Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 802 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

**'What is this? A case? A case it may Tinker, have him arrested! Ped- Vl bandle the case for le. e, as 1 live, dler, prefer charges! both of you!” ‘Get out, blatherskite!” cried the mayor. ‘*T guess I am Solomon enough to settle this hyer difficulty out o’ court,” ‘* Begorra, nothing but his blood will satisfy—” 4 Yust let me seddle mit him in mine own vay— **Shat up, both of you!” cried the mayor. ** Hink, go and get that piece of meat thoy ar’ fightin’ about,” With a grin the landlord hastened off, while the crowd laughed, all being quick to apprehend what plan the rugged mayor had iv view. In a moment Old Hink was back again, bear- ing a piece of tough meat about half as big as his hand, and the mayor ordered him to cut itin half, which he did, and the mayor said: ‘** Now, you fellers, each take half and chaw. ener fer all ye’re wu’th, too, or ther wuss fer ye!’ The meat, by the way, had been on the floor, had been stepped on and otherwise maltreated, and was in anything but a palatable con- dition, This both the belligerents saw at once, and each began to make his excuses in order to get out of eating it, as the mayor had ordered. It was not worth the fight they had made for it, now, ‘*Py shimminy, I vill not ead it, less I can have it all!” cried Yager. ‘* Der plame Turk had der last sticka brodt der vas on der blate.” ** But, begorra,” cried McGee, ‘* ye was such a hog dhat Oi couldn’t begin to hold a candle to ye at ’atin’, no more Oi could, I bad dhe right to dhe bread and the m’ats both!” ‘*T vant half der brodt, if I dake half der meat,” aaa would ye have me t’row it up fur Q “Take it and eat, or I’m blamed if I don’t take ye both in hand!” the mayor ordered. ** Let him have it all,” the Irishman waived, suddenly. ‘‘ He had his dirthy mout’ on it any- how.” ‘“And you ground id mit your nasty schoen, unt I vouldn’t dake itin mine hand any more, maybe, you bet.” he mayor whipped out a revolver. ‘* Take it and chaw!” he ordered. * And if you don’t, mighty quick, there will be a job for the undertaker hyer,” The two quailed at once, and each taking his share of the meat, they began eating it as though with the keenest relish; while the crowd laughed heartyly at their performance. Lawyer Bungle looked on disconsolately, see- me, 6 case dwindle to nothing, ut, was it lost? He was thinking as he watched, or seemed to be, for he held his chin in a meditative way, ‘‘ There,” cried the mayor, when the meat had disappeared, ‘* that’s the way we settle sech dif_i- kilties hyer. Let me find you two fightin’ again, an’ ye won't get off half as easy next time.” ‘*'The case is not wholly lost!” cried the law- yer, as though the thought had suddenly struck ee you two can jointly sue the mayor or— The mayor’s revolver swept suddenly around and took a bead on the lawyer’s nose. With a yell, Mr. Bungle jumped back and sought safety behind some of the crowd at the same time bellowing wildly: ‘Don’t shoot, mayor! Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot! [takeit all back! It was only a joke, anyhow, for how could such fellows bring suit against the highest oflicer of the cam,;? Prepos- terous! Only a joke, sir, I assure you.” ‘Be more careful how you joke, then, that’s all, or you may come ter grief in a suddent fash- ion,” The Irishman and the Dutchman were glaring daggers at each other. ** Begorra, Oi hate dhe soight av ye!” the tinker cried, vengefully. ‘‘Oi would not mend a pot fur ye, an ye had to cook your grubina dish-pan, no more I would!” “* Unt py beavens I vouldn’t sold you von bair socks if you vent bungry midout your preakfast, unt don’t you forgot id!” declared the peddler, warmly. ‘* Vor two cents I vould—” “ Plug right up!” ordered the mayor, “ Plug right up and git out, and if I hear avy more of this byer, I'll hang ye both,” The belligerents each gave a look of hatred at the other, and then each slunk away to his corner, gathered up his effects, and they left the room by different doors, The