Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a atl ae ey ~~ | - ™~ Deadly & - ‘ “a x Aim, the Duke of Derringers. ‘s Leaving his garments beneath the bed, in case it should become necessary to beat a hasty retreat to that refuge, Barringer stole to the partition, lightly pressing his keenest ear against it, eager to learn more about Rufus Cramp and his coveted heiress. ‘So the gay and festive Rufus is going in for big money, is he?” were the first words the eavesdropper caught with any distinctness, ‘*T didn’t ask him what he was going in for,” snapped Shoe-string Johnny, who had not yet entirely recovered his usual equanimity. ‘I was flat on my back when he came to me and gave me a Stake that I l!new meant a game big- ger than ordinary, and when ho told me that this was only a starter, you can bet high I didn’t want to ask any questions that might close the bank before I could draw out another stack.” ‘Of course ; you ain’t a fool. It takes you, Johnny.” Tom Kearney was not above descending to flattery when he thought he could benefit his own pockets thereby. ‘*T’m glad you’ve changed your mind,” snapped Mack, ab: ‘*TDon’t hold a grudge, mate,” soothingly added the red-head., ou must admit that you did act precious cranky just a bit ago.” ‘‘And I feel the same way yet, worse luck!” irritably cried the petty gambler, the bed creak- ing sharply, as though he was unable to sit or lie «till, ‘‘Want another squint through the head- light?” laughed Kearney. ‘‘If so, I'll play step- ladder again. Anything to keep peace and quietness in the family.” “*T know the Duke isn’t in there, and yet—I feel just as though those infernal eyes of his were looking me through and through. For little Td drop the game and sell it all out to him!’ ‘* Better take a last look around town first,” coldly uttered Tom Kearney. ‘* You'll want to change your stamping grounds soon after.” ‘** You threaten me?’ ‘*T was thinking mainly of young Cramp. They say his ill-will is mighty unhealthy.” Shoe-string Johnny laughed contemptuously. ‘‘Duke Barringer wouldn’t say so! He flogged Cramp like an egg-sucking cur, and has never lost a moment’s sleep on that account.” The Duke of Derringers bit his lip sharply, a dubious smile curling his red lips for an instant. Though not exactly on account of the hatred which Rufus Cramp must naturally feel for his castigator, much sleeplessness had come of that very flogging. ‘The sport isn’t trying to get even on her, is he?” It isn’t that heiress he’s playing for?” asked Kearney, dropping the other point as one that could bring him no benefit. Breathlessly Duke listened for the answer. If any was given, it must have been by way of signs, not in speech, fcr not a sound could he distinguish. And Tom Kearney uttered the next words: “Well, I glory in his spunk, anyway, whether he wins or loses. As for me, I’m in the game to stay. Just tell me the part I’m to play, and consider it carried out clean and fence even to slitting a throat, if orders go that far.” ‘*Tt’s not quite so bad as that,” hastily inter- posed Shoe-string Johnny. “If wecan do our work short of that, so much the better.” ‘‘ Tt’s all one to me,” carelessly. ‘‘ The heavier the work, the bigger the pay, of course,” ‘¢ There’s risk, of course, or he wouldn’t eome to me for help, or be so free with his ducats. If we get caught at it, it may end in—” Again Duke failed to catch the conclusion. **'That’s counted in the bill, of course. Mayhe ‘we can rig up a little row on our own account when the work is done, to give usa fair excuse for sunking his nibs a trifle harder. Eh?” ‘““There’ll be more than one payment, of course,” laughed Shoe-string Johnny, signifi- cantly. ‘‘ Her fortune our bank, and Rufus the cash- ier, eh?” . “That goes without saying; now listen and T’ll face the cards for your inspection. ‘“The job is to come up this very night. You and I—two is enough to turn the trick, since the cards will be put up for us—are to rig up in regular high-toby style, with masks, weapons, terrible voices, and all that. We are to way- lay the carriage and stop it just as though we meant sober business.” _ “ But [thought you hinted—” ‘So I did; but, curse it all! can’t you take a hint instead of putting it into plain words?” angril muttered Shoe-string Johnny. ee | like plain talk when there’s no danger of other ears catching it! Then there’s no dauger of botching a job through only partly under- standing just what is wanted,” retorted Kear- ney. ‘Come closer, then, if you must have every syllable spelled ont in full. Curse it all!” and there was a perceptible shiver in his tones. ‘*T feel all the time as though there was some one listening to us!” ‘‘ Duke Barringer, eh? Maybe some of his old clothes are in, the other room. Shall I go and toss them out the window?” sneered the coarser- nerved rascal. ae For all that, the listener could hear him rise