Beadle's Dime Library No. 387 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

“ say get out! Sickman. Toomuchfuss. Want by patient playing, he soon learned that his sus- quiet. Seat !/” ‘*T will see you again before I leave toryn, Mr. Wingfold,” from the bedside, giving the maiden’s hand a picions were correct. If any doubt remained it was dispelled b an incident that occurred said Rex, as he turned away , about the middle of the forenoon. He caught sight of Nettie Malcom just as she meaning pressure us he added: ‘‘ May I have a | had passed by a store in which he was standing few words with you, Precious?” “Why not? Nolaw against it. Lovers’ rights. | for a few moments, and there was something in her actions that recalled his suspicions of the Get out!” the jolly doctor laughed, flinging up | past night. his stumpy arms and “ shoo’ing’” as though try- | ing to frighten a whole flock of hens out of a’ tance, and a few minutes later saw her meet flower garden. Laughing, Reprer far than he had been at any time since the cloud first came over them, Rex led Precious out of the room, down-stairs and into the parlor. He started a little as the clock just then chimed the midnight hour. | ‘*T had no idea it was so late!” he ejaculated. | ‘And yet, enough has happened this night to fill a month of ordinary time!” ‘*T can hardly believe that it is not a wild, senseless dream!” murmured Precious, nestling still closer to his manly bosom, ‘It is all so strange—so highly improbable!” ; " ‘* But this, darling,” and Rex availed himself of one of the ‘‘ lover’s rights” spoken of by the fat little doctor. “And the promise made by your father! You will perform your part, little rirl?” ‘“ When you ask me,” was the low response. ‘* Whether you succeed or whether you fail, it will still be the same. I am yours, now and forever!” And then Doctor Shipley would have been satisfied ' ” CHAPTER XII. FIGHTING THE DEVIL WITH FIRE. THERE was little rest for Rex Stuart that night, though he soon after took his departure from the house in which he had, so unexpectedly, won a glorious victory when all the chances seemed against him. He had much to think of. He studied the chart, noting each crooked line, each dot, care- fully comparing these with a°‘mental map which the first sight of the paper had recalled from the ast. And the lohger he studied, the more sure 1e grew that he had actually passed over the very spot where, if this chart was to te be- lieved, the Gold Phantom hed for years mocked the efforts of the Wingfold brothers to re-dis- cover it. That alone did not trouble him greatly. He thought of Damon Wingfield and his desperate efforts to secure Humpy Dick. What for? A murderer, the hoary scoundrel called him. Be- cause of the part he had played in the early por- tion of that evening? If so, how had the cun- ning rascal struck the trail so speedily ? —— eT on Leaving the store, he followed her at a dis- Earl Wingfold, addressing him with poorly dis- guised eagerness, at the same time handing him asmall parcel. Stuart was strongly tempted to make an effort to secure this package, even at the risk of bringing on a fight with the athletic blood.” He even started forward with this intention, when the very person whom he sus- pected of ‘‘ shadowing” him, dashed past and fairly brushed against the young couple. Beyond a doubt he uttered a warning, for both glanced toward Rex Stuart, then separated, each taking a course at right angles. Stuart laughed grimly. ‘‘ All right, my hearties! I guess ’'m just a little ahead on the deal, after all!” He saw no more of his ‘‘ shadow,” but he re- laxed none of his precautions, now that he knew the enemy were fairly in the game. The stakes were far too precious for him to throw away a single chance, and from that moment his resolve was taken. He would match cunning against cunning. Since his enemies knew, as he now firmly be- lieved, that he was on the track of the long lost cache of gold, he would play a double game, letting them see the one which would serve his own purpose the best. To do this perfectly, he required aid, and he scribbled a few words on a bit of paper held in the palm of bis hand as he slowly walked along the street. This tiny note he left in the palm of a young man whom he met ' at the post-office, a keen glance being sufficient | ** She couldn’t have sent him word, though I'd lay long odds the demure little cat is acting under his or his son’s orders! If she managed to overhear what was said about this chart!” emy, he knew there was trouble in store. might easily have heard enough to put such a cunning rascal as Damon Wingfold on the right population o track, and then— ‘““They’ll get more lead or steel than gold, if to put that friend on his guard. , YY alf an hour later, Rex Stuart entered a hotel, and nodding to the clerk, ran over the letters in the rack, opening one which bore his name. It simply contained a name