Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 545 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

Hustler Harry, the Cowboy Sport. **'You may as well remove that mask,” de- clared Pearl, ‘*I know you well, You are the contemptible scoundrel who pretended to rescue me from the hands of the Spanish kidnapper!” For several moments the man did not speak, He regarded her intently through the twin holes of the niask. “Thet’s all right,” he finally observed. **Reckon my way of torkin’ guv me erway. I hav’ torked so much in this hyer style of late thet it seems natteral like, an’ I torks so w’en I don’t want ter,” “Then you acknowledge? You do not deny that you are the desperado cowboy?” ‘** Wat's ther use? Thar hain’t no reason w’y Ish’u’d. | hav’ leetle fear of you denouncin’ me, sweet cne.” Pearl made a gesture indicative of intense dis- gust. ‘** Don’t!” she begged. ‘Have mercy and spare your soft words! I would rather receive a blow in the face,” lhe man said nothing, but continued to gaze at her as if fascinated. ‘*] have no doubt,” continued the girl, ‘‘ but you are playing a double part. You are having your day now, but justice is pretty sure to triumph in the end,” ** Thet is er rayther stale belief. It is only in ther story-books wat thet allus happens, In real life, ther feller with ther most brains, ef he is a villing or a parson, usually kems out onter ther top of the heap. In ther leetle game w’at I’m playin’ | holds all ther high keerds jest now,” “The tide will turn,” asserted Pearl, who was surprised at her own boldness, ‘ God will not suffer such a scoundrel to succeed in his evil ways. The earthquake will come when you least expect it.” **Mebbe, but Dll take mer chances, Them w’at fights ag’in’ me will find thet I am a mighty Hard Nut ter Crack,” ‘“Why have you taken me a prisoner? Do you intend to hold me for ransom?” ** Wal, not prezactly. Ther real truth is thet I’m gittin’ on in y’ars an’ hav’ decided ter took unto merself a wife.” Pearl could not repress acry of consternation, A look of terror sprung into her eyes and she shrunk from bim, as she panted: ‘**What—what? You cannot mean—” ‘* But I do,” he asserted, quietly. ‘* Thet’s jest wat I mean. I’m byer ter inform ye of thet fack thet { has looked onter you with faver- able eyes.” ‘But I willnever! I should prefer death to such a fate!—death a hundred times!” He drew up a chair and sat down before her. He was very calm and deliberate in his move- oe ie and she regarded him with increasing dread, ‘**[ will cease this foclish manner of talkin and act natural in your presence,” he said, ‘ am far from being the rough, uncultivated cow- boy tbat I appear to be. In fact, I tell you the truth when | say thatI am agentleman. In be- coming my wife you will hot have a common, brainless lout fora husband. I baye wealth to a limited extent. Most men would consider themselves fortunate if they possessed a fourth as much, I am not an unbandsome man, al- though you have seen me far from my best while I appeared like a cowboy.” ‘But you are a villain!—a—a—” ‘*Not so fast, Miss Molina. I am not sucha villain as | appear to be, The Brothers of the Red Heart, of whom I am the cbief, are not bad men, though we have been denounced as such, The organization isa sort of league for mutual protection against foes. In this rough land there is little law at best, and it is sometimes neces- sary for individuals to take the Jaw into their own bands in order to obtain justice. The Brothers of the Red Heart have punished many a criminal and the people have cursed us for our trouble. <As their chief—” ‘*[ have heard enough!” cried Pearl, with flashing eyes. ‘* You cannot deceive me, The Brothers of the Red Heart are a villainous band of outlaws, This same league foully murdered old Andrew Foscolo!—your hand struck him dowp! Ha! Yon start, and well you may! Don’t talk more to me of the honor of this das- tardly Brotherhood! You cannot blind my eyes!” te And so she filled your ears with such stuff, did she? She was never more deceived in ber life. It was not the Brothers of the Red Heart who did that job.” A mocking exclamation of unbelief came from the girl’s lips, ; ‘Of course you will deny it! Of course you deny that after they had nursed you back to life, you turned like a treacherous serpent and stung the hand that fed you! But there is one thing which betrays you—that mark upon your wrist. She pointed straight at his left wrist, upon which the red heart-shaped birthmark was ex- posed to view. The man started as if shot, and suddenly