Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 286 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

y— =p Eas ' 2atter, --- ee —— dle age—the kind of a man nine persons out of ten would set down to be as harmless as a coyote. Barker, however, knew him better than that. He was called Pistol Pete, and, besides being the best revolver shot at the Bar, was without mercy when once aroused out of his usual quietness. Sile stared at him in silence. ‘‘ This matter has gone far enough,” said Pis- tol Pete, calmly. ‘Dave French has been i aten at his own game, and that settles the You won’t tuuch the tenderfoot, andif i renehy comes in, as I expect he will, with his revolver drawn, he must drop it.” Kvery word was as quiet as though the talk concerned only a breakfast; but Sile knew the man meant what he said, and he, for one, did not care to anger him. ‘ust then Dave sprung through the door, his revolver out as Pete had prophesied, and his flaming eyes seeking the cause of his misfortune. Instead, he saw Pistol] Pete. ‘Put down the shooter,” said the latter, quiet- ly. ‘*If you try to sling lead at the boy I shall take a hand in the game, and you know I carry a thirty-two caliber.” Dave’s hand dropped like a lump of lead, Of all the men in the Gunnison, he feared Pistol Pete most. It was the first time they had ever been against each other, for Pete was no angel, but his words fell like a dash of cold water on | the young bully. One moment his face worked strangely and bis color changed from red to white, for he was terribly angry, but he had considerable self-con- trol when he saw fit to use it, and he finally ended by bursting into a laugh. ‘*Have your own way, Pete,” he said, with pretended carelessness, ‘'b ef you interfere ter protect your friends you orter also keep them rota chuckin’ other folks out o’ ther winder.” ‘Your argument ain’t worth answering,” said Pete, as he turned away. ‘Still, jedging ut it strikes me thet | _ in Colorado.” from what I’ve seen o’ the tenderfoot, I advise | you to let him alone.” Peace was restored on the surface. Joshua quietly resumed his seat, and the miners did the same, further side of the room, and seemed to have abandoned all thoughts of further warfare; but Josh noticed that they talked earnestly and frequently glanced his way. ow that the excitement was over, the young stranger began to feel down-hearted and home- sick. He was no world-wise person in disguise; he was merely a country boy far from home, and at last he was beginning to realize that rough places lie in the path of the youth who tries to climb the ladder of life. When at home Joshua had known a French- man who had once been a boxing-master in New York city, ani who was besides a fine shot and swordsman, and from him he had learned the art of self-defense. It was the knowledge thus acquired which had enabled him to defeat Dave French, but his courage wavered a good deal now that the ex- citement was over. He felt the need of some good friend, or lack- ing that, of well-meant.advice, but he knew not who to ask. Pistol Pete had begun a game of poker with some of the other miners, and Josh- Pa aie a felt that he was not a desirable riend. Finally, anxious to be out of the room, he bee approached Jack Magoffin and asked to be shown to his sleeping ap :rtment. Magoffin seemed to have been struck by a heavy frost of some stamp, for he no longer looked with friendly eyes on his guest. With- out a word he took a light, conducted the ten- derfoot up a rude stairway to a still ruder room, pointed to a bed which surpassed every- thimg else in rudeness, placed the light on the stool, which was the only article of furniture, and returned to his bar. Joshua Pepper was alone, and a more home- sick boy was not to be found anywhere. He was no coward, as he had that evening proved, but he was away from home for the first time in his life, and he bad just begun to realize that breakers lie thickly along the river of life. The doubts, fears and troubles of the young ‘‘plizgrim ” during that night may be imagined. Suffice it to say, he had no further adventure, and morning found him alive and well, even as the sight of daylight served to néarly banish [ his homesickness. Just at that time he was the only lodgerin the hotel; and when he went down to the bar-room he found the place without a single occupant excepting ffin, who greeted him with a nod of unexpected graciousness. This time Dave and Sile went to the | ee ———— Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. The burly landlord, however, had taken a fancy to him because of the courage he had shown the previous evening, and he showed it in more than one way before the interview was over, “You did amazin’ wal,” he said, as Joshua ate his breakfast. ‘I really didn’t think thar war another youngster in ther Gunnison that could handle Dave French. Yas, you did wal, but you’ve got ter keep your eyes open arter this. Frenchy es as venomous as a rattlesnake, an’ you kin jist bet that he’ll try ter get squar’ with yer in some way.” ‘* He forced the quarrel on me,” said Joshua, | ““That don’t make any difference; you tuk his pride ’way down, an’ he’s goin’ ter hev re- Met ef he can git it. What you goin’ ter Of The sudden change of subject, and the impor- tance of the question, made Joshua start, but he | answered bravely: ‘* Most anything I can git a chance at,” he said. ‘**T know a man that wants a boy,” said Ma- goffin, with an earnest air. Joshua laid down his knife. **T wish be’d take me,” he said. ‘* Mebbe he will. He told me t/other day that ef any likely young tenderfoot came along, ter send bim around ter ther house,” ‘‘ Where i; it?’ Josbua eagerly asked. ‘*P)l show you arter breakfast. His name is Jared Thayer. Ef you kin get inter his good graces, you are made, for sure. He’s ther head pardner o’ ther firm o’ Thayer & Foster, ther same that owns ther Tiger Mine; and he has got piles o’ dust. Him and Foster tuk ther mine when it war cl’ar played out, an’ they’ve made things hum ever since. Ef he cottons to yer, ye may think yerself ther luckiest galoot Joshua was excited over the prospect, and when, after breakfast, Magoffin put his place in chargé of bis assistant and walked over to Thayer’s with the tenderfoot, the latter was | filled with the wildest hopes. if he tad known Jack Magoffin better, hed would have scarcely felt so much pleased, for it was a well known fact at the Bar that the Jland- lord never took any step not calculated to result | to his personal advantage. They reached the residence of Mr. Thayer—a very reas pretentious building for Buzzard Bar—and Magoffin played a tattoo on the door which speedily brought into view a young lady of rather prepossessing appearance. Joshua was astonished, and while he stared at the girl, sbe reciprocated with equal interest. She was probably «! just about his own age, but she was far more mature of appearance and would have passed for twenty. “Mandy. is yer old man in?” Magcffia brisk- ly asked, with a wave of bis band. ** Rather,” she admitted. “ Trot up and see him if you want to.” She spoke languidly and stepped aside for them to pass, and, somehow, Josbua felt a good deal impressed by her appearance. She was gayly if not tastefully dressed, and it was no small matter to be the daughter of the richest man of the Bar. Bhey entered another room and stood in the presence of Mr. Jared Thayer. During the in- terview which followed, Joshua was too ex- cited to sean him critically, but he saw a large, fleshy man, with a smooth-sbaven, benevolent- looking face, and had be b°en announced asa minister, the boy would not have doubted it. Mr, Thayer spoke in a bland, smooth tone, and in the course of half an hour he had asked the applicant a great number of questions— questions which were very readily answered as time wore on and Thayer did not criticise any- thing his caller said. At last he leaned back in his chair. * I think you and I will do,” he said, blandly. ‘*T want a young man for general work of a light nature abont my office, at the mine and in the house. Your education makes you. es- pecially desirable, and vou can enter upon your duties as soon as you see fit. Your terms are reasonable and the pay may be increased, while, in all cases, it will be promptly given you. SS senna CHAPTER VI. THE MIDNIGHT INTRUDER, ! A WEEK pass d quietly away, so far as the ex- perience of Joshua Pepper was concerned. All the while be had been engaged on his duties for Mr. Thayer, or, as it seemed, since he was so much in the office and about the mine, for Thayer and Foster. The junior mumber of the firm was a man of ee > 5 less polish than his partner, but he was a prac- tieal vAitioy and fully able to look out for the dollars and cents. Joshua, without questioning, had reeeived a ood deal of information about matters around uzzard Bar, and, among other things about the Tiger Mine, It had never been @ prosper- ous concern until the present owners teok it in hand. Before, it had passed through the owner- ship of a dczen parties, and, once, it had been in the hands of an Eastern man; but he came to the Bar and sold to Thayer & Foster, who soon made the place pay. All this news Joshua heard with indifference at the time, but it was destined to come baetk to him more forcibly at a later day. The personal appearance of the tenderfoot had improved somewhat. His ill-fitting gar- ments had been thrown ip and replaced by a mining-suit, and as he walked the streets in the glory of his red shirt and big hat, he looked better and felfi more at home than he had done during his first night at the Bar. Since that night he had never spoken to Dave French. Twice he had seen him pass the office of Tha- er & Foster, but during the day the Fane ully was employed at another mine and Joshua did not go out in the evening. Consequently, the ex-cowboy had not yet had a chance to manifest any spite he might have. Matters were going very smoothly with Joshua. Both partners used him well, and Thayer was almost fatherly in bis bland kind- ness, Amanda also figured somewhat in the youth’s experience. ; he was a young lady of a turn of mind sél- dom seen in the Gunnison, for, though somewhat given to crudities of speech, she was as languid and, in her own estimation, as refined as an Eastern belle. ; | Joshua decided, after a day or two, that she ‘‘meant well but wasn’t very smart ™—and a gout many people would have agreed with rim Toward her father’s * clerk,” as Thayer chose to call him, she was always polite, in her indo- lent way, and had never sbown any signs tha: she observed his want of experience in Western ways: but she bestowed few unnecessary wore < ma him, and be was not inclined to seek for them. ; . He slept in the senior partner’s house, which, as has before been said, was a pretentious struc- ture for Buzzard Bar, but at the same time it laeked all that comes under the name elegant. Joshua had the upper floor to bimself, so far as human occupancy was concerned. That part lacked the first steps toward being finished, but Josh had slept in rooms a good deal Jike it in the Bast, and did not mind his surroundings as long as the bed was good and comfortable. +! At one end of the long, Ya pt place was his bed; and this, with a single chair, comprised the furniture, though be still and often looked at it affectionately as it bung on a peg. | Ove night, after climbing up to his room, the youth sat down on the floor de using the chair for a table, wrote a letter to the ‘‘ old folks at bome.” By the time it was finished he was almost asleep, and Ne getting into bed he soon lost consciousness, and slept as only young people can. mf What it was that awakened him he never knew—it certainly was not any noise—but at last his eyes opened, and he was as wide awake as though it bad been midday. Still, without stirring, he noted the fact that it was still - dark, and he was about to ‘turn him- self in bed when an unusual sound from a ‘point only a few feet distant attracted his attention and kept him motionless. se The sound was repeated—something which sounded like a cautious footstep—but as Joshna had never known any person except el’ to be in the rcom, he listened with a good deal of shied ibe interest, \ Again the sound. . Joshua lifted his head and tried to see through the darkness, but the attempt ‘was a failure. Then, once more, he heard the sound, this time ore near the bed, and, beyond a doubt, a foot A wT ? ; The discovery did not alarm bim, ‘for be'bad no doubt as to the identity of the prowler. “Ts that you; Mr. Thayer?” he asked. The cautious movemen but, to Joshua’s surprise, no answer was re- turned. hates , He repeated the a and then sat up- right, peering into he darkness, and wonder- clung to bis valise’ immediately ceased, | (E(0) gs) ¢c micboo! : OF .~ (Elo)