Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 533 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

o 14 not talk till we git ‘back. I don’t s’pose it’s goin’ ter take us long, an’ ef we find out once who they be the rest won’t be a bard job. I think I’ve dropped to’em now. Steady, now. No talk, and we'll have a chance, maybe, to see what they are up to.” Sam knew it was small use to be in a hurry. He bad bit hard all three of the men, and some of them would not be ready to travel fora little. Sure enough, when they had cautiously ap- proached the scene of the late fray, having made something of a circle during their absence, the three were still on the spot. Two had recovered their senses fully, but the third seemed to be all abroad. He was being beld up by his friends, who, also, were carefully examining his head, ** Blame him!” muttered one, ‘* he bit heavy enough ter drive a spike. Ef Jim’s skull ain't clean stove in I'll be mighty glad ter know it.” ‘* Less trouble ef it’s wide open then ef it’s only half cracked,” answered the other, ‘‘ Ther sooner we light out ther better, an’ dog-gone my tail-feather ef I want ter kerry him! Kinskassly walk meself,” “Don’t crowd it. Thar’s no bones broke. yin beginnin’ ter short, an’ kin move in a min- nit, The fellow was a true prophet, for their mate revived rapidly. In a few moments the three moved away; and at a safe distance in the rear followed Sam and Merry May. CHAPTER XV. MR, CHINK’S TRIBULATION, Merry May had not been mistaken when she decided that Oregon followed in the wake of the young man she saw turning away from Jimmy’s, Only, she was altogether wrong as to his having the faintest suspicion of his being Cyril, or that he was doing anything that would be to the ad- vantage of Viola North or her cousin, If he had been questioned, he might have had some trouble in finding a plausible excuse for bis actions. About all he could have said, was that there seemed something strangely familiar about the party, and he felt impelled to learn more about him, There was no great difficulty in stalking the game. Cyril, or whoever it was, walked on in a thoughtful mood, and though he looked around now and then, in a way that suggested uneasi- ness, Oregon, after a little, decided that the action was mechanical, ‘‘Used ter bein’ follerel; er, if not, ort ter be. Dunno what I’m foolin’ time fer, crawlin’ round after him; but somehow I hey ter do it. Pll see whar he’s goin’ now, an’ mebbe, ter- morrer, I'll look him over by daylight. I’ve made plenty ov friends over ther left in my time, but I don’t recommember any I'd keer ter pipe this hour ov ther night. Thar war one person I'd ’a’ follered this ed way; but that person’s dead. Thunder! I'll drop it, afore I make a rank fool ov myself,” Yet Oregon did not drop it. It was instinct that noe him on that trail; and against his will he followed it for some time. He laughed at himself for doing it; tut in spite of the laugh, he went on, until at last, he began to think he was doing duty service as well as pleasure, There was something like a development. ““Hillo! This bergins ter look familyer a bit! What in blazes be he goin’ ter do round hyer?” To his intense surprise, the man stopped at Chestnut Chink’s little dug-out. If the sport with a scar had not dropped with more sudden- ness than grace he would undoubtedly have been discovered. Not having noticed the slack- ening of the speed of the other he had ap- proached a good deal nearer than was safe if he wished to avoid discovery. Fortunately, the glance around was only cur- soryS wheh Oregon looked up the man had disappeared. ** Reckon he’s gone into the shanty; but what would he be doin’ thar—onless he wanted chink fur biz, Wantsa letter kerried,mebbe. Whew! that’s an idear. Wonder ef he ain’t ther chap were A vother one! I'll hey ter look inter this a bit. The new suspicion struck him with a sudden- ness that almost took away his breath. He re- mained crouched on the ground, watching the dug-out as well as he Ect and seeing nothing suspicious. He was sure a cat could not get away without his seeing it, After some little time he began to grow sus- picious. Chestnut might not be at home. If he was, what kept the stranger? In the rear of the dug-out, when the gable projected from the ground there was a little three-ligbt sash, and he determined to see if he ras not get a view of the interior from that point. He crept rather than walked to the spot, and as he neared it was gratified at seeing a streak of Jight running away from the window to the darkness, ~All was silent within. Oregon stooped down. - The room inside was small, rough and dirty. There was a bunk in one corner, with some Listening a moment, straw, and a ragged