Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 217 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ee se vray saen0-'* » * 8 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. —_—_—-— you, allegiance to me forever—or burn. Boys, away with him!” ' The brigands accordingly marched him through the mountain cave to the other side, and out upon the plateau, where a heavy post had been fixed in place. To this be was securely lashed, and a heap of leaves, twigs and pine cones piled about his feet. Then the brigands marched away again, and he was left alone. Just as the first streaks of dawn began to appear in the horizon he saw Crack-Shet ad- vance from the cave with a lighted terch in -her hand, and he knew things were drawing to a focus, Hither he must humor her wishes, or there was a fair prospect of his being roasted. Which should he choose: the fire or the female brigand? CHAPTER VII. THE OLD FOX IN A TRAP—JACK TRUE-SOUL, Wirnovor difficulty Metcalf and the duke succeeded in escaping from the camp, and, once outside the picket lines, hurried across the flats swiftly until challenged by the sentinels of the opposing party. ‘* Halt! who comes there?” the sentry cried, snapping bis gun-lock, ‘* Who comes, am’ what d’ye want?” ‘‘Tt’s me, Metcalf, and a friend,” the specu- lator cried. ‘‘ We got away from Somersault’s gang and want to join you.” “ Then, stan’ where ye are, ’til I send fer Arizona Abe. He's boss o’ sech matters,” the man replied, and the deserters had no choice left but to remain in the gloom until the aforesaid Abraham should appear. It was not long before the guard was heard coming back, however. ‘Reckon et’s all right,” he cried. ‘Ther captain is dead drunk, nigh-abouts—so [ spoke ter some o’ ther other boys, am’ they allewed it was all right. So ye kin goon inter town.” Accordingly Metcalf made haste to accept of the invitation, such as it was, and he and the duke hurried up the slope into the tewn, where not the same quiet prevailed as there did down in the citizens’ camp on the flats, From each house and saloon came seunds that bespoke the power of ‘‘ bug-juice "—angry shouts and oaths, shouts of laughter, or roars of Bacchanalian song, as the case naighé be. Men were staggering through the street, and in some cases fighting with each other, and the whole place seemed in a state of demoralization. Metcalf was a shrewd man. He knew the worth of the maxim, “Strike while the iron is hot,” and accordingly he mounted an empty barrel in front of the Old Bourbon establishment, and began to yell at the top of his lungs and gesticulate wildly, which action had the desired effect, for he seon had quite an audience gathered around him, and more still coming. ‘¢Hurrah! hurrah! this way, fellow-citizens, if you want to hear something to your advan- tage!” he cried. ‘‘I1am here in your behalf, and I want you one and all to listen te me,” ‘Waal, go ahead!” one of the more sober roughs retorted. ‘Ef ye’ve got anything fer us ter know, jest speel et out, on short notice.” ‘“‘T have news!” Metcalf cried, continuing to gesticulate. ‘‘ You areall in deadly peril, and J come to warn you, and take my place at 2 4g head and lead you on to victory, if you are willing. I kiow the plans of the ememy. Are you willing to adopt me &s your leader, fellow-citizens? Let every man speak up!” There was a murmur of assent from a num- ber, but the majority did not take to the idea. Metcalf had never been a favorite, because of his facility of getting hold of claims and then raising the price of them above the reach of the poorer class, *T don’t allow we all tumble ter thet ‘¢ Arizona Abe is my tavorite, an’ 1 reskou wivst o' alex OC ys az” racket,” one chap asserted. be ad Crete ad > * To-night will expire by seeing the stuff | lighted, and you will have a chance to swear | the speculator declared. 2 aaa a — - —————————————E — ————e — —— ee ‘Bah! Arizona Abe is not fit to lead you!” ‘“*T hear he is at present dead drunk. Supposing an attack should cecur, just now—what kind of a leader would you have? I tell you | am the proper man. My friend, here, an English duke, is a military man, and will act as my lieutenant. As I first stated, you are in imminent danger, despite the fact that you have possession of the town, The party on the flats have determined to have control of the surrounding district, and to that end, have sent a- courier to the mountains to enlist Captain Crack-Shot and her bandits, into their service. If they suc- ceed, the sooner you pack up and leave, the safer it will be for you, as they can easily clean you out, when you have such a sucker of a leader as Arizona Abe would make you.” **Hillo! whar’s ther ornary galoot as durst call Arizona Abe a sucker? Whar is he?—let me luk at him!” shouted a big, strapping mountaineer, with an ugly looking physignomy, who came staggering up just in time to over- hear a part of Metcalf’s harangue. ‘* Whar’s ther man as durst asseverate thet 1, Abraham from Arizona, ain’t ther high-cock-o’-lorum 0’ this convention—ther hero o’ Bull Ran—ther sharp-spurred American Eagle o’ Liberty?” “Tt was I,-friend Arizona, who was just re- marking that a love of liquor incapacitated you for duty as the leader of the boys, here, and I was willing to fill your place!” Metcalf said, moderating matters in order not to get into trouble with the ruffian, if if was to be avoided. ‘Of ecurse you would then have more time to indulge, and—” “Thet ain’t ther question afore this byar court!” Arizona declared, swinging himself as if ready fora fight. ‘Sum one called mo 4 sucker, an’ thet’s the werry patient I’m arter. Whar is he? Show me ther two-legged reptile thet dared ter compare me, ther bero o’ Bingen on ther Rhine, ter a common fish, no watter ef et be bull-head, mullet, or guckex. He’s my meat—that man!” “ Et was Metcalf who called ye a sucker!” one of the miners shouted, ‘‘Oho! se et was you, was it? You bad ther audacerty ter insult me, did ye?’ Abraham from Arizona howled, waltzing nearer to the barrel whereon Metcalf was perched. ‘‘ Ob! jest wait till I get hold of ye!” ‘‘Hold! Don’t get angry, friend Abraham,” the speculator said, beginning to get alarmed. ‘‘T meant not insult, sir—I simply meant to imply that of beer you were a great sucker, as well as of sundry other kinds of drink, and it would be a pity to interrupt your right to imbibe on this occasion, so I offered to fil your place!” “Ye war mighty anxious, warn’t ye, ter help matters along, in yer own favor? No, sir-ee, John Metcalf, ye can’t boss this byar roost, wile Arizona Abe’s around. Eh, boys?’ **Kerect! Arizona suits us!” was ihe cry of a majority of the surrounding roughs. ‘Well, if this is the case, I pity you, and predict your ultimate destruction by the enemy!” Metcalf said, both disappointed and chagrined at his failure. ‘ Therefore, not wishing to get killed, I will return to the flats, and act as a spy among the enemy in order to report to you when there is any danger.” ‘‘ Waal, I guess not,” Abraham of Arizona declared, drawing and cocking a revolver. ‘¢-Ye ain’t er-goin’ ter do nothin’ o’ ther kind. Now thet ye’ve paid us ther honor of a wizzet, we're not goin’ ter let ye go back ter t’other party till we’ve utilized yer ter our own pur- pose as much as poserbu]l. Don’t make no try ter escape, or I’ll bore a drift thru yer head, w’at’ll let out any brains ye may hev stored up thar.” ‘“‘“ What have I done, gentlemen, to merit this treatment?’ Metcalf demanded, now more alarmed than before. ‘‘Am I not offering my services in your bebalf—am I not willing to do anything and everything in behalf of your interests? Pray! what have I done to offend?” | “Yas, you’re too mighty willin’:” the Arizo- irwies GTOWlea, “We kin reag ye Uke 2 ovox, @.. —- a a ee ——— -_-—- wi’ our spectickles off, pilgrim. Ye’d mighty like to be boss o’ ther roost, hyarabouts, so ye c’u'd shove in a speculative finger, but et kent be did. Et won’t work. Et won’t wash. You're a bloated aristocrat, and not uv our kind. You’ve got ter disgorge. Thar’s money up in yer office, ther boys say, an’ you’ve got ter band et over, fer divvy among ther boys.” ‘“By Heaven, no! You shall not rob me in this way!” ‘But we shall. Get down off’m thet bar’, and march straight ter ther cffice, in front o’ my revolver, an’ get ther scrip and hard cash, or off goes yer head, in less time thanet takes ter count sixty~leven!’’ No disputing that ‘business’ was on hand, and as Metcalf gazed around him he noted that nearly every one seemed to assent to Abraham’s order, Let us return to the mountain plateau, just as day was beginning to break in the east. The face of Deadwood Dick—or Gipsy Jack, as we know him, in this romance—was stern and passive, as he saw Captain Crack-Sh ot ap- proaching, with the ignited torch. Unmovable resolve was expressed both up- on his handsome face, and in his eyes, which flashed fearlessly. The face of the Girl Brigand wore a peculiar triumphant smile, as she came up, and flashed the light of the torch before his face. ‘‘Ha! ha! the ex-read-agent has changed his mind, by this time, has he not?’ she said, with sarcasm. ‘‘ Ob! I thought you’d come around to time, Sir Gipsy Jack! rather than fry, roast and turn to ashes,”’ ‘*Then you reckoned wrongly!” the prisoner replied. ‘‘I have not the least idea of chang- ing my mind.” “Possible? Well, really, your pluck is ad. mirable—in fact, 1 see more and more reason, every minute, why you should fill a position as my lieutenant. Such men as you are not picked up, every day.” ‘It is perhaps better for the country that they are not,” Jack replied, with a faint smile. ‘A few less of my class, and a few more of your artistic merit, would no doubt place the country on a more solid footing.” ‘‘T appreciate your satire,” she said, flushing; ‘but business is business, and my terms are unchanged. When I decide upon accomplish. ing an object, [ do it regardless of every ob- stacle. I have set my‘ beart upon uniting you with my band, and I will do it, or kill you, even if it brings down the wrath of the heavens. upon. my head. Tell me, now, will you become a member of my band, and swear eternal allegiance to that band?” ‘‘ Emphatically, no!—decidedly, once and for all, no!” Jack replied, without hesitation. ‘‘ But, consider what you are saying. If you refuse, i myself will light this material around your feet, and you will be roasted alive. Do you comprehend what excruciating agony such a death would bring you? Surely you are not foolish enough to endure it, when you can just as well have life and liberty.” ‘‘T have given my decision; Deadwood Dick never chaws back bis words!” was the composed answer. Even the merciless Spanish girl was as- tounded., That any man could coolly face a death so horrible as she had promised, when liberty was offered, surpassed even her comprehension But her determination to conquer him became the stronger. ‘¢ Then shall your obstinacy recoil upon your own head,” she said. ‘‘I shall now light these fagots, and retire into the cave, asI am not eager to witness your torture. I shall, how. ever, be within hearing, and if you shout ‘Help! I will understand that you have had enough of the bake, and decided to come to my terms, and will then rescue you.” “ You will listen in vain,” Jack retorted. ‘‘'We shall see!” and with the words she ignited the rubbish in several, places, and then turced and 4urried way into the cavern. IOO GOMIG CS (E(@)