Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 383 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

———— : Ps - Silver Sam, Detective. 15 nobody knew whither he had gone or how he | got away. ‘‘Tt was easy to put this and that together and to come to the conclusion that Matt Grace and my wife had eloped. Joe Rucker had a fine ranch there, which paid him reasonably well, and in addition to that, his house was a tavern for the entertain- ment of stray travelers. He took in the strangers in more than one ‘“‘T hunted them high and low, making as lit- | sense, when they had anything worth going for, tle fuss as possible about the business, and Bir- kett assisted me in the search; but neither of us made any discoveries. ‘*T was obliged to admit that it was as clear } cut and well managed a case of elopement as was ever contrived. **T think [ must have been crazy after that. Anyhow, I went wrong, and tumbled down hill as fast as a man could go. ‘* You know the rest of it, of course. “That notice to quit brought me up all stand- ing, and I determined that if I lived through what was before me then I would be a man again for Kate’s sake. ‘*T did live through it, and luck has favored me, and there are good prospects for the two of us; but I can never expect to recover from that blow. ‘“T can’t shut my wife out of my thoughts, no matter how hard I try, and I am continually worrying about her and wishing I could know what has become of her. ‘* Now, Mr. Slevin, you know as much about my trouble as I know or as Kate knows, and I suppose you will agree with me that there is nothing in the world to be done about it.” ‘“‘T will admit nothing of the kind,” answered Sam. ‘Iam glad that you have given me the exact particulars of the sad business as far as you know them, and am sure that something can be done to satisfy your mind, if not to re- lieve you.” “What can be done, Sam? say that I gave you the particulars as far as I know them? Do you lena anything more about the matter than I have told you?” ‘*T do not; but Iam strongly inclined to be- lieve that there is a good deal more to be found out. You put this and that together very qa but failed to reason out all the points as well as you might have done.” “ What have I left out? What more is there of it? ‘* There may be more or less under it. There are clews that will need to be studied and fol- lowed up. For my part, I am not satisfied with Birkett’s share of the business. It seems to me to be as queer as his performance in some other matters,’ * What do you mean, Sam? Do you sus- pect—’ , ‘* We needn’t suspect anything just now. It will be best to deal with facts as long as we have facts to goon. I said something could be d ne to satisfy your mind, and that is what must be done first. We will find Matt Grace, and we will make him tell us what has become of your wife.” ick Herries was astonished. The calm and confident tone of the young man concerning a problem which had been given up as unsolvable, quite bewildered him. ‘**'You are too much for me, Slevin,” he said. ‘You speak of finding Matt Grace as if you thought it an easy matter. How are we going to find him?” ‘* By going where he is,” ‘‘ Where is he, then?” ‘*T happened to hear of him the other day. He was then at Rucker’s Ford, somewhere down the Silver Bow. I don’t know just where it is; but it can be found easily enough, I will go there and strike him, if you will let me.” ‘‘ Not much, my boy. That is a bit of busi- ness which I ought to look after myself, and I shall be only too glad of the chance. But you may go with me if you will.” ‘All right, and we need not tell anybody where we are going, or what we are going for,” And why do you and were inclined to cards; for old Joe was a noted poker-player, and was vain of his powers at that fascinating and truly American game. Many were the sports, domestic and imported, good, bad and indifferent, who stopped at Rucker’s Ford for no purpose but that of ‘tackling ” old Joe at his favorite game, Most of them went away sadly shorn, and Joe Rucker continued to devote much of his spare time to the study of schemes for the capture of the wily card sharp. The latest siege of the stronghold was under- taken by Matt Grace. This ances was well known by reputation to Joe Rucker, and on his arrival the old man pre- pared for a serious struggle. A very tough and obstinate tussle it was, too. Matt Grace encamped before the citadel with all his forces, horse, foot and artillery, opened | _ of this kind. his trenches, and brought all his skill to bear, but with very faint effect. At the end of a two weeks’ siege he was only one hundred dollars ahead of the game, haying | won scarcely enough to settle his account for board and sundries. This