Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 535 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

16 the hotel, ‘‘ but I thought ’d given them the slip before turniag toward the house, I’m not just sure ’d have come out with a whole hide, ut for you, pard!” gripping Sunday’s hand with a warmth and seeming equality that would have opened the eyes of many who had laughed at that by-play at the Oasis, ‘* You ought to have used your guns,” with a frown. ‘‘ There’s too much at stake for either of us to risk being crippled just now!” ‘‘T took the chances, and all’s well,” lightly laughed the sport. ‘* What luck, pardner!” ‘* Good as [ expected, but wait until we're safe under lock and key. I'll need all that time to get the taste out of my mouth!” The delay was not long, for a few minutes carried them to the Occidental Hotel, Saul Sun- day once more the meek, long-suffering valet, while Dandy Dutch played the languid, capri- cious master. Pausing in the office barely long enough to count out and deposit the amount of his win- nings at the faro table, taking the clerk’s re- ceipt for the same, Dandy Dutch yawningly or- dered his valet to show him up to his room, Once safely inside the chamber, the two men resumed their real relations, Saul Sunday show- ing bimself the equal if not the superior. ‘tT played it as fine as I knew how,” he added, after giving a condensed account of his night’s work. ‘I gave and took kisses enough to make me dread the very idea of more gum-sucking for an age to come!” ‘* Then Fanny took it all in?’ laughed Dandy Dutch, exultantly. ‘‘T’m not so mighty sure,” frowned Sunday, ‘She took it entirely too readily, and though she played her part well, ’m half-way inclined to think she was playing me, even as I tried to play her.” ‘You don’t do yourself half-credit, to say nothing of that gorgeous livery, Saul,” laughed Dandy Dutch, maliciously. “That's all right, pard,” with a grim nod. ‘You think you’ve got the softest end of the bargain, and [ don’t know but what you're right in so thinking. But we're each fitted to the art we can wear best, and just so we get there, in the end, ’'m willing to grin and bear it, But will we?” ‘Dead sure!” was the confident response. ** All I ask is one fair sight at that face. And if she goes out riding to-morrow, I’m open to bet all my ducats that [ lift that jealous mask betore the ride is at an end!” ‘*Will it be what you think, even then?’ frowned Sunday. wae reputation on it!” “Well, Pll try to think that way,.but all the same I’m feeling in my bones that you’re on the wrong track, Td heap rather investigate the major. I believe it would pan out more to our arte i ** Pll admit that you don’t often go wrong in your guesses, pard, but I’m pretty certain this is one of the rare exceptions. However, each one to his own taste, You follow up abe gal- lant major, and [Pll pin my faith to La Masque.” ‘* Keep your eyes open for atrap, then. I can’t get it oub of my head that Fanny was playing me for a—well, sucker!” with a grim- ace, ‘*Of course that is possible, but even so, it can only be to help along ther fair mistress,” with a laugh. ‘‘ You'll meet the maid, of course?” ‘* Got to! One thing—bless the sunlight and the public place of meeting! I’ve kissed my lips raw as it is, and any more would make me even more melancholy than the world of Pros- pect already believes!” CHAPTER XIX, THE SCHEMERS IN COUNCIL, ‘Tr isn’t the money I’m _ kicking over, though it knocks the profit crooked for a whole quarter. What hurts me deeper is letting the infernally cool fellow get out of the den with- out feeling the claws-—mine, if not the tiger’s!” Aubrey Conyers uttered these words, and there was little of his usual calm immobility to be seen in his blonde face just now. The mask which he wore in public was laid aside now he had only a tested comrade in evil to note the ter in his dark eyes. Dandy Dutch. ed Gardenhire, pushing a portion of his bristling beard between his teeth, biting it viciously, ‘‘I thought as much myself, only this afternoon, when—” Aubrey Conyers cut him short with a hard, sneering laugh, ** You burnt powder, then, yet you lecture me because [ felt tempted to do much the same,” ‘*Two wrongs never makea right. I played the fool there, and I’m free to admit as much, But if you only knew how infernally tempting that little angel— Bah!” with a laugh at his own ardor, flushing hotly as he saw Conyers smiling beneath bis beard. ‘* We’re both too hot in blood to playa safe or perfect game, parduer.” ‘*Tt would have been over by this, if you hadn’t tried to be too certain,” grumly mut- tered the Oasis proprietor, his sharp teeth emit- ting an audible click as they prepared a fresh cigar for lighting. “Tt will soon be over, and all the safer for just those extra precautions, Up to this very day nota single slip bas been made. Can you ae a finger on a single point which you could ave hettered, had I left you foot-free and un- hampered, Conyers?” ; ‘* 'd have wound it all up last week, as you know; but let that pass, You and I can’t af- ford to quarrel at this stage of the game, major,” with a half-sneer as he pronounced the military title, ‘*The main point now is—what and who are these two queer cusses?’ ‘** Bloodhounds, or I’m widely off my guess.” ** On our scent, think?” ‘*That’s the rub!” and Gardenhire frowned darkly. ‘*Sometimes I fear they are, and then I can’t make it come clear, at all, Sometimes [ more than half believe they are nothing more than they claim to be: a crack-brained sport, with an idiot whom he has picked up and started in a groove just to attract attention. the like, in tougher towns than Prospect.” ‘* He’s sport, that’s clear enough,” witha short, ugly laugh. ‘* Only a thoroughbred could have kept his nerve through the rubs I gave him un- der cover. They never fazed him. He played his game through, anda mighty good game it was, too!” ‘¢'That’s one thing which makes me doubt his being a detective,” nodded Gardenkire. ‘* Of course some of them know how to fight the tiger, but bardly like that. It takes a man all his time to learn to become a thoroughbred, and if he tries to do both that and follow clews to an end at the same time, odds are that he’ll make a botch of both trades.” For some little time there was silence between the pair, each evidently full of sober thoughts. Then Gardenhire broke the silence: ee Mann didn't put in an appearance to- night onyers shook his head, ‘ As If he did, he never got further than the ar. ** Afraid you'd dun him for a wad on account, maybe,” witb a harsh laugh and a vicious glit- ‘¢ Pard, I’m afraid we’ll lose a snug little sum on that speculation. I’m thinking the young blood will take to his heels, one of these dark nights!” There seemed to be an agreeable jest conceal- ed somewhere in this speech, judging from the manner in which the two schemers laughed and interchanged glances, And with a cheeriness rather remarkable in one who seemed to antici- pat the loss of a considerable sum already due im, Conyers bad a strangely bappy tone as he retorted; : ‘I'm not worrying very deeply, major. If he does run, [’]l look to you for getting me square—after you’ve roped the heiress!” ‘*T sealed the bond to-day, and so we'd both ought to be content.” onyers suddenly turned grave again, bis | brows wrinkling curiously as he gazed into the face of bis partner in evil. ‘* What made you jump the line so brash, pard? Of course you ought to know your busi- ness best, but to me it looks like a mighty fool- ish break, just as matters stand.” “You want to know why I kissed the young lady?” Conyers nodded assent. And from the light Tveknown | | | | ee ee ~ = lady,” added the major, leaning back in his chair and staring upward through the curling smoke that ascended from his cigar. ‘‘ All I in- tended then was to give her a hint how deeply the young fellow was involved. ‘To let her see at least the shadow of the pitfall awaiting her cousin, and at the same time frighten her into keeping all secret lest ber grim old dad bounce his promising nephew. But you understand all that?” Conyers nodded assent. The plot had been thoroughly discussed between them long since. W bat interested him the most was to learn how the usually cautious, cool-headed major came to so widely depart from the line marked out for his feet. ‘** [ thought it would all be smooth sailing, for I never gave the girl credit for half as much spunk,” admitted the major, frowning until his eyes almost buried themselves under his shaggy brows. ‘‘I counted on scaring her into meek ness, Instead, I woke up a very cat!” ** All the more reason why you should play cool,” commented Conyers. ‘*Thank yos for nothing,” snapped Garden- hire, ‘* I’ve owned up to playing the fool, Don’t try to rub it in. I may play the fool some more, if the temptation comes my way strong enough.” | Conyers flushed and his eyes sparkled angrily, but he kept his seat and his silence, It was too far along in the game they were both playing to admit of an open quarrel, After—well, that would be a differert matter. ** You're wise in your generation, pardner,” nodded Gardenhire, bis tones becoming more natural. ‘‘And asareward, [ll finish telling you just how I came to muddle the matter, ‘*She cut me deep by so plainly trying fto dodge me. I’d begun to bope that, with the old man’s favor, l was winning my way into her good graces to perfection, As it was, the little minx opened my eyes so wide the hds haven’t done aching even yet! ‘* Well, 1 sprung the trap on her by a bit of dodging, and of course I couldn’t take a hint, even