Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 820 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

! iH ‘Ae Hh) = My Lf An | a ae Dain P ft} we Hi « * ; * i «# ee + » eo a ba & ho ~ Nobby Nat, the Tenderfoot Detective, ly whispered, her soul in her eyes, as _ her mental vision contemplated Nobby Nat’s manly contour of face and form. ‘‘It does not seem possible he can be such a villain— and yet—and yet—" She walked the office floor until her ex- citement had passed away, and then she sat down at the desk and wrote a letter, after which she figured up some accounts. When this was attended to, she left the office and ascended to a chamber above. ‘Come in,” called a soft, sad voice, when ‘Gert had rapped lightly on the door. She entered, Sitting ina big easy-chair near an open window was a pale, thin girl, whose cheeks were hollow and whose eyes were inexpressi bly mournful. ‘‘T knew it was you, dear,” said the sad- faced girl, a wan smile creeping to her lips. ‘I have just been asleep in this chair and dreaming. Come here and I will tell you what I dreamed.” Her voice had a strange hollow sound that tald of wasted lungs, and she would occa- sionally cough slightly. Gertie sat down:on a hassock at her sister’s feet, having first kissed the wasted face. ‘What did you dream, Ivy dear?” she tenderly asked. . “Tt was of Aim,” was the answer, and the speaker did not see the cloud that crossed the face of the Girl Rancher. ‘‘I thought he came here—to see me /”’ Gertie did not speak, and so Ivy con- tinued: ‘‘He had been searching for me a long time, and he was oh, so happy when he found me! He said he loved me still, and I looked into his eyes and saw he spoke the truth, Then we were married, Gertie! Oh, you cannot Know how happy my heart was! He showed me it had all been a wretched mistake. Somehow, it seemed that in a single instant we were back in the little church at the old home and the organ was pealing forth the wedding march. And then —I awoke to find it a dream!” ; She ended with a stifled sob that struck a dart to the heart to the listener. Gertie tried to speak, but found she could not ut- ter a word, Inforder to mask her emotions, the younger sister arse and secured a guitar that leaned against the wall near at hand. At first she ran her fingers idly over the strings, but in the course of a few moments she struck some chords that led her to softly.sing an old song, the words of which were pathetic, and the music unspeakably sad and sweet. One stanza ran as follows: **The Junetime may come with its roses, And summer in sweetness be here, Yet each year as it passes discloses No joys like-th«se vanished and dear, Oh, the days that have vanished forever— The sweet, sunny days «f the past! They will come again back to us never, They were happy—too happy to last!” Aud then, when the song was finished, Gertrude suddenly buried her face in her invalid sister’s lap and burst into tears! ') CHAPTER V. THE TENDERFOOT A FIGHTER. NATHAN Krrk’s mind was filled with strange thoughts as he rode slowly back to Lone Star Ranch. He had been face to face - with the girl he loved so truly and tenderly, and she had met him with’ scorn and con- tempt. ro gether, and a bitter exclamation broke from his lips. | «The time shall come when she shall be- lieve me! I was a fool when I allowed pride to prewent my investigating the affair - In the old days. discovered who Carter Wayne was. I can- - not for one moment believe she is not fully ‘ 5 - e ' il : : é . He ground his firm white teeth to- | have your fill.” _ ’ sincere in thinking mea rascal. That was what hurt me so, and made me refuse to prove my innocence. I loved her so much that the thought of being doubted cut me like a knife. ‘‘Fate has brought us together again, and I mean to do something to retrieve my lost ground, Just what that something is, I cannot tell now.” When he reached Lore Star Ranch he dis. covered a group of cowboys who seemed waiting his approach. In their midst was the fellow he had knocked down for putting the thorn under his saddle. ‘*T wonder if that means trouble?” thought Nat. He soon found it did. Ra The moment the Tenderfoot Detective dis. mounted, the cowboy he had struck came forward, a black scowl on his far from handsome face, ‘“My name is Roper Dave,” declared the fellow; ‘‘an’ I’m a cuss,” ‘Well, Roper Dave, you cuss, be good enough to take care of this horse,” said Nat, flinging the rein to the cattleman, Dave gave a howl of rage. ‘*T'll be good enough to knock seventeen kinds of chowder out of you!’ he howled, as he made a dash for Nat, his huge fists clinched. As lightly as a cat, the Easterner skipped aside. | ‘* Hold on! hold on!” he cried. ‘‘ What is the meaning of this?” ‘‘It means lam going to git squar’ fer thet punch you guv me, dern yer!” ‘Give it ter him!” ‘¢ Baste ther chicken!” *« Knock him silly!” “ Kill ther greeny!” Uttering