Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1003 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

° ! German Joe, the Hayseed Sport. | 3 CHAPTER II. THE BADGERS’ NEST. GrackE DENMORE satin her hammock under the shade of a spreading oak, swinging gently back and forth. Sbe had laid down ner book and was thinking of ber home in the East, and wondering how long it would be before she could return to her friends. ‘*Mamma’s much better now, and I wouldn’t bo surprised if we started East in a few weeks, I’m sure I’ve had enough of Colorado and—” Her shoughts were violently disturbed by the sudden appearance of two men, one of whom rushed upon er without ceremony and threw a 7 dark blanket over her head and shoul- ors. She tried to scream but the sound of her voics | was deadened by the foldsof the robe, and in another instant, in spite of her struggles, she was being carried quickly toward tho road. The excitement and rough treatment were too, much for her, and by the time her captors had reached their horses she had fainted. Nick Goodloe, for be the kidnapper was, took leave of his accomplice, and with his fair burden in his arms, mounted one of the korses and set out for Siiverside at a rapid gait. Silverside was, at the time of which we write, @ smaller town than Placer Ranch, but was noted throughout the country as a resort for roughs and toughsof the worst class. It was, in fact, merely a collection of gambling-houses, saloons and concert halls, One of the largest of these, ealled the ‘‘ Badg- | ers’ Nest,” bad a reputation that made it famous all over the West, and was not infrequently heard of in the ** States.” It was kept by a man named Dacy, who was himself known as a ‘‘ bad man,” and had set the corner-stone of the village cemetery by shoot- ing the first person who had dared to intimate that he wasn’t tho biggest man in Junita county. To this place, Nick Goodloe took the uncon- scious Grace Denmore. evidently been expecting the arrival, for a suite of rooms on the top floor had been prepared for the girl’s reception. ‘*Take good keer uv her, Phil,” said Nick to Dacy, as he delivered Grace into the latter’s keeping. ‘*‘Ef anythin’ happens to thet gurl, remember you ll hev to account to me.” ‘*She’s ez safe here ez she would be at bum,” replied Dacy. ‘‘ I’ll see thet she’s treated like a princess, an’ ef any one goes foolin’ aroun’ her— well, yo’ know me !” Nick smiled at this significant remark, and, remounting his horse, rode slowly back toward Placer Ranch. When he reached the residence of Colonel Denmore, he heard the excited talk of the party which that gentleman had organ- ized to go in search of his daughter, and think- ing that it would be best to puta bold face on the matter, he deliberately rode up to them, in- quiring the reason of the unusual commotion. The result of his appearance has already been recorded. His story of meeting German Joe during the night had removed suspicion from himself and fastened it more firmly upon the Dutchman. When be was told of the discovery of the knife bearing Joe’s name, he was very much puzzled, but concluded that his partner must have dropped it, Nick accompanied the party on the return to Placer Ranch, and when Joe made his escape he was one of the first to join the pursuit, ‘*Wa-al, boys,” said Little Pete, when, two hours later, they drew rein in Silverside. ‘“We've tracked ther Dutchman here, but whar’n thunder is he hid? Let’s begin by searchin’ ole Dacy’s Nest.” **Good idee,” assented several. ‘ Ef he’s got too much uv a crowd here there mought be a fight, howsomever.” ‘*He won't fight over thet Dutchman,” re- turned Little Pete, dismounting. ‘‘ An’ ef he does, I reckon we kin jest about raise him out’n his hand,” The rest dismounted, and were immediately con by the party under the leadership of Kid een, which had left Colonel Denmore’s house to trace the trail af the kidnappers. “We follered it clear to within a hundred ards uv thet tree by Cody’s cattle-trail,” said Keon. ‘An’ then we lost it dead. Seems ma ae e Pete hastily recounted the escape of German Joe, and told him that the Dutchman = evidently in hiding somewhere in Silver- “We ar’ goin’ to by turnin’ old