Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 312 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 — — Redtop Rube. The Vigilante Prince: OR, The Black Regulators of Arizona. BY MAJOR E. L. ST. VRAIN, _AUTHOR OF ‘*‘ THE BOY BANDIT,” ‘*‘ LEADVILLE ] \ ~ NICK,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I. A DIFFERENCE OF OPINION. “TY gay, Tom, who’s that pilgrim over thar with ther red head?” ‘Wal, you’vetoldallI know. He’s over thar, he’s red-beaded an’ he’s a pilgrim.” . - D’ye s’pose he’s come ter Torpedo Gulch ter stay? iP Very likely he has, but, Sam, my boyee, I spect it ‘ll be under ground he ‘ll make his stop.” ‘Right you be, Tom Trufant, an’ es long es it is ter be so, I’ ’tend ter his case right away. I don’t like that young snoozer; he’s too airy, an’ too pritty fur our town;an’ as I usually; does what I says, you hear me when I sw’ar he goes out o’ town within an hour or chews /ead!” _ a right, Sammy.” “Now, Ill ax ther landlord who he is an’ prepare ter send him a-kitin’.” Torpedo Gulch was a hard place; there was no room to doubt that if one took his ideas from the testimony of all the rest of Arizona, It had long been ruled, and terrorized, by a gang of roughs who had been allowed remarkable Sati. tude because of the fact that there was not enough wealth about the town to invite honest Gold there was around Torpedo Gulch, and a few honest men, too, but both were scarce and the peaceable citizens beld their peace and let the roughs have their own way. Of this class, Sam Lefferts and Tom Trufant were fair specimens. The former was young in years—not more than twenty—but he was old enough in villainy to be a fit mate for Tom, while he was made for a buily from the start. The object of the foregoing conversation was a youth who had come on the stage that day, had taken quarters at Mose Beldick’s hotel, and was this evening sitting quietly in the bar-room, addressing no one and attending strictly to his own affairs, He was probably nineteen years of age, and, though his face was quite beardless, he hada well-developed form and a manner of quiet res- olution which bad from the first irritated Sam Lefferts. His allusion to the red-head of the “pil- grim” was caused by the fact that his hair was of a very dark reddish-brown, and decidedly handsome, despite Sam’s sneer. The latter approached the bar and asked the landlord for the name of the young man, andin reply Beldick referred to the six-by-four blank- book in which his guests ‘‘ registered ””—when they saw fit. It was seldom used, however, andit was quite near the beginning where Mose pointed to a name, ‘* Read it,” said Sam. *bout sech rubbish.” ** Reuben Redtop.” ‘*Is that ther name?’ sé Yes.” ‘‘ Reuben Redtop?” sé Yes, 7? Lefferts burst into a laugh which deadened every other sound in the room and drew the gazs of all wonderingly upon himself. Never before had his associates seen him in such a mood—he was more given to cursing than pe aes they did not know what to make of it. He advanced to a table and struck his fist on the eer with a force which made the glasses rattlo. “Oh? yor durnation toughs an’-t’arers!” he shouted, “jest hear me warble. Do you see thot pilgrim over thar?—I say do you see him? \Uook the beauty well over, fur he’s a tenderfoot frox: “ter ground up. Look at ther color o’ bis ha’r! Now, gents, what do you s is his name, That thar m-book what: Mose keeps says—‘ Reuben Redtop!’ ” onc of the miners were dull enough to miss the point, and while they grinned in concert each one had something tosay. Sam was happy, and, with the blizzard fairly **T don’t know nothing Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Pri ge started, he meant to follow it up, Advancing to within a few feet of the “‘ pilgrim,” he stooped down, placed his hands upon his knees and grimaced before his face. ; ‘*I say, Redtop Rube, er Sorrel-top, er what- ever you cajls yourself, ain’t you afeerd that ha’r will set your bat on fire?’ lt was an embarrassing position for a stran- ger, old or young, and Mr. Redtop was expected to cower before the burly young ruffian, or, if he pony courage, to become very indig- nant. Instead of this, however, he retained the most ok composure, and, raising the cigar he ad been smoking, knocked off the ashes with the tip of his little finger. ‘*My dear friend,” he said, ‘‘ your observing spirit is remarkable, and it leads me to make a. confession. It is commonly said that the big Chicago fire was started by Mrs, O’Leary’s cow, but I don’t mind saying to you that it was done by my hair. I indiscreetly scratched my bead, and the friction was like sand-paper on a match. This is a fact previously unknown to history.” The perfect coolness of the youth surprised all and dumfounded Sam Lefferts for a mo- ment, but his ugly temper soon found vent. ‘*You miser’ble little tenderfut,’” he vocifer- ated, ‘‘ how dare you lie ter me?” ‘*So you doubt it? Well, sometimes people won’t take any stock in George Washington’s hatchet.” His perfect coolness enraged the young bully more and more. If he had been frightened, or had shown signs of fighting, he would have been happy, but this composure was like a rock in the way of his wrath, The majority of the men in the room were smiling at his cheek, even while they expected to see him ultimately drag the tenderfoot’s pride low in the dust; but there were two or three men who had no sympathy with Sam and would gladly have helped his marked victim if they could. ‘*See byar!” shouted Sam, ‘jest you let up on that style o’ talk, We’re men hyar, an’ sen- sible, too. Et’s very plain you're from the East. Durnation! will you talk sense, or shall I chuck you through the winder?” ** What harm has the window done?” It was too much for the bully, and with a snarl of rage he thrust out one hand with the evident intention of catching Mr. Redtop’s nose between his thumb and finger, but, quicker than his own motion, Rube’s hand arose and the rebes blade