Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 436 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

’ ; ‘ —— dl TS **Are you not my friend? and are you not willing todo me a favor without the question of reward?” , ‘Ordinarily, yes; but this is an almighty big favor you ask of me. If we slip up in the thing it may send me to prison.” “‘The bigger the favor I ask the greater the test of your friendship.”’ ‘* No doubt.” ‘* And I never im blood in your veins, before.” “Oh! I’m nocoward! I merely wanted to call your attention to the risk you ask me to take. Say no more, I'll help you.” ‘You will?” ‘Yes, 1 will. I mean it.” ‘‘Good! 1 thought I could depend on you, Willis; and now that [ve got your promise without any inducement, we will talk of a re- ward.” : ‘* What do you mean now?” ‘*T mean to return favor for favor.” ‘‘How? I know of no way in which you can render me any service.” ‘“ Well, I do, if you do not.” ‘* How—what is it?” “You love Minnie Denson, and—” ‘‘Ha! Isee youridea! I had not thought of it. Jared Kenneth, you put the devil into my brain whenever Iam with you. Do you think it can be done?” “Of course it@an! If one girl can be carried off, why not the other?” ‘You're right, by heavens! help me to do 1t?” ‘Yes, You help me and [ll help you. It will be an even thing. There’s a mighty big risk to ru, as you sai but at the same time the re- ward is big, too.” ‘* You are right.” ** Besides, that is our only hope. way can we ever win those girls.” ‘There is where you're right again. In your case Charlie Denson has a big hold, and in mine—” ‘‘In yours that accursed sport, Kentucky Jean, isin the way. Any one with half an eye can see that he and Minnie Denson are mutually stuck ou each other.” ‘*T know it.” ‘‘And in my own case that prospective for- tune will be a big thing forme. Oh! I’ve got to have that girl, and have her I will, or die in the attempt to win her.” ‘‘ Yes, that Denver mine will be a big —— for you, if the girl gets it and you get the girl, or vice versa; and you must gointowin. But what are we to do with the dear creatures when we have captured them?’ ‘‘T have that all arranged. There isan old house up in the mountains, deserted, that will answer our purpose to a dot,” ‘¢ And you intend to keep them there till they comply with our demands?” e Exactly. ‘* Suppose, though, they prove stubborn and won't yield?” ‘‘Oh! but they will yield fast enough, after a few weeks of confinement. If not, then we will keep them till they do. I fancy they will be glad enough to marry us,” ‘* But, suppose after all the girl does not prove to be the heir to the Denver pro ” ‘‘That will be bad—for the pr , but I will have her, anyhow, and then | have another grand trump-card in reserve.” ~ * What is it?” ‘“T cannot tell you just now, I may not use it, but if 1 have to— Well, [ shall make a grand struggle for that property, you bet!” “Do you think it is wise, though, for us to ut the girls there in that house together? Would they not be likely to find some means of escape?” ‘* Bless you, no. ined there was any weak And you will In no other I shall have some one there to watch them all the time. Besides, the doors and windows are all secured. I doubt whether two men could escape, even if left in the house with free limbs and no one to watch them. Oh! no, they can’t get away when once we get them there.” ‘‘ And how came you to think of this plan?” ‘‘Why, it was Hobson’s choice with me. There is no other way, as we have agreed. It was first suggested, though, by that attack upon Miss Denson a week or more ago. I had an idea at the time that that was your work.” ‘No, it was not. I had not thought of such - a scheme before you unfolded it to me a few . minutes ago. I know nothing about it.” In fact, after seeing the ras- ‘“T bedieve you. als in jail next day, I decided that they were only common footpads, whuse intentions were to abduct the girl and hold her for ransom—or worse.” ‘Something like the fellows who waylaid Charlie Denson, eh? Their purpose was rob- bery, though.” “Yes, the fools! they might have known the young fellow would not have the cash with im, The banks are safer.” ** You’re right. And that reminds me to tell Ant that your Blue-eyed Belle has over four ousand dollars in our bank. If you get the girl you'll get