Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 551 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

—_— Ses ~ ~ Pat Sy ve. 5 - a - / “rn ’ *. , = . ~ & aP= 12 | on ww... — **T ketch on.” **Come away for now,” In the mean while, Garry had taken a seat at the furtber side of the room. His coriversation with Bradley had been carried on so quietly that no one of the other persons present had sus- pected that ill-feeling marked it, and only casual attention was given him when he was alone. Something out of the ordinary course of events soon occurred, however. A slight sound in the ‘‘ theater” attracted Garry’s notice, and as he had reached a stage of affairs when he could not afford to let any- thing go uninvestigated, he looked around. He was just in time to see some object whiz through the air. The next moment it struck the wall near him and dropped to the floor. There it lay, a ferocious bowie-knife with a scrap of paper tied to the hilt. An attempt had evidently been made to pierce the wall with the blade, but it had been so clumsily done that all the romance was strip- ped away. The weapon was an. ugly-looking one, but no old band had flung it, It acted just as effectually upon Garry, how- ever. The moment he comprehended the situa- tion, he reached down and caught up the knife. Another instant, and he had darted into the theater in search of the knife-thrower. As he passed the door he had a transient view of some one on the stage, but in a moment more the unknown was gone. His coat-tails fluttered for a brief space at the wings, and then he was ** off the stage.” Garry, however, had no intention of letting the matter drop there. He had not taken time to read the message tied to the knife, but he was determined to know who had so dramatic- ally delivered it. He sprung upon the stage “e darted after the runaway at full speed. he alleged theater was somewhat crudely arranged, but it was enough like the real article to make Kean feel pretty well at home. Feeling sure that the runaway would make for the out- side door, he made a great rush to head him off before that point was reached. Luck favored him, A short flight of steps lay in the way, and as he reached the top he saw the unknown spraw!l- ing at the bottom, the victim of a misstep. Garry went down like a shot, and was just in time to seize the other man as he scrambled to his feet. He proved to bea slender, puny little fellow, with a pale face and hair almost as colorless; and as the actor's strong grasp was ae upon him, the shock again flung him to the oor. As he lay sprawling there, Garry, realizing that he had a most insignificant foe, deliberately put his foot upon the little man’s breast, in the good old style of story and drama, and held him there while he read the message attached to the wicked-looking bowie. First of all be saw a skull and pair of cross- bones, ath pba done, and below the gory sign was a brief article in writing. It looked like the work of a school-girl, with its pretty little curves and flourishes, but the words, if not tbe letters, were sanguinary, The document was as fol- lows: **NOTICE! ** We, the undersigned, do hereby give notice to the wretch calling himself Garry Kean, that he must leave Jac«’s Delight or diel The majesty of the law has been violated ; private citizens have been misused ; the streets of the city have run red with blood; and all on account of a common actor! We will not tol- erate his presence here, Hemust go! Twenty-four hours are given him in which to get out of town. If he defies the notice, he must pik! We have sworn to kill him and feed his body to the buzzards. Be warned in time. Go! Weare sworn together by a terrible oath which would make you shudder. Blood! blood! blood! Go, ordie! Thisis our last warning. ** CAPTAIN Kipp, *“ Ane BLUEBEARD, ** RaAw-BEEF RvuBeE.”” Garry Kean turned his gaze from the fero- cious, florid, extravagant ‘‘ notice” to the weak, trembling, eoey little man under his foot, and a smile crossed his face, ‘** You are a bad boy!” he remarked. ‘** Don’t kill me!” gasped the little man. **T ought to.” ‘‘ Tt—it was only a joke,” **Oh! I don’t object to the threat, in itself, but any one who would write such a document as. that, ought to be spanked. You overdid the job, sonny. No genuine cut-throat would ever descend to such extravagant terms, while as for the late lamented Captain Kidd, he would blush to own such a document,” ‘I didn’t mean it,” protested the little man, who could not get over hisfright. — ‘Then why did you write it?” ‘‘Some men made me,” ‘Who were they?” ‘*T don’t know. They wore masks, and held big knives at my breast while they made me write—” ‘* Come off the rocks! This was all your own work. Now, why are you in such a passion for me to leave town?” The peer was silent, *“*T should dislike to use this weapon on you ”"— Garry moditatively felt of the keen edge of the ——— < Garry Kéan. >. —-_+ bowie—“ but unless you own up, I shall have to pay you in yourowncoin, ‘An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth— ” He had stooped with the knife held upward, and the little man broke out in terrified accents: **Don’t!