Beadle's Dime Library No. 392 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

ee tne =, a i « | : tags Iam at the doors of the Golden ** Prove it.” The colonel’s hand descended into his pocket again, but soon reappeared. “Look at that,’ he said, in a triumphant voice, and the banker’s face suddenly blanched as he leaned forward. A plain gold ring was lying in Jordan Gil- bert’s hand. It was too small for the finger of a lady, and had probably been worn by a little irl. oi How’s that for high?” grinned the colonel. Leroy La Croix could not speak; his eyes were fastened on the ring, and seemed ready to start from their sockets. ‘“ Where did you find it?” he asked at last. ‘Where I got the girl, of course,” was the answer. ‘On the inside of that ring is the in- scription, ‘From Louis Lossing to his darling, Kate.’ Does that prove anything, eh? Didn’t you think that some day a man like me would turn up? Why, I’ve been hunting that hoop of gold and its owner ever since they were iost.” The eyes of the two men met. ‘“‘Where is the girl you call Kate Lossing?” asked La Croix. ‘‘ Where I and nobody else can put eyes on her,” answered the colonel, with a self-satisfied and half-defiant smile. ‘‘ I am here to present the girl to her fortune, but I will tell you now that I don’t want this paltry ten thousand re- ward, I’ve been hunted because I have found Golden Gate Kate. I am hunted yet.” ‘“*By whom?” ““Never mind. I haven’t been the only person who has trailed the owner of the Lossing mil- lions. Tam the successful one—that is all.” ‘‘ When could you produce this girl?’ asked the Frisco banker, with mingled fear and eager- ness, ‘* At any time. her?” ‘*Is she in the city?” ‘*See here; I am my own master yet!” ex- claimed the colonel, ‘'I haven’t lived all my life among the gold-mountains and the chapar- ral trails of the Southwest. Frisco is as well- known to me as my favorite camp in Arizona. If you refuse to believe that I hold the gold queen, I will produce her and astonish Frisco.” Leroy La Croix leaned forward with an ex- clamation of horror. ‘* No! wait till we can talk,” he said. ‘What's the use? The money is waiting for her! You are but one of the trustees, the head one, I will admit. There isa clause in Major Lossing’s will which says that Kate shall receive the whole fortune at once on her marriage. W hat if I should tell you that she is my wife?” ‘‘ But she is not!” cried the white-faced bank- er, springing up. ‘You do not know,” laughed the colonel. ‘¢- You don’t want to hand over the whole sum at When do you want to see once. Maybe we can compromise.” | ‘‘ That is true,” said La Croix, catching eager- ly at the suggestion. 5 ‘* ll take a million!” The four*words seemed to take the banker’s breath. ‘And you will not produce the girl?’ he asped. Vou ‘don’t want her produced, then?” ‘‘Not if we agree that she shall not be. A million, sir, is a large sum of money.” “Tt’s a bigger pile than -I ever owned,” said the colonel; *‘ but take it from the girl’s bonanza and you have still the lion’s share.” ‘‘ f have guarded it for eight years.” ‘‘ And I have hunted Golden Gate Kate for the same length of time! You have sat here in your office and fingered money all the time; I ave risked my life a thousand times for the person I have found at last. My pay ought to equal yours, I think.” cag ¥¥ hat! a million anda half?” cried La Croix. ‘Why, you have no mercy, man!” can OF Much, that’s a fact,” smiled the colonel. Pll produce the girl, 1 guess, and rake in the whole bonanza. [ve got the big hand, all aces, and sure to win! I didn’t lie when I told you in my letter that I had news that affected the trust fund. My next move will be my best one. The girl is a daisy, Mr. La Croix. She is worth her father’s millions. Ull bid you good-night, now. You'll see me later.” _ The man caught up bis hat and started toward the door. : Allat once La Croix sprung after him and caught his arm, ‘ ‘Come and see me again without the girl. No! where will I find you?” he said. ‘‘ Not this eve, some other, probably,” laughed Gilbert, and before the amazed banker could re- cover, he was gone. ae “ Thunderbolt number one,” chuckled the visi- tor as he struck the street. ‘‘ By the jumping ate nanza. Three an’ a quarter millions! Jupiter Pluvius!” a He walked away with an elastic step, and did not look over his shoulder to see the two persons already at his heels, ‘We have found him at last, an’ in ther nick o’ time!” said one of the pair. ‘‘He has been ter ther