Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 434 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

; ’ : : . _y Oe ee ee eee —— —_-— ce —o Cen EE 25 Lucifer Lynx, the W nder-Detective, eae ee Cee earth has. It b’longs ter Major Sphinx,” and | The major thrust forth his hand, then the sport bunched half a dozen matches and threw them away, to see taem fall down- ward like a little shower of stars. ‘‘They are matches, by Jove! I know it!” | met. rung out the same voice azain, and the next mo- ment the figure of Scar Chick was hanging along a dark wedi, with his hands holding to the top. ‘Stand from under down thar!” he called out, and then he dropped some feet, alighting fairly, and keeping his balance. ‘*Who are you?’ asked a voice in the gloom. ** Friend or foe?’ Scar Chick answered by striking another match and holding it before his face. ‘¢ Captain Scar Chick! by Jove, ha, ha!” cried a man who darted forward and halted before the excited sport before the match went out, ** Did you force Lucifer Lynx to tell you where { was? By Jove! Id like to have his throat within arm’s reach at this supreme moment. W hat a villainous place this is!” ‘‘ Why, it’s a mountain hotel!” laughed Scar Chick, ‘‘ It’s pandemonium!” grated the major. ** Wouldn’t like ter sojourn hyer long, eb?” **T'd die in three days!” ‘* Did yer come down their water stair?” ‘“No. I dropped, like you have just done, from above.” ‘* Worced ter by ther New York sleuth?” ‘¢ Yes!” answered the major through his teeth. ‘‘ What has happened since I left Thunder City?’ ‘“A good deal thet won’t read to you like a yrayer-book,” smiled Sear Chick. ‘* But, major, i b’lieve our interests ar’ not ther same.” Major Sphinx gave the sport a look of won- der, and saw his face grow hard in the light of 2 lamp which he found in a convenient niche. ‘‘It is to my interest to get ont of here,” Major Sphinx said. ‘‘Ov course. You want ter goon with your game?” ‘* What game?’ ‘Ther one you’re playin’ forGold Grit. Look me squarely in ther eye, major,” and Scar Chick held the lamp close to the mountain Nabob’s face, ** No blinkin’ nor crawfishin’ now. [ve not been blind all these years. Thet young myth hunter is a bonanza o’ some kind for you, major, b>» t from what I’ve been able ter gather, he’s ov no account unless he kin git his memory back. Now, ain't this about ther straight o’ ‘ther lay?” Major Sphinx’s face lost much of its natural color in the light of Sear Chick’s lamp. ‘‘Come—come! no lyin’, major!” the sport went on. ‘‘ Ther boy is ov no final account ter yer without he kin grasp all his past, eh?” ” Forced to the wall, the Nabob let out the truth, “This is a private explanation,” he said, ‘‘My game is to see the young man restored to his fortune, but this cannot be completely done unless his memory comes back.” ** Ob, bo!” laughed Scar Chick, his black eyes dilating. ‘‘ You want Gold Grit to get some money that’s comin’ ter him?” +6 I do.” ‘*And ye’re doin’ it all from a love o’ jus- tice?” The major nodded slightly, but did not trust himself with a verbal answer, ‘*T don’t run across many justice-lovin’ people like you, major,” exclaimed Scar Chick, sarcas- tically. ‘* But ye’re liable ter fail in ther long ? “ ow ?” “That boy bas thrown his shadow across my sunsbin:. That’s why I remarked awhile ago that our interests don’t mingle ter any extent,” tar Sphinx looked puzzled. “1)] explain in a word,” and Scar Chick came nearer, “ (’m no photygrapb, major, but I know a seraph when I see one. Flavia, ther storm child o’ Thunder, occupies pretty much all ther heart ’ve got; but don’t yer see? ther boy’s between us!” ‘ Ab!” ejaculated the major. “Tt hate thet young gold tramp, yer bonanza, like Satan hates holy water, Ther last big job I fixed up on him has just miscarried, No dif- ference what it war, an’ it war helped awry by Lucifer Lynx an’ ther girl herself. If you could et away with Gold Grit wouldn’t you leave ther Red Divide,’ major?” “Td go to-night!” cried the major, eagerly, “You'd leave Julian behind?” — “Tf I could not get him away with me,” “Now, my proposition is this,” and Scar Chick drew his figure up to an important atti- tude, while the major eaned forward so as to ‘ord. <a Cit youll uit ther country ther ames ld Grit in your possession, I wi yor Whe anderroand hotel cease to be yer de!” arn Sphinx could not repress a cry of de- about _ 4 ulian, raga t Lucifer Lynx,” Scar Chick wenton. * wall ter deliver oe PONY nee at a certain