Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 730 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

leet tg ei gyi epee t= tt Ne eee eed a ee ee eee ++ served i 12 iris tard Ack ecdod od the dendy's nose, (tt lw hard fist landed on the dandy’s nose, bringing a howl from the victim’s lips and a gush of claret from bis nasal organ, ** Oh-o-o!” howled Jonas. ‘‘l am murdered, ye know!” At this instant Adam Jayne succeeded in forc- ing his way into the ring, and seeing the blood on his son’s face and bearing Jonas’s cries, he fancied his offspring had been stabbed. With a snarl of fury, be snatched out a revolver and leaped toward Leon Forest, intent on discharg- ing the weapon at such short range that there would be no chance of making a miss and drop- ping the wron man. But Adam Jayne’s deadly purpose was never accomplished, A second figure leaped into the circle, the toe of a patent-leather boot sent the revolver spin- ming over the heads of the spectators, and a cool voice cried: ** Hold a little on here! Violet Vane will take a band, if you please!” CHAPTER XIV, A DEADLOCK. It was the Velvet Sport himself, fresh, smiling and handsome. He was on hand, and he bad made his presence known after the vigorous manner which usually characterized his move- ments. As the weapon was kicked from his fingers, Adam Jayne started back with an exclamation of surprise and dismay. *‘ Judge” Benjamin Hogg gurgled in a chok- ing manner, whiie the hands of the two toughs, Lank Lxe and Sweet Jim, fell upon the butts of ready weapons, “This is no killing affair, pards,” smiled Violet Vane. ‘ So far it has been a fair fight, and the best man has won, What is the use of making a mess of it all by Being asticker! Slow and easy, geutlemen!” **Confound you!” snarled the elder Jayne, ** What right have you to interfere?” ‘The right of a man who delights in seeing fair play,” bowed the Sport. ‘You were a trifle hasty, sir, and about to do a thing you might afterward regret—though I am not so sure about that,” ‘ This fellow has stabbed my son!” ‘Stabbed him with a good hard fist—yes, He did it very prettily too. I really admire pe manner in which he attended to that little ob, ‘* My boy is bleeding—” ** At the nose. His loss of the: crimson fluid will not be very serious, | fancy. It surely can- not be as weakening as those villainous cigar- ettes he smokes. Those things will roba rap good man of wnat manhood he may possess, scarcely wonder he proved anything ‘put a match for this young man here,” Adam made the discovery that Jonas was not seriously injured, but this did not seem to ap- pease his anger. He had been humiliated be- fore the crowd, and Jonas had received a whip- ping. Those things were too much for human nature to bear, ‘This affair did not concern you; you had no business to interfere in—” “I simply prevented you from committing ~ another murder,” 4dam gasped: ** Another murder!” ** That is what I said,” “What do you mean?” The face of the sanctimonious rascal had turn- ed 5 ory, pale, and some of the spectators ob- is hands shook a little, ‘*T fancied my meaning was plain,” ‘* It is not,” ** Do you wish me to make it plainer?” **T certainly do,” ‘Then you wish me to speak Me the past—yon would have me mention a little job you performed on a certain Mississippi River boat, eh?” KN But Adam Jayne iid not make an immediate - yeply. Ip truth, he was too alarmed/and as- tounded to do so, ‘*You do not seem very anxious for me to mention these things,” smiled Violet Vane. There is no need of mentioning them now; you will have to answer for your crimes soon - enough,” The blood rushed to the schemer’s face and he ‘ shook his clinched hands at the Sport. **'You cur!” be snarled, ‘* Your insinuations Be partly took away my br eath for atime. I can stand a great deal of abuse, for lam a humble servant of the Lord; but this is almost too much -forasaint. Sir, I know not what you mean by Psyous insulting words!” a ne ra suppose nik and I do not wonder at it. . , in Sg ONS Race RMS do a4, Vane’s Verdict. If I were in your place—which, thank Heaven, I am not!