Beadle's Half-Dime Library No. 109 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

' i] as = ——_——— — — —_———— a +. oe — rr | -—- — -.-ee- = —-- 12 edith in disguise, he is also Algernon Ashton the triple murderer, that name being one of his many aliases!” ‘| protest!” the Honorable Clancy roared, from his stand. ‘You be blowed!” Phineas Porter cried. ‘You are asmuch of arascal as he. Constable, do my bidding.” The man Holloway was no fool. He knew which side his bread was buttered on, to use a figurative expression; he also saw how the tide was turning, and accordingly arrested the strange witness, who submitted to the hand- cuffs with very poor grace, At this juncture there was a commotion in the audience, and the herculean proportions of a man of prodigious size became visibie as he en- Segrared™ to elbow his way through the crowd, while he yelled at the top of his voice, which emanated from no weak pair of lungs: ‘‘Git out! clear ther track! make room fer ther Pet Elephant o’ ther Leadville trail—ther eat Appoller o’ ther North-west. Beautiful Bil am ty an’ [I want er finger in this hayr technical pie. Git eouto’ ther way, pilgrims, an’ give mo space ter expiate—give me room ter ruminate—give me a chance ter p’int out est let me see ther sort 0’ ip deny as they ee ee + + eee ee _ —— ee ee —-—- —— - — -_—— ——- — -- giant in a combat, and he trembled as he pic- tured the consequences. ‘What do you want?’ he demanded, endeay- oring to assume bravado suitable for his station. ‘What do you want, sir?” ‘* What do I want, me noble scion of the House mayor said, with unseemly haste, ‘I, there- | fore, by that power vested in me, as judge of the court, and mayor of the town of Rough Shod, do sentence the prisoner, Carroll Holly by name, edjudged guilty of the crime of mur- | der in the first degree, to be hanged by the | neck unt dead, in front of the public jail in | o’ Refuge—me lord duke? What do ther great said town, at sunrise, to-morrow morning; also, | Apoller want? Waal, now, ef ye’ll lend me yer [I do declare William Stafford innocent of the | capacious ear fer about a minit, ll endeavor crime, ane pronounce him a free man!” ter impress upon yer brain ther natur’ o’ my “Hold, William Stafford is my prisoner!” | wants!” CHAPTER X. * A CHALLENGE, AND the crowd listened, and the mayor listen- ed to learn what the man of much mouth and muscle from Leadville, could want with Rough Shod’s aristocratic official dignitary. No pil- grim ever before, in the memory of the oldest inhabitant had had the audacity to treat the town’s supreme magistrate thus familiarly, and the lookers-on were in the ripe spirit to see the mayor’s much-bragged-of but never-displayed prowess. This man from Leadville was no baby to handle, as several of the Rough Shod sports had already learned to their cost, and therefore they Phineas Porter cried. ‘I hold papers for his arrest, signed by the Governor of the State. I claim him, and remand him to the jail, to await my further orders!” ‘Let me see your papers!” the Honorable Clancy demanded, in a rage. Phineas Porter handed them up without a demur, and Adair read them several times over, ere he returned them, ‘*T have nothing further to say,” he declared, “when you can prove that William Stafford is your man.” “That can be easily done!” the detective re- plied, coolly. ‘See?’ and he reached forward and tore the false beard from Meredith’s face, and also the wig from his head, ‘‘ The change “Tell xe the giant roared, after a few mo- ther galoot as put er Jead ounce inter ther | reveals altogether another man. and the real | deemed it morally certain that he would knock noodle of ther girl, up California gulch. I was | murderer of Minnie Yates.” the mayor literally into the middle of the next | thar, b’yees, war 1—Beautiful Bill war thar, an’ ‘‘Barry Meredith, you shall yet hang for | week. see’d ther hull fracas, an’ don’t ye fergit, an’ | your awful crime!” Edith cried, suddenly tow- But, all were surprised, later. now ering up in front of the guilty man. ‘*Ownthe 4 a ——_—— 7° SS > —— re eae ae ee ewe ~——~T + — me ewes me ee ee © ee ee eee say did ther job, an’ | kin tell ’em ef their almanack calkylations ar’ kerect, quicker’n a cat ever played ther tune ther old cow died on, on a bull fiddle. Oh! I'm a tearer, I am—a reg lar ourang-outang of a chap—a Pet Elephant an’ an Apoller—ther original model. ain’t much noted