Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 700 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

io & ’ . : ———— » = ee ' x 5 Ne ¥ - « ‘ ; f : 12 —=- ‘This hyer beats ther devil,” he was say- ing. ‘* Et never rains but et pours, by mighty. Yd like ter know what sort of er iron this woman has gotin ther fire, Et ar’ mighty queer call her meals hev ter be carried to her room. Durn me ef I don’t put a stop to thet aire, But, then, how kin I?” Whatever action he meant to take, he seemed in no hurry about it, but took his place behind the bar as usual, without saying anything about the matter to any one. It was true that this woman had not yet made her appearance at the table at any meal. But this could not be said of the later arrival, Rose Denmore. She seemed to be the admired of all admirers, Promptly on hand at meal-time, she was the life of the board, and seemed to be an especial attraction for Hubert Watkyns, Whether the two were anything to each other, could not be said, but they had certainly be- come friendly enough at the table, though no one had thus far seen them in each other’s company atany other time. That day the stage came on time, as on the previous, It was Ribbon Johnny’s trip, and he drew up in front of theiGrand Union in his usual style. These stages, whether we have mentioned it “or not, returned light, after making a trip, or nearly light, forit was seldom they had a pass- enger going south. ‘And they passed Satan’s Spring after midnight, ‘““Whoap!” Ribbon Johnny sung out, as his old ‘*‘hearse” came to the stopping-place. ‘‘Whoap! Stop when I tells yer, Polly, er ’m a pickled onion ef I don’t lift a blister on yer old hide! Hyer we is, pilgrims, and hyer we stops over.” The stage was well filled, and the passengers began to unload themselves as soon asit stop- ed, The last to get out was a woman, This time it waS a woman of uncertain age, She was clad in a peculiar and out-of-date way, wearing a big shaker bonnet and blue goggles. In one band she carried an umbrella, worn and POSEY» and in the other an old-fashioned carpet- ag. Sbe drew immediate attention, and some one in the crowd ventured that she was a woman’s- rights advocate, Stopping for a moment, when she had got herself and her traps out of the stage all in good order, she glared around at the faces about her, as though looking forsome one whom she ex- pected to meet, Not finding the person, evidently, she gave a sniff of disgust, as it was taken to be, and marched up the steps to the piazza, She did not take the trouble tolook for the wrivate entrance, but marched right on into the There she stopped and glared around again. Not finding the object of her search there, she advanced to the bar, bringing her umbrella own upon it witha thwack that made Baldy Benson jump. **Dew yeou know Hzekiel Wiggles, mister?” she inquired. ‘* N—no, I den’t opine I do,” Baldy assured. ‘6 He’s the critter I’m a-lookin’ fur, he is,” the woman declared. ‘‘He’s my husband, Ezekiel Wiggles is, what’s gone and desarted me, and I’m goin’ tew find him if I have tew scour the univarse tew dew it.” ‘‘T never heard thet aire name afore, ’m sure,” said the landlord. ‘*Mebby he’s gone tew work and changed it. It would be feet Uke him tew dew it,” ‘* What sort o’ lookin’ man was he?’ some one ‘inquired, ** Why, he was biggish like, some six foot in his socks or so, and had lots o’ red hair an whiskers.” ** Mebbe et ar’ High-hoss Noah,” was suggested, as the description seemed to fit him. **And who is that critter?’ the woman de- manded. ‘**Oh, he’s a galoot what has been ’round byer fer some time,” explained Baldy. ** All right, Pll take a look at him when I have ‘had somethin’ tew eat. Kin I get that here, mister, and a place tew sleep?” “Yas, I opine we kin fit ye out,” the landlord assured, ‘‘Jest’scribe yer name on ther regis- ‘ter hyer, and Ill book ye fer a room,” The woman dropped her carpet-bag and um- brella, and grasped the pen. She had on old- Style black mitts, but as the fingers were free, she did not remove them, She jerked the book around, and penned her name carefully—* Ex- qerience Wiatles.” ** Theer,” she said, as she laid down the pen, ‘*this is me, and that’s my name, Experience by name, and experience I've had. The saddest experiencel[ ever have had, bowsumdever, has been my search fur Ezekiel Wiggles, He got mad when I wanted him tew saw wood by moon- light, and when I throwed him down stairs be vowed he’d leave me, and he done it, But, let me set eyes on hin, and if I don’t break him in two over a saw-buck, it will be funny.” This raised a laugh, and in the midst of it who should walk into the room but High-hoss Noah. The attention of Experience Wiggles was call- ed to him. CHAPTER XIV. DICK AGAIN ON DECK, The woman in the shaker and blue goggles looked at Mr. High-hoss, And be looked at her, not knowing anything of the situation, wondering what she could possi- bly want with him, When sbe bad surveyed him for a moment, si- lently, she gripped her old umbrella and started toward him wjth long, business-like strides. She marched right up to him, and shaking the umbrella under his nose, mace the demand: ‘*See hyer, be yeou Ezekiel Wiggles?” ‘* Be I what?’ asked High-boss, amazed. ““T say, be yeou Ezekiel Wiggles?” the woman repeated, ‘**T don’t reckon I’m any sich cuss, ma’m,” the fellow declared, loudly. ‘* Don’t yeou lie tew me, Zeke Wiggles, if it is yeou!” the woman warned, and she shook her umbrella under his nose again. ‘“‘If yeou ain’t my Zeke, yeou look enough like him tew be his twin brother.” ‘Keep yer durn old rain-ketcher out o’ my face!” snapped High-hoss, giving it a knock aside, ‘* J ain’t your.Zeke, not by er gol durn sight I ain’t! Ef I was, hang me fer a sick cat ef | wouldn’t go jump in ther spring an’ stay thar!” ‘“Tf yeou was,” put in the woman, ‘‘ yeou wouldn’t jump in no spring, yeou wouldn’t, but yeou might git pitched in and I’d be theone tew dew it, If yeoware my Zeke, [ kin lick ye, and yeou know Lkin tew. And l’m not sartain yet that yeou ain’t the critter I’m lookin’ fur, nuther.” “Haw! haw! haw! the fellow forced a laugh. ‘‘Throw me inter ther spring, you? Et would take a man ter do thet aire leetle trick, it would,” ‘¢ About,ther size of the feller what did do et, eh?” some one suug out, ‘‘- You mind yer own business!” snapped High- hoss. ‘*And you, woman, git out of my way. Lain’t ther man you is lookin’ fer.” ‘*T don’t know about that theer,” the woman persisted, ‘* You look like my Zeke, and yeou talk like him, tew, and I want proof afore [ let e go. oA tore ye let me go! Haw! haw! haw! Thet aire ar’ good, et ar’. But, what proof d’ye want?” ‘‘If yeouare my Zeke, yeou have got a scar on yer right arm, near the shoulder, where I cut ye oncet with a rawhide. Idemandtew see with my own eyesif yeou have sich a mark on ye. ‘ ‘‘ And I’m durned ef ye will see!” cried High- oss. 4 ‘*T won’t, won’t I?” and that umbrella began to flourish again. ‘No, yer won’t, won’t yer!” the bullwhacker roared. . ‘“T appeal to the crowd,” cried the woman, ‘ Ain’t it fair he should show me?” she de- manded. There was a loud and general cry of approval, and the bullwhacker was told to take off his coat. High-hoss argued the point, but, eager for the fun, the whole crowd was set against him, ‘“Wuil, ef yer must see, durn yer, see!” he finally cried, and he jerked off his coat and rolled up his sleeve, ' The woman made a close inspection of his arm, but finding no scar there, had to be satis- fied that he was not ber lost Ezekiel, ** No, yeou ain’t my Zeke,” she admitted, ‘* but ew look enough like him tew be his “Bet yer life I ain’t yer Zeke!” the bull- whacker cried, ‘‘ Ef I war, and you’d ever’a’ hit me with er whip, you wouldn’t be hyer to tell about et,” ** Baah!” the woman scorned, “ Yeou kin talk ’most as brave as my Zeke could, and he couldn’t lick a baby, I must hit ye oncet, jest fur Zeke’s sake, and jest tew give ye a taste of what you'd ’a’ got if yeou had been him, Take that, and that!” , With the words, she raised the old