Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 241 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

‘*Let me alone,” his action said. __“*Mix up the same dram once more, ‘Ike, We'll give ’im another trial,” suddenly broke forth Revelation Rube, whose face rage had al- most blackened, ‘‘The white-livered book-rat doesn’t understand the consequences!” ‘‘T do understand them!” retorted Nat. ‘‘ You will mix up another dram at the expense of your liquor and glasses, I will break and spill so long as you mix.” ‘Then, youngster, you’ve got to fight Revela- tion Rube.” Almost before the sound of his own name ‘had left the desperado’s tongue, up went the young adventurer’s revolvers. ‘Riddle the bloodless chap!” ‘*Make a lead mine out of ’im!” rung through the den. The excitement was intense. Nat Grayscot heard the ominous click, click of revolver-locks on every side, The Cherubs, headed by a man named Wild- ‘cat Carl, were behind him; Revelation Rube ‘and the Tigers, the rival shooting club, were in is front. ‘I didn’t hit the "candle by accident, gentle- men,” came sternly over the two revolvers held ‘steadily in Nat’s outstretched hands. ‘I shall certainly kill the man who lifts a pistol against me, and Revelation Rube especially. I came to ‘Cinnamon in the interest of justice, and am able to protect myself,” ‘Back out!’ was whispered behind him. “*The way to ther door is open, You’re brave enough to b’long to ther Cherubs.” Nat did not move. “Take ’im out!” ordered the same voice, this itime in a tone of command. 4 A hand fell on each of Dictionary Nat’s shoul- ers. He was forced back. At the same time the men who had been held at bay by his revolvers advanced, and a dozen weapons looked him in the face. Suddenly a loud report filled the room. Nat heard the whizz of the bullet and the ter- rible thud occasioned by it striking some one just behind him. One of the Cherubs had been hit, Dictionary Nat tried to free himself, but Strong arms solicitous for his safety hustled him toward the door, ‘‘Exterminate the book-rat!” shouted the Tigers, springing forward, but Placer Pandy threw himself before Nat and covered his forced retreat. All at once those nearest the door started back with wild cries, and the next second were reversing the tide of retreat. “A bar! a grizzly!” echoed everywhere, An enormous grizzly bad sprung over the threshold, to be followed half a minute later by his counterpart, and suddenly between them ap- peared the athletic figure of a handsome man whose hands clutched the arbiters of the wild West—revolvers. ) The entire crowd, Cherubs and Tigers, now strangely intermingled, drew back from this startling spectacle, and as Nat’s would-be-pre- servers were frightened with the rest, he was left alone before Bill Bravo and his bears, “It ar’ Bill an’ bis b’ars!” cried Revelation Rube, the first to recover. ‘‘ We guv ’im orders to keep out ov town, but ho’s hyar with his ards to help the book-rat what wouldn’t swal- er the devil’s dram. Draw, boys, Cherubs an’ all, an’ let us wipe out Bill an’ his brutes!” Rube’s command was an unnecessary one, for every hand in the room seemed to clutch a re- volver. ; “For’ard, pards!” called out Bill, in a low tone to his bears. ‘‘ Now, men of Cinnamon, thar ar’ Dandy Dick an’ Rocky Dan. Pull a trigger on ’em ef you dare.”’ the desperadoes hesitated, Come hyar, Dictionary,” ordered Bill. Nat obeyed, ‘Go out an’ wait fur me at the pole in the squar’, ; . No. Iam going to stand by you.” Go out, I say! I command ‘it, Dictionary. We ar’ pards, you know.” Bill Bravo moved slightly to one side, and Nat, catching his eye at that moment, passed between him and the bears, and sprung from the den. A howl of rage followed his escape, and arush might have been made after him if two revol- nid and a brace of grizzlies had not blocked the path. Nat hesitated just beyond the door. To seek the pole in the middle of the square looked too much like deserting Bill and