Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 724 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

~~. a er mete ee grey e yen Ae ey ey ee ee > Sree aod mage es nt hain Violet Vane’s Vengeance, EE oy - --~-- * But this hain’t presactly w’at I started in ter ossiferate. I jest kem in with ther stage. W’en ther gents o’ ther concealed phizogs axed me would I shell out, I turned my pockets wrong side to the weather with the greatest of pleasure. Thar wuzo’t a blamed thing in ’em. You see ther gentle highwayinen did not make a for- chune offen me, Then perchance you will ask w’at in thunder an’ soft-soap is chawin’me. TU tell ye: My dignity’s insulted—I am mad—l am so derned mad that my ha’r has took an extra cur! an’ threatens ter pull itself out by ther roots! I feel like singing ther ole college song w’at we uster sing at Yale. P’r’aps some o’ you fellers think I never went to college? I kin lick ther man as durst say so! Ther song I wuz speakin’ of ruus like this: **T feel like hel— I feel like hel— I feel like helping some poor sinning soul.” “Tt is a gem o’ ther fu’st watter, an’ don’t ye fergit it! At Yale we uster yowl it arter we hed bin licked at football or suthin’ o’ thet sort, ‘* But ter return ter our road-agents: If l only hed jest one little man hyer in this yere town, I’d take him an’ go out an’ clean out ther hull measly gang 0’ lan’ pirates. Thet man’s name is Violet Vane, an’ he’s one o’ ther boys, an’ don’t ye fergiS thet. I don’t reckon he is roun’ this town, ishe? I’m kinder lookin’ fer bim,” Frank Stillman had been paying very little attention to the loud words of the tramp, but at the sound of Violet Vane’s name the mayor started ana turned very white, Whirling, he stared hard at the man who had called himself Old Sunflower, then he hastily left the group. ‘‘T wonder if that old tramp will know me?” he muttered, as he walked slowly toward his home. ‘‘ Hesaw me when I had been connected with Captain Marvel, and if he recognizes me and blows, it will be pets sure to ruin me in this town. 1 almost believe luck is turning against me!” A desperate light filled his eyes and his lips were pressed tightly together. He bad the air of a man nearly driven at bay. ‘“*My beard may serve to disguise me from his eyes,” he said. ‘‘ But he must not see Lone, Poor girl! She has been in a terrible state ever since that infernal slip of paper fell into her hands! She is so nervous sbe fears to have me leave her a moment; but I have to leave her at times, ‘That paper was a cowardly hoax, for I Know Violet Vane is dead. We met man to man, and he feli before my revolver with a bullet in his brain. It was his life or mine, but I did not wast to kili him. He forced me into it, What could I do? But I do not like to think of that—I would to God 1 might for- get the five years of my life previous to com- ay he this pocket!” t is is not se easy to forget. ‘The citizens of White Water were aroused to quite a high pitches ef excitement by Black Burk’s daring robbery, and a thousand plans were proposed and abandoned, but in the end a reward of five hundred dollars was offered for the capture of the road-agent chief. For two or three trips the stage was unmolest- ed,and some of the more foolish citizens were beginning to chuckle over the belief that Burk had been frightened away by the offer of are- ward, when the stage carfe in one night witha strange driver handling the ribbons. Srappy Seth sat beside the stranger, his coat-sleeve cut away above the elbow of his right arm, which was wrappe! in blood-soaked cloths, The crowd that was uwaiting the arrival of the stage knew something had happened, The strange driver whirled the *‘ hearse” to a_ standstill in front of the Columbia Hotel with a skill wal Se that of Snappy himself. Then he eaped ligatly down and swung open the door for the Pueonects to alight. “Feller people of White Water,” cried the wounded driver, standing up and waving his uninjured arm, *‘ Black Burk tried ter hold us mp ter-day, and he got sweetly left—” His words were checked bF ‘a cheer from the ee ***Hooraw fer Snappy!” bellowed the red- theaded fellow known as Red Hot. “ He’s a ' yoyal Jim-dandy, an’ don’t ye fergit ter mark thet down!” “*T can take very little of ther honor ter my- self,” asserted thedriver. ‘‘I