and the number of a room. A minute later he was rapping at the door bearing that number, and as the barrier was opened, he quickly entered, a backward glance showing him that the corridor was then empty. If another shadow had been placed on his track, he had baffled him thus far. ‘** What’s up, pard?” asked the man who ad- mitted him in a low tone. **T can depend on you for a few days, Lou?” ‘** For a week, month, year, all eternity, if you like, Rex,” was the prompt response. Louis Knapp was one friend out of a thousand. Rex Stuart had tried him time and again in the post, and never yet had he been found wees: t was to him that Rex turned as by instinct, | even before he decided it was necessary to play If Nettie Malcom really was serving the en- a double game for the surer defeat of his She enemies, Louis a oe but a recent addition to the enver, though he and Rex had been “‘ raised together” in the East, and his be- ing comparatively unknown in the city would they monkey with me!” he muttered, setting his render him less liable to suspicion on the part of jaws firmly. As a result of his steady thinking that night, Rex Stuart set about his day with no little secrecy. Ap deviation from the daily routine for nearly two years, was his absence from his usual place in the bank when the front curtains rolled up and the doors opened for business, Long before that hour, however, Stuart | learned the sequel to the disturbance in which | he had taken a prominent part the evening be- friend, Rex told his story without reserve, only fore. Dark Durg, though shot at times innumerable, chased by scores of yelling, hooting, threatening | footmen, had ridden away from them and lost | himself to the hot-headed chase in a very few , to set about fitting out for such a trip, no matter minutes. Men hurried for their horses, takin up the trail with loud vows to never abandon i nor turn back without having killed or captured the noted outlaw. That point was still in doubt, to return, though a number had done so, declar- ing that they had been able to discover neither fugitive nor his trail. } | the enemy. And Rex hailed with delight what he had a few days before rather regretted; his preparations the next friend was already making preparations for an parently his only extended expedition into the mountains, for the he had kept up | purpose of u ting, combined with a share of prospecting, though this last was but a ‘side issue,” since the ground had been so thoroughly gone over that the chances of ‘‘ making a strike” were hardly one in ten thousand. Knowing how completely he could trust bis condensing it as much as possible. He spoke of the treasure he meant to unearth, of bis enemies, of how much depended on his success, ‘“*T am shadowed, beyond a doubt. If I were how rpemtoret! I might move, those scoundrels would certainly sméke me. They would be on my heels the very hour I left town, and then I’d | have to rub them out—if they didn’t do thesame as many of the bold adventurers had as yet failed | thing for me in advance.” j ' “IT reckon we could get away with them,” lightly responded Knapp. . “If we have to, we'll do our level best, 0° ithout exposing his interest in the matter, | course; but I don’t want a fight if we can man- Stuart found out that the descent on Maurice Wingfold’s was a secret, at least’ to the public. This but strengthened his belief that Damon Wingfold was playing a desperate game for the “Gold Phantom.” If not—if the attempted ar- rest was wholly an effort to vindicate the law— surely the bitter enemy of Maurice Wingfold would only too gladly catch at such a prime opportunity to cover his hated half-brother with te and confusion? Even if the charge of aiding and sheltering a murderer coald not be proven heyond a doubt, he would surely make the most of his chance, and cause the entire city to ring with his side of the matter, But not a whisper could Rex Stuart catch, age without it. Afterward— when we've got the treasure safely home again—that’s a different matter. I reckon the rascals will get a polite sufficiency !” **'Yowre running the machine, Tell me what I’m to do, and consider it done.” ‘*T want you to hurry upyourtrip. Buy just what you expected to provide for that expedi- tion, Let everybody know that you are going to the hills, hunting, and answer all questions just as you would have answered them had I said nothing to you on this point. Tukethe men you have gngaged—ot course they can be depended upon ‘“*T believe so. You know them better than I Apparently oven the policemem had kept close | do, though.” tongues. ' The young man made one discovery, however, and that was his being constantly shadowed. ‘* Two of them, but you spoke of taking one or two more.” ‘* That depends on you, mate. If you think a Vaguely, almost instinctively, he felt this, and stronger force is necessary, or even advisable, Dark Durg, the Ishmael of the Hills. Se ee UHUOItU UU} = .