Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 424 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Luk ie Yep. 2) ie if Cibuta John, more I think of it, the more it strikes me I'd ought to do it. ‘What say you, gentlemen? Shall I take them both out and have a triangu- Jar hoe-down with them? or, turn them over to the sheriff?” ‘t You don’t mean ter fight ’em both ter wunst, do ye?” Bill Twicker asked. ‘Certainly Ido. Why not?’ ‘Wal, it’s a purty big job ter undertake, that’s all.” Giant John and Billy Bobsled cast a glance at each other in a knowing way. They just ached for such a chance to get even with Cibuta. If they could get at him together, they would make him think there was an earthquake. Giant John had had a taste of the Prickly Pear, ’tis true; but now, with Billy Bobsled to back him up, he felt that sweet revenge was at hand. Oh! he just panted for the fray! ‘‘ Well, which shall it be, gentlemen?” Cibuta again asked. He knew well enough what the answer would be, ere he asked, for such crowds are always eager for excitement. “The fight! The fight! Whale ’em! Give ‘em prickly-p’ars till they can’t rest!” and so forth, were the cries heard on every hand, ‘*So be it,” assented Cibuta. ‘‘Some of you just go through their clothes and take away every weapon they carry while I surrender mine to some gentleman willing to hold them, and then we'll get down to real old business,” Bill Twicker and Jem Patterson performed that office, and took away everv weapon the two bullies had about them, as far as they knew. Cibuta John, in the mean time, had turned to Judge Hucklebee, and asked: ‘* Will you take charge of my revolvers and knife, sir?” ‘* Yes, with pleasure,” the judge replied. ‘Well, here they are, sir; two revolvers and a bowie; and— Oh! just take charge of this, too!” and he drew from his pocket the dagger that had come into his possession in so myste- rious a manner, and held it out toward the judge. " The judge had accepted the revolvers and the bowie, on now put out his hand to take the dagger; but the moment he saw what it was he sprung back, his face assumed a deathly pale- ness, and he cried: ** My God! the silver dagger !” Instantly every voice in the room was hushed. The place became as silent as the grave. Cibuta John looked around him in utter be- wilderment,. W hat could it mean? He noticed that more faces than one had paled at mention of the silvor dagger. ‘* Well,” he presently said, “‘ what is there about the silver dagger to paralyze you all like this? ‘* My God! do you not know?” Judge Huckle- bee cried. ‘*No; the dagger just came into my possession az short time ago.” ‘‘ Read the inscription on its blade.” Cibuta John at once held the dagger up to the light, and there upon the blade, finely engraved, was the following legend: “ Though this be buried deep from sight, Yet shall it come again to light; And when again you see the brand, Prepare! for death 1s near at hana! Cibuta John read it out aloud. ‘“ Well!” he cried, ‘that takes the cake! I might say it gobbles up the whole lunch-basket, pie included! What does it mean?” “Tt means just what it says, sir,” answered Judge Hucklebee, solemnly. ‘*Pshaw! You don’t fale any stock in such nonsense, do you?” ‘Tt is no nonsense, sir. We, too, scoffed at at first, but we have seen its work.” ‘¢ Ah! Then the silver dagger has a history?” ‘Ves,” ‘Will you repeat it to me? I would like to hear it, “I am sorry to keep you waiting,” turn- ing to Giant John and Billy Bobsled, but Iam deeply interested in this matter. I will attend to you a little later On. ' i “ Certainly, sir,” said the judge,’ if you care to hear the history of the silver dagger I will re- peat it. “About four years ago there came to this town a woman,a very Strange woman, She was a gambler by trade, ‘some, and she opened here a gambling PRIA, ‘“‘It was a well-conducted place, and became very popular. ‘One thing strange about the woman was, ‘she always wore a mask. No one ever saw her face, until we saw it cold in death. Then it was found to be a very handsome one.” for a trade it is with | ** Ah! she died here, then?” ‘** Yes; and by the silver dagger.” ‘Goon! Goon! Iam deeply interested! I shall not interrupt again.” ‘* Well, as I said, she opened a gambling- alace, and conducted it wal She was success- ul from the start. ‘*One night there entered her place a hand- some, well-dressed stranger, at sight of whom the woman was heard to utter a low exclama- tion. Those who heard it knew that the stran- ger was no stranger to her. ** Presently the man sat down to play at the table over which she presided in person, ‘From the very start, he lost. Luck was wholly against him, and at last he declared that he was broke, ‘*Then the woman sprung to her feet, drew this silver dagger from her bosom, and cried out: ‘**And now, you die! ITam—’ And as she sprung upon him and plunged the dagger into his heart, she whis mad her name to him, ‘““*My God! Youw/’ he cried, and then fell forward dead. ‘*' The crowd started forward, but she drew a revolver and bade them stand back, ‘* Then she told her story. **'The man—she would not tell his name, nor hers—had wronged her, and she had sworn to kill him, She had kept her vow. She told her os at length, and when she concluded, she said: ‘** And now, nothing remains for me but— death, When I am dead, take this silver ap ger and melt it, Do not let it longer exist. J¢ is accursed !’ ‘* As she uttered the last words, she raised the dagger and plunged it into her own breast. ‘* We buried them side by side, and no one knows who they were. ‘*The dagger was not melted. ‘“‘Strange to say, no one discovered the en- graving on the blade until a year later, when it had done further bloody work. ‘For a long time it disappeared; but one evening it came to light in one of our saloons, and the legend it bears was then first discovered. ** We laughed at the idea at first, but at last we learned that there is truth in it. _“*That same evening a quarrel arose, and the silver dagger found a victim. It was buried to the hilt in the breast of one of the best young men of the town. ‘After that it was buried, and none knew where, save him who did the work. ‘* Again for a long time it was not seen, and it came to be almost forgotten, No one ever ex- pected to see it again, ‘* At last, however, once more it came to light. ‘*T scarcely need tell you how it sent a chill to our hearts to see it. ‘‘ There was at that time a pure and hand- some girl living here. Her name need not be mentioned. She had gtr admirers, and two especially devoted lovers. Those two young men were deadly enemies. ; ‘On the evening when this silver dagger came again to light, the young men mentioned met in this store, and hada violent quarrel. ‘“* At last one drew a bowie-knife and sprung upon the other, who, being unarmed, snatched up the dagger as it lay near him on the counter, and with it met his rival in mortal combat. ‘* Their fight was a short one. In a few mo- ments one threw up his arms and fell to the floor—dead. In his breast the silver dagger was buried. “The killing in that instance was considered as done in Self-defense, and the man went free, He afterward married the young lady, and they went East soon afterward. “This dagger, accursed weapon that it is! was thrown into thecreek. How it has come to light now, I do not know, ‘¢-You will now understand why we were hor- rified at seeing it again, ‘ Certain it is almost that it will find another victim. ‘Who will it be? — **T know not how it has come into your pos- session, young man; but if you take my advice you will put it beyond reach, and at once.” CHAPTER y. A TERRIBLE FIGHT. WHEN Judge Hucklebee finished his recital, no one spoke for several moments, Cibuta John stood with the silver dagger lying across the palm of his hand, gazing at it ina state of abstraction. How had the fatal brand come to him so mys- teriously, after having been thrown into the creek? 5 LAT SE aa He could not answer. Well,” he presently said, “it is very mys- terious, to say the least. Still, am not afraid + of its doing any mischief while it isin my pos- session.” ‘**'You had better let us melt it at once, as its original owner wished us to do,” said the judge. «i No,” Cibuta John replied, ‘I prefer to keep it.” “Very well, sir;*but I fear you will repent it. Have you any objection to telling us how it came into your possession ?” ** Certainly not. I will tell youall I can about it. While l was walking aiong up the creek a short while ago, as I told you, the dagger was thrown from somewhere, and fell directly in front of me in the path, sticking up in the sod. Where it came from, I do not know.” ‘* Perhaps one o’ these heur p’izin cusses throw- ed it at yer,” remarked Jem Patterson, indica- ting Giant John and Billy Bobsled. ** No, I think not,” returned Cibuta. ‘‘In fact, I am sure they did not.” ‘Wal, it’s a ne spine anyhow,” decided Bill Twicker. ‘‘In ther first place, how did it git out o’ ther crick?” ‘*Give it up!” Cibuta John responded. And he continued: ‘* But, this is not attending to business! These two tulips have claims upon my attention which cannot be longer deferred.” And as he spoke, he waved his hand in the direction of his two pris- oners. ‘* Who will hold this dagger for me whila I attend to them?” No one said ‘‘I.” Instead, all drew back. Na one present would touch it. ‘* Well, you won’t of course object to my lay- ws Fi up on a shelf here until the fracas is over, will you?” he queried, addressing Bob Burdock, the proprietor of the store. ** Certainly not,” Mr. Burdock replied. Thereupon Cibuta John stepped behind the counter and put the dagger away, high up on one of the shelves. as he stepped back ‘* Now,” he announced and pulled off his coat, “we are ready to let slip the dogs of war.” ‘Here!” exclaimed Jem Patterson, ‘ let me hold that for you.” And he held out his hand for the coat, Cibuta John tossed it to him. No one observed a slip of paper tbat fell from one of its oes as he did so, and which flut- tered to the floor. A few moments later that paper Was picked up by Judge Hucklebee, whose face, as he glanc ed at it, grew red and white by turns, ‘‘Now, my pippins!” Cibuta Jobnu cried ‘we're ready! Some one please cut their bond and let them come!” And he went out into the road and bracee himself for the encounter. The moon was now sailing high and bright and it was almost as light as day. It was a most auspicious time for such 4 scene, Presently, out came Giant John and his part ner with a rush. ‘Come right along, Giant,” Cibuta called out’ * ‘Bring your Bobsled right here now, and we’) alltakearide, That’sright! Putup your lit, tle hands, my cherubs, and wade right in!” Just what the giant and his pard were pre paring to do. They began to dance and skirmish around, — trying to find an opening to get in a blow. It seemed an unequal contest. Either of them was larger than Cibuta John, and it looked as if the latter would fare badly ere he was done with them, If he was at all alarmed, though, he did not show it. He was as cool as an iceberg. ‘¢ Come now!” he cried. Au hands around! Dotesy-do! Swing your partners!” And he, too, began to caper and antic around in imita- tion of the two bullies. It was too ludicrous for anything. The crowd fairly howled itself hoarse with laughter. ‘“Come! you pretty jumping-jacks!” Cibuta } cried—‘‘ do come! here ain’t but one of us, — and you can’t get at me on all sides at once; so cut right in anywhere. Ah! that’s the ideal é Now you're beginning to warm up! Come again, my daisy! I’m right here where you left me—office-hours, from two to two G. AL, and consultation free of charge!” : ; Seeing, as he supposed, an opening, Billy Bob- | sled had *‘ cut in” as invited. The next instant he was lying sprawled out om the flat of his back, seeing more stars than he had ever thought the firmament contained. ‘Thar goes ther Bobsled!” some one shouted, | JNA ebooks:com