Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 467 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ree a ~ * +4, wi ‘“But, come! I b’lieve I asked ye all up to drink. Come! One and all and everybody! This heur is my treat, citizens, an’ I want ye all But this was denied. ter come to time. Nor did Barker claim to have any interest in ‘‘ Come, Barleycorn, old stockin’, trot out th’ | it himself, beyond his salary as manager. best ye’ve got, an’ plenty of it,” and the bully slapped a handful of money down upon the bar. | it, the mine was owned by a party in San Fran- verybody joined him except Kenton. cisco who gave Barker full and complete con- ‘Come, ‘ parson’,” Red-eye cried, ‘‘I mean | trol. you too! e’ll d ink an’ call it squar’.” | Whether this was true or not, the fact that “T prefer not to drink,” Kenton answered. | Barker had full control could not be denied. “ You and your ‘dude’ pard have put up a job It sometimes happened that Barker would go on me toruin my name here in town, and [ am | away for a day, or a few cays together, and done with you. ' The time will come when these | at such times he always lett carlo Kenton in citizens shall see that I was not guilty of the | charge. charge; and as for you, Mister Dude!” the ** par- The two men were such close friends, though, son” cried, ashe turned away, ‘take care of | that nothing was thought of this. yourself!” Like the “‘ parson,” Barton Barker also had a ‘““Thank you,” Dan responded; ‘‘I feel per- | nickname. factly able to co so.” He was called the ‘‘ saint.” The *‘ parson” was walking away toward the We have described the ‘* parson” as a very corner where his faro table stood, but Red-eye | profane man, and the ‘‘saint” was almost as Jim sprung after him, clutched hisshoulder and | bad in this respect as he. swung him around, saying: In some other respects the “saint” was the ‘¢ Parson, see heur: Disco Dan now are my | worst of the two, friend—my friend, ye onderstand, an’ when ye | But, enough of description. threaten him, ye threaten me.” Barker usually spent his evenings at The ‘‘ Hands off!” the ‘‘ parson” cried. ‘‘I warn | Den, but on the night of which we write he you both to beware of me! | was rather later than usual in making his ap- ‘¢ Citizens,” he alded, ‘‘I am sorry so many | pearance. of you are blinded by this false accusation, but | His coming at last, though, was the cause of the time will come when you shall see it in its | the new excitement we mentioned at the close of true light.” | the previous chapter. Several of the ‘‘ parson’s” friends still sided He was not alone. with him, but most of the crowd now sided with Instead, he led by the hand the most beauti- the velvet sport ful girl the town of Domino Divide had ever The proof had been too clear to be doubted by | seen. any fair-minded man, and the ‘‘ parson” was She appeared to be not more than sixteen under a cloud. years of age; her features were regular and ‘‘ Wal, pards,” said Red-eye Jim, when all had | clear cut, her complexion was a rich pink and filled their glasses, ‘‘heur’s to Disco Dan, th’ | white, and her hair fell, like a mantle of golden Daisy Dude 0’ Domino Divide. He’s th’ fu’st | sunshine, almost to her waist. man thet ever climbed me—Red-eye Jim, th’ She was attired in a neatly fitting suit of some Silver-tongued Cyclone o’ th’ great Nor’west, an’ | dark and serviceable materia], wore a neat and ye kin jest set it down that he’s a terror. He’s | pretty sombrero—and, all in all, made a strik- got more hoss-power_ muscle to th’ squar’ inch ing a tarde me than any other man I ever tackled. Heur’s to n her right hand she carried a small violin. him!” Such an apparition as this caused no little stir ‘¢ The toast was drank, and then, as the —— in The Den. were returned to the bar, Barleycorn said: The town contained but few women, and cer- ‘“‘ By th’ by, Mr. Disco Dan, ‘‘I s’pose you'll | tainly