Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 443 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

awe + ‘ ¢ , t . - ¥. | hundred on colossus o’ Bummer’s Bar, DL ent . i) ee He had mingled but little in the society of th opposite sex of his own age, and therefore it was but natural that he should take a decided liking for this dashing little tough, who had free- ly declared that she rather liked him, He had serious misgivings, however, as to what would be the result of the set-to. It did not seém possible to him that the little Californian could stand up for a moment, before such a heavy weight as Big-Mouth Mose, who, report said. had vanquished the best men who ever set foot in Bummer’s Bar. ‘‘ There’s one thing, anyhow,” Dick muttered. ‘‘'The giant sha’n’t bruise her badly, if I have to interfere, and run the risk o’ gettin’ telescoped myself.” After mingling among the crowd for a while, and listening to the expressions of the miners and roughs, he concluded that he would have no difficulty in picking up bets. Everybody who had any money was willing to bet that Mose would knock out the “‘ gal from *Frisco ” in one round. So, slipping from the saloon, Dick entered the States Hotel and went to his room. Here he sat down and carefully counted over the roll of bills California Kit had given him. Much to his surprise he found that he was the possessor of twelve bundred dollars, besides the two hundred wager in his pocket. Returning to the Daisy Saloon, he found it packed fuller than before, and Big-Mouth Mose was elbowing his way about, with a roll of bills in his upraised fist. ‘‘Hyer I am, ther boss slugger o’ Bummer’s Bar, ready ter bet big odds I knock out ther "Frisco gal in one round!” he roared. ‘* Who wants ter come an’ see me?—whar’s ther galoot? A hundred to twenty-five thet I knock the gal silly.’ pying an upturned whisky barrel, that had not yet been occupied, Deadwood Dick, Jix, was onitina jiffy. ‘‘Here you go, my friend,” he cried. ‘I’m ready to take a few bets like that and put up the money in the hands of any responsible man in the town.” *‘ Hooray! you’re my huckleberry then, young feller! - What’s yer name, an’ what’s yer pile?” ‘My name is Carl Clyde, and I'll go five e girl from’Frisco at the odds you offer!” ‘What! five hundred! ag’in’ your five hundred?” ** You bet!” *T ain’t got but a thousand!” growled Mose. ‘Hi! boys, who'll lend me another thousand?” “T will! cried a voice, and Paul Potter, the new superintendent of the Lucille mine, pushed forward. ‘‘I’il back you for a thousand pro- vidin’ the money 1s put up in the hands of David Hyatt!” t What d’yer say?” roared Big-Mouth, glaring at Dick. ‘Aire ye goin’ ter flunk?’ ‘‘Nary a flunk,” was the reply. ‘‘ We don’t do business in that’ way. Let Mr. Hyatt step this way.” The mine-owner, gentleman of culture though he was, always took a live interest in sport- ing matters, and was invariably chosen referee when there was any dispute or contest to be de- cided. Of course Deadwood Dick, Jr., knew nothing about him, but when he stepped forward Dick saw that he was a person who could be trusted. So the twenty-five hundred dollars were post- ed in Mr. Hyatt’s hands. This somewhat silenced Big-Mouth Mose, for he had no more money to wager. Dick still retained his position on the barrel, and held the balance of Kit’s money in his That’s two thousan’ grasp. ns Recollect, gents, here is your chance to make or to break!” he cried. ‘‘ lve got a few hundred left, and I want to see it al! put up before the fun begins. Right here’s your mut- ton, and if you don’t believe it, all you’ve got to do is come and smell of it. ‘* Seven hundred ‘cold bones’ have I got here to bet that the little beauty from the Golden Gate don’t get knocked out o’ time by your Is there any galoot that’s got a spare hundred about his duds?” There was no response, The miners who had money had _ nearly all _made small bets among themselves. And, too, the willingness of Dick to wager so’ freely upon the girl held the gamblers and others in check. re 5 None of them had yet seen the girl sport, to their knowledge, and were not eager to risk