Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 544 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

* - we, - ~ ef > F a * o - > ae r » . sf . pe - : : . » ' oh Bt = J hy : so the should cavort! “not my intention to as I can get plenty ot men to do the favor for half rice | have offered you!” Elephant Eph, whose surname was Price, was mot a fool by any means. He knew that Cov- ington’s statement was near to the truth; there were plenty of ruffians in the camp who would not stop at any crime for the sake of earning a few dollars. ** Well, we won’t kick about ther pay in ad- vance, then,” the giant said, “providin’ I’m sure o’ gittin’ it, after I do the job!” ‘Of course you'll get it. If you don’t, couldn't you turn and make it warm for me?” ‘*That’s so. I badn’t thought of that. Well, T’ll do the job,” ‘Very well, When you can prove it is done, you can cajl for your money. You may go mow.” ‘‘ All right, boss, jes’ as soon as I finish this wine!”’ ‘Nor did he leave his seat until the contents of the bottle had disappeared down his throat. He then took his departure. About the middle of the afternoon, that same day, he espied Vidoeq seated upon the piazza of the Sandy Bar Hotel. There were also a dozen or more other guests lounging about, taking their ease. and drinking in the refreshing breeze that blew down from the pine-scented mountains. ‘**Now’s my time!” the giant muttered, an evil glitter in his eyes, ‘‘He’s either got to fight me, or stand branded a coward before the crowd!” So he stalked over toward the hotel and paused in front of the piazza, arms akimbo and head erect. | *‘Hillo, thar, ye blood-suckin’ sport!” he roared, pointing his index finger at Vidocq. ** You're jest the medicine I want ter analyze, Will ye hev the condescenshun ter step down heer an’ tickle my chin with a feather?” Very well did the detective know what was coming, but was perfectly composed and pre- pared for battle, if 1t came to that, ‘You'd better go along about your business,” he calmly observed, looking the giant full in the eye. “If you are looking pr eo go among the class of animals to which you belong.” * Animals, hey? Great whoopin’ Jehosephat! Animals! I’m not a human being, eh? Well, L I’m so human 1 kin lick any galoot in this town, don’t you forget it, an’ you aire ther very cuckoo I’m lookin’ fer, you durned loafer. If thar’s aspark o’ vitality about ye, why jest step right down heer, an’ we'll have a squar’ out-an’-out fight. You an’ | can’t breathe ther same air what circulates in this jnyer camp, an’ One on us has got to drop off ther list. Soef yer got ther least spark o’ spunk, come and see me, and Til do ye up so quick thet yer teeth won't hev a chance to chatter. Tha.’s wiry Bt I’m right heer. D’ye heer me mur- mur?” -Vidoceg maintained a positive silence, which only served to aggravate the viant all the more. Yer’ a coward!” the latter roared. ‘' Ye’r’ adirty loafer what can’t lick a cat. Yer'a coward what dassent fight like a man wi’ yer fists. Ye’r’ a sneakin’ cur, an’ yer father was before ye! And as for your mother—” ** Scoundrel!” and Vidocq was on his feet in an instant, a terrible glitter I his eyes. — “Oh, thet bit in a tender spot, did et?” snorted the Elcphant. “Tho’t it would, All pride must have a fall, sooner or later, but I can’t help tellin’ them men on ther platform thar, thet yer mother used ter go’round with a goat ah a cart, a-gatherin’ swill fer the hogs thet she kept in her kitchen.” | . Some of the guests on the platform snickered, and cast an inquiring glance at the detective to see if be would resent the gross insult. And they were not to be disa~ pointed. Vidocq quietly removed his coat and vest, and placed them upon his chair. Tuyen he descended the piazza steps as calmly as though he was go- ing for a stroll, and confronted the ruffian who had insulted the sacred name of his parents. ‘ Now, you ruffian,” he cried, ** you shall have all the ily you want, You have not only in- tentionally insulted me, but also my respected and honored parents, long since dead, It was y any attention to your brute’s bluster, but you have forced me to meet you ir square yourself, and may the best man win Perfectly cool and collected was the youn detective while speaking, as he ; facing his would-be antagonist, with his arms folded across his breast. : ** All right, me lad! I’m ther man as kin do ye, an’ do ye right!” Eph declared, beginning to | = ; ; as : me, . ‘ . re a = a + u he “ * tre d Py ‘ 4 . i. -} so * i 4 Ww v ‘ ;.;' i, . € ? # . .