Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

| & Pi , = of ron 2 ye ¥ 5 _ > # ’ ‘ _ “Oh! my child! my Ma Belle!” cried M. Leek | “* Have you a spare room, eolonel?” asked the gan of joy, as he knelt at her side. | * Tam so glad that you still live.” The maiden sath an attempt to speak, but | oud 0. ‘ ‘* Stand back, and give her air,” commanded | Wildcat Bob, and there was a light in his eye | vhat told them it would be dangerous to disobey. | Accordingly the miners moved away, and fresh air, that swept down the gulch soon | brought the color back to Ma Bolle’s cheeks. : After a short consultation with M. Lee, Colo- nel Tupper clambered to the summit of a neigh- | boring stump, and flourished his arms promiscu- | usly to attract attention. ** Feller-citizens!” he began, in tones of a | ®tentor, “TI arise thusly before you to maken’ ‘nouncement that ther exercises of this afternoon | will henceforth be discontinued until ter-morrer | afternoon at three P.M., when ther graceful an’ @uzelie-like Madonner o’ the tight rope will re- appear to delite yer fastidyus optics, as the ainbles an’ frisks across the marvelous Gulf o’ ‘Bpace on a thre’do’spool-cotton. Those whoare in favor of re-witnessing the wonderus perform- alces-o’ the Ma’mselle will make their wishes wanifest by saying ‘ [.’” ‘*T” «7 «7 came from a hundred throats y the same breath. “Contrary, no,” said the colonel. ; oo man only objected, and he was Wildcat “Very decidedly, no!” he exclaimed. ‘**The committee ge the objection!” de- wWarod Tupper, pompously. i Beller citizens, y havi ther honor to an- ounce that Mile. Ma Belle will appear. Now, éhen, git back to yer biz.” As there was nothing to remain for, the vast endience accordingly turned their faces toward the settlement, and strode away. Only four persons remained behind. They ‘were M. Leek and Ma Belle, and Colonel Tup- | per and Wildcat Bob. **Do I understand it that you will again im- | peril the life of this young lady on that rope, sir?” demanded the young bruiser, sternly, as he eyed Mons. Leek, narrowly. “My child will cross the gulch, or she will die in the attempt,” was the quick, angry reply, and tho Frenchman bit his lip savagely. “She | 's not afraid to make another trial!’ “For the simple reason that she dare not be afraid, you old scoundrel. Did you not intimi- fate her, constantly, she would not set a foot | spon the accursed rope that to-day nearly taused her destruction.” ‘Ha! how know you this?’ ‘“*She just told me as much, and I am enough of a judge of character to know she has not told me falsely.” “Then, by the crown, [ll chastise you, girl, for your boldness, Come with me!” oe Ma Belle grew very white, for the evil glare | dn the Frenchman’s eyes was horrible to see, | Turning toward Wildcat Bob, she gave him an | imploring glance. “Oh! sir, do not Jet him hurt me!” she cried, tears standing in her eyes. ‘He will take me ‘éo his tent ana whip me—oh! so hard.” **No, he will do nothing of the kind, young lady,” replied the young pugilist coolly, as he put his form between her and M. Leek. “Dil teach him a lesson if he dares to give me three words of lip.. Now, you infamous old hypocrite, t out of this just about as lively as you can, you value your bones. Go, I'say, or as sure’s there is virtue in my moccasins, PN boot you clean to Denver. Come, get a-going!” **M-m-my boy!” stammeringly interposed Colonel Tupper, soothingly— _ ‘ | But the other interrupted him with a light This is none of your pud- Il teach | * Dry up, Pett ad peg ‘ding, so our fingers out of i this old reprobate that the arms and the | feet and legs, and even the mouth of the Wild- | eat are ever ready to war against the wretch | ho with women. A woman, in my estimation, is not intended as the recipient of | blows and curses, and here’s what is ready to | Tae Ay Was Gants Gentsking brag,” eieersd | * You are a most ing brag,” snee M. Leek, not offering to trekt “Give me up | the girl, and allow me to return to my tent.” “No, I will not, you cur. Colonel, I now | place this young lady on your hospitality, and | in under your care, "til I get through with this | a, villain ks Now, you Frenchman, get up | M. Leek glanced his enemy over, from head | te foot, & greenish-glitter entered his evil | eyes. “Tl fight first!” he hissed, and he whi a | pistol from his hip-pocket. eit | But before he could ase it, one of the Boss | Bruiser's fists reached him squarely between the | eye way ows th phe ce laa i his face was shovisraie, Te will cool off his | ardor, and do him _ Now, young