Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 794 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

: | i RN St he of * iad Headlight Harry’s Hunt. his lips parted in a tigerish smile, while a devil- | grimly. ish light danced in his jetty eyes. ‘*Confound that scoundrel, Jerry! He’sa mighty long time in showing up. Deep into some deviliry on his own account, I suppose. Ah! Here comes the precious rascal, now, Just speak of Old Nick, and he always bobs up at your elbow!” There was the sound of heavy footsteps on the creaky stairs, and presently the gambler king’s right bower and partner in evil ap- peared to view. ‘*So you've showed up at last have you, Black Jerry? Seem’s to me you’re mighty deliberate this morning. It’s fully half an hour since I sent for you.” ‘*I know it, pard—I plead guilty to the charge ” was Black Jerry’s humble admis- sion. ‘‘ But, ye see, there wuz extenuatin’ sarcumstances—” ‘“Indeed! How so?” ‘‘ Why, ye see, | was deep inter a game o’ poker wi’ a tenderfoot when yer message arrived, so I jest had to stay an’ play it out. Sorry I kep’ ye waitin’, pard, but the cempta- tion was somethin’ irresistible—I had sich a ge-lorious hand.” ‘‘Oh, yes; I dare say! You always have a glorious hand—in faet, that is one of your chief characteristics,” was Kirby’s sarcastic retort. Well, I s’pose I’ll have to excuse ye this time, Jerry; but see that it doesn’t occur ~ again. And now, having skinned the tender- - foot to your heart’s content, it’s high time to turn your attention to business of another sort.” f ‘*I’m yer huckleberry, the docket now?” Black quired, ‘* Ob, I’ve got a little job for you, Jerry— a job just suited to your liking! But, first, ard! What’s on erry eagerly in- git down there, wash the dust out of your throat with a little old rye, and then enjoy a choice weed while I explain matters at leisure,” which directions the stalwart ruf- fian was nothing loth to obey. “Now, Jerry, I’ve.got quite a little sur- prise in store for you,” the King went on, ' after throwing aside his own half consumed _ Havana and deliberately lighting another. ‘*] suppose ‘the circumstances: of our re- cent little Eastern trip are still fresh in your ’ memory, are they not?’ ‘**T. reckon so, pard, since it’s only three short days ago that I celebrated my safe re- turn’ to Camp by gettin’ under a most ‘tremenjous jag. Jumpin’ jack-rabbits! I “haven't hardly got over it yet!” and Black Jerry grinned broadly at the recollection. readily recall the fresh ‘Such being the case, then, you will young fellow who -meddled with our little affair at Richville, and who was awarded by the old miner with the secret of his hidden treasire—a gift, by the way, which benefited him but little, since at this minute I have the valuable docu- ment safe in my inside pocket. Ha, ha, ha!” ‘* Ha, ha, hal” echoed the lesser villain. “Ha, ha, ha! We played a winning game that time, an’ no mistake. Oh, yes; [ re- member the fresh young galoot. Headlight Harry was his handle—an engineer by pro- fesh. We looked his record up pretty thor- ngshee S you remember.” ‘* Well, Jerry, I have just had the pleasure of meeting that same young gentleman again,” announced Kirby, at which his _ satellite jumped up in sudden surprise and _ ’ _ sisted Black Jerry, still unconvinced, A « ea 4 a “a Dae ; a a fon 2 4 a & , s excitement. ‘* You don’t mean to say that young ten- derfoot has ventured into Satan’s Camp?” he ejaculated, in blank amazement. “I saw either Headlight Harry or his double, less than one hour ago,” ‘‘ Where?” ‘* Right in the saloon below.” ** Pard, ye must be mistaken, sure. the loot wouldn't dare come hyar!” per- -- “*He has more sand than you gave him ' | ; ‘‘There’s no mistake about the matter, I assure you, since I saw the fellow with my own two eyes. Jerry, did you notice the two strangers who arrived on the ' stage last night?’ ne ee ne ——————————————LLLLLLLL LLL LS credit for, I reckon,” returned the King, fe a Lape ay, ‘ > e ~ : “e wir Sra * “Did 1? Now you're a-shoutin’, pard., I’ve got my optics on the precious pair, In business, without further paiaver. Of course you know why | have sent for you. This precious pair must be effectually squelched, and that, too, without delay. I shall de- pend on you to see that the job is properly done.”’ ‘“You kin rely on me, vou bet! What view to ropin’ ‘em into a quiet leetle game | d’ye want done with the lambs?” afore I’m aday older. [t strikes me very forcibly thar’s plunder to be had in that quarter.” ‘* Ourse you for a fool, Jerry! for skinning folks at poker is running away with what little horse sense ye ever possess- od Don’t ye know, yer pesky idiot, that one of those chaps is this same Headlight Harry?” “The devil, you say!” ‘‘Tt’s a fact, Jerry.” ‘‘ An’ who's the other galoot?” ‘‘The engineer’s pard, Rufe Ruffle.” ‘“Whew! I'd never a-thought it! The chaps are made up mighty slick, an’ no mis- take. You've got blamed sharp eyesight, pard, to penetrate their disguise so quick.” ‘“You give me undue credit Jerry,” returned Kirby, laughing, ‘‘since it was merely by accident that I discovered the truth.” ‘* How did it happen?” ‘‘ Well, ye see, the two strangers entered the saloon awhile ago; and they hadn’t be’n in the place ten minutes before Teaser Tom came waltzing in, full to the muzzle and looking for gore. He run up against the engineer, and’ then for a few minutes there was the biggest kind of circus. In the fracas the stranger’s wig and beard fell to the floor, and to my great astonishment, Headlight Harry stood revealed. He