his friend Placer Pandy. | : ‘*You must obey the bear-tamer,” suddenly , said a voice at bis side. ‘‘ You are not safe here, Revelation Rube has been hoping that you would follow him to Cinnamon.” These words spoken in an anxious tone, full of silvery sweetness, held Dictionary Nat entranced until the last sentence was finished. He was looking into the upturned face of a beautiful young girl. “Who are you?” came almost unconsciously to the youth’s lips, “I don’t know, but they call me Posy Nell. But, go to the pole and then back to Virginia City. The, Tigers are against you, and Bill Bravo, his hears and the Cherubs are powerless to save. Revelation Rube wants your blood for something, I don’t know what. He told me a good deal about you the other day—” ‘*Then you—” The girl’s eyes fell. ‘* I belong to him, I guess,” she said. ‘' That is, he brought me over the mountains when I was a child. I don’t want them to kill you. You must go.” ‘To the pole, yes; from the country, never!” cried Nat. ‘‘ Answer me one question first: Are P ae satisfied with your lot!” i here! you mustn’t ask me that,” was the reply. ‘* We'll meet again, then.” ‘* It might not be best.” Nat bounded away. CHAPTER V, THE THEFT OF A CORPSE. THAT portion of the square immediately around the pole was deserted when Nat reached it. A few pieces of candles and many particles of glass lay at his feet. The latter glistened like diamonds, ‘‘ Why did I come hither?’ he asked himself. ** Just because Bill Bravo told me to leave the den, I deserted him in the face of amob. What if he kills Revelation Rube while [ wait here? That would be taking long delayed vengeance out of my hands. He-must not harm that man, for he belongs to me/ There! that was the crack of arevolver. I will not stay here. My place is at the side of the grizzly ga Ys here, idle though armed while they fight down yonder!” Dictionary Nat moved impulsively from the pole. One of his revolvers was clutched in his right hand. ‘‘Ah! you are not ohana’ your promise!” said a voice from behind. “I was afraid you would break it.” Nat turned and saw the figure of Posy Nell in the starlight. ‘Tt is you, is it?’ he exclaimed, springin toward the girl, who instead of standing sti seemed to shrink away. ‘‘Do you not think I am needed down yonder? That pistol-shot may have ended my friend’s career.” ‘Tt did not. Ican tell you this,” was the reply. ‘‘On the comtrary Bill Bravo sent a bullet whizzing !through a Tiger’s brain. They hesitate to attack him and his grizzlies. He is facing the mob. Stay here; he will retreat in good order. I saw him shoot, and I knew you would be anxious to know the result so 1 came here at once.” Nat Grayscot was deeply impressed with the interest the beauty of Cinnamon City was tak- ing in bis welfare. “Do you know whom Bill Bravo has slain?” he asked. ‘*T do not.” ‘‘ He may have killed Revelation Rube.” ‘‘ With his secret? No! no!” cried the girl. ‘‘Then he keeps a secret from you?” ‘*Yes. I do not know who I am, but I[ have told you this before. Revelation Rube knows. That is his secret. I would remain Posy Nell always if the bear king shot him down,” ‘‘And I would be forced to go back baffled,” added Nat, The girl was silent for a moment. ‘You have filled my heart with fears,” she said almost suddenly as she looked up into the youth’s face. “I wouldn’t have Revelation Rube killed at this time for all the gold in these mountains, I am going to see for myself. Will you not stay here? I don’t want you to fall in- to the hands of Revelation’s men.’ Nell’s tone was so imploring that Nat could hardly summon courage enough to resist. She was deserting him when a clear voice came across the square. ‘‘Men ov Cinnamon,” said that voice, “ from to-night thar’s etarnal war between us! Me an’ my pard expect no quarter; we shall give none. You kin bury yer pard an’ hold an indignation meetin’ over the grave. Ill not be hard to find ee eS eee ee ae ne ee —_-———-2 -— ee ee ee = ar Pards. 