Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 339 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

: | 4 : a ee . f ‘ ‘| ' indignantly, “* That is a secret of my own, old stockings,” Kit replied, with spirit. ‘I gave that to the young lady as a present, an’ I want ye ter give it back ter her.” ‘*Halba! Do you hearhim, Milton? Just as though I ain’t the girl’s father an’ natural guard- ian, and ’a’ right to take possession of anything that’s given her! Why, young man, you are off in the upper story, I believe.” “Nota bit of it. I see that you’re an old pirate, tho’, and where I could have done you a good turn, [ won't do it now,” and, turning, he opened the door and left the cabin. Mai followed him out and closed the door, contrary to old Roulere’s command, _ “Don’t let it worry you, Kit,” she said, plac- ing her hand upon bis shoulder. ‘I ought to have known better than to have shown it, as I might have known he would appropriate it for rum,” “The mean old gtraffe!” exclaimed the boy, “Tell ye what, Miss Mai, I’ll bet n cent to a toothpick, the oid snoozer ain’t no more yer father than I am,” An eager expression came into her beautiful eyes, as they gazed into bis face, ‘*Do you think so, Kit? Others have hinted as much, but I never knew what to believe.” — “*Does an elerfant’s progeney look like a fawn, or a giraffe’s like a canary bird?’ de- manded her lover. ‘*‘ Not much they don’t, an’ you ain’ta Roulere, by a long shot. Just you remember what I say, an’ you stick like a Spa'ldin’s glue to Kxngaroo Kit—that’s me— and I shouldn’t be surprised if he fizggers out who you be, afore long. As fer the nugget, jest say nothin’, Ef the old man spends it fer liquor, I’ll try and get it back for you. If | fail, 1 know where there's more of ’em.” Sa Kit, do you really? It would make you rich! ‘I should ker-smile! I ain’t so orful dead broke, anyhow, ’thout’em. Guess I'll go, now. Don’t reckon ther’s any use o’ my callin’ on ye hLeerafter?” ‘Why not?” ‘*Oh! two’s company—three’s a crowd.” ‘*Pshaw! you silly fellow. You’re not hint- ing at Mr. Milton, Ihope? He’s nothing to me.” ‘* Mebbe not, but I hev allus tuk notice that these well-educated, poeiic sort o’ plums, wi’ good togs, a purty phiz, an’ ther scent o’ ‘love among the roses’ about 'em, allers come out ten Japs ter a mile ahead o’ us common chaps.” ‘*Nonsense! A girl with good sense does no} look to clothes, poetry or a baby face. Don’t Jet Mr. Milton worry you a bit, I like you, and that settles it, don’t it?” ‘““It¢ ought to!’ Kit replied, drawing her to him, and kissing her, fondly, ‘‘I won’t bea bit jealous of you, until I see cause. So, now, gZo00d-nigbt!” “Good-night, Kit. get hurt.” ‘* Little fear of that, I guess, I have made it a point to Joox out for myself, lately. By-by!” hey separated then, Mai re-entering the cabin, and Kit striding away toward the camp net gg not really as bappy as be might have en, were handsome Mr. Byron Milton lo- cated a thousand miles distant from the little town of Played-Out, Be very careful not to CHAPTER IV. KIT SECURES AN ENEMY. Wuen Mai returned to the interior of the cabin, it was to receive a savage scow! from old Roulere, while the expression upon the face of Mr. Byron Milton was not altogether one of satisfaction. “Do you know I’ve a notion to whip you severely, girlf’ the old man cried, angrily. *‘ You ought, to be ashamed of yourself!” ‘“T don’t know why I should be,” Mai replied, a little independently, as she seated herself near the fire. “You don’t, eh? You're very ignorant, all at once. You ought to be ashamed for encour- aging the impudence and audacity of the young vagabond you brought here to-night. It was the hight of insult to follow him out of doors, especially, when you were leaving our distinguished guest behind.” ‘*T trust Mr, Milton will pardon my thought- lessness!” Mai replied. ‘‘ As for Kit, he is not a vagabond, but a brave, nice gentleman, and what's more, my lover!” ‘*You’re what ? Girl, you’re mad!” **Oh! no. I don’t get mad easily, or I should not have put up with your disgraceful actions as long as I have, sir!” ‘Stop! Don’t you dare to speak back to vour father, in that way! Shame to you, to Kangaroo Kit’s Racket. talk back to a parent that bas reared you as kindly as I