Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 523 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

ee ty *“T am here, Red Robin,” said Reynard through the window. ‘* When am I tomeet my accusers in open trial?” ‘* Things are gettin’ in shape now,” was the Be a ‘Under Faverell’s eye?” ‘T believe he is managing affairs,” In spite of the poor light in the cabin the Red Jack guard saw a smile come to the corners of Reynard’s lips. ‘You would not come in here a moment, Red Robin?’ continued the prisoner, The guard shook his head, ** Tt’s ag’in’ orders,” was his reply. ‘¢ Against Don Diamond’s cornmands?” ‘*T don’t know,” "The following moment Red Robin drew off and walked out of hearing distance, as if de- termined that the prisoner’s voice should not tempt him from duty. ** Bound to Don Diamond with the rest,’? mut- tered Reynard, ‘‘The whole camp has been fashioned in one mold. I could have told Red Robin something that would have opened his eyes, but I did not choose to do so. So the court is getting ready and under Big Faverell’s eye. Anybody conversant with Red Jack af- fairs knows what that means. I see-—” Reynard broke his own sentence with start- ling abruptness, and for the next few seconds looked at the man who was talking with Red Robin whose burly figure was stationed between him and the cabin. ‘* When did he come back?” asked Reynard, and as there was no one near enough to answer, him he could only look and wonder. The man on the oatside whose return had astonished tbe prisoner was Solid Sam Sarey the guide who had conducted Raymond’s ill-fated party over the mountains from Fort Meade. ‘Tf he bad stayed here perhaps the massacre would not have taken place,” continued the pris- oner in thought. ‘‘lam sure that Solid Sam had no hand in the infamous game, By Jove! I believe the man is drunk—a strange state of be- ing for the scout.” Raymond was confirmed in his observations by the actions of the man who was talking to Red Robin, ‘*Can’t see the prisoner, eh?” ejaculated the scout with the air of a man sadly under the in- fluence of frontier liquor, ‘* Don't I want’em ter stretch his neck if he shot Tough Talbot or anybody else? What's the use o’ foolin’ with the galoot? Whar’s yer court an’ jury?” Sarey made a staggering effort to approach the cabin, but Red Robin threw up his bands to keep hiin off. ‘** Lemme go!” cried the scout breaking away from the guard. ‘‘ Don’ you see I’m all right? I’m with the a ioney I am,” In spite of Red Robin’s remonstrance he man- aged to get clear of him and the next second came toward the shanty with the motions of a thoroughly drunken man. In a moment he fell crash against the logs at the window where he reeled to and fro in a vain effort to steady himself, all the while watched by Red Robin witha grin of disgust and con- tempt on his face, Reynard was at the window when the scout fell against it with all hisforce, He bad not had time to get out of the way, and even if he want- ed to avoid the drunkard’s gaze, he was held spell-bound by the mention of his name, ‘Reynard, are you there?’ came in from the outside in the steadiest of tones. up if they have packed the thing against you, I amhere. Sam Sarecy and some one else stand be- tween you and death. Weare going to avenge the boys in Vulture Gulch! Don’t let*em cow you for a moment,” Word followed word in rapid succession, each one fastening the thrill of hope on Reynard, and when the warning was finished Sarcy reeled from the window with a maudlin laugh and made a crooked path toward Red Robin who had not ceased to eye him. ‘‘ Hang ‘im if that's what he deserves, an’ I guess he does from what I’ve heard!” exclaimed the scout, ‘‘ You wouldn’t like a draught o’ Red Star lightnin’, eb, Cap’n Robin?” Captain Robin rejected Sarcy’s invitation with a wave of the band and a rapid glance to- ward the other guards who were having a three- handed game a few feet away, and the scout walked off a little unsteady to disappear a short distance from the scene, “* She said they wouldn't let me reach him!” laughed Solid Sam, the air of the sot leaving him in an instant. “I guess I’ve played Bacchus before, good enough to hoodwink such fellows as Red Robin, at any rate. So they are about ready, are they?