turned his arm so that the crimson heart was concealed from view. ‘*Curse that mark!” he cried. ‘It has got me into untold trouble, I know not whether the anurderer of Andrew Foscolo bore such a mark ee ee or not, but Ido know that I did not strike Fos- colo down as that crazy girl claims,” “You deny it, which is natural, but just so sure as the sun continues to rise and set, you will be punished for the crime, You cannot escape! The day of judgment is coming—is even nearer than you dream!” The man appeared startled, but he finally burst into an unpleasant laugh, ‘You will not believe the truth, I see,” he observed, ‘‘so | am forced to let you believe just what you please, But let me tell you this ere Igo: Within tbree days you shall become my wife!” ‘* Never!” ‘**1t is well enough to say ‘never,’ but we shall see what the result will be, I fancy that I shall be able to find a way to bring you to terms, emember that I am just what as Hustler Harry, the cowboy, I claim to be—a very Hard Nut,” He arose to depart, and her eyes followed his ever'y movement, ‘“The time is coming when I will not leave you without a parting kiss, my sweet,” he said, mockingly; ‘* but just now id will forego the pleasure, Ta, ta.” With a graceful wave of his hand and a low bow, he passed out. Bolting the door behind him, he walked swiftly along the passage, He passed onward through the darkness as if thoroughly familiar with the place, Soon he came to another heavy door, which he unbolted. The door swung open and he stepped into a small lighted chamber, closing the door behind him, He found himself in a place that was far from being as comfortable as the chamber he bad just left. No carpet covered the uneven floor, and the rough walls stood out in all their unpleasant bareness, As be entered, a man sat up upon a mass of old clothes where he nad been Iving in a corner. The lamplight showed a person which some- what resembled the ‘‘ Uncle Peter Hodge” of our story. It was the detective, Dan Shark. His dis- guise had been seriously disarranged in the scuffle when he wasmade a prisoner. His hands were confined by manacles, ** Hellow |” exclaimed the chief, as he advanced and sat down onarude stool, ‘‘ How are ye feelin’ *bout now, Danny?” The detective’s eyes shone with a light of recognition. ‘I can’t say that I am feeling any too well, Jack,” he replied, The masked man laughed. ‘Wal, ye putt yer huil fut inter it, didn’t ye?” he observed, ‘‘ Reckon this is yer last trail, ole man. Yemade a big mistook w’en ye attempted ter butt ag’in’ Hustler Harry, ther Hard Nut ter Crack.” **Oh, stow that kind of gab, and talk natural! You make me extremely tired.” The chief laughed again and appeared highly amused, “But I rayther reckon this byer kind of chin an’ my make-up as ther cowboy puzzled ye er leetle,” ‘**T am ashamed to say that I thought there might be a mistake,” acknowledged Shark. “But after I appeared as Uncle Peter Hodge I did not have a good chance to scoop you, Jack, I thought that if I did soim Cimarron, where you had so many friends, I might find it diffi- cult to take you away. 1 waited for a better chance and made a mess of the whole busi- ness,” = , as I said before, this is your last trail,” said the masked man, dropping the rough manner of speaking. ‘Your goose is cooked,” ‘* Do you intend to murder me?” ‘**Oh, no. The boys believe that you are here to bunt down the band. I shall let them decide your fate, But how in the world did you come to run your nose into this trap?” ‘* Well, to tell the truth, I was a little rash but as I had entered this cave once, I thought I could do so again.” ‘* Been in here once!” exclaimed the chief, in great excitement, ‘‘ What do you mean?” Quietly Old Shark told him ef his former visit to the place and what he had seen and heard, The chief was amazed and alarmed. “Good heavens!” he cried. ‘‘ You could have ruined us with half a dozen words! Your capture was a most fortunate thing. The en- trance must be more closely guarded.” ‘‘Had I not fallen into this trap, I should bave destroyed this villainous league ere I left this part of the country,” confessed the de- tective. ‘* Well, that is averted. TI have been playing a desperate game, and the cards appeared to take a turn against me for a time; but just now things are once more working finely.” ‘* When am I to be wiped out?” asked Shark, sn “*T can’t tell you just when,” was the reply, as the outlaw gazed admiringly upon his prisoner. The band will decide your dcom the next time that they are all assembled.” ‘Well, I