Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 241 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

“42 — Bill Bravo and His Bear Pards. te ee ee master, and the fingers that had leaped to the trigger at the first sight of the Cherubs, seemed to creep out of the trigger-guard, cowed on the instant. “We mean biz’ness!” continued Wildcat Carl. ‘“ Bill Bravo ar’ entitled to all the rights an’ privileges ov a member ov ther Cherub club. Hear’ one ov us! Stan’ back from our pard, Revelation. Draw off yer Tigers!” “We must fur policy’s sake, Rube,” whis- pered Solid Sol in response to Revelation’s con- sulting glance. ‘* Let Wildcat an’ his pards hev their hour. We've jes’ been hevin’ ours. Turn about ar’ fair play.” The captain of the Tigers did not reply. i use chagrin choked his utterance. ™ ady Cherubs!” rung out Wildcat Carl’s impatient voice. ‘‘ Kiver the best men across the squar’.” | Fifteen bronzed cheeks dropped to the stocks of as many leveled rifles. “Stan’ back, but keep yer fingers on yer triggers,” said Solid Sol ina low tone. * Wild- cat an’ his pards holds the trump kerds now.” ‘* Tt’s worse than er cold deck!” groaned Rev- elation Rube. The next instant the Tigers fell back, glaring madly at the rough rank across the square, and Bill Bravo stood alone with the loose noose resting on his shoulders. ‘**For’ard, pard!” called Wildcat Carl to him. “‘T mean you, Bill. Throw off ther rope an’ come hyar.” The bear -tamer broke with an effort the slight cords that held his arms to his sides, and threw off the almost fatal noose. Then he strode forward brushing past Reve- lation Rube whose eyes seemed arrows of liv- ing flame. ‘Ther Cherubs can’t allus set up ther deck, Bill, hissed the wounded rough. ‘‘Go to yer new pards, an’ wait till l want you. You won’t hev to wait long, Bill.” “111 be around when I’m wanted, mebbe afore,” was the cutting response. ‘* You'll not furget me while my compliments keep open house fur death in yer life chest.” ae Man never forgets the snake that bites im. ‘* But he doesn’t allus get to kill ther afore- said snake!” said the bear-tamer, with a grin as he passed beyond Rube’s hearing. e walked fearlessly toward the leveled rifles of Wildcat Carl and his pards, and as he did so his hy searched for the familiar face of Placer Pandy. But the old miner was not to be seen, CHAPTER XIII. RUBE LOSES HIS BET. | . WHEN the bear tamer was within a few feet of the rifles of the Cherubs, he was about to di- verge to the right and join Wildcat Carl who stood at the head of the line, but that worthy’s ‘voice changed his intention. “Keep straight ahead, pard; the club will - make a door fur ye to through.” A minute later the rank ahead presented a gap to Bill Bravo’s gaze, and when he had passed to it it was instantly closed, and a solid front once more faced Revelation Rube and his as- tonished roughs. “It war a close call, pard,” said Wildcat Carl. ‘We war waitin’ fur the ws, You kept it back along time, an’ ther boys war afraid ye warn’t goin’ to give ’em a chance to help their new pard. Now, Cherubs, fall back in good order, onless Rube an’ his men want to try a shootin’ match.” he experienced eye of the mountaineer saw that a word might inaugurate a deadly conflict between the two factions, and he hoped that the Cherubs would quietly withdraw, thus dis- pensing with unnecessary bloodshed. “‘They don’t want to grapple with ther Che- rubs now,” continued the leader of the bear- tamer’s friends. ‘‘ Ef Rube’s looks war bullets we'd be dead ez door nails whar we’re standin’ at this minute.” The Cherubs withdrew unmolested in the faces of their enraged rivals, and not a word, not a challenge was burled at them, until they were conducting Bill toward the confines of the mountain town. Then coarse epithets and oaths reached their ears, and caused bronze fingers to glide with eagerness to the triggers of revolvers. ut Wildcat Carl whosaw these actions shook his head. ‘‘No fightin’ now onless ther skunks charge us,” he said: ‘* We must first conduct our new pard beyond danger, then—” He paused abruptly and looked at Bill Bravo who had all the while been regarding him. “Then ' what, Wildcat?’ fell mechanically from the bear-tamer’s lips. ‘*'You ought to be able to guess. lived long enough in these parts. **T can guess. Havin’ conducted me from Cinnamon, you will come back an’ offer the Tigers battle.” ‘Thet’s jes’ it! We'd like to hev ye witness ther tussle, Bill, but a stray bullet might de- prive ther boy ov his pard.” The bear-tamer started. He had not thought of Dictionary Nat for some time, and at Wild- cat Carl’s reference to the youth, he glanced anxiously at the heavens. The sun having reached his meridian, was slowly descending westward, and while the mountaineer felt like going back, and facing Revelation Rube and his pards in the ranks of the Cherubs, he was anxious to rejoin the young avenger whom he had left with the bear Dandy Dick in the moun- tain cave. The suburbs of Cinnamon were soon reached. ‘*Thar’ll be but one shootin’ club bhyar when you come back, pard,” said Carl with a grim smile when the grizzly king bad thanked his bronze rescuers. ‘' I war commissioned to han’ you a dockerment ov some kind before I left ye. It might be a love letter from ther size ov it. It ar’ fur ther boy.” Wildcat Carl drew from beneath his dingy buckskin doublet as he spoke a folded piece of pe on which were traceable the words, ‘For Nat.” ‘Bill’s eyes lit up with delight when he extend- ed his hand. ‘* Nell isn’t dead!” he said. ‘Dead! Ef you could hev see’d her eyes glisten when she handed me thet letter, you wouldn’t think about her bandin’ in her checks,” was the quick response. ‘* How kin shedie when Placer swears she’s got to live?’ The mountaineer pe the paper away, and the following moment he had said good-by to the Cherubs of Cinnamon, and was burrying to- ward the cavern. Almost before he had passed out of sight, Wildcat Carl turned to his men, and said, as his eye flashed down the line: ‘‘Let every shot tell, pards. Thar must be but one shootin’ club in Cinnamon to-morrow, About face! for’ard march! It ar’ cold deck ag’in’ cold deck now. The Cherub what’s afraid to die with his boots on will leave the ranks afore the enemy hoves in sight, Cinnamon’s too small to hold two clubs,” Bravely the fearless roughs marched into the town with ranks intact, and turned inte the un- paved street that ran past Idaho Ike’s den and across the noted square. “Thar they ar’, ready fur ther game!” said Wildcat Carl, espying the crowd that seemed to be waiting for them in front of the saloon, ‘* Halt!’ The Cherubs came to a halt, and Carl, with a cocked revolver in each hand, walked boldly to- ward the rival club. | ‘‘ We ar’ back ag’in, ready to fight ’er out!” he said, addressing the crowd in front of which he halted within easy range. ‘‘ Cinnamon can’t hold all ov us. Ther events ov ther past few hours hey made us eternal enemies. Let ther sun to-morrow shine on livin’ Tigers an’ dead Cherubs, er vise versy. What do yer say, boys?” Out from the crowd sprung tbe tall figure of Solid Sol, Revelation Rube’s trusty lieutenant. ‘“We will not fight now,” he said, * though I admit thet one club’s enough fur Cinnamon. Our pistols would disturb ther last moments ov our cap’n.” — ‘* Whar’s Revelation?” ‘‘In yonder,” and Solid Sol glanced at the saloon. ‘Dyin’ with ther bullet ova man what shoots in ther dark in his life-box! Let us hev a truce till death hez robbed Rube of his last check, then— * Thet’s fair, Sol,” interrupted Wildcat Carl. ‘““Ther game will not begin fur awhile yet.” ‘Thus unexpectedly was the bloody contest between the roughs of Cinnamon delayed, and bammers were let fall quietly upon the ready cartridge. Wildcat Carl and a few of his men went for- ward and entered Idaho Ike’s, where the Tigers nie over the prostrate form of Revelation ube, ‘‘He swears he ain’t goin’ under now,” whis- pered Solid Sol to Wildcat as the latter looked over several shoulders at the wild-faced man lying on the undressed planks whose sole cover- ing was a tattered army blarket. “Ef deter- mination ever helped a man, Rube will see some good fightin’ yet.” You’ve Almost at that moment tke leader of the Tigers wrenched bis arms from the grasp of the men who were trying to calm his struggles by holding him down