Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

ee eo ~~= bandaged face. ‘‘She’ll hardly care to hear from me, even through your lips!” ‘‘You do her great injustice, old fellow,” gravely responded Kyte, stepping to the edge of the berth. “If you could have seen and heard how she took on over you, when we all thought ou were a dying man, you wouldn’t try to Coden your mind against her after this fashion.” ‘‘ Tt was me that devil was after—only for me she wouldn’t have been mixed up in such an ugly scrape, I tell you!” mumbled Cramp. ‘“ Well, time will tell,” lightly added Kyte Darley, turning to the door once more. “I can understand your feelings, but, all the same, I’m going to invent the messages you had ought by rights to send the lady, provided, of course, she iz not too much prostrated to see me.” ‘* Hysteria, nothing more serious, I give you wny professional word,” briskly uttered the physician, pushing Darley out of the room. ‘ You are in far worse fettle, but you refuse to intrust yourself to my care,” he added, with a reproachful, regretful glance at the gambler’s head, about which Darley bad hastily knotted a handkerchief, ‘‘A mere nothing—not enough to bother about,” laughed Kyte, a malicious sparkle in his black eyes, as he added: ‘‘ You know the old adage: save me from Bi beg ah And life is still dear to me, remarkable as that may sound in your ears!” Gay, careless, lighthearted as ever he seemed while under the gaze of the little doctor, but the instant his back was turned, a very differ- ent expression came into his face and filled his res All was nota bed of roses to him, just en! Unheeding the curious, eager looks which eeted his appearance in the ladies’ cabin, Kyte arley walked direct to the door of Portia’s state-room, rapping gently. A moment’s pause, _ a moment’s suspense, then the door swung open and Miss Wellspring stood revealed. ‘* Pardon my intrusion, Miss Wellspring,” said Kyte with a prefound bow. ‘I come from my friend, Rufus Cramp, who is anxious to learn that you have not suffered seriously from this truly unfortunate affair.” ‘¢ And he—he is faring well?’ eagerly yet fal- teringly uttered the girl-woman, her brown eyes glowing, her pale, beautiful face betraying no little anxiety. ‘ Tell me the truth, I implore you!” her voice rising a little in her anxiety. — ‘*T am glad that I can do so without giving you either alarm or regret, Miss Wellspring,” calmly, reassuringly responded the gambler. ‘‘Mr, Cramp is not seriously injured. Indeed, I feel confident that he will be on foot as usual in the morning.” ‘‘Tam so glad!” clasping her little hands, a slight flush tinging the pallor of her cheeks, ‘1 was afraid—it was all for me—” ‘‘ That fact alone should be quite sufficient to restore him. And you? I may tell him that all is well?” ‘Yes. Now that Iam sure he will not suffer so much—now that I know he is sure to recover —I will soon be myself again.” Those in the cabin who could see and hear, in- terchanged knowing glances. It would be well with both, no doubt! If a wedding did not spring from that night’s adventure, then romance must forever hide its diminished head. Soon after, Kyte Darley bowed his adieu, and retreated from the cabin, Miss Wellspring clos- ing and locking the door behind him, ; e office and social hall were crowded with passengers, more or less interested and excited as Kyte Darley reached them, Captain Iles was standing before the massive railing that separated the office proper from the rest of the space, his voice rising clear and distinct: ‘**Gentlemen, you all know that a most dis- graceful event has taken place this evening on the Superb. As captain of this boat, I am in a greater measure than any of you interested in solving the mystery. If I fail, it will ever rest as a vile blot on my record, and—” ‘* Not that bad, captain,” warmly cried Dar- ley. ** Just that bad, begging your pardon for re- peating the words,” obstinately retorted the official. ‘‘I am here to protect the rights and rivileges of my passengers. I am here to see hat they are not insulted or abused. It is part of my sworn duty to make my passengers as comfortable, to make them feel as safe and much at ease as though they were still inside their own homes. And if I fail in this, the soor. [ resi my commission and retire to privavw life, the better for all concerned.” thal ‘You are too hard on yourself, captain,” re- spectfully insisted Kyte Darley. ‘“‘ You are not supposed to know every scoundrel who elects to travel on your boat. You did not put that fel- low up to insulting a lady, nor advise him to shoot a couple of men simply because they tried the best they knew to shield her. If you do your best to discover who the villain really was, you bepponstas your whole duty, I say.” ‘Of course he does!”, echoed the passengers. Captain Hes flushed with honest