Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 443 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ew i ~ ? a he tose to the barrel. "1a x > =, ae ae who's : — that rr er say?’ and his glance swept over the sea of faces searchingly. He was a keen judge of character, and could read a face about as well as the sharpest of phy- sioznomists, But there was no one particular man among the array before him, who looked more guilty Luan his next neighbor. ‘'[ reckon if the man was sharp enough to steal the money, without your knowing it, he Was smart enough to clear out, before the job was discovered,” spoke up Deadwood Dick Jr. ** Indeed! One would infer, from your words, that you suspect [had some hand in the disa peta of the money!” Hyatt spoke up, nano 2. ‘*Of course that’s what he means!” chimed in Paul Potter, eying Dick, savagely. ‘If I was you, I wouldn’t take such an insult from the young whelp, friend Hyatt.” ‘** Who’s a whelp?” Dick quickly demanded. ‘You are!” was the retort. ‘‘ I don’t like the cut 0’ yer jib, very well, and et’s plain you an’ the gal are a pair of sharps, what’s standin’ in together!” ** That’s nothin’ to do with the money!” broke in David Hyatt. ‘‘ The most important thing is to find the man who robbed me. I don’t pro- pose to lose a thousand dollars, without I know ot it! might be permitted, I would also sug- am also a loser to the extent of hirty-nine hundred dollars!” cried Dick—*‘ or, at least, California Kit is, as it was her money I was betting, and she won. So we are about as much interested in this robbery matter, as you are, friend Hyatt.” ‘“*No one said you wasn’t, young man, but ‘you insinuated that I was cognizant of being robbed, while the robbing was taking place.” ‘** Nothing of the sort, sir. I’ve no more idea that you would stoop to pick a man’s pockets, than I would myself.” - “Lookee heer,, boss. May a frozen ager- stri-'son iceberg of bout my frigid zone, hev a sav cu this contention?” ls was the muchly bewhiskered individual, Frozen Bill, who put the question. ** Yes; if you have got anything to say worth listening to, why say it!” Hyatt responded. ‘‘ Keerect, boss. ’Tain’t much, nothin’ but a sS’picien yer see.” ** Out with it, then, and no parleyin’ about it! Whom do you suspect of having the money?” ‘*“ Well, you see, when ther young feller, yonder, come off o’ ther stage, 1 kept an eye onter him, cause he looked ter me like er chap as ‘would steal pennies off’m a dead man’s eyes. Don’t yer think he do, boss?” ‘*Go on!” thundered Hyatt, turning a search- ing glance on Dick, Junior. ‘‘ It may be you are right. is Waal, yer see,” pursued Frozen Bill, ‘‘ yer OTe gee’d ther feller as he left ther stage, an’ he - eome an’ stood close ‘longside o’ you for a min- ute. You was so bizzy a-watchin’ the prize fight, that yer didn’t see him, I reckon. ell, after he had stood there a minute, he come away an’ went over tothe bar’l, where he’s sittin’ now. That’s all. I tho’t mebbe if you’d search him you'd find your boodle.” ‘** What have you to say for yourself?” David Hyatt demanded, gazing at Dick sternly. ‘ Nothing,” was the good-natured reply. “I ‘know no more about the money than you do.” ‘*I1 don’t know about that. You're rather a suspicious-looking chap, as several have re- marked. Lads like you don’t usually go sporting about, doing nothing for a living, unless they’ve got some way of getting along that won’t bear investigation. ill you permit me to search you?” ** No, sir!” ** Ah! you won’t, eh?” ** No, I willnot. Iam no thief, andI won't stand it to be searched like one.” ** We will have to see about that, my fine fel- low. Boys, seize him!” There chanced to be about a dozen Vigilantes So suddenly did they wheel around and upset the barrel on which Dick was seated, that he ae not save himself from being pitched to the oor. Before he could rise he was pounced upon by the crowd, and in almost less time than it takes to tell it, he was securely bound, hand and foot. Principal among those who had assisted in his capture was Paul Potter, who had, since his ar- rival in Bummer’s Bar, become identified with . Vigilantes more by pushing into the member- : p than by any request he had