The Dragoon Detective; Or, A Man of Destiny — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

-where The Dragoon Detective. 5 Dragoon announced to the landlord that, as his cabin was finished, he would move into it at once, He packed up his traps, and by the time this ‘was done there were heard cheers outside, which were given in honor of the return of the ‘‘ Black Doctor.” Hannibal wore the honors quietly, but grinned with delight when he told how glad the three toen had been to getaway,and had told him that they thought the house had fallen in on toem when they went off of the piazza. Leaving Hannibal to carry the traps to the cabin, the Dragoon went into the different stores and purchased generously of all that he | would need to make him comfortable, and also what stores would be needed. These were loaded upon the only wagon inthe camps and as beavers getting things to rights. The cabin was as fine a dwelling-place as any in Gilt Edge City. It stood in the edge of a small clump of pines, while back of it towered the hills, and upon either side the sloping sides of the hills. A rough piazza ran across the front, and there were four fair-sized rooms, In the rear was a cabin for the horses, and | near it was the Bad Luck Mine, with the shanty of its former owner, from whom it took its mame, a few paces away. In making himself and Hannibal comfortable, the Dragoon did not forget Bad Luck, in his | little hut, and that poor fellow had reason to feel glad that he had found so good a friend. Hannibal was an excellent cook, and the Dra- goon ate his first supper in his new home with a relish he had not enjoyed at the barracks, though mine host Champ kept an excellent hotel —for Gilt Edge City. After supper, all being to rights, the Dragoon seated himself upon his piazza, lighted a cigar and enjoyed the repose in a silent way.! The spring sun had caused the leaves to bud forth and the mountains and hills were emerald | green. ” The birds sung merrily, the stream wound its silvery length along, blue smoke curled un from a hundred cabins in the valley, and along the | trails leading to the hillsand mountains could be seen scores of miners wending their way | homeward after a day of toi). A balmy breeze came softly up the valley, | end the sun was just touching the tops of the distant mountains. Here and there a horseman was visible riding rapidly along, the sound of some sweet-voiced | miner singing a song was wafted on the breeze, while mingling withit and keeping time, were the strokes of an ax, cutting wood for the fire that was to cook the evening meal. It wasa beautiful picture, and yet under its ‘calm loveliness how much of crime, revelry and deadliness there was, that a spark could cause to burst forth. It was a wild, strange community that he gazed upon, and yet he had shown himself the re- fined, elegant-mannered gentleman to all ap- -pearances that he was, fully able to cope with just such people. j A short month only had passed, since he came to Gilt Edge City, and yet he had promptly won the name of the Darling of Destiny. He had found gold in paying quantities, oor Bad Luck had toiled for years to ew hundreds’ worth of the precious day, and some who sought to ambush and rob him, had arrived at the spot selected just after he had gone by, and, in the gathering twilight, had shot another horseman in his stead. The man had fallen from his horse, the assas- sins had rushed upon him, and, believing him dead, had only then found their mistake and Litterly cursed their luck as they left him to be- come food for the wolves. But he had recognized his assassins, heard from their words who it was they sought, and rising, had staggered along the trail to Gilt Edge eeg e had been helped by those he met up to The Barracks, and there, to the Darling of Destiny, he had told his story and soon after c led, Then had the Dragoon had him buried in honor, paying all expenses, and purchasing his mine, had sent the money to the family of the dead man, writing them of his death. Reminiscences like these crowded upon the Dragoon, as he sat on the piazza of his new | house, enjoying his home. Suddenly his eyes fell upon two men going along the trail thatled into the valley. | ‘“* Bad Luck!” The clear call of the young Dragoon reached the ears of the crippled miner at his shanty, and he came rapidly toward the house. ‘* Well, cap’n?” ‘“Who are those two men going down the trail yonder?” Bad Luck took a good look and answered: ? ‘‘ As near as I kin jedge, by ther backs and walks, and bein’ allus tergether, they be'Flush