Beadle's Dime Library No. 407 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

»f : . f 2 a The last speaker was Major Miguel, the pro- prietor of the Red Lizard, and a minute after- ward he had ushered his questioner, an Indian in half-civilized garments, into a small room not far from the bar of the hotel. There was a latent gleam of curiosity in Injun Nick’s eyes, and when th) major had closed the door he said quickly: ‘‘ How long have you been here?” Major Miguel almost started at the eagerness displayed by the red-skin’s voice. ‘‘I wonder if this fellow knows me,” passed lixe a flash through his mind. ‘ He has been to San Tonquin once or twice before, but this is the first time he ever troubled me. Injun Nick they callhim. A man with a history and a mission, I'll bet my head. He'll find Major Miguel no fooLif he is going to cand a fancy hand.” Then he looked into the Indian’s face and re- plied to the interrogative. ‘‘T’ve been one of the fixtures of San Tonquin about ten years,” he said. Injun Nick l-aned forward, seemingly satis- fied. “Ten years?” he echoed, “ That’s the size of it,” smiled the major. **'You built this hotel, eh?’ ‘* Had it built and called it the Red Lizard be- cause we found a lizard «f that color in a stone near where it stands, Quite appropriate, was- n’t it?” Injun Nick paid no attention to the last re- mark, but threw a quick glance toward the door. ‘* We're safe here,” said the major, catching the swift glance. ‘‘I don’t permit any spies around the Red Lizard. The ya Apaches we strung up to-night ain’t prowling ’round, I guess,” ‘* Six of them will never steal any more,” said Injun Nick, and the next moment he was with- in three feet of the major. ‘* Look here,” he wenton. ‘‘ You have been here ten years, you say. What have you ever heard about the old Spanish bonanza?” Major Miguel uttered an exclamation of sur- prise and almost bounded from his chair. ‘* What! are you after it, too?” he cried, Injun Nick’s eyes glistened, “7 am after it!” he said, and his dark hand fell upon the major’s arm and closed there. “I am another of the fools; the most of them have been white men, but I am not the only Injun who has sought this trail. I know that the mine has an existence; that its secret isin the possession of one of three padres who inhabit this country.” ‘That is more than I know,” said Major Miguel. ‘*One padre out of the three holds the key to the Padre’s Palace,” continued Injun Nick. ‘I have found two of them within the past six months, and have convinced myself that they know nothing. What are your padres like? You have two, I am told?” ite Two,” said Major Miguel, almost mechanic- ally, ° ** What are their ages?” ‘* Padre Cortez is thirty-five, and Selmo near- one agent ie s he the n ca th | Tonguin?” perso : e Mummy of San “eon” ‘** Will you show me his hut?” The owner of the Red Lizard hesitated. What! show this bonanza-hunter the hut of Father ’Selmo! The Indian had betrayed him- self: he was hunting the lost mine and doubt- less had proof that the old priest knew something about it. , ‘“Tf you do not care to show me, I will find it for myself,” he said to the hesitating major. ‘*T do not say that this is the lucky padre of the three, but I want to see him, that 1s all.” Major Miguel looked into the red-skin’s eyes. “Tf this Indian knows something, he did not come here without documents of some kind. Tl bet my head that he carriesa map or a chart of the Padre’s Palace Mine next to his coppery skin, and if he should find Selmo, he may play a game bigger than Satan’s best. Ive had an Sy on the bonanza for years, and it has been id, though I never took much stock in it, that *Selmo has a grip on the secret. Can I beat this Indian? I’ve played dandy hands before to-night, and if I have been keeping hotel ten years, I haven't lost my head.” his is all,” said Injun Nick, leaving the chair which he had taken. ‘I merely wanted to ask you several questions. This bonanza is for the person who finds it.” x { know that, but where did you first hear of it? ‘“ Where?” smiled the red rattler. ‘In the wigwam of my tribe. I have heard of it in a thousand places. When I was the Scarlet Her- cules in one of vour big cities in the East, I heard men talking about it. I once had papers that told about the Padre’s Palace, but I was robbed. I got others afterward by accident.” ““Major Miguel started visibly. The red- skin had important papers, and of course the | a on his person! The thought fairly electri- ‘Who robbed you?” he asked. Si¢. : ! a “e re, . Ps i. A * 4 a eee ea Nick through clinched