Beadle's Dime Library No. 407 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

a = ow te yy, Se “._. =~ OO = 4 iil. call he Vi fool Ct n' gu eyes flashed like a an easy matter to transform a lot of men into a k of demons, and Gold Chick possessed this ulty in an eminent degree. ‘‘Search the town!” cried a dozen voices, ‘“‘ Hold court at the Red Lizard and fetch every stranger before it! Blood for blood!” “‘Ransack old San Tonquin and find Injun Nick or his pards!” said Gold Chick to the crowd. **Court will convene at once, and woe to the man who does not tell the truth before its bar!” The excited toughs drew back and Captain Coldgrip on the outside of the crowd mechani- cally pulled his hat over his eyes. eT think I see through Gold Chick’s scheme,” murmured, ‘He saw me at Gerta’s and his r’s. This big sport is try- ing to kill two birds with one stone. He wants the proscription to include me. I see his pur- 1” The detective turned away, but not in a hasty manner calculated to excite suspicion. A dozen men were within pene distance; he was liable to be seen at any moment. lt was a critical situation. All at once he was brushed by a man into whose eyes he instantly looked. ‘This takes us in, captain,” said a voice. “ Je- hu! Gold Chick will be judge of the San Tonquin court and woe to us if they gather us in. I’m goin’ away.” The speaker was San Diego Dolph, hat over his eyes and for once in his life at least pretty well frightened. His voice was a whisper and he spoke rapidly. ‘* Padre ’Selmo is lost; we can’t get a clew ter ther Spanish bonanza to-night, so what’s the use of keepin’ our necks in the noose? I found Wiz- ard Dick, the Apache, in time to prevent an- other shootin’ matinee, an’ got him out of town. In Jl see you later, captain; please excuse this t ? i ' mundane seraph!” And off he went before the detective could detain him or reply. San Diego Dolph cannot be called a coward but this was one of the times when he thought discretion the better part of valor. The detective thus left alone proceeded slowly across the plaza. Six dark bodies were swaying under the main beugh of the lynchers’ tree, tell- ing the fate of the Apache bucks whose fool- hardiness had cost them their lives. Captain Coldgrip momentarily expected to be halted, and he therefore kept one hand on the butt of a revolver. As he neared the tree an unaccountable curi- osity drew him toward the dead Indians, ‘*T don’t see how Dolph picked Wizard Dick out; they were all alike to me,” he murmured. **The three who escaped will make San Tonquin pay for this work. These are the first dead Apaches I ever saw.” an last sentence was unconsciously spoken aloud. **Do you think they'll be the last?” esked a voice, Captain Coldgrip recoiled as if a rattlesnake | country once. I will do more than that!” had sounded its alarm in his path. Three figures instantly stepped forward, and in the drop of an eyelash he was looking into the barrels of as many revolvers with his own weapon only half-drawn. * Hands down!” said the same voice, but with added sternness. ‘* We play bold games wher- ever we go. Step forward, if you please. Ah! this is the man I mistook for Laredo when I wanted the Apache horse-guards shot. Pro- scription in San Tonquin isit, eh? All strangers are to be found and walked into Gold Chick’s court for sentence! And all because somebody’s throat! Well, they won’t examine you /” By this time Captain Coldgrip had recognized the speaker, and brave as the detective was, the recognition was nota pleasantone,. Injun Nick stood erect before him, his old enemy and the man who had given him the slip in the padre’s hut. . A thrill passed through the New York spotter at this discovery. , ; “You are one of the strangers included in Gold Chick’s proscription,” contir.ued the Indian. *“ Let us do you a service. Weare going away and we will take you safely beyond the pards of San Tonquin.” Captain Coldgrip hesitated, The thought of going off with the Indian was not a pleasant one, mad e will not stop till he recognizes me,” he Said to himself, ‘I wanted to meet Injun Nick ebay ’shut, but I don’t want to see him Chick? would sooner go back and face Gold Chick’s court. To leave San Tonquin with In- jun Nick and his pards may be to lose Padre Selmo and the big bonanza forever.” Come fone, captain,” said one of Injun Nick’s cothpanions, ‘“ Weve been hyer ever since ther crowd left ther Apaches under ther tree, and we’ve beard everything, ther oaths ov ther crow*, an’ Gold Chick's h.” “Your go with us,” said the Indian, as if he had r¢ ognized the detective. ‘It is said that all sts .ngers come to San oe on the same missin. If you are one, you have failed to find the vig fortune.” sraitenes, and the band thet fell poe Captain e, aD e u Coldgr *) arm closed suddenly, “an | hand paid their respects to Major Miguel’s a tive, and his fingers dropped upon the captain’s | in life. WhenI left New York, hissister, now _ Sa rifle hand. my ward, placed a sealed packet in my bands, : The New York detective shrunk at the touch. | I was not to open it till I was five hundred miles 3 He looked into Injun Nick’s face and saw his | away. Herinstructions were faithfully obeyed, eyes dancing. and when I opened it I found her brother’s por- ‘* Just as I thought!