Phil Rushington's Search, or, The Unknown Rider of the Ring — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

wy »*, ' ° * ; / Fa 4, DO AND DARE WEEKLY. | "Rush bent down and motioned to Curly. | “The latter came quickly up to the barrel and Rush whispered in his ear: “Go hunt up Mr. Arkwright and get the padlock that belongs to this cage.” An idea of what the young showman in- tended to do flashed through the groom’s mind and he grinned slily as he nodded and made off. Straightening up one: more, Rush again gave his attention to Reddy and Bump- ers. “What I want to know is,” Reddy was saying, “where's that paper?” “That paper’s safe, an’ don’t you fergit it.” “It’s safe enough, probably, but I want to know where it is. Lovejoy and I have got as much interest in that as you have.” “Look here! Ain’t you got no confidence in your pal?” “To be honest with ye, Bumpers, I must say I haven't got as much as I'd like ter have.” “Some *’un said that there’s honor even among—er—gentlemen like us, but x “G’wan! That’s guff. Where's that dockyment ?”’ -“T’ve got it safe, and I’m goin’ ter sell it _ to the highest bidder.” “There'll be only one bidder.” “There are three people as ‘u’d like ter have it.” “Keno—but only one with the money ter buy it. Ardsley, Frances and Levering. Levering hasn’t a dollar an’ is now in jail an’ likely ter lose what little practice he had an’ take a trip over the road inter the bargain, Frances has considerable money in prospect but isn’t of age and can only get what Ards- — ley advances, so we'll have ter look to the major, himself.” “Major Ardsley’ll buy it—mark my words.” ‘He'll get it, Bumpers, by hook or crook. If he don’t buy it he'll have you waylaid an’ the paper taken from you.” “Nixey! I’m too cunnin’. “ol “Tw ent ce the paper about me.” § “Whatr? > “T say I haven't tte paper about me. I was afeared of you an’ Lovejoy—a physical wreck like me wouldn’t stand much show ag’ inst a prize-fighter and a strong man. So I hid the.dockyment in one of the chariots b’longin’ to this show.” “Confound you, Bumpers! I’ve a notion ter choke ye for that.” “Don’t do it! Hurt me any an’ you'll lose a fortune. I won’t come as easy as [rances, although ye tried twicet in that quarter an’ couldn’t make it.” “Look here, blast ye! What you tryin’ to git at” “You know well enough. The Major ‘u'd like ter git rid of both Frances an’ Levering. You an’ Lovejoy are engineerin’ one job an’ ye might let me look arter t’other one.” “You close your trap about that!” growled Reddy. “What good did it do ye ter hide that docyment ‘round one of the show wagons ?”’ “Tt’ll do me a heap more good than ter have it ’round my clothes where you an’ Lovejoy can git at it. Oh, I ain’t so much, Reddy, but I know a thing or two!” “Took here,” hissed Reddy, where that paper is or I'll throttle you!” “you tell me “Keep yer hands off 0’ me, or I'll yell. You know what that means. The boss fired you an’ give you half an hour ter leave the erounds. Here it is over an hour an’ ye hain’t left yet. Rushington won’t do a thing to you if he finds you here, I don’t. think. >. Keep away, I say, or The words were lost in a smothered yell, followed by a heavy fall that caused the wagon to shake. At that instant Curly re- turned with toad Walt accompanying