Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 467 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

, ‘, - * > 2 «ee om airy, wf. uf es ~** ‘Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude, 5 “Good heavens! citizens, has ther’ bin a y’arthquake ‘round heur?” A roar of laughter followed. CHAPTER V. THE DIFFICULTY SETTLED. THE crowd had been waiting anxiously vet ‘*B’ gosh a’mighty!” the ‘‘cyclone” cried, as | patiently for Red-eye Jim to discover the yel- he began to grasp the situation, ‘‘ what’s bin | a-goin’ on heur, anyhow? What be I doin’ stretched out heur, like a corpus all ready ter be planted? Kin anybody solve th’ mystery? Ef they kin, I'd like ter know.” ‘It is very easily explained,” said Kenton, at once. ‘‘ This flash sport here pitched you through a window.” The ‘‘ parson’s” idea of course was to set the “‘silver-tongued cyclone” on the Daisy Dude agai, with the hope that the sport would kill im. If he could bring this about, it would end all | — uestion about toe paper; or at least it would | estroy all proof of his guilt. And not only this, but he would gain another and far greater point, which will be explained later on. But Disco Dan was wide-awake. He saw the ‘‘ parson’s” game at once, and re- solved that Red-eye Jim should not be harmed until the question of the stolen paper was fully settled. “ W-w-what!” the bully cried out instantly, as he sat bolt upright. ‘‘ What’s that ye say? Throwed me out o’ th’ winder? Oh! I ruther guess not!”’ ‘‘But he did, though,” the ‘‘ parson” insisted, ‘Sand no mistake.” ‘‘Oh! git out! You’re jokin’!” ““Nary a joke! It came mighty close to being a bad joke for you, though, I can tell you.” ‘‘D’ye mean fer ter say thet that ‘ar frilled- shirt-an’-choker-collar dude flung me outen a winder?” ‘** That’s just what he did, and there’s the very window to prove it.” The giant swung around and dropped off the bar, and the instant he beheld the shattered re- mains of the window, he bawled: ‘Cyclones an’ y’arthquakes! Did my carcass make thet ’ar hole? Did it, feller-citizens, fer a solid fact?” And the answer from the crowd was: “Tt did.” ‘‘ Great tornaders an’ whirlwinds!” the “ cy- clone” cried. ‘‘ An’ whar wasi? What was J doin’ Did I fall ter sleep?” ‘*Oh! you were there,” said the “parson,” ‘‘but you didn’t have anything tosay. Fact is, Jim, you can’t whip one side of this ‘ Daisy Dude’.” ‘* It begins ter look so, b’gosh!” ‘It is so. He’s too many for you, and no mistake.” Kenton was trying to urge Red-eye on to an- other fight, but the terror had evidently had all he wanted of it. ‘¢ An’ I wasn’t asleep, eh?” Jim asked. ‘* No, not till you struck the ground outside.” “An? didn’t nobody help th’ sport any?” ‘* Not a bit.” ‘“‘Look *e heur, sport,” turning to Dan, ‘ be this heur th’ real old grim truth?” **T guess itis.” ‘* Be it, feller-citizensall? I ’pea] to ye ag’in.” The answer of the crowd was the same as be- fore. ‘Then by th’ great horned toad, sport, I give up beat! You're th’ fu’st man thet ever laid me out in my life.” ‘*Great ginger! Jim, you don’t mean to say ou take water, do you?” Kenton demanded. ‘‘ That’s jist it, parson.” “Well, you’re a fine one! I thought you had a little sand in you, but I guess it’s all straw.” ‘See here, my man,” put in the sport, ‘“‘ you need not try to urge another fight, for it won't work. If this man is satisfied to drop it, so am ” “Yes,” Kenton retorted, ‘ I guess you’re glad of the chance to get out of it.” “That's all right,” returned Dan, “and it is eral of yours, anyhow, PhtOonme it ain't!” cried Red-eye. “TI see his game; he wants me fer to tackle ye ag’in. He wouldn’t object to seein’ me killed, I know; but I’ve had enough. Oh! yes,” as he happens to see himself in a looking-glass on the wall, *‘ I’ve had all 1 want!” es as. one an’ all,” he added, ‘an’ take a drink on it.” And he led the way to the bar. ** This heur is my first lost battle, b’gosh! an’ Tl treat.” When he reached the bar his eyes instantly fell upon the yellow envelope, and snatching it up he thrust his fingers into it. Finding it empty, a loud curse fell from his oe