lady, ac- | ‘cept my arm, and I will conduct you to a go) at Ege will not again be mol ” Ma le consented, and the seinatnd tet toward Pompeii, the calonel bringing rear, : young man, glancin ‘Spread Eagle” saloon. ‘I wish to provide this young lady with the best accommodations I can, until I learn her history, and am able to lace her in a better institution than the sa- oon.” “You are darned complimentary on my ranch,” growled the worthy proprietor of the ‘Spread Eagle.” “Ef ye warn’t bigger’n I, I'd be tempted to trounce ye. Howsumever, Ill forego that undertaking until a better opportu- nity arrives. “No, I hain’t got no room, ‘less et ar’ my of- fice in back of the bar. fer ther cash.” ‘Very well, Go alwad and clear it out, and I will pay you for it.” Accordingly the colonel hurried on ahead, and the couple slowly followed in his wake. ‘You are very kind to me, sir,” said Ma Belle, with a grateful glance, “‘and I do not know how I can ever repay you. You have saved me froni death, end" the merciless blows of Jules Leek, and deserve a greater reward I'll surrender thet up ' than I shall ever be able to give you.” “‘I do not do things like this for the sake of reward, lady,” was the grave reply. ‘Surely, [ have done nothing more than any gentleman would crave the chance todo. Had [left you in the power of that man, I should have cursed myseif for the heartless action afterward. But, | tell me—what relation does he bear to you, | miss?” ‘* None at all, sir. He is simply my guardian, and that is all. But he has been a very cruel guardian to me. If it had not been for his pow- er over me, I would have fled from him long ago, and put the seas between us.” ** You belong in a foreign country, then?” ** No, but I have a sister living in England, sir. My native State is Florida, from where we came, when my guardian took it into his head to visit the gold regions.” ** How is it that you are such an adept on the tight-rope? Few circus performers can equal you. ‘** T learned to walk the rope, sir, with a pistol pointed at my head. My guardian is a retired ; | | back, as they neared the | or as he war’ known here, John Cameron, gymnast of an eastern show, and he taught me | to walk, by whipping me every time I lost my balance,” * The scoundrel! I am sorry I did not finish him up, while I was aboutit. But, come. Here is the saloon, and there is the colonel, who will show you to a room where you can remain in privacy. Had you other wardrobe? **Ob! yes, sir. It is in the tent on the cliff, and I shall need it so much.” ** Very well. I will get it for you then. Now, adieu for the present.” **Good-day. You will come to see me?’ “ Certainly, if you wish it,” and then, after a short hand-pressure, they parted, Ma Belle being shown by the obsequious colonel into her new quarters in the rear of the bar, which had been hastily prepared for her exclusive use. During the time between that and evening, Wildcat Bob retraced his steps to the tent of Leek, and procured his fair charge’s wardrobe which was limited to a valise and a basket of old dresses. These were duly transferred to the maiden’s room, and she was made as comforta- ble as circumstances would permit. Night fell over Pompeii’s gulch, dark and cloudy, and the evening stage arrived, loaded down with new-comers. In co uence of a scarcity of fighting mate- rial, the colonel was forced to postpone the prize- contest. No one seemed to have any desire to put him- self up as a target for the Boss Bruiser’s terrible blows, and therefore, no battle occurred. Among the new arrivals were several strange characters, at once noticeable. Long-bearded men from the States, rough, grizzly veterans from California, and hunters, trappers, and mountain-men of the northwest, were grou here and there, some ** lubricat- ing” at the bar, and others looking on, and ad- miring the pretty waiter-girls as they dealt out the fiery bog es. The colonel was behind the bar, looking “‘as big as life and twice as natural,” to use an old ex- pression, and his bows and smiles were some- thing wonderful to behold. As long as there was plenty of cash rolli across the bench into his capacious pockets, an very little of the highly prized aforesaid juice going out, acco y, the ex-officer was in his ory. ‘ During the evening Wildcat Bob took the op- rtunity to slip into Ma Belle’s apartment and inquire after her health. He was warmly received by the impulsive young maiden, and could have spent a very ble hour with her, had not propriety se to hasten an early -night. After leaving her, he wande aimlessly about the bar-room, studying the faces of those around him, and taking an observation of all that was going on. © gaming-tables were crowded, and the bankers and the — Pda ; i Ce er. 15 Bob was ta on the shoulder by a miner, whom he seen on several occasions, and ac. costed: ** Be you the snoozer they call Wildcat Bob? was the question put, as the r shifted un- easily from one foot to the other, * ’ca’se ef you be, I've got a message fer you.” ‘A message for me?” ‘“‘ Exactly, pervidin’-you’re the fellar I sed~ Mr. Wildcat Bob.” ** What is the message?” “ Fust, tell me, ar’ ye the snoozer thet I am ee for?” “Yes. Go on—what message have you for me, I should like to know?’ . The miner lowered his tone a trifle. “Thar’s a shemale outside, thet wants ter see ye. Shegiv'’mea foarte to tell you as how she war’ ther gal o’ a feller named Robert Beecher, an thet he hed left a de’th confession w’'ich con- sarned you; so she wants ter interview ye.” Wildcat Bob received the news with consider. able emotion. * Where is this girlf’ he demanded, pacing to and fro—‘‘ where is she?’ baat & P the gulch, a bit, hid in the byshes, an’ afeard to cum up heer to the ranch, lest the fel- lers shed see her. Modest,ain’t she? But, cum along, an’ I'll conduct ye to her, in a jerko’a lamb’s tail.” Not knowing what else to dounder the circum- stances, the young man followed his guide, and the two left the saloon and walked swiftly up the gulch, For about ten minutes they kept on, and were half a mile distant from the sa] when the miner suddenly halted and presenbed a cocked revolver at the pugilist’s head. ** Silence!” he hissed, and at the same instant a female figure glided out before them and ex- claimed: ‘** Wildcat Bob, you are my prisoner!” The woman was Kitty Aymer! CHAPTER XIV. IN THE POWER OF THE BLOODHOUNDS—AN UN- EXPECTED RESCUE. Ys, the woman was Kitty Aymer, and sho, too, held a cocked revolver in her hand, the muzzle of which was turned directly at the bruiser’s heart. ‘“* Wildcat Bob, you are my prisoner,” she re- peated, giving extra emphasis to the word “ my.* ‘** It looks somewhat that way, I must admit” iy boreg the young pugilist, with a cool laugh. * But, pray, how am I indebted to you for rather forcible mode of meeting?” ‘You mean, why do I see fit to take youa captive, sir?” ‘Well, yes. I do not recognize you as any —- whom I have hitherto counted on the enemy ist.” ‘No, probably not. I have but recently be- come your enemy. I am the wife of a man whom I married as John Cameron, but whom I have since learned went under the name of Rob- ert Beecher or Baricroft, [know notwhich. He was an enemy of yours, and when he died, # few days ago, he made me swear to work you, and I took a solemn oath to do so!” ‘What! is Robert Beecher surely dead, then?” cried Wildcat Bob, excitedly. John Cameron was killed in a brawl] at the Heifer Shebang, but I do not know whether his name was Bancroft or Beecher, for a certa’nty. I sent this companion of mine to you, belie that you were the latter, as I found out by some papers on my husband's body, that you were either one or the other.” ‘* My name is Bancroft—Robert T. Bancroft,” replied Se pugilist, sternly, . * I am con- stantly being caged vy a passel of army foo who — in laring me to be . a “Indeed! Well, I have no time to Eo, with you about that. This gentleman with the cocked revolver will see you safely out of tows and into the hands of enemies who will be pret» sure to make short work of you. Further than that I have nothing to say, except that my failure to kill you this afternoon will be suo ceeded by an early end to your career when the Bloodhounds get hold of you. Now, Reuben, do your work well, for I must be off.” And so saying, the young woman nodded to Wildcat Bob, restored her weapon to her pocket, and turned away. In a moment she had van- ished in the gloom, having gone in the direction of the settlement. “Wal,” said the man Reuben, after she had disappeared from view, “git a-goin’, my fine feller, ef ye’re a-going ter hitch traces along wi? me, fer we’ve another good ten mile to ere we git to our er ‘Put down your pistol,” replied the Wild-aa, watching his captor sharply. “I don’t relish the taste of cold Sant so keep the muzzle turned. the other way, if yon please.” “ But, I don't ease, the other, still keeping the shi barrel on a level with the pugilist’s breast. “‘My orders ar’ ter fetch ye to camp, an’ fetch ye I'm goin’ to; ef ‘tain’} eh Ses be dead, you heer me.” * if I refuse to go?’ “Then, I'll perforate you wi’ pills thet den) ‘ . .