Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 659 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a + “>, hi te a SAR gees —5e y eo 4 ae tf * : a? ies vy Boe i nz o - was a mystery. It seemed that the ins | ough the inspector’s assistant fired after him’ e did not stop, ** After him!” cried the inspector, sand dollurs to tbe man who takes him! Moonlight Morgan!” The crowd was spellbound, and it was some moments before they could be wakened into action. The assistant had already sprung out through the window, but when he looked around the seeming tramp had disappeared as utterly as though the earth had opened and taken him in, When the crowd moved, it was as one man, and men poured out through the door and the broken window in hot haste. But they were too late. Their bird had taken wings. Where he could be no one could under- stand, but that he was gone was plain enough, ‘*TIs it possible that that feller was Moonlizht Morgan?” Bill Twicker questioned. ‘That Driftabout was ther ex-postmaster?” added another. ‘¢ Tt can’t be!” exclaimed others, ‘“‘It is the exact truth of the situation, how- ever,” the inspector declared. ‘‘ Did his action suit the character he was playing?” ‘‘ Well, hardly; but—” “That is just it. It was a clever disguise, and as he has appeared in it before, you did not suspect it. Did you ever see him and your ex- postmaster at the same time?” No one could remember that they had ever been seen together. It was recalled that the postmaster had been out of town on the Sunday when Driftabout had spent the day at the Bar. ‘** How did you git onto him?” some one asked, ** Tt was not I, but your Cibuta John,” thee in spector owned. ‘‘ He suspected him this morn- ing, and this afternoon he went out to see if he could see any signs of a horseman having run toward the south. He sent word back that nothing of the kind was to be seen, and directed me to watch him, saying that he would help us take him to-night.” **You made a mistake in not waitin’, then,” observed Bill Twicker. ** So I see now, but I never dreamed that the sone could escape me when I had the drop on im. ‘* You will not blame me now for letting him escape me,” remarked the assistant, quietly. ‘* Not a bit,” the inspector exclaimed, heartily. ** The fellow is a very devil, and now I can un- derstand why such a sum is offered for him. ‘Your sheriff told me he was a bad man, but I underrated him.” ** [It has got to be a bad man that Cibuta John can’t get away with,” said Jeff Parsons, ‘‘ and this fellow has had th’ best of th’ game so far.” “Well, he is gone now, and it can’t be helped,” said the inspector. ‘* No doubt your sheriff will be wrathy enough when he returns, but I thought I had the case right at an end.” It was a startling sensation, and the news flew like wildfire. The citizens could not believe that it was true, at first telling, but the proof followed, and the fact had to be accepted. What had become of the daring outlaw, after he had sprung through the window, however, ctor’s assistant had been right at his heels, and it did not seem possible that he could have gained the shelter of the nearest building unseen. _ By the time the excitement had abated, night had shut down over the town, and lamps were ablaze in every window. Cibuta John had not yet putin an appearance, nor did he come as the evening advanced. In the mean time Jim Jones, the old-time Giant Cupid, or Shanghai, had not been alto- gether idle. After his defeat at the hands—or rather the foot—of Cibuta John, at the hotel, he was for about an hour the maddest man ever seen, if that can be claimed, It is certain that no man was ever more enraged, He raved and swore and fumed around, threatening what he would do when the time came, but as he had a wholesome fear of the re- volvers of the sheriff’s men, he did not attempt “A thou- It is ~ to follow Cibuta to the house, _ water,” too, but be was not | ; = ‘ s* 4 = is f ' His silk tile being as good as worthless, he had invested in a hatof a different pattern, one of the white, broad-brimmed sort. This change wrought a transformation in his appearance, Where before he had looked the genuine prize- ring ae now he looked the typical border ruffian of the dressy, vainglorious sort. During the day he had imbibed freely of ‘‘ jig- by any means drunk. He