* - <5 { ‘ j i . i B, ‘ : \ “ ? « * . ; be 5 ¥ "> 4 @ ae Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidocg, make ita point to pay for work until it’s finished. strip. ‘‘ Im a knocker from Knockdown, I am, an’ this ain’t goin’ to be no baby fight neither. You hev insulted ther town o’ Sockdolager, by | piazza, and took up her position in the space seb. yer detesterble presence, an’ I’m goin’ to avenge | apart for her use. % the wrong!” Her arrival was greeted by cheers from the It took him but a few seconds to strip to the | street and the clapping of hands by those on the waist, and when he turned and faced Vidocq, | porch. a murmur of surprise went up from the fast She was attired in a dress of black silk, with gathering crowd. a jaunty little bonnet upon her head, and the He certainly was a man of superb physique, | odious black mask upon her face. The sleeves with an expansive chest, and brawny arms, | of her dress were not of full length, and partly whose every outer muscle stood out in bold | exposed to view a pretty pair of arms. prominence. By a graceful bow she acknowledged the As compared with Vidocq the contrast was | plaudits of the audience, and then advanced to certainly startling, and had there been any pool | the front of the piazza, and spoke, in a clear, selling on the coming event, the giant would | ringing voice tbat could be heard by all the surely have been the favorite, for the detective | assemblage: looked immeaSurably inferior to him, in point ‘‘ At the earnest request of several of your f of size and strength. citizens I have been prevailed upon to appear in * Are you ready?” public, ana give a short exhibition of my powers It was Vidoeq who put the question, as a mind-reader, trusting you will grant me ‘Yas, I’m reacy!’ was the grim response, our strict attention. IL am aware tbat some *¢ Then, let her go!” 1ints bave been spread about that I was a This was the word the spectators were wait- | fraud, a sorceress, and some have even de- ing for, and eagerly they watched the two men | clared it their belief that I was in league with advance toward each other. Satan himself, Of course all this is ridiculous “Tt is goin’ to bea tough fight!” commented | as well as libelous, and I wish to prove to you Hines, the proprietor of the Sandy Bar. ‘The |} that what I do is but the result of a peculiar young fellow, however, is chock full of grit and | gift, allotted to but few persons. ¢ science, and T'll bet any man the Sandy Bor ‘‘ My first exhibition will be of the power of Hotel against five hundred dollars, that he | being able to t-ll what any person may hold up wins!” in their band, I being blindfolded at the time, Here was a chance for a hotel, right cheap, it | and of course unable to see. would seem, but no one offered to take the ** Secondly, while blindfolded, I will tell the bet. name and age of any person who may desire it, In the mean time the two antagonists met, | and also reveal the whereabouts of missing and, as a start-off, Vidocq sent a stinging blow | friends. full upon Price’s cheek. ‘My third and last act will be to allow some The blow was answered with a vengeance, but | person of reliability to take a twenty-dollar was neatly parried, while, in return, the giant | piece, which I will furnish, and secrete it mm | received a terrific one full upon the proboscis, | some place within the Sandy.Bar Hotel, I re- which flattened that useful member, perceptibly, | maining, blindfolded, upon the piazza while the and caused ‘‘ the claret” to flow freely, coin is being hidden. I will then arise, remove Eph backed off, and eyed his opponentsavagely, | the bandage, and go straight to the place where for an instant, and then, with a savage oath, | the money is secreted. made a desperate lunge for him, intending to “This [I think will suffice to satisfy one and carry him off his feet; but quite aware of this | all that Iam no impostcr, but can doasl pi intention Dick ducked, end, as a result, the | sent. I will now blindtold myself in such a giant, unable to check his momentum, went | manner that you can all see L cannot by any sprawling to the ground, his damaged nose plow- | possiblity