Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 718 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

A : -. . ’ , : . wet ‘) 4 ‘ a : & oa b> : .* ‘ : ; 4 am = - 4 '. ? a { ; ‘ - as . 4 iy # ' - | 7 a iw sl ‘ : ’ oe » 4 2 broad shoulders a shrug. Of course it could be nothing more than a whim, this asking infor- mation from one less well posted than himself; but the big fellow had long since become recon- ciled to blindly fcllowing the lead given by the Lad of Luck, and with another sweeping glance over the scene spread before their eyes, he made reply: ‘Fu’st, thar’s what critters call the Half-Way House.” ** Half hidden from here by the two trees arch- ing over its roof; just so, Napoleon! And you know who plays boss down yonder?” ** Trick McAllister.” ‘** Otherwise Tiger Trick,” nodded Light-heart Lute. ‘‘ And those stray shacks scattered about the Half-Way House, Poley?” *“‘ B’long to Tiger Trick’s gang. ‘Sif you didn’t know that!” ** None of your remarks, Mr, Applejohn. I’m after information, and always work a claim ac- cording to fancy, if not strictly by rule.” ‘*Go on, boss,” meekly rumbled the giant. ** Butter’s freezin’ ’twixt the jaws o’ me!” ‘*That’s more like it, Mr, Applejohn! Trick McAllister runs the Half-Way House, and has a gang to back him up. In what, Poley?” ‘*Ef it’s in doin’ good, or ’spensin’ charity, then / don't know it. Ef ’tain’t in kerryin’ out the p’izen tricks ’spired by the Old Boy him own self, then it’s jest beca’se the devil kaows Tiger Trick kin hatch up heap plenty mischief ’thout ary 0’ his help!” With those emphatic words came an expres- sion of such hearty hate, scorn and indignation into that honest face, that Luther Larrimer had to laugh, {even while nodding his full ap- proval, Equally as well as Napoleon Applejohn did Light-heart Lute know the evil reputation de- servedly attached to the man better known in mining circles as Tiger Trick McAllister. The big fellow could tell bim little new along those lines, but with all bis smiling good humor and careless ease, he whose proverbial good fortune had won for himself the title of the Lucky Lad, was not to be diverted from the line once marked out, until his goal was fairly won. For years these two men, forming a strong contrast in almost every respect, bad been ‘ ¢lose friends and ‘‘side pardners,” sharing good fortime and bad, sunshine and showers, success and failure, like true brothers in heart ‘as they were brothers-at-arms, A stroke aimed at one, was a blow at both, and four good hands flew up to ward off or give back, almost always with compound interest added, These changes for good or evil were far more frequent than ordinarily fall to the lot of men, even where life is spent in the wildest, rough- est, least civilized sections devoted to mining and prospecting for the most precious miuerals. Not because the chums were fond of fighting or reckless adventures, however, but because Luther Larrimer bad started out in early man- hood with one settled resolve: to solve the mys- tery which hung over the fate of his father, Stephen Larrimer. One of those restless spirits who are so apt to be led away by a glittering possibility in the far distance, rather than rest content with tiently plodding along in a field which re- sa bare living, Stephen Larrimer bad left his home, his wife and baby son, to seek his for- tune in the mines, Like so many others, he had his ups and dowus, now sure that fortune Jay fairly within bis grasp, only to as often find it a true will-o’- the-wisp, then growing despondent and only kept from ending the uneven struggles witha bit of lead and a pinch of powder, by remorse- ful thoughts of his dear ones *‘ back home,” Tben—Stephen Larrimer disappeared ! Just after sending. his heartsick wife word that their fortune was made, at last! Just when she was beginning to count the days which must drag so slowly by before his arms could ‘owce again close about her form, bis lips press hers, as of old! | Only one among thousands, this unexpected disappearance, They began in the early ’Fifties, when so many tear-dimmed eyes were turned toward the Pacific, watching and praying for the safe home-coming of the Argonauts. Never a year, never a gold-field since but what can furnish its quota, ‘* Coming home!” ’ Yes, when the last trump sounds! Mrs, Larrimer went to her prey broken- hearted at last, but Luther still clung to hope, although he had spent years in the vain search for his missing father, or some clew to his | actual fate. Time and again he had struck a trail which seemed to promise good results, but 7) { f's'2? . + way 1. ™~ 2g! 7 . wa P 6 Ne RS s)') aud,. 