Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 659 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

~~ 2 of Ante-Bar found posted up on the door of their post-office one morning. The hour was early, and the notice was a sur- prise to many. ‘‘ Uncle” Dan Derrick had been*postmaster at Ante-Bar ever since the town had risen to post- office dignity, but a change in Federal adminis- tration bad finally dethroned him, When the former administration was restored, however, then the friends of ‘‘ the Poet o’ Ante- Bar” rallied around him and respectfully de- manded that ‘*t Uncle Dan” be returned to his old post, Several months dragged by, and as there was no response from ‘‘ Uncle Sam” in that time the poet’s friends forwarded another copy of their petition. Still there was no answer. Now it began to look a little strange, to say the least, and some of the prominent citizens of the town wrote to headquarters to learn what was the cause of the delay. To those letters there came no reply. The man who was holding the office, in the mean time, was seemingly as anxious as any- body to know what was going to be done. © did not want to keep another man out, he de- clared, but of course he could not turn the office over to any one without some authority for do- ing so. This man’s name was Morgan Underweed. He had come to Ante-Bar as something of a gambler sport, though rather out of luck; had soon made quite a *‘ stake,” and opened. a saloon; took ad active part in local politics, and, as a reward, through his friends, secured the ap- pointment to the office of postmaster. When no answers were received to any of the private letters which had been forwarded by different citizens, suspicions that all was not right were aroused, and steps were taken to find out what was loose, Foremost among Urcle Dan’s backers was John Jones, ‘*Cibuta” John, formerly alcalde of the town, but now a freeholder and sheriff of the county. He wrote again to the proper officer at Wash- ington, sending two copies of the letter from two different post-offices, requesting that the reply be sent to yet a third office which he named, In his letter he stated the case briefly but clearly, told of his suspicion, and respectfully asked for some explanation. The answer was received promptly. His sus- picions were confirmed. ncle Dan had been appointed months before; all the letters had been answered; others had been sent demanding a return of the new postmaster’s bond, It now seemed a clear case, apd suspicion against Underweed was strong. It looked as though he had detained the commission and other letters relating to the matter. Both parties were wondering what was the cause of the delay in action, for the one expected to give the office up just as much as the other expected to acquire it; so on this morning of which we write, when the early risers found the above-quoted notice on the post-office door, it was, as stated, a surprise to many, ‘“‘Tncle Dan must ’a’ got his dokkymint at last,” observed one of the first discoverers of the notice. ‘‘Tt is about time he did,” returned another, ‘¢ fer it has been a good while a-comin’.” “Tt hed begun ter l6ok as though it wa’n’t comin’ at all,” remarked a third. '¢¢Tt must ’a’ come last night, I reckon,” put in a fourth; ‘‘ but I was here when ther mail kem, an’ I didn’t see Uncle Dan git anything.” ‘‘Mebby he’s got it some other way,” sug- gested another. ‘‘J see’d thar was some stran- gore at ther hotel last night; mebbe it has come y messenger.” ‘* Jest as like as not; an’ mebbe he’s come all th’ way afoot, which would account for th’ long time it has tooken him ter git here.” **T wouldn’t doubt but that’s it,” agreed the first speaker. ‘ But,” he added, “‘heur comes Uncle an himself, so we'll soon know all about it True enough, the old * Poet o’ Ante-Bar,” was approaching, a smile upon his face and his step light and brisk, ‘* Hello, Uncle Dan,” he was greeted when he he cameup; ‘' what means this notice heur?” The old man smiled still more broadly, said a good*morning to all, and responded: ‘‘That notice, boys, as you can see, bas ‘special reference to me; it tells you all that Pm once more postmaster here, as I was re. ‘“‘ Bully fer you!” cried all who voted the same ticket; ‘*‘ when did ye git yer dokkymint?” Moonlight Morgan. ‘*Tt came b ghee last night,” was the answer, ‘‘and everything is straight and right.” ‘Good ernough, Uncle Dan; that’s ther talk!” ‘‘ That’s what we like ter hear! It took some time ter git thar, but we have got thar jest th’ same.” * Let’s give three cheers an’ a big tiger, boys.” This was agreed to, and a score of voices gave vent toa rousing cheer and a full-grown *¢ tiger.” This unusual noise at such an early hour soon had the town astir, and ina short time there was quite a crowd in front of the post-office, several strangers among the rest. When it came time for the office to be opened, the crowd was great. Cibuta John, the ac- knowledged chief citizen of the town, and near- ly all the other prominent men of the place, were there. Questions were asked thick and fast, but little intormation was given, all being told to wait and see what they would see. They waited, but it was some time before the saw anything. The time for opening passed, and Underweed did not put in an appearance, Where could he be? Suspicions began to be voiced, and more than = man present guessed the truth of the situa- ion, Finally two horsemen came dashing down in- fel the valley, and drew rein in front of the post- office, ; One of the men was a stranger, and the other was Postmaster Underweed, a prisone One of the strangers was first to speak. ‘‘You got bim, did you, Samuels?” he ob- served, stepping forward. ‘¢ Yes,” was the answer, ‘* I bagged him’ when I found that he meant to run away.” **T expected he would try that game, if he got wind of our presence here,” was the comment; — then turning to the crowd the first speaker said: ‘** Citizens of Ante-Bar, I am a post-office in- speector, and this man is my assistant. We have been sent here to settle this trouble over your post-office. Your fellow-citizen, Mr. Derrick, was appointed to the office several months ago. His papers were mailed to him, but it is pretty clear that this man detained them, if not de- stroyed them. I shall search the office and make