Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 414 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

a > < » “ oe . — = ow<o ~ * = ae ‘ ‘ ’ ‘ 26 not again urge any one of them to accom- him, though he had hopes that Denver af Dic might have been prevailed upon to do ® Upolu having made uphis mind to ask Doctor Dick, he left his room, and passing out through the bar went toward the Free and Easy. A boisterous crowd was in the bar, and among them was one man Ww hom the young miner did not observe. But that individual started at the sight of the ‘‘King Bee,” as the miners now dubbed Kendall, and at once followed him. When Kendall entered the Free and Easy saloon, the one on his track was not Yar be- hind. Doetor Dick was found watching a game of cards, and there was a noisy par by in his saloon, drinking, gambling, swearing and discussin the festive funeral of Old Hickor y. Seeing endall enter, a shout of welcome was given him, and Doctor Dick went for- ward to greet him. a “Can we have a chat alone, Doc?” asked y. , Kendall. ** Certainly, my gallant King Bee of the Mines; come to my room,” answ vered Doctor Dick, who had taken a great faney to the v young miner, He led the way into what was the cosiest ae room in Bonanza City, and motioned to if Kendall to take an easy-chair. Be Then he opened a bottle of wine, placed a box of cigars before them on the table, and Tay Ae said pleasantly : ae «‘ Now preach, King Bee.” i ‘Doctor, Ihave come to ask you your ia | opinion of this Lost Gold Mine?” a ‘Well, King Bee, Ill give it in a word as i Tknow it. ie ‘‘Soime years ago, when I first came to oe Bonanza, it was a “place of a hundred souls, ie and among them was an old man whom I et knew to be a gentleman. Bo ' ‘He seemed to have had a streak of bad (cal luck, and lived in a cabin that stood where eS the Kingdom Come Cemetery now is. | - ** Hig only pard was an Indian, the Red SS - Renard, and he bothered no one. “The old man was called the Hermit “Sa Miner, and one day he went off and did not return for a month or more. ‘« When he did he had plenty of gold, and said he had ‘struck it rich.’ ‘‘The boys tried to trail him to his mine, but his comrade, the Indian, always threw them off the scent. -. Some months passed, the old man and _ red-skin making monthly pilgrimages to Bo- nanza City, and irvariably dodging those who followed them. ‘‘One day Rattler, on his run in on the coach, found the old ran dead by the road- | side, a bullet in his heart. | **Hfe had been murdered and robbed by the gold mine of the old Hermit Miner, and and telling strange |. some one, bu* no one knew, or particularly / eared who. | "Phe Indian soon after came to Bonanza - jn search of him, and he went on terribly ies when told of the fate of his pale-face pard. /—-#*' There were some who said that the In- ’ dian was his murderer; but that didn’t gain belief, as there was no motive for it, if he : 7 knew where the mine was. Bats, ‘‘These men set to work to track the red- es 4 - gkin, who always had plenty of gold. 1) Sea zs But they gave it up,*for the cunning fellow always threw them off the scent. hy ‘* Bands of miners also started out to find -- yeturned unsuccessful, - stories about the mountains being haunted. / ss Always several of the different parties . _ would be mysteriously killed, get drowned, thrown from their horses, or meet some fear- ful fate, and the miners called the country - the Death Mountains, or Fatal Hills. ‘‘Red Renard was offered vast sums to _ give up his secret, but refused, “Thus the matter stood, the miners be- lieving that the mountains were indeed nted, and at last giving up the search for ‘xy the Lost Mince. ‘‘ You organized a & * ‘a i, arty, Kendall, to start ie now all else I can tell ° Ve Tone. 2 * on the hunt, so you _ . ne you. ” King Kendall listened attentively to the | stor of Doctor Dick, and then said: ee will tell ycu just what I saw and went | ‘the adventures which had befallen him. | pg ee ee —_—— ) apy Heaven, Kendall, you have a nerve and heart of iron, for | never would have re- mained there after seeing what you did.” ‘‘] am sorry to hear you say so, Doc, for I wished to ask you to return ther? with me and hunt down this mystery.” ‘‘T would see you— No, I beg pardon; I mean I would never go.” ‘*Are you superstitious?” ‘‘No, and yes; the fact is, Kendall, I am here because I committed a red deed once. “fn a drunken quarrel I killed my best friend, and his ghost, spirit, or whatever you may call it, | saw for years afterward every night.” * Imagination.” ‘It may have been, but I suffered as thou h it was real. came here, and was willing to throw my life away, for it was a most wretched ex- istence I led, ‘‘My recklessness made me a hero. I began to like the wild life I led, found pleasure in gambling, made money, and though I live with remorse for my act, I take matters as they come. ‘‘Still I dread the dead, as often as I am brought face to face with death, and burn oa lamp. all night in my room, that I may not see what the darkness reveals, if you can un- derstand that paradox. ‘“You know that I do not fear mortal man; but 1 never go alone into the night, for that boy, my loved friend, is constantly by my side, his wistful eyes gazing into my own. ‘‘ For that reason I would not go with you, though IL verily believe if you find the mine you ‘will have an untold fortune, if I may judge from the quantities of gold which I have seen Red Renard have at all times with him,” ‘‘T thank you, Doctor, for your confidence in me; hut my mind