Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 286 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4. ——_$__. foot, after a glance about the room, slid into the chair as though afraid it would arise and sail away with him for an unwilling passenger. He looked so green and acted so awkwardly that some of the men pitied bim, but this cless kept silent because tenderfeet were common in the Gunnison, all that remained had to endure i speeies of hazing, like a student at college, und tbe sooner poor Josh took his various de- | frees, the sooner he would be out of trouble. Perhaps none of these specious reasoners, however, ever found themselves a thousand niles from every acquaintance, at the age of seventeen, like this overgrown boy with the V . Dave French smiled in a self-satisfied way. “‘[m a great hand fur tricks,” he resumed, makes me feel bad arterwards; but ter show you that | don’t hold any spite, allow me ter offer you a few drags from this hyer pipe o’ mine,’ pilgri “‘an’ I sometimes carry them too fur, which He must fight or show his back, | With these words he held toward the young pilgrim the article he called a pipe. it was one; it certainly had been in its youth, though y of common clay; but long and Se we use, together with cruel neglect, had “ma a blind Joshua would dare put it in his mouth. any enthusiasm about accepting it. ‘Take itt” said French, blandly ; “T have another, Take it an’ smoke hearty.” “Tm much obl .” said the tentlerfoot, hastil » “but I don “d another pipe like this. Take it!” Dave's voice was growing a trifle peremptory, but still the pipe remained in his hand. “Tf you’ve got a saw-will handy, better put if under the wheel an’ give ita good "The is ant right.” id D ikin said Dave, striking | table. ne | his fist on me” a a tall, but I don’t mean tew smoke, | nuther®» Dad always said that ev’ry whiff from | from the bank, an’—” ther bowl was a shouted Dave, with as- | ‘*Durn your sumed floor hyar, an’ thar pipe is atween us. I say you are goin’ ter smoke et, an’, by thunder, you shall!” oF nn ad oo CHAPTER IV. THE SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST. THe little unpleasantaess had arrived at a | crisis. The ex-cowboy had played long enough , with his chosen victim in a cat-and-mouse | fashion, and now he intended to humiliate him | before the spectators and raise a laugh—at the | tenderfoot’s expense. ‘ Unluckily for Eee Joshua, Dave was not a | on | | ll man who mixed ey with his sting. He was & rough fellow who united a man’s strength ant with his nineteen da and comscious superiority made him a bully. © was sure that he could handle the tender- foot with one hand, if it came to that, and he was nou one to show mercy. | Joshua, however, exhibited sudden and unex: ’ pected resolution in the face of the last asser- | tion, “Pll be aig if I dew!” he said, draw- ing back from the proffered pipe. ‘Dad al- ways said a new bridge was none tew good fur him tew cross, an’ when I smoke, it won't be | witha pipe so tarnal black as that air ng The red-shirted miners looked up with fresh interest. Not for one moment had they ex- pected to see the young stranger exhibit cour- 30, but his foot had come down emphatically, | and he won friends by the speech, though some | regretted it because Dave French was then sure — to push him to the wall. ® moment the latter was rendered s less by the rank rebellion, and then a re deepened the color of his face, ‘“Why, you long legged, slab-sided, lantern- jawed son of a coyote!” he howled, in a voice | intended to terrify the object of bis wrath, ‘‘what do you mean? Do you know who I be? Do yer know Tam boss in Buzzard Bar? Look | hyar, now, let me give ve a bit o’ advice. ou’re a stranger byar, an’ sech hev ter be *nishiated an’ ter obey ther powers that be. Now, I ain’t a hard mah, but [’'m sot in my | way. Isay you mu:t smoke that pipe, an’ ef | you don’t do it, T’'!l mop up ther whole floor | with ” *. And once more Dave’s fist made the table | tremble, ‘Wal, I dunno about that,” Joshua returned, ee ech- flush bly @ itso bad and, withal, so filthy, that only gazed at this cremator of the weed, but bis face did not brighten, nor did he show | it is time ter Varn. You'll