have.” ‘‘T fail to see where you have been so ex- tremely fatherly,” Mai flashed back, tapping ber little slippered foot upon the hearth, ‘* But for what support [ have been compelled to earn for you, you would have starved, several years ago! Roulere ‘gnawed his lip savagely, and smoth- ered an oath. He knew that all be might say would avail nothing more than to expose his faults, as Mai invariably managed to get the best of him, in an argument. ** Maybe you are right,” he meekly answered, a few miuutes later. ‘I have been dissipated ’tis true, but I mean, now, to lead a better life. Next to you, my child, my warmest interest is | |a monkey’s meal-time. next¢ centered in Byron here, than whom a worthier young man the sun never shone upon. He has come here to pay us a visit, and the best you can treat him he fully deserves. B ing of aris- tocratic birth, and sega refinement, I do _-_— rr _ then fall slap-bank in love wi’a | pray and hope you will devote your constaut | attention to bis wants, and make his visit so- | cially pleasan: !” Mai listened, in some little wonderment. Far different from his usual coarse and un- grammatical harangue, was Roth Roulere’s conversation now, The arrival of Mr. Byron Milton, too, had had more than this one apparent effect upon y when Tim Flannigan couldn’t accommodate & chance pilgrim, the pilgrim in question generally had to sleep out of doors. Judging that such might be the case, Kit di- rected his footsteps back toward Flannigan’s Shebang. As he proceeded, his thoughts were varied, ‘‘Here’s a go!” he soliloquized ‘‘Jest back from Chicago, arter that Ghoul’s Guich adven- ture, a bit older, a bit wiser, and bev run ker- slap inter another racket, by ape Waltzed down inter this God-forsaken hole, expectin’ ter find all the folks dead or asleep; bev an adven- ture, strike it rich; bev another adventure; git nicely settled down; bev another adventure urty girl, and so-forth, and so-forth—all wi’in ther minutes ov Wonder what'll come Hard to tell; but, anyhow, thar’s fun ahead, sure pop! There’s a case for me to fig- ger on, where Mai is concerned. She ain’t no more old Roulere’s daughter than she is Marthy Washing on—that’s registered! Let me see— then thar’s the purty posey, wi’ ther poetry name, He’s bin imported on, byer, jest on pur- p)se ter trv an’ git Mai fer bis wife. That’s atented. Now, mebbe he is a fair-ter-middlin’ 10nest-lookin’ galoot, but Pl bet there’s some- thin’ in it. There’s a game on the board, where the ace and king scoops the boodle, an’ the queen | gits nary. Milton is the ace. Roulere’s the king, him—he was not, for a wonder, in the least in- | toxicated, him, I shall try to do so, as I said once before!” Mai replied, ‘* But you haven’t promised not to have any- thing whatever to do with this unknown boy you call Kit!” Roulere persisted, frowning. ‘Neither do I intend to!” Mai answered, spiritedly. ‘‘ Kit is as well known to me as your friend is, and he did me a service I should repay with my ardent love, Of course it can- not matter to Mr. Milton whom J fancy.” ‘*Confound you, girl! will you hush up such nonsense? Why, I’ve a mind to box your ears! If you are beginning to look for lovers, you will do well to single out at least a gentleman—not a smutty-faced, beardless vagabond of a boy.” ‘* Bah!” and Mai gave vent toa sarcastic little laugh. “It isn’t the beard on a man’s face wbich commands a girl’s affection; ii’s the nat- ure of the beast, as the miners say. As for Kit’s being a vagabond, I know better. So, there! I am not going to say another word!” And arising, Mai walked to her own apartment, which she entered, closing and locking the door bebind her, Byron Milton smiled as he looked into Rou- lere’s furrowed face, after her departure. ‘* Well,” be said, in a scarcely audible tone, ‘**it seems I have a rival to contend with.” ‘“ Rival be hanged! You don’t know the girl!” the old man hissed. ‘She’3 an enigma that even I have never been able to solve since she bas grownup. Don’t you mind a word she says, but play your hand with studious care, and you'll win her. She don’t care as much as she declares for that brat of a boy, and I saw the moment abe looked upon you that you favorably impressed her, With your handsome face and agreeable ways you