Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 513 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

> aa be sy i -_ a * ay e pee ae € Gi ... Maré ~~ 7 1G ‘Orly U 4 Wi ‘ . + ~~ a 24 Texas Tartar. my appearance completely, for, while I am , David passed along,” replied Albia, in a husky dark-haired, the wig and beard are of a pro- . whisper. nounced blonde color!” | ‘**The goods will positively be landed the Norma suuk back, The color had gone from | night of the 18th,’” quoted Miss Westerley. her face with a swift rush; her eyes were en- | ‘‘ Great heavens! and it was on the night of larged and startled; and she felt pitifully weak | the 18th that the officers were killed at the Point and miserable. The blonde wig and false beard again! And Mrs, Jenkins had declared that Eve Hen- dricks’s treacherous lover bad worn just such a | disguise! Robert Kendall was too much excited to no- tice how bis words had affected Norma, Little suspecting the blow he had dealt her, he rapidly continued: ‘¢This disguise is perfect, and with it in place I could almost remain in towu and be sate, but {shall not risk it. I shall go a few miles away and wait until the storm blows over, the real culprits are detected, and I can return here safely.” He paused and looked at bis companion. ‘** The idea affects you, Norma,” he observed, kindly. ‘Tt is bold,” she murmured, faintly. ** Bold strokes are always the best.” ** Does any one here know you have the blonde wig and beard?” **No; no one who is now here,” Kendall re- plied, after brief hesitation, The words were terribly suggestive. Did he think of Eve Hendricks, who was no longer there, as he made reply? Norma’s blood seemed to have turned to ice, but she compelled herself to seek one more item of evidence. ** Where did you buy them?” ‘*Of Amos Nash, the traveling peddler.” There was no further question to ask; the chain was fatally complete. Mrs. Jenkins had stated that though she did not know who Eve Hendricks’s treacherous lover had been, he had purchased his blonde wig and false beard of Amos Nasb. * Don’t look at this too seriously,” added Ken- dall, noticiug Norma's pallor, but little suspect- ing its cause. “‘ITam not guilty, and it is not right for meto stay here. I propose to escape and remain in hiding antil the truth comes out and Iam cleared. Of course you will keep this secret from every one, even Captain Grandford and your brothers. V’m not going to-night—in fact, I may persuade myself to stay here two days more. Then I shall go surely, and the dis- guise which has already served me well, shall again be my true friend.” It was upon Norma’s lips to cry out, ‘‘ Do you think me blind?’ for it was adding bitterness to misery to refer to the other occasion when the disguise bad served him—what woman would not have been jealous, then, even of a dead rival?—but the retort was forced back. Some- thing—perhaps he noticed how miserable she looked—caused Kendall to suddenly stoop, take her face between his hands and kiss her; and in a moment more her woman’s heart reasserted its sway. ‘* He is not guilty!” was the strong but silent ery of that heart; “‘ be is innocent, and I will not believe otherwise!” Remorse is a potent factor in some cases, and during the remainder of her visit the girl was unusually affectionate. She did not advise Kendall to go or stay, but her devotion was so apparent that she left him in a far more con- teuted frame of mind. Later, when she was walking home, she met Texas Tartar. She did not feel like talking with any one, and as he did not try to do more than bow to her, there was no conversation. When she had gone a few paces, something im- pelled her to look back, The tall, strong, grace- ful detective was walking away, unconscious of her gaze. Shesighed and wenton. What the ae weeeY let him tell who can read a woman’s mind, Perhaps the cynic would say that a lover out rison was better than one in prison. Norma endeavored to retain ber usual spirits but memory of the blonde wig and false rd haunted her, and when she reached home she went at once to her room, Greatly to ber surprise she found Albia there, kneeling by a chair and weeping almost con- vulsively. | Norma was about to embrace the friend she loved like a sister,and ask the cause of Ber grief, but she caught sight of a half-folded paper which lay upon the floor, and this gave her a new idea. Ske quickly picked it up, and, almost at a ar read the few lines of writing it con- ar he ; “The goods will positively be landed the night of the 18th. We are suspected on this side, and must delay