Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 659 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

~ ed. ‘*I have come ter this town fer th’ purpose of lickin’ him, an’ you kin bet high that [m goin’ ter do it, too. ‘** Hold on, barkeeper, Ill treat myself, too, while it is goin’ around.” He poured out a good glass of the fiery poison and dashed it off without a wink, and when he had received and pocketed his change he turned again to the crowd, demanding: ** Don’t any of ye know me yet, fellers?” ‘*T have seen ye afore,” averred Bill Twicker. ‘‘But, hang me if I kin tell when or where. Who be ye, anyhow?” That was what everybody wanted to know. “ Jest let yer minds go back a matter o’ some years,” said the fellow, as he leaned back against the bar and rested his elbows upon it. ‘*Mebby you remember, some of ye, anyhow, another John Jones, that was called Giant John fer short.” ‘Oh! I know you now!” the proprietor of the place exclaimed. “T thought some of ye would. Well, your Sheriff John killed Giant John, and some time later Giant Jobn’s brother kem heur ter have revenge. Sad ter tell, though, your Jobn got away with him, too, though he didn’t kill him. I am that same brother, boys, and my name is Jim Jones,” “What!” cried ‘several; “not ther Giant Cupid? ‘* Ther same,” the fellow assured, with a smile at the recollection. ‘*Not ther old Shanghai Rooster from Jim- town Lode?” ‘That is me, every time,” was the admission. *““Ther feller. what kem heur with a pair o’ wings hooked to his back, crowin’ that he could wee anything that walked?” ‘‘Tam that same feller,” the man acknowl- edged. ‘‘Iam Jim Jones, th’ brother to Giant John, and I am here fer th’ one purpose of havin’ revenge fer his ontimely takin’ off.” ‘“*Then you didn’t get enough of it the other time, eh?’ questioned the proprietor. “JT had enough fer that time,” was the an- swer, ‘‘ but now Iam hungry fer more, Things has changed sence then, an’ you will see some- thin’ that will s’prise ye some, D’ye know where T’ve been sence then? He was assured that they didn’t. ** Well, I'll tell ye,” he volunteered. ‘‘I have been East, an’ I have been takin’ lessons in boxin’. I am a reg’lar fighter now, an’ if I don’t jest more’n peel th’ bark off o’ this Cibuta John ©’ yourn, then you kin take my head fer a foot- ball. Why, I have stood up afore Sullivan, I have!” ‘* Ther doost ye have!” incredulously. ‘“‘That’s what I have, gentlemen,” the fellow bragged, ‘‘an’I have got a New ‘York paper here in my pocket what’s got ther report of it in it. I stood him three good square rounds, and he 7S fetched me to me knees in th’ fourth.” ‘‘ Ad now you’ve drifted back here to lay out Cibuta John, have you,” some one reiterated. “That's what I ‘have, fer a fact,” the fellow assured, ‘That's what | went ter learn how ter fight for. Ihad ther idee in my head when I went away from here, an’ as soon as I struck it rich I set out. Oh, lam ther same old Shanghai, Iam! D’ye want ter hear mecrow? Cock-u- doodle-doo !” It was the same old crow, and it brought a roar of laughter from the crowd, especially from eS who had known the fellow as the Giant upid. ‘*Oh, I am here, bere with both feet!” the fel- low cried, as he stepped away froni the bar and threw himself into sparring attitude; ‘‘and if there’s any fellow here what wants ter try me, let him step right upand doit. You kin bet that I have got all the p’ints now, an’ more be- sides.” No one accepted the invitation, so the fellow recovered from his gladiatorial ‘By ther way,” he asked, Cibuta Joho?” “He has just left town on th’ trail of Moon- light Morgan,” he was told; ‘‘an’ we can’t tell when he will be back.” ** He’s out after Moonlight Morgan, is he? Well, I hope he’ll git him, fer he won’t be in con- dition ter tackle ther outlaw after J’m done with him, Ob, but you will see fun, you bet you will! If I don’t dohim up quick it will be’cause I don’t know how. I will pay him up fer the old and th’ new, all in one dose.” was true, it looked as If the fellow’s stor though Cibuta would have work to do when he ‘* where is this returned. No one had any fears for him, how- eh They had seen his prowess displayed too often. “This is none of my business,” observed Bill rr teense Moonlight Morgan. Twicker, ‘* but if you take my advice, Mr. Jones, ou will keepas clear of Cibuta John as youcan. e isa bad man when you wake him up. But, you have had a taste of him, and you ought to know.” ‘*- Yes, I know what he is,” the fellow owned, ‘*an’ I know that he can't hold a candle to me now. lll stand him on bis ear afore he kin wink. I don’t want no advice about it, an’ you can’t buy me off that way ter save him. He’s got ter suffer, an’that is all there is about it. You jest wait an’ see, an’ if you don’t see him knocked outin jest one round, it will be mighty strange. ‘* Well, so-long fer th’ present, boys; I must look around an’ see th’ town a little. I will see you all ag’in,” With that he waved his hand in a very patro- nizing way and passed out. “Well Pll be everlastingly chawed!” exclaimed Bill Twicker, ‘*if this don’t beat all! Who ever pom sg ter see that fellerag’in? If Sancho was only bigger, I vow Id set him onter the old Cupid an’ run him out o’ town.” ‘Tf th’ story he tells is true,” remarked one Jem Patterson, ‘it may give our sheriff his hands full.” ‘Right you are,” agreed the others. ‘‘ We must see him as soon as he gits back, an’ put him onto th’ racket.” “That’s what we must, fer sure.” The matter was debated at length, and while the subject was still under discussion the door opened and a decidedly unique-looking character sauntered in. ‘‘ Hello, Driftabout!” he was greeted; ‘‘ back again, are you?” ; o this the nondescript waved his hand, bowed elaborately and responded. ‘‘ Yes, gentlemen all, I’m back again.” CHAPTER IV. A CLEAN KNOCK-OUT, ‘““ DRIFTABOUT” was a hard-looking customer. He was remarkably dirty, his bands and face being strikingly so. He bad ona battered and tattered hat, a pair of heavy boots that were all but gone, and his clothes were about the worst ever seen, A few words concerning him will not be out of place, His age was uncertain, though ata guess he might be ses down as anything between thirty and forty. He had first made his appearance at Ante-Bar about a year previous to the time of our story. When asked to tel) hisfmame, he had said that it was Driftabout, and his subsequent cominzs and goings proved that he had been aptly dubbed. This was the only name he had given, or would give, and by that unique appellation he was known. It was evening when he first ap- ared at Ante-Bar, and after spending some ours around the saloons he disappeared as sud- denly as he had come, His next appearance was on Bandey, when he remained in town all day. After that he came occasionally of an evening, but when morning dawned Driftabout had drifted—no one could say whither, But, no one cared. Such was the history—or all that was known of it—of the sorry-looking actor who now ap- peared upon the scene. ‘Well, where are you bound for this time?” was asked, after the bow and response to the first greeting had been given. ‘Oh, I’m just driftin’ about, as usual,” was the answer. ‘¢ And you're dry, as usual, too, no doubt.” ‘‘No doubt about it whatever,” Driftabout assured, ‘If anything, I’m drier, Haven't had a nip in a couple o’ days.” ‘‘ Well, that is bad, certainly. You have ar- rived just too late.” ** How is that?” : ‘‘Ther stuff has been set up twice fer th’ crowd, free gratis fer nothin’.” Driftabout groaned, ’ “Ts this ther truth?’ he asked, turning to the proprietor. % e as preachin’,” Bill assured. ‘‘Then, alas! I am undone,” the miserable imen of humanity sighed. ‘It seems to me that I am the football of Fate. and that Iam bein’ kicked th’ wrong way all th’ time,” His manner of saying this raised a laugh, and when it bad subsided Bill Twicker said: ‘‘ Well, Driftabout, I'll be good to you this time, since you take it so to heart, and since we haven’t seen you in so long I'll give you one on th’ strength of that treat.” ‘‘T am yours truly forever!” the wretch ex. claimed, as he skipped lightly to the ba Bill, true to his word, poured out a glass o best for bim, The fellow drank it leisurely, smacking his lips over it with great gusto, and when it was gone he wiped his mouth on his ragged sleeve and observed: ‘* Well, ve got the bulge on Fate fer once, if I never do ag’in.” Having had what he desired, he drifted to the rear end of the room and took a seat, and grad- ually the crowd thinned out and an hour or two soon rolled away. It was about ten o’clock when the thunder of hoof-beats was beard in the valley, and Cibuta John and bis party dashed into town. A crowd appeared as though by magic, the hotels, saloons, stores etc., being emptied imme- diately at the first alarm, ana the important discovery was instantly made that the ex-post- master had not been captured. It was seen, though, that the party had the two horses with which he bad escaped, The horsemen galloped up to the princi hotel, and Cibuta John was the first to touch the und, ‘‘ Where’s ther pris’ner?’ was the instant de- mand. ** Well, we did not get him, as usual,” Cibuta answered, ‘* Ye got ther hosses, though.” ** Yes, we found them, but the man had dis- appeared. We followed the trail as far as Double Fork, and there it divided, one horse having gone way and onetheother, Wedivided our force and followed both, and finally found the horses, but no trace of the rascal was to be seen. When this had been said, one of Cibuta John’s friends called him aside and warned: ** Sheriff, there is danger fer you heurabouts.”” “ What do you mean?” Cibuta asked. The man explained all about the arrival of the old time Giant Cupid in a new dress, and about the threats he had made. ** You say he has been taking lessons in box- ing?’ Cibuta asked. ‘* Yes, that is what he claims.” ‘*T don’t like the looks of that,” Cibuta ad- mitted, ‘‘ but he had better go a little slow with his pane, or it may trip him up.” ‘*T thought I’d tell ye, so that you could be looking out for him,” eo. , % All right, and I’m much obliged to you for t, too. They turned back to the horses, where the in- spector and the other men were giving the crow@ fuller particulars about the fruitless chase, and the vagabond Driftabout was seen standing near the inspector, listening to what he had to Sa . m Vl bet you fellers is sold,” Driftabout put in, as the inspector finished what he had been saying. : ES Wo know that we are,” the inspector ad- mitted: ‘‘ but what do you mean, my tattered friend?” : ‘“‘*Cause,” was the explanation, ‘‘I kem inter town this mornin’ from th’ south, an’I meta feller on a black hoss goin’ in that direction ag though he had been sent fur. He war jest whoopin’ it, now I tell ye, an’ P’ll bet he was th’ very feller you was lookiw fur.” Cibuta John heard this as he stepped up, and he took a searching look at the tatterdemalion, He knew Driftabout well enough, bowing seen bim several times in the place, but now he looked upon him with a new interest. ae How far away was he, Driftabout?” Cibuta ced ‘““Not more’n a mile, I should say,” was the ready answer. ‘‘At th’ rate be was goin’, though, I should say that he must be a thousand miles away by this time. He was jest more than goin’, an’ that’s th’ fack.” “TE that’s the case,” the sheriff decided, “we ~~ may just as well give him up for the present,” Inspector, if you will come to my house we will have a talk over this matter.” Saying this as he turned from the tramp to the inspector, no further attention was given to Driftabout. f + ‘All right,” responded the inspector, “ I’m with you, for I rely strongly upon you for his =A as you know the country better than 0. < They turned to go, when Cibuta found his way blocked by the man who had come to Ante-Bar with the avowed intention of whipping him. Cibuta merely glanced at him and turned aside, but the fellow stepped before him again, this time demanding in a loud voice: ““Sa-ay, be you th’ Cibuta John what uster prance around this place with a chip on yer Cc com - ea 200k a +» 2.2. Ean COM F i ae | ~~ ona fA »& ool NA ae beet A ed i van bead " s 3°, s bw = A sé bel A — 1. an ee ee