done ther bes* J could—” “* We know ye did.” “Thet wuz well enough!” “Ter tell ther honest truth,” continued Seay Seth, ‘‘I never thought of tryin’ ter slide throug ‘Black Burk’s gang tell it wuz pro- posed ter me by ther gent as sot on ther seat be- that made the side me, He said ef I’d handle ther ribbons, he’d do ther shootin’!” * Bully fer him!” ‘* He’s ther right kind!” **'W’en he said that an’ showed thet he meant business, I reckoned I'd try ther racket jest fer ther excitement o’ ther thing. He got out his guns an’ made shore they wuzin good workin’ order. In Echo Gap we kem onter ther bull gang of agents. Burk shouted fer us ter hold up. Then we commenced business, I let ther critters hey ther whip an’ howled fer all I wuz wu’th. Ther leetle stranger thar riz right up in meetin’ with a gun in each han’, an’ w’en he commenced ter shoot suthin’ begun ter drop, you bet your life! He picked off three or four of ther agents, an’ ther ole he’rse wuz jurapin’ an’ rockin’ ter kill all ther time, It wuz fun! ** Jestas we wuz breakin’ through ther line, I got a bit of lead in my arm thet completely knocked it out of duty. Then I thought we wuz done fer, But we wuzn’t! Thet leetle cuss jest caught ther ribbone an’ whip, an’ ther speed he got out of them animiles knocks my record clean out of sight, We got erway, but we never could ef it hadn’t biu fer him, He’s ther best ve all-round man I ever set eyes on—you hear me! The crowd cheered again mors heartily than before. The tastily-attired stranger, who wore a silk hat and a buttonhole bouquet of fresh violets, found himself the center of attention. The ragged tramp who called himself Old Sun- flower forced his way through the crowd. ahbene bi. eye fell on the’ little man, he fairly yelled: “*Blow me blind! May I be strangled to death with bug-juice ef it hain’t thet little Jo- dandy o’ creation, Violet Vane!” From the outside of the circle Frank Still- man staggered away, looking as if he had seen an apparition, “My God!” he gasped. ‘Is it possible the dead has returned to life?” CHAPTER IV. STUTTERING CHARLIE SHOWS HIS STUFF, As Violet Vane entered the saloon of the Co- lumbia Hotel that evening the squeaking ofa fiddle, shuffling of feet, coarse shouts of laugh- ter and an occasional pistol-shot fell on bis eg t it down, long-l ry po own, long-legs “Shake them feet a little faster!” ‘* Stir up the dust, tenderfoot!” ** Come, come; you are goin’ to sleep!” : The cries came from the crowd gathered at the further end of the room, In the center of a wide circle Vane saw a slender and rather foppishly- young man, who was dancing at a lively rate to the music of the old fiddle. A glance convinced the wearer of the violets that the dancer was a tenderfooct who had fallen into Snes that seemed to be leading him a fast e, It was Stuttering Charlie Ross, and he had the aspect of a person who would consider it good fortune if he were dead and buried ina comfortable manner. His eyeglasses were dangling and flopping at the end of the cord, and bis violent exertions had caused his cuffs to slide far down over his bands. He was perspir- ing from every pore, and there was a look of utter terror and despair on his face, For all of that, he was really doing some clever steps, and now and then thes tors would break forth in involuntary applause. Within the circle stood two short, stocky toughs of the most repulsive type, each holding a cocked revolver and now and then sending a bullet into the floor in the vicinity of Charlie's flying feet. They appeared to be the ring-mas- ters of the occasion, and in fact, they were two of the most vicious men in White Water since the ejection of Black Burk and his gang. They were know as Stub Smith and Humpy Dick, the former having but the stub of a left hand and the latter being deformed by an unsightly hump between his shoulders. For all of their defor- mities, they were desperate fighters and greatly feared in the camp. ** S-9-s-say !” cried Charlie, relaxing his pace a bit; ‘* hain t von fellows got abub-bub-bub-about enough of this?” In reply, Stub Smith fired a bullet into the floor so close to the stammerer’s toes that he leaped three feet into the air, uttering a yell tors roar with merriment, ‘© Dud—dud—don’t do that!” he cried, “Then keep on shufflin’!” commanded