no longer. lf you hear more from the beaks, Jet a, know. They will interfere with us at their pe Norma Sabehed reading; and spoke quickly: ‘* What is t Albia sprung to her feet and eonfronted her companion with a startled air, but made no of reply: ; . repeat, where did you get this note?” “I found it in the Thal) take after—after | of Pines.” | “Oh, Norma, David did not know of it—I | know he did not!” ‘* How came this note in our house?” ‘* Heaven only knows.” ‘*Heaven and the guilty wretch! see its fate!” Calmly Norma struck a match and applied it to the paper. The latter burned to a fragment. Then, and not till then, did Norma’s calmness desert her. Tears dined her eyes, and she turned and put her arms round A]bia. ** Sister,” she said, brokenly, ‘‘I know your Look and secret; you iove David. There was a time I would have been overjoyed, but now upon you and your love, and upon me, and upon all in this house of mysteries, rests a dark and terri- ble curse!” CHAPTER XXXII. HUNTING STRANGE GAME. Tm PURCELL sat by the door of his boat- house, the following morning, slowly smoking his short, black pipe, but, if appearances were to be trusted, even the soothing weed failed to put him in a contented frame of mind, Hv looked at the boats rocking idly by his home-made pier —they might as well have been in the boat-house —and shook bis head mournfully. ** It’s de divil’s own luck!” he declared, solemn- ly. ‘* Begorra, it’s mesilf is thinking Oi shall have ter be loike de parties in de Bible, an’ gird up me lions an’ go out an’ make me home in a new land. Phat’s de use ave stayin’ here? Toime was whin business was brisk an’ all wint loively as a marriage bell. How ‘is 1t noow? Thrade is kilt di’der than Adam, an’ all along ave de blamed Horned Fish. Dhat varmint has been the ruin ave me!” ‘* Timothy, you’re to be pitied!” The boatman looked up qucey at sound of the voice, and saw Texas Tartar and Yank Yellowbird. ‘* A hearty wilcome, gentlemen, ave ye come with good will; but bad ’eess to yez ef ye would make sport ave me ill luck,” ‘*Not a sport, Tim. Like you, we don’t love the Horned Fish.” ** May Ould Nick fly away wid him!” “So you want to get rid of the Fish?” ‘‘ Do Oi? Howly Pater! Oi should say so!” **Providence helps those who help them- selves, Why not rid Rifle Lake of the monster, yourself? se Me (4d You, hcnest Tim.” 4 ‘‘ Begorry, they say powder an’ bullet will niver do him a harrum.” “es You were out hunting him the night I was shot. ‘Oi thought you wasn’t shot.” ‘*Oh! but Twas. Bear in mind that 1 am The Man with Nine Lives!” ‘An’ roight good luek ye bave to possiss thim. Well, I did go huntin’ de crathur, but niver a fish did me eyes set on,” ** Would you go again, with Yank and me for your companions?” ‘Would Oi? Only show me the chance! Go hunt de Horned Fish? Well, Oi should smile! Wid such ypardners as yous, Oi’d go hunt anny- where, an’ de Horned Fish is de special game Oi hanker to-git at. ._Begorra, the spalpane has spoiled me thrade, an’ dhere is no Jaw in the ood Book that forbids our bein’ revenged on our inemies when they’re fish.” ‘¢ Not much, thar ain’t,” Yank agreed, * but don’t le’s stop ter talk about it. The newrolgy is snappin’ my j’ints like the mischief, an’ I’ve got ter walk ter git red on’t. Texas, ’ve heerd my gran’father, the Revolutionary relict, say thar was seventeen men in his regiment soegre- giously laid up with rheumatiz they couldn’t walk, jest afore the battle o’ Sheeppens, but when the liberty boys got licked by the Britishers, them cripples jumped right ter the head o’ the column, an’ they led the retreat all the way ter Newbu’g, whar Wasbin’ton had his quarter- heads. My cousin, Sallie Millie Annie Hattie Yellowbird, the poetess, writ a string o’ verses long as yer arm, on the subjick, of a cursastic natur’. She called it a pasture-poem, ’cause the battle was at the Skeeppens,” ‘Pastoral poem, is the term, I think.” ‘*Means the same thing, the only difference bein’ in the way you let go o’ the syllables an’ roll the vowels an’ consternations. Them, pao, is the divisions o’ letters. Onderstand em ‘* Niver a bit. Oi know nothing about books, schools or the loike.” ‘*T’ll give ye lessons when I have time, Ye see, the letters o’ the alphabit are divided inter three classes. The vowels are a, e, i, uv an’ our relations; the consternations are g, k, « an’ z, an’ all the rest are called dip’thongs, ‘cause you've got ter dip inter them a good ’eal ter fill up yer words.” By the time this erudite information was com- > ~s% fd * oe Aa ¥ ¥s--9 Chen cha PA era i ee LD cee