Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 560 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

> or % eit 1s —_— wealth, and had been educated abroad. 6 tunate because his generous nature caused him to help all of his pretended friends, and he lost his fortune by their treachery. ‘‘ He came here to seek a fortune, and when I finished school I joined him in this wild land without his will. ‘* But here luck has changed, as the gamblers say, and he is making a fortune rapidly, and soon I hope we can go East again to our home, ‘‘But pardon me, for I am tiring a stranger with my own affairs.” ‘* No, no, senorita, Iam more than interested in you and your affairs, **T felt that your father had known a differ- ent life, and you seemed unused to this wild camp; but circumstances cause us to lead strange lives, at times,” and the voice of the Mexican was pathetic in its sadness, and Stella Sampson feit that he too bad known sorrow in the past and was a man with a history. But she bade him gouid-arltib and went to her reom. Then the handsome face of the Mexican rose before her and she said half aloud: ‘* How strange that he should seem to fairly fascinate me, as he does, ‘*] fear I spoke too quickly in saying I had never met the man I could love. ‘* Ah! me, what a strange creature a woman is, ** Now who would have believed that I, of all irls, who two years ago was surrounded by uxury, could come out to this border and be- come utterly fearless and really love the wild life led here? ‘**And then too, that I, who have refused a score of fine offers, should become interested in a handsome Mexican gambler, for such he is by his own confession, “Five years ago, when 1 was fourteen, my poor father lost his fortune; but he did nobly by me and kept me at the fashionable boarding- hi while he came West to seek another for- une. ** And when rumor had it that he had ‘struck it rich,’ as they say out here, I had suitors ga-. lore again, ** But the spirit of daring seized upon me to come here and join dear, noble papa, and I am so fascinated with the life that 1 will not leave here until he goes, ** Well, it would be strange if I came out here after all to fall in love with a border des- perado—ha! ha! ha!” and witha musical laugh at her, jolly Stella Sampson sought ber couch, and in her dreams the handsome, daring face of the Mexican was constantly before her. And he? He had gone to his room, and, with a cigar between his teeth, bad thrown himself into an -oe 4 aaa and become lost in deepest medita- on. At last he murmured to himself: “Well, I bave come under good auspices, and all turns out better than had expected. **T shall remain in Last Chance, for there is money to be made here; yes, and more, than money I find. .““Who would have thought of finding that beautiful girl in this camp? ** Well, who that once knew me would look for me here? ‘* We are strange creatures, and but the foot- balls of Fate. ‘*T remain here and accept my destiny, be it what it may.” CHAPTER’ IX. GOLD GRIP’S ANGEL, THOSE who saw Ross Sampson as landlord of the Hash House, and a leading spirit in Last Chance, would never bave believed thata few years before he had been a wealthy gentleman of leisure, dwelling in his elegant house on the Long Island floand. | But so he had been, for he had inherited his He had met, while traveling in Spain, a beau- tiful girl, the daughter of a Don, as proud as he was poor, and had been the guest of the old garg for a couple of months, while he lay ill of fever. Tbe Don’s daughter had been his nurse, and he had made her his wife. For years he lived abroad, roaming about with his lovely wife, and it was in Spain that Stella was born. When the Don died, Ross Sampson’s wife was willing to go to America, and with her family jewels as her only inheritance, she had accom- panied her husband. His old home was refitted to welcome him and his wife, and for several years they lived a are life. ) ut one day, when Stella was but seven years old, her mother had taken her with her ina boat, and in a fit of sudden insanity sprung with her into the sea, A yacht was passing near, and a young man sprung overboard and rescued the child, but her mother had been drowned. Phe blow was a fearful one to both the child and her father, and taking Stella with him, Sampson became a rover. He visited many lands, but at last returned to - TTT LLL LL LLL LLL LLL LTC fn ty The Man from Mexico. his home and settled down, sending Stella