WILEY MEETS MISS FORTUNE.
When they returned with their captives and the stolen horses and outfit
to the timber in which Frank had left Hodge and the others it was
learned that Worthington had disappeared. In vain they searched for him.
He had slipped away without attracting Hodge's attention, and he failed
to answer their calls. In the morning the search was continued. They
returned to their former camping place at the head of the valley where
the mysterious voice had been heard, and there Frank finally discovered
some rude steps in the face of the cliff, by which he mounted to an
opening which proved to be the mouth of a cave.
There were evidences that this cave had been occupied by some person.
Merry saw at once that this unknown person might have been in the mouth
of the cave at the time the mysterious voice was heard, and that beyond
question he was the singer and the one who had warned them.
It was midday when Worthington was found. They discovered him in a
thicket, locked fast in the arms of another man, whose clothes were
ragged and torn, and who looked like a hermit or a wild man. The thicket
in that vicinity was smashed and broken, and betrayed evidences of a
fierce struggle. Worthington's hands were fastened on the stranger's
throat, and both men were stone-dead.
"I know that man!" cried Merry, in astonishment. "I met him in Holbrook
last spring. I told him of Benson Clark's death. He was once Clark's
partner. Since that time he must have searched for Clark's mine and made
his way to this valley. This explains the mystery. This explains how he
knew me and knew of Benson Clark."
"Yes, that explains it," nodded Hodge. "But now, Frank--what are we to
do?"
"We will give these poor fellows decent burial, and after that----"
"After that--what?"
"Shawmut and Henry must be turned over to the law. We must dispose of
them as soon as possible. Then there will be plenty of time to return
here and locate Benson Clark's lost mine."
And that plan was carried out. In a few days Frank Merriwell, Bart
Hodge, Cap'n Wiley and little Abe rode into Prescott, Arizona, escorting
their captives, whom they turned over to the officers of the law. Merry
was ready to make a serious charge against the men, but, after listening
to his story, the city official said:
"Better not trouble yourself about it, Mr. Merriwell. Those chaps are
old offenders! They have been wanted for some time for stage robbing,
horse stealing, and for the malicious murder of a man in Crown King and
another in Cherry. Did you ever hear of Spike Riley?"
"Seems to me," said Frank, "I have heard of him as a bad man who was
associated with the Kid Grafton gang."
"Well, sir, this chap you call Shawmut is Spike Riley. Since then little
has been heard from him. I am glad to get my hands on him."
"Then I'll leave him to your gentle care," said Frank, with a smile.
"You will relieve me of further bother on his part. As for Henry----"
"Henry!" laughed the official. "Why, he's got a record pretty nearly as
bad as that of Riley. He is known down in Northern Mexico as one Lobo,
and he has been concerned with Juan Colorado in some few raids. I think
there is a reward offered for both of these men. In that case I presume
you will claim it, sir."
Cap'n Wiley, who had listened with his head cocked on one side and a
peculiar look in his eyes, now coughed suggestively. Frank glanced at
the sailor and smiled.
"In case there is a reward, sir," he said, "it belongs to this
gentleman."
As he rested a hand on Wiley's shoulder the latter threw out his chest
and swelled up like a toad taking in air.
"Thanks, mate," he said. "My modesty would have prevented me from
mentioning such a trifling matter."
"Oh, I will give you all the credit that's your due, cap'n," assured
Merry. "You pulled me out of a bad pickle and tricked those ruffians
very handsomely."
"That will do, that will do," said the sailor. "Let it go at that,
Frank, old side partner. It is as natural for me to do such things as
for the sweet flowers to open in the blooming spring. I never think
anything about them after I do them. I never mention them to a soul.
Why, if I were to relate half of the astounding things that have
happened to me some people might suspect me of telling what is not
strictly true. That's what binds my tongue to silence. That's why I
never speak of myself. Some day my history will be written up, and I
shall get great glory even though I do not collect a royalty."
"This is a pretty good thing, Merry," said Hodge. "It relieves you of
all responsibility in regard to those ruffians, and you can now go about
your business."
In this manner it was settled, and Frank left the two ruffians to be
locked up in the Prescott jail.
Rooms were obtained at the best hotel in the place, and both Frank and
Bart proceeded without delay to "spruce up." Having bathed, and shaved,
and obtained clean clothes, they felt decidedly better.
It was useless for Cap'n Wiley to indulge in such needless trouble, as
he regarded it.
