Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 523 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

24. Reynard of Red Jack. “Why not, Zeo?’ laughed Faverell. you see that it is only one of the bands of this deep and manysided mountaiu game?” ‘*] see that even here in thedark. You didn’t like my interference to-day, but thatis not the kth cause of this night play. No, Captain averell, Youserve your old master with a blind zeal. Talbot did the safe but Talbot is dead and you dared not convict the man who sent the villain to hislast account, I thought ** Judge ” Powers’s court feared nothing, and yet a woman broke it up.” Faverell seemed to wince under Zeo’s words and look. ‘* Tt wasn’t that so much,” retorted he. ‘‘ We have Reynard in our power still, and so we could afford to be merciful for thetime. Mark- ham did unstring the the judge’s nerves with bis denunciation, but Don Diamond’s liquor has turned them up again, and he is the Jeffreys of Red Jack oncemore. Youare Don Lopez’s wife, T am told.” ‘“No, his widow, Faverell,” corrected Zeo, “Tam Zeono longer, for why should I be? I offered to sell the Yellow Witch to your master for my husband’s lost bead, but he would not urchase. He is buying wita other coin now, ut let him beware lest he pay in the end the price of the life he valuesso highly. Does he think that the secret of Don Lopez’s death can be kept alongside of the mystery of Uncle Sam’s detective, or the secret of the massacre in Vulture Gulch?” ‘* What do you mean, woman?” ‘*Come, Faverell, right bower of Don Dia- mond and full partner of the Man of Red Jack!” cried Zeo. ‘* I don’t talk in riddlesto you. I know that four blindfolded horses dragged a stage over acanyon wall, that Captain Raymond ant his men died at the bands of human tigers in white skins. Yes, you don’t want to let Zeo slip through your hands, but whether she does or not, the hand of a sleepless Nemesis will soon fall upon the head of every villain concerned in those three great crimes. And the gold of Red Jack will be spattered with their guilty blood!” CHAPTER XXXII, READY FOR THE THROW. THOUGH saved from the tender mercies of “‘ Judge ” Powers’s court, Reynard of Red Jack was still a marked man, Major Diamond was not the person to leta man of his notoriety remain in his path when he had at his command the means for dispusing of him as certainly as the packed court would have done but for Solid Sam’s play aided by 80, While Big Faverell was conducting the fair owner of the Yellow Witch Mine over the moun- tain road, Reynard and Sarcy sat in the lux- uriously-furnished office of the underground bonanza. They knew nothin tion, and Zeo did no conversatien. Reynard had just finished drawing on the table, which was almost entirely covered by a iece of white paper, a tortuous trail in black. t had many zigzag lines, with stars and crosses at intervals along the way, and the scout and guide was studying it with great surprise and curiosity. ‘“'You’ve back-tracked a great many times,” at last smiled Sarcy, looking up into Reynard’s face. ‘‘One would never think that what you have drawn was the trail of Nick Norway the Lost Detective.” ‘Right you are,” was the response, ‘‘ Here Don Lopez was lost for awhile, and the dog on his track nearly gave bim up,” and Reynard’s forefinger rested on a certain portion of the diagram. ‘‘Here again he disappeared, but turned up again with his bonanza secret in his head, and Uncle Sam’s detective at his heels. You may imagine my surprise when I suddenly came across Don Lopez in the sage-bush of Arizona, headless and freshly murdered.” ‘Tt must have startled you.” ‘That word does not do the subject justice. T nad followed the Mexican month after month, now sleeping under the same blanket with him and now on a faint trail. After ali this cease- less tracking, I found his headless corpse near Lariat City. Then I stepped upon the trail of his murderers, those human shadows of whom I of the successful abduc- occupy any part of their have told you—the three men who wanted the secret so desired by the Government. I was on the hunt when I stepped into the stage at Cut- throat Canyon and found myself ticketed to Red Jack. I was prepared for a foe, for I knew that the men I wanted were the most des- perate of buman beings. Was Lopez’s secret yielding them anything? Had they found the exican’s bonanzas, or were they still chasing a olden myth with the blood of Don Lopez on heir hands? “With Whistling Davy on the box of the stage I felt almost certain of a safe landing in Red Jack. We bowled over the rough trail mile after mile, until we reached the wildest part where a word and a look from Davy placed me onthe alert. The following moment a vol- ‘ley