to a fashionable boarding-school in Boston. Ever generous, it was not long before a num- ber of Mr. Sampson’s friends called upon him for aid, and he soon found himself swamped in fortune, and when he gathered up his all from the financial wreck, he discovered that he had but a couple of thousand dollars left. One-fourth of this he took for himself, and started'for the West to find a fortune, while the balance he devoted to Stella’s education. Loving her father devotedly, and hearing from him regularly for bis strange life and suc- cess, Stella had, when she graduated, after a short round of pleasure in society, taken the train for the far West. Her father was reported to have found an enormous fortune in the mines, and suitors she had by the score, some of whom loved her for herself, for she was very beautiful and a most fascinating girl, but others had wished to win her as the heiress to a million of money. Out to the West she had gone, and one day had surprised her father by arriving in the stage-coach. e had been pleased at her devotion, but wished her to return at once, But she was firm in her resolution to remain, and said: ; ‘*Father, 1 know that you are doing well, but are not the millionaire people say you are, ‘*{na couple of years you will have made money enough to return East, buy back the old home, and live as you once did; but not now can you do so, and I will remain here with you and aid you all in my power. ‘ ‘*T like this wild life, and the men will all treat me with respect, for I shall command it, while I can amuse myself flirting with the hand- some young miners. “You can build us quarters back yonder on the hill, and I will beautify them, and it will not take me long to become a dead-shot, and a fine horsewoman I am already, so do not argue against my remaining.” ‘¢ But, my child, these people are half civilized, desperate, and a life of danger is ever before me, ‘“*T can chime in with their humor, but you, ah! it must not be thought of.” ‘*But it must be, and [ll chime in, and chip in too, see if I don’t. ‘* Why, Ill talk border slang like a native be- fore the month is out, and no one will ever mis- take me for a tenderfoot, but think I was born in a mining-camp. ‘‘No use to argue, father, for here I remain, and what I say goes.” The landlord laughed at the slang which Stella had already picked up, and consented for ber to remain, for he knew she would bea joy to his heart and also have a great influence over the wild spirits of Last Chance. The next day, when it became know that Stella was to live in Last Chance, the miners all struck work in the mines and built the cabin back on the hillside near the hotel, laid out the grounds, and made all as comfortable as was possible for her home. The landlord ordered a couple of wagon- loads of luxuries out there, and the miners vied with each other in making various pieces of furniture for the lovely girl, whom they bap- tized in various drinks as ‘‘ Gold Grip’s Angel.” In a short while Stella felt perfectly at home in the new life she had entered upon. She rode horseback at will through the camp, and became the idol of the miners. She learned to shoot with rifle and revolver, —_ her superb riding was the admiration of all. Not a miner was there in camp who did nut love her, and she had a kind word for all. One man, it is true,a hanger-on about the camps, had offered her a hundred dollars for a kiss one day, and she had brought ber riding whip across his face with a stinging blow that left its mark. Then she had leveled her revolver at him and driven him before her out of the camps. The miners had assembled, and the insulter would have been strung up toa tree, but Stella protected him and told him to leave Last Chance and never show his face there again. This the fellow did, but not until he had made athreat that he would not forget the maiden, and the look that accompanied his words Stella never forgot. Ae , Thus nearly two years had. gone by since the idol of Last Chance had come to dwell there, and she had learned to like the wila, dangerous life, yet would be willing to leave whenever her father felt that he bad made money enough to enable him to live as he had in former years. And Ross Sampson was prospering daily. His hotel paid him handsomely, the saloon was a mine for him, and then he had bought several claims which he had miners working for him on shares and they were panning out well. He had sent money East and bought back bis old