Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 436 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

—_—— —_— ‘‘Ob! what do you think of me—what can you think of me?’ the pretty Faro Queen sobbed, now bursting into tears. ‘‘1 have often asked myself if. I was like other women; whether I was not some unnatural creature without heart or soul; whether the power to feel affection for any one had been denied me. Now I know. The question is answered. Il am like other women, and now I wonder how this exquisite passion has remained dormant so long. ‘‘Oh! tell me that you love me in return, that you will crown my happiness, or I shali go mad —mad !' W ben the reader has reached the end of our romance he will be able to appreciate what a delicate play our hero had to make at this point. He could not promise what the woman asked, he could not deny her; he must retain her re- gard, and yet be must put her off. At first it seemed no easy task, but she soon opened the way nerself. | ‘“Why do you not reply?” she asked. ‘* Do you not care for me, then? But, I almost for- et that 1 am a stranger to you; it seems that i have known you for years. Of course I can- not expect you to love me at once; ] must give you time, ake a week, two, a month if you will, and then give me the answer. Meanwhile, though, you must come here and spend some time in my society every day. Will you do this?” ‘*T will,” the sport replied. ‘‘I see you are in earnest, and I shall make no jest of your confidence. One month from this night I will give you my answer, and in the mean time [ will see you as often as I can, I have busi- ness to attend to however, and cannot promise you when I shall see youagain. To-morrow I must go to Denver.” ‘You give me your word of honor that you will do as you promise?’ ““ I do,” “Very well, 1 know I may trust you. One month from to-night I shall have your answer, and heaven help me if it be ‘ no’,” CHAPTER XXI. A LIVELY FIGHT. For some moments silence reigned. The sport was the first to br it. *‘Miss Erving,” he said, ‘‘I have told fe that I believe your story in every particular. Now I would like to ask you a few questions.” “Very well, you may do so.” ‘Tn the first place, do you not think you are unwise in the step you have taken?” ‘‘In confessing my love and asking you to re- ward me with yours?” 4s ” “ Do you think I have acted unwisely?” “T do, You know nothing whatever about me, whether I am an honest man or a rascal, and yet you would place your future in my hands.” ‘¢ You mistake, sir.” ‘¢ How do I mistake?” “Tn saying I do not know your character. That one incident at the hotel last night revealed your character to me.” “Well, I hope I am half as good as you be- lieve me to be, anyhow. Still you have not in- quired concerning my business or profession, nor concerning my Nib f possessions, You seem to take it for gran support a wife.” ‘I never gave it even a thought. I have plenty for both of us.” ** And you would support me ” ‘Yes, and gladly.” ““ Well, allow me to say right here that when I’marry I shall be the one to do the providing; not my wife.” ‘“‘T admire the resolution. Still, I must tell you that when I marry ! shall surrender all my / wealth to “ husband, and it shall be his.” ‘Tf he will accept it. But there is no ueed for us te discuss this matter now. If you are willing, I should like to go. The hour is late.” ‘Yes, you are right, Since you have said ou will not betray my confidence in any way, whick includes that you will keep secret what you have seen here, you may go,” The sport smiled. The woman had carried her point. She had declared that he should not leave ber presence until he had promised not to reveal what he had seen, and he had, as it were, tacitly agreed to her terms. — ‘‘ Before we part, though,” he said, ‘I would like to ask one more question, one that I cannot answer myself to my satisfaction.” ** What is it?” “Tt is this: After hearing your strange story, I wonder more than ever at your wpop in your service four such ill-favored brute as the four who attacked me and brought me to your presence.” **I do not wonder that youask. They cer- tainly are not by any means prepossessing to favor in appearance. They are a rough set, and are none too honest, but they are In my power, and I can trust them. I once saved their miser- able lives, and they are as grateful as faithful dogs.” But are you not afraid they may some time betray you, or do you harm?” that Lam able to ae ee ee eee and companion. Kentucky Jean. “Tam not. They are in awe of me, and are the best protectors [ could have.” ‘* Well, you know them better than I, of course. I would not trust them out of my sight. And, I want to warn you that if you desire to keep them in good health, do not set them upon me again. i may not be so easily taken another time.” ‘Tt will not be necessary.” “How came they to know I would happen along at the hour I did?” ‘‘ They had shadowed you.” ‘‘So Llimagined. It was a poor beginning for you to make, if you hoped to win my regard. But we will overlook it’now. ‘Your threat to kill me was, I suppose, not made in earnest.” ‘‘ Heavens! no. Could I killone whom | love? Do you suppose I could, or would, stain my hands with blood?” ‘*T do not think you would. And when you said that I might, but you could not say that I would, learn why you had brought me here, and why you put yourself in my power as you did, you means that my answer to your questions would decide it.” ‘* Exactly. Had I found an insurmountable barrier between us, then you would not have heard my story, nor learned my secret,” ‘* And you would then have allowed me to de- part?” ‘‘ Yes, on your promising not to reveal what you had seen.” ‘* And refusing to promise?” ‘‘That point is passed and settled. You have promised, Had you not— But, you would have done so.” Again the sport smiled. ‘* Well,” he said, ‘* with your permission I am now ready to go.” “Very well, I will conduct you out,” as she rose an replaced her mask, ‘* When shall I see you again?’ ‘‘T cannot say, Possibly to-morrow night, or on the following day.” **You will be welcome.” And so the remarkably strange interview ended. Kentucky Jean was well pleased that the woman had not referred again to his own past, asking further questions, and also that she had not questioned further in regard to why he was searching for the man who had murdered her father. These points he was glad to escape. Being ready to conduct her guest out, the Faro Queen opened a deor, which one of the re- saavieg mirrors disclosed, and bade him follow er. He obeyed, and they passed from the room. Turning the mirror back into place again, and closing the door, Incognita bade the sport ad- vance up a flight of stairs which lay before them, and she followed. At the top of the stairs was a long, narrow passage, dimly lighted. As soon as she reached the top, Incognita again took the lead, saying: ‘* Follow as silently as possible, and do not be surprised at something I shall presently show ou.” : The sportinodded, and they proceeded . When they came near the end of the passage the woman stopped, with a motion to the sport to do the same. Turning to the wall on her left, then, she raised a small slide from before a very small, round hole, and peered through. Evidently satisfied with what she saw, she drew back and whispered: ‘‘ Look, and do not be surprised.” The sport obeyed. Placing his eye to the hole, he looked through. He beheld a large, well-furnished room, and on the opposite side was a big, green-covered table, on which was a faro lay-out. Standing and seated around the table were a number of men, old and young, and on the op- posite side of it, with face toward him, sat a woman, the very counterpart of the one who stood beside him. This woman was masked, and was the person who was conducting the game. | Kentucky Jean was surprised in spite of him- self, and turned quickly to Incognita for an ex- planation. ‘** Who is it?” he asked. ‘*Does she look like me?’ the Queen ques- tioned. , ‘Yes. Masked as she is, she is as like you as would be your reflection in a mirror,” ** And had you entered that room ten minutes after leaving me, you would have believed it to be me you would see?” ‘*T certainly would. Who is the woman at the table now?” F ‘Those around her take her to be Inc the Faro Queen; but they are mistaken. my double.” ** Your double?’ a3 Y ” ‘‘ Explain what you mean. What new mys- tery is this?” ““T will do so. That woman is a mulatto, about mite age. | 1 made her acquaintance in New Orleans, and engaged her to be my maid I taught her how to muanege ita, he is SS hss | | | | 19 the game, and whenever I want to absent my self from the table, she fills my place. We dress: precisely alike—-dress, gloves, mask and all; and at the table no one could detect the trick. L have let you into the secret in order that you may be on your guard, so that you may know that you cannot be certain whetber it is I or my double at the bank, should you enter the room when the game is going on.” ‘Thank you.” ‘* See,” after a glance into the room, “it is near midnight, and the bank is now about to close. I close the game, precisely at twelve o'clock, Come on, and I ‘will conduct you out.’ The sport was not at all averse to going, and. followed the woman to the end of the passage, where she unlocked a door. ‘* Here,” she said, ‘‘ I will bid you good-night. When I open this door you will see a set of steps. leading to the ground. Go down them, turn to your left and proceed to the corner, and there turn to the left again and proceed, and you will come out upon the street through the same alley by which you were carried in.’ ‘“*T can easily find the way.” “Yes, you cannot mistake it. And now good-night!” and giving the young man’s hand: 2 fond, firm pressure, she opened the door for him and he passed out, after returning the ** rood-night.” He followed her directions, and had no trouble in reaching the street, and then hastened on toward the hotel. If his mind had been busy with his thoughts when he parted from Rube Rittens and Blue- — Belle an hour before, it was now more busy” The adventure through which he bad just passed seemed like a dream. He could hardly realize that it had not been such, so startling, strange and unusual had been: the events. But it was no dream, as he well knew when: he went over all that had been said, and re— called the story of the mysterious Incognita, the’ Faro Queen. His mind was busy indeed. Playing a double role, as we have before hint- ed, he had no ordinary task in hand. Little he dreamed of the terrible revelations: that were to come. His thoughts centered chiefly upon Blue-eyed Belle and Charlie Denson, and from them wan- dered to the other actors in the drama im whicb he was playing a part. He had already learned something concerning Delwin Mourton—learned that he had been a rourderer, and him Blue-eyed Belle believed to. be her father. If such proved to be the fact—that he was her father, whata terrible revelation there was in store for her. And through him the fact would be made known, Then he thought of the strange AmabeF Erving, or “ Incognita,” and of her strange request, and the fair f came before him at once, and be saw how im- a it would be for him to give his heart to another. How events would terminate he could not: — ess, be ust as he reached the hotel, and was about to enter, two men came out and descended the steps. e recognized them at once as Jared Kenneth and Willis Stanton, Kenneth, he noticed, was not as sober as: he might have been. The sport stepped aside to avoid them, but- Kenneth saw him, and with an oath, turned and. aimed a blow at him with his fist. Jean avoided it with ease, and tried to get by, but Kenneth blocked his way, and ex- — ‘claimed: ‘* We'll square our account now, my pretty boy! I’m goin’ ter settle with you for tha blow last night!” and once more he tried to strike the- sport in the face. Again the blow was easily parried, and ad— dressing Stanton, Jean said: ‘* Please keep your friend away from me, and allow me to pass. | do not want to be compelled to knock him down.” ‘*] don’t believe you can knock him down,” | Stanton declared. -‘“* You took him balf-foul last night, and if he lays you out for it now, it will serve you right.” ** Course it will!” cried Kenneth, ‘‘ and that is: justwhat I intend te do. Ill lay him out so that e will remember me, you bet!” and he strug-. gled to strike the young sport as he spoke. Jean still beat him off without striking him,. and kept warning him to desist. Hearing the high words. all who were in the bar-room rushed out, and the situation ex- plained itself at once. ‘‘Keep away, I tell you,” the sport cried, “or I will strike you!” **'You can’t do it!” Kenneth shonted, as he: made another dash, ‘‘ you cau’t do it!” - ‘“*T'll show you, you fool! if you don’t stop and go on about your business,” the sport warne® again, now losing all patience. ‘1 will knock you silly if you crowd me.” . 200) (E ace of Minnie Denson . » J ‘ a — at = o* “é oe AS ee —— - ° ee ee - s A SE A> aS er ‘anal —— <— ——