3 eet eae se Dad ne ; iL Foy go a’: Ale \7se? NE ee ell Me . a aS ‘ ‘ ° > ‘ ‘ang’ — , , ~~“ | iseak a t\ =» * 1 PA mee 4 . ¥ Pa 4 ; j » 4 / 8 * 72h ie wal « an ° \ a>. ay ,. A are 2s Pay n ee, CoPly LP BAL , : 4? na, ~ a | * 7 ; ee ares * ~t ‘ om be Oy . , 4 : WwW ? ‘ * Pay ?: i> ..§ a pas iy S| ee a BS as often had he failed: the clew was false, or ap- plied to some other unfortunate, Hardly six months before this story opens, he felt nearly certain that bis life-trail was nearing its longed-for ending, but once again be found bitter disappointment in place of glad success, just as had been the case nearly two years past, when Poley Applejohn found the richest, dearest treasure earth can afford an honest, true-hearted man, inthe young woman whu was now his wife and the mother of his baby boy. In William Blackwood, then known tbhrough- out the mines as ‘* Old Crazy,” or ‘* Old Mystery,” Larrimer felt sure he had found his long-lost father, but when reason was fully restored to the crazed wanderer, that hope was blasted, as so many had been before it. Then, too, Poley Applejobn bad to fall over head and ears in love witao Little Chiquita, the half-blood daughter of Old Crazy. Light-heart Lute was the first to congratulate the pair, when fairly made one, but even so soon he felt that a new life was beginning’ fof himself, even as for his partner, And soit came about that the Lad of Luck plunged into a series of adventures where the giant bore no part, and of which he was even yet only dimly aware, For years William Blackwood had kept his bonanza secret from the world, despite the earn- est efforts to coax, trick or torture the truth from his lips, but once the story got wind, peo- ple flocked to the spot and a little town sprung up as by magic in the golden valley: a town to ba Poley Applejohn gave the name of Happy alley. It wan not the honest giant's fault if this title proved a wisnomer in some respects. He didall any one man could to keep out the lawless ele- ment, and was not long in becoming known as the man who would have peace even if he had to fight for it! t was while carrying out this principle that a certain gang, under the lead of Trick McAllister, was driven out of Happy Valley, to settle down in the valley upon which we find the two chums gazing, just now. ‘** A bad man, and a bad gang, eh, Poley?’utter- ed the Lad of Luck,gazing through half-closed lids down the valley. ‘‘ And if a fellow was.to step on Tiger Trick’s toes, more feet than hangs to his ankles would swing back for a kick?” ‘Ef ye trompled onto the tail of a copperhead, wouldn’t its head come to ax ye what fer?” ‘Mighty apt to, pardner. And McAllister’s gang would strike reckon?” ‘‘Give ’em a chance—yes!” ** And you’d hardly call a man wise who'd de- liberately give them just that chance, Poley?” ‘Meanin’ you, Light-beart?” ‘*Or any other man—yes.” ** You shorely ain’t sech a fool, lad?” | ‘* Thanks, if you mean it for a compliment,” ** But, be ye, lad? ‘Be | what?” | ‘Thinkin’ o’ gwine down thar, jest as ye be?” ‘* How ought I to go, Poley?’ ‘Good Lawd!” flinging out one huge paw in utter disgust. ‘‘’Tain’t so much the way ye’d ought to go, as the way ye’re boun’ fer to come back, that’s troubliv’ me, pardner! Why, nian alive, don’t ye know? Trick McAllister’d give his best eye jest fer a chaince to ketch ye whar he could hev one good squar’ swing at the life o’ ye!” “* Think so?” **T know it!” Then Tiger Trick will only need half a pair of spectacles when old age steals upon him, for ('m going down yonder with the express purpose of winning an interview with Mr, McAllister.” That troubled light deepened in the big blue eyes of the giant, and his fingers tugged restless- ly at his magnificent beard. He longed to ex- stulate, but past experience told him the use- essness of words, when once Light-heart Lute had fixed upon a course to follow, And that Luther Larrimer had so decided, one glance into his face made clear. A smooth, round, almost boyish face it was, too, despite the hard, cold light that came into his gray eyes, or the stern lines that showed for a brief space about his mouth. Although more than a year past his majority Luther Larrimer would pass as a mere lad among strangers, thanks to bis beardless face, his trim, graceful figure, barely up to medium hight. Yet, those who knew him best, would tell you that a more wicked fighter ‘never drew the breath of life than this same youth, once he found fair cause for striking. Light-heart Lute turned his gaze little cluster of buildings in