"This is not my month to bathe," he murmured, as he sat with his feet on
the sill of Frank's window and puffed leisurely at a cigar. "Besides, I
am resting now. I find myself on the verge of nervous prostration, and
therefore I need rest. Later I may blossom forth and take the town by
surprise."
Later he did. Although he had jocosely stated that it was not his month
to bathe, he indulged in such a luxury before nightfall, was shaved at a
barber's shop and purchased a complete outfit of clothes at a clothing
store. He even contemplated buying a silk hat, but finally gave this up
when he found that silk hats of the latest style were decidedly scarce
in Prescott. When he swaggered into Frank's room, where Merry and Hodge
were holding a consultation, they both surveyed him in surprise.
"I am the real thing now," he declared.
"What has brought about this sudden change on your part?" questioned
Frank.
"Hush!" said the sailor. "Breathe it softly. When I sat by yonder window
musing on my variegated career I beheld passing on the street a charming
maiden. I had not fancied there could be such a fair creature in this
town. When I beheld her my being glowed. I decided that it was up to me
to shed my coat of dust and grime and adorn myself. I have resolved to
make my ontray into the midst of society here."
"But aren't you going back with us to the Mazatzals?" questioned Merry.
"When do you contemplate such a thing?"
"We expect to leave to-morrow."
"Why this agitated haste?"
"You know we've not definitely located Benson Clark's lost claim,
although we feel certain it must be in the Enchanted Valley or in that
vicinity. We're going back to prospect for that mine. If you return with
us and we discover it, of course you will have an interest in it."
"Thanks for your thoughtful consideration, mate. At the same time, it
seems to me that I have had about enough prospecting to do me for a
while."
"Do you mean that you're not going with us?" exclaimed Hodge, in
surprise. "Why, if we discover that mine it may make you rich!"
"Well, I will think the matter over with all due seriousness," said
Wiley easily. "I know you will miss my charming society if I don't go."
"It may be the chance of your lifetime," said Merry.
"I'm not worrying about that. Wherever I go, Dame Fortune is bound to
smile upon me. I have a mash on that old girl. She seems to like my
style."
"I think you will make a mistake, Wiley, if you don't go," asserted
Frank.
"Possibly so; but I've made so many mistakes in the brief span of my
legitimate life that one or two more will hardly ruffle me. If I have to
confess the truth to you, that valley is to me a ghastly and turgid
memory. When I think of it I seem to hear ghostly voices, and I remember
Worthington raving and ranting about death and destruction, and I
picture him as we discovered him in the thicket, dead in the clutch of
another dead man. These things are grewsome to me, and I fain would
forget them."
"All right, cap'n," said Frank; "you are at liberty to do as you like."
Then he and Bart continued arranging their plans.
That evening Wiley disappeared. Frank and Bart left little Abe at the
hotel and went out to "see the sights." In the biggest gambling place of
the town they found the sailor playing roulette. Wiley had a streak of
luck, and he was hitting the bank hard. Around him had gathered a crowd
to watch his plunging, and the coolness with which he won large sums of
money commanded their admiration.
"It's nothing, mates," he declared--"merely nothing. When I was at Monte
Carlo I won eleventeen thousand pesoses, or whatever they call them, at
one turn of the wheel. Such a streak of luck caused the croupier to die
of apoplexy, broke the bank, and put the Prince of Monte Carlo out of
business for twenty-four hours. The next day the prince came to me and
besought me to leave the island. He declared that if I played again he
feared he would die in the poorhouse. As it was, he found it necessary
to mortgage the Casino in order to raise skads to continue in business.
To-night I am merely amusing myself. Five thousand on the red."
"Well, what do you think of that?" asked Hodge in Frank's ear.
"I think," said Frank, "that it is about time for Cap'n Wiley to cash in
and stop playing."
He pushed his way through the throng and reached the sailor.
"Now is the time for you to stop," said Frank in Wiley's ear, speaking
in a low tone, in order not to attract attention, for he knew such
advice would not be relished by the proprietor and might get him into
trouble.
"Never fear about me, mate," returned the sailor serenely. "Ere morning
dawns I shall own this place. Talk about your gold mines! Why, this
beats them all!"
"It's a wise man who knows when to stop," said Frank.
"It's a wise man who knows how to work a streak clean through to the
finish," was the retort. "I have my luck with me to-night, and the world
is mine. In the morning I shall build a fence around it."
"Red wins," quietly announced the croupier.
