Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 436 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

an’ let him go the vicinity of the | Denson screamed for he -instantl “Hush! blast yer eyes, hush!” her captor cried, or rather hissed, as his fingers closed uvon her slender neck. ‘‘ Stop yer squallin’, er by th’ Rockies I’ll twist yer head off!” ‘“‘T want you to release me, sir, and at once!”’ Minnie gasped, burning with indignation. ‘¢ Why have you dared tostop me thus. Do you know who I am?” ‘‘No, we don’t know who ye are,” was the mocking retort, ‘‘nor we don’t keer very much, neither, As ter why we’re dared ter stop ye, we dare do most anything. ‘*Come, you fellers! give that hoss a crack an’ then help me handle this leetle beauty. ‘Lordy! but she’s ‘most as strong as a man!” The other roughs obeyed, and the horse bound- ed away for home at breakneck speed. ** Now jist ketch hold o’ th’ leetle fairy, an’ we'll tote her off.” Despite all her struggles, then, Minnie was resently lifted up, one of the rascals holding his ner over her mouth to prevent any further out- cry, and the villains were just on the point of turning aside from the trail when anothar actor appeared upon the scene. And that actor was Kentucky Jean. He had been in the vicinity of the Break o’ Day Mine when Minnie uttered her first cry, and had started at once to the rescue. A strange fellow was this youthful sport. Only one day had he been at Bended Bow, and yet it seemed he knew everybody. He had a way of ae friends that was peculiarly his own. And he knew every inch of the town, too, for when he was not in conversation with one citizen or another, he was walking about. Thus it was that just as night was settling down he happened to be in reak 0’ Day when Minnie Ip. ‘‘There’s a woman in dha cdr of some sort,” he decided, and away he ran. Ina few moments he was met by the black horse, and a short time later he came upon the , scene as described. ' ‘*¥ou hounds!” he cried, as he drew a revol- ver and sprun forward, ‘ release that lady in- stantly, or die!” With startled oaths the three rogues turned their heads, and the next instant the sport’s fist sent one of them to the earth with stunning force. ‘* Place the lady upon her feet, instantly!” he commanded, in tones that admitted of no delay, and the other two men obeyed mechani- ‘cally. Are you injured?” Jean then added, as he touched his hat. ‘‘No, but Iam frightened almost out of my mind, Oh! sir, how can I thank you for this timely rescue. I— Oh! my God!” The cry was caused by seeing the man whom the sport had knocked down, suddenly draw a revolver and take hasty aim at the young man’s head. Quick as thought, as quick as the exclamation she uttered, the girl put out her band and gave Jean a push backward, just at the instant the villain pulled the bee ife. i She had saved his ' The s rt felt the wind of the bullet as it ssed his face, and ere the man could fire again, hrew himself upon him, and with one blow with the butt of his revolver, knocked him senseless. _ Brief as was the time spent, it was time lost, 'and when the sport sprung up he found him- self under cover of the weapons of the other two, | * Now, stranger,” said one of ruffians, ‘* s’pose qve take a deal in th’ game. You jist drop that *ar weepin o’ yourn, er else we'll plug ye. D’ye hear our twitter?’ Kentucky Jean let his revolver drop. ‘t Now, Jim, you jest secure his hands while I hold this weepin p’inted at his nose.” ‘‘ All right, pardner, you jest hold him an’ Pll soon do fer him.” Thrusting his own revolver back in his belt, the man called Jim drew a strong cord from his pocket and stepped forward. ‘“* Now, ye leetle bantam rooster,” he laughed, |«<J"]] tie yer wings so’s ye can’t fly away. . You'll ‘be sorry ye kem | okin’ yer nose inter our affairs, | you bet! I—” '~ Then, with surprising suddenness, he came to a stop. : | How it happened, neither be nor his “ pard- ner” were ever able fully to realize. Like a flash of lightning Kentucky Jean’s foot flew up, bis toe taking the boastful rascal under the chin, lifting him clear off his feet, and send- ing him to ‘he ground upon his back; while at the same instant he drew his remaining revolver and fired a snap-shot at the third villain, the bullet breaking his arm. Once ‘nore the youthful sport was master of the situation. Nor was this all, for ae theca tr ah ae ticed, picked up the weapon p y the * the trio, and now she, too, was on the winning e, ‘‘The man who holds the best hand usually wins the trick,” the young sport coolly