Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 708 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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From the very first he had dreaded being too late to aid the ‘‘ little girl” on whose account the murdered miner had suffered his bitterest _ pangs before relief came, He had made all possibly haste, and fortune had favored bim so far as discovering the lone cabin was concerned, Lemuel had recognized a curious landmark, and then they struck a trail which led them directly to the place, reaching it on the afternoon of the day following their strange encounter with Adam Elton. ‘*@Gone, four days ago! Took the girl with him! Sold out his place! All lies, from start to finish!” was his mental summing up. Lemuel followed in silence, as bidden, but when the lone cabin was lost tosight, and Light~ heart Lute still showed no signs of pausing, or of giving an explanation, curiosity reached its limits, and Lem ventured: ‘* Did—was de little lady glad fo’ see you, boss?” ‘* So terrible glad, Lemuel, that I reckoned I’d never get away without leaving some part of me behind—as a keepsake!” with a short, hard laugh, at the same time casting a quick glance over one shoulder. ‘‘So powerful glad, Lem, that I wouldn’t wonder a bit if she sent after us to add another farewell—forever!” ‘‘ Funny, de ways difent folks bas!” mumbled the negro, dejectedly. ‘*W’en I’m so pow’ful lad to see folks, J done ax ’em to grub—I does, 0’ suah!” **So did they, but I didn’t believe their cook- ing would agree with our delicated constitutions, Lemuel,” laughed Light-heart Lute, once more his usual self, so far as outward indications went. ‘‘ Madame Roxy isa terrible nice lady, and all that, of course: being of the fair sex she couldn’t well be otherwise. But—I’m afraid she forgets to wash her hands before mixing tho dough, Lemuel! And I saw too many loose hairs embroidering her gown not to have doubts con- cerning her hash. And—but that’sa big plenty, my boy, and if I make any more suggestions, ou'll see my boots beginning to come up red ane! Lemuel looked far from satisfied, but he dared not risk any further hint or remonstrance. Light-heart Lute was master, firm and even, ae on occasion, though ordinarily so kind and jolly. ‘*That isn’t the worst of it, neither, Lemuel Claybank,” gravely added the adventurer, all the while pushing briskly forward, following the river trail up which they had so recently passed, ** We’ve been hoodooed, all two both of us!” ** De good Lawd, boss!” And yet a fact, Lem- ** Melaucholy, isn’t it? uel! Just hoodooed, from crown to sole, from side to side, from back to front and double- cross¢ays into the bargain! ‘* Now, 1 dare say you fully believe that we met a gentleman called Adam Elton, last night?” | ** Don’t, boss!” huskily mumbled Lem, cast- ing a nervous glance about. ‘*T lay under that impression, my own self, Lemuel,” persisted the adventurer, never slack- ening that rapid pace, ‘* And right there is where the hoodooing process began. We didn’t meet auy such person, We never found a half- buried man, nor he didn’t die when that big cat chased you into the hole. In fact, there never was any such being as Adam Elton! Deny it if you dare, Lemuel!” ‘* Ef you say so, boss,” meekly mumbled the subdued negro, ‘*If I do say so Lemuel, it’s because I have to. I’ve recently had a revelation, and the spirit—” **'Wha’—wha’—not a spook, boss?” quivered the negro, turning almost ashen gray, his teeth chattering with superstitious terror, his great y protruding as he cast a fearful look around em. ; ** It appeared only to me, Lemuel, and your vision is far too muddy to make it out. But— eyes to the front, and still those bones, or you jerry & Sao a may anger it into taking a bite out of the back of your neck! So! Now [’ll finish: ‘*That revelation contained a warning speci- ally for you, Lemuel. The spirit swore that if “bey ever let drep augbt of what we so foolishly elieved took place at our last camp, or if you ever dared whisper the name of Adam Elton, no matter to whom, or where you might be, a mighty