Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 724 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

he WS pon Ms oma re eb eeevenuen ind agate a | ts, SACI: <ggnh 8 Violet Vane’s Vengeance. saddle to wave his band derisively at the pur- suing Regulators. Mounted on his magnificent black horse, Cap- tain Mute led the pursuers. He rode like a Cen- taur, the bridle-rein lying loose on the horse’s meck, In his hands the man held a repeating- rifle, but he did not offer to use it until the stage was passed. Then be threw it up, and scarcely had the breech touched his shoulder when a puff of smoke leaped from the muzzle, and tbe sharp spang of the weapon echoed along the canyon, Down went one of the robbers’ horses, hurling its rider far over its head. Again the deadly rifle spoke, and again a horse f ell, Then the robbers disappearea beyond a bend in the canyon, and the Regulators were also soon lost to view. To the surprise of every one, the sad-faced passenger, whom all supposed fatally injured, arose to bis feet quite untouched. ‘*T saw the man meant to shoot,” he ex- plained, ‘‘and so I dropped. I was just in time.” The road-agents who had been thrown from their horses were either stunned or killed, for they did not stir. However, no one paid any attention to them, and the stage was soon mov- ing onward toward White Water, as if nothing had happened. CHAPTER IX. DANTON IN DISGUISE, THE stage reached White Water without fur- ther molestation, and the driver, who held the ribbons in wer met Seth’s place since the daring Jebu was injured, bad a thriliing tale to tell the people who were waiting its arrival. Horace Danton escaped into the hotel before the driver told how near he came to being a vic- tim of Black Burk’s revolver. Within the bar- room be examined the Register carefully, ap- learned to call him that—‘t I have not seen you for two whole dayst Where have you been?” ‘* Bub-bub-business has kept me away,” he replied, ‘ Business!” she cried inamazement. ‘‘I did not know you had any business,” ‘** Well, I have.” ‘* What is it?” “lm hunting for my fuf-fuf-father now,” he laughed. ‘* You sus-sus-sus-see he has offered a reward for mum-mum-my recovery and I am bound t-t-to scoop the boodle.” ‘‘Oh, what are you trying to chaff me for! I can see you are fibbing by the look in your eyes, You must think I am a reg’ler chump!” ‘*T think you are a regular dud-dud—” ‘*Oh, that is worse still!” laughed Harry. ‘** ’'d be ’most anything before I’d be a dud-dud!” ** Cuc-cue-cuc—” ‘‘That’s what a hen says when sbe cackles— cuc-cuc-cadawcut. It’s real mean of you to mock a poor ben, Charlie!” ° Charlie rammed bis cane into the ground in a vicious manner, while be cried, desperately: ‘**Cuc-cuc-can’t you wait till | gig-gig-get a word out before you cut me off in t-t-that way? I meant to sus-sus-sus—” ‘* Oh, dear sus!” shouted Harry, in a veritable paroxysm of merriment. ‘*] meant to sus-sus-say I think you a regular dud-dud-daisy.” “Oh, that’s it! Well, I did think your tut-tut-tongue would not hold out to sus-sus-say it, Ob, Charlie! you: don’t know what a joliy fellow you are! If it were not for you, I would just die for the lack of amusement, I was blue as a whetstone before I saw you to-day.” ** What made you b-b-blue?” A cloud came over Harry’s merry face and she shook her curly head, sadly, ‘** Dick is not well at all.” ‘What is the mum-mum-matter with him?” ‘* He bas a dreadful bad cough,” ‘**T thought you were not afraid of the Old Bub-bub-bub-boy bimse)f,” But there was something about the appear- ance of Horace Danton that filled the usually fearless girl with alarm. He truly did look like a ruftian at a short distance, ‘‘I think I had better go now, Charlie,” she said, still keeping her eyes on the advancing man. ‘“ He is coming here,” I will ‘** But [ bope you will not gug-gug-go. prc tect you from injury,” “You, Charlie? Goodness! what would you amount to with such a ruffian as that? He could swallow you! Iam goingnow. Look out for yourself.” ‘Oh, say!” cried Charlie, desperately. “I d-d-don’t want you to go! Please stay!” He caught her by the arm. ‘“*T believe