re- marked. ‘Are you satisfied all around? At any rate I'll take it for granted that you are, min proceed accordingly. Miss, you please let ; Kentucky Jean. that fellow with the broken wing have the pleasure of gazing at the muzzle of that revolv- er you hold, while I attend to these other two, | and if he moves, do not hesitate to shoot.” ‘**T will do so,” Minnie answered, all her fear now having turned to anger, and she presented the weapon with a coolness that boded ill for the villain if he disobeyed. With more caution than before, a lack of which had almost cost the sport his life, he set about securing his prisoners, Taking the cord with which the one he had last knocked down had attempted to bind him, he turned the tables upon the fellow and made him fast jn his own web. Then searching their pockets, he soon found plenty more of the same material, and in short . order the three were secured beyond the possi- | bility of escape. When this was done, then the sport laid hold of them and dragged them a little aside from the trail, leaving the one with the wounded arm in as comfortable a position as the circumstances would admit of. ‘** Now,” he said, turning to the lady once more, ‘‘ with your permission I will escort you to your destination. I am thankful that I have — been able to be of service to you, and I must | thank you for saving my life. I was worse than | careless,” ) ‘* And I must again thank you, sir. Yes, you may escort me home, and pray let us hasten. My brother will be greatly alarmed at seeing my horse come home riderless.” ‘Certainly, we will make all haste. May I | offer the support of my arm? the way is very | rough.’ ‘Thanks, yes:’ and Minnie promptly placed her hand upon his proffered arm, and they moved | on at a rapid pace. | It was by this time growing dark, though they | could still see each other and their immediate surroundings plainly enough, and as Minnie | glanced up at the face of her bold rescuer, she presently said: **'You look very much like a friend of mine,. a young lady.” ‘** Blue-eyed Belle, as she is called?” ** Yes, her. Do you know her?” ‘* No, I have never seen her.” ‘* How then did you know whom I meant?” ‘*T have been twld so more than onee since my arrival here. I would like to see the lady, and judge for myself.” ‘* You are a stranger here, then?” “* Ten~ ‘*May I inquire your name?’ with innocent | frankness, ‘Certainly you may. My name is Jean Grantley.” ‘* Indeed! ee eee then it was you who saved my | brotber from being robbed by the road-agents | this afternoon.” ‘* Are you Charles Denson’s sister?” ‘“ Yes; my name is Minnie Denson.” ‘This is an agreeable surprise, I assure vou, for your brother and I have struck up quite a friendly acquaintance.” And so they talked on, until they passed the Break o’ Day Mine and were entering the town, when they met Charlie Denson, with three or four others, hastening in the opposite direction. | **Minnie!” the young man exclaimed, the moment he recognized his sister, ‘‘ thank God, | you are safe! And you, my friend,” grasping | the sport’s hand, *‘ Heaven bléss you; for I am sure Minnie owes her safety to you. But, sister, tell me what has happened! When your borse came in riderless a minute ago, we were chilled with fear. Did you fall?” ‘‘ No,” the girl replied, ‘‘I did not fall, but I was attacked by three ruffians, and but for this brave gentleman, I dare not think what my fate might have been. We can never repay the debt of gratitude we owe him.” ‘No, never,” ‘* Let us call it an even exchange of favors,” Kentucky Jean supplemented, “‘for but for your sister’s timely interference I would now be lying cold in death.” ‘** Heavens! and she saved your life?” ‘* Yes; though I deserved to be shot for my carelessness.” Explanations were soon made, and then while Charlie Denson and the men with him went on to bring the three prisoners into town, Kentucky Jean accompanied Miss Denson on to her home, at her request, and when they parted, the youth- ful sport was cordially invited to make a call, as he promised to do. me time later Charlie Denson and his men came in with the prisoners, who were at once lodged in jail, and then Charlie went to the Every body’s Home Hote! to find the sport. He had decided that Kentucky Jean was just the man he wanted to assist him in solving the mystery of Blue-eyed Belle, CHAPTER XVII. KENTUCKY JEAN'S VIFWS. LATER in the evening Colonel Damon Dallas, Charlie Denson, Kentucky Jean and Rube Rit- tens were assembled in the library of the Dallas residence, for the pu of laying plans for