Fred and Tiger Tom.” ‘* ¥ think I have seen them at The Barracks,” sent to the cabin, where the | Dragoon, Hannibal and Bad Luck were as busy | ‘* Likely as not, fer that is their hangin’-out place, when they hain’t at ther cabin down ther valley.” ‘* They are miners, are they not?” ‘‘ They calls ’emselyes so, but they gambles and drinks more than they dig, and I guesses is more handy with keerds or a revolver than they is with shovel and pick.” ‘“They have a bad name then, Bad Luck.” ‘* Waal, they do say as how it is sudden death to make ’em angry, and I guessit are, for they has got a leetle buryin-ground o’ the’r own.” The Dragoon yawned, and then said: ‘* Bad Luck, kindly ask Hannibal to saddlemy horse, for I shall ride up to The Barracks.” Ten minutes after the Dragoon rode away, and Bad Luck said to Hannibal: : ‘Doctor, I do believe he hev gone up to 'Ther Barracks to git acquainted with Flush Fred and Tiger Tom, for he wanted his horse soon as he see they went up thet way and not down to- ward ther cabin in ther valley.” CHAPTER VIII. A PAIR OF DESPERADOES. It was dark when the Dragoon rode up to The Barracks. Night-time was the season for enjoyment at Landlord Champ’s hotel, and all was in full blast, for the day’s toil was over and the miners sought such rough recreation as Gilt Edge City afforded, The amusements were limited to gambling, drinking, boasting and story-telling, and as The Barracks was the favorite resort in the camps, the scene there was generally more ani- mated than elsewhere in the valley. Landlord Champ was a burly fellow, quiet in his way, with nothing of the bully about him, but capable of taking his:‘own part, and it was his aim to keep The Barracks as orderly AS pos- sible, and he did so, when one takes into con- sideration that it was an utter impossibility to keep any house orderly in Gilt Edge City. So when the Dragoon dismounted and hitched his horse at the rack, the fun had begun, and Tbe Barracks. was illuminated as brightly as poor oil and tallow candles would permit. ‘* Ah, captain, glad to see you. How do you like your new home?” cried Champ, coming for- ward and greeting him. b ‘Very much, and I know : shall take a great deal of comfort there.” ‘* Don't doubt it; but, come in and have some supper, captain.” Landlord Champ always called the Dragoon captain, and in fact the miners did the same in speaking to him, though in talking of him they referred to him asthe Dragoon. “* T have had supper, thank you, landlord; but let me seeif I cannot pick out two of your guests here to-night, whom I saw here several times when I first came. There, those two over at that far table yonder. Are they known as Flush Fred and Tiger Tom?” ‘*You have hit’em, cap’n, for those are the names they go by, and a bad lot they are.” ‘‘ Dead shots I suppose?” ‘* Yes, and quick to use their guns and pick a fight. They never dig any gold that I know of, but they are always fixed with dust, especially Fred, who is always flush.” ‘* Well, if I have to take the two gentlemen to task to-night, for a little matter, fo. you will forgive me?” and the Dragoon smiled serenely. ‘‘P ll have nothing to forgive, if, as you hint, you are going to get your grip on those men; ut, go slow, cap’n, go slow!” ‘‘Thank you!” and the Dragoon entered the bar, for the two had stood on the piazza by an open window, while they were talking. Walking from table to table, where he was eeted by the miners in a _ boisterous but riendly way, and returning their salutes in his frank,pleasant manner,the young soldier gradu- ally approached tbe spot that he bad intended. Leaning his back against the bar he looked Hiss game until Tiger Tom glanced up at The desperado changed color at once, but dropped his head and went on with h's game, while others in the room saw that the Dragoon had some motive in what he was doing. ‘* He means business 0’ some: kind, landlord,” whispered a miner near the door, and Champ smiled serenely, When Flush Fred looked up, havin some secret sign from Tiger Tom, the said, pleasantly : ‘“ How are vou, Dan Sully? Been away, have you not? for [ have missed you the past two weoks.”” A silence fell tpon all, while Flush Fred growled: ‘*T hain’t Dan Sully, pard, as you’d know ef yer know’d me as well as yer speaks like.” ** Ah! you are not Dan Sully, sure enough! I beg pardon; you are Tiger Tom,.and poor Dan Sully is dead.” ‘ . “‘T hain’t Tiger Tom, nuther.” ‘No, [m Tiger Tom, ef I’m wanted,’ and the other desperado moved uneasily. ‘*T beg your pardon again, to mistake you for each other, and yet it was but