too : apee suns on an uncertainty. oy Sa C—O TTT sss sts Deadwood Dick Jr. —- —- --- —-— -— California Kit might be a modern Hercules, for all they knew. ‘* Hurrah! here’s yer chance!” shouted Dick. ‘*'Won’t some one comeand see me? Remember, I don’t want no odds hereafter. An even bet that California Kit knocks Big Mose out o’ time! Walk up, now—where’s the takers? Any sum from seven cents to seveu hundred dollars!” “Tl take your full limit, even!” cried a voice, and a man, evidently a stranger in the camp, pushed forward. He was below medium hight, and so bewhis- kered that only his eyes and nose were visible as parts of his face. n old slouch hat was crammed down upon his head, and he was enveloped in a huge over- coat that reached to his boot tops. He carried a rawhide bull-whip in one hand, and had the appearance of a man who had just Oe from some frigid climate. ‘Yas, [ll go ye, young feller, you bet!” he cried. ‘‘‘My name is Bill Corney, alias Frozen Bill, an’ef [ should git a chill while I am in this shebang jest dose me up good with whisky an’ I'll be all right. Ef ye don’t I’m liable ter shake the roof off the house. Caught the ager from handlin’ a rebol’s cold feet durin’ the war, an’ had it ever since. How much money d’ye say ye hev, younker?” : ‘** Seven hundred cold bones!” **Cold bones?” ‘*‘Yes—seven hundred dollars.” ‘* Why didn’t ye say so? Put your money up, me boy, an’ I'll shiver me shirt off ef I don’t jump it.” ‘Right you are! Here’s my money, Mr. Hyatt!” ‘* ‘Yas, an’ heer’s my money, boss!” The mine-owner received the stakes, and, after counting the money over, announced it to be all right. By this time the crowd began to grow im- Fatient at the nonappearance of the girl from Frisco, and Julius was dispatched to hunt her up. At the bar Big-Mouth Mose was putting down glass after glass of whisky—‘‘nerve tonics,” as he called them. ‘Oh! I'll paralyze her!” he cried grimly. ‘‘ T'll do her in one bout!” ‘* See here!” said David Hyatt, stepping for- ward. ‘Is this fight for a purse of money or for points?” ‘““Tt’s for points, I reckon,” allowed Mose. ‘* Et was old Duff, hyer, who got up the funeral, an’ he ain’t said nothin’ ’bout no purse.” ‘‘No! no! Der vas no burse!” declared Duff. ‘* Dese beoples fight yust for der fun of id.” ‘Indeed! Does this girl come all the way from California, just for the fun of fighting Big- Mouth Mose?” demanded Mr. Hyatt. ‘Vel, no. Mine partender, Julius, he git her to come. If she lick Mose, she get fifty dollars. Julius says she vas a goot veller mit der gloves.” ‘** And supposing she don’t lick Mose?” ‘* Den, she git noddings!”” ‘* This is shameful!” cried Hyatt. ‘‘The girl has evidently been brought here under false pre- tenses, Whether she can fight or not she shall not go away empty-handed. I'll put up a purse of a hundred dollars. The winner takes it.” ‘Den, Misder Hvatt, since you vas so liberal, I vill do yoost like you, an’ ve vill make id swet hundred, yust to make der thing oxciting, you know.” The crowd cheered at this, and Big-Mouth Mose looked greatly pleased, for he felt sure he would win, and be money in pocket. The crowd now began to whistle and clap hands, and for several minutes there was a small- sized pandemonium. * Then, there was a wild, ear-splitting yell as California Kit stepped upon the stage. There was a curtained dressing-room, on either side of the stage, and she had appeared from one of these, having gained entrance to it by a rear door of the saloon. Julius Jenks followed her upon the stage. ‘*Gentlemen!” he said, when he could make himself heard, ‘* I have the honor of presenting to your notice, Miss California Kit, the champion girl boxer of San Francisco, aged only sixteen years, and the winner of over one dozen glove contests, having been defeated—never!” A terrific yell went up, and the din of applause’ that followed, was deafening. It was several minutes ere order could be re- stored. . ‘s Then, Julius went on: ‘* Miss Kittie wlil spar, this evening, five rounds, Marquis of Queensberry rules, with Big- Mouth Mose, and will appear as you now see her, using one ounce hard gloves. Prior to