when she offered me a kick with it. Busi- ness is business, and just then I was its prophet. ‘Never mind just how I opened fire, As nearly as circumstances would permit, I stuck to the line we blocked out between us. I let her see that there were quite a few things about ber promising cousin of which she had held not even the ghost of a suspicion until I, as a friend, thought it only right that ber eyes should be opened to the whole sad truth before it was eter- nally too late, ‘¢ Then she began to kick. She wouldn’t bave it so, even after I had pulled a fistful of docu- ments to back up my words, And then, for the first time I began te lose my head, ‘** As a bluff I dared her to call at the bank and see me face her hero with proofs of bis double life. And I’m cursed if she didn’t actu- ally jump at the offer!” ** Just like a woman,” nodded Conyers. ‘* But you could have turned her aside, I should think?” “That’s just what I meant to do, in the end. But I thought it’d work in my way if the viti- zeus could see us walking arm-in-arm under the sun, and when the little angel gripped me by the fin, afraid V’dtry to dodge the issue, what else could I do but start to face the music? ‘‘ Everything seemed to work my way, too!” with a frown and an impatient tossing of his cigar stump into the spittoon,. ‘ We caught sight of the daddy just entering his bank, as we came to the corner, and that gave me all the chance I needed. Lida wilted right then and there. For the first time she showed how dee - ly my little tale had impressed her, for all her bluffing. *“‘T ought to bave let well enough alone, of course. It is so easy to look back and see where the crooked steps were taken! But I thought I'd kill yet another bird with my bolt, and so moved ahead as soon as I could quiet the little angel a bit. ‘* Not that I intended to do more than pri walk slowly past the bank, trusting to luc that Mann would catch sight of us, arm in arm and apparently on the most confidential terms imaginable. knew she was too badly ig changes of his features. which filled his eyes as he leaned over the table, | frightened to dare enter the bank without actu- That comrade was none other than Major | his desire was very strong indeed, | ally forcing ber todosc. I could pass right on Holly Gardenhire, and the two men were snugly ‘‘ Because 1 was an ass,” coolly uttered Gar- | and she’d like me all the better for it, don’t you ; retired in the private room over the rear of the | denhire. ‘* Because I let my hot blood cloud | see?” F Oasis, which was held sacred to the use of Con- | my brain. Because the best and wisest of us all ‘* But you didn’t pass on—worse luck !” frown- f yers and that of the friends in whom he could | must make an occasional false step, just when | ed Conyers, > a. place implicit trust, such a slip can do the most harm. Now you| ‘Because I caught sight of renee Mann The hour was quite late, or early, as the | know; how do you like 1t?” | glowering at us as though he wanted to bite my reader prefers, since the duel between Dandy Rather curiously, Conyers seemed relieved , head off. And to give him something to scowl Dutch and La Masque across the faro-table was | by this confession. For, though he took | for, I played the ass; but I won a. kiss by it, a thing of the past; and it was to the heavy | care not to spenly say as much, he had been ! anyway!” with a short, reckless Jaugh. winnings of the Decorator from Dead-Lift that | sorely troubled on hearing of that little event. ‘‘He jumped you, and you tried to shoot the blonde gambler alluded. It was not down on the programme, and he | him?” ‘*We can’t afford a racket of that sort, and | wondered if the major was not playing a double ‘I really meant to do it, too,” with a vicious ; you ought to know why,” a little sharply re- | game. nod. ‘‘ But he came through the window in- r torted the major, his dark eyes snapping. He knew that Major Holly Gardenhire was as | stead of through the door like a Christian. And i ““ Don’t I know it?’ just showing his teeth | thorough-paced a rascal as himself, and he | then that scarecrow in black and yellow caught through the yellow line of hair. “Only for | could readily give him credit for cheating on | me foul.” that—but let it drop. Talking it over only sets | both sides of the board. What troubled him ‘“‘T know. You reported all that followed. me on fire. And—the Jewish rascal gave me | most was the impossibility of guessing just how | And yet you can doubt that those two fellows double chance if I wanted to jump him, too!” the major proposed to turn the trick. are jumping into our game!” : : “Then he had a reason in it, be sure!” frown- ‘*¢T had no such idea when I waylaid the little ‘** Because I can’t see how they could possibly bs : Eomicbooks-com — i wee 4h