fer sweetness 0’ temper, my festive yaloots, ner my ducats don’t number up inter ther millions, but when ye cum ter pure un- blemished beauty, I’m on deck, am I—Beautiful Bill ferever—ther purtiest man in seven coun- \ies, cl’ar down ter ther fith sand, an’ plenty o’ rock ter spare. “ An’ cl’ar from ther sacred precincts 0’ Devil’s Debouch cometh I, ter gaze upon ther aurderer o’ the defunct gal, you heer me!” And with a snort and a prance the giant sud- truth, and let Carroll Holly go free, for well you know that he is innocent!” ‘*T know nothing of the kind. Itis I who am innocent!” was the sullen reply. ‘*Silence. The court is dismissed!” Clancy Adair cried, ‘‘Constable, I remand the two prisoners to jailin your care. See that they do not escape, or you will forfeit your life!” This was the end of the trial. Both Carroll and Barry Meredith were taken off to jail, and the court-room was soon cleared. Edith went home alone; Phineas Porter lin- gered at the court-room until Clancy Adair came out, ‘‘Ta! ha! you played a strong hand, but I held the greatest number of tricks, you see!” the mayor of Rough Shod’s little populace said, ments of head-scratching—‘‘tell ye, me noble jackal? On covrse I will, an’ we’ll see ef thar’s ary a bit o’ stuff in ye, wuth acent. Ye see, whereas in the course 0’ hooman events it be- came necessary ter bend my footsteps toward ther settin’ sun, because o’ sundry difficulties in Leadville, I struck this town, and next I know’d, pilgrims, I war struck wi’ a tremen- dous gripe in the stomache, which the fisican pronounced ther first pangs o’ dawnin’ luy fer sum lovely feminine critter. I looked around me, an’ found ther gal who hed stole my ace of hearts, an’ 1 popped at her, immegetly. Waal, arfter sum courtin’, I concluded ter give her a trial in double harness, but fust she must lick the best fighter in town, ter guarantee she were ready ter defend ther great Pet Elephant, denly came to a pause in front of the witness | triumphantly. in his old age. This she agreed to do, on ther stand, and took a survey of the situation. ‘“You played a cheating, lying game, too!” | spot, and nominated ther mayor of ther town **Took-ge hyar!” he suddenly roared, begin- ning to tread around like an angry dog—‘*‘ what uo I behold? Two prisoners heer, fer ther send- off o? one mortal gal. Comets an’ catapuits! What ye doin’ wi’ thet galoot?” And the long bony index finger of the giant pointed out Carroll Holly. “That man is the murderer of the girl!” Clancy Adair averred, rising, with dignity. “T’ll bet two dollars to a chaw o’ tobaccer thet ye’re a gol-dummed old liar!” the Pet Elephant declared, hotly. ‘‘ Thet feller a mur- derer? No sir-ee, bob-tail hoss—not any fer an’ I can lick ther teetotal socks off ther galoot as sez different!” ‘Tf you saw the crime committed, please tell us, then, who is the right man?’ Detective Por- ter said. * Who be the right man, did ye say? On the Washingtonian replied, sternly. ‘‘I might | asherhuckleberry. Great camels an’ catapults, have outgeneraled you, as it was, but did not | pilgrims, thet eal knows her biz, an’ so she sets see fit to hire men to le for me. Look out for | down an’ writes a challenge, an’ hayr’s w’at it yourself, yet, however, for I shall have you on | SCZ: your back, and yourenemy out of prison, before “**My Derr Mayon: In the demands 0’ jurtice, fer you are scarcely aware of it.” pape offenses, I, California Kate, clias Kate Savage, ‘““Bah! I defy you,” was the retort. ‘' You | do challenge you, Clancy Adair, ter meet me in ther will find that I am boss here, in Rough Shod, | street, wi’ ther broadsword or dueling blade, an’ J ; urs rated ‘Your days of power are nearly at an end,” | coward ‘an’ ni compoop, ye can honorably entlge Porter replied, gjart Ye as he strode away ) this challenge, but ef. ye aspire ter be a gentleman. a one direction, wh the mayor took an- | ye’re bound ter cum an’ face me, I'll be waitin’ fer other. | ye, in front o’ ther Roost, at seven, to-night. One man out of all those assembled in the “* CALIPORNIA KATE’, court-room, followed his Honor, and that man “Thar, now, how is that fer high+—how’s the bi cepa 3 Leadville giant, Beautiful | thet fer woman's rights aud ther next pres) Bill. Straight after the mayor the Pet Ele- | dent? Kerwhoop! a daisy ar’ thet Kate, an phant pranced, and caught up with him inside sot down in thet presidential cheer, wull she, ai’ the Fair Shake saloon, Then, up to Rough | ye bet yer boots on’t. An’ now, me lord duke, course I will, my gelorious son o’ Liberty. | Shod’s chief magistrate the giant waltzed, and | what is yer answer, will ye fight, or will ye Thar’s the chap thet did ther job—right thar; | hit him a slap on the back with his big hand, | crawfish?’ he who calls hisself William tafford, an’ I'll | that caused some of the mayor’s pompous bear- | ‘“‘T’ll fight, of course; I never was yet brande: git up on top o’ a stack o’ Bibles as high as a ing to wilt, a coward!” the Honorable Clancy replied, with meetin’~’us’ steeple an’ sw’ar he’s ther very chap ‘* Lookee hayr, me lord!” Bill roared, in tones | dignity. ‘Tell the woman I will come and cut —ther precise identical galoot!” calculated to inspire his victim with terror— | her accursed head off.” ‘“You hear?’ Phineas Porter said, turning | ‘‘lookee hayr, me gentle zephyr o’ springtime! | ‘‘Kerwhoop! d’ye heer him, pilgrims—d’yo triumphantly to Adair. ‘‘The innocence of | You’re ther very percise galoot we want ter see | icar him avow his intention o’ decapitatin’ ther Carro Holly and the guilt of Wiliam Staf- | —ther entire inderwidual I wanter interview— | he’d o’ my amority? Oh! zepbyis o’ Canaan ford, alias Burr Meredith, alias Algernon | I, Beautiful William, ther Pet Elephant = -.uer | urtect us—purtect me, Beautiful William, ther Ashton, is proven beyond a doubt.” “By no means!” the mayor replied, a green- ish glitter in hiaeyes. ‘The testimony in this case is not yet all given. Joel Davenport, Oscar Porterine, Jack Finch, Bill Marle, Sam Steele and Alf Moore will pleese step forward and be sworn.” Six rough-looking fellows instantly stepped SS a out of the crowd and onto the witness stand— } men with long, shaggy beards, and faces where- in was not a trace of honesty or mercy. ‘(Tama miner!” the man Davenport began, loudly. ‘‘ These men are companions of mine, and we always go together. ® were coming cown to town, early. this morning, when we accidentally came upon the scene of the murder Leadville trail!” “Sir, what do you mean by laying a hand upon me?’ the Honorable Clancy demanded, angrily. ‘‘ Ive a notion to horsewhip you for | your insolence.” ‘““Kerwhoop! ye have, hev ye?—ye’ve ther | darnest notion in ther world ter cowhide ther | Pet Elephant o’ ther Leadville trail, hev ye? | Oh! Jerusalem! Oh! Lordy! somebody fan me | quick—some galoot jab a knife into an artery an’ bleed me, or | shall faint. Cowhide ther Apoller o’ ther Nor’-west, will ye? Oh! me royal lord duke—me zephyr o’ Luv among ther Roses! Sail right in—come hug me ter oncet— | —_ me wi’ ther vim o’ a number one griz- | y! | And the giant squatted, and leered frightfully | et Klerfant c’ ther Leadville trail!” the giant cried, as the Honorable Clancy turned anc strode from the saloon. ‘‘ Gents, were I ther king o’ all this yere yearth—were I a Vander- bilt or a Stewa war I at ther bead oO’ a raii- road corporation, or a whisky bar’l—war I the: richest man, or ther poorest galovt in this yer. contynent, I'll be teetotally bathed in mustaic- asters an’ unhealthy eggs, sandwiched w, imburger cheese and old bi’led owl, ef I'd trac « my chance fer life wi’ ther mayor, you heer me. When I want ter end my yearthly pilgrimage. | Ill go buck my head ag’in’ a mule’s hind {ut, o: I'll smother myself in a ten-cent schooner 0’ lager, but I be everlastin’ly jiggered ef I'll let thet gal Kate, shave me wi’ a broad-sward. Ob! —saw the man, Holly, shoot the young woman no!” with the babe. As we allus mind our own biz, | into the face of the mayor. For once in his | And with a broad grin, the giant took his de we didn’t interfere, but cum cn ter town!” life, at least, that individual was thoroughly | parture! Upon being sworn, the other men corrobo- rated the miner’s evidence. ‘That willdo. Soconclusive and overwhelm- ing is the evidence of the yprist aer’s guilt, that no jury is necessary wo decid, the case!” the scared. Plain was it that the giant was ripe | for mischief, and the dawning fact that his | friends in the town were rapidly decreasing, , Adair ranked among the foremost in all Roug? ave the mayor an extra feeling of uneasiness. | Shad. Not only had he the disposition, but be well he knew he was no match for the | was possessed of a liberal amount of skrcw dness, As a thoroughbred villain, Honorable Clancy omichooks=com ——— Se