ought to make short work of winning her.” ‘The sooner the better, to suit you, I sup- pose?” ‘* Aha—you bet! With the prospects abead, old Roth Roulere can afford to leave off drink- ing for a time.” ** See that you do!” Milton said, in a decisive tone. “‘As for your—your daugbter, I was never more favorably impressed with a young ady in my life, I have long sought for my ideal, and at last I have found it—the very one I would take the chances of making my wife to- morrow, did I get the opportunity.” He said this aloud, evidently intending it for Mai’s ears should she be listening. “No purer, better girl than my Mai could you seek, friend Milton, But, you will learn that when you get better acquainted with her. Now, as it is getting late,I propose that we turn in. You will occupy the room adjoining mine, yonder, which I trust you wil! find as comfort- able as the generality of dens we have in such Western towns as Plaved-Out.” **T can sleep most anywhere, not heing troubled with a restless mind,” Milton replied, laughingly. And they ‘turned in,” as the expression goes, for the night. Lodgings and boarding-places in Played-Out, were at a premium, so to speak, for few, if any of the miners cared to take in strangers, and “if I can make Mr. Milton’s stay pleasant to | an’ Mai, she’s ther queen. Reckon I must come 'in fer high, low an’ jack, then, in order ter stand an ordinary New York boarding-house racket! Now, then, Milton he looks like a bhigh- toner, wi’ an eye ter strikin’ a puddin’, as would set him on his taps fer life. Bet ef thar warn’t shekels abead he wouldn't be hyer, an’ Mai c’uld go to blezes, That’s my opinion!” His boyish interest in Mai, or more properly his boyish love for ber, made him resolve, if possible, to ferret out the mystery concerning her-——-for a mystery he felt sure there was, con- nected with her birth, or her early life; and such being the case, it was apparent to him | that Byron Milton and old Roulere, meant te make some money out of it. ‘The thing of it is,” he muttered, ‘‘ I’m s leetle afeard Mai will go back on me. She's s gal w’ot looks like as if she’d enjoy coquetry, | | | | | | an’ ten to one she'll get stuck on Milton’s purty face an’ poetry. Ef I bed the proper togs, |'migbt reel off a few yards about shimmer in’ stars, gentle breezes an’ cyclenes, an’ perfumery ef sunflowers; but I ain’t a beau ideal uv a Romeo, The togs is lackin’, »n’ ther’ ain’t no place to git any heerabouts. Ef Mai goes beck on me, tho’, ri bev to work some game ter cut his poetical nibs out.” When he reached the Shebang, Big Black- snake, the ruffian, was nowhere to be seen, and Kit did not feel enough concerned to ask where he had gone. Some of the miners were et the tables, play- ing cards; balf a dozen others were at the bar, drinking in con pany with a man, at whom Kit made bold to take a second glance, He was a largely-built person, witb a strik- ingly handsome face, black eyes, gray mus- tache and brown hair. But for a rather sinister squint of the eyes, there was nothing in the man’s appearance to prejudice any one against him, for he was well dressed, and appeared to have a gentlemanly bearing. This was Lawton Leech, who owned all uf the claims in Played-Out, with the exception of old Roulere’s tract. On inguiry, Kit found that be could get a room over the saloon, and have bis meals served in it; and as this suited bim very well, be paid down for the same for a week in ad- vance, and then sought a table where to sit down and enjoy a cigar. He had been seated but a few minutes, when he felt a tap on the shoulder, and saw Lawton Leech standing close at haud. He, however, ne a a took a seat across the table from it. ‘* Excuse me, young his snowy mustache, ‘ ly indebted to you.” “Ts that so?” Kit asked, eying bis accoster keenly. ‘If that’s the case, you’d better pay up before the account gets any larger, as I shall charge compound interest after the first of the year.” ‘You don’t understand me. You did mea great favor, and I wished to offer you my sin- cere thanks!” ‘‘ Been takin’ a drop too much, ain't ye?” Kit asked, in surprise, for he could not understand what the man was getting at. ‘Not a drop. see you still don’t undes Bmicboo man,” he said, stroking but I believe 1 am great- I (E cS