Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 378 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

Nabob Ned OR, THE SECRET OF SLAB CITY. —E BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DEADWOOD DICK,” NOVELS, ‘‘ DEN- VER DOLL,”’ NOVELS, ** SIERRA sAM,” ‘““YREKA JIM,’ ETC., ETC, CHAPTER I. A PLACE FOR RENT. “TOR RENT! ‘‘These premises will be rented cheap to a good, responsible tenant, who has the courage of a lion, the gali of aside-show fakir, and the strength of a Hercules, No other than one answering to the above description need apply. ‘*NaBos NED, ** Slab exh ss ton.”’ A characteristic sign it was, considering all circumstances. Twenty miles from Heron station, on the Northern Pacific R. R., which is considered tha nearest point of ingress to the Coeur d’Alene mining region from Montana Territory—lo- cated deep dewn in a gulch with lofty pine- crowned walls towering above, is Slab City. Geological surveys never did anything for the place—never will. A wild-cat enthusiast from ‘‘up-country,” with more saw-mill than geographical knowl- edge, awoke one morning in the full belief that the place was on the line of the direct route to Eigle City and there was a little fortune there, gaping for some one to gobble up. This man, fur the sake of reverence we have for the elephant he had on bis hands, we will call John Smith; he hada barrel of money, a hogshead of conceit, and a little experience; with these he started out to build Slab City. He moved his tools down from Plainville—the tools consisting of the only split saw, boiler and engine in that immediate portion of the Terri- tory, five mill hands, a dog and a burro-load of sleeping material—and began work, The one redeeming quality of Smith was that be was chock-full of ambition, and as a result of bis combined ambition and enthusiasm, the tall pines began to “* drop,” and in a short space of time both cabins and shauties began to loom up, and Slab City had its start, W hen the accommodations for et pena had shaped up to something like a couple of score or more of abodes—it occurred to Smith that he bad better begin to boom the place, in order to attract some “*summer boarders,” before the next fall of snow came—those eternal snows, for which the Cogur d’Alene region is noted. So Smith opened his heart, and likewise his ‘‘bar’l,” and the result of an ingenious amount of “ flushing,” was a stampede, The people came—of the wild, feverish sort, that make up the population of every mush- room mining-city, which is enough to say of them, at present. Mr. Smith occupied a cabin, that was both residence and office. Here, be had on exhibition specimens of gold, in the way of nuggets and du t, which he claimed to have taken out of the gulch, in various places—and Mr, Smith had both claims to sell, and houses to rent, In fact, for awhile, he did a flourishing busi- ness, and coined money, Many disgusted mortals putting out of Hagle City, wandered over to Slab City, while part of the influx to the first-named place, unfortunate- ly green as to the ‘“‘ white elephant camp,” were induced to try Slab City first. For a couple of weeks, Slab City filled upina way that should have made its founder feel proud but for the fact that he had a guilty con- science, and, maybe, a foreboding of coming trouble, Had he been possessed of the average sense of a burro, he would have folded his tent and stolen away. But he didn’t. Day by day, be satin bis office and listened to the rattle of cash, as Nabob Ned took it in. Nabob : wbom Mr. Jobn Smith had hired to handle bis cash, and keep the kinks out of his accounts. ‘Day by day sanguine miners delved and pros- ected throughout Slab City gulch, and nightly beir ressions of dissatisfaction grew louder and Jouder. ‘ Finally, one of John Smith’s mill-hands, who bad been with Smith from the time of his arri- val, was visited in tbe dead of night by a dele- Ned was a “scholar,” from the East, - _ m an * ~ ‘, £ so Gia! ~. | tT) 1 i - > - | Nabob Ned. gation of indignant miners, and requested, at the point of the pistol, to divulge