of a double-edged knife was eld just in front of his proboscis. Not even a twinkle of his eyes betrayed satis- faction on the part of the pilgrim—his coolness seemed proof against everything—but Sam Lefferts had to pause, his arm awkwardly out- stretched, A look of fury then crossed his face. ‘So you drawr a knife, do ye?” he shouted. “That settles it; you get out o’ this room on ther jump, or you'll go with a hole through ou His hand had fallen to his belt, but, for a won- der, his revolver was not there. He reached backward, quickly. rom Trufant,” he added, ‘‘ give me your six! : There could be no doubt of his intention, and as Reuben Redtop still sat as though unsuspl- cious of danger, one of the men before men- tioned as being in sympathy with him, stepped forward. He was about to take a arere risk for, not being one of the roughs, be would thereby dare their anger, but he believed he saw his duty. “Now, hold on, Sam,* he said, pleasantly. ‘‘Let this all go as a joke. The boy did not draw the knife as a sign of war.” ; ‘Et don’t make no diff’rence; he drawed it, an’ that’s enough. I'll bore him though the left pong. ‘Hyar, Tom, be lively!” rufant handed over the revolver, but at that moment Redtop quietly arose. “If I won’t interrupt the matinee,” he said, *‘T would like to remark that I did not come here to be shot, and though I ama man of peace I object to having my left lung tickled with lead. I, too, carry a battery!” : The last words were spoken more emphati- cally, the young man’s coat flew open and out came a pair of revolvers. One deep breath arose from the crowd, and then all looked for a tragedy. oses Halpine, the man who had before in- terfered, was not di to see the affair a ceed, however. He saw that Reuben Redtop had plenty of courage, but he believed_his fate was sealed if he went into the fight. Sam Lef- ferts would probably kill him, while if he chanced to shoot the bully, the Torpedo roughs von certainly hang him outside the saloon oor. Such being the case, Halpine once more she in front of Lefferts. “Come, Sam,” he urged, ‘‘let me treat all right and callit square. What do we care for this boy?’ ‘We care so much that he can’t come inter Torpedo Gulch an’ kick up any row, nur put on any airs. You stand out o’ ther way, Mose Halpine!” Lefferts attempted to push the man aside and raise his revolver at the same time, but he had to deal with one his physical superior and Hal- pine caught his revolver and wrenched it away. It was an act upon which he would not have ventured had he reflected as he ought, To arouse the tigers of the Gulch was terribly dan- gerous, as Mose soon found to his cost. Every one of the spectators was surprised— astonished—as was Sam Lefferts, but as Tru- fant slipped another weapon into his hand his wits returned. With his face distorted with rage he raised the revolver and took a snap-shot, so quick and accurate that Halpine bad neither time to an- ticipate him nor attempt to dodge the lead; and, reeling back, the rash defender fell heavily to the floor. The eyes of Redtop Rube flashed with a vivid- ness one would not have thought possible, but before he could take any step toward ven- geance a slight, girlish figure darted through the door and, with a moaning cry, threw her- self upon the form of the fallen man. CHAPTER II. REDTOP RUBE FACES THE CROWD. THIS unexpected interruption caused a stay in proceedings and some of those who recog- nized the girl as Zella Halpine, the daughter of the prostrate miner, felt a little sorry for what had occurred, though the majority looked on with stolid faces, Reuben Redtop surmised the relationship, but after one expressive glance at Sam, moved for- ward aud would have knelt beside him to ex- amine the wound on his head which was bleed- ing so freely, but the young bully made two strides, caught bim by the shoulder and jerked him back, ‘Hands off!” he ordered. ‘‘ No man can toueh what I drop, an’ es fur yerself, you’d better look ter number one. Boyees, step off ten paces and I’ll allow ye ter see me perfvrate this tenderfut.” ‘‘ Slow and easy, my double-barreled fighter!” said Rube, calmly. ‘* Pll attend to yoo present- ly, but just now I prefer to attend to him!” He pointed to the fallen man, over whom the girl was a ie and crying for a sign, a word, to show that he lived, and then once more he started toward his side, A fierce exclamation fell from Sam’s lips aS his hand fell heavily on the other’s shoul- er. ‘* Keep back, or you’re a dead—” Thus far had he spoken when Mr. Redtop wheeled lightly, and at the same moment his fist shot out like a flash, stopping only when it touched the bully’s neck. The blow sounded like the crack of a whip, and it was immediately followed by a lou er, heavier sound, as after a few vague motions, Sam went crashing to the floor. A prettier blow had never been seen in Tor- pedo Gulch, but with all the town arrayed against the young stranger it seemed as thougl: he had done a very foolish thing; now, indeed, would the dreaded roughs, against whom even strong men had never dared make opposition, seek the blood of ‘‘ Redtop Rube.” He looked at them coolly, undisturbed by the sight of the weapons so numerously drawn, but some suggested that they delay until Sam_ was again in fighting trim and no one opposed the an. . The bully was lying without a sign of life, and as his friends pulled him away tothe water- pail, Reuben knelt beside Moses Halpine, Up to that time Zella had paid no attention to her surroundings, but as she saw the young man skillfully examine the red line along her father’s head she grew interested. ‘‘ Have no fear, miss,” said Rube, quietly. ‘‘ his hurt will never confine him to the house aday. He is stunned, but no real damage is done. See! the bleeding already grows insig- nificant and I believe—yes, there are signs of returning consciousness,” ‘‘ May Heaven bless you, sir!” she said, with deep emotion. ‘“‘ My father is all I have.” | Gom Ebooks GO