Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 523 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 Reynard of Red Jack. ‘Then, I'll go back,” resumed Darrell. The young man was trying to keep back an explosion of wrath and denunciation. His bet- ter nature was saying to him. ‘* Not here, not now,” and he was fearful that he could not con- trol himself unless he got away from the man before him, “Sit down!” commanded Ford Faverell as ny rose and sent a swift glance toward the oor. The youth did not obey, but looked at Faver- ell, for the first time showing defiance in his mien, “Very well,” cried the giant. ‘' Take it standing, then, You don’t want to object to the proceedings I have just mentioned. The matter is settled, and you know that the com- mands of Don Diamond are as unalterable as the acts of the Medes and Persians,” ‘Why keep me here?” asked Darrell, ‘‘I have been fully informed as to the agreement which needs no comment. Why have I been singled out in this manner?” “Great Scott! why?’ almost roared the Titan of Red Jack, and he colored till his face grew purple. ‘*I guess the camp’s got eyes. guess we know a few things, and if we haven't noticed how affairs were going between you and thegirl we need a lunatic asylum in the Hills. That's what I say openly, young man, You want to play the discreet gentleman in this matter, It'll be to your advantage to doso. In the next place I’m Coral’s equal in expectations for I am now half partner in the Bull Dog and Red Horse, either of which cep makes me next to Don Diamond himself the richest man in Dakota.” ““T am not particularly interested in your financial affairs,” responded Darrell, looking the boastful giant squarely in the face. **T don’t know that you should be,” was the retort. ‘‘ But I just mentioned the matter to show you that Coral is contracting no pauper alliance, Her future husband can go back seven generations in his ancestry. There are people in Red Jack who can’t match him there.” In a flash, with fire in his eyes and blood in his cheeks, Darrell covered the distance between him and the Samson of Red Jack. **Don’t taunt me about my birth!” cried he, throwing up bis hand, ‘‘ It is not my fault that Tam a waif on the sea of life. Iam not to be blamed because I cannot tell you about my, father, nor because [ never remember having heard of the woman who gave me birth, Yet, for all this, I am tg bg of the blood which gives me life—as proud as he is of his who can go back seven generations,” This cut direct made tho giant’s lips twitch, ‘“*That’s all right in your mind; but J know, and you don’t. That’s the difference,” said Faverell, ‘It had its effect when the agree- ment was made. A young woman on the wert for a husband weighs these things care- ully, ‘When did you secure a half-interest in the mines?” inquired Darrell. **To-night. Do you want to see a copy of the agreement?” *“ No,” answered the youth, with a gesture, as rhe ing was putting a hand beneath his jacket. ‘You see I own, now,” continued the giant, **T am dependent on no one, It is ‘ Diamond and Faverell,’ and woe to the man or men who lifts a hand against the firm, individually or collectively! You don’t wish us success, if I read your eyes aright.” *“*T can do that, I can wish the firm all the success it deserves, and if the wish is desired on your part, you have it in full.” Darrell step to the door. Instead of Jaying his hand on the latch, as Faverell seemed to think he would, he reached up and caught a dangling cord which operated the drop-bolt above the door. ** When are you going away?” asked Faverell. The young man turned in an instant. ‘* Who said I was going?” **No one in fparticular, but I thought you wouldn’t care about staying here after what has happened.” A smile came to Darrell’s lips and sparkled in his eyes. **' You mistake your man, Captain Faverell,” exclaimed he. ‘I am not to be driven off by the kind of revelations you take pleasure in spreading. You forget that [I am as mucha citizen of Red Jack as is the men who want me away. I shall take care of myself; don’t let my welfare bother you. But it seems to agitate you as much as the presence of the soldiers irri- tates some of our le,” **To the deuce with the soldiers!” cried Fa- verell. ‘‘Uncle Sam may find this tracking business expensive in more ways than one. You've heard, of course, what brings them here?” ° ** The lost stage and its freight,” said Darrell. ‘Yes, the old mystery—the fool-hunt which should have ended six months ago, Red Jack is getting tired of it. Don’t we know thata certain army captain who wrote