Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 118 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

‘* How do friend? Do you not find it pleasant here?’ ‘Far from it, if you leave out your daughter and yourself. I ou will soon get accustomed to this semmi-darkness.”’ ‘‘T don’t care to try. When you get ready, I shall be very glad to have you drop me some- where in the outer world.” ‘* Well, we'll see about that. lodge, and I will talk with you.” Jack obeyed, and was soon seated at the table in the lodge. ‘‘The reason I had you brought here,” the old man went on to state, ‘‘is because Il am getting old and blind, and want a man to take charge of things, who is honest and capable. [ left the choice for my child to make, and she selected ou, and caused you to be brought hither. She is young, and ofa faithful nature, and has al- ready fallen in love with you. I therefore want you to make this your permanent home, take charge of my affairs, and marry my daughter. You can soon enrich yourself out of the golden sands of the valley, and be as rich as I!” ‘‘ But, what goed do all your riches do you living as you do in this isolated spot? No, i could not think of making this my permanent home, for I am already engaged to a young lady in the East, who is very dear to me, and I would be cruelly treating her, should i marry an- other.” ‘‘Vory true, and you are perfectly right in wishing to return to her. To-night, after you have sworn never to mention this mine to mor- tal ears, you shall be taken from the pit, and be put upon the trail to Crook City, for it would not be safe for you to go to Deadwood, at pre- sent.” ‘But, first, I have money to get, which I buried in the mountain cavern!” ‘‘No, you have not. The apo yon buried was found, dug up, and brought hither by my daughter, to prevent its being stolen by old Firefly, the road-agent.”’ pert from his cabinet the King of the Mount- ains took a brown package, and handed it to Jack, who upon examination found it to be as he had left ii—twenty thousand dollars, lacking a couple of hundred. “Ts it all right?” the hermit asked. * All right!” Jack replied. During the remainder of the day he visited with the hermit and his pretty daughter, and examined things of interest about the pit-mine —the wondrous gold field in the bowels of the earth, As night drew on supper was all ate together, with a relish. V was dispatched, Onoboko said: ‘ Now, Mr. Hoyle, before I can permit you to leave the pit, I must request you to take oath that you will never mention the existence or location of this mine to any mortal. Of course if you ever choose to return here, you shall be welcome.” The King of the Mountains then named an oath, which Jack repeated after him. He then shook hands with the hermit and his pretty daughter, after which he bade them good-by, was blindfolded by the servant, Weptomo, and lod from the tent, and placed upon a horse. Tuen they started, with the servant evidently leading the horse, and although he listened and endeavored to detect the way out of the strange Locked Valley, Jack was unsu Nosound did he hear more than the tramp of the horse and that of the Indian, to betray the secre route. Yor hours the ride continued, mostly ascend- ing. It seemed to Jack that it was a good «wenty-four hours ere the horse i ip and the Indian removed the bandage from his eyes, and freed his arms. ; They were at this juncture in a wild mountain gulch, with pine-fringed mountains rising on a side, and a wagon-trail running before em, ‘The young pale-face is free to go,” Weptomo said, handing Jack the bridle-reins. ‘By fol- lowing the wagon-trail as his horse is headed, he Come to my repared, and my the meal will soon reach Crook City. Weptomo has said it. And then turning, th redskin went back down the gulch, leaving sack to pursue an oo posite course, which he did with alacrity, for he was anxious to get out of the Blac country. Enough of roughing it he had had, to satisfy him that he was not cut out for a borderman. All the rest of the day—for day had dawned wen Weptom» left him—he spent riding, and you like the situation, my young | , : ' he remaine | trail and rode on for Bismarck, Dakota. —— ee ' prefer more light on,the sub- | ——~ Jack Hoyle. little mining town known as Crook City. Here d several days, and then took the One day, as he was riding along, he found in the very Kottom of his saddle-bags that what he supposed to be two hunks of jerked meat were not meat at all, but half a dozen pouches of gold dust. He recognized the treasure as the same he had seen in the Mountain King’s cabinet! Had the old man volunteered the offering, or had his daughter stolen it, and taken this way of ex- pressing her love for Jack? This was the question. and one that Jack was never able to satisfactorily solve. Of course he could not return to the pit, and so decided that the gold was his, to use as he pleased. : It was quite an acquisition to his small for- tune; after all his visit to the Black Hills coun- try had not been so unprofitable. Before he reached Bismarck he encountered a terrific snow-storm, which delayed him several weeks—for it was now November weather in dead earnest, and he had to put up at a ranch on the way. For various unimportant reasons he did not reach Chicago until the first day of January. In the meantime, he had disposed of his gold for ten thousand dollars, so that when he arriv- ed in Chicago, he had in clean cash a trifle over twenty-nine thousand dollars, " lving not to let the amount decrease, he let out the whole amount except a thousand dollars. on safe security, at eight pet cent inter- est for a term of three years. ith the other thousand in store for an emergency, he began to look around for some employment for the re- mainder of the winter. Having 2couaintance in Thespian circles, he soon found a dozen minstrel performers of more or less note and engaged them at a small salary for a tour through the West. From Chicago they struck along the line of the Union Pacific, stopping at every point where ee could be secured, whether in a city ora village. As a result they met with fair success, having the best business, of course, in the small towns. The show ran under the name of the Burton Bro’s Combination. Occasionally an amusing incident