett.” ‘* Ts that such a dead sure thing?” : “Don’t rake up any bygones, Josh. It is quite enough to take care of the present time. I also Moses Atterbury what sort of identifica- tion would be needed, what the property amounted to, and whether it would suit him if - ghould get the power of attorney from her to go East and settle up the business,” ‘* What did he say to that?” ‘ye couldn’t say how much, as it was rapidly rising | in value, As for identification, the affidavits of people who knew her would be enough, and I | A power of attorney from | can easy fix that. her, he said, would do to settle up the business with. Anyhow, he hoped that he would not be obliged to come out here to attend to it, and that’s where I’ve got him.” ** It does seem to be nigh as straight as a line, gov’nor, and I’m keen to bet that the scheme will work.” ‘* There is one other point, Josh, and it is the only thing that worries me. Moses Atterbury says that before he wrote to me, he had sent out to Central City to a man named Sam Slevin—” ** The thunder!” interjected Cattermole. ‘The Silver Prince, you know—who had been highly recommended to him as a detective. He had given that fellow a description of the wo- man with her history as far as he knew it, and had instructed him to find her if possible, and he supposed that Slevin was looking for her.” “That is a point that may make trouble, gov’nor, and [reckon it won’t do to lose any time in settling up the business,” The two conspirators might have got a little more light upon the point that might make trouble, if they could have been in two places in Butte at the same time. While Andrew Birkett was explaining the situation to Josh Cattermole, Sam Slevin was reading and considering a letter which had been forwarded to him, after considerable delay, from , Central City. His wounds were rapidly healing, and he could then sit up and go about a little. Kate Herries’s kindly care, with the assiduous attentions of Muggs of Muggsville, had greatly | ly aided his recovery. The letter he was reading was from Moses Atterbury, Kansas City, and was in these wards: “SAMUEL SLEVI N my i ‘Dear Srr:— Your favor of the 19th ult., is at hand, and contents noted. “T regret my inability to give you any further or | more definite description of the woman I am seek- ing. I have never seen her, nor do I know any per- son who has met her. “Tt must be about pacino years since she was heard of by any of her relatives. and she may be dead, for any atfncien &: they have of her. ‘**Of course she may have married; but her maid- en name, as I told hath was Margaret Tellson, and she must now, if living, be somewhere between pi Said and forty years of age. ‘*She was the only child of John and Maria Tell- son, who moved from Missouri to Kansas, and then went further West. Here they died, but nothing is known of the place or manner of their death, or of what became of their daughter. “The property was left to her by the will of her grandfather, Johu Tellson, senior, who died in this city ata at age, and since his death it has largely increased in value. If she should not be found, it will go to distant relatives, who have not been slow in making themselves known. ‘* As you justly observed, it is like hunting a needle in a haystack to look for her; but I already have a clew which promises well. “Since I wrote you I have received a letter from one Andrew Birkett, who seems to be a prominent citizen of Butte, in Montana, and a man of position and energy. “He informs me that he believes that he has met ee ah Tellson, and that he can now find her and produce her. “He gives dates and other particulars which strongly incline me to the opinion that the woman he mentions is the one I am seeking. ‘*T have requested him to prosecute the search pe e keep me advised of the progress of his in- quiries, ‘“*It seems to me that it would be well for you to ut yourself in communication with this Andrew irkett. But you are the best judge of that. In any event your expenses will be fully paid, and I in- close herewith a certified check as a retainer. * Wishing you success in this undertaking, and trusting that I may be spared a long journey, I re- main, * Yours very truly, ** Moses ATTERBURY.”’ “Just think of this, Muggs,” said Slevin. ‘“‘ Here is a letter that advises me to put myself in communication with Andrew Birkett. 