Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 339 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

w< 4 ns - — ye ee, ee, te ga... MSs ¢ vive’ ~H ~ OT > eS. og ¢ : 4 : ee | ot) < pt Role pa ao AY Res 14. A Pew —one cannot tell at what moment he may drop off. I haven’t much, ’tis true; but you Know I have a son wandering about the earth some- where, and it’s no more than right be should succeed to what I leave behind,” ‘*Oh, itisa good plan. I alwaysmakea new will every year. Slensby don’t you ever feel concerned for the future, on account of the wife you drove away from you years ago?” * Bab! no. She was as ugly asl was. I dare say she married again, and forgot me. By the way, Morton, I suppose it’s none of my busi- ness, but you have left all your wealth to your child, should she ever be found?” “Certainly. If she is not found within five years, everything comes to you as your own, with the proviso, that if sue should after- ward come to light, you or your heirs shall yield her her rights!” ‘*A very sensible will—very sensible. I ee never withhold a penny from the dear child. ‘The lion cometh like a thunderationstorm, an’ he maketh fer ther lamb like a two-fo'rty- horse on the home stretch!” Thus commented Kangaroo Kit. He stood upon the piazza, smoking a fragrant Havana, when hesaw Byron Milton approach- ory dag hotel, from the direction of the Roulere cabin, at a rapid gait. His every movement seemed to indicate that be was ina violent pas- sion, and Kit smiled, thereat, for he knew that a row was imminent, Milton approached the piazza with the mien of a fierce young bull, and was about the mad- 8 looking poet that ever stood upon two eet. ** See here!” he cried, striding up to Kit, and shaking his fist in the boy’s face, ‘‘ What did you mean by that insulting reply that you sent me?’ ** Reckon you’ll find a dictionary in my office, if you couldn’t make it out!’ Kit replied pro- vokingly. ' “T know what you meant. Youintended to insuls me!” ‘** Perhaps—possibly — undoubtedly —as you like it!” ‘Well, ’m going to serve you as I did that ruffian Leech, you miserable young whelp!” **Oh, how amusing!” Kit replied, with a smile, which so incensed the poet that he aimed a blow full at the boy’s face; but Kit, with a quick, kangaroo-like movement dodged it, and gave the poet a kick in the stomach that doubled him up likea jack-knife, and caused him to howl with pain. ‘*Coward! coward!” the dude roared. {‘ No os but a coward would do that. Oh! oh! oh! “Don’t like it, eh? Served ye right, ye flunkey. Thet will give ye an inspiration to write a poem, entitled ‘How a Moon Calf Got Kicked By a Muel.’ Ye orter know better than to come foolin’ near a nitro-glycerine. factor like me. I’m liable ter go off, at any minit!” Kit cried, while a crowd gathered, with grins of delight. ‘Oh! Pll pay you for this!” Milton roared. ““Oh! oh! oh!” “Better pay yer doctor’s bill first!” a face- tiously-inclined miner sugges ed. “Or buy a coffin, ef ye fool with a kanga- roo,” another added. Milton did not reply, but gradually straight- ened up, his face white, his eyes gleaming venomously. ‘* Kit Bricktop, are you a coward?” he hissed, glaring at our hero savagely. ‘‘ Waal, not ef ther judge knows his own court-house, I ain’t!” was the smiling response. ‘* Then, if you are not a coward, meet me like a gentleman, with pistols!” ‘Like a eee I refuse to do anything of the kind. [ll tell you what I will do, if you are really so desirous of passing in your checks. Let any one man, disinterested, get a fresh pack of cards from the bar, shuffle them fairly and honestly, so that we can see that there is no trickery, and then deal them out in \wo piles, before us, on the floor of the piazza, To whosoever's lot it falls, to get the ace of hearts, that man shall be elected to draw his revolver, and shoot the other man through the heart, if so he chooses, and it shall be considered no crime, nor shall the victim attempt to object. That will decide who the coward is, and settle all matters!” A murmur of