Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 453 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

saddle. ‘*‘ Broncho Buck dead on the jumping- ground?” The detective nodded. ‘‘Tt wasn’t so very remarkable,” he replied. ‘« A man is apt to fall dead when hit by a bullet between the eyes.” ** Heavens! who served Broncho Buck that trick?” ‘* A man—a stranger, called Mark Million.” An exclamation of wonder came from the woman’s throat. ‘* Mark Million?” she echoed. ‘* He followed him, then! He must have known who Broncho was.” ** Well, who was Broncho?” ‘Not very many ple knew,” was the re- ly. ‘‘I did, and that is why I left money on fini in Yellow Jacket on the eve of the other match. I used to see him jump when he was the dandy of Silver Deck.” **Then you are Coral?’ Again the woman drew back, and her hands tightened on the rein; but the darting fingers of the tireless sleuth were at her wrist. ‘*Don’t try to deny anything, please,” he went on. ‘* Your admission establishes your identity beyond all denial. You are Coral, the exile of Silver Deck.” *Whatif Iam?’ cried the woman. ‘I have a Se to the freedom of this country.” “* Undoubtedly you have. I will be the last man to curtail your liberty; but you need not fight shy of me because my business is to find the guiity and to drag them to justice.” ‘My God! I know you now!” exclaimed the woman, ‘ You came to Silver Deck about the time the hand of Mark Million guided ,me into exile. You are the famous Captain Coldgrip, and, if report does not lie, the ally of Colonel Redpath of infamous memory.” = Still the old charge |” laughed Sse ah me think I will be able toclear my skirts of the stain one of these days.” ‘*Is it false, then?’ and Coral’s figure bent forward until her eyes glistened almost against the sleuth’s face. ‘* You are not his ally? You have no connection with Count Demidoff, who bought Silver Deck’s secret from Natty Nick? You don’t serve for his gold? Thank heaven for that, Captain pie gh : ‘“'When we meet, Colonel Redpath will not claim that I am his employee,” was the reply, ‘You must find him before I do!” cried Coral. ‘*Do you want him?” ** Do—I—want—him?” repeated the woman. **T live in hopes of finding this man who has a habit of sending people branded to the ve! lf I had no cravings of revenge to satisfy, I would not be here among the mountains of America. Now I find his trail, now [| lose it. Here he mi rs in one role, there in another, When Mark Million sent me into exile because he was afraid I would not keep the secret which Silver Deck was guarding at the time, he did not expect that I would lie in wait for the czar’s favorite. DoI want to find him, Claude Cold- grip? Ha! ha! If you know where he is, and want him for yourself, you don’t want to tell Coral, the avenger of her own be el “ My trails are my own, woman,” laughed the detective. ‘If you find Colonel Redpath before I do, strike; but if I can, I will check your om. blade, for there is an American crime which calls for the rascal’s blood.” ‘** Two crimes, eh?” cried Coral, ‘ No, there are four recorded against him—two in Rus- sia, and two under the Stars and pe He will not hesitate to turn on us, Cap- tain Coldgrip. Wherever he goes he cor- rupts some He made a traitor of Natty Nick, shot by Captain Mark at the jumping- match, as you have told me. He has spies and allies in San Pedro.” _ “ Who are they?” ** Are you bound for San Pedro?” ‘*T may see the place.” “Then, beware of Dark Donald! He will 09 in your face while he unsheaths a knife under his coat. Mav the hand of heaven fell this last ally of tbe Russian ferret. If I fail, it will be because of Donald the Dark!” and Coral looked away and clinched her hands. CHAPTER XXII. LADY CYCLONE’S WARNING. CAPTAIN COLDGRIP could not keep his eyes off the woman whose features, strikingly hand- some as he had seen them in the moonlight, were distorted by a sudden spasm of pain. This was Coral, the once Queen of Silver Deck, Cyclone’s late wife, and Mark Million’s exil e, One of her last sentences had told the secret of her bitter hatred of Colonel Redpath, the Russian sleuth. Was she branded? Had her fair skin been touched by the iron which leaves a mark which one carries to one’s grave? As the detective looked at her with ber hands clinched after her mention of Dark Donald’s name, he saw her bosom rise and fall tumult- uously under some poweful emotion, and, set- tling back in his saddle, be waited for her to be- come calm, “ You—are—going to San Pedro,” she said, / _s — a . ’ . : bY 7s haa ETO Se ET) ee ee eT ayer ee RTS THe a eee ee 17 turning upon him, and catching her breath be- | you know, I found him at Silver Deck, and tween her words. ‘I say to you beware of the dog, and ‘the dog’ is Donald the Dark”! Then a smile played over her lips as the trembled, and she threw a glance toward Yel- low