Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 286 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

——— — —EE ee offin's, acccording to his promise, and what had een the result.. Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. ——EE Eee _ - — — were not in the hotel; they had gone out, bal’ an bour before, and Magoffin had no idea where The day drew near an end. Foster was be- | they were to be found. inning to straighten his Ba ak and Jo-hua Ereathed a sigh of relief. e would soon be out in the open air. His cheir was near a window which was open, and suddenly voices sounded outside the build- Ing. Every word said was audible to Joshua; he ‘-uld only have escaped hearing by leaving his 4:07 “What evil wind blew them here, I don’t i sow,” said a voice which was plainly that of Tuayer; * but 1 see no room to doubt the truth of ber claim. Beyond a question, she is the daughter of old Barr.” ‘* Makes it kinder awk’ard fur you,” said a second and rougher voice. ‘* Awkward? well, | should say so. Worse than that—it means ruin, unless the thing is nipped in the bud. Men, the girl and the nig- ger must be served as vid Barr was served!” ‘If you want it done, we are the boys for the job,” broke in a third voice. Joshua started. He had recognized the pecu- liar tones of Dave French. ‘‘ It must be done,” Thayer declared. ‘‘ What are your terms?” ‘‘Same as in ther other case.” ‘ Both for that figure?” ‘it depends on ther amount o' work. Ef we it em out o’ ther way easy, ther money will ‘iver ther hull bill. Ef thar is trouble, it must be doubled.” “TI agree to the terms. strike?” ‘* Ter-night.” “Very good. Do the job as faithfully as did the A and you shall never repent if.” ‘Jest you trust ter us, boss,” said Dave French, confidently. ‘‘Ther gal an’ ther nig will never be heerd on ag’in.” ‘* Excellent—excellent. And now, hadn’t you betrer go over to Magoflin’s and get the lay of ‘he land? Jack is my friend, and he will tell ou just where they sleep, so you need make no inistake,” ‘All right, boss; we'll see you later,” re- turned Dave, and then the conference ended. It left Joshua dumfounded and horrified. He bad been a chance listener toa plot to commit wauten and deliberate murder. They had spoken plainly ; there could be no doubt about When will you ou Tu. Thayer had hired Dave French and another map, whom Jack had finally discovered to be Sile Barker, to kill Nora Barr and Nemo; and this fact served to convince. the clerk that his employer had indeed removed Kandolpbt Barr in the same faskion. He felt horror and indignation, and his first impulse was to rush out and betray the plotters. But to whom should he go? Buzzard Bar had neither mayor, judge nor justice—there was no one to act on a complaint. Second thought convinced the Boy Tenderfoot that he must proceed cautiously. e was nota fool by any means, and he was wise enough to know that the word of the wealtby mine-owner would go further than that of an unknown and friendless young man—a “ tenderfoot,” like | himself. Consequently, though he firmly resolved to throw all his aid in behalf of Nora Barr, he was not anxious to show bis hand. While he was still thinking, Forster arose and announced that the day’s work was over, and Joshua was not long in getting out of the office. He did not wish to encounter Thayer. Darkness was beginning to fall. and yet it would not do for bim to go to the senior part- »er'’s bouse for supper—the meeting he dreaded vould surely oceur then, “Pi go over to Magoflin’s, right away,” he finally decided. ‘I can git supper there, an’, mebbe, Vl see the negro an’ git a chance tew warn him,” He weut as he had said, but Nemo was not in the bar room. The only occupants of the room were Pistol Pete, Sam Crowell, Abe Tyler and one stranger. This latter man was doing a good deal of talking, and announced himself as 4 ing Ben Bundy, right from ther moun- tains 0’ Montana,” but Joshua paid little at- tention to him. He wanted information of Nora and Nemo. Finally, he walked up to the bar, purchased a poor cigar at a foes. round price, and, havin thus won Jack Magoffin’s goud will, pancees to talk about minor matters until he deemed it safe Lo speak of the one nearest his heart, When that time came, he met with disap- pointment. Miss Barr and her companion Joshua resumed his seat, uncertain what he should do next, though keenly alive to “the ne- cessity of warning the youn woman as soon as | possible; but in the midst of his reflections he | had a sudden idea, ‘*By gosh!” he thought, gone tew the mine!” “Tl bet they hev The idea, strong at the Peginninig, gained | force as he reflected further. Rash though it certainly was, what would be more natural than that Nora should wish to look upon the | property she claimed? A little more thought on the subject, and then Joshua slipped quietly out of Magoffin’s and took his way toward the mine, which was situated a fourth of a mile beyond the strag- gling cabins of tbe village. He soon left the latter behind and went along the dim trail at a trot. For the time, he was entirely forgetting the hired assassins, but he was a person easily im- pressed by circumstances, and, as he neared a line of trees which grew by the path, the sight of two men brought bim to a sudden stop. These men were standing directly in the path ee -—- ‘Ef yeou try tew pass them bushes yeou are dead coons, sure as shootin’!” Miss Barr and her servant suddenly halted, looking toward Joshua’s cover. He was about to show himself when a curse sounded from the bushes and the would-be assassins leaped forth and turned their faces toward the girl and her black protector. ‘*Good Lord!” exclaimed Joshua, “ there is goin’ tew be a fight arter all. Sakes alive! what can I dew? Run tew the village—no, they’l] be dead afore I go ten rod—I must fight!” It was a great decision to arrive at, for the Boy Tenderfoot had never been in a serious en- counter, but he cocked his revolver and ran forward. Meanwhile the ambushers, who seemed to bave forgotten the warning voice, were closing in on Nora and the negro, The click of two revolvers, one after the other, was a suggestive interpolation at that moment. ** Halt there!” said Nora, sharply. ‘If you advance further, you