old quilt, in the middle of ee rr rt Oregon, the Sport with a Scar. the place a small table, made of short, rough boards. On one corner of it was stuck a candle, that gave a fair light, and showed Chestnut Chink seated on a bench with a handful or two of money spread out before him. He was evidently counting over his gains of the evening, and his face, on which the light of the candle shone fairly, showed an intense satis- faction that did Oregon good tosee. Each de- nomination by itself Chestnut separated the coin in little piles, all the time chuckling to himself. ‘‘ He got away with it, sure enough,” thought Oregon. ‘*The little vagabond! He don’t know an more what to do with it than a turkey wit Thanksgiving, an’ he’ll jest blow it all back to- morrow, if the boys don't go through bim ter- night. Looks mighty mueh ez though I was clean off my base, though. Don’t see no sign ov ther stranger. Onless he skipped while I war crawlin’ up to ther winder I’ve fooled myself, big. An’ it ain’t much use ter ask Chestnut questions. He ain’t ther kind ez kin be got ter give a clean answer; which are ther advantedge ov bein’a fool. Shell I roust him out; er let ther thing slide? I b’le’ve V’ll bunch my cards, an’ wait fer a new deal.” If looks went for anytbing there was nothing to be learned from Chestnut Chink, No visitor of importance could he have bad, judging from his manner now; and asthere was no use in calling him out for nothing, Oregon turned away. A hundred yards or more he bad gone when he suddenly caught sight of three fiures, that looked more like shadows than anything else, as they moved noiselessly toward him, in the darkness, He was on bis guard now, and dropped to the ground in time,” ‘*A fool fur luck! was his comment. ‘*] kin see what I war drawed byar fur. By ther rollin’ wheels! I b’lieve its Bull Dog Ben and his gang, after ther coin, Tl take a hand > on that an’ this time some one’s likely ter git urt, Of course it would not do to attack this party unless some overt act was committed. Tough though Bull Dog Ben might be, the man he shot bim down in cold blood would have to look out for his neck when discovered. Merely to find him wandering near Chestnut Chivk’s dug- out was not sufficient reason for opening fire. When Chestnut began to shout murder wouid be the appropriate time to appear on the scene; and for that moment Oregon patiently waited, The three passed at a distance of onlya few yards. When fairly by, they stopped, look around, and listened. Then, to Oregon’s prise they bounded away, as if an army w hot pursuit. He could hear the footste past Chestnut’s door without slackening, they grew fainter and fainter until he cou hear them no longer. How many pair of feet were making the sounds beyond the dug-out? That was the question Oregon asked himself, There might be three pair, but he fancied he could only detect two, It the latter, why had the other pair halted at Chestnut Chink’s? It was too lute to find the fugitives, but this time he intended to rout out Chink and give him a caution if he could get no information. He rose cautiously, his eves fixed in the di- rection of the bole in the bill, and was startled at hearing a voice directly behind him: ““ Hold on, pard, I guess it’s no use, I have them spotted in my note-book, but they’ve took to ther woods fur ter-night. Hyar’s a leetle woman lookin’ fur you, an’ I[ guess you’re wanted ter chip inter another game,” ‘* Not another game, but a fresh deal,’ added Merry May. ‘“* T started out to look for you, and ran into that outfit. If Mr. Ryan bad not arrived to the rescue, I do not know what would have become of me. Before we say anything else, one ques- tion. Did you followa young man from in front of Jimmy’s? I[f you did, what became of bim-—where is be now?” ‘*T did, fur a fact,” responded Oregon, with- out trying to bide his perplexity. ‘‘ T got this fur, an’ thought I had him holed up yonder. But he give me tbe slip, too cute fur arything. I got a squint inside, an’ there war no one thar but Chestnut, hisself, an’ he war countin’ ther coin he made buckin’ ther grizzly, so [ knowed nothin’ hed skeered bim. Vhat war that gang up to?” “They waylaid me, for robbery, anyhow; and perhaps murder; and they came from that young man you followed. It’s suspicious that they should so nearly meet here. Perhaps, if we were to follow on we might find their tryst- place; and hear what they will say about the contract they just failed to fill. They havea den of some kind, not very far away, that much is sure.” ** An’ who war ther young man?” ** Cyril North!” Oregon gave utterance to a long-drawn whistle. ‘*But that is not the worst of it. Cyril North has carried away his cousin. We must spot him if we ever want to