Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 523 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

© ss dinning capone ae CHAPTER XXII. CAPTAIN DOUBLE FIST. At precisely the same moment when these events were occurring underground, Ford Fa- verell, the Red Jack Titan, was riding from the camp on a powerful black horse, The stalwart figure of the nabob’s right-bower was well carried by the animal, who picked his way with ease over the rough and sinuous trail. or some time Faverell rode on over the mountain-road, lately traveled by Captain Ray- mond and his doomed companions, Here and there, where the moon which was fairly up showed the trail, were to be seen the last tracks of the stage which had come in that day, bring- ing no passenger. The tragedy of the route or the mystery which for six nonths bad hung over the fate of the United States detective, bad curtailed travel on the line s» far as passengers were concerned, The stage made pretty regular trips, sticking’to the old route, of course, and carrying the mail and some freight. Big Faverell left the main trail some miles out of Rad Jack. He rode down into a country where the moon- light but seldom touched the ground. Now and then he was compelled to brush aside overhanging boughs, but once beycnd the tangled district be debouched into a little open—a quaint valley in the very heart of the wild mountain. At a certain place Faverell rose in his stir- rups and placed .two of his fingers on his lips, A minute afterward he sent abroad a singular whistle, which went down the valley and finally echoed back from a certain point, Riding forward again, the giant of the gold- camp soon drew rein, and then leaned forward with his keen eyes fastened on a man who stood at his horse’s head. ‘* You come to see the captain, eh?” grinned the bape a patting the black horse’s heated neck, **Of course, There’s no one else here to see,” answered Faverell. Without a reply of any kind, the man afoot— who was a queer-looking individual, with little eyes that glittered like diamonds, with long black hair, a dark face an: one arm missing— wheeled and walked down the faint trail that ran ahead. Faverell followed without a word, He was led to the end of the valley, which was vot large, and five minutes later found him- self in one of those strange, high-walled basins with which nature has dotted some parts of the wild West. Beyond the Sthreshold of this place the guide came back to Faverell, and his ouly hand—it had but three fingers and the stump of a thumb —fell on bis knee, ‘‘ Now, what does Faverell want with the captain?” he asked. he Hercules of the Yellow Hills said nothing till he had dismounted, when, as he relinquished the rein, he leaned toward the wondering eyes, and said: ‘‘T have sought you out for a purpose, Monte- span. Can you take a boarder?” The one-armed unknown drew back and looked at Faverell, , The question was the least expected thing that could have fallen from the big sport’s tongue, ‘ A boarder, say you?” he exclaimed. ‘* You do not joke with the captain, I hope, Faverell.” ‘“‘[’m in solemn earnest,” was the response, and Faverell’s face was proof enough of the sin- cerity of his remarks, ‘‘ Letme goon, Your boarder may be a woman,” ‘* No!” cried Montespan, and his dancing eyes showed that, crippled as he was, the fair sex still interested him, ‘Is she young, Faverell?” he continued, leaning toward the Red Jack giant. ; ‘‘ Not your age, captain.” ‘* Pretty?” ‘¢T call ber so,” ‘‘ Fetch her on,” cried the one-armed, ‘ I'll welcome her to Secret Valley and make her feel at home here.” . ‘‘ But you understand that she is to have no liberties unless I give orders to that effect,” The man gave Pavercll a quick look. ‘1 see,” said he, ‘* The bird is to have a cago.” Faverell nodded. ** She is not as old as Captain Montespan, but she is pretty,” continued the hermit of Secret valle addressing himself, though he spoke aloud. Then he looked at the Red Jack Titan. ‘*T have but one more question,” said he. Well?” ** Will she know me?” A good deal of anxiety was poorly concealed in this interrogative: The eagerness of the man who put if was apparent in every word. ** T don’t think she will,” answered Faverell. ‘* Has she been in the South?’ asked Monte- span, forgetting his promise to ask but one question, -“ She has,” ** In Mexico?” —_— - ne _ Reynard of Red Jack. es Yes,” ‘* Was she prominent there?” ‘* Rather,” With a puzzling smile the hermit thrust his mutilated hand into his bosom and drew forth a folded paper, snuch worn, and bearing marks of age, ‘*] don’t want to see that,” observed Faverell ey pushing aside the hand which extended the | paper, shaking out the folds as it did so, “I know its contents by heart,” ‘*So do I,” laughed the other, ‘‘ Five thou- sand dollars for the head of Captain Double Fist, now your humble servant Montespan! The letters of the proclamation are burned into my brain as it were. Ha! haj hereit is, The reward is without limit as regards time, and is just as good to-day asv¥.hen the governor put his name toit and sent it broadcast over the land, This is why I ask so many questions about the boarder it expected to take.” ‘** Bnt you trust me, captain?” ‘Of course. I wouldn’t be here if there had been an dtom of treachery in your make-up, Faverell. Why, the country is full of men who stand ready to take Captain Double Fist to the governor who is ready to pay the reward with interest. So my coming boarder bas been to sé Yes,” The ex-bandit of the Southwest moved closer to Faverell and when he halted their faces al- most touched. ‘*Would it be violating any pledge on your part to tell me just a little more?” he ventured, **Some of these women who have played their hands in Mexico and the Southwest don’t like Captain Double Fist. And by Jove! there be a few of them whom the captain himself would not care to meet in his exile.” A smile overspread the bronzed face of Red Jack’s giant sport. ‘*Wecall her Zeo, captain,” said he with a laugh laying his hand on the bandit’s shoulder as he spoke, ** Zao?” The name seemed to possess a strange sound to the man who repeated it after Faverell. ‘*T guess I can take ber with safety,” he went on after a moment of reflection, ‘* ve known a number of charmers who had to go to the tail of the alphabet before they could begin their pretty names, Zeo, eh?” The big sport, getting a little impatient, ducked his head, ‘““That’s her last name, is it?” persisted Mon- tespan or Donble Fist. ‘Coals of Tartarus!” broke out Faverell, ‘J call her Zeo. Isn’t that enough?” ‘*Hnough for you, perbaps,” cried the one- armed with rising irritation, and again he shook the proclamation in Faverell’s face. “I don’t want to see the governor. Sacrista! I don’t want to poke my head into a little noose and then feel it tighten here!” He tapped bimself under one ear with his three fingers, and laughed significantly and in a manner not hard to understand. ‘* However if you'll yvoueb for Zeo—” ‘*T'll promise that if you keep an eye on her she'll never drag you to the governor,” inter- rupted Faverell. ‘‘ Is this enough?” Captain Double Fist looked like a man who is forced to be content. ‘** When will she come?” he asked, **Some time to-morrow night.” * With vou?” ‘* With Faverell,” ‘* Bring her, then,” Big Faverell went back to his horse and his hand was on the horn of the saddle when Mont- espan who had cleared the intervening space by a single bound touched him sharply. ‘What is it?” queried the Titan throwing a look over his shoulder. ‘** Have they found the lost detective yet?” ‘** Found Nick Norway? I should reckon not!” exclaimed Favetell. ‘Is Uncle Sam still on the”trail?” ‘IT think not any more, It has cost the old gentleman too much, and besides the ferret is lost forever, and with him the secret he was hot after when he vanished,” Breaking from the touch of the bandit’s three fingers Faverell vaulted into the saddle and gathered up the lines, ‘**T will. have the cage ready for the bird when she comes,” smiled Montespan. ‘‘Zeo and I will get along famously—I know we shall.” ‘* Be careful,” admonished Faverell laughing. ‘“‘ Her eyes are black and dangerous. To-mor- row night if nothing goes wrong.” ‘** At what hour?” ‘** Somewhere about midnight.” The ex-bandit stepped back and threw up his maimed hand in a parting salute, and as Faver- ell rode away he stood in bis tracks and watch- ed him with great curiosity. “ Zeo! Zeo!” he repeated aloud, ‘It’s a name entirely new tome. When did she cross Big Faverell’s path, and how? But Pll know when she comes! No, he would not look at the pro- clamation for he knows something about suck things. Ha! ha! Faverell, I guess you would have started if