Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 238 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee meme ~ politely doffing their hats, accosted the old preacber, “These,” said Humbolt, “are the gentlemen who witnessed the marriage.” ‘* Yes, sir,” added one of them, ‘‘ we were witnesses to the marriage of our friend at the Fairy Grotto.” “Well, verily,” exclaimed the divine, writing down the names, ‘‘ this strikes me as being a very remarkable, and J must say, mysterious wedding. I ho ne bad Mi eothe | of it. Sut there you have it,Mr. Humbolt, with the ubert Anson and Heil con as Humbolt took the certificate and carefull read it over, then folding it up he thrust it down into an inner pocket. Frodd, who was watching bim all the time, saw, as he drew his hand from that same pocket, that he held in iis fingers a little derringer; and before he had timae for a second thought the man pointed the ge at — one ee pressed the gay. ere WAS A , a sbarp rt, a ’ Ptolemy Frodd sunk to the ‘iow oo Then Rufus Humboilt blew out the light, and, followed by bis two men, hurried out into the darkness. ce ee eee CHAPTER V. ANMIRATION OF THE OLD *‘ PSALM-SINGER.” THE departure of Rev. Ptolemy Frodd from the Pine 6 saloon was not, us might natur- ally be supposed; followed by any noisy demon- strations or violent threats on the part of the assembled crowd. On the contrary the roughs were inclined to regard the matter seriously. They could not shake off in a moment the awe- inspiring influence that the old preacher's pre- sence had left them under. After Rocky and Matt Hohn had washed the blood from their faces and dressed their wounds, they sat down and began to talk over their *“mill” with the ‘Old Psalm-Singer,” as he was termed. ‘‘Thar’s no use a-talkin’, pards,” said Rocky “that Ole Psalm-Singer’s none o’ yer low and meekly vritters. He may be solid on religion and temperance, but he’s chock full o’ grit, and he’s got a fist and the science and an arm to drive it home like a shot from a Columbiad. I say, Mathew Hohn, how did you feel when he fotched you that left-hander?” “I thought a behemoth had kicked me,” re- plied Hohn, gravely,” and I know I see’d more stars o’ the fust magnitood than ole Astronomy, hisself, ever see’d,” “ Well, my friends,” observed the handsome young gambier, Dick Ogilvie, who had entered the saloon some time after the encounter with Frodd, ‘don’t all this teach us one thing?” ‘*'Ya-as,” put in the proprietor of the Fine Cone, “ it learns me one thing, and that is, we've got to squelch that Ole Psalm-Singer lefore he gits the ois he over us, or River View’s a dead duck. No town can prosper on ie and nea , or,” said the gentleman! ken gam- bler, Ogilvie, whose opinions ont oe sabieete went a long way with those whom he almost daily ‘‘ fleeced ” out of their earnings and steal- ings, ‘‘ you and I have been always hail fellows well met—never had a word of difference; but lot me say right here that I admire pluck and 1nanh even in a preacher, A man that’s willing to back his religious convictions with liis fists, if need he, is a man to be ted as well as feared. Now, Ptolemy Frodd is one among a thousand of his profession. Why, the coolness with which you say he ente this saloon, the firmness with which he refused to drink, the handsome and scientific manner in which he erected a shed over Rocky’s eye, and the magnificent and gorgeous style in which his jJeft hand kissed Methew’s cheek—bringing that gentleman to , has won my admiration and respect. only wish I could have been liere to have seen his style.” ? ‘‘ Shake, pard!” exclaimed Rocky, to the ut- most surprise of all; ‘‘that’s just the way I feel, only a little mofe so whar the swellin’s join’ on over my eye.” ‘And I foller suit,” chimed in Hohn, and then the crowd clapped their hands and roared. “ Lookey bere,” said Rocky, rising to his feet, ** you may think that Old Psalm-Singer’s skeered ame into this, but ye think wrong if ye do. And listen to me, will ye? Next Sunday I’m goin’ to meetin’ and—” Here he was interrupted by a roar of langh- ter; but after the noise subsided he went on: ‘* And I’m goin’ to respect the teachin’s o’ my «ld mother again, and bebtave myself like a tuin. for I tell you I do respect that