teeth. ‘‘I will now go down and find the Mummy. It is every man for himself in this game, major. The best one wins. The little lamp on the table showed Major Miguel the glittering eyes of the Indian; he saw triumph everywhere in them, and his blood seemed to boil. Injun Nick went toward the door watched like a hawk by the keeper of the Red Lizard, “IT can get out of Padre ‘Selmo what he wants,” he said to himself. ‘“‘If I let this infer- nal red-skin get the best of me, I deserve to join the six Apaches in the plaza. He sha’n’t do it!” T.e next second the hand of the Indign touch- ed the latch, and for a moment his eyes were re- moved from the major. That one moment was enough. All at once the owner of the Red Lizard step- ped back and whipped out a six-shooter. The click of the lock made the Indian turn. ‘*You are right, Indian Nick. It is every man for himself in this game,” said Major Miguel. ‘* A man has to play quick sometimes, anc the present time is of that sort. I want the papers vou referred to last—the ones pertaining to the Spanish bonanza, You will not go to Padre ‘Selmo to-night. Tll not make it neces- sary. The Padre’s Palace Mine may be five hundred miles from San Tonquin, and the Red Lizard may stand directly over it—who knows? Put your hand under your shirt and produce the documents! Don’t tell me that you haven't anything of that kind on your anatomy, I know better. Fork ’em over!” The major spoke from behind arevolver which completely covered the Indian, who for once in his life had been taken by surprise. He stood erect and flashing-eyed by the door, and told the major by his mien that the most trifling breach of vigilance might cost him his life, “You want what I haven’t got,” said the In- dian. ‘*T want the documents; you have them!” ‘* What documents?” ‘*The ones you got by accident after the rob- bery you spoke of. Those documents bear on the lost bonanza, and I want them!” ‘Don’t play fool, Major Miguel of the Red Lizard,” said the Indian. ‘I have no papers on my person. The ones I got are in my head. your revolver can shoot them out, and do you any good, blaze away!” Major Miguel’s hopes seemed to ooze out at his finger-ends, He had played a desperately sudden hand perhaps for nothing; he had transfcrmed one of the coolest Indians living into anenemy. He began to wish he had curbed his patience, but it was too late now, If he lowered the revolver Injun Nick might leap at him, and the dark-red hands might close on his throat. The keeper of the Red Lizard did not know how to get rid of the bear he had caught. ‘* Maybe I had better kill the red,” he ejacu- lated, ‘‘If I let up now I will have a new ene- my, ard one who may find the lost mine in the end. He came to San Tonquin alone to-night. The boys are making such a fuss in the bar- room below, that my revolver wouldn't be heard, If it should be, I can say that I shot the red in self-defense, and San Tonquin will never go back on Major Miguel.” The hotel-keeper gripped his revolver firmer than ever. ‘‘The papers!” he said to the Indian. ‘‘ Hand ’em over quick, or I'll blow your head off! This is San Tonquin, and the man before you is Major Miguel, late of Mexico.” njun Nick seemed to see the white man’s reso- — = “ae Pee ' f e shut his lips close, and gave him a yielding look, Then his hand Sivved to his Bronsh 4 ‘*He has the documents, but I must kill him anyhow,” said the major. ‘ My motto is: ‘Never give a rattlesnake his life?!” The next instant something very unexpected took place. Instead of producing any papers, Injun Nick stooped suddenly, and leaped like a tiger at the keeper of the Red Lizard. The revolver went off, but the bullet buried itself in the ceiling, and Major Miguel found himself caught and lifted from the floor in the twinkling of an eye! ‘* Whose game is it now?” laughed Injun Nick as he lowered the’ Red Lizard’s proprietor and held bim at arm’s length in the lamplight. ‘I guess you wanted my life more than my papers, eh, Major Miguel? I repeat my assertion that it is every man for himself in this bonanza game, and Satan for us all! —the documents still?” Major Miguel was out of breath. The terrific charge of the Indian and the sudden turning of the tables had completely amazed bim. he Scarlet Hercules was quicker than a cat. “The boys below didn’t hear the report of your revolver, major,” Injun Nick went on, ‘You could have shot me dead, and had things afterward your own way for a spell. Perhaps the idea entered your head, but now we'll see that it isn’t carried out. LI will find the Mum- What do you want now ) ‘out