Beadle's Half-Dime Library No. 109 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

_— ————— oe ee ee Er eee — Edith’s heart gave a little leap of joy, as she saw him, for his intervention savored that he meant to be her friend. ‘*Halt)” he repeated, coolly, covering the mayor and Holloway. ‘‘I happen to be around whenever anything of this kind goes on, and I generally take a hand in. Now, Mayor Adair, you are the man to set things to rights here, and if you don’t, don’t blame me for enforcing the power I hold, by shooting you. My name is Porter, at your service—Phineas Porter, Esquire, United States detective. Perhaps you have heard of me?” *‘Phineas Porter!” the Honorable Clancy gasped, in amazement. ‘‘ Impossible, sir. Phin- eas Porter is in Washington. ‘Was, a short time ago,” the detective re- plied, coolly, ‘‘ but isn’t, now. Go on, sir, and vat this young lady’s things to rights, aud then i want you to come with me for a little walk.” “Curse you, no/ J’ll not touch a thing here. You have no right to dictate to me!” ‘Nevertheless, I shall assume the right!” Porter declared, firmly. ‘‘ You’ve run the town your way for awhile, and now I’ve a notion that Pll step in and run it my way, just fora change. Nothing like dispelling monotony, you know. Come, I give you just two minutes’ choice ’twixt putting things to rights and— death!” aaa the detective took out his watch, deliber- ately. CHAPTER V. THE TABLES TURNED. No man of cowardly persuasion was this de- tective, evidently; he had all of the ingenuity = his profession, and all the vim and courage, Clancy Adair had heard of Phineas Porter as a sleuth and a bloodhound of the law—-a man who never faltered, or failed in his mission, and he had no reason to believe that this was not the same Phineas Porter. And the way in which he took out his watch and glanced at it, was more than assurance that he meant biz. ‘*See here,” the Honorable Clancy saii, ina state of rage and mortification at boing caught so cleverly, ‘*I don’t want to bother to set this stuff all to rights, and if it vill be any object to the girl Pll give her twenty-fivo ceits!” Edith laughed seornfully at this liberal-mind- ed proposal, and the detective shook his head in a decided way. : “You are not dealing with t!.o young lady Mr. Clancy Adair, but with Phineas Porter, U. 8. Detective. If you were to offer me twenty-five dollars, or twenty-five hundred, it would not affect me in the least, for you must restore things to eee order. Go on; sir.” ‘Curse you, Pll have revenge for this indig- nity!” the mayor of Rough Shod’s little city rrowled, as he began setting up overturned Rostes and jars. ‘ Vil have your heart torn out by the roots, and hung up for sale in the meat- market, below here. Holloway, you fool, lend me a hand, why don’t you?” AEX ‘Yes, yer Honor, I’ve got a heap © inclina- tion an’ sympath fer ye,” the constable said, with a gr*mace, ‘* but ye see ther galoot hes got ther drop on me.” McAdams being similarly fixed, nothing was left for his Mayorship but to obey the commands of Phineas Porter.. Gall and wormwood was this to his proud spirit, for he ever prided him- self on being a man whose greatness could not be eclipsed, and he made it a point to put ona great deal of pompous importance in the pres- ence of the opposite sex, in order to impress them with the magnitude of his being. Particularly was it his desire to awe the little shopkeeper into respect and submission to his will, and finally propose marriage to her; for he had long been cognizant of ‘her prettiness and secretly set her down as the future Mrs, A. But was not the present mortifying position likely to cause the pretty shopkeeper to regard him with the contempt and disgust he really merited? He rather thought it would, and waxed wroth, accordingly. He however restored everything to perfect order, under the detective’s orders, and finally “finished, with a sigh. A relief was it to be through, for housework did not particularly agree with bim. *“You have done well,” the detective said, coolly, ‘and you must now go. On second thought I will not accompany you, but will see you later.” With a nod to Holloway and McAdams to follow him, the crestfallen