Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 285 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

aan Denver Doll’s Decoy. — ee ——— —— —_—_ er ee eos a Besides the shirt, he wore a fancifully- hunting -__—_ +. = —_— _ throat. beaded and embroidered buckskin shirt and a jaunty sombrero. His belt contained a pair of ae yen mounted six-shooters and a bunting-knife, while in his hand be carried a Winchester rifle that was fully equal to his belt weapons, in point of finish. Taken as a whole he was a handsome, dashing mav, whom few could look upon but to admire, and whom none could pass without taking a second look at. After leaving the stage be made his way into the office of the hotel, with the evident inten- tion of securing accommodations. eoin’ to sell mea | Very likely he would have failed, but Denver | Doll, in person, presided behind the counter, and her eyes had rested upon the sport from the | moment be entered the door, | She was a critic of good looks, so faras they | appertained to the masculine gender, and she |} at onee pronounced the new arrival a very ‘About the only thing to do is to come to some terms with her, and let her remain, | should judge!” Old Prowler remarked. “It might prove more profitable to your interests to keep on the right side of her.” On careful reflection, Doll Came to the same conclusion, She was a rough and unruly customer. and ber enmity was not to be despised, for should she be foreed to quit the Claim, there could be little doubt but what sbe would return with ‘fficient backing to reinstate herself, The next morning, while Doll was preparing | breakfast, Sal Slap poked her hesd in at the door. * Well?’ she demanded, “ buildin’ lot over yonder?” **On one condition!’ Doll responded, survey- ing her sharply, ** that is, that you will endeavor to protect my interests by not setting any one up to usurp my rights to the land in this portion of the guleh!” ‘** Agreed!” Sal replied. Adonis. a tough old screamer!” ‘Can IL secure board and a private room “Then you can have sufticient building room | here, miss?’ he asked, as he approached the for a thousand dollars!” / counter, ‘*Cheap enuff!” Sal declared, producing a “1 will see,” Doll said, referring to the regis- sack of coin, and counting out gold pieces. ‘‘’lo | ter. ‘We are full up to the roof every day save trouble, jest let me give you a piece o’ | since the excitement began. I have but one advice. Go to work an’ divide off your claim | vacant room, and that has two beds in it,” into small lots, an’ sell em off as fast as ye can. ‘* Well, if you can do no better, I suppose I Ye’ll make more’n though ye try to hang onter | shall have to take up with that, providing you the caboodle.” don’t put an objectionable party in with me.” And so it proved. ‘Very well, I will look out that you get at The next day a party of speculators entered | least a sober and honest room-mate. Terms are the gulch, and Doll disposed of ten lots for a | five dollars a day, sir.” thousand dollars each, and still had half a dozen ‘* Take a week’s board out of that, then,” and left, beside the one occupied by their shanty. throwing down a fifty-dollar bill, he proceeded This made her and Little Bill feel quite rich, | to write his name. and the latter took a trip to Boise City to bank Doll gave him his change, and then looked at their wealth. the name. In another week a great change had come * Big Buckskin, eh?’ sbe said, in surprise. over Little Bill’s Bonanza. All of the lots had | ‘‘ Indeed, I feel honored to have you as a guest, been sold off to advantage; the gulch swarmed with strangers; bandreds of teams were en- gaged in hauling logs, lumber and provisions; shanties, cabins and marquees were going up in every direction, while the bustle and excitement were unprecedented. Old Sal Slap had imported a gang of ruffians, and her *‘ Guzzler’s Glory,” was up and in full operation before the end of the first week after her arrival, the “grand opening” being cele- brated by a free fight, during which two men were killed. Auticipating the rush to the new ‘‘ strike,” Doll and Bill had added a large addition