natural when you gotten ragoon are both so much alike—in disposition and pur- suits. ‘* But how strange that I should call you Dan Sully, when I buried him myself only ten days ago, for, as you have been away, I must tell you that he was shot by mistake for me, and it grieved me deeply.” The hum of conversation had ceased about the saloon, for instinct told all that there was something of importance going on. With almost any one else, the crowd would have gone on with their amusements until the trouble began; but when the Darling of eae in his soft, pleasant way, walked deliberately into the saloon to pick a quarrel with two such known desperadoes as Tiger Tom and Flush Fred, then the interest became intense, and men held their breath to await the result. ‘Now, Dragoon, I hain’t interested in Dan Sully, so I don’t keer ter hear about him, and no more does my pard, Flush Fred,” spoke up Tiger Tom. ‘* You are mistaken, my friend; you are both interested in Dan Sully, for you killed him by mistake for me!” The Dragoon had been standing leaning with his back to the bar, his elbows upon it. It was a free-and-easy attitude, but a danger- ous one, for his hands were upon his hips, and sotebow he had quietly slipped them into each side pocket or his fatigue coat, As be spoke, sharply and clearly uttering the last six words, he suddenly covered both Tiger Tom and Flush Fred with a derringer. Tiger Tom was the more desperate of the two, while Flush Fred never provoked a shot that he feared would be fatal. He therefore, without having a chance, so quick was the Dragoon’s movement, to draw his own revolver, threw his hands above his head, dropping the cards upon the table as hedid 80. But Tiger Tom did draw his weapon and had nearly gotten it up for use, when the derringer in the Dragoon’s left hand went off. The arm of Tiger Tom fell shattered to his side, his revolver dropping upon the floor; but, with a howl of rage and pain he drew his other revolver with his left hand. Flush Fred thought that he had seen his chance to act, as the Dragoon fired on Tiger Tom; but no! the piercing eyes seemed not to have been removed from his face, and the der- ringer in the deadly right hand still covered him. Seeing, in some occult way that no one seemed to understand, both how to shoot true, and yet keep his gaze upon another man, that Tiger Tom was drawing his second revolver with his left hand, the Dragoon in an atom of time had a revolver from his belt. There was no time to call to Tiger Tom to drop his weapon, tor the desperado meant to shoot, and it was who could level and draw trigger the quickest. A second answered the question, for the Dra- goon’s revolver flashed and Tiger Tom did not utter a moan as he fell to the floor. The bullet had gone into the very center of his forehead. And again was Flush Fred foiled, for still were those dark eyes upon him, still did that large-bored derringer cover him, So he kept his hands above his head, and the Dragoon said, in a voice that reached every ear: ‘*Gentlemen, before Dan Sully died he told me that he recognized the men who had shot bim from anambush. He pretended to be dead, knowing they would kill him, did they believe he lived. They cursed bitterly at their disap- pointment, when they found they had shot the wrong man, and poor Sully said that Tiger Tom fired the shot, and Flush Fred was his compan- jon. ‘““Now Tiger Tom is dead, and Sully is avenged: but this gentleman, Flush Fred, I shall give until noon to-morrow to settle up his affairs and get out of Gilt Edge City. ‘“f At one o’clock I shall go through the camps on a hunt for him, and if he has forgotten to leave, there will be trouble, ‘* Brindle, set up drinks all round, and have Tiger Tom buried at my expense, please,” So saying, the Darling of Destiny wheeled on his heel, as though utterly fearless of Flush Fred, and walked out of the saloon, while the crowd called lustily for their drinks, and in the confusion Flush Fred slipped out of the bar- room. CHAPTER IX. THE DRAGOON RECEIVES A LETTER. ‘*T CONGRATULATE you, captain. ?' So said Landlord Champ as the Dragoon walked out into the large ball of the hotel. ‘*T hope not upon taking human life, landlord, for God knows it goes against me to have to do so,” responded tbe Dragoon, sadly. ‘‘No; but upon getting out of a very perilous position so cleverly, and upon ridding the camps of two such fellows.” ‘Yes, there is something in that.” ‘*T declare, when you pressed the two there about Dan Sully, 1 would have bet big odds against your being alive now.” Ceconmpiclaoc) (ee)