Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 330 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 Little Quick-Shot. ~ Little Quick-Shot, THE SCARLET SCOUT: OR, | The Dead Face of Daggersville, BY E. L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DEADWOOD DICK” NOVELS, ‘* ROSE- BUD ROB” NOVELS, ETC,, ETC. CHAPTER I. THE INSULT, ¢é PEDRO hd ‘“‘ Yes, general!” ‘‘ Who is this fellow, who rescued Lenore from the cowboys, a week since?” ‘*] know not, general, except that he is a wandering ranger, and is known, at the camp as Little ck-Shot, the Scarlet Scout.” ‘*Fyom what does he derive so strange a title?” ‘*] believe he is counted the most unerring shot on the range, sir, either with rifle or revol- ver; then, too, he has a peculiarity of wearing a magnificent buckskin suit which is dyed the brightest scarlet color.” ‘Undoubtedly some good-for-nothing vaga- bond, with a penchant for notoriety; and chea whisky!” the general said angrily,.as he bit savagely at the end of a half-smoked cheroot. ‘‘ What is more, Pedro, | hear that Lenore has been twice to Daggersville this week, ostensibly to do shopping, but in reality to meet this tramp.” Pedro smiled, at the expression of disgust upon his master’s face. ‘‘ Hearsay has given you the truth for once, sir,” he said, ‘Of course, I have no desire to meddle in your family affairs, but I have seen Little Quick-Shot and Lenore have a clandestine meeting !” ‘Ten thousand devils! when—where? Speak up, man!” The general was fearfully excited. “Tt was last night, sir, in the arbor at the lower end of the lawn,” Pedro replied. ‘‘ Curse myself for a fool if this isn’t interest- ing. My daughter, a descendant from one of the finest families in old Kentuck, playing the loverly with a nameless mongrel eur of the prairies! Go, quick, Pedro, and send the girl to ae Pil put her on bread and water for a week! ‘‘ Beg pardon, sir. The carriage departed an hour ago, taking Miss Lenore over to the Cot- ton woods,” ‘‘ Ah! yes; [had forgotten. There’s to be a sort of reception fete there, in honor of Old Man Ronald’s son coming back from graduation at Yale. Well, let the girl go. I'll see to this matter of the scout, later. You can go,” And the general leaned back in bis easy-chair, to finish his cigar, while Pedro left the room. General Gleason was an ex-Confederate offi- cer, and one of the richest of the “‘ cattle-kings,” in southern Colorado, at the time of which we write, | His magnificent prairie island, of many thou- sand acres of superb grazing land, was a half- mile from the quiet, thriving town of Daggers- ville, whose rude habitations were pitched down among the Pate Gan. of the hoary moun- tain range, at y Gap. prs Daggersville we will speak more fully here- ter. From the town, a private road ran down over a half-mile of rolling prairie to Villa Vo- selle, the magnificent home of the general—a large modern residence, surrounded by spacious grounds, with abundant shade, flowers, serpen- tine drives, and costly statuary—a home fit for a prince, the interior furnished in the most ele- gant manner, 4 General Gleason, bis daughter Lenore, and half a dozen servants—Pedro among them— were the only occupants of this sumptuous ro except when troatpnsly hono with To ee there was a full half-hundred cow- boys and herdsmen in the general’s employ, but they had a ial ‘* settlement,” or habitation, known as the Barracks, ten miles to the south, on the cattle-range, and seldom showed up at Villa Voselle except on pay-day. _ The foregoing conversation occurred in the general’s well-stocked » where the gen- eral was seated at an open window, looking out upon a cool veranda toward the mining-town, upon which the dying sunlight of a hot August sg Nips just waning. was not a homely man—this fiery, hot- 4 ; ? we ee ; ~ rv : a ‘ oe ae . ae | io’ : ‘4 x » ‘ ‘= Pa blooded Southerner, who had fought through the entire four years of the great struggle in the Confederate service. He was tall and of commanding build, with broad chest and shoulders, and a haughty, sol- dierly bearing. His face was more stern than kindly in ex- pression, and was well covered with sbort- oropee iron-gray beard, while his bair was still more silvery. His eyes were gray and eagle-like in their glance, and a high, well-shaped forehead denoted that he was a man of prc- nounced intellectual strength. His face still wore an angry expression after Pedro departed, for it galled his proud spirit— this rumor that his daughter, the queenly Le- nore, at whose shrine the best men of Washing- ton had bowed but a season before, should even notice a common rover of the mountain and prairie. Ambitious views bad the general for the dis- posal of his dauugbter. a in Daggersville, temporarily stopping at tbe Cinnamon Bear Hotel, was an old friend of the general’s—Colonel McIntosh by name—a relic of the Confederacy, as it were, sixty years old, gray-haired, pinch-faced, red-nosed, and the possessor of but one eye and one leg; yet of higbly-aristocratic lineage, with a bank account of a. quarter of a million, and one of tbe most extensive and profitable cotton-plantations on the Red river. Hence the colonel bad been decided upon for Lenore, by her business-like and practical parent. Aod Colonel Zack McIntosh had come to Daggersville for the purpose of taking the fair Lenore back with him as bis wife. But Miss Glea-on had obstinately refused to assent to the arrangement, and where the colo- nel had only expected to stay a week after bis arrival, a month had already passed, and still epee was no likelihood of his securing ‘his bride, About eight days before the day that opens our romance, Lenore bad been found missing, and it was at once suspected that she had been captured by a couple of discharged cowboys, ae had sworn to wreak vengeance on the gen- eral. An armed party was organized and sent out in search of the border beauty, and during their absence Lenore was returned safely to Daggers- ville by the new-comer, Little Quick-Shot, to- gether with the two cowboys who had abducted her. Quick-Shot naturally became