sure of that. Mr. Derrick is now your post- master, he having been duly sworn in last night.” This brief speech brought out many hisses and groans, all of which were directed at Under- weed, ‘* Tt is all a lie!” the ex-postmaster cried. ‘‘ It is alla plot to ruin me! I will make you prove it, or you shal]l suffer for this outrage.” ‘‘T guess we have got you dead to rights,” ob- served the inspector’s assistant. ‘‘I was looking out for you, and when you got up and saw the crowd here in front of the office, you just slid out the back way, saddled your horse and dusted out for the hills. What did you do that for?” ‘¢Tt is none of your business where I was goin or what I was going for,” was the retort. ‘“* believe this is a free country, and a man may do as he pleases,” ‘¢We won't stop to argue the point,” said the inspector; ‘* just hand over your keys, if you please, and I will take a look at things.” ‘*T won’t give up the keys until you show your authority,” was the defiant retort. ‘‘ How do I know who you are?” The inspector displayed his badge and pro- duced his credentials. : “Tt is my duty to satisfy you on that point,” he observed: ‘‘and now, sir, I demand the keys of this office.” ‘*T will give you all the keys that belong to the office proper,” said the prisoner, ‘* but not the keys tomy private drawers and boxes. You have no business to meddle with them.” : ‘‘ T shall make a thorough search of the office,” was the retort, ‘‘and I demand all the keys you have. I can distinguish private property from that which belongs to the office, sir, and nothing of yours shall be disturbed.” ‘*T won't allow it!” Underweed cried, ‘ Fel- low-citizens, muss I submit to this indignity? Will you permit it?” ‘You had better quietly submit,” advised Ci- buta John. ‘‘ The gentleman has full authority to make the search, and you car rest assured that he will not disturb any of your personal property.” ‘*T believe this is some of your work!” Under- weed cried, turning fiercely upon him, ‘*T admit that 1 have had a hand in it, sir,” - ) (FA. . tf j Cibuta coolly acknowledged. ‘‘I had nothit to do with your arrest, however.” ‘¢‘ He would not have been arrested,” said the inspector, ‘‘ if he had not tried to run away.” ‘‘T tell you I was not running away!” the prisoner fired back, ‘I could explain where I was going, but I won't.” ‘¢ Well, pass over those keys,” the inspector again demanded, ‘‘I must search the ffice, and if I find nothing to support the suspicion against you, of course I shall have to let you go, If you are innocent, you can have no objection to this plan,”’ ‘‘ Here they are, then; take them,” growled Underweed, and, taking the keys from his pocket, he tossed them to the inspector over the heads of the crowd. ‘ ‘‘There, now you are acting more sensibly,” continued the inspector. ‘If you bad done this in the first place it would have saved all the parley; but you have saved me the trouble of taking then from you. Now, Mr. Sheriff,” turning to Cibuta, ‘* just select half a dozen of your fellow- citizens as witnesses, and we will go in,” Cibuta quickly named the men, five of the six being his opponents politically, and backers of Underweed; and the inspector opened the door of the office and they went in. The inspector closed the door, and the crowd pressed around more closely to learn the result at the earliest possible moment. : All attention was toward the office, and little was being bestowed upon the prisaner. He was considered safe, ifany thought was given to him at all. Suddenly, though, a pistol-shot startled everybody, and the crowd, turning as one man, saw the inspector’s assistant reel and fall from his saddle, and in almost the same moment the prisoner wheeled and dashed away up the valley with both horses, waving his hat and sending back a yell of defiance. CHAPTER II. AN ASTOUNDING REVELATION. THE wildest excitement instantly prevailed. Several shots were fired after the retreating rascal—as his action proved him to be; but the bullets all flew wide of the mark, as no one who had fired had taken the trouble to take aim. Cibuta Jobn, the inspector and the others hurried from the office, but by the time the it 4 out the escaping prisoner was beyon range. ‘ The inspector’s man was just getting upon his feet, one hand clasped to the opposite shoulder, ‘‘Are you much hurt?’ the inspector inquired. ‘‘Dve got a bullet in the shoulder,” was the response. : “ Didn’t you disarm him?” “Yes, I thought I did, but he must have had another popper well concealed. He was quicker than lightning, and the first I knew I went over on the ground.” ‘‘-You couldn't have had him well covered, that’s all; but, he is gone, and I am glad it is no worse with you than it is,” ‘‘T haven’t any excuse to offer,” said the assistant, humbly, ‘‘ but he was about the quick- est man on the shoot that I ever met. We'll get him yet, however, for I'll go after him as soon as I can get this hole plugged up and can get hold of another horse.” ‘‘T guess you will be out of the race for awhile, Samuels, for you look pretty pale,” re- ‘poe the inspector. ‘* What do you advise, sir?” turning to Cibuta, ‘‘T think your man had better go to the hotel and have his wound seen to,” was the answer. ‘We can go on with our work here, and I will provide you with horses and men, then, to re- cover your prisoner.” “ All right, that’s what we'll do. Go to the hotel, Samuels, and get yourself into shape “again,” he assistant turned and started, looking rather pale and little fit for active service, and the in- spector and the others returned into the office. In the mean time, though, Cibuta John had quietly directed one of his deputies to get horses ready. It AEs now the general opivion that the ex~- postmaster was guilty, and he was the target of every tongue. Many little suspicions that had never been mentioned before, were freely voiced now, and taken all together they made the case against him a formidable one. : But, this was not all nor the worst of it. Dis- coveries were at hand that were destined to raise the excitement to the highest pitch. ‘ Inside the office the inspector was proceeding with his work, but so far he had discovered noth- ing irregular. It was true, though, that he had hardly begun as yet, and little could be expected in so short a time, cor comicbooks