Beadle's Dime Library No. 387 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

a ee — aie _ _ who tries to se 22 eee eed Dark Durg, the Ishmael of the Hills. ee *<T knew that the story told you by Humpy Dick, poor fellow! was but a wild figment of a diseased brain, so far as his fabulous treasure was concerned. I knew that you would find only dross where you sought for gold. How well I knew, you can see for yourself!” and he laughed softly as he waved a hand toward the scattered bags of skin and their worse than use- less contents. Paler than ever Rex Stuart listened to this as- tounding admission, und it was with difficulty that he kept himself from leaping at the throat of the speaker or dashing his clinched fists into that face. ‘* You knew all this? Yet you stood by and said never a word to correct the impression your friend was giving!” ‘* Because he was my friend,” was the quick response, and the dark face grew grave, even kindly for'a moment, ‘‘ Because poor Dick re- ligiously believed every word he then pro- nounced. Because any explanation on my part would have given him much pain. He was dy- ing, as I then believed. Why should I make his last minutes of life so bitter?” ‘‘ You might have tcld me the truth while away from his side. When I was planning for the escape of your very dear friend,” quickly ut- tered Stuart, something like a sneer in his voice as he pronounced the last words. Dark Durg laughed shortly, the hard, strange look returning to his face, the red glow to his dark eyes. ‘‘True, I might have done so, as you say.” ‘‘ Then, why didn’t you?” snapped Stuart, his anger growing hotter. ‘* Because I preferred to keep silence for the time being. Because it suited me better for you to come on this wild-goose chase, and discover the real facts yourself,” was the calm response, Rex Stuart stared at the outlaw of the moun- tains with actual amazement. Whatever excuse he looked for, nothing was further from his an- ticipations than this audacious admission, He aid not know what to make of it. He was thor- oughly puzzled, and at a loss what word; to use in reply. ‘“‘T knew that the lust for gold would draw you to this spot,” Dark Durg added, after a brief panse, during which he watched the bewildered young man with his sneering smile. ‘It has. T am delighted to meet you, as I hope to prove before you and I part company!” There was something so uliar in his looks and tones as he uttered these last words, that Rex Stuart involuntarily stepped back a pace, one hand dropping to a pistol butt. Dark Durg still stood with folded arms, smiling, sneeringly watching him with those keen eyes, ‘* Will youexplain your meaning, sir?” sharp! demanded Stuart. ‘‘If you are threatening me—” ‘‘T am not'threatening you, sir,” was the cold retort. ‘‘I never threaten. If I have cause, strike, and strike home! As for my reasons for acting as I have, if you will bear me company to yonder point of rocks,” lifting one hand and in- dicating a high, shrub-crowned crag, almost di- rectly opposite the point where we saw the gold- hunters, ‘‘ you shall see them for yourself. What?” with a low, mocking laugh, as Stuart hesitated in his reply. ture with me—” “ Afraid—of you?” sneered Rex, his eyes flash- ing. ‘‘ Not if you were the foul fiend himself, instead of one of his servants!” CHAPTER XIV. THE DROOP-EARED DAISY SINGS TO ORDER, THs bold speech, albeit not the most compli- mentary, seemed to particularly please Dark Durg, judging from the swift and complete change that came over him. : “T am glad that you have so decided, Mr. Stuart,” he said, with a grave earnestness that was far more agreeable than his former cold aud even insulting sneers. ‘‘ Nor will you regret the trouble I am putting you to.” ‘‘Lead the way as soon as you please, Dark Durg,” coldly uttered the young man, adding with an emphasis that could not be misinterpret- ed: ‘I have been hoaxed once this day; [’d rather be in my shoes than in those of the man me again!” A faint smile flashed across the dark face of the outlaw. ' ** Am I to look at that in the light of a threat aimed at me?” : “Call it a warning, if you like the term bet- ter.” ‘Tt is breath wasted, whatever it is called.” ‘*So much the better for you.” ' Dark Durg flung out one bronzed hand with a gesture of contempt. ‘Tf I meant you harm, would I come among your friends after this fashion? I have seen you ever since you struck these hills. At times I have been near ee overhear your words, to touch you with a d and never move outof my tracks. Yet you are alive and well. Does that look as though I meditated harm?” f “It proves one thing mighty plain,” put in Louis Knapp who had drawn nearer as the two men confronted each other. ‘‘ That you were full of luck not to be caught at your