Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 186 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

“ AP 20 ee ————__-_—— weapon, and then I would have welted you un- til there wasn’t a whole bone in your body.” Desmond looked askance at Shannon’s muscu- lar form. He had begun the conversation with the idea of making the store-keeper lose his temper, but had made a miserable failure; not only had he not succeeded in ruffling Shannon, but he had become ruffled himself. ‘“You have got your tools with you, I sup- pose?” he hastened to inquire, eager to get work and end the suspense. ‘‘ Yes,” and the other drew his weapon from its holster. ‘‘Suppose we get about a hundred yards apart and then at a given signal advance and blaze away? Hither one of us to be at liberty to fire after the signal is given or to hold our fire if we like,” Desmond said. “That is all right; I am agreeable.” *‘ And there isn’t any need to make provision in case neither of us hits, for, although you may not be able to plug me in six tryings, | know mighty certain that I can let daylight through you in less than three.” The store-keeper only smiled contemptuously as he replied: ‘‘The proof of the pudding is in the eating; so appear we proceed to business?” Shannon was not game, he was putting on a pretty good appearance of gameness, ‘Hnough said! Suppose you take your stand by that clump of bushes by the crick thar and I will post myself by the big rock yonder.” Shannon nodded; the two points indicated were about a hundred yards apart. “Let’s git, then,” and with the word Des- mond turned upon his heel, walked toward the rock, drawing his revolver from its place by his side as he went on, and carefully examining it. Upen his part the store-keeper was equally careful. Both men reached their stations at about the same moment, and both turned, revolver in hand, at the same instant. : Well, are you ready, squire?” Desmond called out. ‘¢ All ready,” was the calm reply. The two men stepped out toward each other. Desmond, advancing with the grim deter- mination of the desperado, was determined Ge on killing his antagonist if he possibly could; the store-keeper, on the contrary, was only anx- ious to give the gambler a lesson which should last him for some time. He didnot wish to kill, only to disable eee Onward with s y steps the men advanced. Desmond was known far and wide as the des- erado, and was popularly supposed to laugh at eath, but in this encounter not one whit cooler or more determined was he than the young man. Now the two were within range, and the gambler, raising his weapon, took deliberate rope _ his foe, but the trusted finger of his good 4 ‘og was not destined to pull a trigger that d nd for, as he raised the weapon to the level of his shoulder, out on the air rung the sharp quick report of a pistol, and with a sud- den cry of pain Desmond dropped the revolver as though it had suddenly become red-hot and burnt his hand, . Shannon in astonishment paused; he heard the shot, saw the revolver fall and then saw the good right arm of the gambler drop to his side, arently helpless. big round oath came from Desmond’s lips. ‘‘Oh, you infernal snake!” he cried. ‘‘ This is our game, is it? You have got some one to de in the bush so as to assassinate me, with- out letting me get a fair chance fora crack at ou? r Shannon was astounded at the accusation. ‘““Upon my life I know no more about the er than you do!” he protested. ‘‘Are you urt? ‘‘The accursed villain has put a bullet right through my wrist,” raising the helpless arm by means of the other hand. ‘‘ My right hand, too —my cunning right hand that has slipped many a card for many a dollar, but is never likely to do so again. Iam crippled for life now, and if you haven’t a hand in it, it is mighty strange.” “Aslamali man I swear that I have not! See! the smoke is curling from that little clump of bushes on your right, so the shot must have come from there; but I will soon find out,” and Shannon rushed at once, in headlong haste, toward the bushes from which indeed a little white smoke was curling upward. CHAPTER XXVIILI. SERIOUS QUESTIONS. THE suspicious gambler, quick to think evil ot every one, had believed that he had been en- Cool Desmond. | trapped and had fallen the victim of a superior wit, but Shannon’s prompt action somewhat puzzled him; and then, too, if his life had been sought, why had not the marksman put a ball through his heart instead of through his wrist? He picked up his revolver with his left hand; like many another man who followed a wild and desperate fortune on the very borders of civilization, he had learned to use a firearm with his left hand, and, even thus hampered, was not a bad shot; then he followed slowly af- ter the other. Shannon speedily reached the clump of bushes almost before the white and curling rings of smoke had died away, but, although the grass was pressed down, showing that some heavy body had reposed there, there was not the slightest indication to show whether an animal or a human had reposed upon the spot. Desmond came round the other side of the bushes, a look of suspicion upon his face. As he had advanced he had bound his handkerchief round his wrist, striving to stop the flow of blood from the ugly wound. The look of surprise upon Shannon’s face was evidently a genuine one, and Desmond, a good judge of human nature, in his mind acquitted im of any knowledge of the affair. ‘‘Some one has evidently laid'in ambush here, but whoever it was he has got off, and left no trail, as far as I can see,” Shannon re- marked, as the other came upon the scene. ‘¢ Some secret foe, curse him!” cried Desmond, bitterly, ‘‘and he has disabled me for life. No more cards will I flip, even though thousands of dollars were to be won.” ‘‘Oh, it is not so bad as that. There isn’t much doubt that you will recover the use of your hand in time.” “The cowardly hound! he didn’t dare to face me Spey, but laid in wait for me behind a bush. ho was he?” Not a single enemy could he think of who would be apt or able to dog and fix him after any such fashion; and paein the question—why was the bullet aimed at his wrist instead of his heart? It really looked as if the unknown marksman rg Bay sees to save Shannon and simply de- sired to disable him. An ugly look came over the gambler’s