Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 469 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

| feo ' ~ > yeou won't scorch yeour fingers, Me, The Rival Giants of Nowhar. ; ee —— ~ = a bair of turn foolts. sack!” The miners at the table laughed. ‘¢ Yeou keep quiet,” irritably retorted Trotter, turning to Hans. 3 Chust gaze on dat garpet ‘*Guess I’m bors o’ thes thar leetle stack o’ wealth; an’, by smoke! Vil bo chawed into gory ribbons afore Vil turn my back to these hear slick sharps. Yeou heer me, Hunki Hans—by th’ holy mackerel! ’m goiw to buckle th’ slab-sided skunk ag’in, ef | hev to hoof it all th’ way back to th’ States!” ‘* Aw’ thet are jes’ w'ot yer’il do, ef yer don’t git out ov this, yer spider-legged galoot,” uttered Jeems Rivers, in a tone otf warning, staring straight into the dusky orbs of Shasta Sam, as he dropped his broad palm upon the unforturate Yankee’s shoulder, ‘Thar hain’t a mite ov a chaince fer sech es yer in this hyar skin game; these sharks ll rob yer ov every dollar afore yer know it.” ‘*Hands out of St. Eimo’s pockots, Jeems Rivers!” sharply enunciated the hunchback des- perado, his eyes sparkling wickedly. * “It is a fair game, man against man, and you've no right to interfere. If the festive tenderfoot wishes to buckle the beast, it’s his affair—not y-urs. Keep ont, I say.” ‘* An’ sosez I,” snarled Trotter, turning angrily upon the old miner, “* I-cep eout, red-shirt, an’ Darn a med- dler, enyway.” : ‘‘T'm no meddler,” protested the mine superin- tendent, calmly. ‘‘Seein’ es *twas ther ole story ov a fool an’ his money, I c’u’dn’t well holp chip- pin’in. No harm done, straunger; ef yer r’al’y want ter blow in yer hard cash, keep right on— Ive nothin’ ter—” ‘* Now’s yer chance ter make or lose a fortune, ents,” interpolated Shasta Sam, in silken tones, arting a defiant glance at the old miner, as he slipped the pack of cards into the box, “If ye have th’ sand in yer craws, shake up yer weasel- skins—roll out yer dust, Th’ game’s made an’ away she goes!” Urged on apparently by the hope that by a turn of fortune they might retrieve their losses, the two odd pards again plunged deeply into tke game, betting heavily and with a scientific ac- curacy that created no little surprise among the spectators. Yet Shasta Sam remained master of the situation, raking down bet after bet until at the end of the deal the two men arose from. the table penniless, —_— “butehy, we’re gone coons—we hev gone an’ done it, staggered right onto tl’ biggest an’ mean- est kind o’ brace-game, an’ dropped our dust, by smoke!” exclaimed Trotter seizing the empty carpet-bag, and wrathfully jamming the heel of his number ten stogy boot through its bottom. ‘‘By th’ holy mackerel! take thet, yeou hump- shouldered skunk!” Swift as thought was the movement accom- panying the words, and the sadly demolished carpet-bag hurtled through the air, striking Hump Dunkle full in the face and Isnocking bim from the three-legged stocl upon which he was seated to the floor, where he landed in a sprawl- ing heap. o dextrously was the maneuver executed that when the hunchback desperado, snarling and frothing at the mouth like an enraged beast, re- gained his feet he found the muzzle of a glitter- ing ‘‘ bulldog” at full cock in the Yankee’s out- stretched hand staring him in the face. In the single instant consumed in springing erect, Dunkle had drawn his weapons. a Hasy neow, yeou cantankerous critter.” warned Trotter, a devilish grin distorting his thin, homely visage, a fiery sparkle in his twink- jing gray eyes, his angular form bent slightly 7 ~—eegorward, and the index finger of his left banc | . rising and falling witheachword, ‘ Don’t yeou try to usd them thar irons, or saltpeter won’t keep yeour caresss from sp*ilin’!? Then the short but ponderous form of Hunki Hans swung slowly around until that individual stood back to back with his Yankee pard. A single swift outward fling of each hand, and the corpulent ‘Teuton gripped and held ata level a pair of short, heavy *'sixes," sending the men clustered about the table precipitately toward the bar. : ‘‘ Chust geep yersellufs dose seats on, poys,” he said, smiling benignantly at Faro Frank and the iant dealer, a sudden dash of color showing: in usually dim blue eyes, “Don’t fret, Dutchy—it’s no affair ov ours,” crisply responded Shasta Sam, with a bland smile, as he tipped back in his chair until