from the chair he occupied and seat himself on the bed. Then, dimly, indistinctly, he heard the plotters conversing, but in tones so low and guarded that he could only catch here and there a disconnected word. In vain he held his breath and strained his sense of hearing. He could not hear enough to give him more than a vague clew to the plot, and even that would have been lost only for what had gone before. Nearly another hour was spent thus, when the two plotters rose from the bed and left the room, Duke Darringer listening with bated breath to their echoing footsteps along the cor- ridor until they died away down the uncarpeted stairs. His face was pale and hard-set as he turned toward his clothes, silently dressing himself. His black eyes gleamed and glittered. His teeth were clinched with stern determination. Shoe-string Oey might well have trembled in his boots could he have seen The Duke just then. While dressing, Duke concisely summed up the points he had mee Rufus Cramp was playing a bold game to win an heiress, or else to remove one forever from his path. He was to be riding with her that same night ina carriage. Outside of the city, since Shoe-string Jéhnny and Tom Kearney were te play masked robbers. The carriage was to be halted, the inmates robbed—in pre- tense, at least. A woman was to be— There he was forced to stop. Something was to be done to a woman, most likely the heiress. Abducted? Why so, if she was with Cramp of her own free will? Murdered? Shoe-string Johnny had distinctly cried out against this sup- osition; but was he in earnest? Might he not holding, back the‘worst until fully assured that Kearney would not fly the track? : Was this heiress that to the Wellspring mil- ions? ‘If yowre thinking of troubling that angel of light again, look out for yourself, Rufus Cramp!” the Duke of Derringers grated be- twixt his teeth, his black eyes all aglow. ‘* What I gave you then, won’t be a marker to your reward now!” Just above his breath Barringer muttered these words, but if he had pealed them forth at the top of his voice, they could not have ex- pressed a more deadly determination. Forgotten now was his recent vow to forget all about Portia ile, Hie oe He felt that she was in imminent peril, from whic! he alone es save her, For the second time. Per- aps— e sprung to his feet, his handsome face flush- ing hotly at the thought that stole into his brain, And yet—such things had happened before: ie not again? he wild fancy would not down at his bid- ding, though Duke believed he was honestly try- ing to smother it forever. He was past denying his love for Portia, and he could not help won- dering if there was nota chance of her forget- ting the vast distance between them, socially and morally, when he had once more saved her from—what? ““Tll find out, or cash my checks in try- ing!” he muttered, putting on his hat and un- locking the door, Excited though his brain was, he did not for- get that the suspicious Johnny Mack might still be lying in wait below stairs in order to solve those strange premonitions which had so troubl- ed him awhile in the room adjoining. But he knew, too, from their talk, that the dark job was to take place some distance out of the city, and that if he was to act with anything like a full knowledge of the actual facts, he must get quickly to work. ‘If the rascal is there, and sees me come down, Vll freeze on to him with a grip he’ll hate worse than death!” grimly mut'ered the Duke of Derringers as he passed along the corridor and descended to the hotel office. No one who saw him then could even have suspected all that was going on below that smooth, smiling, bland surface. The Duke was just the same as he ever was when away from the gaming-tables: a polished, suave, yet digni- fied gentleman. At the present day, his ‘‘ get up” would ex- cite curiosity, if not dérision. Then, his garb was in the hight of style. Tall hat, shining glossily, with perfectly straight brim, very nar- row, while the crown, if anything, grew nar- rower at the top rather than flaring. A light cloak flung gracefully over his left shoulder. Ruffled shirt front, fully exposed by the low-cut vest, secured simply by two buttons at the bot- tom. Trowsers strapped tightly over the long, flat-toed patent-leather boots. In figure, Duke Barringer was tall, athletic without being heavily built. His waist seemed unusually small, from his coat being secured only at that point, spreading open to afford his finely starched ruffles ample room for display. His hands and feet wero small and shapely, : showing no signs of hard labor. | His hair was jet-black, glossy and curling | ee a S— a —— _cunnin’ crayture well know that it’s one oye for ee te | | | ' '| vigorously scratching his tousled head. keen and penetrating, though now only the blandest good nature beamed from them as he glanced carelessly about the office. His