was terribly discouraging, and Grace de- termined to abandon the unprofitable field. But before he went away 2 wanted tomakea final attempt upon old Joe’s dollars, and they sat down at night tor another poker battle. This game was as unsatisfactory as previous efforts had been, and both were gettting tired of | it when Grace dealt each of them a fairly good hand, The betting began, but was not heavy, and in _ much about living, anyhow.” Joe Rucker finally brought it to a close. “You hain’t been makin’ a fortun’ at this here | business, my boy,” said he, ‘* and [reckon we've fooled with it long enough. You are owin’ me about a hundred dollars for board an’ things. It mought be a leetle more, an’ it mought be a leetle less; but we don’t mind a few dollars. I'l see you to the size of that bill, and you ken call me, and then it’ll be quits between us.” This arrangement was agreed to, and Grace put up his hundred, and in the show of hands he won the pot. ’ ’ ** Now you don’t owe me a cent,” said the old man, *‘ and you ken slide out as soon as you want to. You've gi’n me consid’able fun; but we've sized each other up mighty close, and it’s nip and tuck between us, with only a chance to count | Whena game gits down | ag’inst one or t’other. to dependin’ on nothin’ but luck, it ain’t no use follerin’ it up.” ‘* You are too tough a subject for me to work on,” replied Matt Grace. “T you up as a bad job, and will leave here to-mor- row.” They went to bed at a reasonably early hour, and both were up and out early in the morning, | it being the intention of Grace to take a little walk before breakfast, : But Joe Rucker was ahead cf his late antag- | onist, and had some interesting news for him, ‘**] reckon you needn't be in a hurry about +m? 7D ont as b goin’ away, my boy,” said he. ‘‘Thar’s a good chance that you may be able to make somethin’ more’n expenses here yet. A couple of stran- gers dropped in last night.” ** Who are they?” inquired Grace. ‘*Dunno. Jimmy let ’em m an’ took keer of | ’em, and he didn’tax thar names. But he says that they looked as if they was wellfixed. Now Matt, if they want a game, I shouldn’t wonder if you and | could work together an’ jest clean br out. We're a hull team, I reckon, the pair of us.” ** All right,” answered Grace. ‘‘ We will size them up and judge how they will pan out.” . NS Eee = eS ee ae shall have to give | civilization, he may be justified in entertaining high anticipations of a joyful meeting. Vhen the fact is suddenly impressed upon him that those two friends have been transform- ed into deadly enemies, it is no wonder that the revulsion of feeling benumbs his faculties for the moment. Such was the situation in which Matt Grace found himself, and it almost stunned him. But he had judgment enough left, to tell him that he had no means of extricating himeeli from his predicament, and that there was no- thing for him to do but yield to surprise and superior force, This conviction was confirmed by Dick Her- ries’s peremptory order, given in stern tones, and accompanied by a look that clearly meant murder: ‘‘Drop that shooter, and throw up your hands!” The man who was in the minority complied at once with this demand: ‘‘T don’t know what you mean,” be said, “You two are about the last men in the world from whom I would have looked for anything What’s your little game?” ‘‘Your cheek is something that a man of your style may be proud of,” replied Dick Her- ries. “ You know what it means. I have an account to settle with you, and you know what “You have no account against me that I know of. Do you want to rob me, or do yo want to kill me?” ‘*T don’t know whether I shall kill you or not,” coldly answered Herries. ‘If you give me the straight truth in answer to the ques- tions I shall ask you, I may let you go.” ‘‘Tam not in the habit of lying, Dick Her- ries, and you know it. Go on with your ques- tions, and kill me if you want to, I don’t care ‘Tf you do lie, I will drop on the lie quick enough, and it will be best for you to speak the jain truth, Answer me, now, if you want to ive. Where is she ?” If ever astonishment was plainly depicted on a man’s face, it was then visible in the counte-- nance of Matt Grace. ‘* Where is she?” he repeated, staring blankly at his questioner. ‘‘Have you gone crazyf Where is who?’ ‘Where is my wife ?” demanded Dick Her- ries. ‘* Where is your wife? Well, you are a ton or so too much for me now. How in the name of common sense should I know anything about your wife?” ‘“‘T will have no fooling about this, Matt Grace. What became of her after sheran away from Butte with you?” ‘Ran away from Butte with me? What on earth does thismean? If your wife has ever left Butte, I know nothing about it.” Dick Herries’s face grew darker, and he was evidently beside himself with rage. ‘* Heavens rbove us!” he exclaimed. ‘Shall I — let the man face me down like that?” ‘Perhaps you will,” mildly remarked Sam Slevin as he lowered his revolver and stepped forward, ‘Better go slow, Mr. Herries. It is more than possible that there is a mistake. Matt . Grace is not in the habit of lying, as you know, and I don’t believe he would tell a lie to save his © life. It would never do to kill him for telling the truth. Suppose you wait to hear his side o story, and let me ask him a few questions.” a ‘*T only wish that somebody who has his wits — about him would tell me what this performance _ means,” said Grace, i. Dick Herries subsided, and Silver Sam came to the front. 4 ee ‘*- You left Butte in a hurry, Matt,” said he. ‘*' That’s true enough.” ** And when Dick Herries was away.” CHAPTER XII. Mi “WHERE IS SHE?” RUCKER’s Forp was one of those settlements | which are frequently described, not with a pro- fane intention, but with as little appropriateness of expression, as God-forsaken. It was, in fact, an ex-settlement, rather than a settlement, being that most desolate of ob- jects, a played-out camp. He went on to take his walk, and had a pleas- ant stroll along the bank of the creek. As he was returning, and had just come with- in sight of Joe Rucker’s hostelry, he saw two men approaching him from that direction. He rightly judged that they were the stran- gers of whom the old man had spoken, and was glad of a chance to make the acquaintance. As they drew nearer he perceived to his sur- “1 believe he was, or I would have said goods ih by to him, as he was the only man thereI cared for. But I got news that my wife wasdanger- coats, down in Kansas, and I was off likea shot. * ‘ At the same time Dick Herries’s wifedisap- peared, and he was led to believe that shehad gone off with you.” Matt Grace looked greatly relieved, but at the — at ta ee In the palmy days of Rucker’s Ford, much | prise that he already knew them. same time apenny pee Lal Ae value had been extracted from the adjacent | He was sure that one of them was Dick Her- ‘fT wish I had known this sooner,” he said, = rocks and sands; but the pockets and Goda had | ries, and he believed that he recognized the other | ‘‘and I would have hunted him up and done oi ig soon become exhausted, and the palmy days of | as Sam Slevin. best to get that belief out of his head. But T Ch the camp had passed away forever, He hastened forward to meet them, Glad! y | never had the least idea that such a thought had — al But there was one settler who could not be | expecting instant recognition and a cordial wel- | got hold of him. If he still believes it, let him | kill me where I stand. If I believed that could be that mean, I would kill myself.” “a “T believe it no longer,” inte a Herries. 49 “You speak like aman who is telling the square ‘ truth.” geisha st! “T have my bad points, Dick Herries, but lying is not one them. I admired your wife pea Nee RG! 014° persuaded to abandon the pleasant (to him) but no longer fruitful spot where, he had gained and kept many good dollars. f That settler was Joe Rucker himself, an old pioneer, who owned all the land about there, and the decaying remnants of personal property. He had made a good thing of it, moe town come, His astonishment was almost beyond expres- sion when Dick Herries, instead of responding to his friendly greeting, confronted him with a cocked revolver. , Grace reached for his own pistol; but Slevin was quicker than he, and he found himself aan 4 - an — hat] lots, and keeping store during the palniy days of | covered by two deadly weapons in the hands of | daughter, and they were a great comfort to RK the camp, and when its prosperity departed, | two skillful and determined men. while I was in Butte; but what we mostly talked = aA 7 had got his land all back for little or ee When a lively man of the world, who has | about was my own wife, who had beena great Perhaps he could not have sold out if he had | been forced to endure life for two weeks in such | sufferer. She is dead now, poor soul, and that — i, wanted to; but he did not want to, as he had an | a lonesome place as Rucker’s Ford, and tocarry | is what made me say just now that I did not fs excusable affection for a place which had pan- | ona lengthy and tedious contest with no sub- | care about Beane. She was ready for the grave ned out so well for him, though it had finan-| stantial result, unexpectedly discovers two | when I reached her.” » a ‘*T am sorry that I thought so badly of you, cially crippled so many. friends who have arrived from some quarter of Ne si aa 1" seh " : / 7 7 im : he ; ef «" » a SS, : . ; 4 : ay } } 6) a P \e a J i 6 - Py ‘J " ok |