see ber again. The young man up at Jimmy’s is an interesting in- £ dividual, no doubt; but just now he is what you would call no good. e bas thrown up his hand, and seated himself to swear,” ** How do yer know thet Cyril bes her?’ que- ried Oregon, not paying much attention to the rest of Merry May’s statements, ** He left a note saying so. Just to stir up the bile of his cousin a little more he wrote a letter giving himself allaway. The idiot!” ** Would yer b’lieve him under oath?” ‘There is something in that view of the case. I wouldn’t have thought of it if you badn’t mentioned it. I don’t know that I could. But if she’s not in his hands, where is she? Its cer- tain that she has disappeared.” ‘“That’s ter find out. Hev ter commence at head-waters, an’ run ther trail out. Guess we'll let this little party rest as she are; say not?” The plan for following the three assailants had seemed a brilliant inspiration at the outset; but by this time Miss May had found it was not as easy as she had imagined. They had faded away, and it was not likely that anything but pure luck would enable ber tu stumble over them again. There was now no doubt in her mind but that a rendezvous with Cyril North had been appointed somewhere in this neighbor- hood, While ske was searching for that, with- out much chance of success, the scent at Jim- my’s would be getting colder and colder, **Pll tell you,” she said, after a momentary hesitation. ‘* Let’s interview Mr. Chink. He may have some information. If he has not, we'll go back to Bower’s, as you suggest.” “All right. Dll roust him out,” retorted Oregon. Then he approached the hut in the bank, and applied his knuckles sharply to the door, shout- ing: ' f Chestnut! hillo, thar! I say, thar, billo!” The answer was least of all what he expected, for it came in the shape of a groan, ‘*Some skulduggery,” growled Oregon; but when the groan was repeated he flung himself, shoulder forward, agaiust the door, and went crashing into the dug-out. The room was darkness itself, but by the light of a match they quickly discovered Chest- nut on the floor, bound band and foot, CHAPTER XVI. FACE TO FACE, WuHeRE was Viola! Well, she didn’t know herself, at this time; or for an hur or two later. After the lessons already received one would have thought she would have been extra careful, She rea ly thought she bad been; but if so ber caution did ber no good when it was not needed, and when it was, unfortunately, it Was not there. » The way of it was simply this: ; She had left her room, of her own accord, in search of Jimmy, and met him coming in search of her, He held up bis hand a little mysteriously. “Sh! It’s all right! Yer cousin wants ter see yeramipnit in ther dinin’-room, Sez he hez suthin’ ter say ter ye thar. Jest drift that way ez though yer ain’t no great call fur goin” anywhar. You'll find him right thar, whar yer hed supper.” ‘*Thanks! I will go directly.” She turned her head in the direction of the room without asking any further questions, ‘“ What is it, Neville? I was beginning to feel uneasy about you,” There was not a shadow of suspicion in Viola’s mind asshé entered the dining-room, where a single small lamp served to dimly show the rough, long table, and the empty benches, to- gether with the man who sat at the further end with bis head on his hand, and his elbow on the table, He looked as though he might be despondent, or in mental trouble: or perbaps desirous of a private interview. For this reason she held her peace until she stood at his shoulder, and recogrized his face and figure. So quietly had she passed down the room that she doubted if he bad noted her presence until her words broke into his reverie. ‘‘ Matter enough,” was the gloon.y answer, the man never looking up, though there was no difficulty in recognizing his tones, low as they were, . ‘*Tt’s a wild-goose chase weare on, And the sooner we leave here the better. 1 have seen | again the party; and it is not Cyril.” ‘“‘Not Cyril? Pardon me, but there cannot be yet another such a case of resemblance, There are no more cousins in the bushes—no other relative to be your living picture.” ; ‘‘And even if it should be, girl—and I am very sure that itis not—and he persists in avoid- ing us? Evidently be suspects something, yet so anxious to know what it is, to his advantage, that we have totell him, Then would it not be wisest to let him show his band? If he comes to the front of bisown accord, so much the better. If be does not, there will be about half a million reasons why we should be consoled. Why not let the poor devil go?” , ‘* That is still another side to the case, First, you say we hare not found bim at all, and then _ you want to let him alone. icb next? , You (E/ O)(oe) com S)