Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 279 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

—_ Old Winch, the Rifle King. Old Winch, THE RIFLE KING; OR, The Buckskin Desperadoes. A Romance of California. BY T. C. HARBAUGH, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ PLUCKY PHIL,” *‘ ARKANSAW,” ** BILL BRAVO,” ‘‘ CAPTAIN APOLLO,” ‘* CAP- TAIN BULLET,” ‘“‘ GO) D TRIGGER,” “‘ OLD FROSTY,” “‘ DANDY JACK,” ETO. CHAPTER L ELDORADO SURPRISED. Gop VaLLey, which lay at the foot of the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, was a pic- turesque spot. It was very large in area, and was dotted with many ranches and mining- camps. Prominent among the latter was a place called Eldorado by ‘the motley crowd of American miners, Mexicans and Indians who inhabited it, for it stood in the midst of the great gold-pro- ducing district, and naturally became the ren- dezvous of the wild, rough classes of California. Far above Eldorado towered the snowy spurs of the Nevada range, and the grizzly could look down at any time upon the lovely valley and its denizens. Eldorado prospered, and that without a wo- man within its boundaries. Occasionally the daughter, wife or sister of some rancbman ven- tured into the place, but they were surrounded by such a crowd of wild men that all had been eagor. to beat a hasty retreat. soft September day was nearing its close when a couple that attracted much attention rode into Eldorado. They came from the east, where the San Joa- quin rolled over a golden bed, and their tagged horses told that they bad traveled a long dis- tanee. The man—for one of the new-comers was a representative of the softer sex—was a grizzly bearded person of sixty years. His figure was tall, and as straight as a Cheyenne arrow; he had the eyes of an eagle in his head, the car- riage of a person conscious and proud of bis own abilities, and a voice when he spoke, geutle but, at the same time, full of resolution. He looked more like an old bear-hunter than a miner, for his buckskin garments were Sian after the fancy of a modern Nimrod, and his wea pous consisted of an elegant repeating rifle, knife and revolver. His companion was a girl not more than seventeen. Although she was white, she wore the tasteful garments of the Indian maiden, which outwardly consisted of soft doeskin leg- gins, and a frock of the same material, the latter ing to an inch or so below the knees. Her feet were incased in a pair of Cinderella-like moccasins, and her head-gear was a unique cap whose only ornament was the gaudy wings of the California oriole. Added to this outfit of wearing apparel, the irl wore a belt in which was stuck an ivory- andled bunting knife, which did not look for- midable when compared with the huge affair evrried by her companion. Her beauty was at- tra ttive, for her eyes were dark and sparkling, ana er garments revealed enough of her figure to sbo.~ that it was faultless. It was a strange couple to be seen at Eldorado, and it is not at all singular that they shuld be a unded by the entire population of the place, ‘* My name, gentlemen, is Winch—Old Winch, fur short,” —said the girl’s companion, looking down upon the staring and gaping crowd from his saddle, ‘‘ This gal is Gold rgie, fur ef sbe ain’t worth her weight in yaller stones, thar’s not a woman in Californy worth a dollar. Jes’ look at her, men, an’ say thet she isn’t a daisy, ef you dar’!” A slight flush that enhanced her wild loveli- ness suffused the girl’s face, and she threw a re- proving glance at the old rifleman who did not notice it, but went on: *“Don’t ask me. whar I picked up this rare nugget, for I mightn’t give ye any satisfaction ef ye did,” he went on. ‘‘She’s a mountain rose, thet will bloom in any climate ef she’s treated square. Old Winch ar’ her friend, an’ woe to the Vag ae {ape offers insult to Gold Georgie while I slings this shooter,” and he patted his rifle threateningly. ‘Whar ar’ you goin’?’ came from the crowd. It was Old Winch’s time to start. ‘* We ar’ on the trailov a my ” he said —‘‘ one thet consarns Georgie hyar. e hevn’t made much headway in the matter yet, but we hope to afore long. Whar’s Plumas Roy?” ‘‘Here I am!” and there stepped forward a handsome young man whose honest face seemed out of place among the roughs and toughs by whom he was surrounded. “You're a young chap,” exclaimed Old n the youth. ev thought thet from what I’ve heard ov you. Georgie,” he continued, turn- mg to the girl, ‘‘ this is Plun as Roy.” sthe eyes of the young people met a cour- teous bow passed between them, and the youth who had emigrated to Eldorado from Plumas county, whence his singular name, advanced until he stood at the head of the girl’s horse, ‘*“We want to see you, Plumas,” continued Old Winch, ‘“‘ but not in this crowd. We're hyar on important bizness,an’if I’m not mis- taken, we’ll stir Gold Vall up one of these on fig 1 couldn’t call on anybody else in Eldo- o but you.” “‘Tam at yourservice,” and the speaker’s eyes wandered to the girl as he spoke. ‘ If you will follow me I will lead you to a place where we can converse with no listeners to bother us, I mean my own cabin, miss. It is not a palace; we have no palaces in Eldorado,” And as Gold Georgie pete te his smile, he turned to lead the wry through the crowd. he men of Eldorado fell back, and the Old Rifle King and his beautiful companion urged their tired animals on again. Plumas Roy walked by the head of Old Winch’s horse and carried on a.conversation in tones which did not attract the girl’s attention, for she was taking in the camp and its many rough objects of interest. ‘The old fellow hasn’t changed a bit since I saw him last in Starvation Camp,” muttered one of the eighty men who ga after Eldo rado’s unexpected, and somewhat mysterious visitors. ‘* Ranch always maintained that he would turn OE some day, but I never took much stock in it ut byar he is an’ I must do my duty. I can’t leave camp fur thar’s no tellin’ what'll happen byar afore mornin’ with thet old devil among us. Didn’t I hear ’im tell Plumas that Gold Valley war to be stirred up as it hez never been stirred afore? He’s liable ter begin to-night, an’ he brought thet gal along to catch young fellers like Plumas. The old cuss kin shoot with that kill-devil rifle ov his, but what’s one man among eighty .ef the eighty take a notion that he’s lived too long?” he man who communed thus with himself was almost as dark of feature as a Mexican. He was brvuad-shouldered, active and not unband- some, although a raised scar extended from the corner of his left eye almost to the ear. When he separated himself from the crowd, he pee over his shoulder and found himself fol- owed by a wiry little Mexican, whose snaky eyes glittered beneath the brim of a dark som- rero, A rapid look full of meaning passed between the two men, but they did not meet until they had entered a rough-looking cabin, a hundred ards from the spot where the men of Eldorado ad inspected Old Winch and his beautiful girl companion. ‘‘Santissima! He is here, Modoc,” said the Mexican, the first of the twain to speak. “‘Hyar? Ov course he’s byar!” was tbe re- ply. ‘‘I wasn’t lookin’ far him, but he came, anyhow. As be war livin’ be war bound ter come. All ther grizzlies in the Rockies couldn’t keep the Old Rip back, an’ heaven knows thar war a power ov ’em around when I saw ‘im last. Mex, you must ride to the ranch.” ** To-night?” re — away.” * It is twenty miles, senor.” = If it war a thousand I’d send you off jes’ the same. aoe Mexican youth was silent and awaited orders. “You're not to tell Ranch Rob more than I want you to.” “*T will obey, senor. Modoc picked upa small bowie-knife that lay on the rough table at his right. The next mo- ment he raised it aloft and then buried it deep in the table. An instant later the snapping of steel’ was “pine and Modoc held a broken bowie in his and, Mex the Mexican looked on amazed. _—«_—s. ‘“Take this broken knife to Rob an’ say he hez come—not another word.” And the knife was thrust into the Mexican’s hand. ‘‘ You had