Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 263 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

~ ee ee eee eye ew. 2 - - _-— Let's look down on Doomsday Ferry. It appears strangely unlike the of a year ago, for the eastern shore of the lake is now dotted with many new shanties, and the bustle of activity is seen and heard every- where, Dan Doomsday sits complacently on the end of his ferry barge, as it is drawn up by the beach, and smokes his grimy pipe with evident satisfaction as be surveysthe busy scene around him. ‘Yes, thar’s a big change since a yeer ago; since that night Kate Laurel come heer with her mammy, an’ liked ther place so well that she concluded to locate right heer. Then, jest as soon as ’twar found that a pretty woman war settled heer, ther popylation flocked in, fast and sartin.” The old ferryman fell into a fit of musing, his chin dropping upon his hands, Not long his reverie remained unbroken, however, for there came a musical laugh, and 6 hand pend the bald spot upon his head. Looking up, he beheld Kate Laurel, lookin not a bit older than she had a year ago, and anything, more decidedly ye sna and pretty, in an airy bunting dress and straw hat. ‘““Why, Uncle Dan, you'll get sunstruck and tanned, is here in the sun,” she said, merrily, ‘‘I do declare you're getting fat and lazy since we first came here.” ‘* All jest because your pert self has bin about ter cheer me out o’ the blues, I expect,” Dan chuckled, ‘I’ve jest been, cogitatin’ on how ther town’s growed, child, sence ye furst cum hyar. S8’pectef another impertation o’ wimmen vas ter come thar’d be a reg’lar city heer in no me, place has grown, surely, but not as I could have wished, There area good many bold, bad men here lately, whom I both fear and detest. If it wasn’t for one thing—one vain, foolish whim, as mamma calls it, we would move on into the interior mines, where papa is, or was when last heard from.” “Oho! ye mean consarnin’ the speerit o’ Swamp Lake, eh?’ Dan queried, ‘Yes, Deadwood Dick,” Kate replied. ‘‘I shall never leave this place until it is settled for a certainty whether that apparition we fre- quently see, is really alive or supernatural.” ‘* Pshaw ! girl, you’re crazy. Haven’tI seen it these last three years, an’ orten’t I know it’s a spook? Lord a’mighty, Kit Laurel, what d’ye what to do wi’ sech a thing as spooks?” ‘*'Tisn’t the spooks I’m after,” Kate replied. ** Pm after Deadwood Dick himself, for a reason best known to myself. That he is not dead, I have considerable faith.” ‘‘ Waal, durned ef [I wouldn’t like to know what ye want of him, Queer sort of a man fer a purty gal like you to git stuck on.” ate laughed. ** You have got the wrong idea of the matter,” she replied. “Iam by no means stuck, as you choose to expressit, after any man. I am not a girl who fallsin love with ashadow. Why I want to test this mystery but I and the one above me knows,” _ “I heer thet new pilgrim, Wild Walt, pro- poses to search for Deadwood Dick’s divide, w’at’s buried down in the lake.” ‘*So Tam informed,” Kate responded. ‘‘ He is the essence of all that is vile. He even had the audacity to address me with familiarity, last evening, as I was going to the t-office, but I guess my look apprised him he had better be less familiar. Do you know what I be- lieve?” sé No.” ‘‘ Well, it is this: this man Wild Walt seems to have a deal of power among the majority of the men, and it is not impossible that he was one of the men who ch Deadwood Dick to Swamp Lake—may even have been the pard of the latter. If so, his influence would go to show that he has many cronies here, and they RY se not only to search for and appropriate ick’s part, but also to pry into the secret, of the ghost business, to learn for sure what there isin it. They may suspect, as I do, that there is a further object of the specter’s guarding the hake than the simple scheme of frightening peo- ple from raising the sunken treasure.” ‘“Git eout! In the name of goodness, what other objeet could there be? Thar’s nothin’ else to guard, except the frogs, pollywogs, and so forth.” “You don’t know for certain. This Swamp Lake may have secrets that are not known to ou, for I’ve heard you say that you never new it to be explored farinto