Beadle's Dime Library No. 415 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

_— So eS ’ — 2 RS ee Se — —— — Sa } 8 —— <a In the mean while Philip Warburton had fin- know me, and that I will be faithful. I have no | ished caring for Jack Jet and left the stable. ared, but the knowledge that it would be easy or bim to hover near and renew his efforts as Ho ~~ = a t Heart, the Detective Spy. _— -- -—- — 7 e7. AS Oe His sky was looking particularly clear, how- ‘love for these Americans, except for their , ever, and all through unexpected aid. Garth When he came out the half-breed had disap- | money. Give me twenty-five dollars of that, Griffith’s revelation was important, and another and I will help you to marry the girl.” | Villegas looked fixedly at the halt-breed for a | secret had come into his possession which was even more important. Between them, he believed soon as the coast was clear, led Philip to take a moment, and then counted ‘out the desired’ that he would be able to win bis matrimonial turn through the bushes at the top of the hill, He did not find bim there, Having made due search, he was about to set - out for Coast Castle when, standing on the bill, he saw something of interest away to the east. Here was a nearly level field, which formed a slight depression of twenty acres, or such a inat- ter, between hills, and were sparsely timbered ‘* Now Jet me hear your story,” he said. Garth stowed the money carefully away. ‘* Senor, you have been often to Coast Castle. Have you heard of a missing man supposed to be drowned in the black waters of Nigger Arm?” ‘“ Yes; Paul Nettleton’s servant.” | amount in gold. | 7 game, | As Garth was not to be taken into his confi- dence in this case, and he wanted opportunity to think, he did not spend much more time with tre half-breed; but, assuring him that he would seo him again, left the place and walked away toward the south. Garth replaced the blcod-stained coat, shoul- throughout. In spots, however, there were The half-breed chinked the money in his | dered his rifle and moved away; but only a few ‘ glades from forty to a hundred feet square, and | pocket. yards had he gone when he caughtsight of Philip : in few places did trees and underbrush grow so ‘*Don Esteban, I am often abroad at night. Warburton. st thickly as to keep down the grass. “Ya.” The latter, in pursuing bis search for the two Standing on the ridge Philip had a good view of this depression, which was called Shaker’s Timber: and two moving objects attracted his attention at the same time. They were men, and though moving from entirely different points, bade fair to meet at a common point. One of them was Garth Griffith. The other Philip scrutinized longer, but in the end be believed that he recognized him. It was Don Esteban Villegas. ‘*TIa! Go on, Garth.” ‘“On the night that he disappeared I walked along the shore, passing by the head of Nigger Arm. When I got there [ saw an unusual ‘sight. A sail-boat lay rocking at the water's edge, secured by the painter,” ‘* Tl] warrant that your fingers itcheJ.” “They did, senor, and I determined to have | the boat myself, as whoever left her there had | } I i | ‘The servant disappeared at night.” i men, chanced at that moment to be walking away from the scene of the late interview. In- stantly it flashed into the half-breed’s mind that their talk had been overheard, and that the list- ener was now in retreat, Startled by the idea, Garth acted with precip- itation most strange to his usually crafty na- ture. Throwing up his rifle, he took quick aim at the overseer, A wave of suspicion rolled over Warburton. been very careless, I went down the rocks, but Just as his finger touched the trigger be re- = Was it by chance these men were about to | had not lain a hand on the boat when I heard | membered that nothing had been said to com- eek. meet? | another man descending. I dedged into a gap | promie himself. He tried to withhold the shot, ae, He liked neither of them, and it was a fact | in the rocks, and waited until he appeared.” He was too late; the pressure was already made; at that while Garth had tried to steal Frazer Hot ‘} Who was 1t?” but the effort so swerved the weapon t at his ae Heart’s horse, the Mexican had been to Coast ‘‘Hear me through, seror, The man threw | aim was spoiled and Warburton’s life saved. ie Castle and told a tale about the Fire-Eater | some heavy object into the boat; what it was I Tho mement the shot was fired Garth realized ae which Warburton believed to be wholly false. could not tell; and then pushed the craft away | his blunder, and