Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 478 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

‘-. - 8 must go; but if you'll only promise not to start without me I will try and find her. She must be somewhere about the building, and all I | want is time to go and see.” Pinnacle Pete. aunt er step-mother, er some ’un you'd jest ez soon. lose ez not? ’Pears terme, ef I hedn’t nat’ral effecshun enough fur my own flesh an’ blood ter stay by ’em when they’s in deefikilty, I “ Youve got two minnits, marm,” responded | wouldn’t say nuthin’ more about ’em.” Nattie, totally unmoved by the warmth of the address and the beauty of the pleader. ‘‘ Stage starts on time—allers.” It did seem a bit cruel; though for the sake of the general traveling public, it would not do | to have the regulations any other than iron- ciad, and as unalterable as the laws of the Medes and Persians. ‘Take it easy, though, marm. Thar’s a heap big lot of time in two minnits, which ther half ov those is up; an’ when we start I’ve got ter go ‘round fur old Sally Rice, an’ I mout make it conveinyunt ter slide back this way an’ pick her up ef she sh’u’d be standin’ at ther door, Hup, thar! Barney! Pete! G’lang!” he two minutes had expired, and Wildersin was leaving on schedule, though to accommo- date alady he was actually according a few moments more grace to the missing passenger, for whom there was a great calling and a run- ning to and fro through the house. Nattie drove off with a flourish; but he made no great haste. If any one had looked closely to the time he was making, it would have been seen that it was but httle more than an average walk. As the house at which he was to call for Sally Rice lay at the end of tke town that was furthest from Hard Luck and the trail the coach was to follow, there was still a slight chance for Miss Vandeleur. Miss Lande gave scarcely a second glance at the feminine passenger since she was craning her ieck through the window to look back; but she heard her voice, and mentally felt thankful. Sally Rice was one of the kind that is hard to hurry, and she did not seem to be quite ready et. me Law-ze, Nat Wildersin! Whatchew chaw- pin’ about? Yew hev made yer start at this eend on time, an’ yew kin git in at the other eend on time; what in name oy nasbun would yew worry fer? Jis’ a minnit; Aunt Tilder’s a- doin’ up a passel ov lunch, an’ I ain’t goin’ *thout it—so thar, now!” ‘*Mebbe it mout be jest ez well ef the ole hearse didn’t go at all,” snorted Wildersin— though not altogether disgusted at this second delay. ‘‘Fu’st one an’ then tother! I never knowed no luck when ther shebang made a bad start. Betcher a dollar we’s held up by agents, er pitched inter ther drink, er suthin’. It'll all be your fault, an’ ef it warn't thet [’m bound you shell hev your share I’d drive on an’ leave yer. Scrabble in, though, ef yer ready now; an’ you kin tell ther rest ov that ez you go along.” For Sally Rice seemed to be a snappish, dried- up, little old woman, not at all inclined to take Nattie’s querulousness in good part; but decided- ly anxious to give him back a gcod deal better than he sent. ; Nevertheless she did scramble in, since the driver was quite capable of going off without her; and the stage rolled back once more da the hotel, at which it made a temporary t. There was some little confusion in front of the building. and Jonas Long, the proprietor, was there, looking quite flustered. “Strangest thing | ever heard ov in my house. Can’t find huff ner hide ov her; an’ nobod don’t seem to guess why er when she’s a-missin’, Mebbe she'll turn up; an’ mebbe we'll find her. Ef we don’t, ther’ll be some tall lookin’. Ther’ ain’t no signs ov her in her rocm ’ceptin’ her baggidge, an’ no one ain’t seen her sence break- fast. Ther’ ain’t no use ter keep ther stage a- waitin’, an’ that’s my say-so, Ef she turns up soon, an’ kicks about it, [ll keep her till next trip fur nothin’. Ef not Ill send yer word ter Way Back, what’s bin ther racket.’ ‘* Heap ov sense in that; an’ I’d jest ez soon kerry her ‘nother time ez this, Got a load 0’ shemales *thout her. Hi! G'lang!” The whip cracked, the leaders jumped, the wheelers settled steadily to their work, and the coach rolled away out of Coronado—and with- out an occupant of the seat paid for by Miss Vandeleur. Nattie was not far wroug in his estimate of bis cargo. He hada very fair load even with- out the lady detective, who had so mysteriously disappeared. Of course her absence made a little easier packing the inside; but the top was full, and the front and hind boots were piled with luggage. Prominent on top was Uriah. He had kept his own counsel, gone off to his bed, slept the sleep of the righteous and started on the return journey without molestation; while Miss Van- deleur, who bad offered him her protection, did not putin an appearance. Positively, consider- ing the nature of the men he bad run against at the White Star, his luck was something won- derful. 