Jacket. ‘** Is Cyclone up there?” she suddenly asked. ‘“* He is there,” replied the detective. “Waiting for me to come back, eh?” **T do not know.” ‘* [ll go up and see Cyclone; afterward you're when I recovered from the dazing stroke of a bullet, he had swooped eagle-like upon the mine, and Medora Thurston, his guest across the sea, was in his power. You see, Coral, that I can’t be driven from a trail,” and the face of the New York detective was brightened by a smile. You and I for him, I presume. Well, woman, you have cause to hate him, no doubt; so has the young man who watches in ’Frisco for the face of the destroying angel. Are you still de- liable to find me at San Pedro, and elsewhere, | terminec to baffle meif youcan? After what I Do you want me to appear in this drama, Cap- tain Coldgrip? I might baffle you: I might even send you back to your haunts by the At- lantic, empty-handed.” ‘* The stage can accommodate all the actors,” smiled the sleuth. ‘* Thanks,” responded Coral. “To San Pedro, then, Claude Coldgrip. I now know that you arenot the Scorpion’s ally. It is sleuth against sleuth, I see. ell, the Russian is a wer. I have seen him at his best. roke up the most determined league of Nihil- | How did he ists that ever infested the empire. do it? At the risk of his life he became one of them. He stepped from the palace into the secret ranks of these terrible people. But first, he took a potion which seemed to transfer him into another man, The color of his skin changed, and he lost his old looks, but none of his fierceness, none of his cunning. One by one he ran the Nihilists down. Man after man was secretly apprehended, and disappeared. Some went to the mines for life, others never left St. Petersburg! When the last member was in his wer, Paul Demidoff came back to his master, is old self once more. ‘* A few months after that the beauty of a young girl crossed bis path. Then began the machinations which resulted in tbe Russian’s coming to America. The father of tbe girl he sent to Siberia; the child herself—she was little better than a child then—escaped from the country. Ah! if that could have ended the drama all would have been well. But Paul Demidoff never stops short of his object. The father escaped from the mines and joined the daughter in hiding in France. The palace sleuth took the trail, With power and unlimited resources at his back, he crossed the sea; he Once he | | | | | , | | ; | have told you, will you step between me and Colonel path in the hour of my victory?” Coral looked steadily into the face of the de- tective for a few moments. Their eyes met. ‘*Go to the trail!” she suddenly exclaimed. “It is a strange story you have told me. I think you do not teil it often.” ‘*You are the first person who has heard it since I left New York with this quest to urge me on. I would not have told you here if you were not Coral, or Lady Cyclone.” “Thanks again,” smiled the woman. ‘* Let me say good-night, Captain Coldgrip. You will find Dark Donald in San Pedro. AsI have said, he is Paul Demidoff’s new man, his last and best ally. As Coral finished she drew her horse aside and looked down the canyon. ‘“When you enter San Pedro, if you take the short cut,” she went'on, ‘‘ look to the right. it be day, you will see a wiry man with a dark skin, clad in a Mexican jacket, with a sombrero that has a gold thread band. He will be leaning against the front of a house with a cigarette be- tween his lips. If youstrike the border town at night, enter the same house and you will find the same man standing against the counter ——- — is oo the oe wae se can’t miss him, Captain Coldgrip, and if he suspects, he’ll take care not to miss he Ha, ha!” The clatter of hoofs followed the clear ring of Coral’s voice, and Captain Coldyrip saw wave him a parting from some distance away. Coral had gone to Yellow Jacket, and he could turn his face toward the unknown town and to unseen adventures, ‘“*If she beats me, well and good!” ejaculated the detective. * When the time comes she will discover that her hands will not be strong scented the fugitives in this country, and it was | enough to rob me of my victory.” once his boast that Captain Coldgrip was his hired sleuth-hound!” Coral looked into the spotter’s face as she paused, but be made no reply and she went on. ‘*T know not how he discovered that his | | | A little while later a horse went once more Gown the canyon which formed a part of the journey to San Pedro. This time the rider was not stopped by the sound of hoofs bebind him, and as the silver pray was in hiding in Silver Deck. But keep | crescent in the sky dropped toward the moun- anything from that villain if you can!” and Coral laughed lightly. ‘*‘ When I saw him in the era knew his mission. I would not have betrayed the exiles for the world; but Mark Million would nottrust me. I have been Count