—Got the court organized even to the verdict. We will see. There is more behind Reynard of Red Jack than the conspigators think. The secret, to keep which they have killed without mercy, is apt to get out before they hang the man they’ve got in their trap!” CHAPTER XXVIII. SOLID SAM AND ZEO, Noxpopy seemed to concern himself particu- larly over the return of Solid Sam, the well- known scout and guide. ‘* Don’t give’ Reynard of Red Jack. — SS eee oOrrv—"_" Sarcy hada habit of turning up at odd inter- vals, and he was likely to show bimself in camp when he was thought to be far away. That be should turn up somewhat intoxicated, was the strangest part of the affair, and when he let out that he had heard of the massacre of Raymond and his men, and was for the imme- diate punishment of the Indians who had perpe- trated the outrage, several listeners looked at one another and smiled significantly. Solid Sam ventilated his ideas in the bar- room of the E] Dorado after his visit to Ray- mond’s prison. He bad an approving, though rather boisterous crowd for his hearers, and he left no doubt on their minds as to the guilt of the Indians. No one thought that the cunning scout might not be playing drunk, and when Big Faverell aud *‘ Judge” Powers camein from the back room where they had been perfecting the ar- rangements for Reynard’s trial, Sam was treat- ing the crowd to some of the worst whisky in the Yellow Hills. The Giant of Red Jack saw the scout at once, and the next moment he and his companion were invited to ‘‘ walk up” with the rest and ‘“* take suthin’.” After awhile Sam was permitted to saunter out and vanish. He had learned that the hour for assembling court was four o’clock, and though he departed soon after this announcement, it did not seem to hasten his departure. Solid Sam went by a roundabout way to Zeo’s residence. He went in by the back door and unexpectedly encountered the owner of the Yellow Witch bonanza in the hall. Zeo went to the wall with a slight ery at sight of the scout, no longer with the foolish leer of the drunkard in his eyes, but himself once more, ‘*T thought you were far away!” exclaimed Zeo whose face had received a glow of plea- sure. ‘*T wasn’t very far,” replied the scout. ‘‘I turn up when somebody wishes I was in Tartar- us. You know what has happened, and you know, too, what is to be done.” Zeo said ‘‘I know” and then grasped Sarcy’s sleeve, ‘But it must not be done!” cried she. ‘I grt played my hand—” ** You? here did you play it?” ‘At Don Diamond’s,” ‘* ‘What did you do?” Back from the eyes which were fastened on her shrunk Zeo the Enchantress, and Solid Sam following herup with a quick step repeated bis question right in ber face. 7 ‘*T offered to sell my mine for a head!” said e0. ‘* Fora head? Whose head?” ‘*Solid Sam, you ought to be able to guess if you remember what you told me once concern- ing your recollections of Southern Arizona. You know who lost his head down there.” ‘Oho! you refer to Don Lopez!” cried he, 6c 1 do.” ‘t And you offered to sell the Yellow Witch to Don Diamond for the head of the Mexican who was found in the sage bush with nothing on his shoulders?” ‘ST did.” The scout fell back with a laugh. ‘* What did he say?” ** He refused to buy.” ‘*On what grounds?” ‘** He said he did not possess the head.” ‘** He probably told the truth, Zeo,” ‘*T think he did.” Sarcy was silent for a moment. ‘Did you tell him how Don Lopez’s head came to interest you so much?’ he suddenly asked, ‘*T finally did.” **You could not keep the secret, eh?” laughed Solid Sam. ‘* You women are all alike.” ‘He set my blood on fire!” cried Zeo, her eyes seeming to blaze. ‘“‘It may have beena mistake, but no power could have chained my tongue. Major Diamond was told that tke wife of the headless Mexican stcod before him, and with that*l left him. ‘* Probably not a moment too soon,” smiled Sarcy. ‘‘ Haviny played your hand in the face of what has happened in Red Jack—hav- ing played it and lost—what is the next move?” ase t want to save the man to be tried for his ife. ‘* Reynard” ‘* Reynard.” ‘The court will open in thirty minutes,” ‘I know it. With ‘Judge’ Powers on the bench, with twelve men of their own selection and Big Faverell for high sheriff, you know what is to take place,” ‘*T know what the programme is,” “Tt is death!” ‘Well, how were you going to change the verdict?” . Zeo made no reply. ‘Had you fixed on no plan?” continued the ut. ‘*T bad one in my mind, but—” ** You abandoned it as futile, eh?” N 21 ‘*T bave let it go,” said the woman, sadly. ‘* Would you acquaint me with the plan “Tt was as foolish as desperate,” answered eo, ‘Its very desperateness may commend it.” ‘*No—not my last