gold-bug playin’ his first hand in Frisco. We'll toss down a kerd er two now thet "ll take his breath. We must not losesight of thet man, a lesierterertinertensdieniinenene eT GQ OQ EE EO EEA eV 7s i) tl The for he is Colonel Tarantula, an’ he knows whar ther Golden Gate heiress is.” And the nabob’s caller walked on, dogged by the human sleuths. CHAPTER XXIV. : CORNERED IN FRISCO. SAN FRANCISCO is a city in which the wildest dreams of wealth have been realized. The stran- ger visiting it for the first time sees riches every- where, in the magnificence of its buildings, its elegant drives, its parks, and even in the general appearance of its inhabitancs, f he remains awhile, he will see its plague- spots, its sand-hills and Chinatown, Chinatown is the hell of the Celestial; it is the cancer which the gold-coast city cannot get rid of; it burrows in its vitals, and peisons the air that permeates it. Dupont street is the most densely populated ortion of Chinatown; the worst block is bounded y Jackson and Pacific streets, as some of our readers may heppen to know by observation. Colonel Tarantula led his pursuers into this part of the city. What was taking him into the depths of Chinatown? ‘*He didn’t bring ther girl among ther hea- then, I hope,” ejaculated one of the trackers. ‘*Why not, if he thought he had us at his heels? You don’t think he’d put up at ther Oc- cidental, do yer?” ‘*Thar’s no tellin’ what thet cool hound would- ntdo. Ah! heislost! Forward! we must keep track of that man.” Colonel Tarantula had disappeared at the mouth of one of the numerous dark little alleys of Chinatown. The two trackers darted forward; they were at the spot in a moment, but even then they were too late. The man from Texas was gone! ‘* He may have seen us,” said one. ‘** He cer- tainly has no eyes in the back of his head.” The two men drew their revolvers and plunged into the alley. Everywhere were the rookeries of the yellow people; they heard their chatter on every side. Colonel Tarantula could have turned on those men and killed both. Did they not think of that? By and by they reappeared with disappoint- ment stamped on their faces; the colonel had eluded them sure enough. Half an hour later a man walked into the office of one of the largest hotels in the city. He was large, well dressed and looked like a person who had struck it rich in the mines. ‘* Do you know that man yonder?” said a lean man, to a well-built youth who saw the large person at the minute the question was asked. The boy leaned forward and the next moment his eyes glistened. ‘Ah! it-is Colorado Carlos!” he exclaimed, looking up into his companion’s face. ‘‘ He has ut aside the broad-brimmed white bat and the aced jacket, and the sash. He has recovered from the wound Topaz Tom gave him at Trig- ger Bar as I have recovered from Colonel Taran- tula’s stab.” The man called Colorado Carlos walked into the magnificent bar attached to the hotel and called for a drink. The moment he crossed the threshold of the place he was seen by aman who was apparently on guard. ‘To be shot on sight—thet’s ther order,” mut- tered this person. ‘‘ Topaz Tom did thet once at Trigger Bar an’ made a poor job ov it, for Carlos afterward tumbled him in Satanscrown. I won’t carry out my orders now. Frisco ain’t ther gold-camp, and they hev reg’lar law hyer, which I don’t like.” The speaker continued to eye Colorado Carlos who evidently did not see him. In a little while the mountain Ishmaelite left the bar-room, smoking. He sent volumes of fragrant smoke curling above his head and passed through the office without halting. “Tet us follow him,” said the boy to his companion. ‘Maybe he has found a clew to Kate.” | ' The pair got up, the lean-faced man in the ad- vance; but they had not taken three steps for- wars when Colorado Carlos halted at the side- walk. It was evident that the self-appointed presi- dent of the Git-Thar Bank had found some one. He drew back just inside the door and waited. A man came in who did not look much like Leroy La Croix’s late visitor, but a very close observer would have detected a little similarity between them, Colorado Carlos never took his eyes from this man; he saw him walk to the elegant desk and perer heard the clerk address him as Mr. Gef- roy. It was ny seen from the clerk onge uiousness tha Geffro was a guest 0 e Oc- didental. ‘ = After a few words with the clerk he took a key and walked into the bar-room., The man on guard there, the same one who had recog- — Colorado Carlos, saw him, but did not rt. Having taken a fifty-cent drink, Geffroy Z ro. & Lost Bonanza. ~_— . 