mayor left the shop, with a fearful curse upon hislips. + 4 ‘ D -- “Oh! I thank you very much, for interfering in my behalf,” Edith said to the detective, when they were gone, ‘‘Ifit had not been for you, I Se have had to restore things to order, my- self. ‘* ‘You are under no obligations to me, miss, as I took a hand simply in the behalf of just ice,” ‘‘Are you a friend, then, of Deadwood Dick, the outlaw?” ‘*No, not his friend, although I believe him more sinned against than sinning,” the detec- tive said, thoughtfully. ‘‘ Heis, however, your friend, and an ardent one, too,” ** My friend, sir? Why, I never saw him un- til to-night.” “That matters not. He has seen you, and has been studying you when you little dreamed of it. Should trouble ever beset you, D-adwood Dick will be among the first to come to your aid.’ ** Indeed, I cannot imagine why he should,” Edith said, ‘‘although I should be grateful for such a service. He came in here and hid in my cellar, to-night, but when the Vigilantes came to look there for him, he was gone,” Phineas Porter laughed, coolly. “Just like him,” he said, shrugging his shoul- ders. ‘‘PYve known him to slip through a crack where a musketo could hardly have followed him, In fact it is hardly worth while for any ono to try to catch him, for he is as slippery as an cel,” ‘‘T am at least glad the Vigilantes did not find him,” ‘‘' Yes: they would have made short work of him if they had once got a firm hold upon him, But that they are hob likely to get, immediate- ly. Before going, Miss Yates, 1 want to post up a little notice in your store, where it may catch the eye of some of your customers.” And taking a roll of paper from his pocket he enon it and soon had it tacked up on the wall. It was printed in large, bold type, and was likely to attract attention wherever posted, from the fact that posters of its size were seldom seen in the little city of Rough Shod. It read as follows: “Five Hunprep DoLLARS Rewarp: The above re- ward will be paid for the arrest or capture, alive or dead, of Algernon Ashton, clics Spotted Sam, alias Endon Revere, cliias Barry Meredith, who on the tenth day of last March foully murdered his bride of a day, and his bride’s parents, and who ‘rom them oe eight thousand dollars, and fled to parts un- nown. “The above will be paid at the Capitol Treasury, ogra der Db. C., or by any government detec- ve. This then was the explanation to what puz- zled Edith so. ‘*T will now bid you adieu,” the detective said, raising his hat. ‘‘ If you are of a money- making turn of mind, you may be the very*one to claim that reward.” Edith read the document over and over, wonderingly, after Phineas Porter had gone her eyes flashing when she read the name o Barry Meredith enumerated among the aliases of the notable criminal.” ‘**Barry Meredith a murderer!” she gasped, whitening, ‘‘and in this very town, too. Ah! now is a chance to revenge myself for poor Minnie’s ri To deliver him up to justice shall henceforth be my aim.” A short time previous to the date of our story, there had Lg ety in the vicinity of Rough Shod and Leadville a notorious gang of outlaws and roughs called the Archangels, As a band they were leagued together, a wild, lawless set of fellows, bound as one in an oath of blood. Each member was sworn to strike for his brother, enter into all his brother's aoe and to protect his brother from the law. esertion was punishable with instant death and no one was admitted who had not stained his hand in human blood. Their platform truly was a terrible one—their deeds were dark and many. Moreover, the Archangels, as they had named themselves, were an invisible band, in one sense of the word, for they confined themselves to the night for their depredations, and were seldom seen, and then only with dark crape vails tied over their faces. More feared were they than all the road- agents in the mountains, for their crimes were not asa rule committed for plunder, but eman- ated from a thirst for revenge upon an unoffend- ing public. Their stronghold was said to be not man miles from Rough Shod, but as yet the little gulch town had not experienced much trouble from these Vailed Men of the Colorados, Evi- ecadwood Dick as Detective. Se ere reer eee ome ee a ee ~~... =~ a oe dently they had more grudge against the eiti.. zens of Leadville, for many dark crimes outrages had been committed near that place. That the Archangels were composed of many men of wealth and influence in the mines, wos: never once suspected, until a poor fellow hack been found dying by a mountain trail, one day, who made the declaration with his last From that time on the band had become mare notorious, and many snares were laid for them, by the ever-watchiul Vigilantes, but without, aux success whatever. 