Beadle's Dime Library No. 392 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

ee DO cas the snapping of a Winchester’s lock to the ~youth. eth ap re ee ite ae Te Ps ee See ~~ ~ es id . ~~ - % * g x. a a. 5 a. this back, and listened. V SR nr — eee He hugged the almost perpen eae wall at as it man or beast? Had the last three desperate men of the Satans- crown Jewels tracked him with the certainty of eel en — ~The Lost Bonanza. ————— my fingers from her throat for she must be that woman. But, boy, this is not findin’ Kate.” ‘* No, it is not,’ said Idaho Ivan. ‘*Ov course, Colonel Tarantula is playin’ for the three millions which wait for the lost child of the army major. What will he do?—Stay ‘“*Then you believe that Colonel Tarantula found them?” | | “T do.” | | eight years he had had the use of the money and it was said that he had largely increased it by ~ —_—— — »* * ~ “As, «~ ; J a a sf pt is ‘y aa} -e ‘ - ‘4 . b ’ y, ; ee ee “Thanks, I thought you would favor me. T am here to talk about the daughter of Major Lossing, who disappeared over eight years ago city on an overland trip eastward from this city.” ‘** He was murdered,” said the banker, quickly. ‘“* You: it is worth something to handle a sum like that known in Frisco as the ing mil- sae | judicious investments, lions.” “Oh, for the drop on that schemer!” cried The banker was a little past fifty, a widower The Montgomery street banker assumed to be- . - Ydaho Ivan, “* Who is he, Phil? You know | with nochildren, and his sole ambition seemed | come indignant. Rise everybody.” to be the accumulation of money. Every now ‘““Tf you came here to say this, we will ter- ~_—- &olonel Tarantula included,” smiled the lean | and then he was bothered by persons who claim- | minate the interview,” he exclaimed, about to __-alealde.. “He never turns up only when he has’ ed to have discovered a clew to Kate Lossing, | rise. ‘‘I granted you this audience not expect- a big game ov some kind on hand, Who is he? but he had punctured every claim and exposed ing to be subjected to insult.” / > \. Hite?” «Heaven knows. I made a diskivery ter- might, but it wasn’t much of a one either.” ~ ys =e You had better ask me who he isn’t.” ‘““How did he get onto the secret of Kate’s ~ *“ What was it, Phil?’ **T found ther colonel’s former wife.” the fraud. He was inclined to believe that the Golden Gate heiress was dead, but he never fail- ed to give audience to those who professed to have a clew. On this particular evening La Croix was wait- ing’ quietly for his correspondent, The clock had struck seven and he was counting the min- . * Now, don’t go off like powder,” was the re- ply, and the colonel leaned back coolly in his chair, like a person who was not to be driven. ““Pve dealt with men all over the West, and I know them pretty thoroughly. You would like me to tell you how I know I have found Golden Gate Kate. I will tell you; sit down.” : ‘ ——ee the bloodhound? hyer an’ play ag’in’ Ruby Rob an’ pards? No; | ‘‘The body and his team were afterward He heard the noise again; the maker of it was | he will play his next hand miles an’ miles from | found.” a approaching. Idaho Ivan placed his finger at | hyer.” ‘** All of which is known to me, You are the the trigger of his six-shooter. ‘* In Frisco?” main trustee of the fund he left by will to his Another minute would decide; it was here! ‘*IT shouldn’t be surprised,” replied the al- | only child, Kate?” Although the young gold-digger could not see | calde. ‘*T am.” his hand before his face so dark were the depths | ‘Then, to Frisco!” exclaimed the young ‘* What is the total amount of the fund at the of the ravine, he knew that somebody was} miner. ‘*‘ We must baffle this man of coolness | present date?” ‘standing within five feet of him and directly be- | and cunning! We must transfer ourselvesfrom | ‘The colonel seemed ver eager, and the iz fore his face. Hetried to locate the person, | camp to city. I have seen Frisco, but it was | banker might have noticed that he tried to ba ty but this of course he could not do. | years ago when I was a mere child. No differ- | check himself before he reached the end of his ‘*Thar’s no hosses hyer!” suddenly spoke a, ence, though. I will learn it over. We will be- | sentence. ant “coarse voice that seemed to cut the gloom and come two foxes against this Colonel Tarantula.” ‘Sir, that is a question which cannot be i: silence like a cleaver. | ** Who knows ther city from corner tocorner!” | readily answered, and, besides, it is one with i 2 Idaho Ivan went forward with an ejaculation | said Pious Phil. ‘‘ But I kin tell yer one thing, | which the trustees only have to deal just now. he of delight. The man he touched recoiled asif | Idaho. I know it as I know old Trigger Bar.” | We