Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 629 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 ‘Great Jove!” Dandy mentally exclaimed. **Can it be that man?” Finally gre changed bis position so that he could See the face of the girl who.n he had heard speaking a moment before. He was surprised and delighted as he noted Ione’s beauty. ‘‘ By heavens! she’s a rosebud!” was his silent comment. ‘‘She must be his daughter.” ‘‘ Why have you been weeping, lone?’ Owen Wilson asked. ‘‘ Your eyes betray you.” She was silent and confused. ‘“*T fancy I can tell,” continued the ex-bank- president. ‘‘ You too, have seen him,” ‘* Whom do you mean, father?” ‘“‘The Burnton bank robber! He is here in this very town. I have seen him!” ‘Oh, father!” But Mr. Wilson was aroused, and for the time he discarded forbearance. ‘* Yes, I have seen him!” he repeated, with suppressed excitement. ‘‘ He is here at liberty, but he cannot long escape the cluteh of the law,” “Ts that so?’ muttered Dandy; and with a very white face, the proprietor of the Silver Bell. silently descended the stairs. CHAPTER XIII. A WARM RECEPTION. It was past mid-day when into Jacktown came a hatless horseman, mounted on a foam- flecked horse, which he had evidently urged to the limit of its ability. Down the main street of the camp he rode, a revolver in each hand, firing shot after shot into the air, It was Ned Norris, who had reached Jack- town ahead of the mob from Jasper City! The firing quickly aroused the citizens of the little camp in Paradise Gulch, and with drawn weapons, they rushed forth to learn what the trouble was, In front of the Silver Bell Ned drew up. A throng had poured forth from the building with Mr. Wagg at their head, and Judge Blowbugle in the rear, looking somewhat alarmed and ready to run should there be any actual danger on the street. ‘* Hello, pard,” was Wagg’s greeting ‘* w’at’s bruck loose? You look like ther Ole Boy’d chased ye with er pan o’ hot coals.” “Men of Jacktown!” cried the youth on the horse, ‘‘ you want to prepare to defend your- selves and your property. Within thirty min- utes a drunken crowd of the worst men in Jas- per will be here, and they have sworn to clean out this camp and burn every building. Ihave come at the risk of my life to warn you!” This startling intelligence was received with various emotions by the crowd. Some laughed, some swore, some uttered exclamations of alarm, and many said nothing atall, The exu- berant Erastus leaped into the air, knocking his heels together and giving utterance to a crow that would have done credit to a Bramah rooster. ‘‘ Whoopee!” he cried. ‘‘Let ’em cum! They’ll find us campin’ right hyer, There will be shar greatest ole jubilee this town ever saw, Jeehocus! Won't we have a whole time!” But many of the others did not seem so de- lighted at the prospect. They felt that a visit from Jasper’s bad men meant something serious, Judge Blowbugle in particular turned very white as he pressed forward to ask: ‘You are sure they are comin’ here? There hain’t no mistook, is there?” * Not any,” was Ned’s reply. They are com- ing loaded, and that means trouble.” ** Fur them,” cut in thecamp tramp, ‘“ This camp hain’t only loaded, but it’s cocked and primed, Ef we don’t make ther galoots o’ Jas- per sick an’ tired ter ther pits o’ their stummics, then Pll crawl inter a hoel an’ pull ther hoel in arter me.” ** ‘You had better be preparing to defend your- selves,” ucged the young man who had given the warning. ‘* You may find it no boys’ play, for the very worst element of Jasperis coming, The liquor they have drank will make them very devils in their fury.” There was an immediate scattering of the erowd, Some started to warn those who had not heard Morris’s words; others hastened to- ward their homes to prepare for the conflict, ‘“*Whar’s ther posy in velvet?” shouted Eras- tus Wagg. ‘* Whar’s Jobnny-jump-up? He’s ther leetle sardine w’at we wants now. Wekin make use 0’ him, you bet.” But no one seemed to know where Violet Vane was just then. Tiger Joe hastened to inform Dandy Dirk of the threatened raid. He found the hotel pro- prietor and Blizzard Ben closeted in the little LLL ts a OMNW2$0Q) oe Violet Vane. back room where Dandv had been taken after the conflict