1 the morning after Deadwood Dick's es. . cape from the Vigilantes, Barry Meredith paid a visit to his Honor, the self-styled Mayor of Rough Shod, The Honorable Clancy Adair was engaged: tm, sampling a bottle of liquor, while he perused a. Leadville morning paper. He stared hard a» Meredith entered and seated himself with am . much freedom as though he were lord end... master of the mayor’s quarters. ‘** Ah! good-morning with a nod... ‘‘] thought I'd catch you at home, if [ put in an early appearance. I dare say yots . do not recognize me?” ‘Very correct conclusion—I do not,” thes. other said, coldly. , ‘“‘Tiow time affects one’s memory,” Meredith. continued, a tinge of sarcasm in his tone ‘Years ago, when you were my affectionate parent, I would not have suppoted you woulkk, ever forget your dutiful son,’ The mayor started, and uttered a profane ex... clamation. ‘*’‘You—you Victor!” he gasped, starting tee his feet. ‘“Pll allow that I’m that same,” Meredith: replied, coolly. won't?’ ‘Bah! get away with greeting foole * the: ’ i bank into his chain hk other growled, pate r ‘** Where did you come from?” “Latest from Leadville. Was forced to skip, .. out to save my neck,” ‘What now? In trouble, again?’ ‘Yes, as a matter of course. For instancty. hero is a little document I picked up im the». - street, as I came alon the younger man seit, \ > ‘Shake, old man!—what! you, |. 9 And the younger viliain handed the older-enes. a bill which was like the one Phineas Porter had posted up in the candy-shop. Adair read it over an particular evidence of turprise. ‘“ Well?” he finally said, interrogatively, “bowe much truth is there in it?’ “Heaps,” Meredith said, laconically. the very party wanted.” ‘‘And you are —il*v?’ ‘‘Undoubtedly. Justice, you know, never. fails in suspecting the right parties,” ‘‘T don’t know about that,” the Honorable... ‘“Tve known cases where justice, Clancy said. has suspected me of being in the wrong when } was not,” ‘That may all be, but I'll guarantee that the». Government has not made a misfit in my case,” ~ Meredith said, with a cool laugh. ‘Why did you commit the crime?” ‘‘ For divers reasons, main among which wats, - the fact that I cared a great deal more for the. eight thousand, than I did for the bride and her» . wae 3 ** Victor Adzir, you are a villain!” **Clancy, my sire, you were always wont ta « i was a chip from the ol& say, years ago, that block!” the younger replied. While the Honorable Clancy Adair ch ‘* Well, well, ’m not going to deny it, y ” he responded. ‘I’d rather you'd be a felon, than a fool, as the saying goes, for it takes a, smart man to be a felon, which credit upon your sire.” ‘* Ha! ha! ha! pretty good, old man. I see. ice yet. What are _ you have not lost all your you oR to here in the mines?” ces h at should I be, indeed, except mayor, _ sir?’ the parent grunted, swelling with import . ance at the ition he held. ‘* You know, Victor, I would accept nothing lower, for sven, : not,” Meredith—as we shall stalk or money.” ‘* Perha continue to call him—said, ‘‘though somehow there comes stealing softly over my me like a zephyr of springtime, a recollection — " ‘ould sod’ still clinging to his boots, whilec& .. halcyon days when Clancy Adair, with away his time with many others in gradin~ upon a new railroad, while little Patrick, later: renamed Victor, from the sire’s ‘ riverence’ fer Victoria, trotted along and picked up and chewed the stubs of cigars that the gang-mastey over, without amy~ , * Pop. We, we, : reflects more. _ had thrown away. Ah! bum! times have chang: -. : ed since then, my royal sire!” \ cS (E| 900) com 5 com A