just the ends of histapering white fingers rested upon the edge of the table. ‘Fact is, I reckon our friend oy th’ crooked back is amply able to take care Ov himself.” “That Lam, Shanghai!” lissed the bunch- . - . Suda -_—-_l ea O20 ———SS ie eee eee eee eS Se ert Oe eee OO OE 'seS—_—_—O—OO—OOeeeaaeeeeoeeasS ae ese rr rrr ese — ee back through his hard-set teeth, staring straight into the peculiarly twinkling eyes of the Yankee, and clutching vengefully the revolvers he dared not attempt to use. * Rest assured that I can take care of myself and that nothing short of the life of this walking bunch of bones will sat- isfy me!” ‘* Hump!” exclaimed Jeems Rivers, who had retreated but a few paces, ‘*’Pears ter me ez ef yer satisfaction war goin’ ter be darnation doubttul, Hunchy. Jest putt et down thet ell windin’ blades are pretty nigh ther top ov ther heap ‘bout now; but who knows? He w’ot runs away may live ter fight another day.” So thinly vailed was the sneering meckery of the mine superintendent’s words that even the dull-heads present comprehended their import, A. wrotesque outburst of laughter eseaped the Cripples at the bar, bringing a sudcen blaze of rage into the eyes of the bunchback, ‘** Don’t yer erowd aman w’en he is down, Mis- ter Man,” slowly uttered Trotter, keeping a rigid surveillance over his helpless foe, ‘* It’s not the clean white thing by a jug-full. This condemned cuss helped to horn-swaggle Hunki Hans an’ me eout o’ our dust; but for all o’ thet, he shall hev a fair an’ equal chance fer his white alley. He sorter hankers fer my life, an’ I con- fess | w’wdn’t object to sockin’ a hunk o’ lead into his diaphragm. ‘** Neow, ef he is th’ game-cock he looks to be, we kin settle our leetle racket. Let him name his time, place an’ we’pons!” A duel! | The course proposed by the Yankee was a marked departure from the established mode of procedure in Nowhar. Asa general thing the rough-and-ready denizens of the camp, when belligerently inclined, had settled their differ- ences by an informal bit of knife or pistol prac- tice. Therefore, if was not at all unnatural that a pronounced buzz of astonishment should arise from the inmates of the Fair Play. With a deal of anxiety they awaited the hunchback’s re- sponse, That Hump Dunkle was clear grit none pres- ent doubted. No less prompt than the giving of the challenge was its acceptance, ‘*Time, one hour hence; place, the horseshoe plateau up the mounteim si¢*> weapons, Win- chesters; conclsnons to be agreed upon when the pjroundis reached,” The misshapen gambler uttered the words calmly and deliberately. * ktcetera, etceteru, an’ so forth,” mimicked Trotter, lowering his weapon. ‘'O, K., me lord; eny way th’ cat jumps ‘ll suit me. But, by hemlock! Td jest a leetle rather yeou’d ’a’ named revolvers ez th’ extinguishers—its tickle- some to see yeou wilf w’en my purp looks straight into yeour ugly mug.” ‘And I prefer the rifle—the tool has a very , ersuasive way of inducing a fleeing foe to halt,” itterly retorted the hunchback desperado. ‘** But a truce to idle words—it will occupy our full time to prepare for the duel and reach the ground,” CHAPTER VI. THE YANKEE AND THE ALCALDE, In the bustle and confusion that followed, the mine superintendent drew the Yankee aside un- observed, out of hearing of the motley crowd. ‘*See hyar, my friend, this hyar leetle defi- kelty with ther hunchback promises ter be a purty big thing,” the former observed, by way of opening. ‘‘?m an cle campaigner myself! an’ ef yer don’t object phaps I kin give yer a few usefi'l leetle pints in ther game ye'’re "bout ter play.’ ‘*{ may be jest a trifle airy in th’ upper story, but Pm not sech a condemned idjit es to refuse to listen to a word o’ advice naw an’ then,” promptly returned Trotter, his deep base voice sinking toa husky whisper, ‘Th’ fu’st thine, however, is a we'pon 0’ th’ kind 1equired. Ef yeou kin furnish thet, yeou will putt. me under 'tarnal obligations.” ‘*T dunno, but I guess I kin fit yer out,” said Rivers, reflectively. ‘If I hain’t mistaken, ther alcalde has a Winchester. He'd orter be at ther office ov ther Yaller Boy by this time, so ef yer say ther word we'll walk down an’ fix up ther matter.” Trotter uttered an assent, and together they left the Fair Play, Hunki Hans remaining with the convivial! spirits gathered at the bar, Once away from the gambling-den the de- meanor of both men changed, nversing