Demidoff’s tool. I have served the Palace Scorpion with the abject servitude of a serf, He has paid me in coin as infamous as the products of the devil’s mint! Heaven help the monster if [find him, Why, I will strike him if I have to beat down your hands, Captain Coldgrip, so look out for Coral, or Lady Cyclone, when you think your victorv complete! You don't know the injury he inflicted upon me, and my lips will never breathe it. But I keep you here. You want to find the trail that drew you from New York, heaven knows how many months ago, I would like to know something about the crime Colonel Redpath committed on these shores, but that is one of your secrets, I presume.” **T need not keep it so,” replied Captain Cold- . “*Let me say that the son of bis victim ides his time in ’Frisco.” ‘*The son of his victim?” repeated Coral. ** Aha! then it was the highest crime on the calendar of infamy. Jt was murder!” ‘* Tt was murder of the most infamous sort,” answered the detective. ‘‘I cannot forget that I was for a few days in this villain’s employ. What a plausible tale he told me! He had been sent over by the czar to find a Nihilist and his daughter who had committed one of the highest crimes known in Russian law Then came the startling deed that electrified New York one morning. An old man, rich, noble and living alone, lay dead in his mansion! His wealth was a!] around him, not a thing had been touched. The assassin had disappeared, and the detectives who took up the case told me u when I returned to the ety was away at the | boots, and vigarette!” time—that there was no clew. The victim’s only child, a young man away at college, came home, and from the house straighttome. ‘* M father’s murderer for my fortune!” he cried. atl up my connection with Count Demidoff, | and the white smoke, which he blew fr u t not for the fortune mentioned by the young man. I like a deep, mysterious case, an was one. here a ee tain-touched horizon, the steed swung into a de. lightful valley which ended at the gates of the border town. Captain Coldgrip had been doubly armed by Coral’s warning, supplemented by ber rapid but minute sketch of Donald the Dark. He saw the Russian’s ally rise before him whenever he exerted his. imagination, and } before he reached San Pedro he saw smoking before the house on the right. | A good horse, ur short time. over the ridges of the east. Captain Coldgrip, still in the saddle, was er. on by an eager trailer like — the American sleuth, covers a long distance ina _ a a ST EE ae If . 7~ « 1 ie \ be ~ 4 * a , re . * / te d ty 4 P i - ~ -= ——, _ « La a” . =e ~~ +3 i a * The night waned and the new daycame at last | yu ea crossing the valley he had entered some time be- | fore. Some distance ahead through the clear atmo- sphere he saw the roofs of a town that grew more distinct as he approached. It was San Pedro, | The trail across the valley was well defined, and the Yankee sleuth kept it without difficulty. “Tt is early—a little too early for Donald to enjoy his cigarette before the gambling The sun is not up, but I have no place where [ can await Donald’s pleasure: there- fore, I must find the gentleman elsewhere than before the house.” Thus murmured Captain Coldgrip. while he rode past the first shanties of the town. hen he came to ths plaza which the trail led to, he turned to the right. - ¢%,", - } as 4 5 re i, : ** . Lo? =. y C7 4 Pay ¥ o m ' The next moment a smile came to his face, sea then a little langh parted bis li “The morning is not too early for Denald the © Dark,” be exclaimed. ‘‘ Yonder he is, exa as Coral photographed him; hat, jacket, * - & * ~ * The New York ferret would have been sur- prised if he had not seen Donald, despite the early hour, He was the only person visible on the mouth, for a second at a time, hid his Mexican- ish face. Captain Coldgrip rode straight toward ‘‘Thread by thread of the mystery I picked man as if eager to encounter bim as soon as pos- up, link by link I drew the chain of crime from | sible. the darkness that bid it. Out from the shadows of guilt as I proceeded, came the figure and the him before he handiwork of the man who masqueraded at Sil- ver Deck as Colonel Redpatb. Then mv hunt was a chase after him. I knew he was still on the trail of the exiles. and I sus that he believed me in his employ. Step by step I | h ntivent. an tracked him nearly across the co A : ’ ‘i 1‘. % er a fe See ee ' : : . . - ‘ 1 ~ rs > - 4 >. 4 7: - ‘ » =F r f vis }, . : “If I have to meet him, I want to tive. ro his 0 *. 4 ” ' t 4 4d: , ie 9 ay , tm * 3 r ‘ ~ hae < Pes ~ fathom suspects,” ejaculated the detec- _ i ‘Coral fears him. To her he is the man who : ts will baffle ber if she is baffled at all. Warvees A as - he loo is no giant, and. from a distance, as a kitten.” ) comicboo BES SA SE 4 oe Pe ewes «ae - m “ By this time the smoker before the house had at