was fired in my face as it were, and bullets from Winchesters crashed through the vebicls, OE EE TL — Slee “Don’t | Drawing my revolver as a dark object which was the corpse of Whistling Davy shot past me to the ground, I made ready to meet the enemy. Then | saw that the way was blocked by anum- ber of masked men, each of whom held a rifle at his shoulder. I was called on to throw up my hands or be shot to pieces, The rascals had me completely at their mercy, and every Winches- ter in the gang was trained at my head. Thus situated and menaced, I surrendered, and in a second found myself in the clutches of the moun- tain masks, ‘The stage was searched and a number of eager hands went through my garments, I was then sailing under the name of Margood, a gen- tleman on the look-out for a claim, but I was soon shown that my real character and mission were known to some of my captors. Ina little while I was bound and thrown to the bottom of the stage, the bleeding corpse of Whistling Davy was placed alongside, and the journey again re- sumed, Night coming on wrapped the weird mountain scenery in shadow, and all at once the stuge was turned from the muin road and taken into a wild, out-of-the-way district. I thought the trip was never going toend. At lasta halt was made, and the horses were blindfolded, I saw ahead in the moonlight the brink of a can- yon precipice, and in a flash the devilish inten- tions of the masked villains became apparent. I was helpless and fully at their mercy. All at once at a loud ‘ Now!’ from the lips of the giant leader of the gang, the borses were struck on every side with stinging withes, and with snorts of pain they plunged forward, drageing me to almost certain destruction, Suddenly I felt the stage and animals falling downward, a confused mass, the horses struggling in the air and every- thing topsy-turvy in the vehicle. ‘¢ We seemed an age making the descent, yet I am certain now that we could not have occu- pied two seconds, The striking was a terrible crash, which knocked me senseless, and render- ed everything as dark as Egypt. I know not how long I remained the victim of unconscious- ness, When I regained my senses I crawled out from a jumbled wreck consisting of mau- gled horses and a crushed stage and stood erect the only living victim of thedesperatecrime, I looked up and saw the gray walls of the canyon lose themselves in the sky, and then I staggered away with my brain in a whirl. “That night—for night it was still—Nick Norway, Uncle Sam’s detective, became Rey- nard, and not long after Red Jack had a new citizen. Thus began the career of Reynard of Red Jack. It started where Nichclas Norway’s identity ended, and the man who followed Don Lopez so long was still in the shadow of the old trail. Solid Sam dropped his eyes from the speaker’s face and let them fall upon the paper on the table. ‘¢ Wait!” sent Reynard across the table ina whisper. ‘‘ T want to take care of number one.” He left the room, going out like an plore s2 person, but suddenly beyond"the door he whirl- ed to the right and threw out his hand. The next instant a half-stifled cry cut the darkness and then Reynard came back to Sracy dragging with him a man whom he held at the throat. ‘‘Here is one of the secret catchers!” he laughed in response to the scout’s stare of amazement. ‘I’ve run across them ever since Iembarked in Uncle Sam’s service, Fill the chair there, San Pablo Paul,” and he pushed the white faced spy into the seat he had just left. | ee eae SS eee ETT ee ee _- —————S tener ane ‘‘Ror God’s sake, gentlemen, have mercy!” } whined the man. ‘‘I overheard nothing—I as- sure you I didnot. I happened to be iv the mine and saw your light—-” Reynard broke in witb a derisive laugh. ‘‘Your eyes are uncommonly good to see through a door like that one,” said he, ‘* Be- sides, Diamond’s weasel did not ‘happen’ here just at this time.” ** Upon my living scul—” ‘‘'There! don’t waste your precious breath in lies,” resumed Reynard, as he took a lariat from the wall and approached the prisoner. In a little while San Pablo Paul was bound in the chair. The man protested till the voice of Reynard silenced him with a threat and then his teeth chattered from fear. Five minutes latera man lashed toa chair was filling a dark place with expressions of mingled rage and despair. ** Oh, the villains!” he cried. ‘‘ Why did I let Reynard catch me? I could have left before he came out, but [ wanted to hear all, curse my curiosity! Reynard, eh? Don’t I know now that he is the Lost Detective—Nicholas Norway himself, still on the old trail? What a discovery I had for Don Diamond when I was nabbed by the fellow’s hand! Now I am I don’t know where; but somewhere in Zeo’s mine—left