umbrella Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. | : and slashed away, giving it to the bullwhacker first on one ear and then ou the other, **Whoop!” High-hoss screamed, and he made : aon at the woman; but the crowd held him ack, ‘Yer can’t fight no wimmen,” they told him, and he was soon hustled out of doors, amid all sorts of jibes and jeers. When be was gone, the woman turned back to the bar, asking to be shown to her room, She was obliged promptly, and was not seen again, as she ordered her supper brought to her. Said Baldy Benson: “This hyer ar’ a new wrinkle ther wimmin hev got. They is gittin’ too delleket ter walk down stairs to their rations. But, Pll put a stop ter that, see ef I don’t. But, how’m I goin’ ter do et? I won’t begin on Experience Wiggles, ge Eh ! hen the supper bell had rung, and after ber supper had beea brought to her, Mrs. Wiggles peered cautiously out of her room, No one was in the hall, and she crept out stealthily, glided to another door, and knocked. She was invited to enter,and did so, finding herself in the presence of Mrs, Worthington. That lady looked at ber in amazement, won- dering who she could be, ‘‘T beg your pardon,” said Experience, ‘* but I have a word to say to you. Youdonot know me, but Iam a friend!” ‘* And who are you?” was the natural ques- tion. ‘‘T am known here as Experience Wiggles. You may call me by that name. I come to you with a message from Deadwood Dick.” ‘ Ha! he is alive then?” ‘Yes, alive and well, but be dare not be seen here again just now. He says be pledged his help to you in some matter or other. He has sent me to learn the particulars, If he isneeded immediately he will come, If not, he wants to know when he will be required.” Followed then an earnest conversation, lasting for several minutes, when, it being ended, Ex- perience Wiggles returned to her own room, She had not been gone long when Mrs, Worth- ington began to grow unusually sleepy. Not knowing what to make of it, she finished her tea, and then threw herself upon the bed, thinking it would pass off. She was asleep immediately, and knew no When Mrs. Wiggles returned to her room, she ate the supper that had been provided for her, and by the time she had done, it was beginning to grow dark, A woman soon came to her room, bringing a candle, and took away the dishes, As she went out, Mrs, Wiggles said: ‘* Ezekiel allus used _tew say I was a oncom- mon sleepy-head, and I guess be was right. Tl say good-night tew yeou, fur I shan’t be long out 0’ bed.” The woman smiled, responded to the good- night, and went away. xperience Wiggles closed the door after her, and locked it, and then took off her blue gog- les. And not only that, but a wig, too, was taken off, when, lo! the face that was revealed was that of Deadwood Dick! , Yes, bis face‘it was, but lackirg the fine mus- tache, which he had to sacrifice in adopting a disguise of this sort. ‘“ Well, bere I am, back again,” he mused, ‘‘and now for war to the knife. I got the worst of it, tbe first round, but we will see who will come out ahead on the second.” He took off the dress be had on, and was in just the attire necessary for a desperate ple. gle. He had on a flannel shirt, a pair of rough trowsers, and a be]t that bristled with weapons. Putting away the dress, sbawl, and other things that had gone to make up his disguise, he looked well to his weapons, “Now,” he said to himself, ‘‘I am ready for the business. As soon as this house is asleep, I intend to explore it well.” Your detective has to have patience, and Dick had that. - Putting out his light, he pulled up the curtain at the window, and for a long time watched the scene on the Plaza. Hours passed, and at last the Square was de- serted. ) Another hour, and the house was as quiet as a grave, so far as Dick’s ears could discover. Now was his time for action, and he rose, put on his hat, which he had had in the old carpet- bag, with other things, and stepped to the door. 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