Beadle's Dime Library No. 387 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

I === 14 when he lepped on his hoss to bluff the crowd, I tuck after the buggy, though I wasn’t in the best fix fer a footrace with a good hoss.” “You dogged them home?’ eagerly asked Wingfold. oP jest did, boss, but it wouldn’t ’a’ bin so easy, ef the feller hedn’t slowed up jest as he did. My head was a big hornets’ nest, an’—” ‘*You can find the house again? You know who lives there?” ‘** A feller called Maurice Wingfold,” laughed the Daisy. oa + A savage oath grated through those yellow teeth. The thin face became frightfully con- torted. The bony fingers shut and opened, to close again as though they were encircling the throat of the man whose name the burly ruffian had just pronounced. **Don’t talk—let me think!” he panted, sud- denly catching his breath, resting his elbows on the table, supporting bis chin with his joined palms as he stared at vacancy with his greenish eyes. Lop-eared Mose seemed quite content, draw- ing the decanter toward him and draining it in- to his glass. ‘But careless as he seemed, his keen eyes were not idle. He covertly watched the rapid changes which passed over the face of his employer ,evidently trying toread their meaning. Enough food for thought had Damon Wing- fold, surely! Dark Durg—Milo Garth! Humpy Dick— Sterling Coin! The chief and the guide of that luckless expedition—both alive, though he could have taken oath to their death! And Milo Garth intrusted Sterling Coin to the care of Maurice Wingfold! Could it be that they were all leagued together against him? How else could the events of that evening be explained? Something hke a groan parted his lips as his face slid down and buried itself in his palms. The ground seemed opening beneath his feet and threatening to swallow him up. ‘“‘ Rf Denver was whet she used to be, boss, it wouldn’t be hard to sweep the board, even yit!” muttered Lop-eared Mose, growing impatient with silence, now that he could no longer con- tinue his curious study of that changing coun- tenance. Damon Wingfold sterted, staring a moment into the blood-imarked face, then smoothing his own by a powertul effort. ** What do you mean, Mose?” ‘That one 0’ the boys ain’t so dead but what, ef it hed to be, I'd take oath I see Humpy Dick stick him from ahind. 'Mebbe we could git up a ang to yank him out o’ thar, even yit, though enver ain’t what she was in them good old days, or—” Damon Wingfold checked him with a swift wave of the hand. “Wait—let me think it over for a bit. I think— Ha!” and he sprung to his feet with a smothered cry of vicious exultation, his face flushed, his eyes all aglow. ‘* I’ve got it!” ‘* Pinch it tight, boss! Don’t let it git away!” grinned Mose. Damon Wingfold resumed his seat, wiping all traces of excitement from his face with a single sweep of his hand. And leaning across the table, his eyes fixed on Lop-eared Mose, he spoke rapid- ly: Mi I begin to believe that you were right from the first, Mose. I could not bring myself to be- lieve it then, but I do now. umpy Dick ts Sterling Coin. He knows where that lost gold has gone to. I believe he has hidden it to draw from whenever he runs short. If not, how has he lived so long in Denver without work? Where has his gold comefrom? From that very lost cache!” “Straight as I could cipher it out my own self, boss!” and Sawyer nodded approvingly. “Tf so, he has forfeited all claims on it, by his trickery, even if he hasn’t already spent his full share, I and and Maurice Wingfold are the only surviving claimants, and he has cheated me out of more than his share would amount to. That leaves me alone as the rightful owner.” Again Moses coincided with his employer. ** You say that some of your friends were hurt in the row?” y ‘‘Red Hooper, Chris. Frenger an’ Fred Miller —all throwed too cold to skin. Dark Durg done the job for “em.” ‘You mistake. Humpy Dick killed at least one of the trio.” ; ‘‘Durned ef he didn’t, now!” ; Smeg Lop- eared Mose, beginning ‘to see the drift of these sharp questions. ‘‘Stuck him from behind, an’ never axed what it was done fer, the p’izen crit- ter!” : ‘““You stand ready to take ‘oath to that effect?” Lo ed Mose gave a wry grimace. He was little troubled with conscientious scruples, but after his recent experience in a California prison, to which retreat he still owed some years’ service, he was not eager to mix himself up in any law business. True, he was in little danger of recapture while in Denver, for certain rea- Dark Durg, th | sons, but his chance might be destroyed were he ° to figure too prominently before the public in a trial for murder. ; Damon Wingfold expaccetly read his hesi- tation aright, for he sai — ‘Tll see that you come to no harm, Mose. I’m not going to puso my little game in all the spre ok, e sure of that!” ‘* Waal, ef I could see a little bigger hole at the fur end, boss, I don’t know but what I mought remember jest how Red went under.” ‘* You hang back to make terms, then?” half- sneered W ingfold. ‘‘It?s what pays fer grub an’ drink, boss,” grinned Moses. ‘* Tt is not my greatest incentive, though!” and the yellow teeth came tcegether with an ugly emphasis. ‘‘I care more for revenge than I do for gold. And if you will be guided by me in this—if you will act just as I advise, bearing in mind that I will not bring you into dangerous contact with the law—I swear to divide that lost treasure equally with you, just as soon as we discover it.”’ A little anxiously, dubiously, Damon Wing- fold made this offer, at the same time keenly watching the rascal sitting opposite. On his answer depended his faith in the marvelous tale he had listened to. Unless Lop-eared Mose had implicit faith in the clew to the lost cache being in Bahoy Dick’s possession, he would demand payment from a more ready fund. ose Sawyer did not hesitate a moment, but reached out his huge paw and grasped the bony hand that was extended ate him, erying: ‘It’s a whack, boss! Even Stephen, an’ ’m your huckieberry fer to bile, stew, bake or eat raw on.the bushes! Half an’ half goes!” Damon Wingfold never gave hand heartier or more earnest clasp than he did just now. Al- ready he felt that his long game was nearing an end, with the best trumps in his pgssession. ‘Pll keep faith with you, Mose, and thank you into the bargain!” he ejaculated, fairly laughing as he contracted his bony fingers, their eyes meeting. ‘' It’s notthe gold I careso much for, though that is well worth fighting hard for. But I want to even scores with that infernal hypocrite, and leave him just a little in my debt!” ‘He aint’t my ‘lation, so chu a chance, boss,” grinned the rascal. ‘*Be sure Dll show him little mercy,” nodded the other, then, adding in a more business-like tone: “You will go with me to swear outa warrant against Humpy Dick, for murder!” ‘Ef you say so, boss,” muttered Lop-eared Mose, his face lengthening wonderfully. ‘‘ Ef him all you git urly yet lesser it cain’t be did noother way, reckon I'll hev to.” | ‘‘Bah! man, can’t you see what I’m driving at even yet?” laughed Wingfold, with a trace of contempt in his voice and face. ‘Ef they’sa joke in it, durned ef J kin pick it out!” growled Mose, CHAPTER IX, JUSTICE AS A STALKING HORSE. DAMON WINGFOLD laughed inwardly as he razed into the dogged, half-angry face of the Proop-eared Daisy. {t was a drop of consola- tion for what he himself had experienced but a few minutes before, And, after all, he cared more about the readiness of the hands he em- ployed than their quickness of wit. ‘* Tf it’s a joke, Mose, be sure we'll have all the laughing to do,” he uttered, hastening to mollify the scowling shoulder-hitter. ‘‘I don’t see how we can make a failure of it, without the worst of management.” , ‘‘ Nuther do I!” grunted Lop-eared Mose, with assumed indifference. ; ‘Patience, my good fellow,” nodded Damon Wingfold as he hitched his chair a little closer to the one occupied by the convict, leaning forward and marking off the points with bony fingers as he-stated them in rotation. ‘‘l’m going to let you in on the ground floor, and if you can pick a single flaw in my scheme, don’t hesitate to point out the weak spots. It’s got to bea clean y wif of the board this time, or our cake’s all dough. ‘Dm going to arrest Humpy Dick for mur- der. You are going with me to swear out the warrant, which will never see the sere of day, you muddy-witted rascal!” he chuckled, as Lop- eared Mose shifted a little uneasily on his seat. ‘‘Gum-game clean threugh, from start to fin- ish, eh?” ejaculated the burly ruffian, his face broadening, his bloodshot eyes losing their dubi- ous look as he began to see the drift of the dastardly scheme. ‘‘ With just enough of truth and reality in it to butter the pill and make everything work smooth, Mose,” laughed Damon Wingfold, rub- bing his bony hands together as though in mute applause for his devilish cunning. ‘The war- rant will be regular enough, and I'll have it-put in the hands of the proper men to serve it, tool?’ ‘‘ Not the perlice, boss?’ ejaculated Mose Saw- yer, his chin drooping. Damon Wingfold made an impatient gesture. ‘*T know what I’m playing, my good flow, and as I stand to lose the heaviest stake, you can leave it alltome. Unless I saw my way per- fectly clear, be sure I wouldn’t take the first step. The Droop-eared Daisy was silenced, if not convinced. He had entered for the campaign and could not back out now, though the col chills began to run races with each other up and e Ishmael of the Hills. Oe eee ee EE—E——EE nes ssnenncnssssinssseneieenettenseesseessneeesse down his backbone as ugly visions of San Quen- tin came flitting before his mind’s eye. Like all of his class, he had a natural anti- pathy for aught that wore the blue and locust of law and order’s privates, and this was by no means lessened now that he moved under a .cloud. Damon Wingfold was silent for a brief space, his brows wrinkled, his wits busy at work. ‘Then he spoke again, watching Lop-eared Mose close- ly, as though he expected to learn more from his face than tongue. ‘*Can you pick up a few solid boys at short notice, Mose? I mean of the sort you can 1e- ly on through thick and thin, who know low to follow orders without stopping to ask qucs- tions?” ‘*Good pay, good workers, plenty, boss,” was the ps) reply. ‘“They can name their own figures, and Ili supply you with funds sufficient to satisfy them,, never fear. But there must be no mistake. After their work is dcne, they must forget that anvthing of the sort ever took place. Son un- derstand me?” ‘* Like a book. off, boss!” ‘* Never mind the names. I don’t care about knowing them, nor must they know me. If you like, let them think it’s a game put up by your- self. If not, use any name you please, just so. you don’t compromise me too pointedly.” ‘‘T}l be keerful, boss. What's to he did? When, whar an’ how? Not that I’m crowdin’ of ye, boss,” with an apoE grin; ‘‘but ef they’s any work to be did this night, I reckon I'd better be ’rastlin’ round to corral them lads, to make dead sure, Eh?” ‘Three or four, besides yourself, will be suiti- cient. Go collect them, then leaving them geome place where you can depend on picking them up without delay, return here. If 1 am not in, wait for me.” While speaking Damon Wingfold was bust- ling about, all activity. He secured his hat, put: out the light, unlocked the door and held it open for the exit of the burly rough as he hastily muttered the final instructions. Lop-eared Mose nodded his perfect comprehension, then hastened away on his mission. Wingfold se- cured the office door, after which he hurried away in an almost opposite direction to that in which the Droop-eared Daisy had already van- ished from view. Apparently Damon Wingfold had fully decid- ed on the course he was to pursue, for he show- ed not the slightest signs of doubt or hesitation in his movements, and a few minutes latcr was: rapping lightly at an office door somewhat sim- ilar to bis own. A light shone dimly through a curtained win- dow, and though not.a sound came from the in- terior before his rapping awoke a hollow echo, the speculator seemed confident that the office was occupied. A grunt and a growl came in- distinctly to his ears,and as he rapped again, with a peculiar succession of knocks,a deep, rumbling voice responded: ‘* Hello! what’s up?” ‘* You want to be up, sleepy-head! Open up. Business, man!’’ responded Wingfold, his lips: close to the keyhole. ‘* You, is it? Wait a bit. Just taking my forty winks!” In a few moments the door was opened by a big, burly man, whose half-closed eyes and tan- led shock of hair bore evidence how he had pore occupied when disturbed by the specu- ator. ‘* Are your wits awake, Dimple?” sharply de- manded Wingfold, staring keenly into the heavy, reddened eyes as though to read the an- swer to his own question. ‘“ Wide awake if you need them, Wingfold.” ‘‘T do need them, else why would I ccme here to look you up? Are they bright enough to see just as much as I wish them to see, and no» further?” “Try them.” But as though to make assurance doubly sure, Dimple stepped aside into a little back room, from whence came the sounds of splashing water and vigorous rubbing. He Be Bete lowing and damp, but plainly wide awake and in readiness: for business, : Damon Wingfold was sitting beside the little square desk, one hand partially covering anum- ber of bank-notes. There was a quick glitter in Dimple’s eyes as they, seemingly by instinct, fell upon the notes, and as Wingfold turned his head aside to cough, shielding his lips with the same hand that had weighted down the money, Dim- ple bustled forward and with a dirty hankerchief vigorously dusted off the desk.. vanished the notes! oe “Tm ready, if you are, Mr. Wingfold,” he said, seating himacle and assuming an attitude of close attention. ‘* Anything in my line—” ‘* A couple of papers, judge. One a warrant for the arrest of a certain cripple known through town as Humpy Dick, on a charge of murdering —say Richard Roe. The other a search-warrant which will give bearers authority to enter the premises of Maurice Wingfold.” Though the judge was evidently prepared for some sort of *' scaly ’ business, this took him by I kin eall ’em over to ye right ith the dust. ‘ ; Gomichoo S Cc (o) oe -