place if you will swear tha he call never turn his face toward Thunder City again.” We'll say_ nothin’ ‘““[T see the need of a grand play right now!” | he exclaimed, looking into Scar Chick’s face, _ and in the lamplight the hands of the two men remarked. CHAPTER XXXI. WARNED AND DEFIED. WHEN will you deliver the youngster?” asked Major Sphinx as he held Scar Chick’s hand and | looked into his eyes, ‘* To-morrow night,” ‘* 'W here?” ‘* At the mouth of Golden Gulch. You know | whar thet is?” ts Yes.” A thrill of joy passed through the major’s frame. : ‘‘*[ will keep my part of the compact,” he | went on. ‘Is this trade to be broken to) Julian?” | ‘* Nol” cried the exiled sport. ‘* You don’t | want ter be bothered with the Spider now.” ** Why not?” ‘* He is liable ter be exposed ter Thunder City as Devil Jule who is wanted everywhere. You sent ter New York for bim, major, but he seems ter havea little scheme of his own on hand. When he heard o’ yer abduction he never looked up ther trail.” Major Sphinx frowned. ‘*| have trusted that man,” he said in low tones. ‘‘{ know something about bim that he would keep from the world, and by Jupiter! he must not give me the cold shoulder without cause. What did he do when he heard I had | leit camp, the prisoner of Lucifer Lynx?” | ‘* He sampled some o’ Hank’s liquor and kept | bis head.” ‘‘The man seems to have abandoned me.” * Looks that way, major. Who knows that | he is Devil Jule?” 0 ‘* Good! Can’t you contrive to let the camp know it?’ sador Sphinx’s eyes fairly glittered while he spoke, ‘* You don’t know how I stand thar just now,” | smiled Scar Chick. ‘I’m not as solid in Thun- | der City as I war a few hours ago; but some- thin’ might be played ter get ther pards on ter | Julian. Do you want it done?” ** I do.” *‘ But you are pards,” “Not now!” ejaculated the major. * Julian | and I have drifted apart.” | ** Since when?” | ‘*Since he left me tamely in the clutches of | Lucifer Lynx, the detective! That means that he would rather play a ame without me. Well, he shall! And before I turn my back on Thun- | der City, Julian may discover that I am danger- | ous when insulted in this manner! Why, I could hang that man!” The major evidently spoke before he thought for a moment after the words were out he looked like he would have recalled them. Scar Chick looked at him with a merry twinkle in his dark eves. ‘*Mebbe, major, ther same noose thet could hang Julian would endanger some one else,” he ‘* By Jove, no!” ejaculated Major Sphinx, but at the same time he started as if Scar Chick had roduced the veritable noose mentioned. ‘' I am willing to let Julian play all the games he wants to so he doesn’t interfere with any of mine. If Thunder City only knew be was Devil Jule!—” ** Suppose you go down an’ break ther intelli- gence, major?” ‘* Not under the present circumstances! We have made a bargain that must be kept. I am to receive Gold Grit at Golden Gulch to-morrow night?” ‘*That’s ther pledge.” ‘* At what hour?” ‘Say ten, which might mean eleven.” The major bowed. ‘*He may quit the camp.” ‘* He will remain!” answered Scar Chick, with emphasis, ‘‘ He an’ Lucifer Lynx think they’ve made themselves solid with ther pards, an’ they will stay. Ther detective may come up hyer, but he will not find his mountain hotel occupied. We will steal a march on him, Between now an’ to-morrow night we will complete our plans. There will be no failure on my part, major. I have never failed but once in my career, and thet war because I lost a finger some years ago, I paid for it awhile ago in Thunder City.” ajor Sphinx did not ask Scar Chick to tell the story that seemed to bang on his remarks, and as the sport exile did not volunteer the in- | formation, the subject was not referred to. Not long afterward the whole interior of the | ee mountain cavern was dark, and not a sound | arose to tell that it was inhabited, | Nobody emerged from it by the main opening, | but for all this two men walked over a narrow | trail not fer from the spot, and did not halt until | one, pointing down from a piece of table-land, called his companion’s attention to a light that | glimmered like a star, although it was hundreds | of feet below them. * Ther prize ar’ down thar, major!” exclaimed the man with the outstretched arm, ‘ Thunder ‘fully in my hands, I can wait a month. —_—-—- -- City is asleep, exceptin’?’ Happy Hank’s, whar thet light is,” “Why not to-night?’ cried Major Sphinx, grasping Sear Chick’s arm. The desperado shook his head. | ‘*T want time—time!” be said. ‘‘ We’ve got ter hev hosses, for you can’t walk Gold Grit ter A day must intervene between to-night an’ our ten strike.” ~ ‘‘ 1 will wait,” was the reply, in the tones of an impatient man, and the majcr added in a low whisper to himself: ‘‘Jf I get Gold oa m through with Julian, but there’s Ozark yet. By _ Jove! I'd like ter bev my right bower at Golden Gulch to-morrow night!” The two men passed on and left Thunder ae t to itself, and after awhile the last customer le Happy Hank’s place and that worthy closed up and went home. In the silence of the night, and when the star dial was denoting one of the lonely hours after | twelve, a gaunt figure, buman in shape, but with ' the tread of the wolf, entered the precincts of the camp. It came from the east, or from toward the ridge of the ‘* Divide,” and found its way to the largest cabinless space in camp in the center of which stood a roughly-hewn pole about twenty feet in hight. The hatred existing between the rival camps of the ‘* Divide” had been responsible for the planting of this pole, to which was nailed near the top a broad board, containing some biting in- sults to Lightning Lay-out. The last appearance of the representatives of | the Montana camp in Thunder City wad added several new epithets to the ones already on the board, so that it was covered with such when the gliding figure reached the silent square, It was an hour when the moon no longer gave the light which had silvered the ground since the appearance of the evening star, and the camp’s visitor was not in great danger of being secn. The man was almost tall Pies to touch the top of the pole with his hands. He was nearly seven feet in hight, with a body as slimasa lath, with a parchment face, but with two spark- ling eyes to show that be was ever on the alert. He walked straight to the pole and then dived one of his long, thin hands into a pocket behind his. coat. When the hand came forth again it held a iece of paper, which the man unfolded. Hay- ing done this he reached up and held the nite, against the board, then drew a huge jack knife, and with its murderous looking blade pinned the paper to the wood! his proceeding, accomplisbed with great cool- ness, meant something important; the very ac- tions of the gaunt individual were proof ef this. The paper was not as broad as the board, and the blade held it firmly, although the nigLt wind lifted the corners now and then. ‘*Thet "ll rile ’em!” ejaculated the man, speak- ing for the first time, as he stepped back and looked at his work with sparkling eyes, \ He said no more, but turned quiet y on his heel and walked away as noiselessly as he had appeared. Nobody followed him, no person went to see whether he had come alone into Thunder City with his paper and jack-knife, Before long, however, almost hefore the strange man had left the camp, the stake in the square was approached by another. This person could not reach the paper without climbing, and this he did not hesitate to do, In a moment the blaze of a match revealed the document and the big knife, and the bronzed fellow on the pole was reading something that made his eyes catch fire. lt was this: ‘*TO THE SKUNKS O’ THUNDER: “Look out! git or stay! ‘* Lay-out is on deck an’ intends ter show up! ‘Like deatb, we come when ye know not! ‘‘ Cowards run, brave men stand their ground! - SEE Thunder City will be empty when we come “THe Parps 0’ Lay-ovt!” These sentences, in big black letters and in poor spelling, covered the paper fluttering against the board. ‘*‘ Jehosaphat!” cried the reader, dropping to the ground as his match went out. “ Thar’s no bunkum in them words if they do read bifa- lutin! It is what l’ve been expectin’ these reseg, wom. Mebbe ther skunks 11 come ter- night! e man rushed to a certain cabin and threw open the door; then, leaning inside, he called a name which brought two stalwart men to their feet. In a few words he told them ell. ‘** Give ’em ther danger-signal!” exclaimed one of the recently awakened men to their disturb- er. * All right, Anaconda.” ; The speaker straightened and inflated his lungs for a moment, and then let outa yell loud enough to rouse the ‘‘ Seven Sleepers.” Twice herepeated it with increased vehe- pees : the nearest mountain passes sent it back echo, From every cabin somebody rushed, all stal- : JOO <€om G S - ;* é ‘ o£ SS ~~) RO ew 6 Foe — : - E>. cag SS - tS + , : . 1 ewe Ea ee + om Oe