make yearly reports to the proper authori- tf \ ae pant er had closed in with him, The young miner uttered an exclamation of | ties; our last one is on file if you wish to consult ~ e~ Pe, ** Jehosaphat! you, Idaho?” joy. it.” | am **It is Idaho, Phil. Where are the horses, ‘If ther next scene ov this gold-play opens | ‘* Pardon me.” said Gilbert. ‘‘ I did not mean i sanyhow?” thar, it'll find me at home,” the alcalde went on. ; to be suspiciously inquisitive. I wrote you that ; a eo moment’s silence followed the question. ‘* But don’t forget thet Ruby Roban’ pards may | my visit had to do with that legacy. It does, H ame “*They’re not hyer—thet’s certain,” said the | also appear thar in time.” I have found the Golden Gate heiress!” Be t* lean alcalde. *‘ When did you come, and who ‘** And Colorado Carlos,” said the boy. If the colonel me epi to see La Croix leap i>) fired thet pistol in camp awhile ago?” ‘‘Ah! ther mountain Ishmaelite. I had al- | from his chair at this intelligence, he was mis- a, This forced the young miner to a narration | most forgotten him. Come, Idaho, I feel itin | taken, The Nob Hill nabob did not move, nor ira _ of his adventures which he told in the fewest | my bones that we must go ter Frisco. The | did he manifest the least surprise. It was an ne possible words.’ game will end thar!” old story to him; he had been told more than a \ ** Now,” said he, finishing, ‘‘ now, Pious Phil, tints hundred times within the last eight years that a ~why are you here alone?” CHAPTER XXIIT Golden Gate Kate had been found, and one by an **Simply because I didn’t find ther Golden one had proved the “ finders” to be cranks or ) Gate beauty,” was the prompt reply. ‘ When AN OLD FRIEND TURNS UP. schemers, <5 $i _ I got ter Nugget Nell’s cabin_she war already Ir is three weeks later, reader. We are far Here was another, he evidently thought, from La. one. Its only occupant war Nell herself, and | from Satanscrown; we are in San Francisco. the manner in which he received the colonel’s in- hy In a sleep thet a double-geared ague couldn’t | We forget the straggling cabins of the gold- | formation. ~~ «Shake her out ov.” camp with a light here and there in the elective ‘*T shall prick this bubble as I have the rest,” Pa? ‘* Dead?” cried the boy. blaze that surrounds us. Satauscrown is lost | be murmured. i “Ther next door ter it,” was the answer. | in the magnificent business blocks, hotels and Then he looked again at his visitor and asked ~~ -“** Somebody war ahead ov me. Whoever he | residences of the famous city of the gold-coast. way . ~—-war he got ther girl.” In a certain private office connected with one ** Where is the ae ete ‘** Tt must have been the man who stabbed me,” | of the wealthiest banking houses of Frisco sits a ‘¢ Where I can lay my hands on her,” was the said Idaho Ivan. large, fine-looking elderly man, apparently wait- | answer. ‘‘I know what you’re thinking about, fon “It war nobody else; an’ you say that person ing for some one. It islong past business hours; | Mr. La Croix. You have been fooled before; ‘ ; _ war Colonel Tarantula.” | the money marts will not open again till to- | you think I haven’t found Golden Gate Kate, aye “That is what I heard him call himself, be- morrow; the gold-kings, the most of them at | but as sure as Frisco is in California, and we've Ry fore | became unconscious.” | least, have retired to their palaces on Nob Hill. | got the dead wood on thet, eh?—I have the girl es >> “So he has taken a hand in the game, has | The gentleman mentioned above would not be | whose millions you keep!” he?” Idaho Ivan heard Pious Phil grate. ‘‘ Boy, in*his private room at the hour of which we ** Prove it.” | our play didn’t amount ter much, Thar war write—seven o’clock Pp. M.—if he had not re- Leroy La Croix, banker, looked confident | yA _ fisk in it an’ much ter win, but we've lost. Our ceived during the day the following letter: when he spoke these two words. Here is where bosses ar’ gone; we have lost Kate when she. ,, he had stopped those who had preceded the » -~—- war within our reach, an’ you hev felt ther. ga see tea 2 [ have information of the | Colonel on this same business, It wasone thing » a pint o’ Colonel Tarantula’s bowie.” | utmost importance to you, and would like an inter- | © make an assertion, quite another one to prove a, Sere Tt was a cold statement of a terrible calami- view, It is about a fund which you have guarded | 1. ; ty, and Idaho Ivan leaned against the rocky | for over eight years. I shall call at your private ‘**Ob, you think I can’t!” laughed Colonel Gil- ' _ ‘wall like a person in despair. | office on Montgomery street at a quarter past seven | bert, and then he suddenly settled back to 4. “We can’t play ther Jingo Joel an’ Red