—lI should not want to ‘understand any- thing of the kind. If I stood in your boots, I should want to forget the past.” This only made Adam more angry. ‘* How dare you heap such insults upon me!” he spluttered, ‘* You shall pay dearly for it!” Then he turned to the crowd, crying: “Down him!—down that fool!” Hogg and his pals seemed ready to obey the command, but a pair of gleaming weapons flash- ed in the hands of the Velvet Sport, and his voice sounded stern and clear: “Hold hard! I will sink a shaft in the first man who tries it!” ‘¢ And I will servé the same sauce to his pard!” declared Leon Forest, stepping to the side of the man who had befriended him, his right hand filled by the butt ofa business-like revolver. **Reckon Ill hev ter chip injthar,” observed Red Lark, as he also produced a pair of self- cocking revolvers and ranged himself at Vane’s side. How do you critters like ther looks of this gang! Think you'll straddle us ter once’t without stoppin’ ter ax our permit?” The toughs drew back with exclamations of rage and dismay. ‘They don’t seem ter like it wu’th er cent,” laughed the red-bearded miner, But Adam Jayne was not ready to back down. He urged the ruffianly gang to stand by him, several of [ke and Jim’s friends having shown an inclination to take sides against the Velvet Sport and his friends, ‘* Let ’em come,” growled Lark. ‘* We three are purt? nigh enough fer the hull o’nery gang.” ‘We can make it pleasant for them,” siniled Vane, seeming in no way concerned by the om- inous manner of the scowling toughs, ‘You critters better keep out of this muss,” said ‘‘ Judge” Hogg, speaking to and Lark. ‘ You kin git out now without $53 bit of trouble, but thet derned galoot in velvet ton hes got ter come under.” ‘his caused Vane to laugh. ae ‘¢T seem to be the mutton you are looking af- ter now.” ** You bet! You are ther very critter we hey been wantin’ ter git our claws onter.” v Well, you have not got your claws there et, ‘* Jest as good, You can’t ’scape us,” ** Is that so?” ** 1’m shoutin’,” ‘‘ Well, let me tell you something: you and pards will do mighty wellif they escape me, I am after your rotten gang with a split stick, andI am not going to let up till I ruin the crooked game that sleek hypocrite there is try- ing to play.” Jayne actually squirmed beneath these scath- ing words, “ You daring emissary of Satan!” he grated. ‘It is not fair to apply your own especial title to any one else,” was the instant retort. ‘* You are a villain!” - can return the compliment—with inter- est. | ** You are the dastard who stole away my dear nephew.” ‘¢T am the person who saved bim from your machinations,” ‘‘ Ha! he has confessed it! He is a kidnap- ” ‘¢ Better than a murderer!” ‘* Where have you hidden my dear nephew?” ‘*So he is dear? 1 have no doubt of it. He bas already cost you considerable money, and before you succeed in killing him—as you ae to do—he will cost you more.” ‘* Answer my question!” ‘¢ What if [ decline?” ‘¢ You shall be forced to answer,” ‘“‘T am a mighty bard horse to drive,” ‘You had better tell where ther kid is,” was Hog s gurgling declaration. ow, what do you want with him?” ** He is | charged with murder; he killed Old Luckless,” ** And you were the well-paid wretch who pro- nounced him guilty. You were the Judge Lynch of the occasion. J was there, and I rendered an- other verdict—not guilty! That was right, and the’ time will come when the boy shall stand free and clear of the wretched net which the money of a contemptible uncle caused to be set for his unsuspecting feet! It It will yet be shown that my verdict was the true one.’ a anded. tell where the boy is?” Jayne again sry he es we'll eal you!” With a smile, Vane displayed the revolvers. ‘*’'That is much easier said than done,” **'You will not be fool enough to resist this crowd?” Tt is