seemed ‘greatly disconcerted at the exposure, and hastened to rearrange his head-gear and leave the place, evidently fearing recognition. But, he was hardly quick enough to evade the argus eyes of King Kirby, a, ha, ha!” Black Jerry stared at the speaker, a puzzled expression upon his evil coun- tenance. ‘‘ What’s that you’re sayin’, pard? The young tenderfovt left the place after running up ag’in’ the Teaser?” ‘*That’s just what I said.” ‘* An’ where, in the name of Satan, was the Teaser?” , ‘‘ Reclining gracefully on his back, toes up, with his cronies pouring whisky down his throat by the pint, in the effort to bring him back to consciousness.” ‘‘Great hoppin’ horn-toads! Ye don’t mean to tell me the tenderfoot knocked out the Teaser?” cried Black Jerry, in blank amazement, ; ‘“Ay, that he did, Jerry; and after the most approved fashion, too. Why, he sailed in like a Sullivan, and I reckon the Teaser never knew what struck him, Headlight tenderfoot; and his companion is a man of the same caliber, unless I’m greatly mis- taken.” ‘‘ Well, pard, what brings the pair into Satan’s Camp? D’ye spose they’re nosin’ round after old Goff's treasure?” ‘Of course! What other object could they have? They’re after the gold cache, sure enough, but I allow it'll be many a day before they feast their optics on the same. I’ve got certain ideas of my own regarding the ownership of that cache, and there’s apt to be trouble in store for the man who inter. feres with my plans,” Black Jerry nodded approvingly as he helped himself to another glass of whisky. ‘« That’s the idea, eggsackly, pardner! We hold a first mortgage on the yellow stuff, an’ I opine these galoots from the East ’ll find this climate so durned unhealthy that they’ll wish they’d a-stuck to their railroad- in’, instead 0’ monkeyin’ with the wolves of Satan’s Camp.” aed “Now, Jerry, let’s come right down to re v ‘ i oe ‘* * s —_ a. af - 5 7 ; A “feel ‘a =,» ‘ s» Sal yy bh ; Khe TAN “4 ony tate Meas a om ar”, - > 4 is ‘ oes “2 WA ve - ine , 4 * om, , ~ be) i 4 ‘\ ar a | " bo ; - Bee Mati wie) ~ y pu ye . m nl AL, i¥ " - 7 Ne! ar ‘ : ‘ ) ee "> ~*~ Harry is no slouch, even though he is a es 4 ae ‘*T want them tucked away in a safe place where they can’t interfere with my plans. That will suffice for the present. I will de- Your zeal ; cide what final disposition to make of them a little later on.” ‘‘All kerrect, pard! It shall be as you say. Have ye any orders to give as to how the job shall be carried out?” “Oh, no; I’ll leave that to your own dis- cretion, Jerry. I place great confidence in your ability, knowing as I do your extensive experience in that peculiar line.” ‘*Thank ye for the compliment, pard,” chuckled the minor ruffian, helping himself to yet another drink. ‘‘ Your confidence is not misplaced. The tenderfeet shall be roped in this very night.” ‘The sooner the better, Jerry. Pick your men with great care, and let there be no bungling, for these chaps are full of sand and will show fight if you give 'em half a chance.”’ | ‘‘T’ll rope em in so neatly they won’t have time to pull trigger,” declared Black Jerry, confidently. ‘‘ I know jest the boys for the job, pard, an’ I’m off this very minnit to git the, gang together,’’ and the gambler, rising to gu, calmly appropriated a bandful of the finest cigars,.an act which provoked a sar- castic smile from his companion. ‘‘Confound you, Jerry, I'd rather keep you a week than a fortnight! Your capacity for cigars and whisky is equaled only b your marvelous dexterity at cards. Off wit you, now; and don’t forget to report the re- sult of your labors at the earliest possible moment.” ‘‘Depend on me, pard; it shall be done,” was Black Jerry’s response, as the two plot- ters descended the stairs together, the King entering his saloon while the other hurried jubilantly away, eager to Compete his plan for the capture of the Railroad Pards. CHAPTER IV. THE SPIDERS WARNING, MEANTIME, the Railroad Pards penetrated the numerous nooks and corners of the camp, viewing with interest its stirring scenes, and employed eyes and ears to such good advan- tage that at nightfall they were considerably wiser in the strange ways of life in Satan’s Camp. They would have felt decidedly less at ease, however, had they known thai shar eyes were watching them at every step, an that that cunning rascal, Black Jerry, was devising a scheme by which to bring about their destruction. See) fh At an early hour in the evening the young railroaders sought their room at the hotel. Satan’s Camp was just preparing for its cus- tomary night of carouse- Miners came in from the neighboring gulches, while from their lairs the camp wolves in the disguise of sports, gamblers and bad men came forth for the feast and harvest. The saloons and gambling dens were, before darkness had fully closed over the camp, in full blast. —_ The Railroad Pards, however, had no incli- nation to mingle in the mad revelry of drink, gaming and ‘“‘fun.”’ Prudence forbade an unnecessary exposure in a place where a stranger who ventured abroad after nightfall might be suid to carry his life in his hand, — Accordingly they sought their room, to talk matters over and to arrange plans for their future movements, ' Securing the door, and window, they stretched themselves upon the rude bed that formed the chief article of furniture, and - * ' rh A a ’ = » a ~~ od 7 , < Le ( - be - , bd 4 i f - a | i « * ‘ i * pW i) eae € ¥ - ‘ey Oa a if \ | a fe le ; q 4 sek 4 i ) ., . | ad } 4 = | ; | bes v7 re , Z ; ~" ; j ' . Pte * ; ne | Son ait) — ———_ f ; '