prowling tricks. Unless you are done with all such, bet- ‘* You are afraid to ven- | ter put on a sheet-iron jacket, warranted shot- proof, for you'll need it, sure!” Dark Durg turned a half-glance upon the blunt | re Sa then spoke to Stuart, without any fur- ther recognition of his friend: | ‘‘Tf you are satisfied, come with me, Mr. Stuart.” ** Make it a family party, Rex!” ‘* My business is With Mr. Stuart,” sharply ut- | tered Dark Durg. ‘** And my business is to see Mr. Stuart has as near fair play as three good men can insure; and where he goes, we go,” was the prompt re- tort as Louis Knapp boldly faced the Ishmael of the Hills. The latter turned to Rex, who was smiling faintly at the blunt earnestness of his comrade. ‘*It remains with you, sir, to decide. 1 am perfectly willing to show you why I have acted thus, but if you are afraid to take a few steps without a bodyguard—” ‘* Louis, you will wait here until I return or call for you,” said Rex, turning to his friend, | but who doggedly shook his head. | ‘*T’m going with you, pard, whether or no. If | he means all fair and above-board, why does he kick at such a proposition? He wouldn’t, unless he had something to gain by toting you off alone where—” Dark Durg flung out one hand impatiently, his tones hard and short. ‘* My last proposition, Mr. Stuart. Let your friends accompany us, since they are so suspi- cious, but let them keep out of earshot. . Much of what I have to say is for your ear alone. If you accept, well and good. If not—so mueh the worse for you and those you love dearest on earth!” He turned aside, as though to give the friends time and an opportunity for discussing the mat- ter. And Louis COP EY made the most of it. He did not like the looks of the Indian-like fel- low, though neither he nor either of the hired men for the moment suspected the actual truth: that he was Dark Durg, the Ishmael of the Hills, on whose head, dead or alive, rested a snug little fortune. ** He don’t mean any good, Rex, or he would- n’t be so bent on separating us,” he urged, earnestly. ‘It’s an ugly black eye he carries in his head, and I don’t like it! It says snake all over!” Rex Stuart felt something of this same feel- ing, but the taunt Dark Durg had flung into his teeth still rankled, and he coldly replied: “Tf I need help, pard, I can call for it. You will stay here and wait until I return.” ‘*That’s your SAY-5O, Rex, and here’s mine, straight as a string,” doggedly returned Knapp, his face paling a little but his eyes glowing with a resolute light that told how firmly he had taken his position, ‘‘ !m going with you, whether you like it or not. Dll stop my ears with dirt or grass so I can’t hear a word that fellow says, if you like it; but I’m going along! That's said and sworn to!” Dark Durg turned toward them impatiently, saying: | ‘Give him his way. It makes little differ- ence, If I mean you evil, a score of his caliber wouldn’t make a particle of difference in the result. Are you coming?” Past experience told Rex that nothing he might say would change Louis when once he had taken a stand, and without a word he followed Dark Durg, who was already striding across the crooked valley, heading for the high point of rocks, mention of which has been made. Louis Knapp followed his friend, keeping a few paces in the rear, with a revolver drawn in his hand. Evidently neither he nor his two men placed any too great confidence in this bronzed stranger. The rocky point was scaled, and Dark Durg aused at the lower edge of the fringe of shrub- ry with which the hight was covered. ‘*In a few moments you will be able to see my reasons for following the course I have taken, Mr. Stuart. All I ask of you and your men just now is to move cautiously, and not to show yourselves too plainly until you fully understand the situation.” Without pausing for a reply, he bent low enough to keep his head below the level of the cover, crossing over the narrow level, pausing near the further edge of the bushes, parting the foliage with his hands and ring forth. A moment thus, then he turned his head and nod- ded for Stuart to draw up by his side. Rex complied, and so did Knapp, still gripping his pistol in readiness for instant use if such ac- tion should become necessary. ‘Follow the direction of my finger—so!” muttered Dark Durg, pointing across a compar- atively level tract, to a dark clump of trees and shrubbery near the foot of a rocky mass. ‘*There is a chap of some sort. I can make out animals—and at Jeast one man!” muttered Stuart, not a little puzzled at first, though a moment later he gave a start and ejaculation - he turned and looked keenly into the bronzed ace. There was a peculiar smile upon the face of Dark Durg, and his eyes filled with a reddish light as he