Humpy ick. “ Bub—bub—but I’m tired,” protested Charlie, ‘“Thet don’t make er derned bit of diff’'runce ter us, Hoe in afore we shoot yer ears off!” . - wv Jl The unfortunate fellow went at it again. A dark look settled on Violet Vane’s face, and he did not notice the approach of Old Sunflower ai that worthy touched him on the arm and said; ) ‘* Thinkin’ o’ takin’ er ban’ in ther dance, lee- tle pard?” ‘*I was contemplating it,” replied Vane, ‘“‘Ther tenderfut seems ter be in hot com- pany.” ‘** Yes, wretches?” “Two o’ ther wu’st galoots in this yere town, ur folks do lie "bout ’em like sin. They are b—a—a—d men from ’Way Back, an’ they’re allus lookin’ fer a ruction.” “Who is that boy?” ‘* Boy !—he ain’t no boy! I ‘low he looks like one, but he’s er derned sight older’n he seems, ur 1 don’t know merself w’en I looks in er mirror! He says his name is Charlie Ross, an’ he bites ther biggest part o’ his words inter erbout a dozen pieces, His jaws seem took with ther ague w’en he goes for ter talk.” “Well,” said Vane, quietly, advancing toward the group, “I believe I will chip into that game,” ** An’ by ther great jehocus! I'll stan’ ter yer back ter ther bitter eend, as I has did menny an’ menny a time afore this.” But before the little sport could take a hand something happened—something unexpected and startling. In his dancing, Charlie had managed to work his way close to Stub Smitb. Then he began to cut some very queer figures, flinging his arms and legs about in the wildest manner, | ** Look out, you blamed fool!” roared the squat rascal, retreating to avoid being hit. ‘‘ If you bit me, Pi—” He never explained what be would do, for at that moment there was a spat as the dancer's hand struck him fairly on the left jaw with such force that he was instantly knocked off bis feet and fell heavily to the floor, As be happened to have bis tongue between his teeth at that mo- ment, he came very near biting it in two. Who are those villainous-looking A how! of fury came from the ruffian’s lips as — he scrambled to his feet and made a rush for the stammerer, who was saying, as if in the greatest a ‘* B-b-b-beg pardon! Quite accidental, I as- sure you.” “‘Derned if I don’t hev your skelp!” yelled Smee, dropping his revolver and drawing a nire, But, Charlie succeeded in evading the rush of the desperate man, and as Smith slid past, the dancer gave him a kick that fairly lifted his feet from the floor and caused him to land on his nose, * peeling” that organ in a shocking manner. **'W hoop-ee /” squealed Old Sunflower, danc- ing with delight. “I'll bet a thousan’ dollars erg’in’a rusty ole-fasbioned cent ther galoot in ther checker-board suit kin lick ther packin’ outer t’?other one! Who's takin’ ther bet? Trot out some o’ ther money men o’ this yere town thet durst risk a cent ayg’in’ er thousan’ dollars!” But, Humpy Dick bad decided to pitch in. With the greatest amazement, be witnessed the discomfiture of his pard, then he made a rusk for the tenderfoot with whom they bad been having so much sport, : Charlie was looking for bim. * Gug-gug-go way!” he cried. ‘If you dud- dud-don’t, 1 shal] burt you.” Down on his hands ke dropped, turning a prettv bandspring and “iim pit of Humpy’s stomach, rounding the deformed rascal up as if be were suddenly attacked by a terrible spasm of the colic. Then Charlie came up smilingly, just in time to upset Stub Smith, as that unworthy was struggling to his feet in’ a dazed manner. The spectators were amazed. They had not dreamed the stuttering fop was made of such stuff, and they could scarcely believe the evi- dence of their eyes, | Violet Vane held back and watched every move keenly, a look of satisfaction on his face, He instantly comprehended the stutterer was several degrees smarter than he appeared, ‘It has b-b-been a long tut-tut-time since I have found it necessary to indud-dud-dulge in & scrapping match,” observed the “real Char- lie Ross,” spitting on bis bands in a business- like manner; “‘bub-bub-but I believe I enjoy it pretty near as well as I ever d-d-did.” “By zucks!” whooped Old Sunflower; “ thet boy’s er nh bed ee 5 Pel 4 umpy Dick was w gina painful man- ner in the attempt to breathe on “m more in a natural way. Finally he su ne ’ < ¥ ei .” SAU Y : | i 4 r * +, * . . y 4 o < , his feet near the © ee -