these cries, the rough cowboys gathered around, delight written on their faces. They were fully confident as to the result of the encounter. Of course the ten- derfoot would be pounded senseless in less than wminute, . Nobby Nat seemed frightened. ‘Say, say!” he squealed, dodging about and seeming to seek an opening through which he could make a break for the house. **T don’t want to fight!” ‘Well, you will have to, blame yer skin!” returned Roper Dave, wheeling. ‘‘I’ve got ther marks of your maul on me now, ) you think I’m in ther habit of bein’ knocked down ‘thout hittin’ back? Woosh!” “ Did I hit you sir? Really, I had forgot- ten it.” | ll make yer remember!” Again the cowboy came forward. ‘Put down that cane an’ put up yer dukes,” he commanded. | * Really—really,” faltered Nat, ‘‘I fear the cane would be stolen.”’ ‘Don’t be skeered; nobody wants it,” ‘What if I refuse to fight?” \ ‘You'll hev ter, jest the same.” ‘“Muybe I don’t know how,” *'Thet makes nary dif’,” ‘* Ave you a fighter, sir?” “Waal, I’ve got a record fer ther men I’ve knocked out—good men at thet,” “You really frighten me!” Dave chuckled, | ““Reckon you won't be so. handy ’bout hittin’ a feller next time. Come, git a brace, . The tenderfoot had retreated until he could get no further away. “How much will you take and call it square?” he asked. The cowboys roared with lauzhter,. “Take? Do you think Id settle fer money! Wow! Not much fer Roper!” Suddenly, without the least warning, ee ‘All right, Mr. Roper Dave,” he said, ) Nobby Nat dropped his cane and darted at the cowboy. | hen I might have easily | | ‘Nat coolly iy t briskly; ‘‘if you will have fight, you shall 5 Right and left Dave let his huge fists fly, but each blow was avoided with ease and grace, Then Nat Kirk came back at his foe with right and left. | Both blows landed. Roper Dave was sent staggering, his as- tonishment unlimited. ‘“Whoopin’ devils!” he roared, as he gathered himself up. ‘* W’at ther blazes do you think your doin’? Howlin’ cats! I hain’t no punchin’ bag!’ ‘*[ beg your pardon,” smiled Nobby Nat. Did I strike you? Really, it must have been a mistake.” ' ‘* Waal, you'll settle fer it!” Snorting likea mad bull, the now thorough- ly aroused cattleman came lunging toward his nimble and deceptive enemy. Nad did not find it very hard to avoid the un. scientific plunges of the angry man, and he struck Roper Dave several light taps that made the cowboy’s face tingle and his blood boil. ‘*Chaw him up, pard!” advised one of the anxious spectators. ‘‘ Derned ef he hain’t gittin’ the best of it!” That was more than Dave could endure. The humiliation of having a comrade believe the tenderfoot was getting the best of the bout was fairly crushing. : Like a cyclone, he flung himself at Nat, causing the detective to retreat slow] around the ring the Seeoye had formed. But the natty man was simply watching his chance. It came. Like a flash of light, his fists flew out, one after the other, and Roper Dave went to grass. : ; A shout of astonishment broke from the lips of the spectators. ‘ Blowed ef he: hain’t a fighter!’ cried Mustang Harris, who had just joined the gathering. | Dazed and astounded, the overthrown cow: boy sat up and glared at the man who was _ waiting for him to arise. ty Di yoe hit me then?” he asked. “T rather think I did,” smiled Nat. | “ An’ you knocked me down w’en I was lookin’ ?’ : ee ‘“ It appears so.” | ‘Then blowed if I don’t bore ye!” | The detective stopped and picked up his cane just as Roper Dave got upon his feet, snatching out a revolver. bea ‘“This’ll fix you!” snarled the murderous — cattleman, wey Sen _ Leaping forward, Nobby Nat rapped the | angered ruffian on the wrist with the heavy — cane, and the revolver flew from Dave's — fingers, being discharged as it fell. “Don’t try that kind of a trick on me!” — sary commanded the Tenderfoot Detec- — tive, pes Dave danced and howled, shaking his — hand and clinging to his wrist. | <u 3 ri ** Blow yer ter blazes!” he screamed, — do fer ye now!” PEEP AT Nat saw him draw a wicked-looking knife, — The cowboy really meant to murder. his we: ’ © . | enemy. if ‘‘Put it up!” commanded the Easterner, — sternly. ‘‘ It will be a sorry thing for you, © if you try to use it on me!” | rs “The Duteh you say!” ‘4 Snarling like a mad dog, Roper Dave rushed at his deceptive foe, really’ meaning to use the wicked knife: ante Nat dodged. There wasa io click, and — then he made a sword-like thrust with. his cane, | iy Grae A shrick of pain broke from the Roper’s — lips, and the knife fell from his hand, while a stream of blood ran down his— fingers. | | | | / ~y weit Taking out a white handkerchief, Nobby — e crimson stain from a keen and slender blade that had mysterio id ‘ appeared at the end of his cane. eS : | f aa c ‘* oe oe A ¢ gat © area Lar ae Leh. : Me yl Ay ie , itt ente Las ily} eres Lae tLe OH © ‘EDOC 0 ee