resort,” exclaimed Zeo. “Tt was this: I was going back to Don Dia- mond, and at the muzzle of my revolver I in- tended to draw from him an order for the re- lease of Reynard of Ked Jack.” Solid Sam looked amazed at the woman be- fore bim. ‘ ‘* It was a desperate plan sure enough,” said e, ‘“{t seemed to set my brain in a blaze,” re- plied Zeo. “I forced myself to take a cooler second thought, and my blood was losing its beat when you came.” ‘* You are interested in the strange man of Red Jack,” continued Sarcy. ‘‘ For months Reynard has been somewhat of a mystery here. He came to Red Jack soon after the disappear- ance of Nicholas Norway, Uncle Sam’s detec- tive, and nobody has been able to find bim out. Once or twice I have caught bim where he ought not to have been as the mine boss of the Chained Tiger, and then again I have seen him miles from bere alone in the mountains, Do you know what I have sometimes thought in connection with Reynard?” Zeo slowly shook her head, but kept her eyes fixed on the scout, ‘* He knows something about the secret of the conspirators,” continued Solid Sam, ‘ Reynard of Red Jack has a double life. He knows more than one dreams about the Lost Detective. Why do you start, Zeo?” Solid Sam was within three feet of the bo- nanza queen, and be saw that fleeing color had left her face perceptibly white. ‘‘The man knows. Don’t say nay, woman,” he went on. ‘Reynard of Red Jack has « secret like the rest of them, You want to save him because he has a secret. You will be ask- ing me to help you save him by and oy I don’t care pa at hi what his secret is, I don’t ask ou to divulge that which you may be sworn to keep.” . ‘‘Tam sworn to keep nothing,” was the re- sponse, “I know that Reynard is a man with a dual life. He knows that the stage which car- ried the United States detective out of Cut-throat. Canyon six months ago was run off a precipice by four blindfolded borses, and—” ‘* Enough!” cried Sarcy, putting out his hand in a gesture of silence, ‘‘ Don’t tell me another word, Zeo. I put this and that together, and bring two pieces of a chain together. I am no detective, but I can reason like the detective does sometimes, It can’t be over twenty min- utes now till the opening of the packed court, [ must not sober off entirely in that time,” the scout laughed. ‘I managed to tell him that he was not friendless on the outside. I must keep my word, You need not try your play on Don Diamond. The time is too short, anyhow. The sentence of the court will be death, and Tough Talbot will be avenged within twenty minutes after adjournment. It is a swift tribunal, or- ganized to sweep from Don Diamond’s path the most dangerous man on it now,” ‘They must not do it!” exclaimed Zeo, ‘‘ How are you going to prevent?’ quietly asked the scout, **T don’t know,” admitted the woman, and then her eyes brightened with a flash as she caught Sarcy’s glance, ‘‘Step between him and the noose! save Reynard of Red Jack from the vengeance of Don Diamond and his death an- geile and I will throw my mine at your feet? ou won't, ba? You don’t want to risk your life, [see. Well, why should you? The man is really nothing to you. He is all to me,” ° “To you, Zeo?” cried Sarcy, seeing the woman blushing as if she had unwittingly thrown out a secret, ‘*It is told! Yes, he is all to me!” she an- swered. ‘‘If you have no plan by which there isa chance of saving bim, I will play “eo sean? desperate hand. He shot Tough Taibot in self- defense. He carries on his breast now the mark of the soldier-hater’s knife. Talbot, as Don Diamond’s spy, though my mine hoss, followed him into the depths of the Yellow Witch where, after hearing certain secrets, }e attempted Rey- nard’s life, If he had not killed the wretch I should bave been tempted to do the deed my- self, Look yonder, Solid Sam. The packed court is assembling on the Square.” Zeo had stepped to a window and was hold- ing aside a curtain which permitted the won to have a view of the Square of Red ack. He saw a crowd of men at one side, and knew what it meant. ‘Tf you will not make an attempt another wb suddenly said the voice of Zeo at his side, The curtain fell back, and the fair owner of the Yellow Witch Mine opened a drawer in the table near the window. **Once I played a cool hand with this and won!” she said, through set teeth, taking from the drawer a silver-mounted revolver, “I wasn’t Zeo the Enchantress then; but never mind, The same hand may win again,” com Ebooks (eto)