plain you do not know me,” ** It will be suicide on your part,” ‘‘That is where you maksa big mistake, [ am very handy with the pops, and, if I were quite alone, I could thin out your gang ina wonderful manner.” ‘* An’ he hain’t erlone,” putin Red Lark. ‘‘ Me an’ my pard is standin’ ter his back tell ther cows ccme home,” ‘* Fools!” hissed Adam Jayne. ‘* You will only share his fate,” ‘*Thet won’t be hard.” ** These friends of mine do not seem to be easily frightened,” laughed the Sport. ‘‘ Things do not work exactly as you would like them to, do they, Adam?” Once more Jayne turned to the crowd and urged them to attack the three defiant men, and once more Vane and his companions stood ready for the onset. ‘‘'We will have to shoot for business if they try to jump us,” came calmly/from the velvet dandy’s lips. “ But I trust we will be able to bluff them off. If they docome for us, the affair is sure to have a serious termination, It may mean the rope for us, so if you want to get out while there is time—” ‘* Now, hole on, pard!” broke in Red Lark, “Wat fer kind of stuff. d’ye take us? D’yer s’pose we’d slump back on ye arter you stepped in ter help Leon byer? al, you must think we're mighty mean goods!” ‘*} beg your pardon, I suppose the row is as much yours as mine,’ ‘* Now you’re shoutin’!” ‘*Then we will hang together.” ‘* iif we hang a-tall, we will.” At this moment, apparently in a distant part of the room, a voice cried: ‘* The velvet American cannot escape his doom! Juan the Merciless is on his track!” ‘Great thutter!’ spluttered Lark, ‘' Who wuz thet?” Vane smiled, ‘Only a deluded Mexican who has been fol- lowing me around,” was his reply. ‘‘ He has not the courage to face melike a man, I care noth- Ing for him,” ‘* Dern ther Greasers!” growled Lark. ‘* They are ther wu’st! I’d keer more fer them then fer any other kind of er critter, fer one never knows wen they'll stick him in ther back,” By this time Jayne had succeeded in firi ing the toughs till they seemed on the verge of layinch- ing themselves upon the three men who faced them so boldly. ‘‘ Better make your wills, pards,” fell from the lips of the Velvet Sport, as the hammers of his handsome self-acting revolvers were seen to rise somewhat from the pressure of his fin- gers on the triggers. ‘‘ You will never have another chance after you come at us.” ‘* Solid hoss sense,” assured Red Lark, ‘* You will find us er mighty big doset ter swaller with- out reasin’.” hat’s ther raow beur, anyhaow?”’ inquired A iy demas voice, as the long arms of Old Dadd Duzenberry made a & path through the crow bf § thar’s any fun, l’d like ter come inter ther ame, et Reaching the center, he surveyed the situa- tion, then prompt! y stepped to the side of Violet Vane and his friends, **Guess I'll hev ter fall in with ther weaker side,” he grinned, ‘*Thet may show a lack of aly eer te on my part, but I can’t help it, allus makin’ er fool of myself. When [ wuz a bey they said I wuz the dangdest blockhead in Harmony. Thet woz whar I wuz brung up, It’s ’'way daown in Maine, whar they raise pine stumps an’ cider.” While he was saying this he was also deliber- ately feeling around in bis pockets, as if search- ing for something he could not readily find. ‘‘ Gosh blast it!” he mumbled, But, after a time, a grin apr ead over his coun- tenance. ** Found ’em!” he declared, with an 0 of his head, ‘I allus fergit ‘wat pocket ’em in. Sometimes it is kinder onbandy w a want ’em in er hurry, then, erg’in, ’tain’t ser bad, Feller stopped me an’ axed fer my money ur my gizzard oncet, I fished all raound my clothes fer my puss, but arter a w’ile [ found these.” He produced a pair of heavy reyolvers, and deliberately cocked them. ‘‘He looked s’prised like w’en I tuck ’em aout,” chuckled Daddy, in bis odd way. “‘ But w’en I shot a hole right through his liver, so big thet you could kick a dog through it, he wuz a great deal more s’prised. 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