face and firmer grew his purpose. ‘‘ Well, since this party has seen fit to give leg-bail, we can resume our little game again,” he said. Shannon looked astonished. ‘What do you mean? You are not in a con- dition to engage in any hostilities; you need a doctor’s aid, and at once, too, for you have an ugly wound there.” *‘T came out hyer to have a crack at you and, mark you, I shall not be satisfied until I bave had a shot,” Desmond replied, in the most dogged manner possible. ut you cannot hold a pistol!” ‘Not in my right hand, of course, but I can in my left, and I reckon that will have to an- swer. ‘‘ Yes, but I am not satisfied to meet you on such unequal terms. You are giving me alto- gether too much advantage, my right hand against your left!” Shannon exclaimed, unwill- ing to permit the affair to proceed. ‘Oh, don’t you worry about that! I can shoot better with my left hand than most men can with their right, and if I am willing to risk it, I don’t see why you should complain.” . ‘*T don’t like the idea; it doesn’t seem like the fair thing; that is all that there is to it,” Shan- non averred. ‘‘I’'m taking the chances!” Desmond persisted in the most careless manner possible, *‘ and if I am willing to put my left hand against your right, if Iam fool enough to do so, why, take advantage of it—take all the advantage you can get in this world, and the more advantage vou can get the more lucky you can count your- se Shannon’s lip curled in scorn. ‘‘That may be your platform, but it is not mine. I do not wish to take advantage of any man; all I want is a fair show for myself and ask nothing more.” ‘Well, try your left hand, then, if it will make the thing any squarer!” Desmond cried, impatiently, ‘‘ but make up your mind quickly, for Iam ina hurry to get this thing over; my wrist is getting no better very fast.” ‘‘T never fired a pistol in my left hand in my life and I don’t believe I could hit the side of a house; so it wouldn’t be an even thing at all.” ‘Take your right hand, then; it’s-all one to me!” the gambler cried, irritably. His wrist was beginning to pain him excessively, and he eee ee es was fearful that if he did not hurry the matter forward the wound might bother him so as to balk him of his vengeance, and as he finished the speech he strode out again into the opening; Shannon followed slowly and reluctantly. The young man was in a quandary; he was very much in doubt as to the course which he had better pursue. He had been willing enough to accommodate the hostile gentleman with all the fighting he desired, but now that Desmond was partially disabled it went against his conscience to encounter him; but for the life of him he couldn’t see any way in which he could retreat with honor. ‘‘ Now then take your place and we'll try it again!” the gambler ordered. But, the fates were against Desmond that day, and as eagerly as he thirsted for the blood of the store-keeper, he was not destined to gratify his desire, for, hardly had the words es- caped from his lips, when, round the bend in the trail came a crowd of armed men. Shannon looked surprised, while Desmond thrust his revolver back into his pocket with a bitter oath, for something warned him that these men came to spoil apex’ The miners came straight on and surrounded Desmond, and then, with leveled weapons, they bade him give up his arms. The gambler was amazed, for, although some subtle instinct had warned him when the posse made its appearance that it boded no good to him, yet he was not at all prepared for this de- mand. ‘““What do you mean?” he cried; ‘‘ why should I give up my weapons, and by what right do you demand them? I reckon that things have come toa pretty pass in this hyer valley if two gentlemen can’t go out fora leetle amusement without a crowd coming and inter- a del why don’t you go for his arms, “You are our mutton,” replied the Doctor, who was apparently in command of the party. ‘‘The fact is, Desmond, the Vigilantes are up and the camp is going to be purified.” For a moment Desmond glared defiantly around him and laid his hand upen the butt of his revolver as if he meditated resistance even despite the fearful odds against him, but, he was ‘‘ covered” by a dozen weapons, and, from the earnest faces behind the glittering tubes of death, he understood that the crowd meant ‘“ business,” and that resistance was useless. ‘‘ There are the tools!” he exclaimed, angrily, CARBS down his weapons upon the ground, ‘*but I reckon you wouldn’t have got them so easily if you had only given me half a show.” ‘¢That is exactly our game; we don’t calcu- late to give such men as you are any show, for we ain’t anxious to have any more funerals in the town at present,” the Doctor answered. In obedience to a sign from him a couple of the miners advanced with a lariat, evidently with the intention of binding Desmond’s arms. The gambler started as he bebeld this and the big veins upon his temples swelled out like whip-cords. ‘“‘ Hallo! what do you mean? You are not go- ing to tie me with a lariat like a horse-thief, are you?” ‘‘ Desmond, the charge against you is a deuced sight more serious than horse stealing,” the Doc- tor announced. ‘‘ Charge ag’in’ me? and what is it?” ‘*'You are ected of being the man who has committed all these secret murders, lately, which have so horrified the camp.” ‘Oh, what utter, cursed nonsense!” the gam- bler cried, much more annoyed than frighten- ed. ‘‘What do I know about them? hat reason had I to kill the men? I was on good terms with every one of them, and I didn’t do it to plunder them, for nary one of them had his valuables touched.” ‘“Well, we ain’t got much proof, that isa fact,” the Doctor admitted, “‘ but we have gone for you on suspicion.” ‘‘T reckon that I can clear myself, so start ahead as soon as you please.” . Desmond submitted to be bound and all marched back to the camp. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE BREAK-UP. ANOTHER day had come and gone and the now almost full round moon, rising slowly in the heavens, threw her bright beams down full upon Death Valley. The Vigilantes had completely succeeded in their mission, and without the slightest sem- blance of a struggle, the town had been purified. The birds and beasts of prey, the vultures and the jackals, all had taken flight when warned EO awe JOOKS,. Colm