3 ‘* Kinder seems funny, young woman, for yew to be a-goin’ off w’ile yer friend’s behin’ an’ in trouble. Maybe she’s -bin a-doin’ suthin’. “Them perlice fellers be orfulsly. Kin kerry a critter off an’ nobody know where he er she went to. A friend ov yourn—maybe sister er o hb Sow ‘ » - a nn SS O_O 2? ‘ " * ‘ — £ 4 Ps _ ~ 4 * = ¢ NEN Si. Te. Looe +2 | day. Aunt Sally began this as an address; but as she saw that Theodosia was not paying atten- tion to her, she snorted out the rest in a tone that all the world might hear. ‘*Tf you please,” said Theodosia, coldly, ‘‘I would just as soon not have you make any re- marks about anything concerning which, you know nothing at all, Miss Vandeleur is a young lady upon whom I never set eyes before yester- Ve met by chance and found that we were traveling 1m the same direction, and so ar- ranged that we would go together. 1 know that it was important for her to go forward, and for that reason am concerned. Surely something | has happened to her; and it seems to me it was my duty to have found out about it before leaving Coronado,” ‘Then she ain’t no blood-kin at all? Wal, that ain’t so bad, then, an’ ef I war you I wouldn’t worrit. Ef she’s ary account she'll turn up; ef she ain't, it’s good riddance to bad rub- bidge. I gin’rally find I’ve trouble ’nough *bout my own ‘count ’thout worritin’ over other folkses, When she gits back she'll let you know.” ‘* Excuse me, miss, but did you say that the young lady’s name was Vandeleur?” Theodosia looked at the questioner, Trou- bling herself about the absence of the young lady detective, she had not yet given much thought as to who were her companions. She saw a young man, or what looked like a young man somewhat under the medium size, fashiona- bly dressed, in clothes of decidedly Eastern cut. His face was pale, and there was something of a weary look in his cold gray eyes, The reader has already made his acquaintance under the title of Specter Sam. At the booking office he was known as 8. R, Armadel. There was “8p ay Set the appearance of the speaker to warn Miss Lande, though to one better acquainted with the country his profes- sion was _ pretty om indicated by his dress. Tro Theodosia he looked like the average gentle- man, and she answered him without hesita- tion. ‘* That was the name given me, if I remember aright. Surely you have heard nothing that would explain the mystery?” ‘** Nothing at all, yet the name sounds strange- ly familiar, I must—yes,I am sure I have heard it before, though some time ago. It must have been before I went East, and that was a year ago.” A smile curved his lips: his eyes twinkled mirthfully; there was evidently something in the remembrance that amused him migbtily. Theodosia ‘looked at him inquiringly. She understood what he meant to imply, and her eyes asked for further information. ‘* Understand me, [may be wrong. This may not be the same womanatall. I have no per- sonal acquaintance with her, and I did not see the party you met recciebag But the name is uncommon, and I suspect that the two are one, If so, you need be under no apprehension in re- gard to her fate. I should be more inclined to look for my pocketbook if I had been as unfor- tunate as to have been interviewed by her.” ‘* My pocketbook? Indeed, I should have sup- that it was just the other way, and that if there was a likelihood of danger to it, that she would have been the one to protect it.” ‘* Exactly. Without a doubt it was the same person. Miss Vandeleur has a plausible tongue and a taking manner. She masqueraded as a female detective, and created more excitement than the members of that guild usually do. Pos- sibly she caught a glimpse of some one who knew her, and thought it desirable to disappear. This section of the country is a good deal further south than she usually operates; but all regions are alike to her, so that she can steer clear of the talons of the law. Therefore, rest eas about her. If she was the well-known confi- dence woman of whom I have heard, she will light on her feet wherever she goes.” **Can you be right? If so, what an escape we havechad! The idea of traveling as a friend with a notorious confidence operator! It makes me shiver to think of it; and it goes to show how careful one should be in making acquain- tances when on a journey.” ‘*That is so, young woman, an’ you ’member it long as you live.” Sally Rice had been listening with a great deal of interest, and several times seemed to make an effort to restrain herself from inter- rupting. “I never talk to no strangers, nohow. It’s jist a awful warnin’, an¥I’d keep quiet now, an’ say no more about it—excuse me fur bein’ so bold ez ter say it.” ‘*T believe you are more than half right; but I do wish I knew the truth of the story, and what became of her.” Theodosia had the standard affection of ber sex for getting the last word. She made this effort, and then sunk back in silence. The ad- vice was good, even though the giver of it was by no means willing to