Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 488 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

' — al r . “= eee a Te oT The Thoroughbred Sport. nnn nee ooeeeeeeeoeeeSSSSSSSeeoum Catching hold of the rope Judd Varley quickly reached the window where John Whisky awaited him, ‘‘Got him, sure! Fas’ ’sleep—you see? Now —git him *way—ride on John’s hoss—eh?” ‘Good boy!” muttered Varley in the same guarded tones as he slipped inside the room, Two minutes later John Whisky slid down the rope, to catch a bound and blanketed figure as it came sliding feet foremost through the win- dow, steadied by strong hands above. And then, bending under the burden, the red-skin stole through the night to where his horse was hidden, his progress watched for a few moments before the tell-tale hook was removed and the window gently lowered to its ordinary position. CHAPTER XXXVI. AN IRREPRESSIBLE SPORT. Att this time the false heiress was ge for sounds which she most earnestly hoped woulc never come to her ears. The hours seemed end- less, and despite her intense anxiety, she was al- most falling into a doze when on her chamber door came the gentle signal by which Judd Var- ley was wont to make known his wish for an in- terview, She leaped from bed and grasped the key to turn it, when a guarded whisper came through the key-hole in the voice of her husband; ** All right—sleep hearty! He’s gone, for good and all!” A breath of relief broke from her lungs, and as she heard cautious footsteps retreating, she returned to bed—and to sleep! The death of no single enemy could long hold her eyes open. As it was agreed upon that Judd Varley, the better to escape suspicion should any row arise over the strange vanishment of the sport, should keep his bed until late, ‘‘ with a headache,” the false heiress was nothing surprised to miss his’ face at the breakfast table, Nor did she see aught of Hart Oakes, And there was a smile in her eyes as she returned to her chamber, pausing to tap gently on the closed door of the room oc- cupied by Judd Varley, as a sign that he might arise, She felt a little surprise that the tall gambler delayed his morning call so long, and finally de- scended to *‘the parlor,” sending word to the host that she wished to consult with Mr. Varley about selecting another administrator to the es- tate, in place of Bark Matson, Mine host promised to send in Varley, but he must have had no little trouble in finding him, judging by his delay. And when he did return, is face was flushed and troubled as he stam- mered; ‘* Sorry, miss, but I reckon he’s al pped me! He ain’t in the house, nur I hain’t see’d him this mornin’, Most like he’s gone out fer a walk ora ride or—” ‘*Send a messenger to hunt him up, then, please!” It was all she could think of to say, just then. And she was anxious to got rid of the landlord, lest the awful doubts which filled her chilling heart should betray themselves in her slowly blanching face. What did it mean? ‘What had gone wrong? What fresh complications had arisen since Var- ley assured her of complete success, last night? Slowly the woman went back to her chamber. In those next few hours, the woman suffered something of retribution for her many sins, For she loved Judd Varley as only such women can love; with a wild, unreasoning, pantherish passion! Noon, and nothing of Judd Varley! She sent out word for search to be made by men whom she knew she could trust implicitly, She ordered a horse, and witha couple of true rascals as guards, she dashed over the broken country, searching the spots which she had rid- den over in his company during the past two days. Only to return to the hotel at dusk, un- noticing the strange excitement which seemed to fill the entire town, neeny, not the many pe- culiar looks which greeted her as she passed, to enter the hotel and ask if aught had been heard from Judd Varley. Not a word! No one had seen him! And stunned, with unsteady steps. the false heiress sought. the seclusion of her chamber, To utter a glad cry that seemed to tear her heartasunder as she sprung to open the door, on the panel of which sounded that familiar signal! ‘‘ Varley—where have you been all this time?” she cried, her voice choked and betraying some- thing of which she had suffered, as she flung open the door—to be caught in strong hands and gently, yet firmly forced back to the bed. By Hart Oakes, alive and grimly smiling at her speechless horror! ’ He swung the door to behind him, and stood before the trembling, horrified woman, speak- ing calmly, steadily, without a trace of sym- pathy in his mellow voice: ‘¢ You are a woman, after all, Queen Varley. Though your crimes richly merit death by the rope, can’t forget that you belong to the same sex as the good mother whoboreme, Only for t—” ‘You haye murdered him—my husband!” asped the woman, her tones barely articulate, Eo face full of mingled despair, grief and almost