Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 170 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

- iain, > tan VE SE ct Prd in pCard;” W i 1 Wildfire Fi Wins ‘and Loses. vin 4 3 eft BY CHARLES MORRIS," 2: : saline. “ BILLY BAGGAGE,” “ens ex vERE IN THE WOODS,” ‘MIKE MERR BLACK s- EIC,, BTC. | THE HEARTH OF pS the ; wide-mouthed hearth of the , flanked by slabs of split oak | ing blaze shot far up the | “sent a ‘genial light into room, ¥ had drawn up their chairs in front earth, and were enjoying its genial waren with a double comfort for the wintry stonay that was ing and howling outside. were the landlord of the Golden Lion— old Solomon ‘Tims, with his velvet coat double chin—and three of his familiar gresies, cach with a foot-long clay pipe between Sates hich clouds of smoke curled up- end Way ike ike a misty curtain on the low setting of t The Golden tins was none of your span-new iwus; with their showy fronts and glittering in- , and containing everything except com- tert Is was, on the contr ary, aveteran road- eicle hostel'y of the last century, plain, sulid, and sebstantial, with nota particle of pr eten- sion, Bat on, bat plenty of comfort. cared how the storm whistled or the snows any Heer outside. The fire that blazed on ar huge hearth was proof against the wintr mis, and old Solomon hugged himself wit aught that there was plenty of sound- gak Pity his wood-pule. as Hot so comfortable for his cronies, rpxing late, and they had to face ————— SSeS. .m es - home. ¢ pis Baal ‘eliti lantern-jawed fellow, samed Joe Fonqiii—stivared as he listened to “ r of the eddying blast, " i” he e aculated, taking the long pipe. frem his Ii A Dont 1 “pit ‘y the poor rascals that’s oltip sr @ around ae ht! It’s enough to blow of 2 -Kettle’s face. And snow Jer sa-lem! I it weren’t for Sally Ann never the step would I take out of e night.” ne ,you'd find Sally Ann wuss nor | nés,” replied a weather-beaten old s elbow, covertly nudging Solomon, : <? timbers if she wouldn't take our top-calant-sail right out of its yard-arms! i take an old salt’s advice, Joe, and toddle hse ; know as I said T weren’t going,” re- 6, annoyed by the landlord’s deep- | of What's a trifle of snow any- | | wind took him in the face, and ance g vol- ‘| ley of stiow white ‘barr, Ter Me ‘elt ry “baek-log” blazed and | aloi ‘ble hhotibe. _ blanket which »was wrapped around him and A Trump Card. — Tims into tia vop me, with a ‘mauner aad hes ere plea bewe we par don’ hice Rares the assur- ” ndiord 1” exted: ned. him cigs ena stranded A he a sno ath med forward, gasping for pet | nd eath. © | SOP tal bred es came a vélog ab: his | week patient animal h came | rea on oy rub lim down' Get to t ble rs ck, ae a ay well; for *Fanclond The la el hhdeb ti ndl fom bis Ligh me gained the Coming ted roum it; was ch-dark to him outside. . & cruel of to. hand ‘as another, ‘loud ne eee a8, eee ches oe ot ou geve areal na corner at the’ ne tle see r beastiis sh re cold, a oh . must ad ent arn ; storm, | of visi- Assoon as old Seisibew yee fad his voice he began a loud, hoarse yell for “ Jock!” ‘“ Jock!” After several minutes pe ga followed by the pppearsncs of a ePy.. hon hoster, plowing through the snow, lantern It was with no compliments to a agility that Solomon handed him the bridle, and repeated the guest’s directions, By this time his eyes had become somewhat accustomed to the darkn and he could see that the earth was cove with a thick layer of snow, while the white ‘step y, who’s fo pe seek ata hot blaze: And mix peptone tied landlord. This: wayy-sir, Here’s a perfectly ae hearth itatiey Least your shins betes uaiinas <4 of the young man 50 @x sharait t_he almost Gresged © his. ie fellow. traveler, who showed an. inclin to shrink back, to the fire, and soused him do a in one of the chairs, with more of heartiness than qon- sideration for rheumatic joints. ... “Why, certainly. Warm yourself well, i friend. Come far to-night?’ flakes were yet swirling down in fleecy torrents, ‘‘ A matter of ten miles,” replied the other, iu and the biting wind had in it a touch of the | a hesitating, husky voice. . Greenland cold. It was certainly a night of “That beats me, and I thought I d a bitter storm. my duty. However,:I am nof t h my Meanwhile the traveler had strode into the bar-room, with a heavy, vigorous tread, and stood revealed to the curious inmates of the room, They could see little, however, but a bundle of snow-covered blanket, and a broad- brimmed hat that looked like a huge snowball. He at once commenced a violent stamping unding and shaking, flinging his snow speaxed at into a corner of the room, unfolding the nights work yet. I must be away again as soon as my horse gets a bite. Yes, my good Boni- face, that smells refreshing, at any rate.” He took the smoking mug from Solomon’s hand, poured half its contents into a wide- mouthed tumbler, and offered it to his fellow- traveler. ‘Here, sir, try this. The Golden Lion is famous for its unch, So says its honest host. And I reckon he’s right from the fragrance of | flirting itinto another corner, while tae whole | this mug.” - floor was co Viters ah h snow from his exertions.