satisfaction at this unanimous testimony, and raised his hand for silence, which instantly reigned, Deadly Aim, the Duke of De SS ‘in quest of that tall form an failed. As the next best thing, I want to see what man is missing from on board. Todothat the clerk will read over the names on the register, and when a name is called without an answer—well, I reckon we’ll know just what that means!” Cheers followed this grim conclusion, but silence was again restored as Clerk Hoover began calling out the names uponthe book, as they were recorded there, of course omitting the lady passengers. Promptly, clearly, moving forward as though to remove the slightest vestige of doubt, each man answered to his name as called out. One by one, without a break, until each state-room or berth on one side of the boat was accounted for. Then—the name of Wilfred Bangs was called. There was no answer. Men glanced swiftly about the crowd, then their brows began to low- er and their eyes to glow dangerously. Where was the sickly passenger? Why did he not an- swer to his name? “Tt is barely ible that he is asleep, or too weak to leave his berth,” ventured Kyte Darley, after a brief silence. pl | ame settle that point, if these gentle- men will appoint me a committee of one to in- vestigate,” grimly replied Captain Les, Prompt and unanimous came the response, and all eyes watched the official as he strode down to the state-room assigned to theinvalid. They saw him try the door. Saw him knock sharply on the panel. Breathlessly they watched, with a growing conviction that the criminal was dis- covered at last, as the moments sped by without change in the position of the captain. But then —the door opened and they drew a long breath as they saw Iles step inside the state-room. ‘*T was beginning to grow actually faint,” laughed Kyte Darley, one hand sweeping rapidly across his brow. ‘If it should have been that poor, puny little runt I would have dropped my- self overboard as food to poison catfish.” In a very few moments Captain Iles was seen returning, shaking his head gravely as he entered the office, his voiec even more grave. ‘* He is there, but I’m afraid only his body will reach St. Louis. Goon, Hoover; the end must come mighty soon now!” He was right. Almost the next name was un- responded to, ure enough, where was Mark Landrum? ‘“* Where?” cried Kyte Darley, his eyes flashing vividly, his voice ringing out clear and cold as he answered the unspoken questicn that was written on every face about him. ‘‘On shore— at the bottom of the river—but most certain- ly not aboard this vessel! I can say it now without fear of being called or thought a back- biter. I cansay it withouta fear of having any one among you all think that I am seeking an excuse to avoid a contest proposed by Mark Landrum himself. The one who insulted Miss Wellspring—who tried to murder both Rufus Cramp and myself when we resented his con- duct—the man whom I knocked over the guards into the river—was none other than Mark Land- rum! CHAPTER XV. TWO ROGUES FALL OUT. THERE was no mincing or mouthing; sharp and clear was the voice in which Kyte Darley uttered those words, and his accusation was to the full as keen and emphatic. Although something of this had natural] been expected by the passengers when Mar Landrum failed respond to his name, there was an uneasy stir among them, a sort of in- stinctive shrinking such as even the boldest of men will show when they anticipate the lettin loose of builets, a quick, half-shy ae eaend coldly smiling face. Captain Iles was one of the most thorough] astonished, for he had been well impressed wit this stranger, and he ejaculated: ‘*Tt don’t seem possible! What could induce him to—” ‘You shall see,” sharply interposed the gam- bler, twin spots of red marking his cheeks, his eyes no ao sleepy nor his voice languid. ‘| make no charges behind a man’s back that I would not gladly repeat to his face. If Mark Landrum is on board, why does he not confront his accuser?” ‘** That's fair! Let him show up!” ‘* Who is he, anyhow? Who knows him?” _ Kyte Darley showed his white teeth in a pecu- liar smile as these words escaped the excited crowd. His black eyes roved swiftly over the mass of faces, resting on one particularly red imen, “Tthink you can tell the gentlemen what they wish to learn, Mr. Burgess,” he said, dis- tinctly. ‘‘ You were the first to penetrate the disguise of Mark Landrum. Wiil you oblige?” ** Out with it, old man!” cried an enthusiastic friend, shoving the somewhat reluctant planter forward. “ Play it straight, or bl if we won't begin to think you and Landrum are playing cahoots!” The speech and action were simply rough playfulness, but in the state of smothered ex- citement which reigned, even a hint of that sort ‘‘T tried my level best to catch the rascal, but | is eagerly caught up and turned to deadly earn- ee eee rringers. rr rr ee Se ee 23 i SS oD est. Low growls were rapidly growing into open threats, when the greater fear overcome the lesser, and Thomas Burgess plunged for- ward, more to be under the protecting arm of Kyte Darley than aught else. ‘*'You more than hinted that Mark Landrum was not Mark Landrum, but some one else; do ou know his every-day name?” coldly asked te. uy didn’t know him at first, he has changed so much, without long hair and a beard and all that, you know,” rather in sca! replied the red-faced planter, his eyes uneasily roving about him. ‘*Tt is not what he isn’t, but what he is—or was!