"You observe how easy it is, I presume," said Wiley, smiling. "I can't
help it. It's as natural as breathing."
Frank saw that it was useless to argue with the sailor, and so he and
Hodge left him still playing, while they strolled through the place.
There was a dance hall connected, which provided amusement for them a
while, although neither danced. Barely half an hour passed before Frank,
who was somewhat anxious about Wiley, returned to note how Wiley was
getting along.
Luck had turned, and Wiley was losing steadily. Still he continued to
bet with the same harebrained carelessness, apparently perfectly
confident that his bad luck could not keep up.
"He will go broke within twenty minutes if he sticks to it, Frank," said
Hodge.
Merry nodded.
"That's right," he agreed; "but he won't listen to advice. If we attempt
to get him away, we will simply kick up a disturbance and find ourselves
in a peck of trouble. Even if he should cash in now and quit ahead of
the game, he'd come back to it and lose all he's won. Therefore we may
as well let him alone."
They did so, and Bart's prophecy came true. The sailor's reckless
betting lowered his pile so that it seemed to melt like dew before the
sun. Finally he seemed to resolve on a grand stroke, and he bet
everything before him on the red.
The little ball clicked and whirred in the whirling wheel. The
spectators seemed breathless as they watched for the result of that
plunge. Slower and slower grew the revolutions of the wheel. The ball
spun around on its rim like a cork on the water. At length it dropped.
"He wins!" panted an excited man.
"No--see!" exclaimed another.
The ball had bobbed out of its pocket and spun on again.
"Lost!" was the cry, as it finally settled and rested securely in a
pocket.
Wiley swallowed down a lump in his throat as the man behind the table
raked in the wager.
"Excuse me," said the sailor, rising. "I hope you will pardon me while I
go drown myself. Can any one direct me to a tub of tanglefoot?"
As he left the table, knowing now that it would cause no disturbance,
Frank grasped his arm and again advised him to leave the place.
"I admit to you," said Wiley, "that I was mistaken when I stated that I
had a mash on Dame Fortune. I have discovered that it was her daughter,
Miss Fortune. Leave me--leave me to my fate! I shall now attempt to lap
up all the liquids in the place, and in the morning I'll have a large
aching head."
Frank insisted, however, and his command led Wiley reluctantly to permit
them to escort him from the place.
"I might read you a lecture on the evils of gambling, cap'n," said
Merry; "but I shall not do so to-night. It strikes me that you have
learned your lesson."
"It is only one of many such lessons," sighed the sailor. "By this time
I should have them by heart, but somehow I seem to forget them. I wish
to tell you a secret that I have held buried in my bosom these many
years. It is this:
"Somewhere about my machinery there is a screw loose. In vain I have
sought to find it. I know it is there just as well as I know that I am
Cap'n Wiley. Now, you are a perfect piece of machinery, with everything
tight, and firm, and well oiled, and polished. As an example you are the
real thing. Perhaps to-morrow I may conclude to follow in your
footsteps. Just tuck me in my little bed and leave me to dreamy
slumber."
After being left in his room, however, Wiley did not remain long in bed.
Knowing they would not suspect such a thing of him, he arose, and
dressed, and returned to the gambling house. When morning came he was
not only broke, but he had pawned everything of value in his possession
and was practically destitute.
"Well," said Merry, having discovered the cap'n's condition, "I presume
now you will return with us to the Mazatzals?"
"No use," was the answer; "I shall stay here in Prescott. I have my eye
on a good thing. Don't worry about me."
It was useless to urge him, for he persisted in his determination to
stay there. And so before leaving Frank made some final arrangements
with him.
"I have wired for my mail to be forwarded here, Wiley," he said. "If
anything of importance comes, anything marked to be delivered in haste,
I wish you would see that it reaches me. Cannot you do so?"
"Depend upon me, Frank," assured the sailor. "I will not fail you in
this. But before departing it seems to me that you should make
arrangements that any such message be delivered into my hands."
"I will do so," said Merry. "Now, see here, cap'n, I don't like to leave
you strapped in this town. At the same time, I don't care to let you
have money of mine to gamble with. If I provide you with some loose
change, will you give me your word not to use it in gambling?"
"Your generosity is almost ignoble!" exclaimed Wiley. "However, I accept
it in the same manner that it is tendered. I give you my word."
"Well, that goes with me," nodded Merry. "Before leaving I shall see
that you are fixed with ready money."