you are really frightened out of your wits,” she declared, ‘‘ But, I can’t sta and protect you, for J have not my gun. I will run to the house and get the revolver, and if that man burts you, I will come back and shoot him through the bead,” She broke from him and ran toward the cot- tage, pausing to look back before she disappeared through the doorway, What she saw caused her some surprise, Both Charlie and the stranger were standing still, staring after her. * ‘]T wonder who that man can be?” she mut- tered. ‘‘ Charlie does not seem afraid of bim after all,” She entered the cabin and peered from the window. There she saw the two men meet and speak togetber earnestly for a few seconds, after which they walked away together, ‘* Now what does that mean?” she asked her- self, shaking her pretty head in pag age be . ane act exactly as if they knew each other well, : Dick’s bollow cough sounded behind her, and his weak voice asked: ‘** Who is that you are speaking of, sister?” parently searching for something. Finally be ‘*A cough? Why d-d-don’t you have a dud- Sbe turned with a start. found what he was looking for. It read: dud-doctor?” ‘‘Oh, nobody in particular,” she replied, not **Charlie Ross, Room No. 3.” Two minutes later Danton was rapping at the door of Room No. 3. ‘** Cuc-cuc-cuc-come in,” called a voice, and the sad-faced man entered. ' It was more than an hour later that two men left that room and passed out of the hotel, One of them was Stuttering Charlie. The stam- merer’s companion appeared like a rather rough fellow, dressed in slouchy clothes and wearing a lop-brimmed bat, A bushy beard concealed bis face almost to the eyes. But about the man there was one ‘dead give-away.” His bands were white and shapely, quite unlike those of a common laborer, which was plainly the charac- ter he ho to,be taken for. It was Horace Danton in disguise. ‘* Tt is a fine day, J-j-jack,” observed Charlie, as they left the hotel steps. “A right peert sort uv er day,” growled Dantor, in reply, bis voice sounding hoarse and smothered in the depths of his buge false beard. The shadow of a smile flitted across the stam- merer’s face. ‘*T will sbow you all round over the tut- tut-tut-town,” he said, ‘‘It is a b-b-b-boom- ing little place, and dud-dnd-don’t you forget tbat.” / ‘‘ I’ve beerd as how it wuz howlin” right erlong on ther bigh road uv prosperusness; but I want ter let you know it’s got ter keep wide erwake an’ pusbin’ ter ermount ter sbucks side uv Hackensock City, be a metropolis, want you ter distinctly - understan’. I know, fer I’ve bin thar an’ lived thar, W’en Snap Shot Jack asseverates er thing you kin put it Cown as Guspel straight frum ther shoulder.” Charlie put his hand to bis mouth and coughed, in this manner mt from laughing. **IT guess you will let Hackensock City gug- gug-go to bluzes and settle down bere when you sus-sus-see what kind of a place this is and what it is bound to b-b-be,” ln a short time they wandered away toward the place where Charlie was in tbe habit of meeting Happy Harry. Their actions were, singular, for they separated some time before reaching the + Bo Danton sitting Gown on tbe ound bebind a bowlder, so that he could not ay by any one who should come from the cabin. Charlie proceeded to the spot where he usually met the strange girl and seated himself on a bowlder. It was not long before Harry appeared and espied him. He waved his handkerchief to her and she came dancing toward bim. Hackensock’s boun’ ter, ‘* It would cost so much; and you see, Uncle Mat—” Sho stopped in consternation, ‘* You are mistaken,” asserted the stammer- er, ‘*] d-d-do not sus-sus-see Uncle Matat all. Who is be?” ‘*Ob, nobody—nobody at all!” declared Harry, looking frightened. ‘*T-t-that won’t go down,” said Charlie, ‘Why should you conceal everything from mum-mum-me! Am I n-n-not your friend?” ‘* Oh, I think so—I hope so! But I cannot tell —really I can’t!” ‘Why not?” ‘** He would be so angry!” she Hy , scarcely realizing what she wassaying, ‘‘He has made me promise not to tella word. Hehasmademe promise not to— God frocks gaspingly. ‘*T am saying things I ought not