crowd that followed them out, watch- ing them from the piazza till each bad disap- a ea » in Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diamond Dice peared in the darkness in opposite directions, suddenly had its attention drawn to wild cries from the direction of the barber’s shanty. ‘*‘Come out ob dar, yo’ low-down pusson!” Pompey Sunflower was heard to shout, ‘‘ Come right out ob dar, [ tol’ yo’! If yo’ don’t L’s gwine terkyarve ye, an’ I'll kyarve ye deep!” A half-smothered retort was heard, and the crowd set forth on a run to learn what was the trouble there. When they came up to the shanty they found the darky standing outside the door, wildly flourishing a badly nicked razor, and savagely inviting somebudy to come out and get “ kyarv- ed, ‘““Ef I come in dar to yo’, Pll make a c'ean job of yo’, yo’ bet on’t! I hab yo’ to onder- stan’ dat dis yere shanty is mine; I hab bought an’ paid fo’ hit; an’ now I am gwine ter hab bit or ’s gwine ter shed blood! Come out ob dar, I say, or Pil make yo’ sick!” ‘*) reckon persession is ther best holt, nig,” answered the voice of Kennaka Kolt, the bum- mer, ‘‘an’ that’s what I’ve got, bard. A man must have a place ter sleep, an’ vou wasn’t ter home when I sneaked in hyer. If you want me out bad you will have ter come an’ put me out, ther which same et won’t be healthy fer you to ondertake, an’ don’t ye forget et.” ‘Hello!’ What’s the trouble byer?” deinanded the mayor. ‘* Pll tol’ yo’ what’s de matter, sah,” cried the darky. ‘Dis yere bum hab gone an’ dis- supped dis yere shanty, an’ ha won’t come out, dat’s de matter; but dar will be wuss’n dat de matter, if [ has to kyarvehim, yo’ kin bet on’t!” “Come out of there, you rascal!” cried the mayor. ‘“‘This nig bougbt tbis hyer shanty an’ peid good money fer et, an’ Ill see that he has his rights. Come out, or Pll let drive a bullet right in your direction!” There was a hasty scramble at that, and the bummer hastily appeared. * Don’t shoot,” be pleaded, humbly. ‘‘ I guess I have made a mistake, that is what’s ther matter, I thort ther nig was maybe bluffin’, and I wanted ter show him that I could bluff jest as hard as he could. I'll slope, ef ye won’t shoot,” ; ‘* Yo’ had better slope, yo’ low-down nobody !” cried Sunflower, ‘* Au’ you want to bear in yo’ recollection dat I carry a razor inmy boot, an’ if yo’ come foolin’ ’round heah any more ['ll kyarve ye so’s yo’ won't bea fit subjeck fo'a decent inquest. Dat’s de kind ob a man I am,” ‘‘ Beg yer pardon, nig,” the bum apologized, under cover of the mayor’s revolver, ‘ You wasn’t at home when I kem in, an’ I bad a right ter think et was only askin game ter git me out, ** Well, see dat yo’ don’t make no mo’ mistakes ob de kind, dat’s all.” ‘‘* And see here, too,” added the mayor, ** And I’m talkin’ to both of ye, This hyer camp is under my rule, an’ I don’t low nothin’ out of order byer, Ther deuce has been ter pay ever gence you strangers struck camp, an’ ef there is any more of et, you will have ter git,” “But, sah, [ was only defendin’ my rights, sah,” arguad the darky. ‘*'Yis, begorra.” suddenly put iu the voice of the tinker, ‘‘an’ Oi was only defendin’ me appetite against furren thavery. MRoight is roight, begob!” ** Unt dot vas all right v’at vasn’t all wrong,” Cbipped in the voice of the peddler, who bail somehow got around to that quarter in a short time, ‘Der pest dings you could do, Mister Mans, vas to hang dot Irishman.” ‘* Whatever ye do, mayor,” the bummer called back, as he was making off, ‘‘ don’t class me with fellers sech as these, I’m ther only one ‘of my kind; a gem of—” ** Slide, dast ye, every one!” the mayor storm- ed, flourishing hisrevolver, ‘‘ If ye don’t, quick, Pll spill blood byer! Git!” . And they “‘ got,” the peddler, the bummer, the tinker, and the darky; the latter seeking shelter in his shanty. And having scattered them, the mayor led the way to the Sarcophagus: Saloon, CHAPTER VIII. SOME DESPERATE PLAYING. “MIGHT jest as well let such fellers know at ther start who is boss in this hyer camp,” the mayor muttered. ‘‘Et’s fer their own good, Confound