1 put myself in communication with him once pretty roughly, and since then he has put himself in Sep 5d acme with me and laid me on my back. ‘*Reckon you’d better use a shot-gun to com- ee with him next time,” remarked uggs. ‘Or arope. It may come to that, if he don’t mind his ways, which he isn’t likely to do. It is queer that he has got into this case, and his connection with it must mean a swindle of some sort. I can begin to,see now what his reason was for wanting to get me out of the way; but why he should try to set Dick Herries against me is more than I can guess out.” : ‘* Do you think he has really struck a trail?” inquired Muggs, to whom Sam kad read the lawyer's letter. ‘* He is on some kind of a track I suppose; but it is more likely to be a fraud than a true trail. I must get on it, too, whatever it is, and as soon as Iam well enough, I shall watch his move- ments closely. In the mean time, Muggs, I must rely on your eyes and ears.” et MP obi ee $ } a9 nae, ear i<e Lane ‘24 “You may bet high on them, boss, when Miss | Kate don’t need me, But I hope that you will soon git about and ‘tend to the case yourself.” CHAPTER XV. THE STRANGER FROM BANNACK, SPRING was at hand,if it had not already come, and Butte was joyfully emerging from its hibernation, though there was still plenty of snow on the mountains, when a stranger arrived in the *‘ city” by the junction road from Silver Bow station, He was not the only passenger by that train, nor was the arrival of a stranger in Butte such a marvelous matter that it should excite com- ment, nor was there anything specially note- worthy in the appearance of this stranger. He was a tall and stalwart man, with good features and bright eyes, though his face was nearly covered by a heavy beard, and his eyes were shaded by blue pre ey as if the glare of | the sun on the winter’s snow had been too much | for them. His hair and beard were so intensely black, that a close observer might have suspected them of too intimate an acquaintance with hair-dye, His garments, including a fine overcoat trim- med with fur, were of good material and stylish cut, and his general appearance was that of a gentleman of wealth and standing, who was fully up to the times. He went direct to the best hotel, and register- on himself as James H. Ralston, of Bannack ‘ity. Mr. Ralston speedily developed an inquisitive pe, yore and a fondness for rambling about | me taking in all the sights that Butte had to snow, If he had ‘intended to buy the camp, and de- sired to estimate its value before aeennaing he would not have investigated more closely than | he did. Being of a genial and communicative dis- position, he did not seruple to let it be known that he had ‘struck it rich” in mining pro- perty. But he did not want to sell a mine or to bu a mine, nor was hetrying to form a stock company or looking for a partner with capital. |_ He needed nothing, and had merely come to Butte to look around and have a good time. | cre 2 he made acquaintances, and he purchased liquids for them quite freely, though it was noted that he drank nothing that was not strictly non-intoxicant. _ It was the positive order of a physician, he said by way of excuse, that caused him to re- frain, though his appearance was by no means indicative of ill health. He frequently expressed a fondness for games of chance (so called), and declared his intention of cropping a few dollars that way before leav- own. i | i | ing. ut he was in no hurry to risk bis money. He attended the performance at Concert Hall, formerly the White Elephant, and appeared to be delighted with the entertainment, especially with the acts of Kate Herries, which he ap- plauded vigorously. Afterward he made inquiries concerning her among his new acquaintances, and picked up many items, interesting and otherwise, about Kate and her family. It was not to be expected that a stranger of this quality would escape the notice and atten- tions of Andrew Birkett, That prominent citizen was fond of making | the acquaintance of strangers in the camp who | seemed to have money to spend, and it was the general opinion that the acquaintance seldom resulted to the advantage of the stranger. A man who had struck it rich, who was free with his money, and who had an air of tender- footedness in spite of his knowing talk and ways, was not likely to be overlooked. It was easy for Andrew Birkett to form the acquaintance of Mr. ston from Bannack, a the two became quite intimate, After the performance at Concert Hall which the stranger attended they lunched together at a neighboring saloon, with the accompaniment of liquor and cigars, . . Ralston turned the conversation on the performance at Concert Hall. ; ‘That is a nice girl they’ve got there,” he said—“‘ mighty nice for such a show as that.” * Which girl?” inguired Birkett. “There is only one worth speaking of—the song-and-dance girl. Herre ; , yes, she is nice enough, for that sort,” : ren her sort? Anything the matter with er ** Well, 1 don’t know that there is, No worse than the rest, I suppose. But she comes of bad stock, and what can you expect?” “‘T have heard something of that. I believe her father was run out of this camp,” ‘Yes, when we gave the rustlers notice to quit winter, he to go with the rest, and it was no worse thanhe deserved. Dick Herries was his name, and he amounted to some- thing in his time, but had quite gone to seed. | Liquor was the ruin of him, and he had got to be ' athief and a general nuisance,” I think her name is Kate (e(6) eoKe) <5 mire