and catch- ing up a chair he sprung toward Kenton like an sn bai lion, low envelope, and now their patience was re- warded and their curiosity gratified. That Kenton was guilty of the crime which nh Dan had charged him with, was as plain as day. The action of Red-eye Jim had proven it, even before a word left his lips. Almost at the same time he swung the chair aloft, though, he cried: ‘““Give back that’ar paper ye’ve stole,. Karl Kenton, or I'll brain ye whar ye stand!” ‘*] have stolen no paper from you,” the ‘ par- son” answered; but the terror cut him short. ** Ye lie!” he shouted. ‘‘ I had a paper in my pocket in this heur envelope, as you knowed, an’ ye've stole it! No one else in th’ den bad any interest in that paper, an’ no one else heur knowed I had it; so it must ’a’ been you. ‘* Hand it over, now, er else Vl split yer head wide open. You hear me !” ‘* But, Jim, I tell you I have not got it. I—” ‘* Wal, ye know whar it is then, an’ th’ sooner ye produce it th’ better. It’ll take me only a second fer ter make cold meat o’ ye.” ‘* Let me warble once, right here,” now inter- posed Disco Dan, who still took the precaution to hold. his ready revolver in hand. ‘‘J know something about your missing paper, Mr. Red- eye Jim, andI am holding it for you, all safe and sound.” ** Th’ deuce ye be! onto it?” ‘One moment first,” said Dan, ‘‘and I will explain.” And then turning to the crowd, he asked: ‘** Are you now satisfied, gentlemen, that I spoke the truth?’ ““ In course we be!” shouted Ben Bantam and Billy Barber at once, anda large majority of the crowd agreed with them. The proof was too clear to be doubted. ™ Kenton looked pale and shamefaced enough, but there was a cold, steel-like glitter in his eyes which foretoid that he would seek sweet re- venge, ‘* Well, 1am glad you are at last convinced,” said Dan. ‘‘And now, Mr. Red-eye,” he added, ‘I will tell you how your paper came into my posses- sion. ‘‘ When some of the boys went out to help you after you had fallen through—” j ‘** Hold right up thar now, sport,” Red-Eye cried, ‘‘an’ tell yer story straight! Jest say ‘after you throwed me through.’ | own up beat, I do, an’Llain’t goin’ ter try ter git out of it. Go ahead now.” ‘* Well,” Dan repeated, ‘‘ when some of the boys went out to help you after I threw you out of the window, your friend, the ‘ parson’ here, made the remark that it wouldn’t be any great loss to the town tolet you go on and die, if you wanted to, and—” ‘“Oh! he did, did he?” snorted Jim. ‘* Wal, that war kind o’ the ‘ parson,’ warn’t it? Much *bliged to ye, ‘ parson; Pllremember ye in my dreams. I won’t fergit x you bet! ‘** But, sport, goon. It ain’t the fu’st time th’ * parson’ ag wanted me fer ter pass in my checks, not by a long sight. He’s got good reason fer ter want me outo’ th’ way. But, go abead.” ‘* Then when you were brought in and laid out on the bar,” Disco Dan went on, “the ‘ parson’ suddenly became greatly concerned about vou. He opened your shirt and held his ear to your heart, examined you for wounds, and so forth, as tenderly as though you had been his dearest friend. “Such a change as that aroused my suspi- cions, and I watched him like a hawk watches its prey. He continued his pawing around you for several moments, and then 1 saw him sud- denly slip a yellow covered paper up his sleeve. “That was enough for me, and saw his game at once. You hada paper which he wanted, and he took this chance to get it. ‘“* Now, I do not know anything about the pa- och whether it is his or yours, nor whether it longs to either of you; but, since I was the eet ric Spd being unable to take care of your- ; elt i ing vobhatt my duty to protect you from & ‘IT exposed his little game and took the paper from him, but he denied it so strongly that my word and proof were doubted: so we b wait for you to come to and settle the question for us.” ‘‘ Want me ter settle it, do ye?’ Jim queried. ‘Wal, I jest kin, you bet!” This heur paper Whar did ye git yer paws war in my pocket, feller-citizens, jest as th’ sport tells ye; an’ th’ ‘parson’ has a big object in gittin’ hold of it. can’t explain what his object is, but Pll tell ye thet he wouldn’t let my life stand atwixt him an’ th’ dockyment, ef he had a good fair chance ter take it.” “That’s all bosh, citizens,” declared the ‘‘ parson,” trying to force a smile. ‘‘Not a bit it ain't, pards!” retorted Jim. ‘‘ An’ if ye ever find me laid out cold an’ stiff an’ this heur paper not in my pocket, jest call him to account. Ef he didn’t do it himself he’ll know who did, you bet!” ‘* Bosh! bosh!” the “parson” muttered. ‘‘'There is a game back of all this, citizens, and it will all come out, sometime.” ‘That is just the way I begin to look at it myself,” Disco Dan agreed. ‘You jest bet thar’s game back of it!” Red- eyeJim echoed. ‘* Thar’s game as big as a hoss, I— Yas, that’s all right, ‘parson; no need ter wink yer optic and pull yer brows at me. I ain’t goin’ ter let it out. 1 wouldn't ’a’ said as much as I have, if you’d acted half square, but ye didn’t. What I war goin’ ter say is, this heur paper is valuable to me, an’ I wouldn’t lose it fer quite a few o’ th’ dollars like our daddies used ter gamble on.” ‘* And this accounts for your power as bully of the town, eh?’ Disco Dan hinted. ‘‘I thought it strange that a man of the ‘ parson’s’ caliber would let you rule his roost as 1t is evident you have been doing.” ‘Wal, et may be thet that has somethin’ ter do with it,” the bully answered with a grin. And then he added: ‘* But, pard sport, if ye’re ready, I'll return th’ dockyment to my inside pocket agin’. I feel safer when it’s thar, you know.” Disco Dan was still holding the mysterious paper in his hand, and now for the first time he glanced at 1t more closely than he had done before. It seemed to be a legal document of some sort, and on one side of it was the name—* Barton Baker.” ‘* What is your name?” thé sport asked. ‘*My name? Wal’,I ain’t heer’d it fer so long thet *‘most fergit, but I b’lieve it’s James Jumper.” ‘‘ And what’s yours, ‘parson? ” ‘‘None of your business!” was the quick retort. ‘His name?’ queried the ‘‘cyclone;” “his name’s Karlo Kenton.” ‘‘ Yes, 1 have heard you call him that,” re- marked the sport, ‘‘but I thought he might have another one or two. No matter, though. ‘* Now, Mr. Red-eye, this paper does not seem to belong to either you or the ‘ parson,’ but that is no affair of mine. I have saved it for you, because I felt it my duty to do so, and here it is.” And the sport extended the document to its former possessor. Red-eye put out his hand to take it, but, at that instant, the ‘‘ parson” sprung between him and the sport, and snatching it, attempted to tear it in pieces. Quick as he was, the ‘* dude” sport’s magic cane was far quicker, and with a lightning turn its heavy end struck the *‘ parson” on the wrist who, with a cry of pain, let the paper fall, and then a hard push from Red-eye Jim sent him staggering against the bar. Red-eye quickly secured the disputed docu- ment, put it carefully av ay in his pocket, and advancing to Disco Dan, extended his hand, say- ing: ‘* Pardner, shake. ot no hard feelin’s to’rd you now, not a bit. I ain’t in heur, I war jest pinin’ fer a leetle excitement an’ I set out fer to have some fun wi’ you. I had it, too; an’ I got all th’ excitement I want- ed. But we'll let that rest. I give in beat, an’ beat bad; an’ I guess you’re titled to wear th’ crown. Ye’ve done me a mighty big favor pardner, in lookin’ out fer this heur doc ent fer me, an’ now |’m yours till death. From scalp-lock ter moccasin, pardner, I am wholly thine. Shake!” Disco Dan took the proffered hand, as he an- swered: ‘ Citizen, you’re right. Whenever I finda fellow-being actually pining for a little excite- ment, and he wants me to give it to him, I do my very best to accommodate him. When you set out to have fun with me, I tried to warn you off; but you would have it, and so I made it as pleasant for you as I could. Iam glad you are satisfied and willing to call it square. For my part, I have no hard feelings toward you, and therefore I take your hand.” ‘‘Thank ye, pardner, an’ from this hour for#s I’m yours to command. ‘“ —— comic books ‘co um When vou fu’st kem . al