rantankerous tramps! they ain’t no business hyer, anyhow,” ‘“*T guess they are harmless, mayor,” observed e mine superintendent, Keeler, ‘If they want to wrangle among themselves, why, let em, ** Don’t. know but you ar’ right, Bob.” ‘The th ight struck me that mebby they was in caboots,” remarked Hokley, ‘‘ but their fightin’ was too earnest to give that idea a hold. I tell you wh it, Irish and Dutecby did go into it fer all they v as worth.” ‘There was no shamming there, that’s sure,” agreed Keeler, And that had been the object in view with the wearers of the diamond dice: to disarm any suspicion that they were working together, | When they entered the Sarcopbagus the place was found to be all alive, the various games of the evening having gotten under way, The chief attraction of the place was the faro lay-out, which was run by a mau named Bon- dell, better know as ‘‘ Sportive Sport,” He was a tall fellow, good-looking, with wo- manish bands and features that were greatly de- ceptive, for be was an athlete of. no mean ability, as many an unruly cit bad discovered to his chagrin. The newly arrived sport, White George, was present, having recently come in, and he was looking idly at the game from a distance, Lawyer Bungle, too, was there, nearer the table and players, acting as though he was longing to risk a small sum, When the mayor entered, in company with Maneger Armstrong, Superintendent Keeler, Ike Hokley, and others, these advanced at once to the table, The mayor looked around to note who were present, His eyes rested upon the sport, ‘Not hangin’ back, are ye, stranger?” he greeted,” ‘“No, not particularly so,” was the easy re- sponse, ‘*I am merely looking ou while I finish my cigar.” ‘* Then you'll try a turn presently?” ‘“* f guess so, Mr, Corrigan,” ‘*Let me introduce you, then, Mr, Bondell, hyer is a stranger sport, George White, by name, said to be better known as White George, Mr, White, this hyer gent is our prince of ther paste- boards, Sportiv. Sport.” White George had sauntered forward while the mayor was speaking. ‘* Glad to know you, sir,” be said, ** Ditto,” pale the king of the green table, They allowed their hands to meet in a formal way, and the Sportive Sport was immediately attentive to business egain, ‘* Make your play, gentlemen,” he called, The table was not filled, but the few players placed their chips and the deal was made, The bank won, but the amount was trifling, ‘This small playing is killing,” the dealer ob- served, witha yawn, ‘“*Therisk is not enough to keep a fellow awake.” “Try your hand, sport,” the mayor urged, speaking to White George, ‘You say that is right in your line, I believe,” **Perbaps the proprietor would object to it,” the sport observed, ‘* Why so?” asked Sportive Sport. ‘Pm a professional,” ‘*So much the better, It will make it inter- esting, Iam dying here by inches, of pure and and simple stagnation,” ‘* Well, I may be able to bring you out of that state,” White George sat down. ** What is the limit?’ he asked. ‘¢ The bank’s limit, do you mean?” Certainly.” **T thought perhaps pon referred to the game, It has been practically unlimited to paren. The limit of the bank is an even fifty thousand dollars,” . oh All right, that is enough to make it interest- Ing. The sport took a bill-book from an inner pocket, and opening it, displaved a stack of bills, the one on top indicating $1 000, Counting out five of these bills, all being of the same denomination, the new-comer laid them on the deuce, A slight paleness had for an instant appear- ed on the face of the proprietor of the game, but it disappeared immediately and he coolly dealt the cards, There was a little delay, but presently the right card appeared, and the bank won, ‘* Better Inck next time, perhaps,” observed White George, coolly. ‘You make a pretty bold beginning,” ob- served the winner, “And it is only a beginning. I will do better after awhile, if I don't go broke too soon, He had counted out ten of the bills, now, and he laid them on the same card, _ Sportive Sport’s fingers were slightly nervous, OmiIck