thar Ole The Parson Detective. Psalm-Singer. I would like to see every enloks: mug o’ you fellars thar, but remember that the first one that undertakes to git up a dog-fight, or the fellers that begins a game o’ poker door- in’ meetin’, or takes a drink o’ whisky and pore the bottle to the preacher, or otherwise isturbs the meetin’ as hereuntofore, I'll jump right thar and then and lick ’ithin an inch oO’ his or her life. D’ye bear me, pards?” | ‘‘ Bravo!” shouted the cool and cunning Ogilvie; ‘‘that has the true metallic ring, Rocky! Don’t you see, boys, that if we pull too strong against religion and Sunday ‘bib and tuckers,’ there be just grounds for the organiza- tion of a vigilant committee, and you know— or some of you, do doubt—that these things lead to necktie-p-rties. Acquiescenoe, in a manner, is the best thing for you gentlemen, since the pilgrims of River View have found a ‘* Ya-as,” wled the barkeeper, wbo was not in with a movement calculated to injure his business, ‘* Ogilvie’ll take the Psalm- Singer’s side publicly, but I'll bet he’ll skin him in a private game of poker before he’s preached his second sermon.” This was said a low tone to a friend, who indorsed every word of it by a nod. And thus the matter was discussed for two long hours, when suddenly the door flew sa and a man entered in great excitement, Al recognized him at a glance as Major Robert Brandt, a Government surveyor who was stop- ping at River View, but who had never been seen in the Pine Cone before. ‘‘ Hullo, major,” exclaimed Ogilvie, rising to his feet, and advancing toward bim, *‘ what’s wp, anythingf” — | ‘‘A foul murder bas been done!” cried the surveyor, excitedly; ‘‘ Rev. Ptolemy Frodd is lying at the point of death with a bullet-hole through his head!’’ lips of the roughs. Ogilvie turned pale and with a quick, searching look he turned and ran his eyes over the crowd as if for evidence of guilt that would naturally be stamped upon the face of the assassin were he present. Rocky rose, too, and as he did so there was a look of stern gravity on his face, and a fieree light in the single eye on duty, since the old eacher dressed the other in mourning. + a Se wenn and emphatic, yet full of emotion, said: ‘‘Gentlemen, thar’s been foul play. Some coward has rung in a cold deck on the Ole Psalm - Singer, and though I, Phelix Bunks, still bear the wounds, smokin’ hot, too, given me by that ole pilgrim, I’m ready to help in huntin’ down the assassinand hang him ona horn o’ the moon!” ‘‘And put me down to help ye, Rocky,” shouted Matt Hohn. ‘* And me, too,” put in the gambler, Ogilvie, and his words were repeated by nearly half of the excited crowd. In a few minutes more the roughs in the tow ~~ ae dispersed, secret et ov after Og accom y ‘ky an Hohn, roceeded to the Twin Cabins where Rev. Ptolemy Frodd was said to be dying. Half the town was already assembled outside the cabin, discussing in excited.tones the ter- rible It was quite dark—so dark that Ogilvie and his friends could distinguish no one by his face. This fact enabled them to hear much that they would not had they been recog- nized in the crowd. Suspicions of the assembled populace turned toward that hot-bed of in- quity, the Pine Cone, whose frequenters had long before declared no missionary should ever stay long enough ia River View to preach bis second sermon. ‘You see, boys,” whispered Ogilvie, ‘‘ where the suspicion rests, but we. can prove our inno- cence and—” ‘* Good news! good news!” moe pine 4 shouted a man that came running from the cabin; ‘‘ the doctor says the old preacher’ll live!—that he’s only got a bad scalp wound. The old feller’s come to his senses now and recognizes us folks; but when still a leetle flighty he started up in- quirin’ bout them three fellers, meanin’ his as- sassins.” : ‘We'll find ’em at the Pine Cone!” yelled some one in the crowd. ‘* Yes, there’s where they are!” shouted an- other, and then a score of voices took up the cry and continued: ‘‘The Pine Cone! to the Pine Cone ‘with firebrand and rope!” The citizens had become, by these few excited words, incited into a howling mob crying for blood and bigs ome A movement was made toward the saloon, but suddenly, above the A - of surprise and horror burst from the