her : , 2 ce ee — eo eee eo. ? — — set-to with Mr. Moses, and while he is getting ready, she would like to have a friendly "bout with some one of those present, to-night--- it don’t matter who it is—with soft gloves, jest toa get her hand in. Will some one volunteer?” A grim silence reigned. Not one in the room made answer. ‘** This is strange!” Julius said. ‘‘ Are all you burly miners afraid of this chit of a child? Shame on you! Miss Kit, do you see any one in. the audience you would like to have a ‘bout , with?” ‘*'Yes,” was the reply, quickly, ‘‘ that gentle- man over yonder, first, and then, that one!” She pointed first to Deadwood Dick, J r., and then to the paunchy proprietor of the Daisy— Dutch Duff. : CHAPTER V. FUN AND SCIENCE. THE surprise of Deadwood Dick can better be imagined than described, when he found him- self singled out to be made a Jaughing stock of at the hands of pretty Kittie Kenyon. He knew literally nothing about the scientific points of the manly art, although -he had had fights quite frequently during his boyhood days with lads of his own size. California Kit’s choice was hailed with a shout of delight by the rough audience, and all eyes were turned upon Dick, Jr., as being -the first man chosen to face the little beauty. Aside from the fact that she had put away her high hat, Kit’s appearance was unchanged from what it had been an hour before, and it was evident that it was her intention to engage in the ring combat in the costume she wore. ° Dick flushed scarlet as she pointed to him, and quickly turned his head in the direction her fin- ger pointed, pretending that he thought she meant some one else, ae. ‘* Oh, I mean you, Mr. Clyde!” she called out. ‘*'You need not be afraid, nor pretend you don’t know who I mean, for that won’t work! hurt you—so come along!” ‘Yes, Mr. Clyde, you cannot well refuse!’” added Julius. ‘‘ This is to be only a friendly bout, you I won't ~ ” abe Dick well’ knew he must acquiesce, Should he refuse to stand up before the girl from "Frisco, he would be branded a coward, which was something foreign to his nature. _ “All right!” he sung out, and getting dowm off the barrel, he pushed his way through the crowd and got upon the stage. ‘*Take off your coat!” Kit laughingly ad- vised. ‘* You can do nothing with that on.” ‘* Why don’t you take yours off, then?” ‘*Oh, I don’t have to, you see. I can fight just as well with it on.” ~* Two pairs of soft boxing-gloves were handed out from one of the dressing-rooms, and Kit assisted Dick to put his on. A merry twinkle in her mischievous eyes warned the young Avenger that she was calcu- lating to have some ripe sport with hit>4. — « ‘*V’ll make her work for what fun she gets anyhow. I'llstand a little thumping just for the sake of the fun there’ll be when she gets hold of the Dutchman.” After Dick’s gloves were on, Kit put on her own, and the two faced each other. Julius was to act as master of ceremonies, ‘Now, then, pitch in!” Kit said, in a low tone, and with a smile. ‘‘When you see a chance, let me have for all you are worth, and if you succeed in knocking me down, I'll give you half of to-night’s profits.” They then began to spar, Dick cautiously, and his opponent carelessly. Yet, despite her evident carelessness, Kit: managed to keep him from hitting her, while, every few seconds, she would give a tapon the face—not hard, but just enough to tantalize: im. Finally, when he was least expecting it, she got in a blow on his forehead with force enough to knock him clean off his feet, and he sat dowr on the floor of the stage with a thump that jarred the platform. F A wild chorus of yells and thunderous ap- plause went up from the audience, When time was called, Dick was on his feet; again, if anything cooler than when he had be- gun, a handsome glow upon his cheeks, “Pry it over and see if zou can do it again,” he said, good-naturedly. “ I reckon I must have: been going to sleep.” . “Tf so, I evidently awakened you!” Kit: lau hed. ~ : / hey went to sparring with more vim, an@ Dick gt. showed more science than he had im the round, and, by a well-planted blow, - Lap - er i ees i ‘ co a ~