never see | | the bi yeou had | ' but for a moment Dave hesitated. Do you mean ter insult | | some of them he had grudges he meant to pay “Et’s you an’ me that hes ther | Survey reyealed the fact that a _ and while a smile crossed his face, he suddenly Josh” ought by that time to have been knocked every one Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. eee with his former promptness. ‘‘ Dad used tew say that this was a free country all the way from Maino tew Californy, an’ while it is so, i'm bound tew be my own boss.” Over on the floor went Dave’s chair as he bounded up, and then he strode around the | table and laid one big, red hand on the tender- | foot’s shoulder. “Shut your teeth on that pipe an’ smoke,” he grimly said, ‘‘or by ther etarnal I'll drive your ivories down your throat!” He held one fist in front of Joshua’s nose to emphasize his remark, and the atmosphere began | to grow blue around the pair. | . Several of the miners arose, the majority of them still in harmony with Dave, and the young | m was at last driven to the wall. Evidently be was himself aware of this fact, for he wriggled out of his chair and to his feet with an agility which surprised all. “4 y gosh!” he forcibly said, ‘‘ you are push- in’ this matter most tew fur. If yeou want tu smoke phe old pipe, dew so; but I’ll be darned ef [I will!” And he stood remarkably straight and looked defiance at the bully. The latter walked around the vacant chair and faced his victim with bis fists doubled and an ugly look on bis coarse features. ‘Brindle Josh,” he said, deliberately, “ you hev insulted « man that never stands sass or takes water. You hey hurt my feelings, an’ ther only way 0’ apology is ter t. Knuckle ag'in’ knuck , an’ muscle ag’in’ muscle, shall S i PR a erent y gen ¢ ose ed fig ” cried ‘ » ees a tin’ man, but [had an unele who did t three year in war, an’ I guess the blood ain’t all ran eout yitl” The die was cast; the collision must come; Well aware he wished the miners of at him well—againust that he had a fine form maturer years to look off some time; and this Was a chance to make an impression. ere was a vast contrast in the appearance of the two prospective pygilists. Dave, although but nineteen years of age and smooth of face, had the form of a man—the compact, sinewy form resulting from his wild, outdoor life, and, withal, he looked like a veri- table prize fighter as he tore the mask to de- molish the tenderfoot. The latter was nearly two years his junior and, though fully as tall possessed a form in no de comparable with his opponent’s. At first sig tan observer would have doubted whether his various limbs were really jointed to his body, sv loosely did they seemed fo hang; but a closer little of this awkwardness was due to his ill-fitting garments, while a promising breadth of shoulder and chest gradually made itself visible. He stood with his hands raised for a guard, but even there be was open to criticism; no pro- fessional would have commended the position. His uncouthness impressed even Dave French, thrust out bis thumb and finger and tried to catch Joshua’s nose;a breach of politeness which was frustrated by a brush of the tenderfoot’s broad hand. That, however, served as a good excuse for Dave to open hostilities, and his ponderous left fist suddenly shot forward, straight toward Joshua’s face—and spent its force on the empty air. By some cunning move—no; it must have been mere chance—-he had’ passed the fist over his shoulder and saved his face. The failure acted on Dave like a spur, and with an angry exclamation he pressed forward, striking out as rapidly as possible. According to his own estimate, “ Brindle out of sag eect very much to the surprise of , be had passed aside or dodged all of these sledge-hammer blows. The veterans of the pick began to look at him with fresh interest, e was showing a skill not to be expected in any boy of his age, while for such a simple looking youth, it was little less than marvelous. Some of the men enjoyed Dave’s want of suc- cess and began to andibly taunt bim, and their words stung the ex-cowboy toa fury. He pressed forward so rapidly that Joshua was steadily driven back, but every blow spent its force on the air or was