Wrestling Joe: The Dandy of the Mines — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

= Br ne a ee, ee Pye nn -- =" Lf - + be 7 - - ’ , ; ~~ -s Se St oe - “os re etal ah f , . ’ r oe, , t é “0 Tey a ‘i, >) a sad oy 2 ; , * My hd . mm shy Py : . +3 . « . 4 P . Pi ™ ‘ Poe V Ptah yee 2° ¢ Ae Be: ' oy, — yes . . » = . * hes - 2 : 7" a . 4 : . - SS . A , ' ‘5 oe - - 4 FPden a! NN 4 . f " — > » aR ' ‘ * ~ < » oe 4 ' sd Ld ' “" . 4 = p of) ¢ , - , ‘> ‘ << ; ? m ? gt , fe to , » ° hes 7 ’ - : @« : Oa Ls axe ~ > ~ . a a i J Y can - 4 4 + Pe 7 # 7 \ ‘ 4 4 t — ~\" ; fi - a, ES Th bres” t ‘ ym ~ Ve. f. i # ° ¥. ty, "4 aS PY r <*> . ’ € Uy é if : : 4% ; -, f, q “I et Aw A a gE, Je ae Mes ‘ - , ~* > 5 : * ‘ alte” go : se - , d { fee - _* ; e , i ‘ > lan ix ’' - . 1 © ; ‘ ©. as 5 i ‘ 4 “ 4 - rs 7 “tea » » 6 - ~ a) a ee) “ <> Se : aw & ; > F od ae ~ 4 j od - : ° : , 7 The dwarf shuddered, much as he had wished to see the gamblers punished, for he saw them go down, slain toa man without a chance to defend themselves, so complete was the surprise, so close the ambush. “T cannot stay here—I must go down and speak to Joaquin!” said Joe, and he hurried to the bend in the trail, where Joaquin was standing, while his men attended to the plunder. Champe, alone unharmed, of all his band, stood dis- armed before the Californian. ‘‘Dog!” said the latter, “I had your life spared, not because you deserved mercy, but because my friend, your enemy, holds it as hisown. I would not take from him the right of doom he holds. Your life belongs to Don Eduardo Carroll. Go tell the people whom you meet that Joaquin is in the hil)s—his business is revenge, To rob, to slay, these are the pastimes of Joaquin and his men! No trail henceforth is safe—we will strike for vengeance everywhere. Begone—thou art a beggar now. We hold all your gold, and your companions have no further need. Of all your party you alone are left alive. Go! or I'll make my men scourge you on.” ‘Go, brave Master Champe !” hissed the dwarf. ‘“ Pepito laughs at you !” “Go, and beware of March fourteenth !” cried Wrestling Joe, who had before seen the effect of those words upon him. The gambler, on foot, without arms, or an ounce of gold, staggered along the trail, completely broken down. His ill-gotten gains were tost—his friends had perished—it seemed as if his day was darkening into night, indeed. CHAPTER XXII. NEED OF HASTE AND SECRECY. Wrestling Joe almost pitied the wretch as he staggered on, he seemed so completely beaten down in mind and body. But Pepito, who had a thousand kicks, and blows, and bitter curses to remember, danced in glee, and as he looked on the bodies strewed around, laughed his bitter hate. The calmest man of all was Joaquin. His men had gath-! broad Sacramento’s tule-covered shore. ered all the spoil—he had not touched an ounce of gold. “So many lives for one. My Maraquita shall be well avenged before I cease my work!” cried Joaquin. “Now, friends, you have seen whatI have wished you should see. We will part, you to go your way, and I mine. You will hear from me often, and you may sometimes see me. You need never know me unless I am the first to speak, and thus show you Iam willing to be known. Go, now, good friends—go, and do not linger in these hills. Hence- forth they who travel here will go at the peril of their lives. Iam at war with all; my heartis full of bitter- ness, and vengeance is my cry !” Joaquin turned away and gave a signal. His men scat- tered away over the hills, and were gone from sight ina moment. “We, too, must be gone. It would be death for us to be found here,” said Joe to the dwarf. “As it is that-villain, Champe, will doubtless report us as among the band who slew his friends and took his gold. The sooner we leave these parts the better will it be for us.” Joe and Pepito rapidly retraced their steps to the river- bank, and crossed over to their camp. Poor Maggie was terribly frightened, for she had heard the firing, and she feared her friends would never come back. But her heart was still again when she saw them cross, and she listened to the story told of Joaquin and his vengeful band with eager interest. “And now pack up, my good girl, the little you have to pack, for we must leave this spot,” said Joe, when he had concluded his narration. “The danger which kept me most anxious has passed from the camp above. The villain Champe is no longer in a position to carry out his threats to annoy one whom I could not protect; and I can leave her without fear. Pack up, good girl, while I pre- pare a small stock of eatables, and Pepito gets the boat ready.” It ‘Sooke but little time for them to make ready, and ere the hour of noon had passed the skiff with its three pas- sengers was gliding down the rapid stream. . - oat d Pgke - ~~ Seo of Se ae ba eh ae —- . a ree ee = a... a a - * > a * : Z ; "se. = - . - — a eS wien re? ~ — . . > —— > - : 6 ate: Reno aK EIR te ee > —- 5 ee ae ee f - - ; ” - ~., ‘ , ‘pa =" ‘ - ~ - c - or . . ts < 7 ,™ ha aac ~ ie Pe. ~ ; ay YT. : vis | wes ET eS 4 4 as . — Q 4 eu Sacer ay >." ‘ ». . . d : 7 “ : 7 . a a THE LOG CABIN LIBRARY. ca a) a: en - ; — ae PS — < . ial rs — ‘ « 3 ~\. Mabie -Rtn She ee = Seed = ‘ 7 ~ - - 7 7 ' . <a ret - a . t No. 158, —————————————————————— “We must reach the forks where the Feather joins the Yuba before Chainve gets there,” said Joe. “If we do not, and he should gee us before we pass, he would be sure to give us trouble. There are too many of his class in that settlement for our safety.” es ane “Tf he is yet on foot we will be far ahead of him,” said Pepito. “For it is fully fifteen miles by land, and he can- not have traveled more than five of them. The river bends will make it more for us, but the current runs swiftly here, and we are going fast.” “What is thar?” asked Maggie, pointing to a moving object on a bluff not far ahead. : “ Most likely it is Champe—it is a man, and his gaze is turned this way,” said Joe. “The river runs close to the traveled trail around that bluff.” The skiff swept on, and soon they were so close that they could recognize as well as meet the recognition of the villain Champe, for it was he. Unarmed he could only scowl down his rage and bellow out a useless curse as they swept by inside of pistol shot. On amid swirling eddies and over rough, rippling bars, the stout skiff sped, and soon through the drizzling mist the houses, sheds, and tents of the new town of Marysville were in sight. Pepito at the oars, drew the skiff close in on the south- ern bank under cover of the windows, which lined the shore, and it seemed as if they would have the fortune to pass the place unseen. For no mining was going on there. It was a busy point of trade—no more, no less. Silent but watchful the occupants of the boat crouched low as it rustled by the overhanging limbs, and 300n they saw the even swifter current of the Feather rushing on to join the Yuba in its seaward journey. A half-hour more and they were safe from observation at that point at least. But the farther down they went the thicker would the settlements be met, and they knew that haste and secrecy must yet be used for the confederacy to which Champe belonged was strong in all the settlements. On swept the boat, the point aimed was reached before the shades of night fell dark upon them, and when at last they drew to shore to camp and rest it was upon the “We are now safe!” said Joe, when some distance inland, he lighted a fire whereby they could warm their chilled bodies. “We can hide by day and move by night, and in two days more will reach the great city, where either in disguise or out I can find friends who will protect us all.” ¥: “Will Champe come there?” asked Pepito. “ Without capital to run a bank, I hardly think he will,” said Joe. “He can do better in the mines, for with but a petty start his tricks will soon place him in funds again. Yet, to avoid the man he dreads, he may go down to the bay. We will soon see.” “T hope he will. I want to torment him more!” said the dwart. “I£ I can oaly keep him within reach I shall be happy. I would like to stamp upon him every day as long as he lives. To howl out my hate in his ears.” “ Hark—hark, I hear the dash of oars!” said Maggie. Wrestling Joe in an instant put out the fire which he had kindled, while both he and Pepito listened to the sounds. * “ Ves—a boat is on the river—rowing down,” said Joe. “Most likely Champe is searching for us on the water. Be silent—he will pass. The skiff is too well hidden for any eye to find it.” “Hark!” said Maggie again. ‘‘They are not rowing now. Oh, if they are upon our track—if our boat should be discovered !” “Wewould teach them a bitter lesson, Maggie!” said Joe, inalow tone. “Both I and Pepito are well armed. You too wear pistols at your waist.” “They are landing, not far below,” said the dwarf, “I hear them plainly in the reeds.” “YVes—perhaps they mean to camp. If they do I'll show them a trick I learned upon the prairies long ago,” said Joe, in a whisper. The trio listened anxiously, for they could hear the voices of the men whoever they might be, not many rods away. They could not make out the import of their talk, - ‘ P . " 4 = ¢ A 7 ' - » y “o_) - “4 — é . - . - - 7 2 j vp - Fe # ree i = - ee 3 em Mr ee +1. POR ee eee - l ac % is > ‘ at 2” ft ds : ¢ — ott ig, % . : ~ 7 : 5 ~?" a "ee ~ ia - : : 3 ~~ : . 7 te. Seb Ne mtetels - 7 | a Sy “ , at ae a y- ~ - ‘. Oe all le fe . “ - - ai} . d di = uaa a. a . | Vale wa | i Vio, a : _ ~ ? — ro; ~ | q a ee 4 * a Sa vy SPs ; > ome t . * * Pe - ~~ 5 pee os 7 wie mf P - C > J