the valley, and his old smile came back as he met that troubled : . ] _ e ‘ at : 7. - ¥) et Ae : Faw asf) just as quick for him, you from the | ° « , vw \ | both op Py ae ae S . ‘) ; wy bed M Bu ks kite) sf 7 * a 7 ‘ A . Af + p % ee as 4 _ ae ae Light-Heart Lute’s Last Trail. look. gers of his friend, and something more than his usual earnestness came into his voice: ‘‘ You think l’m going crazy, Poley? Is that it?” “You're talkin’ mighty like it, any wer ‘Because I speak of paying Tiger Trick a visit?” é Applejobn nodded, slowly speaking: ‘You hain’t fergot the part you tuck in clean- | in’ the riff-raff out o’ Happy Valley, pardner. It tuck some rough talkin’, an’ef they wasn’t no wuss done, that was owin’ to our hevin’ the heft o’ numbers on our side, Tiger Trick went, be- ca’se he hed to, But—you know the word he ccnt back, time an’ time over?” — ‘* That if you or I ever came his way, without two men against his one, we’d go back on other feet than our own?’ ‘* That’s what he said, an’ tuck his black oath to, pardner,” soberly nodded the giant. ; ‘“ Meant it, too, no doubt,” laughed Light- heart Lute, once more turning his eyes toward the little cluster of buildings in the valley be- yond and below them, ‘ Yet, Poley, ?’m go- ing down there this evening, and I’m going to ask Tiger Trick McAliister to give me a treas- ure worth far more than all the gold ever taken out of Happy Valley.” | ‘¢ You mean it, lad?” ‘«] mean every word of it, Poley.” ‘* Waal, I reckon we kin git a bite or two while they’re makin’ a squar’ meal off o’ the two o’ us, anyway!” with a short, grim laugb. CHAPTER II. : OUTLINING A DESPERATE EXPLOIT, “You don’t stop to ask what it all means, Poley ?” ‘*]| don’t need. We're pards. ’nough,” was the quiet respunse. ou say?’ ‘Right after dark comes—yes,” “Then I don’t reckon they’s any law ’g’inst my hevin’ a smcke,” producing pipe and plug of tobacco. , Light-heart Lute covertly but keenly watched Applejobn, while he used his knife to chip bits from the slab of tobacco, then grinding them to atoms in one hollowed palm with the knuckles of his other hand, preparatury to loading his loved pipe. The Lad of Luck nodded _ his head, a smile coming back to his lips, for that scrutiny gave him complete satisfaction. Ont This was the same true-hearted Poley who had stood by him in more than one desperate strait. Getting married had not altered him in that respect. Having wife and baby to care for and think of, had not made him one whit the less a true and sturdy chum. It was enough for him that his friend needed his help, ‘You're one man of a thousand, Poley,” said ‘Lute, after the pipe was loaded and in full blast. “Time was when I’d take you at your word, and let you gain wisdom from experience, but that time ip past. Just open those ears of yours, and I’]l tell you the why and the wherefore.” ‘Tm listenin’, ef you’d ruther hev it that way, lad,” nodded the giant, rolling over to an easier position. ‘‘ Or 1’m goin’ it blind, the way l’ve done more times’n I keer to count up jest now. oF Set oe ‘‘- You remember the colored boy I brought to Happy Valley?” | POR ie ‘Lem Claybank you called him: yes,” nodded Applejobn. ‘And you know what I told you before drag- ing you away from your wife and baby: that P been baving a little racket up in the hills?” Another assenting nod. That’s plenty ‘This evenin’, ‘Well, I reckon it’s about time I was tellin’ you a little more concerning that affair, partic- ularly as it gave me the excuse for paying Tiger Trick a friendly visit, Then, too, one of your old acquaintance was mixed up in the busi- ness, You haven’t forgotten Showy Joe Hoo- ver?” | $ “ The dandy gambler, with rings in his ears, who was so sot ou hangin’ Old Crazy?” | “The very same rascal, Poley,” nodded Lar- rimer. ‘ He did his level best to down us both on that occasion, though he lied out of it im the end, And he tried to play pretty much the same trick up in the hills, this bout, but he didn’t come off quite so sound, I’m happy to 8a 7 4 , xou ove the dirty cuss#” Pr ‘He got his dose, yes,” with a passing !rown, ‘“* But tet me begin at the right end, and you'll have a clearer idea of the situation, pard. ‘‘As I told you, when 1 came back, I found the negro, Lemuel Claybank, up in the hills, almost starved to death, and took him under my ae a , Ci ete eng | ee > A + aL! ae : i a] ‘ . are ar = if = Ay / , a md Oe " .4/ ; x ‘ ’ i a A! > ’ nat sT i@ : ! he 4p Pe Pe ee ee * aia hee = = L ; , a Maat te = , Be ; r Ba] _ His hand went out, to close over the fin- sallt ¥ at. ; a} ee : (@) < >) 1 \ } y N \ > \ C1 Sas on