pleted, the trio were walking rapidly toward the north end of the village. Purceil had no idea where they were going, or whether a defi- nite plan was in view, but he held his com- panious in great respect, ar was ready to fol- low wherever they might lead. When once beyond the line of houses, Texas Tartar turned conversation to a more serious subject. ‘* Mr. Purcell, I take it you are a brave man,” ‘‘Oi’m an Oirisbman!” was the sturdy reply. ‘* Enough said; you seem to be sure of your grip. It is only fair, however, that I sbould warn you what to expect. There maybe hard fighting in which men, as well as other things will figure, but I hope the result will be to ri Rifle Lake of the Horned Fish,” ‘¢'Then lade the way, an’ to dhe mischief wid danger. Oin’adea bit ave foighting to stir me blood, anyway.” ‘Good! I will say no more, except to add that we expect to go direct to where the Horned Fish is,” ‘* The critter goes ter roost a day,” explained Yank, ‘“‘summat like an owl, The only dif’- rence is, an owl roosts high an’ the egregious fish roosts low.” Following the line of the lake-sbore the men went lis", forward until the Point of Pines was reached. There they crossed to the east shore, swimming the narrow strait, and found themselves in the wildest part of the lake coun- try. Honest Tim began to look curious, but his faith in his guides was strong, and he made no inquiries, still followed the line of the shore, but alfa mile had been left between them the detective stopped he when and the Point of Pines, and nodded to Yank. ‘““Go on, mountaineer!” he directed, Not a word answered the veteran, but chang- ing his step to a soft, cat-like tread, he glided away among the trees, Texas Tartar did not seem inclined to talk, and Tim, to show that he could act the stoic, took a generous bite of to- bacco and settled down to wait. Ten minutes passed, and then Nevermiss re- turned with the same light tread, ‘‘The atrocious insex is thar,” he observed, with a nod. ‘It’s layin’ in a nook close in land, under the bushes 1n part.” ‘* Any men visible?” ee No.” ‘‘ We will attack at once.” ‘All ready!” quoth Tim, ready to fight, though he did not know what they were to meet. ‘‘Tt may be a hot fracas,” cautioned Yank, ‘tut I consait we’re good fur all we meet. We're wal armed, an’ full o’ vim an’ muskle- Might call us the Strong Arm Squad—a mil’tary tarm which would delight my gran’father, by hurley!” } ** Lead on, Nevermiss!” ‘‘They advanced again, while Tim kept sharp watch for the first sign of the unknown foe. There was a mystery about the matter which rendered it interesting. For some distance their way was over nearly Jevel ground; then the surface ascended har ally, forming a ridge which made out sharply into the lake. One glance was enough to show that it was well adapted to concealment for whatever might see fit to bide there, and it was no surprise when the mountaineer turned to the left, He went upright a few paces; then, with a esture to his companions, dropped upon bis vias: They followed his example, and the three went crawling along carefully. Near the extreme point of Jard rocks, bushes and vines mingled in wild coniusion, but Yank found his way as unerringly as he bad done before, and finally reached a flat rock where he paused. Parting the vines in front he motioned Texas Tartar to look down. The latter obeyed, and an interesting scene was revealed to his gaze, Twenty feet below, water was visible. It was only a tongue-sbaped spur which made back into the ridge, and on three sides it met perpendicular rocks which rose to where the searchers were, The recess below was far from light, for bushes and vines were at and over the entrance, almost tally concealing it, but the few rays of sunlight which struggled through the natural curtain served to show that the recess was not empty. Mi way between the rocky walls a dark, oval, oblong object rose slightly above the water, and the detective knew he was looking upon the far- famed Horned Fish. Alive? Living or dead, there was no perceptible motion as he gazed at it, nor did he expect any. He drew hack and Tim was told to look, which be did with eyes which soon dilated. He was the image of amazement as he turned again, but Texas Tartar’s gesture to request silence was not necessary. Tim was as wise as he was brave. All his attention, though, suddenly became fixed upon Yank Yellowbird. The latter had drawn a coil of rope from under his coat and secured one end to a firm, cone-shaped point of rock. He now dropped the loose end down the c 2) m 900 Gs 3 4 ys a ed | op ee