Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

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Instead of yielding, he caught her hand with his left, holding it firmly as he rapidly spoke: ‘“‘T must beg of you to hear me out, Portia, | It is a right I have won—a right granted me by | no less than your own father!” It was a brilliant thought, and he lost no time in spreading it before ber dazzled eyes. ‘* My father!” echoed Portia, bewilderedly. She recalled how terribly angry Romulus Wellspring had been when he read of that af- fair, as floridly detailed in the prints of the day. She remembered how he vowed to never rest until he kad hunted the villain down to dupli- cate his caning, and how long she had to coax before that hot anger grew cool. it must be a mistake! ‘¢ Your father,” coolly repeated Rufus, a little smile lighting up his face, ‘Greatly as I have suffered while underlying your displeasure, and much as I have wished to at least partially clear myself in your eyes, 1 would not have dared to speak so openly only for what your father said when he bade me hasten to bring you to his bedside.” ‘““What he said—l don’t understand you!” murmured Portia, still more bewildered, press- ing one white hand to her temples. ‘** Your father called me to Deadly Aim, the Duke of De And now—but | is side, as I told | your future was secured, death would be robbed of half its terrors to him. ‘* He said that he had long denied the distant — rringers. Coed Tae PE See EE el ES Se Pee ae ee. | | a ~s ———a = ae - d r4 ae Te * felt in anything but a laughing mood. Ard Kyte Darley, too, was more sober than v.¢s }| is wont, as through his half-closed lids he Lceniy relationship between our families, but that, after | watched the face of Mark Landrum, all, blood was thicker than water. He knew | Was he what he claimed, or was he the Dule that I had loved you for years. I was not pre- | of Derringers? Had his life depended on Iyis | cisely the man he could wish, were the choice left entirely to him, but that it might easily te far worse. In short, your father told me, be- fore witnesses, who will be ready to testify to the fact, that he hoped and prayed that you would consent to bury the past forever. That his last prayer was for you to marry me,” hurriedly concluded the base schemer, Even as he spoke his gaze was anxiously wandering about them, and he caught sight of a shadowy ficure which he felt confident was that of Kyte Darley. If worst came to the worst—if the signal should be too long delayed—he would summon his ally to the spot, and then— ‘*T have heard you out with what patience I could summon, Mr, Cramp,” coldly said Portia drawing her figure erect. ‘‘I will believe all this when my father repeats it, not before. Good-night, sir.” Rufus Cramp made an urgent sign toward the shadow. oF CHAPTER XIII. MARK LANDRUM IN QUEST OF AMUSEMENT. THERE was nothing soft or purring about ou,” glibly lied the villain, wholly a: sorbed in | Mark Landrum now, as he faced the middle- his new issue. ‘‘He said that, apart from father, whom he could not spare just then, I was the only man in whom he could either trust or | confide. He said that he knew I had been very foolish—that I had acted like an idiot on that occasion. He had been very wroth at first, but after quietly investigating the matter, he reached the conclusion that I had not sinned through an evil nature, but more through a brief insanity.” ‘* Let it pass,” hastily interposed Portia, again ing to free her hand, only ceasing lest her struggles should attract attention from he soli- tary passenger who stood near the center of the vessel. ‘‘Iam glad if he forgave you. I did that long ago. Let me go, please!” “In one moment,” was the hurried response. _**T must beg of you to hear me out,” vas : | : ‘*Very well. I will do do so, on one condi- tion,” coldly said Portia. ‘** And that condition?” . ‘*That you release my hand.” ‘You will hear all I have to say, then? You will not run away?” ‘*T will listen to all ‘be care to say, but I warn you in advance that you are losing time and breath. I have forgiven you that day, but I can néver forget it.” (i . before that, you were not so hard. You would even—” ‘‘ What I was then I will never be again. You ‘were to repeat the words of my father, I believe, Iam waiting, sir.” Ice could not have been colder, and in that moment the scales fell forever from the man’s eyes. He was startled by the mere thought of what he had risked. Had this terrible strain on his brain weakened it so greatly? He cast a swift glance around them. The last nger had now left the deck, leaving them the Gals occupants of the hurricane-deck, The A % __ pilot-house was only dimly visible from where y stood, and only from being cast into relief st the sky, the pilot could not have been distinguished at