Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 296 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ee - a ae ae ‘‘Pipo!” the madame cried, stamping her foot, in a passion. ‘‘ Do you see that woman?” The dwarf nodded with a grin. ‘Well, throw her out at once,” ‘Yes, come on, and throw mo out, gorilla— Pipo!” Kate cried, composedly, folding her arms, apd looking him unflinchingly in the eye, The dwarf showed his terrible teeth as a wild beast might have done, gave vent to a guttural growl, and bounded forward. Just within arm’s reach of Rowdy Kate did he get, when her right arm flew out! There was a concussion, as if bone had met bone; shen the ‘‘ bouncer” tumbled to the floor in a ap. Something like a murmur of epproval went up from the assemblage, while wdy Kate waved her hand triumphantly at the madame. “There you are, done up in a nut-shell. That’s the style we sling on, up at Right Bower, without paint, or powder!” she cried, laughing- ee, at say/—can | dance with his lord: ship, now?’ “No! no! no!” madame fairly shrieked, working herself intoafury. ‘*€ will kill you! 1 will kill you!” And with the words she drew a glitterin dagger from the folds of her dress, and glid toward the girl sport. What would have occurred next is hard to say, had not a man—a stranger at that— bounded into the room, caught the would-be murderess by the hand, and hurled her, back.’ ‘* Stop!” he cried, in her ear. She gazed at him a moment, in speechless rage; then an expression of astonishment and horror came over her face; she hid it behind her hauds, and staggered from the room: The man who had wrought this sudden chansse was one of rather striking appearance. He vas just tall enough to be of commandin presence, with a thoroughly-developed. and haudsome figure, clad from his top-boots to the chin in elaborately-fringed, white-tanned buck- skin. His face was clear-cut and firm, and by no means homely—his eyes were dark and piere- ing; a mouth of pleasant expression was shaded by a model mustache, curling upward at the endg; a narrow goatee ornamented his chin, and his wavy dark-brown hair fell grace- fully over bis broad shoulders from beneath a broad-brim slouch hat, pinned up on one side with a gold band. a He turned and gazed after the madame an in- stant, an expression of supreme contempt on his handsome‘face; then he turned his gaze over the assemblage placidiy as he took out and lita cigar. ah A Kate came forward, her face glowing with enthusiasm. ‘‘ Bully fer you, stranger!” she said, putting out her band, which he took. ‘1 see you're after my own style, an’ ’'m glad to see you. Ef it ain't any o’ my business, what’s yer in- scription?” ‘“My name, you probably mean?’ ‘‘On course,’ Ne “Well, I believe I’m called John Smith, when I’m at home,” was the composed reply. ‘‘Ha! ha! So you belong to that everlastin Smich family, do you? Some relation terol J oe t daxetnys w prasmed old wy wer peice F ou y,” the stranger sai y: ‘*Then you're a brick. SSpect seh ye knowed the woman who passed when you order- ed, ae rn ‘Well, yes, I oy met en and I presume e recognized me, judging by appearances. ‘* Who sez she didn’t Why. she turned jest as white as a bleached piller-case and vamoosed like she didn’t care about interviewin’ you, or my name ain’t Rowdy Kate!” John Smith started a trifle. ‘‘Rowdy Kate, eh?’ he said, surveying her critically. ' be ae my lay-out. Ever hear of such a y $ P e pointed to a trio of armed miners who were peamhing into the ball-room abreast— rough-looking fellows, too, they were. . “Bet a buckshot they’re coming for me,” Kate said, her eyes flashing. ‘‘The amiable madame has set them on.” ‘“* Perhaps they’re not after you,” the stranger remarked, reaching down and drawing a pair of cocked revolvers from his bootl ‘It is quite possible they will not get the gent they are looking after.” The miners advanced to within a few paces of where Smith and Rowdy Katé were standing and halted; the dancers filled out the back- ground of the somewhat interesting scene. ‘Well, gentlemen, what do you