with the Velvet Sport. ‘* What is the row, Joe?” demanded Dandy, as the Jittle fire-eater entered. “The devil’s to pay!” was the reply. “‘A crowd from Jasper is cumin’ fur us red-hot, Ther fur will fly round hyer afore a nour,” Both Dandy and Ben sprung up. ** W hat’s that?” demanded the former, sharvly. ‘*A feller frum Jasper jest tole us thet ther toughest men uv ther town are comin’ fer byer. He says they are chin-full uv likker, an’ mean ter wipe out this camp, an’ burn every build- mn’. Dandy looked startled. ‘“‘That means big trouble,” he said. ‘‘ We must be ready for them, Meanwhile, Ben, you watch your chance, which may come during the excitement. If you want another man’s aid, take Joe. He will be ready toaid you on that kind of a job.” Then the dark gambler hurriedly left the room, Within the saloon he found a scene of confusion. Every one seemed excited and alarmed, but no one seemed to know just what should be done, With a few brief, pointed words, Dandy re- stored order, and drew the attention of every one. Then he gave directions for closing the bar, fastening the entrance to the building and manning the windows, Within the hotel were half a dozen rifles, and these he directed Teddy Dunn to bring out and place in the bands of the best marksmen, who were to station themselves at the upper windows of the building. The other inmates of the place who could handle re- volvers were directed to take their positions at such places as they thought best. ‘We will give them a warm reception,” de- cided Dandy, quietly. ‘‘ I reckon that the main street of this town will bea mighty hot gantlet to run.” His * manner gave others confidence, and preparations for the defense went on swiftly. Leaving the saloon, Dandy ascended the stairs. In the corridor above he met Mr. Wil- son, who inquired what so much noise and ex- citement meant. With a few well-chosen words the proprietor of the Silver Bell explained the situation. ‘Your daughter had better remain .in her room,” said Dandy, appearing somewhat un- easy in Mr. Wilson’s presence, “If you can shoot a little and have a revolver, we shall be pleased to have your assistance, We shall need every man we can muster to repel the invaders, The toughs of Jasper are a hard crowd,” The Easterner said nothing, but hastened to carry the startling news to Ione. Dandy watched him closely until the door concealed him from view, then he went on and entered his own room, When the dark gambler again appeared, which he did within ten minutes, he bore a Winchester rifle in his hands. Dandy pro- posed to take an active part in the defense. Throughout the town the citizens were pre- paring fora desperate battle. They felt that Jasper City intended to end the rivalry by ‘* wiping out” the camp in Paradise Gulch, and the men of Jacktown were very bitter in their feelings toward the boomers’ camp. Many of the citizens firmly intended to shoot to kill, when through the camp was passea the word to drop the Jasperites’ horses first, and only when forced to do so were they to drop a man, Blowbugle had remained within the Silver Bell Hotel, and the portly old fellow seemed to have entirely lost his usual pomposity, In- deed, his face was very white and he trembled visibly. ‘This is terrible!” he muttered, as he wiped the cold perspiration from his face. ‘* We shall all be killed! Ther gover’mint sh’u’d suppress sich outrages!” The judge peered into the corners and behind the doors in search for a place to secrete him- self when the battle should begin, but could find no suitable shelter, As the moments passed he grew more and more alarmed until he was final- ly in a most distressing state of terror. At last, hearing a yelling on the street, the judge made a frantic rush and crawled beneath the bar. The yells which he had heard came from the throat of the happy Wagg, who wes mounted upon a scrawny white horse, which appeared thirty years old at least, and was galloping up and down the main street of Jacktown. *'Whoop!” he bellowed. ‘ This is ther ga- lorious day o’ salvation! Thar’s fun in ther air, an’ don’t ye fergit it! Ther galoots frum Jasper will run erg’in’ ther wu’st sit o’ fickness as they ever wuz interjuced ter, Ther way we will warp it ter’em will make ther gods o’ war ee . . 