Se eo noise of the surging crowd a stentorian voice rang out, It was the voice of Ptolemy Frodd. ** Hold! hold, my friends! to me & me- ment.” The mob stopped and tarned their faces to- ward the speaker who stood under the roof be- tween the cabins. A dead silence reigned. ‘* My friends,” continued the old divine, “ do nothing rash. There is a mystery about thie night’s darkness and crime that I cannot fathom. I do not believe my attempted assassination — was done by the Pine Cone peaple. True, I was there tonight and had a little difficulty with two of them, and yet I do not believe either of them guilty of crime against me. Two of the three I never saw before and the third. one was masked and is also unknown to me. My friends, go to your homes and sleep over this, and to-morrow morning we can take some steps toward hunting down the villains, 1 am glad to say that nig skull was hard enough to turn the assassin’s bullet; although it knocked me senseless and has marred the symmetry of my face somewhat, it has not damaged the fluency of my tongue, as you see.” An outburst of laughter greeted this grim hu. mor, as the preacher turned and went back to his room, while the crowd dispersed and each one sought his home. Not all, either, for ae soon as d and Dr. Wales were alone, the gambler, Ogilvie, Rocky and Hohn were ushered inte the presence of the wounded divine. Hobn had a bandage around his jaws, as though the victim of the toothache, and Rocky’s left eye was swollen shut, and his face around it black and blue. ‘‘We beg your pardon for this intrusion,” said the free and easy Ogilvie, ‘* but we felt it our duty to call and see you, Mr. , and tender you eur services.” : ‘‘Thank you, sirs,” replied the preacher, ey- ing the gambler closely. ‘‘ Be seated, gentile- men and let me hear your opinion of this night's work. ‘‘Tt’s all dark as Egyptian gloom to me,” de- clared Ogilvie, as the three sat down around the preacher’s table, upon which sat the lamp. ‘¢‘ And it’s more’n dark to this left eye o’ mine, preacher,” asserted Rocky; ‘but I hold no grudge ’g’inst you for all that. A man that’s. got the sand back his religion with his fists and revolvers are my style o’ Christians, and I'll be da—doomed if I don’t calkerlate to stand in with you till he—Hades freezes over,” ‘‘ And here, too,” chimedin ** Right Bower.” ‘‘We naterally felt a little oneasy arter we heard you war down,” continued Rocky, * knowin’ as what you’d taken a hand ’ith us at the Pine Cone. e war afraid you’d think we war tryin’ to ring in a cold deck on ye.” ‘*No, no, I did not think any such a thing, Rocky,” Frodd replied. ‘‘I know that my as- sassins were not at the saloon when I was there, for I took in every face in the room, and would. have remembe seeing Mr. Ogilvie there, but I know he was not one of the three. Iam glad you are all feeling kindly toward me, for | need friends like you men to assist me in hunting down that er- Fraud,” stammered y, ‘if yer want to put us down as friends aud helpers, yer can do so. We admit we ar’n’t aie by a da—doomed sight, but it’s our desire to play you a squar” me—excuse me, sur, I mean— ‘‘T will not be prepared,” said Frodd, with a smile at Rocky’s confusion, ‘‘to take any defi nite measures before morning. If 12 tliree men will call to-morrow morning, 1 may be able to know exactly what I will do in the remises. Call early to-morrow moelngs 3 and hope you'll find me a little clearer in my mind.” * So with this the three men rose, and bidding the preacher and doctor good-night, left the ca soon as the door closed upon them, Dr. Wales turned to his patient and said: “ Ptolemy, you have won Rocky and Hohn’s eternal friendship, but keep an eyeon that gam- bler, Dick Ogilvie! He hadn’t much to say, but don’t forget that—” “<The shallows murmur while the deeps are. dumb,’” quoted Ptolemy Frodd. ‘Exactly, Senet exactly,” said Wales; “ but seeing I can do nothing more for you to-night, I believe P’ll go home.’ 14 So saying, he bade the preacher good-night and departed. Prolemy closed the door and locked it and made arrangements to retire. It was now midnight, and he had no idea that he would be visited again that night; but, just as he had re- JOO them. , I don’t remember of — cS (E() BGOMIC