see anything.” ing up the sandy svilg So saving, she drew a long strip of linen from He was game, however, for, rising and spit- | her pocket, and wound it repeatedly around her ting out the dirt his capacious mouth had col- | head, so that it wholly covered the eye-holes of lected, he renewed the attack, fiercely. her mask. ; It soon became evident that in point of science, There!” she said. ‘* I can see no mare than he was no match for the Jim-dandy. if I were totally blind. Now, then, if some one Vidocq’s steel-like fists beat a savage tattoo | of the audience will hold up au object I will tell upon bis face, until it began to have the appear- | what it is, without touching it! One ata time, ance of a piece of beefsteak. , please. Don’t all speak at once.” ale Every time Vidocq gave hisopponent a “‘good | *! What’s this?’ demanded a miner from — ’un,” the crowd yelled with delight, for the | among the audience in front of the piazza, 4 Elephant was by no means a favorite with the ‘“ A bottle of whisky,” Was Leonora’s prompt majority of the citizens of Sockdolager. response, Very few and harmless were the taps the de- nd she was right. It wasa bottle of whisky, tective got. It was a one-sided affair, all ‘+ What's this?” from another of th party. through, and those who had expected to see the |g ‘‘ A handkerchief that needs washing! bully come off victorious were greatly disap- ‘* And this?” | pointed, wher with a sweeping blow, the young “A pocket-knife.” ° athlete laid him out insensible, upon the street, ** And this?” Vidoeq had received scarcely a scratch, and re- | ‘A plug of tobacco,” turned to the piazza, put on his coat, and sat ‘¢ And this?” down to enjoy a cigar, as coolly as though a| ‘‘A revolver.” __ nothing had happened. “What make is it?” Asfor the Elephant, he was picked up and| ‘‘ Colts.” carried off, and was not seen again, that day. Still more questions did the crowd put, regard- During the afternoon hand-bills were dis- | ing objects they beld in their ion, in tributed about the camp, announcing that at | each instance the marvelous mademoiselle gave eight o’clock that evening, Mlle. Leonora would | correct answer, : , make her first appearance in public, and give a How could she do it? free exhibition of her wonderful powers of mind- | The crowd were mystified, It was far more reading, the exhibition to take place upon the | than they could understand. e piazza of the Sandy Bar hotel. Finally, when the opportunity afforded ) A dollar a seat would be charged, and those | Vidoeq drew from bis pocket the letter he had not holding seats would be compelled to keep off | received from Uncle Si, and which purported the piazza, to be from Stella Sloat to her former school- “ It is scarcely necessary t> add, that within | mate, one of the Perkins girls. NEAR rie 4% ten minutes after the sale of seats began, This he held up, and asked ; Ay every one was sold, only a short space having ‘« What is this I have in my hand?” been reserved for the star of the evening. ‘‘ A letter,” was the prompt answer. ah — — ‘Who wrote it?” CHAPTER XI. ‘The signature is simply ‘ Stella?!” A WONDERFUL WOMAN. ‘©Can you tell me where the writer is?” a A GREAT deal more interest was centered « T cannot |” | about Mlle. Leonora, in the public mind, than That Vidoeq was astonished, all could See, ‘ would be supposed, for, by the time set for her | How did she know what ve held in his band, appearance, as a mind-reader, a motley herd of | or what was the signature to the letter? yeople were gathered in front of the Sandy That the bandage prevented her using her Bar Hotel, and still another crowd who occupied | eyes he was well satisfied. ; ae the chail's upon the piazza. Notwithstanding, she had told him, promptly re, Vidocq had taken good care to secure a good | and unhesitatitigly, the nature of the object he ian seat, and had also obtained one for Unele Si, held, and the signature attached thereto, val but, up to the time for the performance to take How had she done it? ‘ e's place, the old gent had not put in am ap- Was there such a thing as second sight? Bh pearance, : The detective had often heard so, but had — ‘ik . on », 4 ? | : ha ; 3" eT ie é Z . “ S<s Sign xags type ece picts nd J > : J , er wn / Promptly at eight, as per announcement, ¥ mademoiselle made her appearance upon the — _— - +