are dead men!” Dave and his partner paused. They saw that they were just then covered by the shining and looking in the direction of tbe mine, and | though he would ordinarily have paid no at- tention to them, be somehow felt a touch of suspicion on this occasion. He stepped into the shadow of the bushes and looked at them sharply. The darkness was against him, but as he looked he was struck by wliat he believed to be a strong resemblance to Dave French and Sile Barker. is Pll find out, anyway,” he declared, to bim- self. And in a moment more he was creeping along on his hands and knees, keeping close to | ing out from bebind a rock. the bushes and always watching the two men. Just then, he did not pause to reflect that he was doing a rash thing. Men bent on murder are always dangerous persons to anger, and in wild lands like the Gunnison, ia particular, it is not wise to be caught meddling with another person’s private affairs, Josbua, however, had undergone quite a onan since the night he had crept timidly into Magoffin’s, an utter stranger. hether it vas Colorado air or something else is uncertain, but he was developing a spirit of venturesome- os which was rather dangerous to a tender- oot. In a short time he had advanced far enough to settle the question in his mind—the two men, who still watched the northern trail closely, were right in the path by which Nora and Nemo would naturally return if they hdd been to the Tiger Mine, and Joshua had no doubt but what a tragedy was liable to occur. CHAPTER X. THE AMBUSH. THE Boy Tenderfoot began to be somewhat excited. e had not been long enough in the Gunnison to take adventure as a matter of course; while for the crime he believed pro- jected be had utmost borror. A lifetime of wild adventure could not bring | him to look lightly upon the taking of buman life. All his thoughts now became directed to sav- ing Nora Barr and her servant, and as there seemed to be but one way of doing it, he re- solved to retreat from his perilous position, make a detour and gain the northern trail in time to warn them. This movement required some time and cau- tion, but at the end of ten minutes he was oppo- site the ambushed men, creeping along among the rocks which formed the only cover on the left of the trail; and with a fair prospect of succeeding in his object. Suddenly, however, Dave and Sile stirred into animation, he heard one of them say, “They are comin’,” and then the villainous pair drew back into the edge of the bushes. Joshua looked excitedly up the trail. Sure enough, two persons were approaching, and it did not require a second glance to show him that they were Nora and Nemo. Neither of the two had a double near the a One moment Joshua was at fault and almost alarmed. The persons he would save were so near af hand that they could not be saved from an attack, and if he sprung out to warn them he would very likely become a target for the re- volvers of tbe assassins. | Then his wits cleared somewhat. ‘** Hold on there!” he shouted, in a clear voice. —— = + — _--- | ; ; tubes and they had a due regard for their lives; but for the two persons opposed to them—a negro and a girl—they bad tbe utmost con- tempt. They bad only to throw them off their guard and a little shooting on their own part would end the affair. Dave at once feigned innocence. ‘*Say, look out!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ What do you mean? We are friends, ycu know. Wea come right here from Jack Magcffiu ter tell ye thar is a riot at ther village an’ you had better lay low.” ‘**Don’t you believe him!” cried Josbua, leap- ‘* They two were hid here tew kill yeou, an’ I know it!” ** Brindle Josh!” ‘‘ Ther infernal tenderfoot!” Sile and Dave spoke almost simultaneously, and there was murder in their looks as they faced the new-comer; but, the ice once broken, the latter faced the music bravely. ‘*'Yeou needn’t stare me, yeou ’tarnal scala- wags!” was his sturdy defiance. ‘I know yeou an’ all abeout yeou, but I guess yeour game won’t work. Young woman, they was hid in them bushes tew shoot yeou—I heerd them plan the hull business.” Both the assassins gave the accuser the lie di- rect, but Nora, still keeping her revolver well up, coolly interrupted: ‘*There is no need of wasting worde on the subject. Whether such was your object or not, the game won’t work. You two can go your way as soon as you see fit. The sooner it is, the better I shall be pleased.” ‘* Dar’s der road, you-"uns,” said Nemo, in a deep, rumbling voice, as be stretched his hand northward. ‘* Does we see you trabelin’?’ me No, by ther Etarnal!” said Dave French. **T don’t go until | git squar’ with this tender- foot. He has lied about me, an’ be has got ter swaller his words. Out with yer shooter, you young calf an’ show your blood!” “My ‘shooter’ is out,” retorted Joshua, with surprising coolness, ‘‘ an’ I'll use it, tew, ef yeou don’t keep where yeou Wis ‘*‘Haw! haw!” roared Sile Barker, with forced mirth, “Just bear bim! Et’s Brindle Josh that’s a-tootin bis horn,” ‘Enough of this talk,” said Nora Barr, with keen decision. ‘‘ Westay here no longer. You can do as you see fit. r. Joshua, will you go with us Even tben, despite the danger they were in, the tenderfoot felt a tbrill of pride at being thus addressed He Bromapty moved to Nora's side and faced the ruffians. , ‘You had better git eout o’ the way or there will be afuss. Make way, there, for we won’t turn eout, Ef yeou want tew shoot, try yeour luck on them trees. Look eout, Dave French, I’m watchin’ yeou, an’ gum games won't work.” The ambushers stepped aside, but both Joshua and Nemo scented mischief in their sudden si- lence, and the fact that they moved to opposite sides of the trail, and they were vated by keener eyes than they thought. Perhaps the trio were a foot past them when the huge negro wheeled with wonderful agility. He had seen Sile Barker’s hand go up, and there could be no doubt of its meaning. Wheeling, the black struck two blows in rapid succession. The first sent Sile’s revolver flying into the bushes, and the second drove its master crashing on the same road, Then Nemo turned to see Joshua once more menacing Dave French with his revolver, wet MICOOOLKS (E(0) (E()