Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 838 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

Ke ‘ Y.) an i * | at hy +; HY - o \ woh A y { et Pie ® ad te ae - oe Loker ete's Double Dodge; THE MIGHTY CLOSE CALL. BY WM. R. EYSTER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DANDY DARKE,” ‘! FLIP-FLOP FRED,” ‘‘ FARO FRANK,” “‘ THE HUSTLER ROGUE-CATCHER,” ETC., ETC, CHAPTER I, THE LEVEE AT PAY DIRT. THE mines around Pay Dirt had been panning out well, but the town was isolated to a great extent from the outside world, and its citizens had been forced to league to- gether for their own protection. | As yet there were no banking and Express facilities provided by corporations, and so they banded together to look after their own interests. There was a strongly built cabin under the care of one Sailor Sam, and as- sistants, in which individuals deposited their clean-ups, and eventually the accumulated treasure was sent out at irregular periods under a guard of trustworthy men, who never let it get out of their sight until re- ceipted for by the nearest Express agency. So far, they had been able to protect their treasures, though the outlaws who trained under the lead of one ‘‘ Captain Kill” had made more than one attempt to gather in the spoils. After more than one fierce assault on the storehouse had been brought to naught— mainly through the pluck and wit of two boys who had apparently by chance stumbled upon the camp—it seemed to the people of Pay Dirt as if the band of Captain Kill had been well-nigh annihilated; and that further danger from him and his road-raiders was no longer to be feared. As: the town had been badly damaged through the breaking up of a dam in the mountains above Pay Dirt which had been purposely wrecked by the road-agents, there was delay in starting out the treasure, since the men who were to act as the treasure- guards had to repair their cabins, or assist others in that work, before leaving. No great anxiety was felt, now, however; and under the watchful care of Sailor Sam, the keeper of the general treasure storehouse, no one doubted but that the gold was safe enough, there. Several of the treasure-owners, however, were impatient of this delay, and to end it they themselves proposed to go in the coach which was to carry the treasure-boxes. This Captain Kill had posed under several names while an unsuspected resident of the camp, and in truth had other sehemes. be- sides the gathering in of the treasure of the storehouse, for with astonishing audacity and cunning he had held as his prisoners one Ezra Ford, and his daughter Helen, together with one Harker Hazen, who was the accepted lover of the young lady. This Ezra Ford had long suffered under the imputation of a crime, and had been a willing as well as a fearing exile—all to save a brother's honor, but that brother at the date of this story being dead, Ezra was anxious to return and claim the name and fortune awaiting him in the East, and where he went Hark Hazen was anxious to follow. _$So much by way of introduction. The da came finally around when the treasure-coac was to leave Pay, Dirt, and well-nigh the whole population turned out to see it start. Sailor Sam, the treasure-house storekeeper, was in command of the guard with the treasure, and a man by the name of Hank Henry was second in ae: The four or five others going out with the coach were all men who had been at Pay Dirt from the } “ly what was comin first, and every one who had an interest in the treasure felt perfeetly sure that all could be trusted. y mo h Poker Pete’s Double ——e ; Among those gathered to see the coach start were the two boys referred to, who had gained the camp sobriquet of ‘‘ Hustler Rogue-Catchers”” for their keenness and efficiency in helping to wipe out the gang of Captain Kill. After that event they had been virtually voted the liberty of the town, and so had there remained to see what new developments might again require their services—the one popularly named ‘‘ Little Clean Grit” being clearly of the opinion that the bad men of the discomfited gang would be heard from again, under some leadership. ‘“Good-by, Miss Helen,” said Clean Grit, who was there with the rest. ‘Looks as though it would all be plain sailing now, but you can’t most always some-, times tell. If anything turns up there’s enough to pull you through all right; and if they don’t you can just look to see Michael and me booming along on the trail before it has time to get cold. So long! Perhaps I'll see you later, after all.” ‘‘ Better come with us now,” answered the young lady, somewhat impressed by the warning, though it would have seemed ridiculous to one who was not posted on what, this brave lad had already done in the way of running in the bad men of camp and stage trail. ‘‘'Thankee all the same, but it’s not in the wood. Looks as though we may find a con- tract here. Don’t care about leaving till we find out, anyhow,” declared the young rough- and-ready camp-watcher. ‘But have you any reason to fear an attack on us?” asked’ the young lady anxiously. ‘* Not a bit, except that it would be worth some agent’s while to makeit if he could pull through. There’s a_ heap-sight of wealth about