Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 286 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 belief. A little to the left was a thicket of small bushes, none of which were over five feet high, and in the center thereof was a rock of considerable size. Several times the tenderfoot had looked at this thicket oe bie 8 because it would make such a good refuge for an enemy, and in this way he had fixed its position pretty clearly in his mind. » The idea which struck him after awhile was that this thicket had advanced several yards to- ward the mouth of the cave. As the suspicion tirst struck him he shoved his rifle a little fur- ther forward, scenting a trick, but not a person was visible, and a little further thought almost convinced him that his idea was absurd. It might be possible to move a thicket, but how could a rock, weighing a ton or more, thus be made to walk? Joshua almost smiled at the thought, but he was not easily blinded, and he kept his eyes on the'suspicious spot. e was soon rewarded, for he saw an unmis- takable movement on the part of the thicket—it was advancing toward the cave! Greatly astonished, he used his eves once more, and this time more critically, and he was not long in perceiving that the object he had thought to be a rock was no more than a piece of cloth, partly concealed by the bushes. Joshua would have been stupid indeed if he had not seen a trick in all this. Such dummies do not walk around in the Gunnison without an object or without belp, and he at once decided that there must be some one behind the sham thicket. ci called to Nora and explained the situation to ber. “Tcan’t see anybody,” he concluded, “ but, beyend a doubt, some o’ the ’tarnal critters are behind the bushes. I calculate they see’d Roar- ing Ben when he was going in an’ out, an’ now they are trying tew steal upon us on the sly.” “What shall we do?” asked Nora, anxiously. ** Dew?” echoed Joshua. ‘‘ Wal, my idee is tew lam them like sin if they don’t eout o’ this vicinity!” CHAPTER XV. A HOLLOW PEACE. THe B:y Tenderfoot ase bravely enough, but he was aware that he might yet have to fight against more than he could comfortably ‘meet, So far, not an enemy had shown his head and their number was in doubt, but Joshua did not really feel at ease. “I s‘pose I might send a bullet intew them Sushes an’wake then up,” he said. ‘* But we don’t want to open hostilities.” “We don’t want tew be in a muss, anyhow, but I'm afeered we can’t dodge it. Sve hyer, Miss Nora, these bushes grow mighty clost up around us—I b’lieve I can crawl out unseen an’ then work my way round tew one side an’ get a squint behind that dummy.” ‘Do as you think best. I will stand on guard and try to hold the fort.” “Yeou’ve got tew pistols?” von” “Wal, I'll leave my gun, which will give veou quite a battery, as Ben Bundy calls it, Keep sharp watch an’ don’t be afeered tew shute if they try tew be ugly.” “Rest assured that I shall defend myself,” said Nora, firmly. No further time was wasted. Joshua saw that the mysterious thicket had once more moved forward, and be at once left the mouth of the cave, twisted to the cover of the bushes and be- gan his crawl to a proper place for observation. His task was | ot an easy one, for the cave owed half its security to the fact that there was no good way of approach by stealth; but by making use of bushes and stones, he crept along without raising an outery or other manifesta- tion from the strangers. The desired refuge and point of survey was soon reached. Joshua saw what he had expected. Behind the counterfeit thicket was a quantity of human bodies, arms and legs, which soon resolved themselves into three men lying flat and advanc- ing their cover by degrees. e tenderfoot’s eyes sparkled and he fingered his revolver nervously. By all the laws of war- dare, anything he might do to these men who had caused him and his friends so much trouble would be no more than justice, and at that dis- tance he could create a profound sensation among them, even if no one was killed. For a moment he was swayed by the tempta- ‘tion, and then he resolutely thrust his revolver ack in his belt. **T ain’t shot anybody in cold blood yet, an’ I ee Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. won’t begin now,” he decisively said. ‘‘ Them *tarnal skunks desarve it an’, mebbe, I'l) be sorry fur holdin’ my hand, bime-by, but I'll ht fair an’ square while I can.” ving arrived at this decision he turned and made his way back to the cave. All was as he had left it, but Nora was growing somewhat excited over the steady approach of the coun- terfeit thicket, and she looked greatly relieved sight of her protector. ‘“*I’m goin’ tew stop that game,” said the lat- ter, coolly. “Pll show them darned shunks right away that they can’t play blind man’s ae on us, an’ then they can dew what they please. He picked up a good-sized pebble and hurled it with such accurate aim that it crashed through the bushes, knocked over one of them and disarranged others, whereupon Joshua broke into a laugh. ** Just see them sticks lop over, will you?” he said, still laughing. ‘‘Guess they ain’t got many roots— Hello!” The crack of a revolver broke the silenee, and the bullet flattened against the rock near the tenderfoot’s head. He met the greeting without a sign of fear, but after a little his anger arose and he sent a return shot whizzing through the bushes. He half expected a rush on the part of the be- siegers, but dead silence followed the shot and the thicket did not seem to move again. ‘* What next?” Nora dubiously asked. ** Darned ef I know,” Joshua admitted; ‘* but I guess we can see the bull circus by waitin’ areound here a spell.” ‘** Don’t get reckless, We must think coolly.” ‘*That’s abeout all we can dew. Them fel- lers hold the key tew the stable, an’ we can’t go eout tew exercise unless they say so.” The youth spoke with the utmost coolness and unconcern, and no one would have taken him for a tenderfoot of two weeks’ standing. Could it be the same boy who had crept timidly into Jack Magoffin’s so short a time before, scarcely daring to say his soul was his own? Yes, it could, and was. Joshua Pepper had not been changed in his cradle, or in any other place or way, within the fortnigbt, but he had caught the Colorado rush, and already felt like a veteran. A period of inaction followed the slight show of hostility, but Joshua, keenly watching, was pleased to see that the counterfeit thicket had come to a standstill. Were his enemies studying fresh mischief? In the midst of bis watching a familiar sig- nal sounded, and then Roaring Ben Bundy ap- peared only a few rods away. He was in a po- sition easily seen from the thicket, and Joshua at once began a series of warning gestures, but the miner, after a long look at the vicinity, came composedly forward. ‘* What ther blazes is ther matter with yer?’ he asked. ‘‘Got ther jim-jams, or what?’ Joshua hurriedly explained the situation. ‘*Shoot me ef I see’d any human critters thar,” said Ben. ‘‘I’ll go an’ see.” He strode boldly tow*rd the thicket, and though Joshua expected to see him drop at any moment, reached it unharmed, and then turned around to shake his head. The motion meant that no one was there, and the tenderfoot was filled with surprise at the ease with which the strangers had deserted a4 post unseen by him; but Bundy soon came ack, “ Ther blamed critters hev got up an’ dusted,” he announced, “ Did you say you fired at “ Yes.” ** Wal, you drawed claret, that’s all. I see’d red stains on ther leaves.” y **Good gracious!” said Joshua, in consterna- ion. ‘*Don’t ye mew, boyee. They played with fire an’ got burnt. Sarved ’em right. O course they was Thayer’s men, an’ they thort they could take you onawares, but you held ther best keerds and they sloped.” ‘‘Have you been to the Bar, Mr. Bundy?” asked Nora. ‘**T have that, an’ I’ve fixed things all squar’. Thar has b’en ther biggest powwow thar that ther civilized world hss seen sence Pontiac’s day. I talked to ther boyees an’ two-thirds 0’ them are on our side, ter stay. We're gwine back, an’ old beeswax, thar, that you call Jed Thayer, has got ter come ter tarms. Pistol Pete .is with us, an’ ther crowd says ef you owns ther Tiger Mine, marm, that you’re a gwine ter bev it or thar will be a nitro-glyserine explosition o’ ther greatest magnitude ” Roaring Ben delivered this address with nu- estures, and by the merous and appropriate gan to realize how time he was through Nora much she owed bim. She caught his hand and uttered her thanks, and the veteran bore it bravely. Either he was of the stuff of which martyrs are made or else it did not worry him to have a pretty girl thus praise him. Nora did not forget to add Joshua to her list of debtors, and then the trio prepared for the return to Buzzard Bar. They went, and, half-way, were met by a score of miners led by Pistol Pete and Abe Nor- cross, the owner of the Eagle Mine, by whom they were escorted triumphantly to the village. 0 one appeared to oppose them, but as they reached the first of the cabins they saw at one side a group of men who neither cheered nor threw up their hats, ‘‘ They are the workmen in Thayer’s mine,” explained Pistol Pete, turning to Nora. ‘' The old man has closed the place, agreeably to our orders, to wait until the real ownership is de- cided, and those men yonder are out in the wet, They feel rather sour, but the breeze will soon blow the cloud over.” “It is strange that Thayer should close the mine,” answered Nora, Pistol Pete smiled quietly. ‘‘Wa-al, he did vote against it at first, but Long Tom Barney beld bim and I shoved the sixes ag’in’ his temples while he thought the. matter over. on every ballot, slick and clean, and when the case comes up it will go before a jury composed of Long Tom Barney, Jack Magoffin, Abe Nor- cross, and the best men intown. YThey’re white, marm, and they’ll see justice done if the Gunni- son reeks with gore, You can bet on that right along!” The eloquence of handsome Pistol Pete, and her peculiar situation, confused and nearly unnerved Nora Barr. Naturally very brave, she had come to the Gunnison prepared for war, and she had kept up her courage until the rough way of Jared Thayer bad destroyed her courage: but now, when she was the weakest, the - dest measures were advocated by her new friends. They carried her straight to Magoffin’s and Pistol Pete and Ben Bundy took tion in the bar-room to stay as a guard, b girl was with friends she valued more, n her arrival she was very much surprised to find Nemo there, and ber heart was filled with joy when she saw that he was not badly injured. e had been bit in the head by a bullet and stunned, on the previous night, and he was still weak, but with his frame he would gain rapid- ly. The other friend was Joshua Pepper. In some way, Nora was strangely drawn toward the brave boy, and when he volunteered to see her through she gladly accepted his offer. CHAPTER XVI. THAYER STILL AGGRESSIVE. THE remainder of the afternoon passed peace- fully away, and everybody seemed oceupied a° usual excepting the workmen of the Tig Mine who were thus given au undesired hol, y. They moved about the town in a surly, in- dependent way, and the more observing among Nora Barr’s supporters were not slow to per- ceive that they meant mischief. Still, they kept their distance, and with Roaring Ben Bundy an: pistol Pete to hold the bar-room and her other friends above, the girl felt tolerably brave and contented. Jack Magoffin had come to the front as one of her stanchest supporters, but a man in his busi- ness must Bo with the current, and Magoffin bowed the lower before her as he reflected that she might yet learn some of his past moves against her, when Thayer ruled as king, ie which respect Jack was only a man, Nemo had taken a great lking to Joshi Pepper. The way in which the young eag. » had shown his talons pleased the big black. a1, it was at his suggestion that Nora finally que, - tioned the venderfoot on his past and futur., and ended by offering him a good situation when she gained her rigbts. , After.that, Joshua had a double incentive to unceasing vigilance and he had an eye to all that was going on outside. Darkness fell and Jack Magofiin’s trade .b>- eame brisk. In fact, he had never befure seen it quite so good, and he dealt out the liqu with his blandest smiles ana chuckled as fe scooped in the gelden gain. : Once, and onee caly—until the crash came-“a vw up stairs the. 4 J The result was he voted with w 2 -——- : | comicbooks.com—