neatly perpen and Dave was fast losing what science he had ever possessed. ee ——— re LLL LLL TS A ts -_ 2] Sn ee eee ‘ cts ae in ie bathe the tenderfoot had not ost his sleepy look, but, anon, a brighter light began to creep into his dull blue eyes. ‘ If you don’t go away, there will be trouble here,” he warningly said. “Trouble? Why, you red-headed gorilla, I'l) knock you all ter pieces,” foamed Dave. The light in the tenderfoot’s eyes grew stil} brighter, and he watched his assailaut’s move-, ments more closely; then with a quick mov ment le drove his heavy fist through Dave guard and encountered something solid behina. One moment the ex-cowboy was pounding the air in his strength and pride, the next he was on the floor, having knocked over a chair ip his descent, and sprawling about in a way most burabisting to one whose pride was in his strength. A series of shouts arose from the miners, all taunting of word and inflection, even the ma- jority of his friends laughing at his downfall. He came up quickly, bis face red from wrath, but redder still on one cheek, where showed the eapeae of the blow which had peg pees him, and like a wild buffalo be rushed at Joshua. The latter, however, was done playing. His fist met Dave half-way, and once more there was a heavy fall. ‘‘ Did you hear anything drop?” ‘* Where was Frenchy when ther light went ut?” roe ther mark, Frenchy; what yer skeered of? ‘Ten ter one on ther tenderfoot!” These and o her shouts greeted the ears of the young man from Hugo as he arose, but though furious with be was not a fool. He bad seen enough of tenderfoot to be sure that he could not whip him @ da Heenan, and he re- solved to try another method, ' He darted forward, and when Joshua struck managed to dodge blow and catch him about the waist. Here, at least, bis strength would give him speedy victory — unless Dave argued incorrectly. Once more, however, the pilgrim found him- self at home. Hed his bands and caught his ent, and though the latter had secured so advantageous a hold, he failed to secure a a . , Back and forth over the floor they struggled, and as the interest of the spectators increased, they cheered until the noise was almost deafen- ing while Jack Magoffin, forgetful of trade and order, mounted the bar, and looking over the heads of the crowd, clapped his hands vigor- ously. ’ An idea bad entered the tenderfoot’s mind but Dave French was no mean adversary, and. he was some time in executimg it. First of all, it was necessary to break his bold, and before this could be effected the two had gone over nearly the whole space of the floor, greatly to the pert of tables and chairs, and the CORES NG crowd was kept on the move to avoid them. At last, however, they fell over a chair, and Dave’s tenacious hold was broken, and whem they arose it was to secure one mutually fair, ard to renew the struggle as briskly as before. Joshua, however, bad not forgotten his former: idea, and he soon saw a chance to execute it. Suddenly putting out all his’strength, he lifted the ex-cowboy ily, raised him on high, and then, with a tremendous effort, dashed him through the very window outof which Dave had a little before thrown the inoffensive valise. CHAPTER V. THE FIRST STEP. DAVE FRENCH had come to grief in a manner ‘ at once nove] and very appropriate, but he bad no sooner cisappennns through the window than the shouts of the miners ceased. The ex-cowboy’s friends were angry at the way he had been ejected, while those who cared not ing for him grew grave at the thought of what they believed would be the next step in his warfare. Sile Barker crossed the room and looked at Joshua with a threatening seowl. “You think yer did a mighty smart thing then, don’t yer?’ he demanded, “I’ve got a good mind ter smash yer red head fur ye! “That’s jest what he tried tew dew,” re- turned the tenderfoot, promptly. ‘‘Yeou seen haow it worked, didn’t ean ‘None o’ your back-talk, you corkscrew- legged cockroach!” roared the man, shaking his Jahan. ee ** One epee wo im- perdence an smash you pieces “T wouldn’t!” said a aulgt voice at his elbow. Barker wheeled suddenly. Beside him stood a small, rather insignificant-looking man of mid- Gomicbooks:. com -_- e = oe a . l=