Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

OG a _ enough to catch this speech. ‘‘I said I would go ashore when the rest of your passengers ‘ went. Isimply declined to be marooned, when I am conscious of having committed no wrong.” ‘* Tt’s the other fellow who ought to be bundled | ashore, neck and crop!” cried one excitable in- dividual. ‘‘He kicked up the row, simply in hopes of saving his filthy money, Darley acted white, clean through!” i ‘*T wish every infernal soul of you were on land!” exploded Hes, hardly conscious of his words, so intensely wrought up was he by the accident, an almost fatal one to his future hopes, he told himself. ** And why not?” cried the gentleman who had first hinted at the advisability of bringing off the duel on dry land. ‘‘It will give us a fine ef chance to stretch our legs, and at the same time | leave the crew more room to re-stow the cargo. ’ I’m in for landing—who else?” \ The key-note was struck, and so it was quick- . ly decided. After all, it would be a pleasant change in the programme, and some such shift- ‘4 ing must eventually take place, anyhow. at Phe Superb could not complete her trip. The passengers must take the next boat that came ¥ up-river. It would be difficult, if not dangerous yf work to shift directly from one vessel to the oh other. And as at least a portion of the freight must be transferred to save it, the time could be passed much more agreeably on shore than in such crowded quarters as the second vessel could ie? ord, Sg Glad enough to go to any trouble so that he . might keep his decks free from blood, Captain - Tles instantly set his men to work launching the big yawl from the upper deck, and there his > responsibility ceased. There were more than enough volunteers Se among the passengers to man _ both boats, for of everybody, unless it might be the two prospec- tive duelists, seemed to look upon the affair as a delightful jollification. __\\ The shore furthest from the Superb was select- ed as the proper one on which to land, not alone - because it was the pleasantest, being rather high, yet level and only partly covered with trees and undergrowth, while that nearest which the boat was stranded was low and sandy, covered as far as the eye could reach with dense willows and other’ growth, but because it was here alone that a steamboat could make a landing. It took time to convey all the passengers to land, for willing hands are not always the most skillful, and thouvh Rufus Cramp was among the first te-reach shore, the duel did not come off at once. : Possibly of his own will, possibly because the --s-« ©arsmen were determined not to be cheated out of their share of the sport, Kyte Darley was left ' . wuntil almost the last trip. And so, it happened, | ‘was Miss Wellspring. To others this might | seem chance alone, but to Rufus Cramp it meant bitter treachery. And he mentally swore that he would have a revenge quite as sweet as all this was bitter. Before the last boat-load left the side of the Superb, the black smoke of another vessel was seen far down the river, and haste was made to get the affair over before any chance of inter- ruption could come to spoil sport. oS 1, and outwardly as calm as ever, Kyte ' _ Darley answered the cautious signal given him _ by his elected second, parting from Miss Well- pring with a a smile and a whispered _ word. She nodded laughing!y, as though she | had not even the faintest idea of the impending We've arranged. everything, old fellow,” Prd uttered the second, with all the jovial non- — echalanece which seems inseparably connected 5 with that peculiar office, as he drew Darley’s * arm throuvh his and led him away. “It’s a -_ ¢harming little spot for the work on hand, and the boys have arranged it so that the women — ean be kept out of sight, at the same time hav- ing a fair view of it all themselves. Of course you'll mark the fellow?” _ --« **71) kill him, unless he weakens enough to go down on his knees and eati the words he flung in e's my face last night,” was the icy reply. | 4 T don’t reckon there’s any fears of that.” laughed the other, unthinking just how bloody ‘* I never saw a +) . * 7m his choice of a word sounded, more vicious-looking fellow! You must have hit him awfully hard!” -~—s« **‘ Hor all he’s worth, and more too. But he -_ -would have it so, and of course [ had to accom- - modate bim.” _ “With four aces—I should say so!” laughed x, _. his second. ta There was little time cut to waste, once the chosen spot was reached. All preliminaries had . ‘been adjusted beforehand, and a few terse words announced the terms of the duel. The principals were to be placed ten paces apart, armed with a single dueling-pistol each, ‘to fire at the word, in strict accordance with the - eode. Both principals bowed their acceptance of the terms, and quickly prepared for action. _ There was really no time to lose. The heavy antings of the approaching steamer were dis- Rnotiy audible. At any moment some of the __ Jadies might grow uneasy or suspicious, fie put <— ae é - . le Yeh te a 4 “t 7 « a. ‘ * jn an appearance to see why the men ha ed them in a body. 6 we; het a ’ desert- _s = a a ce ag Ne IE, LLL LLL LLL LDL LLL LLL ms a 8 ee *‘ Are you ready, gentlemen?’ came the low, yet painfully distinct words from the man who was to give the final word. Both Kyte Darley and Rufus Cramp bowed assent. But before another word could be spoken—be- fore any one of all those present so much as sus- pected the coming of an intruder—a tall figure leaped into the cleared space, crying sharply: ‘*Drop those tools, you scoundrels! Dare to touch a trigger, and by the Lord of Hosts! Tl blow you through that second!” Kyte Darley was standing furthest from the river, and the bold intruder had sprung through the underbrush a little to his right and rear, so that he had the duelists almost in line, and easy marks for him to cover with the heavy derrin- gers that rose to a level as his stern voice rung out threateningly. Kyte Darley whirled swiftly, but his hand, like that of Rufus Cramp, was still hanging by his side waiting for the word which would allow them to take aim. And a wild, gasping cry came from both men as they saw by whom they were confronted, Mark Landrum—the Duke of Derringers! A smile, fierce and triumphant, curled the smooth-shorn lips as this name and title echoed around the line of spectators. Fiercer yet it grew as he saw how those two desperate men shrunk away, as he saw their eyes dilate wildly, as he noted them turn pale and tremble. ‘‘ Ay! the Dukeof Derringers! Ready to make good his title, by sending a brace of bullets through your skulls, you craven curs! Drop those tools and to your knees! Ask pardon— not of me, but of the innocent girl whom you doomed to a cruel death in the waters of yonder river! A choking cry gurgiled up in the throat of Ru- fus Cramp, as he let fall his weapon, his knees giving way beneath him, his nerveless body sinking in a heap to the ground, but with his horror-full eyes staring glassily at—not at the Duke of Derringers! Close behind and a little to one side of the gen- tleman sport, now appeared a fair, pallid face with great brown eyes, gazing steadily upon the duelists, with something of reproach, with more of horror and dread. Kyte Darley involuntarily staggered back, his steel nerves failing him for the first time in his life. And Rufus Cramp gasped huskily: “ge ortia Wellspring! It’s her ghost—haunt us! CHAPTER XVII. OUT OF THE WATER INTO THE FRYING-PAN, Mark LANDRUM was Marmaduke Barringer in disguise, just as Kyte Darley suspected him of being, and it is now time to give a little more fully the particular part he played in that night scene on the hurricane deck of the Superb. Tt will be remembered that, failing to con- quer Martin Tullar, chief of police, by argu- ments and appeals to his chivalry, the gentle- man sport stooped to conquer after an altogeth- er different fashion. And during that compara- tively brief period when the chief lay with his face covered, chewing the cud of bitter defeat, together with a most uncomfortable gag, the Duke of Derringers was swiftly sacrificing his curling locks and cherished beard. This, with a change of clothes, completed his disguise, and with carpet-bag containing the jetty locks and other sundries, the gambler made ‘his way to the steamer Superb, more than once fairly brushing shoulders with a policeman who was watching with all the eyes at his command for Marma- duke Barringer. He even passed between the two officers detailed to watch the steamer it- self, and as the cap-sheaf, purposely gave Rufus Cramp that shock as the vessel began to move away by addressing him in his natural voice, Belicving that Rufus Cramp meant evil to Miss Portia Wellspring in some shape, and no longer attempting to deny the wild, foolish pas- sion with which that lady had inspired him, Duke Barringer thought only of protecting her; he did not Ma to ask himself how far the op- portunity would be afforded him, He had no means of knowing for certain that Mrs. Honor Magill had been foully dealt with, though his suspicions gradually grew stronger as time passed on without either of the ladies making their appearance at the table. He searched the register, but failed to discover her name. é His vigilance increased as Kyte Darley came aboard at Paullet’s Landing, for he felt sure that there was a compact between the two men, despite the seemingly chance coming together. He tested his voice on the sleepy-eyed sport, partly to see if he would penetrate his disguise, but more to drive away suspicions that he was dogging them or trying to catch the purport of their earnest conversation. But it is hardly worth while to go over each little point, one by one; in saying that Mark Landrum was the Duke of Derringers, self- sworn to foil the schemers; that partly by chance, partly by choice, he occupied the state- room adjoining that of the plotting pair; that he lost no opportunity in spying upon them by eye or ear; that on the one memorable occa- Deadly Aim, the Duke of Derringers. vr, . as. iad “ 2 ~~£,, Bie * - € ee ‘. it F Rony - ae . ; ae ‘ : * ' sion, when the creaking of a hinge alarmed the p conspirators, he neatly covered the slip by a retended retreat, while in reality he remained within his room, eagerly listening to the words that followed; in saying that his first wish in arranging a tilt at cards with Kyte Darley was solely to keep him from playing the part as- signed him in the—even yet—dimly suspected tragedy—enough is said to clear away whatever of mistiness there may be clinging about the past. The first of those shadowy figures that fol- lowed Kyte Darley to the hurricane deck after he answered the red star signal from shore, was Duke Barringer: the second—although the Duke of Derringers neither heard nor saw aught of it, he was fated to feel its weight. A tall man did approath Portia and Rufus, and there were harsh, if not exactly insulting words uttered; but that man was Kyte Darley, not Mark Landrum. If those words failed to reach the ears of Duke Barringer, he was keen-eyed enough to note the actions which accompanied them. He saw Por- tia shrink back, only to be caught by Kyte Dar- ley and flung against Rufus Cramp—and with an angry cry he leaped up from behind the yawl, pistols in hand. One spoke wry and only a sudden turn on the part of Rufus Cramp saved his brain at the expense of hischeek. The second shot was aimed at Kyte Darley, but just then the second shadow sprung cat-like against Barringer, striking up his po arm and caus- ing the bullet to range high. The two rascals reeled, as though death- stricken, but before the Duke of Derringers could reach them, they managed to hurl Portia Wellspring over the guards, her wild shriek being cut short as she plunged beneath the troubled waters. And Duke Barringer, forgetting all else but a wild resolve to save the life of the woman he so insanely loved, or to meet the same fate with her, hurled himself rather than leaped over the guards, He was too far from the low railing to see what was before him, and as he shot down head-first, his left shoulder 5 Samp the swaying yawl, for the instant giving him the impression that his arm was literally torn from his body, and sending a sickening, suffocating sensation through his lungs and stomach as he sunk be- neath the surface, It was Providence more than his own skill or muscular effort that hrought him in contact with the young lady below the surface; It was quite as much instinct as either love or reason that led him to grip her with his uninjured arm and cling to her tightly as they rose to the sur- face, tossing back and forth in the troubled wake of the steamer. And it was this same in- stinct that caused the Dvke of Derringers to strike out toward the nearest shore; to hold the head of the senseless girl above the tumbling waves. The shock had benumbed without actually disabling him. No bones were broken, but if he had not been a trained and_expert swimmer, in- stead of saving the girl-woman, he would al- most certainly have dragged her down to share death with him, before his scattered senses could recover themsclves. It was a curious adventure, all through, and the instantaneous manner in which the benumb- ed faculties of the gentleman sport were restor- ed, formed not the least curious portion of it. Not only were his bodily powers restored, but in the same breath he realized that both Portia Wellspring and himself had less to fear from the swiftly flowing waters than from their deadly, treacherous enemies aboard the Superb. And so, though the cry was already welling up in his throat, he choked it back as he leoked around to see where the steamboat then war. It was not so far away but that he could hear the excited voices on board, and make out the crowded shapes near the stern. He could not distinguish the words that were spoken, but their tones were quite sufficient to convince him that a rescue from that quarter meant death. He saw that the boat was losing its headway, either to turn around or to simply hold its own, and he sunk lower in the water as he swam strongly toward shore. There was as x only the starlight to be- tray him, and this was baffled by the curling waves rushing down from the paddle-wheels. A few minutes more of that dire confusion, and— After that first glance toward the shore, Duke kept his eyes fixed on the steamer, as the only point from whence danger could arise. The lapping of the waves and the murmur of the current filled his ears, so that he neither saw nor heard the low, phantom-like boat that shot silently, swiftly toward him from the shcre on which had appeared that signal light. ‘*Stiddy! back water! Dve got—the devil !” In the bow of the skiff a man was kneeling, peering intently ahead with his face as close to the water level as he could manage to get it, the more surely to distinguish a floating object. Keen-eyed though he was, the Duke of Der- ringers swam so low and so skillfully in order to escape discovery from the steamer toward which his entire attention was turned, that the es EOmic S. "4 -