before mornin ; - = ‘, Z ry ; . ae ab on ~~ ~~ , , % ‘ . e Captain Coldgrip’s Nerve 7 | p oldgrip : ‘“Then come this way.” ‘Never mind—I was robbed!” said Injun ide. Tam going away, but you will remain ere—you ought. to know how! You have roughed it all your life, and you know what a game like this is between man and man!” Major Miguel said nothing. Injun Nick sud- denly transferred one hand to his prisoner's throat, and not a second too soon, for the owner of the Red Lizard had made up his mind to yell for help and abide the consequences. Beneath the red band that tightened where it touched, the major’s face grew dark and bis eyes seemed to start from their sockets. The Indian bore him back over the stout little table and alongside the lamp that threw a glare over the startling scene. There wasacold glitter to Injun Nick’s eyes. In three minutes — Miguel had ceased to struggle, and the red-skin took away his hand. In one corner of the room was a low cot large enough for but one sleeper, and it soon held the body of the owner of the San Tonquin hotel. Injun Nick took the lamp and held it over bis face. ‘*T have sworn that nolody shall stand between me and the big mine and live!” he said in deter- mined accents. ‘* There may be a hundred trail- ers but Injun Nick will be tke successful one. I was never beaten but cnce and that was by a man called Captain Coldgrip. I know that he left New York six months ago for the trail of the Padre’s Palace. Woe to him if he meets me here!” The Indian extinguished the lamp and went down the narrow stair, leaving Major Miguelon the cot in the darkness and silence of death. The Red Lizard’s owner had played a hasty and fatal hand. Injun Nick avoided the tar-room and its boisterous crowd, and left the hotel unokserved, ‘‘The padre lives behind bis church, I will try the first one,” he murmured. A moment later Injun Nick was moving rapidly down the street, and all at once he dodged around the corner of Father ’Selmo’s simple sanctuary. ‘‘ Heavens! that is Injun Nick,” exclaimed a man who caught sight of the flitting figure. “I have a chance to cross arms with my old enem once more. He is on the trail of the Spani bonanza, sure enough. He won't find Padre *Selmo at home, I will wait for bim here and when he comes back I'll see whether he jhas for- gotten his old friend Captain Coldgrip. ‘‘ And the speaker drew up against the wall of the lit- tle church and waited for his prey. CHAPTER VIIL A NEW SCHEME AFOOT, MEANTIME, Gerta, the Flower of San Ton- quin, was entertaining another visitor, | The man was Gold Chick, the handsome per- son who intruded upon her while she wes facing a aa Coldgrip during his bunt for the little adre. The girl had never liked the sport who made frequent trips to Santa Fe, and whose great hobby was the Spanish tonanza. Gold Chick was not only handsome but pas- sionate and fearless; to use the street language of San Tonquin, he “‘ ran things” when he was there. He came back to Gerta with eagerness eyes, and his first words, snapped out tartly, © told her that Gold Chick was in no good hu- mor. ‘* Where is that man?” he asked. ‘*That man?” said the girl, showing a spirit that surprised the desperado. - The stranger I found here with you awhile ago.” ‘* He left when the Apaches rode into town,” ‘* What did be call himself?” ** Gilded George.” This was a new name to Gold Chick. id. “T don’t know,” said Gerta dryly. ‘‘ Ill find if he stays in town! What did he want—the Padre’s Palace, eh?” The girl’s start told Gold Chick that he had hit the mark. . ‘‘ He was looking for the padre,” she said. ‘‘ Father "Selmo?” Ts Yes,” : ‘Nobody ever looks for Cortez,” growled the me about the Spanish lay-out. They all want to see the Mummy of San Tonquin. Did he find . *Selmo here?” ann sé No.” ‘* When did you see bim last?” ‘‘ Not since yesterday.” ‘‘The Mummy is missing,” said Gold Chick. ‘““T went from here to his hut. Nearly every thing is in confusion there as if the old fellow _ had run away.” o “He would not do that,” replied Gerta, with — a smile. . ‘ ‘ His little crucifix on the wall is gone. What does that mean, hey, m Tonquin rose?” | The girl turned slightly pale. ag ‘1 don't like that,” she said. ‘‘ He once told — me that the disappearance of that crucifix would mean disaster.” - ‘‘Tt means that or something else as import- my of San Tonquin without Major Miguel for a‘ ant. No thief would take that, for it has no <7 Be haat $( cS) ICO In Cc and rage strangely mingled in his deep black | wt “Til bet my head that isn’t his name!” het be e isn’t supposed to know anything