savage hatred as she glared into his face with her black eyes, ‘You are wrong. Judd Varley is still living. He has not been harmed in the slightest, though I'll not say how long he will remain in an equally sound condition.” ‘‘ Where is he? Let me go to him! Yow devil!” with vicious rage as she flashed forth a slender blade, striking savagely at his breast, Only to have her wrist caught and the weapon twisted from her grasp. And then, with one arm flung around her, one hand firmly cover- ing her lips, foiling her desperate struggles to escape or cry aloud: “You’re no natural fool, Mrs. Varley. You’re smart enough? to know when you're beaten. And beaten you are now, at every point in the bold and cruel game you and yours have been trying to play on Silver Lode, ‘“‘Pve taken all this trouble to give you a chance for your life, Dve kept back the worst of your misdeeds, because I don’t want a woman to feel the lash or the rope—and if the whole truth leaks out before you can levant from Silver Iode, one or the other of these dooms wil surely overtake you! “Do you comprehend? Can you understand what I say? Will you act half-way sensible if I take away my hand and arm? If so, close your eyes twice—that settles it, my dear!” with a sudden return of his old careless grace as he re- leased Queen Esther and drew back a pace. He struck a match and lit the lamp which stood on the washstand. This ewas quickly done, but when he turned again to the woman, she was outwardly cold and calm, though her ghastly pale face looked aged a full half-score years since his entrance, “‘T admit nothing, you cunning demon, I deny everything. ut—you can swear that Judd Varley is still living?” ‘*Just as surely as that I’m answering you this moment, ma’am.” ‘* Then how—who—” ‘John Whisky, to be sure, ma’am,” with a broad smile that pene up his entire counten- ance as he readily divined what she wouid ask had her parched throat not hindered her speech. ** You thought John had the wool pulled over his eyes and a ring in bis nose, didn’t you? That is right where you made one of your big mis- takes, John isa’t built that way. John can’t brag much on complexion or fine feathers, but John has a heart big as all outdoors, and so pure white, snow would sell for frozen lampblack alongside it,” Her lips parted, but only a hoarse, indistinct sound escaped them, ‘* But that wasn’t the worst, for your side of the house, my dear,” sipphiimatins ena the sport, smothering whatever sympathy her speechless agony might have inspired b recalling that frightful crime on Satan’s dder, ‘* You should have talked in whispers when you had Bark Matson for a next-door neighbor, for—” ‘*Curse him!” gasped the wretched woman, growing more ghastly than ever, ‘‘ He’s sold us out,” ‘He heard every word you and Judd Varle uttered in here the nizht after he was hurt, e heard you ridicule him from crown to sole. And when he saw how completely you had played him for a sucker—when he knew that you were Judd Varley’s wife all the while you were promising to marry him to pay for my murder—well, [ reckon it made him red-hot to even up matters with you both. “‘He has given away the whole snap, con- cealing nothing of consequence, He has promised to make full and open confession to the assem- bled citizens of Silver Lode this very evening. The crowd is gathering even now, Mrs, Varley,” his tones suddenly growing graver, and even a touch of pity coming into both his eyes and his voice as he added: ‘‘I wish to give you a chance to save ide if you are wise enough to accept it at my hands. If you are found when allis told; if you are within reach when the true story of that horrible affair of the stage on Satan’s Ladder is given the crowd; and when they hear how Todd Undermill came by his death—they’ll forget that you are a woman, and no one nor one hundred men like me can save you from their anger.” ‘‘My husband—what of him?” Queen Esther asked, her face hardening, her tones suddenly growing steady and hard as she gazed squarely into his face, determined to read the truth there in case his lips should strive to deceive her. ‘* He’s in the hands of justice,” was the cold response. ‘‘I could not save him if I would—I would not if I could. As for you, there is no time to lose. I have a horse waiting for you back of the hotel! You can slip out of the win- dow, in my chamber. Ride for your life, if you arg a wise woman. Half an hour from now will be forever too late,” “‘Tf Igo—lIl live to avenge my husband—on you, demon!” ‘**That’s al) right!” with a short laugh, as he turned toward the door, ‘I reckon you'll get over such notions in time, If not—well, maybe my old luck will pull me through even that trial, Now—go, [ warn you for the last time. a S-Series e Tf you refuse—if you show up before the crowd down yonder—good-by Queen Esther !” CHAPTER XXXVII. ALL FOR REVENGE, Ir secrectly, the Thoroughbred Sport had! none the less been