here to die by inches in a chair of death. A thousand curses on you, Reynard of Red Jack! When you have played your hand of vengeance, for that is what you are after, you will never come to release me. No! I perish where I am in the abyss of rayless death, Was I born for this? I wish I had neverseen Don Diamond, I would eel give my head if I had never become that gold- bug’s slave!” Meantime the office in the mine had become deserted, Reynard and Sarcy had gone down into the camp and bad parted company not far from Don Diamond’s house. ‘*The game is fairly on now, major, and we will see who holds the winning band,” said the detective, who looked at the mountain mansion standing apart from its neighbors. Suddenly the sounds of a horse approaching fell upon his ear. Drawing back, he waited for the steed, and in a little while a man sprung from a saddle a few feet away. ‘‘ Big Faverell!” mentally ejaculated the fer- ret, ‘* The fe low has been abroad and bas come back to his master with -his report.” He saw the stalwart figure of Don Diamond’s. right bower disappear in the house, and as the door closed he slipped forward and went up the steps. s the doorin Faverell’s eagerness had been left ajar he was in the house. ‘* In the lion’s den!” muttered Reynard, seeing two certain objects ahead—a staircase and a lighted transom Ie went up the former, his feet making no noise on the carpet, and in a minute he was leaning over the cedar bannister looking down into a room the most prominent figure in which paella burly six foot one of the Titan of Red ack. Reynard’s eyes became riveted on this man and his companion, who occupied a chair ata table and who was watching Faverell intently while he emptied three glasses of liquor in suc- cession. Man and master had come together again! “Im back successful!” suddenly cried Faver- ell, ‘*‘Weecan now turn on the vipers left un- crushed by Judge Powers’s court. ‘The secret isn’t safe while they draw breath. Zeo boasted that, though we had caged her, an avenging Nemesis was at our heels.” Major Diamond bent eagerly forward. ‘* Did she say that, Faverell?” ke cried, ‘* She said nothing less.” ‘‘ Great God! whom did she mean?” Reynard saw the Red Jack Hercules grin. ‘‘Pve guessed the riddle, major,” said he, ‘‘Zeo’s words have made something pretty clear. The devil took care of bis own the night we took the stage in the mountains,” ‘* What do you mean?” “Simply this—Reynard of Red Jack is Nicholas Norway, Uncle Sam’s tireless shadow!” The change which came over Don Diamond’s face is indescribable. A spasm of palsy seemed to shake him from head to foot. ‘“My name’s a terror yet, I_ see, major,” laughed the man on the stair. ‘‘ Just wait till I play the merciless hand | hold!” CHAPTER XXXIII. THE UNDERGROUND WIRE, ‘ Arrve after all that was done?” exclaimed Major Diamond, his gaze fixed on Faverell, ‘‘ Look here! I want you to tell me how a mau can be carried over a canyon wall, bound in a stage atthat as he was, and after falling hun- dreds of feet escape to plague me as of old.” “T can’t answer some conundrums,” re- lied the giant with an attempt at a smile. “T iia that Uncle Sam’s ferret is here.” Don Diamond’s hand was stretched out on the table and Faverell saw it close till dark blue veins swelled in it like whipcords, ‘‘T have but one command!” he cried Bpring: ing up and pointing toward the door, ‘‘Go and finish the detective. When he is out of the way —when you can bring me proof tbat the cat 0’ nine lives has breathed the last one out, come back—not before!” Faverell drew back from the excited man, and then wheeled toward the door. ‘‘ Don’t play the court card again. It failed awhile ago,” continued the major, ‘“ Packed juries go for nothing in Red Jack any more. I am ashamed of my friends. Faverell, you know what your reward will be. Go now, and do your duty.” In a second the giant of Red Jack was at the door, and his big hand was turning tbe knob, when the major’s voice stayed him once more, ‘* What about the young spy?” **T’ve put the boys on bis trail.” ‘‘ Did they take the short mountain cut?” ** They did.” ‘‘ When do you expect a report?” ** Before noon to-morrow.” “Good! That is all.” Faverell came out into the hall, with the keen eyes of the Lost Detective upon him. If he had looked up he might have seen the figure of his foe crouched on the stair, ready to spring down like a cat if he attempted to as- cend, or to send a bullet after him. Reynard looked down over the transom when Faverell had gone out, : He saw Don Diamond in his chair, white-faced and wild-eyed. The detective’s eyes seemed to get a fierce, triumphant light while he studied the picture. ‘* You've played a thousand games in your a comrebooks me ae