I had told you that since I saw you last I have found the bones of four horses ee ee | 17 and the remains of a stage somewhere. And something else! Yes, Faverell of Red Jack something besides horse skeletons and wheels!” Captain Double Fist laugned to himself as he crossed the walled basin, and stooping, entered & natural doorway on one side. Passing along a dark corridor for some dis- tance be emerged into a room which was illu- minated by a lamp that hung by a chain along the wall, ‘‘That is what Captain Faverell knows ‘ by heart’ as he says!” exclaimed the bandit, facing a wall on which a strong light fell. Directly in front of him on the wall in large letters were two flaming head-lines, followed by a number of sentences in lesser characters; $5,000 REWARD! t FOR THE HEAD OF CAPTAIN DOUBLE FIST! The one-armed man read the proclamation through, and then supplemented the exercise with a derisive laugh. The description of the man wanted so badly by the Governor of Arizona included two whole arms and hands, but for all that he who repeat- ed the proclamation word for word in the un- derground retreat was Captain Double Fist him- self, and to this hunted bandit of two Govern- ments Faverell had just agreed to bring the beautiful owner of the Yellow Witch Mine— the woman who stood between Don Diamond and another bonanza. CHAPTER XXIII. . CLOSE QUARTERS, WHeEn Faverell rode back to Red Jack he re- volved in his fertile brain certain plans for car- rying out successfully the object be had in view. A full pariner with the Nabob of the Yellow Hills, and true to the man he had served for years, the Hercules of Red Jack resolved again and again that nothing should interfere with the game in hands, Zeo the Enchantress was to be removed by a combination of strategy and force, and, as a matter of course, the Yellow Witch Mine would fall into the clutches of the conspirators, But this was not all, The woman knew too much, Her visit to Don Diamond, undertaken osten- sibly for the purpose of selling her bonanza, told that she knew something about a past which it was dangerous to air just at that time, and the major’s estimate of ber to Tough Talbot when he called her ‘‘ dangerous” was the proper es- timate. If Faverell had koown that the man discov- ered by the soldier-hater was Reynard, he might have postponed his visit to Captain Double Fist, but his keen black eyes had seen nothing of the sort. He was anxious to get back to Red Jack be- fore daylight and by dint of good riding he stabled his horse a short time before morning. Entering his cabin he went direct to a little door set in one side of the room and opened it. A small wall-pocket nearly square was re- vealed, Faverell thrust in his hand and took out a bit of paper which he found there, His face changed color as be read: — ““OapTarin:—Come to me at once, The pit is. Dale empty. ‘‘ Empty! Great Cesar! Whose band isin this?” cried the big sport, crushing the message and springing to the door, ‘‘There must be a mistake somewhere, and yet,” he opened the paper again, ‘‘this is in Don Diamond’s band- writing.” Faverell went down through the morning light to Major Diamond’s mansion. e did not wait to be admitted, but pushed in, his heavy boots ringing in the ha)l as he went to the private room. Major Diamond awaited him there, pale and excited. ‘*You’ve been away a year!” cried the bo- nanza king at sight of Faverell. ‘‘ You got the meee j n the log pocket?” ‘*Every word is terribly true. He is gone.” The mountain Hercules said nothing for a moment, ‘* Don’t give me your opinion till I show you something,” continued Don Diamond, leaving his chair and drawing a glass of liquor as if to steady his nerves, In a moment Faverell was following the major up-stairs and the pair soon entered the museum of lassoes and minerals. ‘* Look at these!” cried Don Diamond, taking two lassoes from their pegs and handing them toward his right bower, Faverell began to uncoil them and to exam- ine them critically, ; ‘‘ They have been tied together,” said he, at last, meeting the eyes that were watching him like a hawk’s. ‘“My judgment exactly!” exclaimed Major Diamond, “Those two ropes combined will reach to the floor of the dungeon.” ‘‘ Which means that they have been there?” ** Don’t you think they have?” A ‘Tt looks that way.” crate i R | Eomicbooks.co J Ba! . t 9 e ig 8 |