com- plexion was clear and pure as that of a maiden in the bloom of youth, showing no signs of late hours, devoid of the peculiar pallor which marks the majority of gamblers. At that date, few men wore beards and fewer still hair on their agp a. but The Duke was an exception. His beard was worn full, and fell in glossy ripples to his chest. That careless glance showed The Duke that Shoe-string Johnny was notin sight, and as he moved up to the railing behind which the clerk was smiling genially, he uttered afew common- place words before asking: ‘* By the way—has any gentleman been in- quiring for The Duke, this morning?” ‘** Not to my knowledge,” was the prompt re- Duke laughed softly. ory, ‘*So? Probably it slipped hismind. Cometo , think, he was rather far gone, last night, when the appointment was made. Nomatiter. Idare | say 1’ll meet him outside.” ie Satisfied so far, the gentleman sport turned away and left the hotel. Shoestring Johnny had either been convinced by his sight of an empty chamber, or else had forgotten to make any inquiries at the office as to what time The Duke had left his room. For all his outward carelessness, Barringer was busily thinking over his best course to sue. His first step seemed clear enough, and as sy soon as he could do so without appearing in a hurry, he proceeded direct to a livery stable situated only a few blocks away from his hotel. ‘* The top o’ the marning to ye, sor,” cheerily cried the proprietor of the establishment, quite — an extensive one, by the way. a Though Murtogh Murphy wasrapidly making __ a fortune, and might even now be considered a rich man, the same tact that had won this emi- . nence t's him genially obsequious to a custom- er like The Duke. It seemed pure native polite- ness that made him quit his lounging attitude in the open door of his office and lift his hat clear of his shaggy red hair, as Barringer drew near. wee ‘“The same to you, Murphy,” pleasantly re- sponded the gambler. “My naginorder,Isup- __ pose? , xf ‘‘ Foine as a fiddle, sor, barrin’ the tear in the . swate oye av him for longin’ to be showin’ him- self on the road this day, wid two nate legs on the soides av him, an’a sate in the saddle thet knows how to fitly show off the paces ava thrue gintlemon’s nag, sor! An’ :- = ivil blame him for that same faalin’ sor! Sure, doesn’t the — ag % ° a ee him an’ two for his masther that the dear ladies =~ on the road has, all the toime? Divilaliein that, honey, now!” Duke laughed softly. He was used to the cun- ning blarney of the Lrishman, and he knew that any disclaimer would but double the dose. | 1° “Se iy ‘| have rather neglected the poor fellow,of late, but business has been pressing me. Even | — now I don’t know as I could have found time to —— drop around this way, only— Rufus Cramp ~~ keeps his saddle horse here yet, I helieve?” "Ag te “ ‘He does that, sor, an’ a foine bitav blood it = is, too, Av the masther was ownly a bit more a —But ye wor sayin’, sor?” a ie Duke smiled again. Rufus was no favorite with the worthy stable-keeper, though Murphy was always polite and suave enough to hisface. ‘“‘T had some thoughts of taking the brute, if a fair look confirmed the opinionI had formed =_—— of him, on the road. I rather expected to méet Mr. Cramp tere this morning.” rs ‘* See the crooked luck av it, now!” exclaimed ~~ Murphy, his broad face lengthening, one Sues bee sor, it wasn’t longer ago than the len’th av & Rss. billy goat’s tail—an’ that’s moighty short meas- ure, honey!—that Misther Cramp was dark- = enin’ this very dure wid bis own body! Him | 38 } o at awn a-goin’ for to mate a gintlemon loike your han- ner, an’ for all, roidin’ off loike—well, well! the loike av that I niver axparienced in the whole = coorse av me loife! Fer a cruked pickayune — it’s Murtogh Murphy w’u’d be afther politely axin’ him w’u’d he go to the divil wid his eush- v tom afther this—so I w’u’d now, an’divilalie | — in the lave av it all!” 4 Py ‘* Not on my account, Murphy,” laughed Bar- ringer, ‘After all, another day willdoforthe trade. Unless—riding, you say? On the road, of course?” he added, musingly. 5 ee ‘““Tt’s a long ride you'd take befure maatin ~ him, honey!” ; as ‘* Not gone on a journey?” | ease “e thrip, yer hanner. Out to Fairview,no ‘* Old Wellspring’s place, vou mean?” nea “The place that wor his, I mane. Theplace that is the foine leddy’s now—the same that wor _ Y the manes av inthroducin’ the caneav yerhan- © ner an’ the back av that same young Gecatp— re divil cramp him !” a aCe Despite his remarkable control overiis face, Duke Barringer could not help betraying hisas- © tonishment at these words. But apparently — naturally, worn long and simply. pushed back Murphy failed to see this, as he was lugubrious- Bey! 2 : of his ears. His eyes were large, yet unusually ly shaking his head and muttering. _ ks ¢ \ ~. _ 300 S co mic m4 » nati «fg