Buck | this evening. Please do not se oint me. I can- | seriousness. ‘* What is the reward?” he asked. game any more,” the lean alcalde went on. | not come in the daytime. i gal lll - “Tt was ten thousand.” | i ‘Captain Rob more than suspected me ther mo- . | “Ts that all?” ~~ ‘ment he sot eyes on us. I war ready for any- Lee Who in the name of wonders is ‘ The Col- ‘‘Tisn’t that enough? Do you want to make thing when he called my name from outside ov | onel?’” exclaimed La Croix when he read the | the heir a pauper?” ha Agia ther whisky ranch; thet’s why I never flinched. | letter, which came to him by the last mail de- ‘‘See here, Mr. Leroy La Croix,” and the . _ ~~ ‘Topaz Tom came in a moment beforehand and _ livery of the day, and then he began to rack his | colonel leaned forward and dropped his hand ‘) | ner stationed himself afore me. If I had stirred he’ brain. He could not settle on any particular | softly upon the banker’s knee while he looked Pe ' -would hev kivered me in ther dropov an eye. It person. ‘‘ The Colonel” might be some person he | him in the eye. ‘* Well informed people believe _ war acool job well played, but it failed.” ad never seen, and he ended by resolving to | that Golden Gate Kate’s bonanza at this time A ‘** What is to be done now?” asked Idaho Ivan, | give the person audience in his private office ata | amounts to three and a quarter millions, and i y eee eager to have the next move mapped out. | quarter past seven. you talk abont beggaring her by taking ten anaes I don’t know,” said Pious Phil, slowly. Leroy La Croix was one of the prominent rich | thousand from it! Say, wouldn’t you sooner _ ‘* My pinion *bout ther hosses is thet they ar’ menof San Francisco; he was the main trustee | pay twenty thousand to learn that Kate would _- -whar Kate is.” of the enormous fund left to Kate Lossing, the | never turn up?’ ae The boy miner gave a quick start. Golden Gate heiress, by her father’s will. For | **T, sir?’ exclaimed La Croix. a >. = i ~— ** In Satanscrown?” utes that were bringing on the interview. The last words were almost a command and _* *Nowhar else, She was ther woman I could- At precisely a quarter past, a slight rap roused | La Croix, biting his lips, obeyed them. n't waken.” the banker, and he opened the door to admit a | ‘‘ Dashwood, the mute, is dead,” the colonel pet ,! “* Nugget Nell?” well-dressed man of medium hight, with no sur- | went on. ‘* He died in a mountain camp called 5 aad ‘That's what they call her hyer. When she | plus flesh, keen-eyed, rather good-looking, and | Satanscrown. He was robbed of the daguerreo- attached herself ter the colonel, she war known | comparatively a stranger to the business circles | type and the paper which he carried under the | | sole of one of his boots. You knew that man?” of San Francisco, His face was covered with a fine dark beard which matched his long hair very well. as Viper Bess. Mebbe,” continued Pious Phil, | with a laugh, “ mebbe if I had whispered that | La Croix nodded slightly. mame at her ear she would hev opened her eyes. ‘““T searched his body after death and found That woman is wanted in Frisco; yes, I am cer- ‘* Mr. La Croix, I presume,” said the visitor, | this.” . _ tain she is the one.” : lifting his hat to the banker as he came forward. The speaker drew a piece of paper from his ) hi ** Wanted for what?” ‘“‘T am the gentleman who wrote requesting an | pocket and tossed it into the banker's lap, ae cor ‘For a crime as black as midaoight.” interview at this hour.” ‘That paper is from you. Itis your promise rH , —. For murder?’ ‘* Ah! then you are the—” to Dashwood to give the girl every dollar of her i + ome ** Worse than that!” grated the lean alcalde. ‘“*The Colonel,” finished the caller, with a | fortune upon the presentation of that paper b | ong The boy gold-digger started and caught his smile. ‘I am Jordan Gilbert, sometimes | her. You know that Dashwood woul keep it 3 _— “"pard’s arm. . called ‘ The Colonel,’ hence the signature to my | till he found the girl, or was killed. Well, he ; et ‘*There is no crime blacker than that, Phil!” letter.” did. He had three mountain camps to search i sl. The cried. He shook hands with the Frisco nabob and | when he died. _I took up the trail where he left q , la “You don’t know,” was the reply. ‘She dropped into a chair. off. J found the lost girl.” ' didn’t kill her victim, but if he could wish, he | ‘I received your letter, sir,” said La Croix, The Frisco gold-bug looked up from te docu- Bs x __- -would wish himself dead. By Heavens! whenI | “and decided to grant you the interview | 1ent in his hand and repeated two w he had ss. s8aw ber asleep in her but, [could hardly keep asked,” said before. ees a ae | em Gomicbooks.com — .. : f “a ea ea! Ai Wits