follow it. for the next =" a. ¢ ee SSS an ———— ee eS Yate eee - me hour Miss Lande had nothing to say—not even to Serena Wild, who had listenea in unobtrusive silence to the conversation. Specter Sam was discretion itself. He did not attempt to force a conversation while Theodosia was in this mood. And as his own reputation was pretty widely known, he did not know how soon the subject of his record might be under- going ventilation, The road to Way Back was long, rough and wearisome, After the comparative \comfort of a sleeping-car and the flying wheels of the Through Express, it seemed doubly so. The da wore on and the night came down. The little community in the coach, and the other on top each seemed to be getting somewhat acquainte within itself, though the elements of cordiality were decidedly wanting among those on the lower deck. Realizing their unprotected posi- tion, without feeling cient alarmed, the two young ladies from the East were inclined to be thoughtful, and though now and then answer- ing a stray remark from some fellow-passenger, and occasionally saying something to each other in an undertone, their voices were seldom heard. At times they tried to read, but the jolting of the coach rendered that rather unsatisfactory; and for the most part they dozed the hours away. When the stage stopped at Hard Luck they were glad of the chance to stretch their tired backs; and though the meal in the dining-room was not particularly appetizing, the air and the exercise had provided such a remedy for any defects in the viands that they enjoyed them keenly. When leaving Coronado the day had been sultry and the heat inclined to be oppressive, but when they rolled out of Hard Luck every one was sensible of a change, and as night drew nearer it became certain that they would soon be overtaken by a storm, ‘‘1t might have been better for us if we had remained at Coronado until we were certain of the truth of this story about Miss Vandeleur,” whispered Serena. ‘Or if I had noticed the signs that I cer- tainly should have observed, then I would have advised remaining over at Hard Luck, A day or so can make nosuch great difference to us, and it will be dreadful traveling through the storm at night. I wonder what sort of roads these are? It appears to me that I beard they Sa worse and worse as one neared Way ack. ‘* Excuse me, miss,’ said Specter Sam, re- spectfully, ‘‘ You need not be alarmed about the road, unless the storm should grow too violent to allow us to proceed. No matter how dark the night the horses will keep the trail, and there is nothing to be afraid of until we reach Hank Harper’s shanty. If it’s very bad we can stop there till morning; but I don’t doubt we will be able to proceed. If we don’t meet anything worse than the storm we will do well enough.” ‘‘ What else are we likely to meet?” responded Theodosia, forgetting’ her resolve to say noth- ing more than could be helped to her compan- ions. ‘** Road-agents, miss, There’s a desperate gang on this trail; and they work regardless of the weather. 1 have rather more filthy lucre about me than is convenient for me to lose, I don’t want to be obtrusive, but would it be too much trouble for you to take charge of e small roll for me until after the danger is past? A few thousands only; but it would be more than a fortune to fall back on if the Dacies should clean us out.” ‘* But why put it in my charge? I am sure that it would be no safer with me than with you. Such people generally make a clean sweep, and if they rob one they will rob all.” “No doubt they will take all they can get; but they will search the men pretty close, while, if the gentler sex offer as much as they think the appearance of things warrants, they will accept it without much question, Of course, if you expect to make any great effort to save our own, I’d as soon my coin was in my own eeping. I can throw it in the boot and let it run its chances.” ‘*] understand. Ido not wish to refuse any such request if you think I will not be dase any further personal danger by complying wit it, and if the desperadoes make their appear- ance, I shall not attempt to keep back anythin that they demand. You are better acquaint with the procedure in such cases, and I will be happy to do whatever you wish. The storm, at least, is here; I suppose the road-agents will come next?” “Probably; but you need feel no alarm. They are rather gentlemanly fellows in the pre- ence of the softer sex. I shall feel as though I had at least thrown an anchor to windward if you accommodate me.” “Tf you think the amount will be any safer in my hands I will take it, then.” — She received the roll of bills that Specter Sam held toward her, without further hesitation; and certainly the transfer was made just in time, for amidst the dashing rain and howling wind arose a cry. Gleams of light, evidently from dark-lanterns that were protected from the wind, shot across the > +," 2 3 and a tena- ee ns, ne. ov = — € i = mS \ | ———— s-