the hero of the bour, but respectfully declined Lenore’s invita- tion to call upon her father at Villa Voselle. The cowboys were jailed; and this about ex- plains all now necessary before proceeding with ‘our story, save that the general, to the surprise of every one, had neglected to see the Scarlet Scout and tender him the large reward he had offered for the rescue of bis daughter. ‘‘This is a pretty state of affairs,” the general fumed, atter Pedro left the library. ‘* McIntosh is growing impatient over the irl’s confounded stubbornness, and first we now, be’ll become entirely disgusted and go back to his plantation, and all my plans to suc- ceed to bis estate and money will be knocked into a cocked bat. He must not be allowed to slip away—that is settled. Lenore must marry him, But, how is it to be accompa: The girl has the spirit and temper of her father. When she gets an obstinate notion into her head, thunder and lightning would not drive or scare ber out of it. She 7 a McIntosh, and he perfectly idolizes ber. a success is to made of my ambitious scheme, it evidently must be through him,” He then relapsed into a sort of reverie, which lasted severul minutes, when be arose, glanced at bis watch, and put on his hat. ‘Dye a curiosity to see this young scout!” be said, seizing bis formidable gold-headed cane— one of those convenient affairs for gentlemen, holding a ae tees in one end and @ nar- ) flask uor in the other. “ Pcredited Lenore with extraordinary good by oe therefore I should naturally expect to fin fellow a ver nae nm among men.” He oft, the house and walked briskly away toward Daggersville—something unusual for bim; as he generally galloped up to the camp on bis spirited roan, Kentuck, than which no better or fleeter horse existed had often been his boast. Daggersville was a little collection of cabins and suenties, situated on either side of a rugged stage-trail at the mouth of Grizzly Gap which, at this point, split the towering mountain-range asunder. - ae “Oeil f ‘ F a . f a - , =. ” _— oe c. 2 so? - a There were not over a couple of hundred in- habitants, mostly knights of the pick and shovel, the remainder being gamblers or shop- keepers, barring a small sprinkling of women and children. Excepting a few private ‘‘ patches,” which yielded but a meager profit, two quartz mines formed the main support of the miners who populated oN e, and both of these mines were owned a company, the chief stock- holder of which was a wealthy ranchero, Old Man Roland, as he was called, he being presi- dent of the company, and owning 4 controlling interest, Besides the private shanties, were a couple of stores, a laundry, smithy, and a well-kept hotel], known as the Cinnamon Bear, to which was annexed a well-patronized bar, and card-room. The proprietor of this place was a ponderous specimen of humanity, Major Garibaldi Greer by name, whose boast was that he could tip the beam at three hundred pounds. And when the Cinnamon Bear was built, a special width of doorway had been provided for the major, in order to admit his enormous cor- porosity. The major was a bachelor, jolly as he was fat, and his hotel was known as the best along the range. One apoplectic German, Peter Schmidt, handled the managerial reins—for, once the major got seated at a card-table, it was too great an effort for bim to arise for any- thing less than something unusually important. hen General Gleason reached the camp, he made his way direct to the office of the tavern, where be found Schmidt presiding. ‘*Good afternoon, Peter!” he sainted. * How do you find yourself?’ ‘* Prok eadt proke,” Peter answered, dole- fully, bis face, as usual, getting as red as a blood beet. ‘‘I vas blay ein time mit der game off poker, und he skinned me oud.” ‘*Ha! ha! Who did you play with?” “Dot vone-eyed son-of-a-gun, vot haff no more ash vone leg, vot you pring here from der Red river.” ‘* Indeed! So the colonel skinned you, with one eye, eh? Well, I hope better luck for you, the next time, Where is the major?” ‘* In the saloon.” Without tarrying, the general entered the bar and gaming saloon, which was spacious, and handsome—for the major would have no half- way things done about his place. he major and Colonel McIntosh were seat- ed at a table, engaged in a game of poker, which ended an instant after Gleason’s en- trance, and the fat man’s full-tnoon face became radiant with satisfaction as he raked in a large sum of money. McIntosh’s jaw fell somewhat as he saw the general appear and the money disappear. ‘Why, how are you, general?” Greer saluted, extending his fat band. ‘If I wasn’t so pon- derous; I'd have the courtesy to rise. Just been learning our Southern senator, how uncer- tain is the life—of poker. How is the general?” ‘‘ | am quite hearty, thank you. I need not ask after your health, I suppose?” ‘‘Not at all. Appearances are not deceitful ‘in my case, Sit down, and lose a hundred with us?” “Ob, no! You veterans would make quick work out of me, Wewill have a drop of the best, and then I'd like a private word with ou. To please the cattle-king, the major could af- ford to got out of his chair, and the trio ad- journed the bar, where the general threw down a gold-piece, and called up the drinks for the house. After the drinks, the major and Gleason i a to one side, out of earshot. ‘““T came here to learn what I could about this young Quick-Shot, who rescued my daugh- ter,” the general said, his eyes Gleaming. ‘‘Knowing you to be on the square, I thought you would be as likely to tell what you knew of bim, as any one else.” \ “ Certainly, general—certainly,” ‘‘ Well, bave you seen this fellow who ealls himself Quick-Shot?” | ‘*]T have.” " ‘‘ What sort of a looking fellow is he?” “ Handsome,” ‘‘ Such as a susceptible young lady of educa- tion and refined tastes would be apt to fancy? ‘‘ Weill, I dunno, general. I know’d a nabob lady ter marry a half-breed once.” ‘’ Where is this fellow?” ‘“He went off for a ride awhile ago; be back for supper, be said,” ** Ob, I'll wait for him, then. They say he ¢s a quick shot?” G od TH, "Eom 200Ks.com¢