to!” Her face had lost all its sunniness, and she seemed ready to’ burst into tears, Charlie was uneasy, but relentless, ‘Tf you won’t tell me about this Uncle Mat,” he said, ‘‘ why won’t you t-t-t-take me to the cabin ard let me sus-sus-see your brether?” ‘*No, no! You have promised not to come till I said you might, You cannot come now,” ‘‘This seems very mysterious. I d-d-don’t kpow what to think of it.” ‘* Then don’t think of it at all.” ** That is impossible,” ) ‘Ob, dear!” wringing her hands, ‘I don’t know what todo!” ‘* And I don’t know how t-t-to belp you do it.” Then their eyes met, and the next moment both were laughing. Harry bad one of those peculiar natures that sometimes changed from grief to merriment in the twinkling of an eye. “Is your b-b-brother very sick?” asked Char- ie, “ He can sit up, but he cougbs ’most all the time, and it sounds so hollow it makes me shiver.” Consumption!’ was the thought that flashed through the stammerer’s mind. * Won’t you let me sus-sus-send the doctor?” he asked, ‘*No, no, no! Dick does not want to see a doctor. I bave some medicine I am giving him. He will be better soon, I am sure,” But Charlie was not 8o sure, At this moment Horace Danton arose to his feet and approached the couple. Harry saw him almost instantly. ‘Oh, who is that u asked, drawing a little c Charlie laugbed. ** He d-d-d-does look ugly, don’t he?” ** And see how he stares at me!” exclaimed ly - looking” man?” she oser to ber companion, thinking it best to explain everything to the sick lad. ‘* How are you feeling now—better?” He shook his bead, pressing his hands on his breast, ‘It burts awfully when I cough bard,” be re- plied, in a pitiful manner, ‘* What do you sup- pose makes it hurt so, Harry?” CHAPTER X, OLD SUNFLOWER AND IONE. How Old Sunflower managed to get a living in White Water was something of a mystery. He had been ‘‘dead broke” when he arrived in the camp and bad ppoatenee remained so ever since, but for all of that, he lived and lost no © flesh, His smile remained as quaint as ever and he was continually making talk he could not ** back up.” , The sbaggy-headed old fellow was something of a mystery, for no man could tell when he would fight and when he would run away. His courage was Of the most uneven and unreason- able character, for at times he would be nearly frightened out of his wits at almost nothing at all—or would seem to be—while at otber times Satan bimself could not scare bim. 7 His one great weakness was a love for liquor, but in White Water that was not considered a weakness unless a man got ‘‘ off bis feet” seven days out of the week, Nearly everybody drank if they could get the cash to pay for the poison. The exceptions were few and far between, hence Frank Stillman’s failure in attempting to close the saloons. ' Old Sunflower stood on the steps of the Ce- lumbia Hotel and watched Stuttering Charlie and Horace Danton approach. The old fellow shook his head and grinned, as he softly mut- tered: ‘‘Suthin’ derned sing’ler "bout thet checker- board chap, I'll ‘low. Blamed ef I kin jest size bim up! He acts likeer fresh frum Rain- water Crick, but ther way he knocked ther cor- ners offen Stub Smith an’ aye Dick wuz beaucherful ter witness, amen! e hain’t tackled him since, but I reckon they’re — ist layin’ low fer ther chance ter swipe bim fer eeps.” As Charlie and his companion came forward, the stammerer asked, by way of keeping up the deception: , ‘Well, what d-d-d-do you ,tbink of the pup- pup-pup-place, Jack?” f Oh, itll do, itll do! But I’m stickin’ ter my ’riginal statement thet it can’t hold er candle ter Hackensock. Thet thar town’s boun’ ter be ther greatest howlin’ ole burgh in this yere part — m critters — oe © ae he ‘*Oh, Charlie!’ she exclaimed —she had! Harry, “lam afraid of him.” . of ther kentry, you hear me shout!” ‘4 re . . i > = » ~ fate a f Re ' ; , ; as v in Se . * | f ; - PT . - ; A a 4 be. tet Be eh ae tee Ae a se RR Ea Dee Rigs aarti eset oats te a SES ae ate Lew a Fa Hedlend sate “EO tk S 6 © ; 0 7 be A. . ‘y ie od : > T rd a \ i, 4 i : ) es wil Y ok Ma eu -- 7 2 ~~ S we Ben» a= - vee 4 ~~ — r) iis *. o 4