effectively at work ever since: he witnessed the pretended rescue from the- wreck over Satan’s Elbow, and though few im Silver Lode realized how much he had accom- plished, or how very busy he had been in un- earthing the truth and preparing for the finale, the mass promptly followed the lead of those. few in cheering the handsome sport as he step- ped into the ruddy glow of the two big bonfires which roared and crackled in front of the hotel that pleasant evening. ; Hart Oakes smiled brightly as he stood gazing’ over the assembly until the cheering died away. ‘‘ Gentlemen—friends—men of Silver Lode!’” he began, his face atte grave, his tones a. peculiar mixture of the glad and the serious.. ‘I have requested your ears for a little while this evening, not because I’m at all lacking im that direction, but to tell you a strange story, founded on truth, and closely concerning cer- tain persons who have graced or disgraced your lively little town by forming part of its popula- tion. a ‘*- You don’t need to be told that one of these characters is—or was, perhaps I had ought to say—Stuart Tempest, better known among you as Gypsy Gale, the Big Bracer.” ms ot ou could fetch him forward to speak fer himself!” cried a sulky voice from the crowd, ‘Td furnish the rope fer to make his neck look slick—an’ never charge a red cent!” ‘1m sorry for you, pardner,” laughed Oakes,.. easily. ‘‘ Because, if you have a single grain of ' honesty or decency left in your composition, , you'll beg your nearest neighbors to kick you, from here to sheol and back again when you . learn the simple facts about the Big Bracer!: But that don’t count! I’m here to explain, not. reprove. ; ‘Some of you were bonest enough in your be-- lief that Gypsy Gale had forfeited bis claims on life, Many of you felt that he richly deserved lynching, and probably I should have been just as eager to help him out of the world, by the direct line, as the worst among you, if I had been granted no better light. And yet, I swear. to you by the soul of my dead mother! that. Gypsy Gale was hounced to his doom by the» crimes should rightfully be branded! within reach of my voice!” As the words passed his lips, the thoroughbred turned and lifted his right hand. In prompt re- sponse to this signal, a little squad of armed. men pushed through the hotel door, standing on pale as that of a corpse, and looking ghastly in- cognized by nearly every pair of eyes, UT's all'a put up job P from the crowd. ‘* Who don’t know Judd Var- make ’em? Who’ll stand by an’ see him double- banked like this?” Hart Oakes lifted a finger, and the angry speaker was instantly grasped and held impotent by those nearest him. tones, ‘‘ As for Judd Varley, he’s reached the end of about his throat, then you can take me out and the sport! him with prpging about the deat citizen, Todd Undermill! ing men to hold the stage, the other day, and of maliciously causing the team to run away down Satan’s Ladder of your la heiress of the Big Bracer!” ‘“* But be sanedt man!” cried one thoroughly bewildered citizen. lieve, but I’m going to show you how easy it is for a smart AS of h t est pee of eyes,” lau another signal, whi h, promptly obeyed. ning on a strong arm, Bark Matson came hed Oakes, as he made platform where Hart Oakes made his address, duce him, gentlemen, the thoroughbred said, in cold, grave tones. ‘‘ He will tell vou a plain tale of a diabolical plot, in which he has figured more or less prominently.” demons in human shape on whose heads all those : 1 swear. this—and [ mean to prove it to the completa. satisfaction of the most incredulous man now the low platform which ran along the front of : the building, guarding a bound man whose face, | deed under that ruddy glow, was instantly re- - cried a harsh voice - ley is clean white an’ jest as squar’ as they ever ‘Don’t hurt the fellow, gentlemen,” cried the © thoroughbred, with a touch of respect in his . _ If he is *way off, he’s honest enough to | face his cards; and there’s plenty others right | here who are trying to hide the same hands up » their sleeves, waiting to see which way the cat is » going to jump before discarding or standing pat! | his Bone) and if I don’t fit the noose tightly — practice on my neck until you grow weary of © “I charge Judd Varley with plotting the ruin, — disgrace and death of Stuart Tempest.) I charge - IT accuse him of send- - for the express purpose of kill- . ing Miss Olive Tempest, tke only child and sole . her life, at the risk of his own, ‘*That’s what a good many honest citizens be- | ands to fool even the sha . ike the former one, was . out of the hotel and was assisted upon the little | ** You know this man, so I hardly need intro- ‘* All I ask is grace enough to clear my breast | of the whole vile plot, gentlemen,” coldly uttered _ Matson, ghastly pale, too weak to stand unsup- - . a nS y, y's i ey’ tees u r ms | ei | i, 9 * anil Eomichoo Cc S