all. Even were he to look in their direction he could have seen er If Kyte Darley would only come! If that cursed signal would only show itself! Could he detain Portia long enough, after this? He could not use actual force, yet she must not escape before the signal came! It would force them to change all their plans, and again 6 cursed himself deep down in his throat for act- ing so idictically. _ “You were saying?” insisted Portia, impatient at the delay. mething urged her to break her promise and flee from this man, but she remembered how he ‘had served her, and hesitated. If he would only speak out and thus free her! It would be long ere she trusted him with another such oppor- ity. ‘‘ Your father was far more kind than I have found you,” said Cramp, fighting against time. “* He frankly told me that I had sinned, but he as frankly declared his belief that I had also suffer- ed enough to cancel that thoughtless crime. He said that he had been thinking much and soberly since taken ill. Of course his thoughts were egal ao of you, and what would become of you were he to be taken away.” ' ~ Pray don’t!” murmured Portia, with a shiver. ‘‘T must tell you just what led to the end, else it may seem improbable to you,” calmly added Rufus, glancing around onre more in quest of Kyte Darley. ‘*T amsorry if it pains you. I ‘will be brief as I can. ‘Ho said that without his presence to guard you from them, needy fortune-hunters would surround you atalltimes. He knew that you must marry some day, andif he could know that a : * ba aged passenger; just the contrary. He seemed hard as flint, cold as ice, his face a mask of marble, though there was a peculiar reddish light glowing in his large black eyes. As he uttered that sharp query, the red lips parted a little from his white teeth, not in a smile, but with an expression that would have seemed more fitting in a tiger. Thomas Burgess, though rather domineering with those whose caliber he felt beneath his own grade, rather given to blustering and making a weighty pocketbook take the place of more elaborate argument, shrunk a little from that impressive front, his florid face pal- ing still more, his usually glib tongue seeming to thicken and grow era ‘*T didn’t—I don’t—if I had even suspected, you know—” Blazing though those black eyes were, they seemed to freeze him, sending cold chills racing up and down his spinal column after the most uncomfortable fashion. And freezing though he could have taken oath he was, his brow was so damp that he began mopping it up witha huge bandana, under cover of which he cast an appealing glance around as though in search of help. It so chanced that they three only occupied the office at that moment, the captain having ascended to the pilot house for a little while, the clerk and the barkeeper also being absent, pos- sibly eating their supper. There were curious eyes upon them, however, from among those of the passengers who were gathered around the card tables preparatory to opening their customary evening games. Aud some of the more interested were drawing nearer, as though eager to hear as well as see. With a curious little smile upon his lips, pe a Darley watched the face of the man whom he was becoming every moment more sure must be the notorious Duke of Derringers. “You don’t know?” said Merk Landrum, with that same icy sharpness, catching and holding the gaze of the intruder. ‘* Well, you shall never again have to plead ignorance on this point as an excuse for your insolence, Lend me your ears for a few moments, please?” ‘* Certainly—anything—glad to accommodate you,” stammered the unhappy Burgess, scarce knowing what words they were that passed his feverishly dry lips. ‘““My name is Mark Landrum,” deliberately added the black-eyed sport. ‘I hail last from New York, where I have every reason to be- lieve I was originally brought into the world. If you cannot get along without positive proof, I will send for persons and papers to gratify your utmost doubts.” ‘*No need, I assure you,” muttered Burgess, mopping more vigorously than ever, even while he felt as though a cataract of ice-water was rushing down his backbone, ‘‘ Your bare word is more than enough.” ‘** You are kind to say so, but I must insist on reading my title clear, once for all,” bowed Mark Landrum, paying no attention to the few passengers who had by this time entered the office, watching and listening curiously. ‘‘It would be a thousand pities to send you out of the world without first convincing you that it comes through the hand and skill of a master.” ‘** But, blame it all, my dear sir!” gasped Bur- gess, most uncomfortable in looks as in spirit. ‘Tt was alla mistake! I didn’t know who you were when I spoke, or I wouldn’t—” ‘*'You never will know, unless you permit me to explain,” coldly retorted the other. ‘* Pra