approval passed through the crowd. It was certainly fair enough—as fair for one as for the other, and it hightened Kit measurably in the estimation of those who had heard his remarkable proposition. - ~ See Ae —- Oe eee, * EE anEt tre Mate Se Oe — . ; y ; = - ° Tree rye M ’ Se) rs g See peo ts ¥ a - ~ Racket. ~ he Ve eo Kangaroo Kit’s A still whiter shade crept over Byron Mil- ton’s face as he heard the proposal, to which he knew he could not well refuse assent, without branding bimselt a coward. ‘* How are we to know who will give a square shuffle and deal?’ be growled, biting at the ends of his mustache. ‘We tave each an equal chance to watch, and would be likely to squeal, | fancy, should either of us detect any trickery.” ‘*T will give you each a fuir shuffle, gents!” a stranger said, stepping up. ‘1 know neither of you, having just arrived from the East— therefore you may know it matters not to me which of you gets the prize.” Both Kit and Milton surveyed him a mcment sharply, and then Milton said: “Bring out the pasteboards; it’s got to be settled somehow.” ‘Fred, a fresh deck, please!” Kit ordered, ad- dressing the bartender. The cards were brought forth in their sealed wrapper, and given to the stranger, who had thrown off bis coat and rolled up his sleeves, evidently to carry the impression that he had no intention to cheat, ** Now, gents, I will shuffle them slowly, fair- ly and thoroughly, you see, so that you can readily perceive that I am as fair for one as the other. There! Are you satisfied that they are fairly and rightly shuffled?” “Tam,” Kit answered. ** The same,” Milton nodded. “Then, watch. I will throw them on the floor in two piles—one to each man. Here they go!” One by one he began to deal them. It was a moment of suspense. Every man held his breath, and those who couldn’t get a view listened eagerly for the ver- dict. Forty-four cards lay upon the piazza, Forty-five. ‘It’s getting rather close, [ll swear!” the stranger said, flinging the forty-sixth card to Kit. ‘*There must surely be an ace of hearts in the pack, or else it’s no go!” Kit stood with folded arms, looking over the crowd, a shade paler himself, while Byron Milton perceptibly trembled, as thougn he anticipated what the result would be. “Forty eight!” fell to Kit. ** Forty-nine, sir!”—to Milton. ‘Fifty! Ah! we have it!” And the ace of hearts fluttered to the floor, at the feet of the boy. Something like a groan escaped from the poet’s lips, as his gaze fell upon the card, ‘*Go on! do the business!” he gasped, drawing his form erect, and clasping his hands behind his back; but Kit sat down upon a stool, and looked at the victim with a snort of laughter. “You durned fool!” he said, ‘‘ D’ye’spose I'd shute you ih ** And why not?” Milton cried, an expression of relief crossing his face. “Why not? Well, sir, jest fer ther simple reason that your daddy and mammy wer’ my daddy and mammy, after they wer’ your daddy an’mammy. That’s the how of it!” ‘*What! you my brother?” “Tam disgusted to say I am, and now, my dear brother, let me give ye a straight pointer. [ll spare your life now, but if you aire seen in this camp after sunset the boys heer will tar an’ feather you. Eb? fellers?”’ ** Hooray! you bet!” a score of voices shouted inachorus, ‘* We’ll fix him!” ‘You hear!” Kit continued. ‘‘ Now, ef you’ve got any respect fer yer person you'll git up and dust! And Milton did ‘‘get up and dust,” without any ceremony, evidently glad to escape so easily. Within an hour afterward, however, he man- aged to sneak into the hotel, and up to bis father’s room, fancving no one saw him, but the lynx-eyes of Kit were not idle about that time, CHAPTER XIV. THE RACKET CLOSES WITH A HURRAH! - ApovuTt an hour after dark Kangaroo Kit sauntered down toward the Roulere cabin. Everything was working to his liking, and be calculated it would not be many days before he should have to prepare for a wedding-tour. He was nearing the cabin, when he fancied he saw a skulking figure. Instantly droppiv flat upon the ground behind a sage