received to join $n ~ OF e was one of those cheeky sort of individuals Deadwood Dick Jr. eee —— +--+ - oe who always make it a point to work themselves into prominent notice, whether they deserve it or not. ** So we got ye, did we?” he sneered, glaring at Dick, Jr., grimly. ‘‘ You thought you'd escape.” ‘**T had no thought of the kind!” was the re- ply. “I simply sought to prevent being in- sulted by a rabble of rowdies, like yourselves!” ‘Hi! D’ye hear that, boys? Do you hear that, Mr. Hyatt? He calls us a rabble of row- dies!” shouted Potter. ‘**So you are!” Dick defied; ‘‘and if I ever get free [’1l make some of you hump for this.” ‘Stand aside!” ordered Hyatt, coming up, ‘‘ T’ll soon see if thislad is guilty or not. If he is, we'll make an example of him, to warn others of his sort from trying any of their funny busi- ness around this town.” He quickly and thoroughly searched Dick’s pockets, but only found two hundred dollars, ‘*That’s mine,” Dick said. “It’s mine. I wagered it in private with California Kit. Give it to her. She won it.” ‘* Yes, he did,” assented the girl, coming up; ‘*so you let me have it, Mr. Hyatt.” ‘‘T shall do as I choose about that, and take my own time about doing it, if you please, miss,” the mine-owner retorted. ‘*I mean to have the money I was robbed of, or make some one sweat for it.” ‘* Well, I ain’t got it, so let me go!” cried Dick. ‘* Not so fast, young man—don’t be in a hur- ry. You are altogether too anxious to get away, it strikes me. Boys, search the floor of the room.” This was done, but of course no money was found. ‘*T’ve an idea, boss,” spoke up Frozen Bill. ‘* This hyer empty barrel hev a bung-hole in one end, an’ he was a-settin’ on the bar’l. Ef how as he stole the money, like ’nuff he stuffed it in- ter the bar’l fer safe-keepin’, till he got a chance to hook it out again.” ** Jest my idea!” chimed jn Paul Potter. ‘‘ He looks like a feller as would steal away things, an’ hide ’em.” ‘Tl steal you when I get loose!” cried Dick, his > we flashing fire. ‘Oh! ye will eh?’ Potter leered. ‘‘ Let’s see you!” and reaching forward, he seized Dick’s nose between his. thumb and forefinger, and gave ita vengeful twig that brought tears to the boy’s eyes. The crowd laughed loudly, but only fora brief instant, for, to their astonishment, they saw California Kit spring forward, and deliver a stinging blow full between the superintendent’s eyes. ‘Small and white though as was her fist, it evidently was made of hard material, and back- ed by plenty of muscle, for Paul Potter stagger- ed back, and fell to the floor from the effects of the blow. ‘* Take that, you rvffian!” California Kit cried. ‘*A man as will abuse a helpless prisoner, de- serves to be killed two or three times every ten minutes,” Potter slowly arose to his feet. There was a glare of hatred in his eyes, as he shook his fist at the girl pugilist. “Ob! never you mind, my dear; I'll get even with yon vet!” he declared. ‘‘ You'll find Paul rome isn’t the man to be insulted with impu- nity. “Oh! isn’t he? Now, really, I thought he was!” Kit teehee, with alight laugh. ‘‘ You go and pull Carl Clyde’s nose again and I'll bet you will change your tune,” Potter evidently had no desire to repeat the offense, for with a gruntof disgust, he turned upon his heel, and walked away. ‘* Break open that barrel!” cried Hyatt, at this juncture, having finished searching Deadwood ick Jr. ‘* Ifthe money’s not to be found in it, this young man did not take it, it is likely, as he has none of it about his person.” ‘* Look heer, mine frients, off you preak open dot barrel, you haff to pay for him!” cricd Dutch Duff coming from behind the bar, where he had been engaged in patching un his face with court-plaster. ‘‘ Dot barrel belongs to me, I vants you to understand.” ‘* Lock up yer jaw, Dutchy!” replied a miner, ‘for Dll ‘sick’ the gal on ye!” An ax was quickly procured, and the staves of the barrel as quickly smashed in. Then they were sorted apart, and lo! and be- hold, there lay before those who were crowded around, the wallet of David Hyatt, and the other bundle of money that had been stolen from his pocket. A wild shout went up from the crowd. ' _——— — sss ss ‘The money! the money!” ‘Yes, the money,” assented Hyatt, picking it u ‘*Rrozen Bill was right, after all. The is the thief.” ‘*T did not take that money—I swear it by all I hold sacred!” cried Dick, sternly. ‘‘ Some one has put up a job on me for a purpose, and if I am not mistaken, he who calls himself Frozen Bul is the man!” ‘** That’s too thin!” ** Yer can’t stuff us wi’ none o’ that!” ‘That won’t work!” ‘* String the cuss up!” “Of course! Don’t give him a show!” Such, and ejaculations of similar import, were beard on either hand. ““T tell you what it is, gents!” cried Paul Potter; ‘‘there ain’t a doubt but what this young cuss picked Hyatt’s pocket and hid the money in the bar’|, just as Frozen Bill suggested. Aw another thing: et’s bin made plain ter ye that this boy an’ gal stand in tergether, ap’ the gal knows as much about the robbery as the boy. Consequently, one’s as guilty as t’other, and they’re as precocious a pair o’ crooks for their age as you’d be apt to find ina year. What d’ye think, Mr. Hyatt?” ‘* I quite agree with you,” the mine-owner as- sented, ‘By the rules and regulations of this camp, they must be punished. But, guilty or not, we must go about this matter in a proper manner, and so as not to make ourselves amen- able to the law, There can be no doubt but what these young people were conspiring to de- fraud us by stealing the money, and then pro- posing to hold me good for the funds left in my care as stakes; therefore, they shall have a trial before a jury, and if found guilty, sentence will be passed upon them, In behalf of the people of Bummer’s Bar, I will act as prosecuting counsel, ‘‘ And in this matter of the wagered money, I will bold it until the trialis over. If the pris- oners are acquitted, the stakes go to the young woman, as California Kit fairly baockad Big- Mouth Mose out of time. If the prisoners are found guilty, the funds shall be used toward establishing a lotal jail, where prisoners can be jugged. Are these conditions satisfactory, oyees?”’ ‘Hurrah! hurrah’” sounded the response, coming from a dozen throats, “Then, seize and bind the girl!” ordered Hyatt. This was finally done, after a struggle, but not until half a dozen of the gang had received black eyes at the hands of the plucky girl from ’F risco, ‘* Now take the prisoners out upon the plaza, as the trial will at once be had. I will choose the jurors, and then all will be ready, except selecting some good man for a judge!” ‘‘Ef et’s a judge yer want, feller-galoots!” cried a stentorian voice, ‘‘allow me ter inform yer thet ther famous, original, veritable and time-tried Judge Lynch has arriv in town, an’ aire ready ter tender ye his distinguished ser- vices on this momentuous o’casion!” - And following this speech, an odd-looking specimen of humanity pushed his way forward. CHAPTER VII. HOW DICK AND KIT WERE SENT ADRIFT. THE man who had announced bimeself as the “original Judge Lynch” was about the bum- miest individual that had ever struck the town of Bummer’s Bar. He was a large-framed man, and, in the ala his life, looked as if he might have een a man of and his hair and straggling beard were whit- ened with streaks of silver, giving him the appearance of one upward of sixty. His face was thin and deeply furrowed and fiery red in color, and his eyes were bloodshot, and wore a haggard expression. His hair and beard evidently had not been cut, or seen the use of a brush or comb, for months, the latter being stained with tobacco- juice and shockingly matted together. He wore an old straw hat, minus the crown, a calico shirt ripped almost in shreds, and minus one sleeve, and a pair of ragged trousers, sup- ported by one greasy suspender. He was al- | most barefooted, and out of one of the pockets of his pants protruded the long neck of a bottle. Bummer’s Bar boasted of some tough-looking worshipers of ‘‘ booze,” but this chap literally ‘knocked them all silly.” ‘Yes, feller galoots, ’m ther original Judge, an’ don’t yer fergit it!” he exclaimed, as ke paused, with one bony hand resting on the ber, ‘an’ I’m a cock-eyed coyote ef Ihev'n’t hed t ; rodigious pbysical powers. — Now, however, his figure was somewhat bent a a a OE i tg ee