home. and he had invested considerable gold in New York real estate which was increasing steadily in value, ‘*Let me remain six months longer, Stella, and I will have reached the sum L inherited. ** Then we will live a life of Juxury for the re a Ver Oy Ok ae ons : ine beet yt? Ye wo S mainder of our lives,” the landlord had said to his daughter, and she was willing toremain, though rts ye she often longed for the life of exile to end. She knew her power, she was not insensible of — her beauty, and she hoped toreign as a queen some day where, when her father had lost his fortune, the eold shoulder bad been turned upon him by the very ones whom his generosity had saved from ruin. There was a spice of revenge in the nature of pe Sampson, and his daughter had inherited i And so it was—as the time was drawing near for the wild life of Sampson and his daughter to come to an end, that the Man from Mexico put in an appearance at Last Chance, and if he bad saved the home and riches of the landlord, Stella had returned the favor by saving him from a death-wound at the hands of Dick Desmond. CHAPTER X, A GAMBLER BY PROFESSION, From the night of his game of cards with Dick Deadly Hand, the Man from Mexico be- came an object of curiosity and admiration in Last Chance. He had been discussed after leaving the saloon by one and all, and men had wondered how he would meet Dick Desmond again, The latter’s pluck, when facing death, had still held for him his prestige, though there were many who had feared him who felt glad to know that he had met one man who had proven his master. The next day at breakfast the Mexican had appeared as serene as a May morn. e had enjoyed his meal, lighted a cigar, and then took a walk about the camps, Everywhere he was spoken to with respect, and on several occasions bluntly complimented upon his nerve, He returned to the Hash House, and was met by Landlord Sampson, who greeted him pleas- antly, and asked: ‘* Think of locating in Last Chance, sir?” ‘* Yes, [ have come to stay.” od age to buy a claim, sir, or prospect for golds ** No; I have come to make money, but not by purchase of a claim or prospecting.” ‘“*T fear you will find it hard to do in these camps, Senor Merl?” ‘* No, for I made a thousand last night, you remember?’ ‘* Ah, yes—by gambling.” ‘‘ Yes, | am a professional man.” ** We need them here, sir; or, at least a doc- tor, and a lawyer or two to decide legal cases that come up.” ‘*T belong to neither of tbose professions, Landlord Sampson.” ‘* Ah! you hardly look like a preacher,” and the landlord was trying all he could to place his man. He admired his striking appearance, was en- thusiastic over his pluck and deadly aim, and liked him for the service he bad rendered in say- ing the people of Last Chance from being plun- dered by White Wolf, the Renegade, ‘* No, I do not preach, I practice. , I am a gambler by profession, Senor Samp- mee ABD At last the J: n”lord knew his guest, He was, Le «mitted, a gambler by profes- sion. ‘¢+] might have known it,” he muttered to himself, and then said aloud: “ Well, sir, we play heavily here in Last Chance, and have some good men with cards.” “* Dick Deadly Hand is about your best, I sup- pose?” ‘* Yes, he is the most dangerous man to play against, and he wins two out of every three games, and always wins when there is a large sum at stake, while when he loses the amount amall, and so people have thought he cheated,” 5 He bas cheated, sir, for recognized the cards he had as baving been marked,’ | ‘‘-Yes, my daughter and myself looked over them this morning and saw it for curselves, but until you showed her the clever mark on them, she would never have suspected it, ** But do ro think Dick knew of it?” “ Certainly, for he turned pale the very mo- ment he saw I would not play with his cards, ‘* Where do you get your cards, landlord?” ‘‘Now I come to think of it, [ bought a lot from a man who was Dick Deadly Hand's friend.” ; The gambler smiled in a significant} way, and replied: ‘““That is proof of his being a cheat; but he will never use marked cards in a game with me, ‘‘ Then you expect to play him again?” ‘Why not, for I bave ie quarrel! with him, and do not see why he should have with me, ‘‘ We plaved for a stake and he lost, and had I done so I hardly believe he would have given me my life,” ‘*T am very sure of it,” ‘* He accused me of being treacherous, and I meant that be should retract, or meet me, and EComiliecbooks . “~~, a. eon “wy »