is made up, and I shall go alone.” “Don’t do it, King Bee,” the Doctor. ‘‘T have determined Doc, and there is no backing down in me. ‘‘Now, where can I purchase a good horse?” ‘‘] have as good a one as can be found in the mines. ‘* Accept him with my best wishes, and vou will confer a great favor upon me; his name is Sawbones.” ‘‘As frankly as you offer him, I accept with thanks, Doctor, so where can I find him, for I start at dawn?” “What, alone?” ‘Yes, Sawbones and I.” “Well, I see there is no use in trying to dissuade you, so I will send the horse to the Bonanza Hall. ‘*What! must you go? Well, good-by, and if you do not think it comes ill from my lips, I say earnestly, God bless you, Ken- dall.” King Kendall thanked the Gambler Doc- tor and departed from the Free-and-Easy, going straight back to the Bonanza Hall to prepare for an early start to the Death Moun- tains. carnestly said CHAPTER XLIY. RED RENARD’S SILENT WORK. Tue ‘‘stores,” so called, of Bonanza City kept open late. That is, as long as there was a prowler upon the streets, the storekeepers did not shut up, for all the purchasing was done at night, unless it was the ‘‘morning nip” at the bars, to ease an aching head after a night’s debauch, under the principle that ‘*the hair of the dog is good for the bite.” Having made out a list of just what he should need, such as an extra blanket or two, some canvas for gold-bags. arnmunition and provisions, King Kendall set out to make his purchases. Having done this he returned to his room in the tavern to pack them. He had also purchased a pack-saddle, and consulting Parson Pete about a freight-horse, that worthy led him to his stable, where he found just the animal he wanted. Sawbenes arrived just then, and King Kendall found in the'animal of the peculiar name, a superb roan, that belied his looks if hough there,” and he made known fully | he did not possess wonderful speed and bot- tom, \ Red Renard, the Indian Detective. —————— ee - Paying a man to put his saddle and trap- pings in order, King Kendall returned to his room, paid his scores, and, his purchases. having arrived from the stores, he set to work packing his pack-saddle. This oceupied some little time, and when at length he was ready for bed the shouts of revelry had died away and the camp was going to sleep. Looking at his watch he saw that it was two o'clock, so he but half-undressed and threw himself down upon his bed, and al- most instantly sunk to sleep. When the King Bee departed from Doctor Dick’s Free and Easy, he did not observe that he was followed. It was by the same man that had followed. him from the Bonanza Hall. He had patiently waited outside of the Free and Easy for his reappearance, kept on his track to the tavern, then untiringly wait- ed for him while he made his purchases at. the store, saw him go to the stable anc then back to his room. The situation of the room the tracker now noted carefully, and muttered: ‘‘ 1 have got him now,” The room of Kendall, as I have said, over: looked the river. Beneath the window, which was about ten feet from the ground, was the roof of a balcony, where miners were wont io sit and smoke on pleasant afternoons. Making ‘‘ stirrups” about one of the piazza-posts with his lariats, the watcher climbed to the roof and glanced toward the open window. All was dark within. Cautiously he slipped up to the window and listened. The low, steady breathing of a healthy sleeper came to his ears. Peering in, by the starlight, the man noted the position of the little bed, and then he drew a knife in his right hand and a revolver in his left. It was evident that he meant murder. It was also evident that he meant to do the work noiselessly if he could, but have his revolver ready for emergencies. Then he turned and went softly to the edge of the flat roof. It was but a jump of fifteen feet to the river, and the water was deep just there, should he have to take the leap. It seemed to present to him a good way of hasty flight, should he have to take it for safety to himself. Again he crept to the window and lis- tened. The same steady breathing met his ears, One foot was then softly placed over, and he was preparing to draw in the other, when there came a dull thud, a ery of com- mingled anguish and fright, and he fell for- ward into the room with a shock that shook the house. ‘In an instant King Kendall was upon his feet, wide awake for action, and then a movement on the floor attracted his atten- tion. He saw that it was a prostrate form lying just beneath the window. Then came a groan and a writhing of the form, and King Kendall coolly struck a match, just as Parson Pete bustled into the room with: ‘‘Brother Kendall, are thar a ’arthquake in yer room, fer I war goin’ ter bed and heerd a mighty racket?” Parson Pete was in night-shirt and night- cap, and did not look unlike u ghost. He carried a candle in his hand. and Kendall laughed at sight of him, while he said: ‘*The noise awoke me, Parson Pete, and there lies the cause of it— Ha! he meant business, for there are his knife and revol- ver, and see! this arrow killed him, for he is. dead now.” He drew a long arrow from the man’s back as he spoke, and Parson Pete cried: ‘Tt are an arrer of ther Red Renard, ther Sioux miner,’ ‘* Yes, for here is his mark, a red fox; but I thank him for his silent and deadly work, as he has saved my life, for thin man meant. to kill me.” ‘1 doesn't know him, King Bee.” ‘*7T do,” was the quiet reply. “Who are he?” ‘“‘ One of a trio I had trouble with at Fairy comic ‘Ss 900