any little stray facts he might possess. He was not one of the most stubbornly heroic men in the world, and the persuasive induce- ments offered him, to be confidential, had the desired effect. He narrated how Smith had really dug the auriferous specimens which he bad exhibited from different parts of the gulch, but be bad jirst planted them there. To insure the success of his town, he had flushed it, at several tiou- sand dollars expense, and recaptured a part of the “plant,” leaving the rest to be found by the sanguine fortune bunters. It was a very cute, although not original scheme, on the part of Smith; but, owing to the lack of proper early training, this delega- tion of miners failed to appreciate Smith’s cleverness, and they waited upon kim in short order, and bung him to a limb of the sighing pine, some of whose branches swept the roof of bis cabin. Nabob Ned wss then persuaded to hand over Smi:h’s cash, and then was apprised that he anil Slab City could go to the Antipodes, fee yl which proceedings the delegation ‘‘ am- ed. I This wasa part of the early history of Slab City; but not all, for there remains much, yet, to be told. Nabob Ned, with an eye to business, closed the Smith cabin, and nailed the tg sign of ‘‘For Rent” to the door. Assisted by some of the more humane citizens, he cut down Smith’s body before it was yet cold, and plant- ed it, ab the side of the cabin, which, by the way, stood on the outskirts of thecamp. Full three feet of earth did they put over Smith’s remains, with the evident intention of making him ‘‘stay thar,” But, Smith, prectically speaking, “didn’t stay worth a cent ”—at least, so it was asserted, The circumstances warranting this assertion, were somewhat after the following order: Nabob Ned having removed to the Bung-Eye Hotel, kept by Bung-Eye Jake, was waited on by a party, who introduced himself as Scotty Shannon, of ’Shian, Scotty was a ponderous, broad-chested indi- vidual, who looked equal to annihilating an iced-dozen of dapper little fellows like Nabob Ned, but, instead of being of the blustering order of humans Scotty appeared to have been reared in the lap of good-nature, if not luxury, “You have a shebang to let, up byer, I see,” he said to Ned, tackling business at once. ** A sheb.ng we have,” Ned hastened to as- sent, taking out a form of blank leases. ‘‘ It is a little palace in its way, and the former prc- prietor, baving just passed in his coupons, the place is to let. Would you helieve it, sir, have already bad numerous applications for the house?” ‘“Why haven’t ye let ’er then?’ Scotty de- manded, regarding the agent, in the light of a confi-med liar, ‘‘Oh! because they were not responsible par- ties. Whoever takes the place, must take it for a year, and come down with spot cash, in ad- vance?” ** And, why, thusly?” ‘¢ Because I am so pressed with business, that I cannot be bothered with the palace.” ‘©Of what did the former proprietor shuffle, may I inquire?” ‘Oh, cert’! He died of a throat affection, brought on by wearing too tight a collar, made of hemp.” ‘*Ah! Did he kick, particular! y, or threaten ter wander back ag’in?’ ‘Oh, no; not a kick or threat.” ‘‘'You yourself planted bim?” “Oh, you bet!—planted bim in Prayer Book order, right near the shebang.” ‘* How deep?” ‘‘Three feet, at least, and well ballasted, with stone,” ‘* What's the taxation?” “ Well, I'll tell you; you seem like a pretty straight sort of hairpin—I'll put you up and label you, at two hundred, for the whole year, which is dirt cheap!” “Taken!” Mr. Scotty Sbannon agreed, de- positing the required sum in Ned’s hands, ‘‘ Just give me the key, and I'll take a look at the ranch, before I take possession wi’ my wife an’ darter!” The key was only too waltingly handed over, and ‘‘ the lucre” corraled by 4 Scotty took bis departure. Within half av hour, be returned. He laid the key upon the table over which he had recently paid the money, and beside the = Se eee eee eee ee rr = - * ny ” - \ike we a . ae * 7. * Coat i* 7 — re eee ee key a “‘six,” which had the appearance of look- ing for something to do. ‘* Well, sir, did the place suit you” Ned ven- tured to inquire, secretly wonderirg how Mr. Shannon came by a fresh bruise alongside his nose. “Yas, et suits me—to let alone,” was the re- ply. ‘‘ Young man, yer early trainin’ has been sudly neglected; ye’r’ a liar, a thief and a fraud, and fer six cents’ worth of soap-grease I’ll swal- ler ye whole ” ‘*Great Heaven! what’s the matter?” the agent demanded, fearing instant annibilation. ‘* W hat’s gone wrong?” ‘‘ Wrong?’ echoed Scotty, tragically — ‘“‘wrong? Did you not declare ter me thet ye lanted him three fut deep, an’ put stun on him in the bargain?” ‘ll swear to it, and can furnish ample proof, sir!” ‘‘Then ye’d better go an’ do ther job over. As a high kicker he aire great, as you kin see by ther bruise on my cheek-bone. Young man, I don’t hanker after thet aire shebang, but I do want back my money. So the quicker you fork it over, the more years you will hey ter live. Come down!” Nabob Ned did not hesitate. There was cardinal red in Mr. Sbannon’s ey®, and the two hundred dollars were returne with a promptness that seemed to establish Mr. Ned’s business capacity. 7 Mr. Shannon then departed. He did not even take one lingering, regretful, backward look at John Smith’s executor, but marched with the air of a man who was bighly content. After he was gone, Nabob Ned summoned those citizens who bac assisted iv planting Mr. Smith, and related Mr. Scotty Shannon’s aver- red experience, As a result, a visit and investigation were de- cided upon, and the party set out for the cabin at the early edge of evening. When they arrived within a few yards of it, the door was discovered to be standing wide open, while in the doorway stood the cadaver of John Smith, erect and without support, other than that furnished by the rigid limbs. Fastened to bis breast was the sign which bad been nailed to the door: “FOR RENT.” Smith’s corpse was re-buried, and then a new sign was put up—that mentioned at the begin- ning of our narrative. CHAPTER II. A TIMELY RESCUR. THE sign was ellowed to remain upon the | door of John Smith’s former abode; nor did bis remains again wander from their proper place of repose. But the odor of mystery clung about the cabin, and it was declared baunted. , This fact did not deter others than Scotty Shannon from trying at tenancy. } Hapented tests were made by bold dare- devils, who sought notoriety; but in each case, the tester gave up the job, saticfied that the supernatural possessed the cabin. n the mean time, within a couple of weeks after the first manifestations, it was discovered — that gold in paying quantities really did exist in the gulch, and that, after all, Slab City’s success was not likely to prove a delusion, Stock went booming, and the fever broke out anew, brightening many countenances that had before been clouded and fierce, and tripling the receipts of the drinking-bars within a day’s time. again ‘’way up in G,” the town was a buzz of excitement an lowsbip reigned among the rough crowd, The miners got-their tools in working order; the gamblers rubbed their bands in expectation | of replenishing their crushed pocket-books. The saw-mu1l] resa’ ed work, and new dwell. ings began to shoct up. ir anticipation of a re- need rush, ond Nebob Ned once more reigned as one of the mos* important indivicuals in the © camp, from the facet ti at he cinimed the late Jobn Smith preperiv, by right of being former-. ly Smith’s right-herd man, 1nd no one stood ready to dispute his right. ee A dapper little individual was Nabob Ned, with spindling legs, and shoulders not remark~ able for their promise of strength. From allap- ‘ pearances, Nature must have designed bin for a dry-goods clerk, or some other light renege a yet shown any ¢X- since he was not muscular and im g of pearance, nor had he as bitions of belligerancy and grit, oa Now that the prospects of the camp were | hilarity, and general good fel- m+ * Ts, fe bo ot) - : x ° ee a e rave a” bak; ; ey. rm —_ > : » a ¢ As +8 r2. - I i 4 «. a a ‘ eas _" ed : aes * >" ba +. : « » ~~. ~ al ] eo 3