-| ‘No, no, I won’t trouble you,” replied | the The thrée idlers a back from the ahat | ‘older traveler, . ture non a ae d eugerly tosee what | ‘‘There’s no trouble | about’ ‘it LD! wo ~ would emerge lated bundle which i rte to Pas hm re rom there 3 was making ge oe Ge . oy They were : "fo hold’ Res naily broad shouldered form, and a s, hand- some face, flanked by Peni row batt. that hung in wet masses over his broad brow pointed ce *-he Peco gr a lifting the He was little more than a boy, though there | mug to his li sage it Of its contents was the resolute energy of a man in his- res- | in one long, reathl frat sion, and the look of one well able to battle his ‘There! That goes straight to a man’s heart, a” own way through the world. he cried. ‘I feel worth two men now. Ha! ‘“Tt’s a perfect beast of a ni ht!” he ejacu- | my good sir, so you’ve emptied your goblet too! lated, in a rich-toned voice, as he took a com- | Now that’s something like. That's what I call prehensive glance at the situation. ‘‘ Butachap | good, whole-souled fellowship.” can’t quite despair of human nature, when he | He flung himself into a chair again, and sees such a jo y blaze as that got up for him. | stretched out bis limbs in a satisfied way before. Tell the landlord to mix me up a hot toddy ; l’m | the fire, shivering clear down to my toe-nails.’ Yet the older traveler had not fwnllowed, his He ey) Apher Mt inté old Solomon’s seat be- | beverage, but had taken the Rete y rtunity. while fore the stretching out his legs till his top- | | the ent bea ‘youth had his head half ‘buried pe he Sor fhe Banna d ng glass into the Te- luctant hand of theé-other. | ‘Por yo rth part tT don’t. stand. on ue ‘fine- boots seemed to occupy all the remaining space. | in the mug, Sg rs the brimming glass to Joe ‘This ist’t so after all,” he continued. | | Jor vil, with the quiet remark that: a wholaceosied fire, like this, on a wintry never indulge.” | a thing or two, It’s worth a dozen of your coal dee Recta nuaaton was sale forth by | stoves, if only for the ett blink of it, Has a pr oh shower of blows on the porch in front, | the landlord come in yet followed by the loud neigh of a horse | ** He’ ain’t,” replied | Joe P Soatuil, edging ‘Hey! the house!” cajled a loud voice. “Look | nearer to the fire There’s some other re RE sy und usi- Pay hears of nobody melting— Hal- | night, makes one think the we time chaps knew | ness afloat ciate: or wild horbges wouldn’t have | As fcr Joe, a suspicious redness abit his nose testified that he no such Se toilet was at this minute: slily preter Golden Lion punch in a corner, while ‘ae ceived youth settled himself in self. satisfied ease before the crackling fire While this was going on the third member of onal AV nt td all dead inside?” owly extracted the 2 Pe from his ont up it wit h berated ncn ERT KA und | 4a . e the gan as on miften bis coat from the throat puss BS Sen the renewed tattoo of blows on the | oureh. ‘ Bless us, old cha cried Joe, in an agony | ut renpatien “ He will kick down the front | alivet 'Phere’s the Black Bear three miles on,” re- | Peas old Solomon, in a slow, drawling tone, | he don’t keer to wait for the Golden Lion 4 : BM Sow he'd best ride on to the Black Bear.” Moe had now got his coat well buttoned, and his oood-brimmed hat shoved down close over his | ~ves, and started with a heavy tread for the KK, Do you want the man to freeze ae ‘Solomon Tims’s cronies, the one who had not yet ia ina was castit g shrewd glances ‘to the shrinking countenance of the older traveler. A look of doubt, followed by a kiowing wink, cane upon his face, as he continued this silent cceainy.. wipe é threw, IE Bos | wed by the opening of n his the door, an@” ce of stird land- | seat, and took te lbs ie daw, at. is pil “ip he lord, close im’ had made some discovery ease gave he - ‘Tam expecting a messenger, landlord, ” an- Ry old. Solomori out’ in this gale.” ere’s another craft come ashore to. the owled the old sailor. ‘I heered-the ahd Ne He’s captured | old Solompn, who- These words werd : ae “individual who at once drew all eyes towar | satisfaction. He had, unlike the preceding Subet, shaken | off his snow in the hall, and seemed as lacking | nounced the young man. ‘If anybody asks in assurance as the other was overflowing with | for— Hal what’s this?” it. ‘with this sudden exclafnation, d look toward snl rr Not, however, that there = anything ee liar in his fi , as he was of ashapely form | who, had 1 just slipped a folde rather inclined to stoutness, and of medium | hem shorter than he really was. Hé was_ plainly dressed, his well-worn attire appearing still more shabby from the careless way in which it was donned. His countenance was decided- ly unprepossessing. His features, in themselves, were not bad, but a broad, livid scar, which ex- tended from his right temple to the corner of his mouth, had quite destroyed anv claim to comeliness. To this add a stubby beard, and straggling, unkempt hair, and we have the make- up of a by no means attractive customer. He followed the sturdy figure of Solomon voer, Just as a one eal atient ery broke upon thin vloom of the nigh * Hey! Landlord! stler| Everybody and the | povk! Am I to stand coolin: my ‘heels here all cht, awl my horse blanketed in snow? Hello, ea! veuse!” “feeep ceol,” replied old Solomon, in his fee, bage. ‘* Vm a-coming.” _* Keep cool!” returned the angry traveler. ‘ Well, that’s easv cnough, anvhow. But for mrtebt. double-distilled coolness I think it mows ¢ naré to beat you.” ee eee hight. though a chronic stoop made him seem This the outh hastily CW Sat and ro his eyes overits.contents. ~ 45 ter, that’s to the point: but I'll swear that *t look for it from you,” he cried, with a tation of surprise at thestranger, “ M y horse, landlord! Snow or no snow, I must be off. Quick, old man, There’s no time to lose in my business.” Tbis order wes so imperious that the landlord left the room without replying, He was fol- lowed out by his more mocest guest, who seem- ed as if he bad some private business with him. Meanwhile the youth had wrapped himself in ECO AATICE) 8e\e) (e eS) (eo, - a