want?’ 6 Apollo Bill, the Trail Tornado. ee EEE Smith demanded—as he brought his weapons up in a position for emergency. ‘We want to know if you are one William Blake, and if so we are hero to arrest you!” one of the miners replied promptly: ‘*] may or may not be one William Blake, or two or three of them. My name, as J just gave it to Miss Rowdy Kate here, is John Smith, of Idaho City, Idaho. You are evidently off your groove.” The men turned to each other and muttered several words ip an inaudible tone, then re- treated from the ball-room as if yet dissatisfied. ‘You had best get out of here, and avoid trouble,” Smith then said to Kate, ‘‘ for it be- hooves me to skip.” And with the words, he bounded away through the ladies’ entrance, and was gone. ‘*Stop him! stop him!” Lord Clifford cried springing forward, oil Ber man is indeed illiam Blake, and Ill personally give five hundred dollars for his ture!” He had realized when Smith made a break for escape, that the handsome stranger indeed bore a close resemblance to William Blake—a fact, luckily for the stranger, which had not rticularly impressed him, when the miners ad made the charge, But, when a dozen men, bent on securing the reward, rushed out into the night, they had only to learn that stalwart John Smith of Idaho City, was not to be found. And during the excitement, Rowdy Kate took leave of Madame Moree’s “‘ academy.” The fact that a certain persons’ named William Blake, had been in McGuffin’s during the night, was the cause of considerable coim- motion, the next soy : Not particularly from the fact that such a rson existed, but because it was generally own that at least two persons in the town were anxious for his capture—Lord Clifford for one, and the reward offerer, X. Y. Z., for the other. | | Who the latter personage was, no one seeme \ to have any idea—therefo e Lord Clifford wa looked upon as the prim loser by Blake’s a cape ford sought the three men who had appeared i : the ball-room, and demanded to know who sei them on to the stranger... At first they seemed loth to divulge the secret but when a consideration of money was slipped into ‘their bands, they of one accord said the madame had told them what to ob , With this knowledge gained, his Jordship took his leave. | | ‘This madame is a Frenchwoman, and con- sequently a schemér, and undoubtedly a very devil by nature,” be muttered. * nchwo- men, asa rule, run that way. Now, the next int, to consider is—what connection with or nterest in me or my affairs has she, and how much does she know, and where did she learn it? Egad! the situation seems to intricate, and complicated. Yet can but believe that Iam on the right way to the find- ing of the surviving child, be it Blake's or mine.” He immediately sought the hotel, but instead of going to his own ent, rapped on the door of the madame’s room, for she, too, was a boarder in the house. ¢ It was immediately opened by the madame herself, and looking quite pretty, she was, ina full and elegant toilet, notable for its costliness. ‘Ah! is it you, most noble Lord Clifford,” she said, with a sweet smile. ‘I half expected you might honor me with a call, taking into consideration that 1 come from a family of noble blood. Will you comein, my lord?” ‘“With your kind permission I will, madame, as I have a few questions to ask you,” They were soon seated, the madame throw- ing all her power of fascination into her smiling eyes. ‘‘T am all attention, my lord. Anything I can tell you, 1 will be pleased in doing.” ‘“‘Thank you. I will not question you long. What do you know myself and my affairs?’ ‘‘ Nothing, my oo ein omnes: bea a or nothing, more t what gossip brought to my hearing.” ‘“Then, what do you know concerning Wil- liam Blake?” ‘* Il know that we are enemies, for life. Why or wherefore, it cannot possibly matter to you.” * You are sure of this?” “ mea positive.” ‘Why did you seek, then, to have him ar- rested?’ ‘‘ Because, I saw anc recognized him last Anxious to ferret out t 1e matter, Lord Cli . w more |. pooh ee ee a — night, for the first time since—well, in several years. I feared yet hated him. I thought of the reward as a medium of revenge; you know the rest.” ‘*Do you know Rowdy Bate?” ‘* No—nor do I care to. She is only a stroll- ing vagabond, not worthy of notice!” ‘**T doubt that,” was his lordship’s unuttered thought. CHAPTER VI. THE DREWS’ PLOT. SEVERAL days passed without anything of story importance Dappening. The excitement had gradually subsided, yet Lord Clifford had caused to be posted a notice and reward similar to that which had been issued by X. Y. Z., only that he had doubled the latter's offer, by placing the figures for the capture of Blake at ten thousand dollars. Such a sum in eastern cities would naturally create a sensation; but out in the mines, where money was to be had for the digging or play- ing, such a reward was not regarded as extra- inary, and none of the rl the towm a red to be eager for the t, and Lord Cliftord began to despair, nearly as much as Lady Theresa. ) “ You will never succeed, my lord,” she per- sisted, ‘‘and I long to be back at Clifford Cliff, once more, You have heard and seen enough. I should think, to discourage you. The scalp, of one of the children being found, that conclu- sively proves it was murdered at the farimn- house. Do you for a moment suppcte that Blake would kill his own child, and make off with yours?” ‘‘ Not unless, like the arrant ‘nave I believe him to be, he may have designs as regards bringing about an heir to my estates, in the future. No! no! I shall never set foot on Eng- lish soil, again, until 1 have stood face to face and ‘at swords points with the man who be- trayed the trust I ‘placed in him. It may take months or years before 1 can confront this vil- lain, brt sooner or later, he must explain to me that wi ich I wish to know,” o Theiaxt «ay he met Rowdy E fe, it bein the dri b tin 9 he had seen ‘hei Sin ge the - yoon) © jigods . Ske vas parched on astump, Ive rlooking the river, engaged in the occupation of whittling and whistling, her rifle handy at her side, Lord Clifford came upon her unexpectedly, but ever self-possessed, would have turned away, had she not bailed him. ‘Hello, Lord Clifford! Wa’t’s yer burry¢” - she bailed, pleasantly, ‘‘ Needn’t git skeart, ’case I ain’t no grizzly, ner even a wildcat?” — ‘‘ Probably not, but I did not mean to in- trude; came upon you rather accidentally.” ‘Oh! that’s all rigbt. 8’ ye remember me. I was over tew Moree's shindig the other night, a-tryin’ to get a dance wi’ you, but some- how I didn’t succeed. Guess as how they reckoned thet was a high-toned skewrup} but. ! I’ve known Digger Injuns to hev a more fashionable dance than that was.” I Clifford smiled. | | ‘¢ Yes, lremember you,” be returned. ‘ You are evidently po of a spirit of your own, and do not hesitate to show it.” ‘““Me? Ob! no. I hain’t got the spirit of a converted mouse, ’cept once in a while; then Im a reg’ler old double-distilled typhoon, you ‘‘A suitable amount of temper is better than no temper at all. Are youalone in the world, young lady?” ; . ‘¢ Don’t call me that; call me nw Rowdy Kate. Yas, ’m alone heart out of the pack, an’ the knaves "ll soon pass me in, and finish the game with the use of spades—if indeed any one takes compassion enough on me to put me out. -o the reach o’ the wolves.” ‘*You are evidently in a melancholy mood, ‘oon -¢You mistake. I allow this is one of my bully days. Ef ye want to see me blue, I'l! come and tell ye, some day.” ‘¢ Have you ho friends or relatives living?” “One or two relatives, but no friends—not a reliable, true, never-failing friend on the face pot God’s footstool.” ‘That is bad. I[ should think it would be easy to find friends for one as bright and beauti- ful as you.” ‘‘Humph! the word friends ain’t no good now-a-days. I kin go up the street and pick up a dozen professed friends, but Bad quicker trust. myself in the hands of the fiercest mountain- robber, because there is honor among the, where their proclaimed betters are no more or less than snakes in the grass. As fer the Gomilchboo L™| hae