hand would grip your neck, lifting you up clear of the ground and shaking you so hard that your joints would fly asunder, and your flesh he sowed over seventeen acres—long meas- ure! Think of that, Lemuel, please!” ** TT don’t like to, boss!” “Then forget threat and subject together. You’re perfectly safe so long as you’re wise enough to steer clear of that one dangerous point, and if I see you beginning to slip, be sure Pll lend you a kick hard enough to lift you over to the right side of the fence!” Light-heart Lute was not talking entirely at random, though it may seem that way, on the the surface, For one thing, he wanted to make sure of Lenuel, in the perilous times which were almost surely before them, did not make bad matters worse by reckless talk. For another, he wanted to guard against dangerous curiosity on his part. Lute felt fairly confident that they would be followed and spied upon after leaving the Jone cabin. Although he could not know that he himself had been recognized for what he really was, rather than simple Jobn Green as he had announced himself, he had recognized that wo- man, and knew enough of her to feel that almost any means would be taken rather than run the risk of defeat in the nefarious plans she surely had formed, Unless silenced in some fashion, Lem might suspect what was wrong, and by his actions put the possible spy on his guard too soon, ithout openly looking back, Light-heart Lute managed to keep fairly well posted as to what was going on in their rear, and before their re- treat had covered half a mile of ground he knew that Huck Shaw was dogging their steps! He gave no hint to his companion, and by free use of his nimble tongue kept him from looking back, as well as contriving to set the simple fel- low more at ease, Fortunately this did not have to last much longer. Thespot he had in mind, as most suita- ble to wind up that dangerous espial, was not more than a couple of miles from the Elton eabin, and when this was reached Light-heart Lute called a halt. ‘* Here’s wood, water, and al] that goes to make an ideal camp, Lemuel, my boy!” he cried, gazing keenly around, picking out a spot which could be approached from only one point with- out discovery. ‘‘ You’re toting game enough for supper, and there’s a round of coffee left, enough for a hog—and a gentleman! It’s a bit early, of course,” with a squint at the declining a — what’s the odds, so long’s you're appy Shell I set de fiah, boss?” ‘‘Not just yet. Lem, were you lying when you bragged of that good right arm of yours? id you ever pitch bal)? ‘*Good Lawd, boss! ef I on’y hed a fat ole har’ fo’ all de cames I done won in de box!” entbhusias- tically cried the darky, his big eyes aglow, his thick lips working, his right arm scan oe, Pe and forth, with long fingers working as though already gripping the ball, ‘‘Ef I jes’ bad a nickel fo’ each boy I done fan out—good Lawd, boss! 1’d want a pow’ful train ob freigbt-kyars fo’ tote ’em all, so I would!” ‘You can sling a stone right piert, I admit, Lemuel,” lazily drawled Larrimer, half-reclining on the grass which grew thickly near the spring, filling his pipe as be spoke, ‘* But bard throw- ing isn’t all it takes to win a game of ball now- adays, you understand,” } ‘‘ Doan’ I know, boss? An’ hain’t I done ketched ’em all? Hain’ I got all dem yar kyurves an’ shoots an’ drops an’ rises an’ fannin’ tricks, yight hyar in dese hooks? grinned the a fellow, working his long, bony fingers rapidly, ‘So you say, but— Wish I had a ball bere for you to practice a bit with, Lem, I’m no slouch in that line, my own self, if I do say it, but Tnever could do anything with a stone, Can you? For answer Lem selected a stone, then pointed out a stunted tree at a considerable distance, which he hit squarely, grinning as he said: ‘‘ What's de mattah wid dat kyurve, boss?” **Did the stone really take a curve?” ‘Wha’ yo’ eyes, boss? Di’n’ yo’ see how he kyarl up, ke he was gwine wrop yight yound + he neck—eh? uli pT» NE ae | ON CUNO ay Rae, eS _ ee ‘So did you—in your mind, Lemuel,” yawned Larrimer, slowly brushing one hand across his eyes like