something, anyhow.” / i Kentucky Jean. ‘*Even four thousand dollars is better than nothing.” **T should think so!” ‘‘But, your mention of that attack upon Charlie Denson, with mine of the assault upon his sister, brings my mind to something else.” ‘* What is that?” ‘* The fellow who rescued them.” ‘Kentucky Jean?” ‘* Yes, curse him! We have a score to settle with him, if my memory does not fail me, and by heavens he shall pay dearly for his work! A pretty pair of eyes we have each been ex- hibiting for over a week.” ‘You're right. But the fellow is real chain lightning, boy though he is.” ‘‘He may be a boy in years, but he is a man in muscle and experience. But, no matter what he is, he shall pay for his freshness, I tell you what it is, Willis, that account has got to be squared.” ‘*T agree with you.” ‘“‘And there is no time like the present to attend to such matters. We have put it off long enough already.” ‘‘ Again I agree. We have put it off foo long, if anything.” “Then let us to work and settle the score with him.” **l’m willing enough, I assure you. It makes my blood boil whenever [ see him on the street.” ‘* And mine, too.” ‘* Well, what is your plan?” ‘*T haven’t laid out any. Can’t you give me a point?” ‘* Perhaps I can. In the first place, we must bear in mind that he is no child. He may give us more than we bargain for.” ‘‘We must take the chances of that. We must lay our trap, though, so that there will be no chance for him to defend himself.” “*'You don’t mean to kill him?” ‘Well, no, perbaps not; but he won’t get off very easily, you can bet!” ‘it you mean murder,” Stanton declared, firmly, *‘ I shall back out. I want the account squared as badly as you do, but I draw the Jine at murder.” ‘* Well, we'll stop short of that, and give him im a good beating, and mar his beauty a lit- e. ‘**] don’t care how much you beat him, and I’l.do my share of it; but ’'m not the man to stain my hands in blood if Ican get out of it. I never drop a man except in self-defense.” ‘Well, that point’s agreed. I’ve got an ug] temper, though, and if he gets out of my banka without losing his ears, nose, or tongue he will be lucky.” ‘** But we haven’t got him yet.” as nae enough; and I asked you to give me a point. ‘*So you did. Well, have you any men at the mine you can depend on?” ** Yes, half a dozen of them.” ** And can you find them to-night?” es Yes.” ‘* Well, we will want four of them at the least to make success certain.” ‘* All right, [can get them; go on with your plan. What do you want these men to do?” “TY will show Do you know where the sport is to-night!” ‘*T am not sure, but I think I saw him enter the Enchanted Hall about an hour ago,” ‘* No doubt he is there now, then. Can you write a decoy letter?” : i” Yes; or no doubt you can do it better than ou. ‘* Well, my plan is this: If the sport is out, he will no doubt return here to the botel about midnight. It is after eleven now, When he comes he will find the decoy letter awaiting him. He will goat once to the place it names. Then we will be in waiting for him, and there we can strip him to the waist and flog him as he de- serves,” ‘ That is the idea, exactly! Go to work and write the letter at once.” “All right; trot out pen and swt mah and I'll red ha no time. I'll sign Charlie Denson’s name it. ‘“'That’s a good idea. He and the sport are regular chums,” ‘I know it, and I know they are not together to-night, for young Denson went to Denver to- day, and does not expect to be back before to- morrow afternoon.” ‘**Good! Everything fave rs us.” ‘And to-morrow night we will get the two girls into our hands in a similar way.” ‘* Yes, for we certainly cannot get up a better scheme,” ‘* Well, what are we to say in this note? It must be something not likely to awaken sus- picion, you know.’ ’ ** Make it the sameold story: if he would learn of something to his interest, and so forth, meet—” ‘* Hold on! you forget that Charlie Denson’s name is to be signed to it.” ** Oh, the deuce! so you said. Well, make it anything you please. You know more about it than I can tell you, I guess.” Drawing the paper to him, Stanton began to . o« ’ * 5 ; : Te TS a wi i rd /_pAm- fo Seon — i fe ‘e ; "fe CF O},\v a es eee ees * « ae aay © aan oo , \ » 4 Pr aan a J - — _ =” <9 “ . —" 23 write, and in a few minutes the decoy letter was all ready, and sealed and addressed. ‘* There,” the writer said, as he laid down the pen, ‘‘ that is done, and now for the result.” Lighting fresh cigars, the two donned their hats and left the room, and gomg down to the main floor, passed out-doors. Turning their steps toward the Enchanted Hall, they soon met a man who would answer their ‘al egy and engaged him to carry the letter back to the hotel and give it to the land- lord, cautioning him, if asked, to say he had re- ceived it from Charlie Denson. This done, the plotters went on, and in half an hour all their plans were completed. What the result would be they of course could not foreknow. CHAPTER XXVI,_ DECOYED. KENTUCKY JEAN was, as Jared Kenneth had said he thought he was, that evening, at the En- chanted Hall He was paying a visit to Miss Erving, or ‘In- » as the Faro Queen.” she was entertaining him in her handsomely furnished parlor, while her companion, or ‘* double,” was presiding at the faro-table in her stead. This was the sport’s fourth visit since the first memorable occasion, and the more he saw of the lady, the more he admired and respected er. She was a charming talker, and often played and sung for him, and an evening in her com- pany seemed to pass all too soon. But. the sport’s regard for her was not of love. He admired her, as we admire any one who pleases us, but he did not love her.. His heart was already pledged to another. Little had been said concerning the matter that had been the subject of their first interview. but it was plain that the woman’s love for the — sport was earnest and lasting, and that she wa: oing her best to draw his affections to her, Jean saw this plainly enough, and it troubled him not a little. On this occasion, when the hour was drawing near for him to take his leave, Incognita laid her hand upon his arm, as they sat together on the sofa and said: “You have not forgotten our ment, or rather your promise?” in a questioning tone. ‘* No, I have not forgotten it,” Jean replied. ‘*T was beginning to fear you had.” ** You were? and why?” ** Because Iam not blind, and I can see that another is winning your heart.” Her tone was one of sadness, with no trace of anger, and the sport was almost at loss to know how to reply. As we have said before, when the reader has followed us to the end he will be able to appreciate the delicate plays our hero had to make in this game of hearts. He ¢ould promise nothing, he could deny nothing; and still, he must hold her good will if he could. ‘* Whom do you mean?” he asked, i. ‘*T mean Minnie Denson.” | “It is true,” said Jean, “‘ that I am often in her company.” : ““ And tru: that you are learning to love her. Is it not so?” | ‘*T respect and admire her.” ‘* And me?” ‘*So do I respect and admire you.” ‘** But you do not love me?” ‘* Admiration may turn to love at a moment’s notice,” ‘‘ As I fear it is turning—in the other case,” ““T cannot tell you. Had you any control over your heart, when it turned t’ward me?” ‘*T had not,” | ‘*Then do not expect me to have any control over mine. If you are just, you cannot expect me to direct my love at will.” ‘*True, true. But you must, you shall learn to love me,” in a voice low but firm. ‘* Without your love I cannot live.” ‘* You shall have the answer at the time agreed _ upon, or earlier, perhaps.” ** Very well, I must wait, and in the mean time I shall do all in my power to gaina place in your heart. Tell me, is she—Miss Denson—more fair than I?” ** She is not.” ‘Is she more accomplished?” ** She is not.” ‘ ‘“‘And I know that she is not near so rich. There is hope still; but Heaven help me if you ss me by. I am a strange woman, but my eart is wholly a woman’s heart, and it is wholly yours. Do with it as you will.” The sport was pained, for well he knew that | his heart was not bis to desired. When he rose to go, some minutes later, the Faro Queen said: | ‘‘Do you know, Jean, that I have a strange feeling of dread that some danger is threaten- ing you? a is about to befall you?” give, even had he so ‘‘T have little faith in such pet ae | rt answered, lightly. ‘‘ When d Se seen, it is time enough for me te be trou- bled. I never borrow trouble.” ‘ Ghooks. — - = remonitory sentiment that some il] = co ~~ oo oe oe 4) fa) » —_. -. + deaget Use TY o tye . * ~ " ay .