Winch, rat his keen eyes u **T wouldn’t better take the black horse, for the night will match him in color, an’ nobody will see you. Don’t spare ’im ef he is the best critter in Gold Valley. You ar’ ridin’ for the life of more than one man. You must git to Ranch afore day, if it costs you every bullet on yer person, an’ the last drop ov blood in yer veins.” “‘T will get there, senor!” was the determined rep] Then go. Remember the word, ‘He hez gr youth speutg PipDy from e cabin, an ppeared as quickly as a pis- tol’s flash in a dark ravine. He burried to a corral between Eldorado and the mountains, and selected from Song the restless horses confined there a glossy black gelding, on whose beck he sprung after having adjusted a Mexican saddle and bridle. way like the wind went the black horse as if he bore norider. Swift as a comet he shot down the mountain trail for thirty minu and then struck across a portion of Gol Valley. ; He seemed to know the road as well as bis swarthy rider, The sun bad gone down, and darkness covered the earth. A few stars glimmered like miners’ lights in the map firmament, but they. certainly did not show the Mexican the trail he trav- ersed. Lome = Where was Modoc—the man who had dis patched him on his mission—and what was he doing? — , own be diamond cut diamond ez it used to be, when Ranch Rob comes,” be said, in gleeful tones. ‘ Thar’s nobody to stop Mex now, for the Injuns hev left the trail. He'll git thar safe an’ sound, an’ thet’s all I want.” “* Mebbe be will!” Those three words caused Modoc to recoil. He had just stepped from the gloom of bis cabin, and an exclamation of surprise dropped from his lips. His revolver bad been drawn, and was already cocked in bis hand. ‘‘Mebbe yer yaller tool will git to ther ranch, an’ mebbe he won't,” continued the same voice. ** Ez fur you, Modoc, yer days ar’ nearly num- bered. I’m byar to stir Gold Valley ter its depths, if it’s necessary, to give Gold Georgie ber rights. I warn’t expected, ez I saw the first time 1 sot eyes on ye awhile ago. Old Winch bez a habit ov turnin’ up when an’ whar he’s not wanted.” The left hand of the speaker was at Modcc’s throat; his right thrust the muzzle of a revolver into his face. ‘Go back into yer cabin; I don’t want you now, Modoc,” and the rough was flung backward with a force that astonished him, His heel struck the threshold of. his mountain home, and he fell at full le. gth amid the dark- ness beyond. ‘“‘By heaven! we'll bev yer blood fur this!” he grated, as be recovered, ‘‘ You’ve ridden inte a ae den, you an’ ther gal hev, ye old evil! ‘We did it with our eyes open, Modoc,” was the response, accompanied by a derisive laugh. ‘*] shall stay byar till Ranch Rob comes if the Greaser finds ’im. Meanwhile, ef you want sat- isfaction out ov Old Winch, you'll find ’im at yer sarvice,” Modoc found the revolver, which bad been knocked from his hand by the fall, and rushed from the cabin. But bis enemy was not in sight. ‘‘ To-morrer!” he hissed. “Tam satisfied; let it be to-morrow!” came from the darkness. ‘I came byar on bizness, an’ a pert ov thet bizness is to use my rifle im writin’ lead sermons fur your crew.” CHAPTER II. THE UNKNOWN MAZEPPA. We need not say that Modoc was the only citizen of Eldorado excited by the arrival of Old Winch and Gold Georgie. Away into the night groups of miners and roughs with no particular avocation, discussed the unexpected visit. All agreed that the girl was the most beauti- ful creature they bad ever seen, and not a few envied Plumas Roy the good fortune which kept him in ber presence. : 5 ‘* The old rascal came by the beauty unfairly —Il’ll stake my claims on thet!” exclaimed a member of one of the groups first referred to. ‘Let's investigate the matter at daylight. He needn’t say thet the gal’s bis cbild for they don’t resemble one another more than an Injnn looks like a snake. We kin git up a court an’ try ’em fur child stealin’. We hevn’t hed a bit ov fun in ther valley for a coon’s age, an’ things ax’ Gomilchboo “S (E(0) ? — ————— | | |