the timber. There might be an island with a gold mine on it, for you know. This very Deadwood TT ie Deadwood : Dick's. Divide. ——— ee Dick is the man to run onto such streaks of luck, and knows how to keep mum, too.” Old Dan whistled his surprise, ‘*'You’re a keen one,” he muttered, as he scratched upon his bald spot in a fruitless search for the hirsutes. ‘‘I hadn’t tho’t o’ that afore; but thar’s a possibility thar miay be sumthin’ in ““ And that’s one thing I mean to find out!” Kate declared, as she turned and walked away, on seeing a party of men approaching. Tho Ferry had indeed undergone a change. While Old Dan had different ideas on the matter, it is likely that the main cause of the influx was owing to the fact that gold had been orp in small but paying quantities in the vicinity. Then, too, being on the ronte to the interior mines helped to add to the camp’s population. Jakey Solomous had not struck it so badly, after «!l, for being the first to start, he was the first '. , rofit, and his saloon and general store had tu Uv enlarged toaccommodate his business, as it was the principal place for liquid refresh- ments, Dan y having abandoned the hotel business. Jakey was a shrewd fellow, although he did not make many friends, and always tried to create some sort of sport, if it was in no other way than to climb on bis bar and sing and orate. The evening after Kate Laurel's conversation with old Dan, the sal was well patronized by miners and men-about-town, who drank and discussed the topics of the day with great gusto, the liquid fire in most instances adding to their volubility. | . Among the crowd, the man who seemed to be a sort of leader and more looked up to than others, was a tall, burly rough of perhaps thirty years, who was rather propopsessing of countenance, having a graceful mustache and goatee, and a good complexion. is eyes, however, emitted glance that was treacherous. Dressed in top-boows, light pants and vest, dark coat, ‘‘ b’iled” shirt and collar, and white sombrero, his appearance was of the ‘‘nobby” order that characterizes the Western sport and adventurer who plies his vocation principally in mining towns, and the saloons and streets *here- of a dark, peering Tiger.’ Whether this title was applicable to his nature, or not, is hard to say,; but his deportment often seemed to indicate such a fact. Among others who were particularly notice- able about the apartment, was a man whose Anpeerense was decidedly curious. is attire was ragged and dirty in the ex- treme, consisting simply of stogy ts, cordu- roy breeches, a striped shirt made of ticking, and a plug hat cocked upon one side of bis head, which Tooked as though it had seen hard service ever since the days of Noah’s ark. But, queerest of all was his countenance, and something entirely out of the usual line, as far as Doomsday Ferry was concerned. Of his face, from the neck upward, absolutely nothing could be seen except his nose and eyes. -Whiskers and mustache covered his counten- ance to the very eyes, while down over his fore- head to the eyebrows, his hair was combed in ** bang” fashion. All this was exceedingly strange, but the most curious part of his appearance was that there was a divison in the color of his hair and beard, The division ran up through the middle of the face, anil over the head. One side was of a red- dish color—the other was as white as driven snow, and both sides of the hair and beard were full and luxuriant. The eyes of this man were as keen and bril- liant as those of a person of much younger ap- pearance; but his nose was a synonym of all that appertains to Bacchus. This member was exceedingly large, anc be- ginning at the end with a glossy red color, gradually tapered down to a gentle pink shade, at the roots. What of the mouth was revealed under the two-colored mustache, was rather waggish in expression, as was the glitter of the eyes. The only first-class appurtenance visible about this striking individual, was a revolver and knife in his belt, and a fine-looking parrot which be usually carried perched upon his shoulder. A most pert looking bird it was, which had an eye for everything worth noticing, and had something shrewd to say, talking with marvel- This fellow was