to their shanty, and opened if us the Bonanza Hotel. Thus sprung up, like magic, the young city, and people flocked in from the adjacent mining regions to ‘‘make or break.” “he same heterogeneous class that populates all miving excitements came to Bill’s Bonanza, and within two weeks the camp was literally red hot, and reared its head aloft with due importance, ; he guich panned out well even beyond Denver Doll's claims, and the rock of the moun- tain sidey was found to be impregnated profit- bly with both gold and silver. This only added fuel to the fire of enthusiasm, and the excitement waged wild. Every stage —for they now ran daily—came in laden with humanity, and any sort of eating or sleeping place was at a premium. ; One evening the stage brought in an extra load, and landed it in front of the Bonanza, which had already assumed its rank as the lead- ing hotel—in prices, it may be added, as well as popularity. ' Among the passengers was a man who must at once have attracted attention anywhere, for in appearance he bordered somewhat upon the extraordinary. He was fully six feet in hight, «nd as well proportioned as he was tall; his figure nevertheless showing evidences of both streogtht, endurance, and the litheness of great awry, In face he was strikingly handsome, after a noble, manly way. bis features being well molded and bronzed by exposure to tbe sun. His mouth, shaded by a dashing mustache, was tirm yet pleasant in its habitual expression; his eyes were dark and piercing in their glance; bis hair was of a dark brown color, and fell in a wave over his shoulders, half-way to the belt. e also wore a narrow goatee, and in number of years looked to be about thirty-five, though he was possibly younger. He was dressed in a half-frontier costume, conte of corduroy breeches, thrust into a pair Of handsome top-boots, and met at the waist by a white flannel shirt, open at the - ——— ** T’m squar’, ef lam fords!” ‘You know me, then?” he interrogated. * Yes—by reputation, as a bold and daring scout and detective. You mey also have heard of Denver Doll.” ‘To be sure I have, and Lam pleased to meet you. Thought (d drop over this way to see if any devil ry needed a check, but if you are here [ shall find but little to do.” ‘* Be not sure of that; there is plenty for both to attend to. If you will wait a moment, | will call Billy, who will show you to your room.” by Little Bill, who showed the sport to the room assigned bim. As they went up-stairs, two men, who had been nnobserved watchers from the veranda of the hotel, turned away an? walked down the gulch, for street there was none, owing to the Bo Sou in the location of the houses, These men were two of the Murdock bro- thers, Jack and Burk, both disguised with false beards. * Yes, thet was Big Buckskin,” the captain said, ‘‘and we'’fe in Tick: Rather thought be couldn’t keep away from this excitement, All we've got to do now is to pop him over at lei- sure.” ‘‘ How are you going to work the job?’ Jack Murdock demanded, ‘ This out-and-out murder business fs getting devilish distasteful to me!” “Oh! you're gettin’ too particular to live,” the other growled. ‘* Keep on your kickin’, you will, ‘til first ye know some one o’ the boys will pcp you over.” Jack laughed recklessly. ‘*T'll be cussed if they will!” he returned. ‘Tt takes a spry man to get a drop on me. Hang it, I allow there’s a cause for me to growl. I eet got a smell of a share of that thousand et. _ “*Nor have the rest of the boys. I’m holding it back till I bleed old Andre once more. I’m gor to do that, too, before I send Big Buck- skin over the dam!” . ‘* He won’t unload!” “ The blazes he won’t! Don’t fool yourself on that score. There’s a big stake up, as he ad- mitted hi:self, and he ain’t the man to lose a puddin’ for the sake o’ savin’ the plums. By the great eternal!” ** What's the matter?” Burk Murdock did not reply in words, but pointed across the gulch, where two men were standing, engaged in watching a party of miners busy opening up a new placer claim. Jack Murdock whistled. “Why, that’s his reverend nibs, now!” he ejaculated. ‘ But who’s the swell along with bin), that supports the side whiskers?’ . } She returned « moment later, accompanied , } and will see that vou get the best the house af- | opine we kin show ‘em better. ——- 5 rm rr tg "The English nabob what wants Andre's daughter, I presume,” the captain said, with a shrug. ‘' We're disguised. Let’s go over tbere.” Accordingly they sauntered across the gulch, and paused but a few pace frou where Sir Royal Rignold was standing with Jubal Andre, Rignold was a haughty, aristocratic-looking individual of thirty years, with blonde side- whiskers, mustache, and huir, and was elabo- rately dressed in the finest of clothing, with Apes to match. ' The claim which the miners were opening he had evidently purchased, for he was giving oc. casional directions, The two Murdocks paid no attention to either Rignold or the wicked parson, but were seem- ingly eagerly interested in the work of the miners. ‘Their ears were open, however, and not without bearing something. “T guess the investment will pay back a’ small margin, at least,” Sir Royal was saying. ‘*{ hope your daughter will arrive safely with the money to-night, I might as well have brought it myself, as we encountered no roai- ageuts,” ‘Tt is better in her care,” Andre respouded, looking casually around him. ‘ Road-robbers are less likely to search a woman for valu- ables than a man, The stage from Boise will reach here before ten o'clock to night.” Tbe conversation turned cff on other topics then, and the two men soon sauntered off to a newly-finished shanty of more pretensions to a residence than the rest, and entered it, And the two Murdocks also moved away. ‘*D’ye tamble?” the captain asked, ‘ Bet!” was Jack's response, *' Andre’s gal is comin’ in on the stage to-nig, t, an’ is fetchin’ the swell’s swag, ‘cause he was afeard to fetch it himself.” ‘We want a smell at that. They suy 4s how there's no agents fer the Boise trail, ‘bat | Where's tho boys?’ * Up at old Sal Slap’s!” “What! She's not h re, the old tigress?” ‘Of course! The boys nosed her out first. Got a bapg-up raneb, called Guzzler’s Glory. | Good haven for us, too. She bad it built wi’ an ' | | eve to biz, in the way o’ supplyin’ a hidin’-plagy —nsecret room, ye know.” ‘ *“Humph! we may need to use it, . But ‘to business, Go tell the boys to collect. on the Bois: trail, a mile out, as soon as its dark! Dye take . * Tn course !” aie Ls “Call * Cuckoo?!” The brotheis separated, and weut in different einen, ions, to mature preparations for the stage roobery, : CHAPTER IV. f A MOMENTOUS NIGHT. by AFTER being shown to his room, Big Buck- skin dismissed Little Bill before that youngster could get a word in edgewise. . pet ‘Never mind, old hoss,” William pompously muttered, as Le went font dante ae considerable chagrin, “T'll get even wi’ you yet, Needn’t feel so mighty big o oe Aen foot. Reckon you look down on kids as kinder a superfluous adjunct, as Doll says; but "twixt you an’ me i've bearn tell o’ kids wi’ a fat bank account, Wait till you want some infermation —oh, won’t I freeze ye wi’ the furst Bet I wall! Jest like Dollbaby to go on thet giant, too. T'll furst time I get a chance. | The Bonanza had a bar-room sna aw stocked bar, but no games of any kind, exce dice, were allowed therein. “iy Little Bill usually officiated conn the day as dispenser of good cheer, while Old Brower took his place after sunsct, when trade was more brisk. y RWeet. put a flea i hey ear “That position the venerable detective occupied when Bill entered the saloon, after conducting Big Buckskin to bis room. The room being vacant for the moment, ol Prowler signaled for Bill, who approeched with . a decidedly grum face. fos’) “What's the matter, Billy?’ the Englishman asked, seeing that something bad g ne wreng, ‘“ Nothin’,” the boy answered. ‘Big Inmn.ox trod on my corn. Wot ye want’ * Who was that fellow whom you showed up- stairs?” * Big Buckskin. * Big Buckssin i” * Didn't L say sot Want me to write it down fer ye? Injun-fighter— bad medicine— card ’ sharp—cuss in general. Killed sixty reds, sin- gle-handed, in one day, up on the Yellerstone,” swer! ell Pe m Ebooks “iGO Cor