—the bloodless hand!” ex- | trait and a letter from her begging meto find claimed the Indian. ‘‘ You are my old friend, | himif Icould. Well, have found him,asyou — Captain Coldgrip! I thought we would come | see, Injun Nick.” zoe together one of these days for a bigger play ‘‘T would give a great dealif Selim Strong ~~ than we’ve ever had, I have been waiting for | were alive, but it can’t be helped now,” mur- as the time with burning patience. It is here at | mured the red hunter. “If I could,I would last. I think you would like to go beck to Gold | share the Spanish bonanza with Estelle, as you | Chick’s court now, captain. Injun Nick would | call her. Do you know that Selim had two 5 sooner find you than the Padre’s Palace Mine. | missions?” nf You dragged me two thousand miles across the %* Na” ! i “He had. He was hunting for theSpanish The detective did not speak, but gave the In- | mine and was in love with the Flowerof San | dian look for look. vir Tonquin. I do not know that the pairever met, | but Lam convinced that he loved her. If you ~~ CHAPTER X., had found the young man alive, what would — THE DOOMED DETECTIVE. you have done?” — * “WHAT is your opinion of the Spanish bo- ‘‘T would have sent him home,” said thede- nanza by this time, captain?’ suddenly con- | tective promptly. ‘‘It was his sister’s request. tinued Injun Nick, his dark countenance light- | He came into San Tonquin dead and inhishand — | ened by a malicious grin. ‘'Do you think the | was a paper accusing one San Diego Dolph of > Mummy of San Tonquin holds the key they say | his murder.” * he does?” Injun Nick smiled. Cy Dae ‘*T don’t know.” ‘Did it create any excitement?” he asked. “me ‘“Oh, I see you don’t want to give anything ‘Tt almost cost the man his life.” ! ee a P| iv oN wT. 4 - Captain Coldgrip’s Nerve. ‘* Cover this man!” he said to the two men | who stood near. ‘“ It is but a bound to our hor- ses. You will go with us or keep the Apaches company under the tree. You may not know it but I am Injun Nick, the man cha by Gold Chick with the killing of Major Miguel! Is it go, or death? You are the chooser.’ Captain Coldgrip threw up his hand. ‘*T am in your hands,” he said, circumstances | might not act thus.” from the tree a prisoner in the hands of a detec- tive’s coolest and enya foe. The full beard that covered his face had pre- vented ition. For once the eagle eyes of Injun Nick seemed at fault. he detective was conducted to the outskirts of San Tonquin where several horses were found, Injun Nick oe his hand on his shoulder and said with a faint smile: ‘We are going on, captain. You will go with us till we choose to set you at liberty.” This was more than the detective bargained for, but there was no alternative. One of the horses was brought forward and he was told to mount, ‘* We don’t want Gold Chick’s court to ro you in,” the Indian continued. ‘It is a preju- 9 resolved to find it. I came to this wild country and picked my pards one by one. I knew where to look for most of them. I found some of the men who served Richard Redhilt when I was his right bower; they are my pards now, and you s see them by and by. ‘‘It bas been a strange trail, captain,” con tinued the Indian. ‘‘ More than a hundred ad- ‘“Under other | vénturers have lost their lives on it since the | country was settled. It has taken me all over In less than a minute he was some distance | western Texas and New Mexico. I bave been | | what hap obliged to play some big games. I don’t hesi- tate to say that I have taken life. ned in San Tonquin To-night?” ae rou iled Major Miguel—yes, 1 know t ‘Thad to doit. He wanted to shoot the se cret out of my head! He thought I had it—the fool! I’ve hung several bonanza-hunters, and sent others alive to the Texan vultures.” Captain Coldgrip could not repress a start at the coolness with which the la t sentence was spoken, He thought of San Diego Dolph and his scarred bosom. | ‘* Did you finish