2 TD ee ee Or ee 21 — came out and, taking the elevator, soon disap- eared. Colorado Carlos stepped rather carelessly to the register and turned its leaves till he saw the following entry; “JORDAN GEFFROY, Portland, Or.” He might have noticed, too, the room to w hich this particular guest had been assigned. Ten minutes later the mountain Ishmaelite en- tered the elevator and requested to be carried to { the fourth floor. There was a strange light in the man’s eyes, and he exhibited a good deal of eagerness during the brief ascent. When he left the elevator he went on straight to a certain room as if it was his own quarters. All was silent beyond the door. With a triumphant smile lurking at the cor- ners of his mouth the mountain Ishmaelite rapped lightly and heard a quick step on the in- side. ‘‘What is wanted?’ asked a voice from within. ‘* Nothin’, colonel. D’m Lion Dick!” said Carlos. ‘‘ That can’t be!” was the response as the door was jerked open. ‘* You come just when I want ou. I—” 2 The speaker broke his own sentence for Colcr- ado Carlos was inside showing by his eyes the success of his little scheme. **'You don’t see Lion Dick!” laughed the Ish- maelite, ‘‘an’ I reckon you don’t want me just now!” ; Geffroy was staring at the speaker as if his eyes were about to fly from his head, ‘‘Don’t you know me, colonel?’ continued. Carlos. ‘‘ lam Colorado.” 7 * Jupiter Pluvius! Id rather see the dead ere.’ ‘* Or Old Nick!” A moment’s silence followed the chuckle that: supplemented Colorado Carlos’s last response. Its ended when he took a quick step toward Geffroy and went on: “Colonel Tarantula, that last play of yours at: Satanscrown war a good one. ou have trans— ferred the game ter Frisco, an’ Iam hyer because: ov the change. Sitdown! The door is locked. I turned the key when I shut it an’ I have it safe in my pocket.” | Geffroy, or Colonel Tarantula, as he stood thus unmasked before Colorado Carlos, looked for a moment like a man about to fly at the face of a mortal foe. He drew back as if for a spring” but the mountain Ishmaelite seemed to know that no attack would be made. ‘* You beat me ter Frisco with the Golden Gate find, colonel. I didn’t try ter git ahead ov you. What kind o’ hand have you played t--night?” Did Colorado Carlos know that he had visited Leroy LaCroix, the trustee of the millions? Had the mountain man played detective and dogged his footsteps since sundown? He shut his teeth and said nothing for a min- ute, during which time Colorado Carlos waited with exasperating patience. | ‘You have tracked me!” suddenly said Col- _ onel Tarantula. ee ‘Not a step, but I will from this houron,” — was the reply. ‘‘I will become yourshadow unless you throw up the game and leave the This was the hight of impudence in Tarantn- la’s eyes. | ES “Tt is one thing to follow a man, another to — run him down,” he said, ‘‘I see the hand of Colorado Carlos in this bonanza game. It was you who robbed Ruby Rob of the boot that con- | a o tained the Silent Hound’s statement and Goldex a. So he pee “s Gate Kate's miniature. You can’t rob me of a anything.” eae ** ‘You forget the girl.” Fig a Fe ‘* By heavens! you will have to find her first!” The words of the last sentencemadeupaboast and a challenge. be a ET ‘‘ Listen to me,” said Colorado Carlos coolly. aie “We want to see the Lossing millions pass from the hands of the trustees. I want the girlto have her own; you are playin’ a game for your- > self, not for Kate.” oC Se “That is a bold accusation.” ‘rt oe ‘““T will repeat it if you didn’t catchit,” the Ishmaelite said. (aa 4 Never mind. .You make yourself under- ‘You have brought the girl to Frisco. Don’t — tell me that you have not. I want to see her, to- night, now !” Colonel Tarantula’s lips parted in a derisive — smile which was almost instantly checked by the giant's look. | ‘Frisco isn’t Colorado and her gold-camps,” Colorado Carlos went on. ‘‘ We want ter un- derstand one another thoroughly, colonel. i am goin’ ter ask a question which I want an- swered without a growl. Whar is the heiress | ov the Golden Gate?” = Colonel Tarantula received the interrogative | with close set teeth. Heexpectedit,andthoughG — he had panpered for its reception. It star ae him for all that. ‘fae _ “Come! no false plays hyer!—no cold decks — in Frisco,” continu lorado Carlos and be- | fore the Texan could leap up and draw,the ecomicbooks -_, d ~ y* » o