inside out,” a ae on A task was by no means unpleasan t boys read for more’n likely he'll show fight.” ' growled to himself. The proprietor bad | | Thus, protected from the shots of their ene- Dacy, on the inside of the ‘‘ Badger’s Nest,” regarded the warlike preparations with astonish- ment and dismay. ‘*What’n thunder are them fellers arter?” he ‘*16 must be they’re here fur ther gurl, but by the etarnal, they’re hain’t enough men in Colarady to take Aer. 1 jest about kalk’late to keep my paws on thet woman and let Nick Goodloe go some’ar’s else fur his wife, Mebbe I’m an ole— There they air, | poundin’ on the door,” Dacy went to the door and inquired: ‘*What’n blazes do yo’ want here afore a man’s up? The Nest hain’t open yet,” ‘We want some one yo’ve got hid in yere,” replied Little Pete. ‘* An’ we come prepared to git what we want; See?” Dacy thought he saw, but ke didn’t. The de- mand for some one whom he was keeping hid was thought by him to refer to Grace Denmore, and he acted accordingly. Without replying | to Little Pete, he rushed up-stairs, woke up the | couple of dozen men who were regular lodgers | at the ‘* Badgers’ Nest,” and while they were dressing, he barricaded all the doors and win- dows in the house. Little Pete on the outside noted taese prepara- | tions, and was immensely pleased. es He's got ther boy, sure, and won’t giv’ him up. Probably [Cutchy bez psid him well ter keep him safe, an’ ole Dacy reckons we won’t a to keep him by force. Waal, mebby not.” Little Pete and his followers, numbering now about thirty men, tied their horses out of pistol- shot, and then cautiously returned to the sé Nest. ” Nick Goodloe had ap to this time followed the | leadership of Little Pete, but when he heard of the scheme to search Dacy’s house, he openly | rebelled, | **What’s ther use uv havin’ some uy ther | boys shot fer nothin’?” be argued. ‘“ Dacy’ll kiil a dozen of yees afore vo’ git through, an—” **Oh, shet up,” cried Pete. ‘‘ Don’t yo’ see he’s got ther Dutchman or he wouldn't mind our goin’inside, Ef we git him weo*kin make him show us whar be’s hid the gurl.” This logic failed to satisfy Nick, forced to enter the raid or show the white feather, and so he fell in line, cursing the luck = led the party to the very hiding-place of the girl, Little Pete first had the house surrounded, and then, with a dozen of the party’s best, made ready for an assault on the front entrance, Kid Keen and fiveothers were stationed aoout fifty yards in front of the house with loaded rifles covering every window. ‘‘ Ef a head appears anywhar put a bullet in it,” were Pete’s terse instructions, and his fol- sepa were prepared to carry them out to the etter, .t ne was mies, Little Pete led a furious onslaught on the front door, A long, blunt log was used as a battering-ram, but before much effective work was done, the bullets were flying back and forth between Keen’s men and the front windows, and sae was obliged to hasten to his lieutenant’s aid. The windows of the house fairly blazed with rifie-flashes, for Dacy had rallied all his men to his assistance, and was prepared to lay out all Junita county if n y. The long-standing riv between Placer Ranch and Silverside had n brought to a climax, and must now result in victory for one of the contending factions, Before a half-hour of this kind of fighting was passed, Little Pete saw clearly that his party Was getting the worst of it, and finally with- gh all men out of range for a consulta- on. Nick Goodloe was dispatched back to Placer Ranch for reinforcements, a committee was ap- pointed to care for the wounded, and the attack Two men were alread ed outright, and the blood of Placer Ranc came to the t. Crack! Crack! The sound of exploding shells echoed like fire- crackers within the walls of the ‘‘ Nest,” as with a steady hand Dacy kept the fire trained upon the skirmishing line of theenemy. . The third | mn to be carried from the field was Little Pete, and as he was laid by the side ge ES Pp ot weapons a poconericeniien to dieif it was in the a of the honor and dignity of Placer Kid Keen, with something of the quick in- tuition that characterizes all t 7 plainly that this kind of fig romptly