the young man who came into San Tonquin with the r—the accusation— in his dead hand?” asked the captain, boldly. “ Did you see him?” 4‘ Yes. ’ diced institution and nobody eh oy njun Nick would get justice in it, And he doesn’t in- ** And knew him?” the Indian asked, eagerly. tend to face it to-night.” “T knew him, although I never saw him till I The cool red-skin addressed Captain Coldgrip | found him dead on the porch of the Red Liz- from the saddle of a fine horse at his side. On 1" his right one of the two bronze men was mount- ed, and the keen eyesof the detective saw a strong cord leading from the bit of his own horse to the saddles of the desperado-sports. ‘* Why all this precaution if Injun Nick does- n’t know me?’ the New Yorker asked himself as he was conducted over a trail which was wide like a mountain stage road. ‘‘ He has not inti- mated anything of the kind, but he would not treat a stranger in this manner.” More than once in the next two miles Captain Coldgrip thought he detected the piercing eyes of Injun Nick covertly regarding him. ch glance was an arrow that seemed to go straight to the target. Suddenly the Indian leaned toward the detec- away,” was the quick retort. ‘* T don’t have to, Injun Nick!” There was the defiance of a cool man in the last sentence.. For several moments the horses walked over the trail with silence among their riders. The Indian’s face underwent several changes and the detective watched it with much interest. Now that he was in the hands of an old enemy, what would be the outcome? This was the man Colonel Julius Cantwell had warned him against before leaving New York, and his little ward, the child Estelle, had re- peated the warning. It was the same man who had lashed San Diego Dolph to a horse and sent him out upon the Texan plain to the voracious vultures. In- jun Nick was merciless, and nobody knew it tter than the New York spotter, now his prisoner. Captain Coldgrip had seen in his lifetime how the Indian had served a white master; he could guess what he would do it he was the master himself. ‘** You haven’t told me what you think of the Padre’s Palace, captain?’ suddenly resumed the Indian. ‘‘ Let me talk a minute,” and the red- skin looked into the detective’s face and con- tinued: ‘‘ When you saw me last I was not on any gold trail. I didn’t want money, but since then I’ve caught the yellow infection. When I was a boy. I heard first of this lost gold mine, but I didn’t believe it had an existence. I be- lieve different now. used to serve a man I see and { Spanish I chard Redhilt. Ah! you know him, captain! He died suddenly in New York, was forced to leave the bonanza got into my a 4 ity. en the bend again. I ** Who was he?” “ His name was Selim Strong.” ** From the East?” ‘From New York City!” Injun Nick reflected for a moment. ‘He was on the gold trail, too,” he said, be- tween his teeth, ‘‘ Selim Strong, eh?” — Coldgrip nodded. : ‘What was the name of the man who saved me from the Bowery roughs when I was i - ing Hercules in New York?’ asked Injun Nic “Was it Strong?’ ‘**Tt was Selim’s father!” ‘*My God!” cried the Indian. ‘I did not know he had a son!” ‘‘He had one who ran away from home early “T thought it would quite doso. I knew he was there.” ‘*Do you know who San Diego Dolph is?” ‘*San Diego Dolph isn’t he, captain?” before the Indian could reply a burst of coarse Jaughter saluted all ears, and the three men were soon joined by a dozen stalwart men dark of face, black-eyed, roughly dressed and with — long black hair. ‘* These are my gold-bugs, captain,” said In un Nick waving his hand towar swarmed about the prisoner. the men as cy Coldgrip, ie gold-hunter, spor sleuth-hound, Half a dozen exclamations told that the name © was a familiar one even to the Indian’s follow- e several. : ‘* Where I did not look for him—at San T quin,” laughed the red _ rattler. had excitement to-night, and San Tonquin not forget it soon. We did not find the but this man does me just as much good.” _Injun Nick dropped to the ground and con- tinued in audible tones and with a glance at the detective. “You will see that he doesn’t try his wings, boys.” And a dozen revolvers were cocked in e Ca Coldgrip’s sight. rm The indian walked to a well-built men end e Ber Nugget Nox, I wish you coffid realize the made to-night,” touched his arm; the two im nee of the capture I In id. Omicboo “S ‘* The Greasers will | You know : “We 7 ‘ is + a “ ‘ “ae ‘Yes, if. you think so,” was the answer, and — ae 1 ‘*Gentlemen, let — me introduce my old acquaintance Captain — and — rs. ‘““Whar did yer find him, Injun?’ asked — > «= «Jt