to the floor, and sprung first to a sitting posture, and then to his feet. ** Whar’s Nell?’ be shouted. P < She’s safe—livin’, cap’n!” answered Solid ol. ‘*I’m goin’ to her—must see ther child.” ‘That settles it,” whispered one of tbe Tigers. ‘** Rube’s throwed down ther kerds, He wouldn’t ask thet way after Posy Nell ef he didn’t think he war goin’ off with his boots on.” “Go fur the gal—quick!” said Solid Sol, turn- ing to the speechless crowd before whose eyes Revelation Rube had just torn away tho bandages of his wound. ‘Not a step! Nelly sha’n’t come hyar. [Jl go to her.” Already a man had disappeared from the crowd, and was hurrying down the street. Rube with an oath sprung toward the door as if to intercept the man whose departure he bad noticed; but a score of hands held him back. ‘* We’ve sent fur Nell,” said Solid Sol. ‘* You can’t leave this place. You will see her hyar.” ‘* But I will not tell her the secret before you men.” ‘* We'll retire when the gal comes.” Five minutes elapsed, at the end of which time the words, ‘*‘ Hyar she is,” made Revelation start and turn his eyes to the door. The Lily of Cinnamon had arrived; but why did Rube utter an oath of rage, and start back instead of rushing forward to greet the girl? ‘*T didn’t send for you, Placer Pandy!” ho flashed tigerishly as he eyed the man who sup- ported Posy Nell. ‘] am hyar jes’ the same. I hevn’t dogged yer steps fifteen year fur nothin’, hev I Rube?” There was triumph in the old miner’s tone, and for several moments the two men eyed one another with the vindictiveness of life-long enemies, ‘*Wal, I’ve been a fool, an infernal fool, to let you see this hour,” grated Revelation Rube, at last. ‘ But 1 kin giteven with you in ther end, Placer. I did intend to tell Posy Nell suthin, but now [’ll go down ther dark river with my secret.” The girl and the miner exchanged rapid glances; the latter seemed to smile. ‘*-You’ll spite nobody but yerself, Rube,” he said. ‘* Mebbe Nelly wouldn’t giv’ a nickel fur yer secret. Last night when she jumped ‘be- tween you an’ Bill Bravo she would have given her life fur yers; now she doesn’t keer whether you pass in the secret with the kerds er not,” Slowly the eyes of Revelation Rube returned to Posy Nell, and became fixed on her face. ‘‘ What hez Placer told you, Nelly?” he asked in a busky voice. ‘‘T]l tell you what,” cried the old miner, be- fore the girl could speak. ‘‘Send the boys out first, Sol,” said Rube. ‘* This ar’ private bizness between Placer an’ me. ‘“* Let these men wy EM the miner cried, “I want them to hear. They shall hear!” The dying man, whose bands seemed to make an impression on the counter against which he was trying to steady himself, bit his lip, and sent Placer Pandy a look of unquenchbable hatred. ‘‘ You can’t listen toa long story, Rube. Mine must be told afore the angel ov death rakes in ther last pot. Sixteen years ago everybody knew Felix Norton and the pretty little child he called bis daughter, and everybody soon af- terward cursed the devil who stole her from the nursery one night. Felix Norton was rich, but he had inveterate enemies, among whom was a man named Reuben Gragg, who disappeared from the neighborhood soon after the theft. Felix offered thousands for the child’s return, but without avail. Both Reuben Gragg and Ada Norton had effectually disappeared. After three years of unavailing search, Felix died.” ‘‘Thet’s so!” said Revelation, who had not lost a word of Placer’s story. ‘‘ Silence!” thundered the miner. ‘* Though Felix was dead, there was one man who had re- solved to find both Reuben Gragg and Ada, He had a right to bunt them—a right to find Ada and kill the girl stealer. That man did not rest until, west of the Mississippi, he had found Reu- ben Gragg in Revelation Rube, the Yellow Lion of the Pacific Coast. He dogged Rube’s steps from the moment of his discovery. You know this, Revelation. "You know that one bater has shadowed you fifteen years or thereabouts; but you succeeded until a short time ago in keeping your prize from his sight, for these men—Tigers Gomichooks- co i 7 £ me bee ~*~ toe ak lhl ~~ zai aw ee Of >. ae ms V7 on Be onbad —_ fj ah _2