saw that there was little ho Rem Suddenly a desire seized him to know about | fromshore. She drifted idly until she caught | of concealing his identity. Warburton would al the approaching interview, and without stop- | the wind, and then went scudding away before | surely discover him, and then the citizens of me ing to consider on the subject, he ran down | it merrily. Clifftown would be delighted tosuspend Griffith, the hill and, keeping some sort of underbrush ‘The man managed her well, and I was about | the half-breed, from a limb. ; ay continually between him and the other men, | to goon my way, when he suddenly and delib-| He decided that his only safety lay in finishing ss hastened toward the point where they were ! erately threw her around so that the wind flop- | the work he had so rashly begun. oR likely to meet. ped her over in a twinkling.” His usual cunning now showed itself. He knew ays Really, there was little danger of discovery, ‘* Deliberately?” Warburton would be on his guard, and desired re gs he learned when he neared that point. ** So I said, senor.” to shoot him without running any risk in return; Ew, Once on the flat he had lost sight of the| ‘Are you sure?” and this is the way he took to do it. With one cs two men, and when he looked for them he ‘*T'll swear to it.” sweep he sent his empty rifle whirling as far Py, failed to find anything. *¢ And who was the navigator?” away as he could throw it, into the tall grass; Pan Could it be they had gone straight on their ‘‘ Have patience, Don Esteban. OUncethe boat | and then he ran sideways toward Warburton, “a8 . r tive ways? was capsized the man left her, swam ashore, | firing his revolver twice in the opposite direction Whe i: arburton wished to know, and he con-| went part way up the rocks, took off all his | as he went. ak tinued the search as well as possible, regret- | clothes, put on a fresh suit he had concealed, hid This was to give the impression that foes were ie. ting that he was not a trailer, and able to | the first suit and then went away.” there; and he hoped Philip would fall into the ea find them by such means, ‘* His name, I say.” trap, be off his guard, allow the half-breed to Ba But he eventually woke up somebody, for a ** Master Paul Nettleton!” explain that the rifle-shot was meant for himself, ee? bullet suddenly whistled spitefully past tis “By St. Catherine! that is strange. This, | not for Philip; and then when he saw a chance Coie ear, and out on the air rung the sharp crack | you say, was on the night that the boat hired by | to fire ahead of the overseer, he would put him eer, of a rifle. His head had been missed by two | the servant, Bill Peters, drifted back to Cliff- | off the scene forever with one well-aimed shot. Eh inches! nt et town, wrong side up?” 7 Well conceived was the plan, and Garth, still aa ‘*'Yes, senor.” running sideways and agra! * tolook back, Bat CHAPTER IX. ‘What sort of a boat was the one you saw at | saw by glancing forward that Warburton had Sa THE HALF-BREED’S TRICK. Nigger Arm? Was it large or small?’ not raised a weapon. eae Wnuen Garth Griffith left the ruined con- ‘Senor, 16 was small, and, moreover, no The trap bade fair to catch the overseer. ' ss vent he made good use of the permission to | strange craft tome. I recognized itas being | But the scene suddenly changed. The young --—— retreat and was soon in the bushes. Here he | Jeffrey’s, and I now know it was the same one the | man stood motionless until Garth was quite near ss. was at home, Probably he had never slept in | man Peters hired.” at hand, and then his right arm came up like a -. @ building more imposing than a shanty six ‘Yet you saw it safely moored at this end of | flash and a huge revolver covered the man-wolf’s feet square, and the ground was usually his | Nigger Arm, and then saw Paul deliberately | precious body. Coie hed, capsize it?” Warburton’s voice rung out sharply: vist The bushes were as much his home as that “Yes.” ** Halt!” pees of the wolf, and like that animal he seldom ‘Did you follow him after he changed suits?” Garth had anunpleasant thrill. Matters were eth” went out except on a marauding expedition. ‘‘No. 1 changed suits, also.” not working as he had hoped; the wrong man il He had very likely made his entrance to the ‘Stole the one he last concealed?” held the bead. But his self-possession stood by ee world in the bushes, and had certainly been ** Yes,” him as usual, and he made a pretense of turning _—syeared there. He elong to the bushes in ma- Once more the half-breed looked sharply | in surprise. _ turer life; had no regular associate, and only | around, just as his cousin, the wolf, would do if ‘*Ha! is it you. Senor Warburton? I am joined hands with others to gain strength in| ina Similar place, and then went to a thicket, dis- | glad to see you. Keep your eyes open, for there -- erime by union; and lived by the fruit of ; appeared, was gone a moment and then came | js danger in the timber,” qe i i lunder. In fact, he might have been a wolf, himself, had not some accident made him a man. His life was not a grade above that of a _ wolf, and his cunning may have been a union of human intellect with wolf instinct. With his light, noiseless step he went straight sacross Shaker’s Timber until he reached a cer- fain tree. There he paused and looked sharply around, ** Not yet come,” he muttered. A leaf rustled. EE TT esses SS out bearing a bundle. This he unrolled, and a man’s sack coat was revealed, He held up one sleeve and tersely said: es Look 7 Villegas obeyed, and his eyes were sharp enough so that he needed no further directions, On the sleeve was an irregular dark spot, and though the whole garment was discolored slight- ly by water, he knew that this darker spot was blood which had been exposed to water, probably when fresh. ‘* And this is the coat you saw Paul Nettleton ‘I believe you,” Philip grimly replied. ‘So you tried to shoot me, you infernal scoundrel!” Garth made a start to throw up both hands witb his old gesture of innocence and surprise, but one of them held a revolver and Philip was not to be caught thus. ‘‘Keep your hands down!” he cried. ‘“ Don’t you dare to turn that weapon on me, or you are a dead man!” ; ‘Oh! senor, why will you wrong me?” re- proachfully asked the Bush-Wolf. ‘Thero is no evil in my heart, and we should be friends. am Garth Griffith wheeled like a flash, his hand | take off that night?” There are outlaws in the timber, and one of falling on his revolver, but smiled and dropped ** Yes, senor,” ; them fired a rifle at) me.” his hand as Don Esteban Villegas stepped out of ‘¢ Where is the rest of the suit?” ‘*T dare swear the ball came nearer my head ‘the thicket. | ‘‘ Elsewhere, in the wood. This was the only | than yeurs. I don’t believe your little romance Dm ahead of you, Garth,” said the Mexican, | blood-stain. I dared not have this coat near me, | about the outlaws, and do think you tried to a quietly. so I hid it here; and that was why I insisted on | shoot me.” oe.) The half-breed glanced at the sun. your meeting me here, senor,” ‘Senor, I swear by—” ire ‘‘ T am not late.” “Can it be that Paul killed bis servant?” “Swear by nothing. I wouldn’t believe you, SD age ‘True, and 1 have only just come. But let ‘‘T have told what 1 know, Don Esteban.” anyway. our ways are well known to me, as plunge into business. You say you have a “ATT? though why you should shoot me I don’t know. ss geeret to reveal to me.” ‘‘ All, senor.” Wasn’t it settled that no more should be said ae se ‘To sell, senor.” ‘*But why should Paul kill him?” about the horse-stealing?” es: “ Oaramba! I never thought you'd tellit for | ‘Who knows? NotI.” Garth breathed freer. He could read well ae titude. It isn’t .your way, good Garth. There was a moment's silence, and then Garth | enough to feel sure that Warburton spoke with his) ell. how am I to know it is of a nature to re- | added: | sincerity, and he was now as anxious to avoid a - ward me for buying? You say that it concerns ‘“Was not this news worth the money you | fight as he had before been to do murder. the Nettletons, but—” paid?” ‘Senor, you are very kind and I am grateful. af ‘* Yes, senor, and you want to get the Nettle- “ Caramba! yes. By means of it—but never | If you are ever in need of help come to me, and tons under your thumb—so!—and this will help | mind!” : in my bumble way I will serve you faithfully. --- you. When you are the husband of Barbara | The half-breed smiled. He understood about | My heart is not bad.” me) Kettleton, you will be glad you bought my | what was in Villegas’s mind, and had clearly — ss geeret.” | outlined the situation at the beginning of tho CHAPTER X ys ‘Upon my word! you are a bold rascal anda interview. The Mexican desired Barbara for ‘ -_-__ erafty one,” said Don Esteban somewhat sharp- his wife, but he knew he stood no chance unless AN IMPERIOUS WOMAN IN THE SADDLE. ih oy | he could bring extraordinary pressure to bear WARBURTON smiled sarcastically. He knew es ‘Why should we waste words, senor? You upon her. this soft-spoken, fawning fellow was as little to 3 | cGomicbooks:com * tis) , ; . ‘ . ; at oz 23) Psa é