—that we want to discover,” smiled Darley, tapping his witness on one shoulder. ‘Duke Barringer, then!” was the sullen re- onse. ‘The Duke of Derringers—precisely,” bowed ue Darley, flashing his eyes over the crowd. ** Many of you heard what between this counterfeit duke and myself, gentlemen, and ou must remember how I sought to penetrate is disguise. I was not positive, then, though I could almost have taken oath that Mark drum was Marmaduke Barringer. There was one test which I knew could not fail, and this is why I consented to meet the fellow at a game of cards.” There was silence all about him. The grow- ing fury of the crowd suddenly subsided. Was it fear alone that caused this? Or was it disap- proval—doubt? Kyte Darley smiled until a white line parted his red lips. ‘It does sound just a little queer I admit, gentlemen, but perhaps I can make it clear even to your minds. Why was this pretended stran- ger so anxious to engage me in a game of cards, where, after all that was said, one or the other of us must surely go broke? Simply because I am the friend of the man Duke Barringer hates —or hated—beyond all others on earth: Rufus Cramp!” ““T should place the boot on the other foot!” bluntly ejaculated Captain Les, his rather slug- gish mind unable to closely follow Kyte. ‘“ Wait a moment, please,’ laughed Darley,_ easily. ‘‘ I know you are thinking of that little affair back in Orleans. I know you think, as many another thought at the time and still con- tinues to believe, that my friend got all the worst of that matter.” ‘* He got all of the caning, anyhow!” coarsely cried one of the men. ‘Granted; and he was all the worse for liquor, too, you might have added,” retorted Darley easily, no whit discourged by the tide apparently turning full friend whom ke was championing. ‘ Yet I tell you, one and all, that Rufus Cramp got the bet- ter of the Duke of Derringers then and ever since! ‘As you may some of you remember, there was a lady in the case,” he added, lowering his voice and assuming a graver expression as be- fitted the occasion. ‘‘ That same lady is a pas- ~ on this vessel, hastening to the sckcat of her father. That father sent Rufus Cramp to escort her to St. Louis. Why? Simply be- cause he could not possibly have chosen a more suitable escort, since his daughter and this escort are plighted lovers.” ** Wouldn’t it—that is—” blundered the wor- thy captain. ‘I understand your meaning, sir,” bowed Kyte Darley, witha right well on his darkly handsome face, “‘ but I could not fully explain this unfortunate affair — without touching on the delicate subject: and we are all gentlemen, I believe?” It was an adroit touch that won him more ~ than the most elaborate argument. Of course they were gentlemen. f eo, can resist. ‘* Duke discouraged. He was too keen a man of the world to remain long in ignorance why this was so, and out of that knowledge grew this ugly little affair. ‘To show how bitter he was, how desperate his defeat had made him, let me tell you what happened the night before the Superb left _ Orleans, simply premising that the truth of my charge can be substantiated by Chief of Police Martin Tullar.” Briefly but clearly Darley told how the Duke of Derringers had waylaid his successful ri against him and the ve earnestness that set That went without say- ing. But all the same, it wasa species of truth- __ arringer was also a suitor for the | ‘| lady’s hand, but of course his advances were _ yo = a li ; 4 ; _ om Wi 2 24ME wa “ef oe - > La * , id 2 * . — attempting to kill him and abduct theladyin ble tact, saying nothing that cculd not be proven by the records, apparently. He showed was that Duke Barringer had come aboard in disguise, no doubt expecting the officers of ee oe . m tice would be on the eager lookout for under his usual appearance. Then he went on: ‘Though I suspected him from the first, I could not be positive. I would not risk injuring an innocent man by denouncing bim és the > get at the bot- criminal, and as an excuse to tom facts, I consented to meet him across the table, where I felt sure he would betray himself _ com GpoOo <€om Cs) ow it question. He handled the subject with admira- ied rf “. Js =) ~" = oy fe Ai a a f a