bush an using it as a shield, he could see without being seen, Two men were skulking about the cabin. Pre- sently he heard a rap at the door, and it was | opened, letting out a flood of light. Instanv — ee Gy coms r ae « i ee ete % i-aar es) rors. . : : the two bounded into the cibin, and Kit bea® a scream—Mai’s voice, too! ' ‘*Here’s a scrape!” Kit muttered, “T men after Mai, eh? Guess J’// have to have say in that,” A He drew a revolver, and leaped toward f cabin; and, as he did so, a man splung @ bearing Mai in his arms, and bolcing her’, such a position that Kit could not get a shot a him, for fear of hitting the girl, 3 Directly after him followed the other man Up went Kit’s revolver; then a report and” flash. With a yell of pain, the bind man threw his arms, and fell to the ground. / ‘‘Halt, or you’re a dead man!” Kit yelle iving chase to Mai’s captor. ‘I know yc" Tesch and you’ve undertaken the wrong jc" this time!” ; The villain sent back a deMant yell, andr on, at a swift pace; but, almost ashe yelled ruffian stumbled, and went sprawling to ground. Kit stopped instantly, and the moment te villain regained his feet, the boy’s pistol ag“ cracked, With a yell of rage, Leech darted away a~ disappeared, leaving Mai behind him, } 3 i 4 / ‘ Are you hurt, Mai?’ Kit cried, running §_” to her. “Nota bit. Is it you, dear Kit?—I am se glad,” and she arose to her feet, “Oh! but 1 was scared,” ‘* Who was the other one?’ ‘* Big Blacksnake!” ‘‘T guessed as much, Let’s go back and see if I killed him!” But, as they failed to find him, Mr. Black- suake evidently was not killed. He had crawled away and escaped and was never seen again in Played-Out, which was about the wisest cot he could have pursued seeing that when ~ outrage became known the big brute’s n}’ surely would have been circumscribed witl . halter, r } It was two A. M. / The main street, and in fact the only stree_ Played-Out, was wrapped in gloom. Not e¢, a shanty, cabin or tent displayed a light, ? could any one be seen abroad, when three rv? left the La Belle Hotel, by the front entrar, and stole through an alley to the rear of Olympic saloon. . They were Mr. Miles, Paul Slensby, and son, Milton. + ‘‘Be on your guard, now!” Slensby war. , ‘We don’t know what sort of a trap we walking into.” " Mr. Miles rapped upon the door three tin” and it opened, / “Come in!” a voice ordered. ‘Walk ri through into the saloon, where there is a li They entered and the speaker followed t He wes masked, and wore a heavy cloak, da ‘* Be seated, gentlemen,” be said, “* Mr, M”’ a I suppose you want your papers?” ‘| do, sir!” Miles replied, “ And your long-lost daughter?” **T do, sir!” The masked man touched a silver call-bell upon a table. Immediately a dour opened, which communicated with the hotel, and Mai Roulere sprung into the room, immediately fol- lowed by over a score of persons, two of whom were women, and all of whom were masked. The jig’s up !” Milton cried, *‘so let’s make a break, father!’ ‘Hold! Stir an inch and I'll drop ye both!” Kit cried, leveling a revolver, and at the same time tearing off bis mask and cloak. ‘“ The jig isn’t altogether up for you two scoundrels, Mr, Morton Miles, here is your daughter, known ag Mai Roulere. Yonder rascal, Paul Slensby~ who, mind you, is my own father—has evi- dently known of her whereabouts for séme months, for he sent my brother there o7 to Played-Out to court the girl, aud marry hér if possible! This was a conspiracy to come into possession of your estate!” Mr. Miles received his pretty daughter into his open arms, and after embracing her, turned to Slensby. ‘Paul, I never thought this of you!” he said, reproacbfully. ‘Probably not,” Slensby retorted, now thor- oughly trapped and exposed. ‘I never calcu- lated you’d find it out. I played for gain, and lost. Luck is against me, and that’s all there is of it. Isuppose I might as well edify you "— with a brutal langhb—-‘‘by explaining to you that I hired Paul Vermilye to steal your c expecting you to offer a fabulous price for | of ele) com S