the egal warfare they were about entering upon in behalf of Blue-eyed Belle. orn it is fairly pho Kentucky Jean had modestly acknowledged himself to be something of a detective in an amateur way, when approached by Charlie Denson, and Colonel Dallas and Rube Rittens had readily agreed to Charlie’s proposition to engage him. Little they suspected the double role the sport was playing. The case was gone over in detail, from first te present, and every point carefully considered, and Kentucky Jean was soon in possession of all the facts. It was agreed that the first move must be to pay a visit to Dobson & Blake at Denver, in order to learn just how the case stood in regard to Gardner Gernett, and there to take up the trail in search of Belle’s supposed parents, Del- win Mourton and Sibyl Gernett. These tasks, it was agreed, Charlie Denson and Kentucky Jean should undertake on the morrow. While the case was still under consideration, there came a gentle knock at the door, and Mrs, Dallas, her daughter Minnie, and Blue-eyed Belle entered the room, Minnie at once introduced the sport to her mother and Belle. Now that they were seen together, the resem- blance of Kentucky Jean and Blue-eyed Belle was really striking. All present noticed it more than ever. It was passed over, however, with a few casual remarks, for such cases of similitude, though rare, are far from being unknown. ‘By the way,” remarked the sport, in the course of the ensuing conversation, addressi Blue-eyed Belle, ‘have you any idea where i was you lost that certificate?” ‘* No,” Belle answered, ‘‘ or, at least, no defi- nite idea. 1 know that it was in my possession after I went away from this house, but when I reached home I could not find it. I came back at once as far as the place where I knew I had it, but it could not be found.” ‘*Did you meet any persons on your way home?” ** Yes, quite a number.” **Do you remember who they were?” ‘No, Ido not remember one of them. My thoughts were busy, and I paid no attention to any one,” ‘* That paper is quite a serious loss, though it can hardly be made of any value to any one else, for you have ample proof that it was in > your possession, and how it came there.” ‘* Yes, that is true.” “But without it your own case is made weak.” ‘* Still,” said Colonel Dallas, ‘*‘ we can adver- tise for it, and meanwhile can explain the loss to our lawyers, so that they can be on the lookout for its appearance.” ‘* Yes,” the sport agreed, ‘‘ we can do that.” “ And I have no doubt,” said Charlie Denson ‘‘that Belle can write outa perfect copy of it from memory.” ‘‘Indeed I can,” the girl quickly answered, ‘* for I read it over and over so many times that phed upon my brain.” , ‘‘Then,” said Jean, “it will be well for you to do so, so that we can show it to the law - If this Gardner Gernett an us, aS We can easily ascer- to-morrow. lawyers are to op tain, we need not let them know how weak our case is. The copy of the certificate will lead them to believe we hold the winning band, And we do, if we can only supply the few missing links and make our chain complete.” Colonel Dallas set out paper, pen and ink, and Belle sat down-at his desk and wrote the copy required. t was perfect in every particular. © This was given to Charlie Denson. ‘What is your idea concerning the m ri- ous shots that were fired last night, young man?” — ‘Colonel Dallas asked, presently. “IT can form no satisfactory idea whatever,” the sport answered. ** Do you think they were intentional?” < Yes ” “Do you think they were both fired by the same pee ” ‘‘T know they were.” ‘“How do you know it? Do who that person was?” ‘*T do not know who it was, sir, but I do know that both shots were fired by the same and from the same weapon. e last statement I can prove; the first 1 feel certain of, for the weapon would not be likely to change hands in so short a time, do you think it would?” ‘* No, it is not likely, but it is possible.” ‘“Well, I will then discard that statement, and simply reduce the assertion to what I can prove; vamely, that both bullets came from the © same weapon.” you, then, know — rson, “But, in the name of wonders, young man, — how can you prove that?” ‘Here are the very bullets.” As he answered the question with these words, the sport thrust his band into bis pocketa drew forth two bullets, both of which were — more or less battered, evidence of their baving ‘““Do you mean to say these are the bullets — “ last that were fired by that would-be murderer night?” Charlie Denson asked. | GoOnine ° ‘ . b . De . > ks.cO " he &