had enough aboard to make him i i: and doubly ugly, however, and he was ae is 4s i Us . ~ s Moonlight Morgan, It was about nine o’clock when he pranced in to the Pleasant Hour. He had been making a round of the other saloons, where he had been carrying things with a high hand. ‘* Cock-a-doodle-doo!” he crowed loudly, **heur I be with both feet an’ spurs on! I’m th cock of ther walk, an’ don’t ye fergit it! Dm th’ man what's stood up afore Sullivan, I am, an’ I kin lick anything that stands in boots, Where is that’ar Cibuta John o’ yourn? It looks ter me as though he was skart out, an’ was bidin’ away ter keep from meetin’ me, Anbody know where he is? Nobody did. ‘* An’ where’s that post-office inspector feller waat let Moonlight Morgan git away from him? That was a purty trick, that was, an’ fer a per- fesh detective, too. It orter’a’ been me; you kin bet that I would ’a’ gobbled ther galoot.” The inspector and his man were there, but they remained silent, having no desire to get into any trouble with the fellow. The blowing bully looked around until he espied them. ‘* Hello! here ye be, eh?’ he cried, walking over to where they sat, ‘Don’t ye feel sorter *shamed o’ yerselves? You wasn’t cut out ter make yer mark in this part of the kentry, not by a big sight ye wasn’t,” ‘* Are you addressing me?” the inspector asked looking up. ‘*In course I be!” cried the self-styled prize- fighter, ‘‘Who d’ye s’pose I’m talkin’ ter? I should think Uncle Sam would feel proud of ye, when ye go back an’ report that ye couldn’t do ther biz fer him, Say, what'll ye give me ter nab that cuss fer ye, an’ land him in ther lock-up?” Inspector Riggles was glad to see the turn the talk was taking, for he had no desire to have trouble with tbe fellow, as he said: ‘*T will give you a thousand dollars in addition to the reward already offered,” he answered, ‘** Bully!” cried the fighter: ‘‘I’m yer turnip, top an’ all. Jest let that feller show his nose here again, an’ see if I don’t tie him intoa double bow-knot. ** But,” he turned away and bellowed, ‘‘ where, oh! where is yer gallus sheriff? He is ther galoot that I am pinin’ tersee. If want ter git jest one crack at his nose, an’ that is all ask, If1 don’t turn his face inter a pancake, ye kin call m name Mud. Where is ther slinkin’ coward? He is afeerd ter meet me, an’ that is plain. Oh! but mania 1 like ter git jest cne round out o’ m fa Sagi won’t some feller come up an’ Jet me knock him down, jest ter keep my handin? Tl make it an object to ye; [ll give fifty dollars to ther man what will stand me two rounds an’ not git knocked out. Come, now, speak right up, gentlemen, but don’t all speak at once, ho is ther first?” ' He looked around him as thoughanxious to find some one to hammer. There was one fellow in the room who con- sidered himself something of a fighter, and this offer of fifty dollars roused him up, This man was known as “‘ Sledge” Devitt. He was a teamster, and a powerfully-built fellow. He was not a brawler, but when occasion re- quired could defend himself ably enough, and the powerful blows he struck had won for him the nickname ‘“‘ Sledge.” ‘*T"ll take that offer, mister,” he announced, ‘tif you will put ther money into th’ hands of Bill Twicker,” aoe big bully wheeled around and Jooked at im. ‘**Good enough!” hecried. ‘‘ You come up like alamb to the slug ten, Here is ther money,” counting it out and tossing it over to the bar- keeper; ‘‘ an’ now git out of yer clothes an’ put up yer dooks,” he teamster threw off his hat and coat ard stepped forward, and the fighter set his hat back a little and met him, He did not take the trouble to remove either hat or coat. ‘*Hold on!” cried Bill Twicker, suddenly; ‘*who is goin’ ter pay fer damagesif anything gits broke?” ‘*Ther man what gits knocked out, if it’s serepevie ter my ’ponent,” answered the homely giant. ‘I’m agreed ter that,” said the teamster, and then they stood up to the mark and made ready, It could be seen that the old Cupid was used to this sort of thing, by the way he put up his hands, There was a pause of a moment, and then the giant made a pass. The teamster met it and re- turned it with his left, That the giant parried, . _ a 2 4 4 ‘ ee - | ) 7 a emg OTT: and the next instant the teamster sent in a blow with his right which, had it struck, would