said: *“You begin to suspect the truth? If not, T'll make open confession. before you all. I did not tell you that poor Humpy Dick was laboring under a wild delusion, because 1 want- ed to use you as a lure!” ‘*Speak plainer—I’m not sure I fully under- stand your ——— Dark Durg laughed softly, turning back and letting the leafy screen close behind him. He passed back along the trail they had made in forcing their way through the bushes, pausing when fairly clear. ‘*T knew that you would lose little time in act- ing on the information given you by Humpy Dick, when he made you his heir. _I could have told you you were chasing a Gold Phantom, but Iknew you would serve my ends best by making the trip.” **'You said as much before,” sternly retorted Stuart. ‘‘Who are those men over yonder? | What connection have they with us?’ ‘*Have patience, my dear sir. Follow me a little further, and you shall have all your doubts removed. Will you come?” ‘* Pl) stick to you until you make all clear, or else provoke me into sending a bit of lead through your skull!” sternly retorted Rex. Dark Durg laughed shortly, but made no reply. He moved at a good pace along the edge of the cover, passing away from the ex- treme point, then struck across the ridge when fairly beyond sight of the camp on the level two miles away. j The gold-hunters followed him in silence, but with their weapons handy for use. Louis Knapp and the two men were keenly on the lookout against an ambush, but Rex Stuart was think- ing—thinking hard and fast! He could hardly believe that the suspicion which had leaped into his mind while gazing out upon that little camp, was true. They had taken so many io aero to break their trail. They must 1ave gained such a long start, that it could hardly be possible. And yet—he felt that yon- der camp was occupied by his worst enemies —that Earl Wingfold and his father followed after him, lusting for the long-lost treasure! And before many more minutes passed by, this suspicion was confirmed, for when the ridge was crossed and the second valley gained, Dark Durg plunged into a dense thicket, to almost im- mediately reappear, dragging after him a bound and gagged prisoner. Ata single glance Rex Stuart recognized him. It was Mose Sawyer! - Half prepared though he was for something of the sort, Rex Stuart uttered a cry of surprise as he caught the sullen, angry glare of the despera- do. Dark Durg turned toward him with a short laugh, saying: ‘*Do you begin to comprehend my meaning, Mr. Stuart?” There was noreply. The young man stood staring at the ugly face of the desperado, Lut it was with eyes that saw nothing of the curious mixture of hope and despair, hate and speech- less appeal. is brain was in a whirl, his thoughts confused. ‘*T will tell you, then,” added Dark Durg, his tones growing hard and pitiless as he went on. **T let you believe Humpy Dick was telling the truth, as he himself religiously believed. left you under the impression that you had but to come to yonder valley to place your hands on the gold for which many a life has already been sacrificed. Not that I had aught against you. To the contrary, I respected you and felt more grateful than you will be willing to believe, after this. You risked your life to defend a hehe cripple. He was my friend—the one ne in this world who cared for or loved me His voice grew softer, and as he uttered the last words he turned abruptly aside, a strange moisture in his jetty orbs. | ‘* Gratitude?” sniffed Louis Knapp, with a short laugh of contempt. ‘I wonder it didn’t strike in and puff you up like a hop-tcad.” Dark Durg turned again, his face hard and stern as atfirst. ‘‘T knew that this cur,” touching the Droop- eared Daisy with one moccasined toe, ‘‘ suspect- ed yp ee Dick of holding a clew to the se- crets more than suspected that he was in the employ of my bitter enemies. I knew, too, that other ears were listening to the story told by my friend, and that if you intended to Fogg the Gold Phantom, you in turn would be pursued. And for that reason I per- mitted you*to hug the vain and emp elu- sion to your bosom. For that reason I came on here in advance, not only to warn you of coming danger, but to receive my and your en- emies as they deserved. Need 1 name them?” Still Rex Stuart stood silent, seemingly spell- und. Dark Durg stooped and cut the thong that held the gag between the jaws of the Droop- eared Daisy. He squatted down beside him and with a drawn knife in his hand, its keen point pricking the skin of the desperado’s throat, spoke sharply and sternly: ‘* Begin at the beginning, and give a full ac- count of yourself.” **T’m chokin’—drink!” gasped the prisoner, his h barely articulate. Impulsively Louis Knapp advanced, stooped S (Cop ple] oveyo) com’ “+ sui &