hope that will not besoon. I say, « a Jack, aslam about to pass over the river, I have one request to make of you.” “Ifitis not an absurd one, | will grant it, Shark. By Jove! lL admire your nerve! What do you want?” “To be fed well till the time comes to pass out, I have a horrible appetite, and the most unpleasant sensation I have ever experienced is hunger.” The chief stared at Shark in blank silence for several seconds, then he broke into a laugh. ** You take the cake!” he declared, ** Well, I do when I can get it,” was Shark’s calm reply. ‘* Just send it in.” ** With pleasure,” said the chief, as he left the rocky cell, CHAPTER XXXII. DOWN THE SECRET PASSAGE, BENEATH the cabin far up on the mountain- side wasacave, Ruth F Ceci ks had accidentally discovered a trap-deor in the floor shortly after taking possession of the deserted hut, Upon opening this door a flight of rude steps was re- vealed, and further investigations demonstrated the fact that the cabin was built near the en- trance to a cave. Within the underground chamber the Girl Avenger made the grave of the faithful old negro who had died while serving her. She was unable to carry the body there without as- sistance, but this she readily obtained by paying for it. After Black Joe was buried Ruth was not idle. She spent much time in Cimarron and was pretty well posted concerning the start- ling things which followed the kidnapping of Pearl. Only while she slept did she rest from the hunt for vengeance, It was a strange freak of hers to bury Black Joe in that cave. She knew not herself why she chose such a spot. She resolved to visit the grave as often as possible while able to do so and renew her oath each time as long as the murderer lived, Late on the very night that Eric Craddoc was rescued from the bands of the lynchers she was seized by a desire to visit the negro’s lonely grave. Taking up a lighted candle, she opened the trap-door and descended the steps into the gloomy cave. The cave was not very large, but Black Joe’s grave was at the further end, In making her way toit, Ruth was obliged to pass a large round well-like hole which extended downward to anunknown depth. Several times she had held a light over the month of the strange hole and peered downward into its depths, but only darkness met her gaze, Just now something caused her to pause there again. Once more she bent over the place and peered downward. As she did so she started violently, for a sound that seemed like a famt far-away murmur of voices came ont of the depths, What dia it mean? Eager, intently she listened, and after afew minutes had elapsed, she thought she heard the sounds again, , rae A person of a superstitious mind would have been badly frightened; but instead of being alarmed, Ruth was puzzled and interested, For an instant the thought that the place was haunted and that she heard spirit voices in the depths of the well-like hole did pass througb her mind, Who bad inhabited the old cabin on the mountain-side when it was first built? A fiend- ish murderer perhaps who bad thrown bis vic- tims’ bodies into that hole in the gloomy old cave beneath the hut. The thought was start- ling, but Ruth banished it, “Phere is a mystery | ere,” she murmured, as she knelt beside the hole, ‘‘ What is the meaning of those sounds? Is it possible that this bole connects with a place where are human beingst” Again she listened. Nearly ten minutes passed before her patience was rewarded. Then quite distinctly she beard the far-away murmur of voices coming up out of the depths, There was no doubt of it thattime, It was no trick of her imagination. She distinctly heard the sounds, ae ‘‘Those were the voices of living human beings,” was her mental decision. opens to the ** This place — spot where they are. I believe — that Ihave found something worth investigat- i ing.” She picked up a small pebble and dropped it in- to the bole. Listening closely, she beard it strike the bottom after a Beletapaee of time, Ruth was not a httle surpri sounds come from? There must be an opening into the side of the hole. ‘*T wish I hadsome means of etna Mr . this place,” she mused, aloud, ‘I would go down there very much,” Something caused ber to search around the mouth of the hole, and to her surprise and de- light, she found a mass of rope lying under the edge of a projecting flat rock. Her satisfaction increased when she undid the mass and found it to be an old rope-ladder. It was composed of at this, lf the bottom of the hole was so near, where did the Gomme 9X0) CSc tae Me