addressed as Wild Walt, and H he not unfrequentl y boasted of himself as *‘ The } —_——--2 omer ee a tae ee ee eC —— - - . ~ ous accuracy, and seeming to possess almost buman intelligence. Of course the strange pair were a source of great attraction from the moment they entered the saloon; and when the man of two colors ranged himself up along the bar, plenty others dropped to the conclusion that it was about time for them to “ take su’thin’” too, ‘‘ Whisk !” the curiosity gasped, as he shovea his manly breast against the bar; ‘an’ ef yo happen to get a bumble-bee or bull-thistle in it, to make et tickle when it goes down, | sha’n’t be angry.” a id reckon you'll find fire enough in this bey- erage, my friend,” the bar keeper said, as he poured out a glass of the article sold for whisky. ‘It has been known to burn a hole through chilled steel.” ‘*Good! Thet’s jest ther article I’ve been look- in’ for!” the stranger averred, and ingulfed the drink with gusto. ‘“T’ve got a tank, my verous pilgrim, w’ot kin hold fluid lightnin’ jess like a trick in eucher.” ‘ Hello! What hev ye got heer?” Wild Walt demanded, striding up. ‘‘ This must be an es caped animal from Barnum’s menagerie, | say, old man, when did you escape from the ark?” ‘‘Shortly after you were bounced out for making love to the 3 ag Ae the veteran re plied, a cute twinkle in his eye, at the same ime motioning for another decoction of ‘bu juice.” ‘Ef ye remember antediluvian ti ye’ll recollect me as being the man who ca ye stealin’ poultry from ther ark an’ smuggiin’ et out to the sinners w’at war roostin’in the tree-tops.” The crowd smiled audibly, while Wild Walt uttered a snarl of disapproval. ‘* You’re mighty smart, ain’t ye!” he growled, ‘Must have been swallowing a razor factory.” ** No—not so bad as that, tho’ I did chew u a needle nig an’ swallow a thorn tree a bil ago, "Twon’t do any man harm to gulp down a grass scythe or two now an’ then, judgin’ by yourself,” “ Well, now, jest ye look out that you don’t git too flit hyarabouts, or you'll git suppressed, madgenyy, ‘m ruther bad, myself.” ‘Ye luk it. I war jest goin’ to obsarve the same,” the stranger averred, with a nod, “A purty peach like you orter go to ther sea-shoro an’ git ther salt breeze to keep from sp’ilin’ paurely, Ef ye think ye kin pick on me, be- cause I’m beautiful, yell find I’m allus tew hum. No keerds!” ‘*Cuss my boots, if your impudenee don’t grow worse and worse!” Wild Walt snarled. ‘'W hat’s yer species of the brute creation any- how, and what d’ye want hyar, at the Ferry!” n* Waal, I ken’t see as it’s any o’ yer bizness, but still I'll tell ie I’m a downright bright winged butterfly from Bosting, variegated aa’ beautiful wi’ ther ssthetic taste of a Wilde, and the pugilistic propensities of a Sullivan, When yecum down ter names, I’ve one w’ot freezes the fried cake, ter speak figuratively. Bum—that’s my handle—Bum—Dionysiusg Dia- blo Deliberate Bum. Nocards. Fer short ye kin call me Old Bum, ’case ther name suits. _“** I'm gettin’ old an’ feeble, T cannot drink much more; My skull absorbs the sunshine and the rain, And—’ ” “There! that’s a great plenty!” Wild Walt declared, gruffly. ‘“‘Shet up yer vocatrila machine, or I’ll throw you out of the window into the street.” : Bum whistled, and scratched his ruddy nose. ‘What war that?’ he demanded. “Did say sumtbin’ jest then, or war I dreamin’? you unblusbingly hint that ye would projoob me pepe the windy, ef I didn’t quit? ‘Exactly! Give me three inches more o’ yer lip, an’ ’'ll make the other side of yer mug ture white quicker than a cat kin say catsup.’ Old Bum stared at the man a moment, incred ulously, then, giving vent to a roar more in- human than otherwise, he rushed toward the Sport, his aspect something terrible. CHAPTER IIT. OLD BUM’S PRETTY PARD. It looked very much as though the Sport, Wild Walt, was doomed to speedy annihilation, when the bullwhacker, Old Bum, rushed for. ward with vengeful mien. But, the Tiger was by no means a weak m and did not dodge to avoid his assailant; on ¢ contrary he met him half-way and ender yard to get a blow in between Bam’s eyes. ‘ea **No ye don’t, me larkie!” that worthy the male as he neatly parried, and ta the chin with sufficient force see Goim (CLO ONO) cS