the outfit, and there’s a heap- sight of folks know it, too, so it would not be at all strange if the coach was called.” ‘*But, Killis dead; and his was the only band of agents known to flourish in jthis sec- tion,” she insisted. ‘* Don’t be too sure about either of those facts. They are what we are hoping for, but— They are starting now. Don’t fret yoursélf, miss. It will all come right. Good-by !” Amid a chorus of shouts from the throng the coach rolled away, part of the selected guard being on the top of ‘‘ the hearse ”’ and others riding on horseback. With the disappearance of the coach the young camp spy expected to fsee the crowd melt away, to return to the regular duties of the day. Instead of that there was a movement which he did not exactly understand, though he saw it brought him and Mike his plucky boy comrade into the center of the throng. Then,’Ralph Dixon, who had lately been appointed to the position of town marshal, suddenly thrust out his hands, each finding a resting-place on a shoulder of the trusty boy pards. ‘* Excuse us, young gents, but Pay Dirt has a word to say to you, and it would have been said a little bit sooner if it had not been that Ezra Ford wanted time to get out of the way. Hedidn’t want to hear it, but he told us what he thought he ought to say, and it was just what we were thinking of ourselves. Any objections?” ‘*None that I’m aware of. It’s mighty mean when a party can’t have a chance to talk if they have anything to say. If it sounds nice we'll listen to you, too. If it don’t— well, you'll be running your chances.” Clean Grit dropped his hand till his fingers touched the revolver at his hip, yet the action was not a threat. Although he was puzzled to know exact- he felt he could ad been a friend to afford to smile. He | Pay Dirt when Pay Dirt needed a friend, Dodge. "41 ieee ad and did not expect’ to hear any unpleasant remarks now. ‘‘Histe yerself a bit, Dixon!’ shouted some one in the crowd. ‘* Jest wait tell we roll out a box er two, an’ we kin hear some, an’ see a blamed sight better.” The suggestion was well received if the roar of assent could be taken for approval. In a minute a store box was tumbled for- ward, and it was large enough for the two boys to have plenty of room for footing, though the marshal stood on a level with the crowd. p ‘‘ Now, little ones, what we have to say won't be apt to make you very tired, unless you are a blame sight more modest than | reckon, You have been doing Pay Dirt gome favors, and Pay Dirt means to do her- self proud in following suit, She just hands this little sack over to your keeping, and says, ‘Take it and be happy.’ Guess such pards as you will know how to divide it.” Above the heads of the crowd rose Ralph Dixon’s hand, and it held up to view the article which he spoke of, and it seemed to be well filled. Fora moment the boy hustler hesitated; but, it was not for long. ‘‘Gents, all! I won't say that Pard Mike and I are down to bed rock; but we were just thinking of looking around for a place and a chance to make a little of the needful. What we did we did for the benefit of this hyer community, and not for ourselves, but if it's so that some of our departed friends have chipped liberal, and that this is an offer- ing of good will, I reckon we would be foolish to throw dirt on the town and its . feelings. It will come in handy if we have to get a sudden move on, and it may do more good to this camp than you are think- ing just at the present time. Michael and I return our sincere thanks, and scoop the boodle without a kick. Yours truly; and no more at present.” It was not much of a speech, but it was full of solid sense according to the ideas of Pay Dirt, and was received with as much applause as if it had been twice as long, and a great deal more flowery. Then, everybody began to press forward with extended hands, and there was a shaking that seemed as though it was never to come to an end. The shaking was done cordially, however, and with much laughter—Clean Grit and his always-on-guard pard took one paw after another, understanding the ‘reception would soon be over. Through it ‘all Dixon stood by the side of the young camp waifs, acting as master of ceremonies, though there was little occasion for him to say or do any- thing. At last the crowd seemed ready to dis- perse. Some of the men, in fact, were stroll- ing away, and the boys were plainly visible from every side. They still stood upon the box, but Little Clean Grit had just extended one foot with the idea of stepping down to the ground, when, “ Crack!” From somewhere near there came the re- port of a pistol, and it was only the sudden lurch of the young hustler that saved him, As it was, the bullet cut a line across the back of his coat, near to his neck, and as he stumbled forward some thought he was fall- ing from the shot. f he fell it was only to rise again, and re- volver in hand he peered keenly among the crowd, in the direction whence the bullet seemed to have come. "CHAPTER ITI. OFF ON THE TRAIL, For the moment which followed the shot — the men of ig oH were motionless through amazement, com ; ~~ oy > 9O0KS. hat any one would dare fire a aa ‘i shot at the boy who had done themsuch Ba . ’ ,