4 | ¢ } , has ia f : : “¥ ge P vy / e . 4 ‘9 : “ ‘i y 7 Ry " * t y Q ? = sd < Py Se . 6, - a > : ze by j = yy shed tears o’ sackersfaction. Three cheers an’ er double-an’-twisted yoop fur Jacktown! Yah- hoo-yah !” Evidently Erastus intended to take a hand in the battle, for he had secured a fine-looking re- peating rifle, whieh he wildly swung around his head as he galloped along the street, Down the street toward the point where the Jasperites were expected to first make their ap- pearance he urged the white borse, which, de- spite its aged and worthless appearance, seemed to get over the ground at a remarkably brisk rate of speed. Evidently the old animal was bet- — ter than it looked. “Pm goin’ out ter meet ther varlets o? Jasper an’ down ’em single-handed,” roared the rider. ‘‘T’m no canary bird as sits in its leetle cage an’ don't sing, J hain’t! Um er music-mak- in’ wild-wood nightingale, /am! IW’m er b-a-a-d man frum Red Hot, an’ my name’s Wagg! W hoopee!” Then*bhe disappeared down the street toward Jasper City. In less than five minutes he re- appeared, hanging to the old horse’s short mane and lashing the animal’s sides with his legs. He had lost his hat and his usually laughing face was transformed into a look of absolute terror. The old horse also seemed badly frightened, and the appearance of both the man and the anima! was comical in the extreme, ** Jeehocus!” he shouted. ‘* They’re cumin’, more’n er leetle millyon o’ ’em! Every man’s armed with a double-karriled cannon, an’ ye kin see grape-shot an’ canister stickin’ outer ther muzzles. Hunt yer holes, ye common critters, an’ be prepared fer Gabriel!” And when he disappeared up the street, no one expected that he would cease to urge forward the old white horse until he had put a goodly distance between himself and the point of danger, Not far behind him came a crowd from Jasper City. Into the town they rode, yelling and firing at the windows of the buildings they passed, They had thougbt to take the place by surprise, and were amazed whhen their fire was promptly returned, Ere they came in sight of the Silver Bell Hotel four of their horses had been shot down. The Silver Bell was the first building on which they intended making a united attack, but when they approached it, every window seemed to belch with smoke, and a perfect rain of lead fell upon them. Half a dozen horses were down and several men wounded, ere they could hurl themselves at the building. Seized by a sudden panic, and partially sebered by such an unexpected reception, the drunken gang dashed past the building and onward up the street. A cheer went up from the inmates of the hotel, and the crowd would have rushed forth in Seyi fe of the men from Jasper City, had not andy Dirk prevented them, ** Hold on!” he cried. ‘Those fellows will come back, and if we are on the street with no shelter, we may get the worst of it. Hold steady, every man,” And the Jasper City gang did come back. They came in a hurry, and seemed trying to get out of the way of two horsemen who were closely following them. The horsemen were Erastus Wagg and the Velvet Sport! Both of the pursuers were armed with repeat- ing rifles, and they sent a terrible hail of bullets among the horses of the retreating roughs, drop- ping animal after animal. Some of the riders thus unseated were injured by the fall, and those who were not made haste to get out of harm’s way. ‘The garrison of the hotel uttered a wild cheer, and sent a withering fire among the demoralized men. As Erastus Wagg and Violet Vane dashed past the hotel, the former looked up at the win- dows, with a broad grin on his homely face, and yelled: *‘ Hooraw fer us!” It was impossible to restrain the excited and delighted crowd. They tore open the doors and windows, and sprung out into the street, to fol- low close at the heelsof the white horse rider and the Velvet Sport. CHAPTER XIV. ONE WAY TO SETTLE THE TROUBLE. To the boundary of the camp the jubilant citizens of Jacktown pursued the retreating mob from the rival camp. In their excitement they would have pursued them still further had not Violet Vane persuaded them not to do so, ‘‘They will recover from their temporary defeat, and if we follow them further, a battle ——— _ aud oeeeenaeod 1} f veh,