oblige me by holding your tongue until I finis what I began, will you?” There was a low ripple of laughter among those who were looking on, but poor Burgess i —————— ———————————————— — —— irre rightly answering this question, Kyte Darley felt that he would have to ‘‘ go it blind.” ‘*My name is Mark Landrum. I am a gen- tleman of leisure, and a thorough man of the world, traveling partly for amusement, parily in hopes of finaing fresh champions to conquer. There are three things on which I pride myself; my good looks, my marksmanship, my skill at any and all games of cards where blind chance is not the sole factor. On the first item, my natural modesty forbids further dwelling, but as to the others: I have a healthy roll of good money that gently whispers the man does not draw the breath of life who is my equal, much less my superior. ‘* This is precisely why I ventured to chip in when I heard you cracking a seeoniakater-he 7 ging your pardon, sir, for the term,” he sniled, softly, turning toward Kyte Darley, then finish- ing the sentence—‘‘ up to the skies as champion card-flipper on this great river.” ‘* Finish ‘him first; I can wait.” purred Kyte, blandly. ‘¢ Unfortunately, I can’t do that, off-hand,” laughed Landrum, sr Be o squarely upon Dar- ley, greatly to the relief of Burgess, who lost no time in slinking away from that icy gaze. ‘[ have promised him a chance to lose his good money first.” ‘*- You seem to forget that he has at least en equal chance to win some of yours,” laughed Darley. > Mark Landrum shrugged his broad shoul- ers. ** Do bs call that a chance, even? It is so dim and shadowy that I really did not recognize it. LIonly hope the poor devil was not in kis cups when he dared me to match his champion. It would be a bitter disappointment to me, after so long a search for one of the men you read about, but never meet save in imagination! Do you really. think there is a hope of my getting such a choice bit of pie?” ‘*T never think,” responded Darley, falling back on his old tactics. ‘* You see,” confidentially added Mark Lan- drum, taking the sleepy-eyed sport by the button- hole, apparently wholly oblivious to the fact that a score or more of passengers were curiously watching and listening. ‘It is not gold alone that urges meon, [ve got enough of that pre- cious commodity to last my time, and after me the deluge!” ‘*No young champions in training, to pick up the withered laurels which gs 2 from your crown? How sad!” purred Kyte, his large eyes uproiling in affected p98, ‘‘Ts it not?” earnestly echoed Mark Landrum, adding more cheerfully: “* But all the more rea- son why I should enJoy myself while the sun continues to shine, just yearn for the fray, where pasteboard falls ike snowflakes, and there is more honor to be won than an ordinary man could carry off in a four-horse wagon! I pant to sweep this mighty river with my little broom even as I have swept the land and the sea. **But don’t mistake me. I’m not partial to pigeons. 1 served my apprenticeship on them, until the insipid fare cloys me, merely to give it a passing thought, now I am fully fledged. It is the hawks and vultures I am gunning for, and the very hight of my ambition is to join is- sues with a kite !” There was an emphasis on the last word that could not be either ignored or mistaken, There was a little humming sound among the lookers- on, and Darley knew that all eyes were turned curiously toward him, awaiting his answer. ‘‘ My first name ts Kyte,” he said, simply. “Indeed!” ejaculated Landrum, his black eyes flashing with what seemed actual joy as he lean- ed forward toadd: ‘‘Say that your last name is Darley, and my tub of joy will only lack one little addition to slop all over the premises.” ‘*'My last name is Darley,” as calmly added that gentleman. **And you are the champion of whom this entleman with the red face and bulbous nose— elted away, and never left a grease-spot be- hind by way of farewell!” ejaculated Landrum elevating his brows as he glanced vainly around in quest of Burgess. ‘Gone to rub up his pistols, I reckon,” laugh- ed one of the others. ‘‘ Perhaps you had better go help him,” cold- ly retorted drum, with a stare that would have been insolent had it not been so stately. ‘The practice may stand you in good stead.” ‘‘T never indulge, thank you,” frankly laugh- ed the gentleman. ‘¢ Bvidently a distant relative of yours, dear fellow,” smiled Mark, as he turned once more toward Kyte Darley, who was still pursuing his studies, yet no whit nearer a decision than he had been at the outset. And yet, if not the Duke of Derringers, why was he so persistent? Surely it was not simply because he wished to measure prowess over the card-table? It looked more like a deliberate at- tempt to force him into a quarrel. If Duke \(¢ com KS. uP : -~ a . Y . fr) wz "> i ww 7 Se