in low tones, they hastened with ong, swinging strides toward the small slab Shanty dignified by the term office, a 0 | ee a 7 ee ee eed Arrived there, they found Gold Gabe impa- tiently pacing the floor. But little the worse for his terrible experience of the preceding night appeared the giant of the golden locks, <A _ silk handkerchief knotted loosely about his throat effectually concealed all traces left by the noose of ruthless Judge Lynch, ‘Hello, hello! what’s up at the Fair Play now?’ he exclaimed, as the superintendent, closely followed by Trotter, strede across the threshold. ‘* I must say you fellowslook as if a tale you have to unfold.” The ‘‘alcalde’s” words were of full, utterance, quite at variance with bis mining- camp dialect of the preceding night. ‘True enough; we have a storv to relate,” spoke Trotter, the nasal twang gone, his voice peculiarly altered, If ovr mutual friend, Mr. Jeems Rivers here, will see to it that no prowl- ing cavesdropper attempts to take advantage of the crevices so numerous in the surrounding walls, I will try to unburden myself. What little I have to say must be said quickly, for in a trifle less than an hour [ am to meet a mortal foe in deadly combat,” Lightly spoken, but full of significance were the words, and at a nod frem his colossal friend the superintendent beat a hasty retreat, Trotter helped himself to a seat upon a three- legged stool. ‘To begin with, Morten—” ‘oSh! no names, please,” interrupted Gold Gabe, with a warning gesture. ‘* Very well: to begin with, last night after I had seen you end the lacy to your quarters, | returned to the vicinity of the Fair Play,” re- sumed the thin individual. ‘' My object in going there is not beyond surmise—it was simply to learn all possible of Julien St. Elmo, whem you had so beautifully ‘creased’? a short while before,” | ‘*And you succeeded, too, Vll wager a thou- sand; but this pending fight—this duel you men- tioned—what of it?” exclaimed the alcalde. ‘That I will explain in the course of my narrative,” said Trotter, calmly. ‘‘Upon my arrival at St. Elmo’s place, I found my yj; artner in this affair in waiting. He bad net been idle. He had succeeced in solving the mvysterv of Shasta Sam’sdisapreatanteirom the +aw Play —tracing it down to St. Elmo’s carrers. The dark Hercules was not seriously injured—in fact, he has so far recovered from his wound that an hour ago he presided over a brace game of faro with all the ease and dignity of cone to the man- ner born,” Trotter’s keen eyes noted a lcok of relief on the face of the blonde giant, ‘*TIn addition to ths,” continued the mock Yarkee, *‘Hunki Hans hed learned that the ruffian known as Truthful Joe, wounded by you, had also been carried away and secretcd by St. Elmo’s men; that St. Elmo himself had recov- ered from the effects cf ycur shot, and bud dis- matched a trusty messenger to summon Ugly fike and the gang known as the Cripples; and that the gambler with Faro Frank and the hunchback, had retired to the sma}l room back of the gaming tables for a conference, ‘‘Tt was afterward developed that Shasta Sem was alsoin that room. It is wonderful, King Gabe, the bitterness of that pans hatred for you.” A grim smile pertly diselcred the glowing white teeth of the alcalde, to go on. “When I had learned these facts from Hunki Hans, I became pcssessed, apparently, of en overpowering Cesire to sleep. Forthwith, I stretched my weary length upon the hard floor, with my ear ccnveniently near a crevice in the He moticned Trotter ‘slab partition. ‘*Tt was only by the closest coker) that I could distinctly make out anything at all; but [ did manage to hear enough to convince me of two or three facts, ‘That your suspicicns ccncerning St. Elmo are not without foundation I am satisfiee.” The alealde sprung to his feet, “{ was right?” he demanded, breathlessly, “T think you were right; but—” “Five years’ patient trailing has Lrought its reward,” muttered the blonde gient, huskily, as he strode to and fro across the rough floor of the slab shanty. ‘‘The case that baffled the best detective skill of the country is at its clos- ing stage. Gold is an incentive: revenge, a lever a thousand-fold more powerful.” _ “Be seated,” snid the bogus Yankee, in author- itative tones, ‘* I have got much to say and but little time,” Mechanically King Gabe cbeyed, sinking al- most unnerved upon a rude bench, x * o~ he free | o * —