none to compare with this new vision of settle for th damage done to my place?” loveliness. ‘‘ Well,” responded Dan, “I hardly know Where had the ‘“‘saint” picked up such a about that. I came into your place in a peace- | prize? able manner and you allowed me to be set upon, | That was the question which at once presented so I think you should stand the damage your- | itself to all. . self.” | As Barker led the girl forward into the room, ‘Oh, no!” Barleycorn cried. ‘‘Not so, my | a discovery was made, iend, I shali look to you for paymerft for the She was blind! damage done.” Her eyes were closed, and from_ beneath their “Dye mean that ’ar winder?” Red-eye Jim | long lashes bright tears appeared and fell like glittering diamonds to the floor. She was silently weeping. ‘* Bless my soul!” en Barry Barleycorn. ‘¢ Where did ye find her?” ‘‘ Ain’t sne a little beauty?” the ‘ saint ” de- manded, as he pulled the girl around to face the crowd. ‘ Ain’t she a daisy?” ‘* She is, for a fact,” Barleycorn agreed, ‘‘ Where did you pick her up?” asked Kenton. “Oh!” the ‘‘ saint ” responded, *“‘she came to me by chance. She is blind, as you can see, and says she has lost her sister, who was always her CHAPTER VI. ide and companion. She drifted along by the DISCO DAN DUPED, oor-man’s Find just as I was coming out, and Tre life and soul of the Domino Divide was I thought I would bring her right on down here at the mine that it had been whispered around that he must have an interest in it. asked. ‘+ Certainly.” “Wal, jest charge that to th’ ‘ parson,’ Barry. My friend heur ain't ez much to blame fer ther damage ez I be, an’ I guess th’ ‘ parson’ won’t object to settlin’ it fer me.” arleycorn bit his lip, while the “parson” | fairly ground his teeth in rage. ry Whatever Red-eye’s hold on them is,” Disco Dan thought, ‘‘it is no slight one, ll swear.” Just then a new excitement arose. the ‘‘ Poor-man’s Find” Mine. with me. What do you think of ber?” It was as rich a mine as could be found in ‘* She’s a daisy, just as you claim,” the parson that part of the country, and employed a good- | agreed. | ly number of men. ' The girl could be seen gently trying to release This mine was the immediate author of the | herself from the ‘‘saint’s” grasp, but he held town’s being, and it was likewise the town’s | her so firmly she could not get away. mainstay and backbone. | What be ye goin’ to do with her?” Barley- Without the ‘‘ Poor-man’s Find,” the town | corn asked. . would never have had its being; without its ‘Why, I hard support, the town would soon have ceased to | **She’s homeless and friendless, and I guess I’ll exist. have to ma her.” ‘* Please release me, sir, and at once!” the poor girl cried. ‘* You promised to conduct me to a lace of safety, where I could find rest. Where ave you brought me to?” And now she made a determined attempt to He was a tall, finely formed man of powerful | break away. build, and was passably SS wegen: but his! The ‘‘saint” still held her fast, though, and eyes and mouth indicated a hard, cruel and | said: wicked nature. ‘¢ Not so fast, my litth one—not so fast! You And such his nature was, do not really know when you are well off. Few men at the Divide cared to cross him, | can tell you it is a mighty big offer, if I offer to and perhaps the only one there who ever had, | marry you, and you ought to be glad of such a was Red-eye Jim. | chance.” He seemed to hold the same power over Bark- The girl now wept aloud, and again begged to er that he held over Kenton and Barleycorn. be set free. Barton Barker and Karlo Kenton were good ‘‘ Let me go. sir!” she cried, : know,” Barker replied. This mine was managed and operated by one Barton Barker. Barton Barker was a man whose face was not Sy any means indicative of a saint-like char- acter. ‘T took you to friends, and Kenton spent so much of his time ' be a gentleman, when I heard your voice and | have had? Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude, } As the people of Domino Divide understood | a asked you to lead me to a place of safety; but now know how mistaken I was.” Disco Dan had been standing a little in the background, but he now strode forward and | faced the “‘ saint,” his eyes ablaze with indigna- tion. ‘“Take your hand from that lady’s arm, and at once!” he cried. Instead of obeying, the “‘saint” sneeringly exclaimed: ‘‘Oh-ho! And pray, who are you, Mr, Cock- sparrow?” ‘Remove your hand, I say! you again!” ‘*Indeed! And what are you going to do about— O-o-oh/ Curse you, you have almost broken my wrist for me!” ** ‘Yes, and I will break your head for you, if you lay one finger upon this unfortunate lady again!” Truth was, the ‘‘dude” sport’s loaded cane had played an active part once more, and the ‘‘ saint’s” right arm was for the time being en- tirely useless, Dan led the girl away at once to the opposite end of the room, and placed a chair for her, telling her to rest there for a moment until he could provide for her in a better Manner, But in so doing, the sport almost came to grief. But for Red-eye Jim, he might have been taken at»a disadvantage; for when he turned around he saw Kenton, the ‘‘ parson,” just in the act of drawing on him, while Red-eye stood be- fore him with a revolver already out and at full cock. ‘* Jest go slow, ‘ parson,’ ef ye want to live out yer allotted number o’ days!” the giant bully said. ** Hello!” cried Dan, ‘‘ what means this?” ‘* Why, pard,” Red-eye answered, ‘** it means thet th’ ‘ parson’ heur was jest about ter draw on ye, an’ thet I nipped his leetle game right in th’ bud, that’s all.” ‘* Much obliged to you. And you, ‘parson,’ you had better take his advice and ‘ go slow,’” ‘Good heavens! Red-eye, what is the matter with your face?” Barton Barker now cried out, for the first time catching sight of Jim’s sadly- abused visage. ‘-Y’arthquake,” Jim answered. ‘¢ What?” ‘“ Y’arthquake.” ‘‘ What do you mean by that?” ‘¢ Wal, d’ye see me?” “Yes,” ‘¢ An’ d’ye obsarve that winder over thar—er leastwise th’ hole in th’ wa.l whar th’ winder used ter be?” ‘‘ Yes, I see that.” ‘‘ An’ perhaps ye behold this gentleman, eh?” indicating Disco Dats: ‘“ Yes, I see him, curse him! But, what are ou driving at?” “Wal, simply this:’ and the bully went through the motions of picking up an object, twirling about for a moment, and then hurling it headlong through the window, addinmg— ** Presto—change !” This fairly brought down the house, Fora full minute the building fairly shook with the laughter of the crowd, — ‘‘Great Judas!” the “saint” exclaimed, as soon as he could be heard, ‘‘you do not mean to say that this sport used yeu up and pitched you through that window, do you?” ‘That's th’ idee, prezackly, I will not warn He is jest real old greased chain-lightnin’ on springs, Ae is, an’ don’t ye fergit it! He done it jest as easy as @ big rat kin pick up his tail when he sees th’ fambly cat come meanderin’ ‘round in his diree- tion, an’ say—‘ Git thar, Eli, er ye’ll lose yer j ! ‘‘ But, “low me ter interdooce ye. Sport, this heur are Mr. Barton Barker, th’ ‘saint’ 0” Domino. Mr. Barker, this are Mr. Disco Dan, th’ Daisy Dude 0’ Domino Divide. He’s a rip- snortin’ old he-hoss terror, he is; th’ noblest Roman of ’em all.” ‘+ And he pot away with you, did he?” ‘Don’t I look as though somebody had beer gittin’ away wi’ me?” “Yes, you do; but I never expected to see a man of that caliber lay you out. ? ‘Ye don’t know him!” Jim cried. “Ye can’t sorhetimes ’most always tell jist how big a load is in a gun by lookin’ at th’ bore. Take my ad- vice, ‘saint,’ an’ don’t stir th’ sport up. He’s wuss’n a can 0’ dynamite when ye git him start- ed, J tell ye.” ‘‘ Well, he may have proved too much for you but as soon as i can use my arm I'l] see what he can do with me.” ; ‘* Then you are not satisfied with what you *% Dan queried,