al- me have lifted the giant’s head from his shoul- ers, But the blow did not take effect. The giant stooped and let it pass over the top of his head, it doing no further damage than taking off his hat; andin the same instant there was a crack like the report of a rifle and the teamster went spinning away to the further end of the room, i he dropped ina heap, limp and motion- ess, ‘** Cock -a- doodle-doo!” the giant crowed. ‘‘That’s ther way ter do it, Ain’t there some- body else that wants some? I want ter keep my hand in.” Nobody did, it seemed, and several hurried to the help of the fallen man, He was half uncon- scious, and the blood was running from his nose and ears. He was out of the fight for good, and his friends proceeded to mend him up, ‘*Oh! where is that Cibuta John?” the giant cried, as he pranced around the room swinging his arms; ‘‘ I’m just dyin’ ter meet him. This is th’ hour that I have longed fer this many a day, W here is ther coward?” ‘““Sbut up, you lantern-jawed baboon!” a voice suddenly cried; ‘‘and while you are wait- in’ fer Cibuta John, jest practice on me,” All eyes turned instantly to the door, CHAPTER VIII. CIBUTA JOHN ON DECK, A STRANGER had just entered. He stood just within the door, his hands upon his hips and his feet set wide apart. While be was not a large man, yet he looked to be solidly put together. .He was clad in the roughest manner, and looked like a miner in hard luck. He had long and straggling hair and beard of a fiery red; wore a ragged slouch hat and heavy boots of the ‘‘stogy ” sort; and the rest of his outfit was made up of a suit of much patched buckskin. He was a stranger to all present, and Inspector Riggles and his man Samuels looked at him with considerable interest, The prize-ring tongh had wheeled around and faced him at tbe first word, and after he had surveyed him for a moment he burst into a loud laugh. ‘Haw, baw, haw!” he roared, ‘‘ what is it anyhow? Why, you poor, fcolish critter, I could do you up with both hands tied! What be ye talkin’ about? Did you see ther way in which I jest disposed of a feller that could git away witha dozen like ye? Go ’way, sonny;” and he waved his hand in a most belittling man- ner. ‘‘That’s all right,” returned the stranger ‘*but you are lookin’ fer fight an’ Il am w in? ter lend myself ter amuse ye. If I git ther wu'st of it that’s my business. Ef you want somebody ter practice on while you’re waitin’ for Cibuta John, whoever he is, jest belt away atme. It’s my funeral if you do me up.” ‘Why, dast yer cheek,” cried the fighting bully, ‘‘ yer can’t be in earnest, be ye? If I hit ye once it will lay ye up fer a week,” “That's all right; if I’m willin’ ter take th’ chances you shouldn't kick. I guess ye’re afeerd e \ “What!” the giant screamed, ‘ afeerd o’ sich a lookin’ scarecrow as you be? Jest trot yer | kerkiss up here an’ [’ll show ye, It seems ye are bound ter have it, an’ 80 I may as well give yea taste, Come right up ter ther scratch, ye measly- lookin’ chicken, an’ see me curl yer feathers fer e. The interest was now at fever heat, and the suppressed excitement was intense. Who could the ey stranger be? was the question in i ee ee right, you long-legged, big-nosed, bullet- headed, wide-mouthed, wopper_jawed, flop-eared, dirty-handed son of a kioodle!” the stranger poured forth as he advanced in an ungainly manner, ‘‘ you are welcome ter cur! me inter a double-twisted cork-screw, if ye kin do it,” The bully’s anger boiled over at being ad- dressed like this, and he fairly grated his teeth in his rage, “Tl take all o’ that out o’ ye,” he hissed, ** Jest self, an of ye in jest two winks an’ a quarter.” “Never mind about my coat,” returned the stranger; ‘‘ take me jest as ye find me an’ ax no questions, Come on if ye’re ready.” ady. As he said this he put up his hands, though notina masterful way. It looked like sheer foolishness for him to meet the giant, and everybody expected to see bim a +s ‘ , Rees AOfgtd : =e tat. fy; git out of yer coat, so ye kin swing yer- — see if I don’t make a hosspittle subjeck — ee, | 4 7) fi '. ” i} t'% Ke wie > he ay 4s ih a es 1") a ‘. an es ny ‘ wy ’ fy ae sag ME Li x .— ' P| , - hs bw) : pn , * . i * 4 i boy a ine yy ve wh J “, ‘ LL es ‘ - ‘ ve f \ 1 * . 133 “ie ¥ Ul wf al < . , i« 4 ey %s ’ * ~ a ~e ' rie 7 Sa ~~. at ye