°0°=}=|. cn eee a addy Ea Eneeeee pick your men and I'll have them ready, if mon- ey is any inducement,” Rex Stuart pondered for a few moments, them said decide.ly: ‘George Little and Mark Oberlin are both good men. I don’t mean to get into a row, if it can possibly be avoided. If we should—well, L ae the tour of us wiJl be enough to hold our end level!” ‘* The four it is, then,” was the ready response. ‘It might attract attention were I to hire other men in such a hurry.” ‘You are right. That point is settled, then. You will get your traps together, to start at once. Leave town this evening, as early as pos- sible. No one will think strange of that, for it is often done. The first camp always shows what has been forgotten, and the handier a market is then the better. But when once fairly out of town, Suge on at your best speed. Tell George to strike for our old camp, and he will know what todo, If I don’t overtake you by that time, wait for me.” ‘You mean to leave town to-night?” “Tf Tean give my enemies the slip, yes. It will not be difficult, I imagine, after the trail [ll lay to-day. Ill speak for saddle and pack- horses, to be tested to-morrow. Ill engage provisions and tools, to be delivered at the same time. I'll speak to some men whom I have had dealings with before, and bid them set their fig- ures for a two-weeks’ trip into tke hills, where hard riding and maybe some tough fighting must be taken into consideration. I know cne fellow—good as they make ’em otherwise—who has a tongue that will spread the news all over town before sunset.” Already feeling confident of success, Stuart. laughed heartily at the picture he thus drew, and Knapp joined him with a good will, They quickly settled all minor points, and warning his young friend to act natural, to give no cause for suspicion, and to be sure and call at the bank for the avowed purpose of bid- ding his friend good-by, Stuart rose to take his. departure. “ll be terribly disappointed if I don’t find. you at your desk, old man!” grinned Knapp. ‘Tl leave a last message. was obliged to hurry up my trip, having to return home scon- er than I anticipated.” ‘** That will do no harm, and may serve a good. urpose. Wait till I have got well clear of the house. Lounge about the office for a bit, until you are positive no one is shadowing you, then set down to work,” With a firm grip of the hand Rex Stuart took his departure. As he left the hotel he glanced keenly around him. He could see nothing to rouse his suspicions, but still he believed that: the tools of Damon Wingfold were cn his: track, To make sure that such was the case, for now he courted watching quite as much as he had « short time befcre shunned it, be hastened to the house as om by Maurice Wingfold, and was admitted by Nettie Malecm, who blushed prettily as he lightly chucked her under the chin —or was it at the words which accompanied the action? ‘* A fine-looking beau I saw you with this morning, little girl! But don’t trust hm too far, if you care to come out all right. He's a bad egg, if ever there was one, and hardly a marrying man, I should say!” ‘*Pve heard different, sir,” Cemurely retort- ed Nettie, but with a bit of the cat in her bright. eye. ** Don’t believe all you hear, ay dear, or you may eventually find vourself over head and cars in trouble,” nodded Rex as he entered tle par- lor, the door of which was just then opesied by Precious herself. It is not necessary to detail the conversation which passed between the lovers. Enough that Stuart, in a voice clear and rather lcudcr than was absolutely necessary, told Precious that he intenced to leave town on the following day, about noon, to bunt up the lost cache, He believed Nettie Malecm was listening from scme point of espial, and he dared not ex- plain the actual truth just then. He meant to write a note to Precious, to account for his breaking his promise to call in the morning be- fore starting on his expedition. And leaving her under this impression, he took his departure, “Tt will throw them partly off their guard, and make it an easier tesk to slip away to-night, if that little cat carries or sends the news to head-quarters,” he mused as le strode rapidly | through the street. He at once set about laying bis false trai), as hastily sketched for Louis Knapp. He mace some false attempts to cover his movements, but: only sufficient to give a natural ccloring to his actions. He was very particular to declare to all with whom he had dealings, thet he ves simply going out of town on a hunting cxpe- dition. Atl this consumed time, but Rex Stuert felt: that he was being amply repaid for bis trouble. | | He noticed a burly, bruised fellow in rude garb and slouched bat. questioning more then one of the parties of whom he had bespoken supplies or horses and mules, and later in the day he detect- ed the same person—whom he now recognized as. Gomicbooks (€ (Eo) | ee ee —