—don’t! TDi tell all!” ** Out with iv!” ‘‘T wanted you to goaway and leave Alice Brackett!” **Oho! that’s how the wind blows, is it? admire Mlss Brackett, do you?” ‘** Yes,” groaned the prisoner. ‘‘Tf I mistake not, you are the son of Mayor Nicholson?” ‘* Yes, sir; Iam. I am Elmer Nicholson, and my father is mayor of this city. If youhurt me he will—” ‘** Little boy, I don’t care a poarnee for you or your father. If I saw fit 1 could have you arrested for throwing this knife at me with mal- ‘* Indeed! indeed! “* Get up!” Garry reached down, grasped the .prisoner by the shoulder and set him upon his feet. How the sturdy West ever produced such a feeble speci- men wasa wonder. He was past bis twentieth year, but was short and slender, with very light flaxen hair, and a mustache which was white of color and even more feeble than his body, His pale face was far from intelligent, but there was that in its expression which indicated a certain amount of cunning and a good deal of vicious- ness, The Man with Backbone eyed his frightened companion sharply. ‘‘' This i3 a very serious matter!” he observed, ‘‘Tf you'll Jet me go, I won't touch you again,” young Nicholson pleaded. ‘‘T ought to have you arrested.” ‘* No, no: don’t doit, You'Jlruin my reputa- tion!” ‘* Have you one?” . ‘‘Sir,” answered the prisoner, plucking up some courage, ‘I am the son of the mayor!” Garry smiled again, ** Does he know you are out?” ‘© Out? I don’t understand.” ‘‘ Never mind, I don’t see any good reason why we need to quarrel, and it is possible that we can formatruce. If I do not have you ar- rested, will you ] t me alone after this?” ** [ndeed, I will, sir.” ‘*Then why shouldn’t we be friends?” * ‘‘T shall be delighted!” asserted Nicholson, but there was a crafty gleam in his eyes which discredited his words, ‘‘As for what you have said about Miss Brackett, you ought not to believe idle rumors you hear, Remember that I ony ama poor actor, while she occupies a high social position—one nearly equal to your own.” The delicate flattery p posure the boy immense- ly, and bis courage and conceit came back at a hard gallop. **T see, I see,” he responded. ‘‘ You are a sensi- ble fellow, Kean. You see, as to Alice, I have serious intentions there, Iam of marriageable age, and our position in social life being so near- ly equal, I think it would be a good match,” 7 No one could hold two.opinions on that sub- ject. aa? Unfortunately,” added Elmer, rp ciey to give his mustache a ferocious pull, and only fail- ing because he could not get a suitable hold, “I have a rival!” ‘Who is that?—if I may ask.” ‘* Nathan Bradley.” ‘‘ Surely, you ought to have no fear of him,” ‘Ah! you don’t know the hold that evil des- perado has upon them.” ‘* What bold can he have?” Nicholson looked carefully around to make sure they were alone, ‘* T’]] tell you in strict confidence!” he promised. You I didn’t intend to hit you!” CHAPTER XIV. A LETTER WITH A MHANING, GARRY was interested in his companion, but not one grain of eonfidence did he put in him. Young Nicholson was, in a certain sense, grate- ful for the leniency shown him, and for the time he was inclined to be friendly, but this mood would not last long, He was a treacherous little viper who was quite as dangerous, in his under- hand way, asa man of muscle, At least, this was the way Garry analyzed bim, ‘*T shall be glad to hear you,” the actor an- swered. ‘There is a secret which concerns old Brack- ett!’ declared Elmer, * What secret?” ** Well, it seems that the old man was a deuce of a boy in his younger days, like what we young fellers are now, don’t you know!” ‘Ts it possible?” ‘* Quite true. The old man has thought the past dead and buried, but such things are hard to keep down, Now, Nate Bradley knows of this secret, and he will use itasarodof terror over the old man—” ** Meaning J udge Brackett?” ~ a Yh course! And the old man hadn’t dare to defy him, for the bulk of the con- ‘i 4 P : a ~s ’ : - y Fr 7 eis es aX’, ff tandty banat. Pata i. -—-—-_—_—_—_—— SS ee -lss-ss- sequences would fall upon Alice, and he’s right fond of his girl.” ‘*'W hat is this secret?” **Ohb! the old man once had a superfluity of wives—not that he was to blame; I quite exon- erate the old gent—but an expose would make it divilish unpleasant for Alice, you know.” ** Where did you learn this?” The little man twirled his white mustache, shut one eye and tried to look wise. “‘Oh! I dropped on the racket!” he noncha- lantly returned. ‘Tell me more about the exact nature of the secret.” ‘*T would if I could, Kean, but lam not in possession of the facts. Al] I know is that the old man atone time had more wives than the law would allow.” ‘*Can you believe Judge Brackett capable of that?” ‘* Bless you! not intentionally. The old man is a born gentleman, ard his family stands Al, or I would not associate with them. His posi- tion grew out of some mistake, and no blame can be attached to bim: not a grain.” ‘But you think Nathan Bradley will use the fact to press his suit for Miss Brackett’s hand?” ‘‘Demme! yes; I do.” | ‘* Abram Brackett will crush him!” ‘‘ Ab! but he don’t aim at theold man, A gent in the judge’s present position can defy calumny, but not so with a young lady. Alice don’t know of the secret, and I'll bet my good right hand that the old man would rather dis than have her know. That is Nate’s hold. He says to the old man: ‘Favor me, or I will tell your secret!’ and for Alice’s sake, the old man may weaken, Dem- me! it’s a shame!” Young Nicbolson’s manner showed the ex- treme of selfishness. He gave no pity to Alice or the judge, but reserved all for himself. He considered the state of affairsa ‘‘ shame” simply because his own plans were endangered. ‘‘How many know of this secret?” pursued Garry Kean, 7 Probably only Bradley, the judge and my- self, ** Did Bradley tell you?” . ‘‘Bah! do you suppose I would associate with that low creature? No, indeed: he did not tell me. Now, don’t try to learn any more, Kean; I ought not to have told so much. You can rest assured that Bradley’s game won’t work. I, and I alone, shall win Alice!” Nicholson’s extreme gratitude for Garry’s Jeniency had begun to grow less, and with it went his disposition to be confidential, He re- membered that the Man with Backbone was a rival, and there was suspicion and hostility in the glance which riage} the last words. ‘“‘T should say that Bradley would have no chance with you,” Kean observed, This bit of flattery was not taken in good part. Elmer was conceited to an extreme, but the tide had turned wholly against the actor, Elmer was angry. He remembered that Kean was his rival, and hated bimself for having talked so freely with him. He realized, with all his conceit, that the advantage of stature and looks was with his companion, and hated him for that, too. ‘*We won’t talk about the matter,” he an- swered, in a surly tone. \ ‘* As you wish.” Garry looked at his watch and added: ‘*T shall have to leave you now, but hope we may meet again, Mr. Nicholson. Good-day!” He offered his hand, and the boy accepted it ungraciously. Another moment and Kean was retracing his steps through the theater, and Elmer lost no time in going the opposite way. He had put several rods between him and tho building when he remembered that he had not recovered his bowie-knife and the attached note of warning. Recollection of it caused him to turn back at once. He discovered the knife on the floor but the note was not to be found. This troubled him. He had, when composing it, tried to dis- guise his writing, but did not feel sure that he had been successful. In any case, such a document was safer de- stroyed than in existence. Its authorship could not be proved against Captain Kidd, “‘ Abe Bluebeard” or ** Raw-beef Rube,” but could be laid to his door, if Kean saw fit. He weut in search of the latter, but the actor was not to be found. Garry had not lingered about the building. He left at once, and had disappeared behind other edifices before Elmer got around to look for him. He had a definite purpose in view, and did not pause until he reached English John’s shanty. He found the miner at home. ** Aha! so you’re back?” was Jobn’s greeting. **'Yes; but you are ahead of me,” *€ Jes’ so, but I didn’t come until my business was done.” ‘‘ Have you seen Miss Brackett?” Garry asked, eagerly. KY Garrick, I hev!” ** And my note?” “* D’livered.” : “Ts there an answer?” } ‘Slowly, pard, slowly. Miss Electa Parsons was with her,” Eomicbooks we 2 SS 3 a ' j