one chasing sleep away. Instead, those eyes, very keen and compre- hensive, were taking note of a crouching, shape- less form stealing through the stunted bushes, evidently trying to reach a covert near enough to the spring to catch the words passing between the twain. It was Huck Shaw, as Light-heart Lute had long since distinguished, and it was merely to keep Lem Claybank from discovering the spy that he broached the subject of base-ball, know- ing from past experience what a complete ‘*crank” it had made of the colored lad, He had Jittle difficulty in divining what par- ticular point the spy was making for, and though he knew he was running a certain amount of risk in permitting such a near ap- proach, Lute was waiting for Shaw to attain that covert before making any decided move, With this end in view, he kept bantering the negro, whoreally did perform wonders with his good right arm and such clumsy substitutes for his beloved ball, Although with less certainty, owing to the irregular shape of the stones, Lem. gave examples of all the different curves, shoots, and other eccentricities which comprise the ‘* whole art of pitcbing.” Light-heart Lute purposely directed Lemuel toward a portion of the grounds where bis pitching feats would not interfere with the movements of the spy, occasionally pointing out certain objects which be wanted hit, or ga which he wished Lem to curve a mis- sile, ** You're not all a fraud, Lemuel,” he said, ap- provingly, afteratime. ‘‘ You oughtto makea success in the box—or would, if it wasn’t for the foolish prejudice against your color, See here, old man!” sitting erect, like one who has suddenly conceived a grand idea. ‘“‘I’ll give you a chance, if we both live to get back to civilization again!” “Dat’s all I ax, boss,” eagerly. ‘Jes! a chaince—dat’s all!” **'You shall bave it, sir! A glorious chance, too! Tl get up a club of royal foreigners, from a yellow John toa tattooed cannibal! And Dik turn you into a Spaniard—‘t Senor Don Lemuelo, the Spanish Dude!” = 1 Lawd!” “Shut up! Tl do it—sure! Then you'll be better even than a white man, and the ladies— why, Lem, they'll just paralyze you all over? They’ll smother you with kisses,and—but you’ve got to swear off on onions, Lemuel!” ‘Yo? foolin’ boss!” chuckled Lem, his head drooping, bashfully. ‘How dem w’ite ladies come to kiss dis— G’way, oct boss!” ‘Don’t forget that i’ll bill you—in letters a foot high, Lem—as the Spanish Dude, and that'll make all the difference in the world! It’s a glorious idea, and we'll carry it out, too! But—you must keep that good right arm of | yours in training, Lemuelo, and— Got a rock?” ‘* Bet I has, boss!” ‘“T saw something rustle the leaves of that bush, yonder, just now—a skunk, probably; but. see if you can’t knock him out 0’ the box, Lem!” cried Larrimer, i0_ clear tones, pointing at the cover beneath which Huck Shaw had snugly bestowed himself! Whiz! went the stone, and as it pierced the very center of the bush, the spy leaped to his feet with a bowl of angry terror, bounding away in headlong flight, while Light-heart Lute cried, langhingly: ‘€ Didn’t I tell you ’twas a skunk, Lemuelo?” And drawing @ revolver, he sent a brace 0 bullets whistling in close proximity to the flee- ing spy. CHAPTER XI. SHOWY JOE CROWDS THE GAME. ‘‘ Wo be they, an’ what fetched ’em hyar, anyway?” were the first words uttered by Huck Shaw, after Licht-beart Lute turned away and ¢ took the river trail in company with bis ebony companion, | “Keep an eye on them, but don’t make it too plain you’re watching,” bastil muttered Roxy Ann, stepping back from the door without changing her slouching demeanor until sure a backward glance of those honest blue eyes could not detect the alteration. She was reaching out a hand to the chamber door, when it swung open and Showy Joe Hoover showed himself, asking in a whisper; ‘Has he gone? Why didn’t you— “They’re both gone. If ou wanted anything in particular done, why didn’t you say so before hunting your hole, cully?” The gambler flushed a, bit, more because of a . cy . } | = ~~ * . * ra eal * ~— ~ eee - a ee “ Py ee yD 2 “ee =