renewed. Crack! Crack! saw would never ~~ bring about the desired end. To win a victory out of the seeming defeat that now confronicd him, be must force an entrance into the house— and without delay. To this end he reformed the line of battle, sending half of the party to cover the front windows while he led the cther half in an attack on the door, By the very liberal usecf the battering-ram the door was forced from its hinges and finally fell with a crash on the inside, ‘‘ Forward,” yelled Keen, springing into the building at the head of the Piacer Ranch con- tingeut, ‘‘ Now we'll give the rascals a taste of their own medicine.” The entrances was effected into the main room of the ‘* Nest” occupying the entire first floor. In one corner a broad stairway led to the sleep- ing rooms overhead, Keen rushed for this stairway, but half-way up they were met by a sharp fire from the open door at the top, and sent headlong back again. “Charge!” shouted Keen, almost frenzied by the repulse, and leaving their dead and dying behind them, the brave. littlé party sprung straight toward the muzzles of their enemies’ rifles, gleaming through the doorway. ° CHAPTER ILI. GERMAN JOE ON DECK. WHEN Joe put spurs to his horse and esoaped from Little Pete just as his party was ontering Placer Ranch, he had already prepared a plan of action for clearing himself of the unpleasant charge. He knew but could not prove that Nick Goodloe was the real kidnapper and his reason for taking so direct a route to Silver- side was to keep as far as possible in Nick’s tracks, For a few minutes after bis flight the bullets whistled unpleasantly close to his ears, but by the time he had again reached Colonel Denmore’s residence ke had left bis pursuers fur in the rear. To escape a possible meeting with Kid Keen and his followers, Joe left the main road when near Silverside and took a cattle-trail running south to Cody’s ranch and from there to the village. This trail ke followed into Silverside and find- ing no evidence of the Placer Ranch party there, he entered the ‘‘ Badgert’ Nest” for a few moments’ rest. The bar-room was deserted and after searching about for the proprietor of the place Joe started up-stairs. To bis surprise no one was on the landing to intercept him and so he kepton, passing into the hall above. ‘‘ Wa-al, tis vhas a queer place, ain’t id?’ he muttered. ‘*No von aroundt to vait on cus- tomers. Hello, vbhas is dis?” He picked up a dainty little handkerchief from the floor, and glanced at the name in the corner. ‘‘Shimmany, budt dis takes der cake!. Dis vbas der name uf der gurl dodt vhas stolen. She musdt be kept hid here some’ars.” Before Joe could continue his investigations a door down at the other end of the hall opened, and a man rushed out, At the same time a party of horsemen came galloping up to the front. door. Dacy ran down-stairs and bolted the door. ‘Vell, dis vhas ~ funny scrape. Dose peo- bles from Placer Ranch are oudt in front look- in’ fur me, unt dodt man t’inks they’r’ arfter der gurl,” Thus mused Joe as he retreated into a small room, the door of which stood conveniently open. Here he stayed cones the entire battle. The sharp reports of the rifles, the crashing in of the door and the hoarse orders of Dacy could all be distinctly heard, and when the charge was made on the stairway, and the Placer Ranch men re- pulsed, Joe could bold in no longer. He a revolver in each hand, and just as Kid Keen and his followers made their second onsleught, the little Dutchman opened fire on the enemy's rear, Attacked on both sides by a running fire of and preci Dacy became cones Ag? ontop tately retreated. > an umphant, came running in, followed by his brave little band, just in time to see German Joe, standing with bis back to the wall, keeping at bay a score of maddened men. ‘‘{ vhas der Flyin’ Dutchman, and der fu’st man dodt raises a shooter,vill gedt hurt, don’dt id, “ That's right, Dutchy,” cried Keen. “ Keep them there we git loaded up.” This bit of facetiousness was lost on Dacy’s men, who losing ull control of themselves, made a rush fer Joe, Joe shrunk back against the side of the hall as re ae ® <5 in, Sie ae . = —-_ * - ~ ‘ “< ee a , ey 5, -