up the mys- tery for the Eastern sopers said that some day a clew would be found here, thus ype bee the blood of the detective is on our 8? — — ee Now come the soldier ferrets from Fort Meade, Some of them have said that they intend to re- main here till they get a clew, and their cap- tain is sanguine of hanging at least a dozen of us. That's the situation in a nutshell, and Red Jack is expected to swallow the insult without wincing. J don’t know what will be the next step, but I sbouldn’t wonder if the soldiers would breathe freer if they were in Fort Meade and not here,” ‘*The Government is behind them,” suggested Darrell, ‘Yes, but they have become suspecters of their own race, and hunters of their fellow- men, And all because six months ago a man disappeared—a man who may be mining some- where in California or the South. Dead is he? Why, Uncle Sam hasn’t put forward a particie of. proof to show that Nicholas Norway was killed. But out yonder are a lot of soldiers who'd like to march all Red Jack over the mountains to execution. Is if a wonder we hate the blue-coats? We're all getting against them like Tough Talbot is. They’d better break camp.” Darrell left the big man alone with his ire. He opened the door and walked out, glancing back through the window as he cleared the cabin, to see Faverell’s face there with his cyes watching him like a fox’s. **So they have thrown themselves between us,” the young man murmured, ‘‘ He had to taunt me about the unfortunate mystery of my life. I won’t forget that. As to the soldiers, they must be warned. I see now that Talbot did not. lie,” ; Just then, as Darrell looked toward the cabin, he saw a man move toward him. As the figure approached, he noticed that, instead of being the giant’s, it belonged to Reynard, of Red Jack. CHAPTER VII. A COURT OF THREE. Ir was now clear to Darrell that Tough Tal- bot’s threats against the soldiers were not idle ones, Ford Faverell in his way had invested them with a startling coufirmation which left no room for doubts, The young man knew the desperadoes of Red Jack well enough to fear for the safety of the little command bivouacked on the Square. The country between Red Jack and Fort Meade afforded excellent places for ambush, and in nearly allof them a company of cavalry could be slaughtered to a man, Perhaps the soldiers had talked too much; perhaps Captain Raymond had been a little un- guarded in the expression of his opinions, At any rate, there was a deep, dark conspiracy a- foot and if the troopers were not warned they would be the sufferers. A thousand projects seemed to rise in Dar- rell’s thoughts as he walked back to his cabin to compose his mind, He even forgot the insults Faverell had heap- ed on him; he overlooked the victory the Titan had won with Coral asthe prize. He wanted to save the soldiers, Of course Captain Raymond would require something definite to convince him that treach- ery was intended. Darrell as yet had nothing but Tough Talbot’s outbursts of rage and Faver- ell’s vaporings. He wanted something more substantial. ‘*T can go to Bandolin,” suddenly thought the youth in his perplexity. ‘‘ We are friends and Bandolin never trained with treason, He has been here all the time, and he is one of those who keep »yes and ears open. Yes, I go to the Dakota blacksmith,” Reaching this solution of the dilemma, Dar- rell lost no time between his own shanty and Bandolin, but the blacksmith was not at home. Then he visited the haunts frequented by the man, but with the same result—no Bandolin. If he had witnessed the sight seen by Sarcy the scout, he would not have put himself to this trouble. He did not dream that Bandolin bad left Red Jack wnder guard, and with bis hands tied on his back, **Can’t I succeed?’ he exclaimed, with the last bush well beaten. ‘‘Next to Bandolin, whom can I trust? Ah! it would have been Coral an hour ago! Now—” He broke his own sentence. If Cora] had entered into the agreement made s Don Diamond and Faverell, dare he go to er? He was more perplexed than ever, For ten minutes be stood before Major Dia- mond’s house like a person who hopes against hope that the prison door will open to let out a a friend, Beyond the shutters of one of the lower win- dows gleamed a ray of light that possessed a thrill for Darrell. He approached it almost unconsciously. Never before had he played eavesdropper, and he did not want to begin now. ‘* What if I can hear something confirmator of this conspiracy?’ he asked himself. ‘* It will be all the risk is worth, and I can afford to risk something to save fifty brave men.” In a moment Darrell was leaning against the shutter and his eyes were close to the slats. At first he saw nothing, but gradually the in- terior of a room became revealed, and then the figures of three men. They were all known to Darrell, and in a little while the trio at the table were recognized as Faverell, Don Dia- mond and Tougb Talbot. The grouping of the three at that time and place meant mischief. It was indicative of a conspiracy dark and damnable, ‘* Which of the three places shall it be?’ asked Major Diamond, looking at his companions, ‘* Name it yourself, Westand ready to obey,” replied Talbot, ‘‘ You know the men of Red Jack. They will not leave one blue-coat to tell the tale.” Don Diamond turned to the table partly cov- ered with a map, and Darrell saw his finger mover across the surface. ‘*T would name Vulture Gulch but—” ‘Vulture Gulch it is!” interrupted Talbot. “T would have named the place myself. It will take a little stratagem to decoy the birds into the trap, but we will get them there. They don’t know me well enough to suspicion any- thing. I will set them on the trail. If neces- sary I will guide them myself.” Don Diamond stepped back from the table. ‘‘ What did the young fellow say?” he asked, looking at Faverell, ‘‘ You said that you met him awhile ago.” “Tt hit him like a thunderbolt. He cringed when I mentioned his ancestry, and it did me good to see him pocket the innuendo. He won’t be very dangerous bere. The cards are at our command. We dealthem after our own style and play. Of coure we win.” ‘“ Especially when we have a mob of picayune soldiers to play against!” hissed Tough Talbot, his blood mounting to his temples and deeply crimsoning them, ‘*‘ We must get them off to- morrow,” ‘‘ The captain may not want to go.” ‘¢T'll fix that!” exclaimed Talbot. ‘* ll work to perfection a little scheme that will settle the matter. If they start, say by noon, they can reach Vulture Gulch by night,” ** By nine o'clock.” ‘‘ And the moon, up before that time, will help them over the trail.” ** Just so.” ‘Td like to have the pleasure of seeing the blue birds tumble from their perches by day; but if the major says otherwise, I acquiesce,” ‘‘The moon will be directly over the spot,” continued Don Diamond, seriously. ‘' There will be light enough to enable us to make Vul- ture Gulch one of the most memorable spots in Dakota. Ah! these hated blue-clad blood- hounds! I would sweep them from the face of the earth totally and without seri a ** And I would lock on the last shrieking soul the burning gates of Tartarus!” cried the soldier- hater. The young man at the window outside felt his blood creep cold at these words, There was now no doubt of the massacre threatened by Tough Talbot in a moment of passion! The soldiers were to be decoyed to a spot which nature seemed to have intended for a Ceath-trap, and there butchered toa man. He had no desire to hear any more for he had heard enough. ‘*Captain Raymond must saddle at once!” cried he. ‘The sun rust not see him in Jack. By dint of gocd riding, watchfulness, and keeping to the old trail, all may escape, The soldiers must be content to let the mystery of the Lost Detective remain unsolved. Fifty lives are worth more than the discovery of a secret, Time draws the curtain from before the hidden crime, I am going tosave these men. He looked once more into the house, but Ford Faverell had disappeared. He searched the room with his eyes, but the giant of Red Jack was nowhere to be seen. ‘‘ Here! Spy!” suddenly cried a voice behind him. The words went through Darrell’s brain like flying arrows. It seemed to him that he would fall, but as he turned, with a hand moving quickly toward his weapons, a figure sprung at bim over some low shrubbery, and he was jammed against the house with a fury that threatened to break every bone in his body. . This startling change in Darrell’s fortunes did not occupy five seconds. ; ‘*T guess ’vye named you well!” continued the man who held the youth, “1 thought you would play a sneaking hand when I noticed how you received the information I imparted awhile ago. Isaw you through the pane by the merest accident, but I didn’t exactly know whom I was catching till you turned at my voice,” Long before the last sentence Darrell had recognized his assailant, and it was by no means consoling to know that he had fallen into the clutches of Ford Faverell. ‘“Let Major Diamond have a chance to look at Red Jack's only spy,” the Titan went on. Darrell drew back, but the clutch at his arm tightened, and he was walked to the door and Sr then up the steps 2/55)" 2/b Yayo)