would oc- cur, Which would liven up the spirits of both manager and company, and serve as the butt of much laughter, for many weeks to come, One evening an old, garrulous woman pre- sented herself at the door of the hall, in a little town called Cayote, where the troupe were to attempt a performance, with the prospect of a slim house, for the town was small, and the weather stormy. The old lady was attired in a short, woolen petticoat, with an ancient-patterned bonnet orp her head, and stogy boots upon her feet. She was followed by six frowsy-headed little urchins in rags, all of whom were born at one time Judging y appearances! “Re you the boss of this consarn?” she asked, pausing with arms akimbo, before Jack who was acting in capacity of ticket-seller. ‘Yes, ma’am, I expect Iam,” Jack replied, courteously. ‘‘ Anything I can do for you?” ‘‘ Yes, on course there is!” the old lady re- ied. ‘‘I wanter know what sort o’ show this is goin’ ter be.” +¥. A first. class, original minstrel entertain- ment,” Jack assured. ““Git out—a first class original fiddle-de-de!” the woman retorted, contemptuously. ‘ Don’t a me none o’ your stuck up language young eller, fur I’m ther mother o’ a ranch full o children, an’ ye can’t flumigate yer highfalutin’ ter me worth a cent. What I want ter know— is this a straight, up-an’-down nigger show?” “Ves, ma’am!—It’s a clean, out-and-out nigger show,” Jack asserted, seriously. Waal, then I reckon we'll take it in. I war to a nigger show, years ago, an’ only paid two- an’-sixpense fer me an’ my beau to get How much will ye charge fer me an’ my boys? Ther rest o’ the family hain’t got here yet ut they’ll be along pretty soon, an’ kin pay their own toll.” ‘Our price is twenty-five cents each; tickets for yourself and boys will cost you one dollar and seventy-five.” “Git out! What d’vye take us fer? One dol- ler seventy-tive jest ter see a nigger show! Id like to see myself givin’ that—I would! One doller seventy-five, indeed! Give you _ fifty cents, young feller, an’ not a cent more. There now! Will +on take it, or shall we go hum?” Jack stepped to the door and gave a despair- when night again approached, he rode into the | ing glance up and down the street, and 1S no crowd, he took the fifty cents and passed the: old woman and her flock in. Another time, in one of the new towns along the Union Pacific, their audience consisted of one ae pilgrim in slouch hat, red shirt and buckskin breeches, whom all the funniest say- ings of the end. men, or the most ludicrous, farcical situations, could not arouse into a smile. At the conclusion of the show he gave a sigh o: relief, and ‘‘ puckacheed!” Reaching San Francisco, in March, Jac’ figured up his expenses, counted his cash. av: found himself just a thousand dollars ahead. This was not so bad, and he resolved to con- tinue on from San Francisco, up north as far as. Oregon, as spring was gh rs. In San Francisco he added a balloon ascen-. sionist and rope-walker, by the name of La Cruz. —a wicked looking customer, but withal a goad. performer in his line of business. Business continued fine until they reached! Portland, Oregon, when an iticident of adven- ture occurred, which Jack had been expecting. On waking one morning he found that he hail been robbed in the night, not only of his watch and money, but of a valuable diamond pin and a pair of studs, esides, Styles and Mack, the end men of the troupe, had lost their money and watches, and the barytone singer was out a dozen pairs of shirts, collars and cuffs, in addition to his. m oney. As the Spaniard, La Cruz, was missing, it was naturally concluded that he was the culprit. Accordingly Jack set the sheriff in pursuit, and in the meantime cruised around the neighboring towns until his money should be restored to him. This was shortly done. La Cruz was overtaken by the sheriff, and promptly lynched, and the stolen goods recov- ered and restored to Jack and his company. They then pulled out of Oregon into Nevada, and then through into Colorado, visiting the principal mining towns, and meeting with abundant success, At last, early in May, Jack closed the season at Denver, and started East, over three thou. sand dollars better off than when he started out, In sas he invested a thousand dollars in a small stock ranch, As he was passing ‘a few days in St. Louis, he saw a chance to purchase a river excursion steamer for nineteen hundred dollars, and im mediately made the purchase. Then, with fifty do in his pocket, he started for as far East as his money would bring him, not knowing what next to turn to, te make money. CHAPTER XII. THE MEXICAN MINES. HE lingered in Chicago and Cleveland a few weeks, doing odd jobs of work, and earning sufficient money to defray his expenses. The last week of his stay in Cleveland, he met Harry Hunter, the gambler-detective, from Lowell. He did not know him until he saw Hunter's name upon the hotel register, and the man was pointed out to him, with heavy mustache an: earlets, and quite a natty appearance. ‘*T suppose you don’t know me,” Jack said, approaching him. ‘Well, no, I don’t,” the other replied, after a keen scrutiny. ‘‘ I don’t recognize you.” ‘* My name is Jack Hoyle!” : “Phew! ‘You don’t say!” and the gambler arose and shook hands, od ‘Where did you come from? You're the very chap I most wanted to see.” ‘‘Oh! I’ve been roughing it, here and there,” Jack replied. ‘‘I came latest from the West.” “So did I. Have been after Addison Tre. maine ou know, up in the Black Hills,” - With what success?” “Oh! I waylaid him, knocked him down and took Pega of a round fifty thousand dollars, which I found on his person, Then | took the first stage East. If you want half. come along with me!” They soon ascended to the detective’s room, and Jack was placed in possession of half of tho amount recaptured, as per previous agreement. Jack felt that his prosperity was too good to be true. When he had offered Hunter half he could get of the stolen money, he had-no idea the fellow would ever get a penny. But he had, and Jack was so much the richer for the bargain. The next Genes was—how and where should he invest his money to advantage, It was a question that he could not readily decide upon. There were plenty of lands in the West to be EOmMiIEcboo (C SS Gon