5. ore = = - ee —o— ow oe ——_ = me mee tee when you want me, an’ Rocky Dan and Dandy Dick will not be far off. Jes’ call round when ou hev bizness ov importance to transact with Bill Bravo, King of the Grizzlies. My new pard kin shoot, fur didn’t he wink the candle at the top ov the pole? Ef you hed looked cl’ar down into bis eye you would hev seen aforehand that you war offerin’ ther devil’s dram to ther wron man. Men ov Cinnamon, [ toss you good- night.” Jictionary Nat and Posy Nell heard every word. The voice told them that Bill Bravo had withdrawn from the rum-hole, and that he stood once more in the starlight, in front of it. ‘Your friend is safe!” said the girl to the youth; ‘‘but the man who has kept the secret of my life so well may be lying dead in Idaho Ike’s saloon.” ‘‘T hope not,” was all Nat could say. Half a minute later the figures of a man and two bears became visible, and Bill Bravo halted in front of Nat. ‘“Hyar you ar’, Dictionary,” he exclaimed. ‘‘T have roused the animals, but I hed to kill one afore I could control ’em.” “ Whom did you kill, sir?” ° The bear-man whirled upon the speaker, and the next second he was looking down into ‘Posy Nell’s face. Her eyes seemed to flash, and there was a menace at the corners of ber mouth, ‘Rube’s gal, by hokey!” cried, Bill, as he lanced from Nell to Nat. ‘‘She’s one ov them owers thet you don’t find everywhere in the Rockies.” Nell’s hand fell on Bill’s arm. ‘I asked you a question,” she persisted sternly, ‘‘whom did you kill?” ‘Not your pertector, my beauty,” was the answer. ‘The fellar I laid out war called Karl the Killer. Kind o’ Injun, warn’t he?’ ‘* Yes,” responded Nell, with gratefulness, ** You war fearin’ I hed dropped Rube, eh? I left him fur Dictionary hyar. | The girl looked into Nat’s face, “You must not forget that he carries a secret in his breast,” she said. ‘‘He must not perish with it there. He shall not!” Nat might have made another promise if Bill Bravo had not clutched his arm, ‘‘Make the gal no rash promises,” he whis- pered. ‘‘ You might hev to break every one afore long. It’s war to the knife from this minute, Yon made friends to-night an’ many anenemy. The Cherubs made you a member ov the’r club, didn’t they?” sé 'Y es. »” “They ar’ yer friends, boy, but the other club —the Tigers—” ‘‘ Are my enemies,” : “They ar’ fur a fact, an’ they ar’ tigers in more than name. Let us be off now. The b’ars hear suthin’.” **So do I,” assured Nell. figures moving over yonder.” ‘Back to the Retreat fur the present,” Bill commanded, : ‘¢ Yes, go!” | Nat heid out his hand to the girl, who touched it with more than a passing interest, Their nee met, spoke silently, Rid thus they sepa- rated, A moment later the place was deserted, The two pards were leaving Cinnamon City, and Posy Nell was hastening down the street that ran past Idaho Ike’s den. Just as she reached the front of the saloon she saw two men carrying a human body through the wide doorway. ‘It is the man Bill Bravo shot—Karl the Killer,” she murmured, as she burried on as if eager to escape observation. Not far away stood the rough structure which she called home—a rather large cabin with two rooms. “T’ve given orders fur ’em to bring Karl to my shanty,” said the voice of Revelation Rube, as Nell was about to enter the house. ‘‘ He war | one ov my men, an’ I’m goin’ to see thet he ar’ decently planted.” : ‘““Hedn’t we better git word to the Injuns?” asked another voice. ‘‘ They more’n half claim Karl fer cap’n.” ‘No! e don’t want the reddies to mix in our fight. They’ll scent thecarkiss soon enough. Why didn’t you fellars drop Bill when he stood between his b’ars?”’ Nell could hear no reply. ‘‘T guess he held the trump cards,” continued - Revelation Rube, with a low chuckle. ‘‘It war acold deck he set up on us to-night, Dave. But jest wait till we hev planted l, Then the pards an’ the b’ars will surrender the checks they’ve carried too long already.” *‘T have seen com books-com