Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 838 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

“ay “a en. we HAs ae a - — =. . = ee, < x a? SS Soa ~ ~ Per te a a et + yore $45 Fe ee ee eee 2 ‘ = > a ~ . ae — . é 2 on, a a > © _iw wre Ww. “a wy 4 | ali, 6 —-——- him hyer tell we kin tell Jolly? P’rhaps he’d want ter be et ther fun’ral.” ‘*Lay him out straight an’ come anead. We got ter do some tall steppin’ ef we wants ter ketch up. LEt’s a blamed pity yer didn’t hold straighter while you war about it, so we wouldn’t ’a’ bin troubled with this back- load ov gerloot.” The outlaws did not linger long, nor did they indulge in much further conversation. The prisoner made up his mind he was not badly damaged, and that, for the present, submission would be his best game. He al- lowed himself to be hustled along at a pace which bid fair soon to overtake the, ad- vance. If his hands had not been bound together Harker would have made an attempt at es- cape. Several times he though the saw his op- ortunity; but did not careto be adrift here in the wilderness with his arms powerless, and behind his back.| It might well be the death of him. He rather preferred not to believe the man who had been called Tony, who attempted to give him something of either warning or advice. ‘* Jolly’s a queer sorter a cuss,” he said, as they went along, ‘* Thar’s no tellin’ jest how he’ll take it, but, I reckon, middlin’ hard. Brick war his pard, an’ onless ther capt’n makes him draw in his horns I ’spect he’ll want yer sculp, an’ go fur it, ’cordin’. Ez he’s bossin’ this part ov ther outfit we ain't got much ter say "bout it; but ef it’ll do yer ary good you kin jest bet double thet ef Jolly takes yer outen ther wet ther cap’n- "ll be apt ter make him foller. Hist, now, an’ speak him fair! Hyer we are, comin’ up to him, and he'll be axin’ questions mighty soon,” t was a fact they had about overtaken the party which had first moved away. When they reached it they found a pair of the stage horses had been harnessed to a light wagon, which had been concealed near the trail. The horses which had brought this wagon there had been used for other purposes, and Sam now understood why the teams had been taken from the coach. It took but a few words to explain to the lieutenant of the outlaws, who went by the name of Jolly, what had happened. The scrimmage bad been short and sharp, Brick was dead, and here was the prisoner to speak for himself. Jolly turned toward the prisoner with deadly smoothness in his tone, ‘*]T think I have a sure thing of it on you when the captain takes you in hand, for he jon’t love youa bit. If he fails I'll see to it myself, and never fear but what Ill do justice. Tie his legs together, you, and toss him into the wagon along with the trunk. It may bang him up a bit, but I guess, Tony, you can bring him in alive.” ‘‘T kin try,” answered Tony. ‘‘ Ett’s ez like ter bu’st me own neck ez his ef thar’s a upset in ther dark, but you bet Ill drive keerful.” ‘You better would. Now then, you lads, we have about all we expected, and it’s time to be making tracks. Weé have more than a handful bere to be looking after so there’s no use for foolishness. The first man who gives trouble, drop him in his tracks, Forward!” The outlaws closed up around their pris- oners, and the whole party moved off with- out further parley, though Tony and the wagon did not follow the same trail far. Jolly and his. men did not intend to be bothered with their prisoners very long. At least, they had no use for the greater part of them, Before long they came to a gulch which led away to the right, and here the direction of the march was changed, and soon another halt was called. | ‘‘Truss them up,” said the leader, care- lessly, a Pee erm pce TIONG PPI OA IL Me If. ¥ Fe LY AROS ——— hl e Poker Pete’s Double Dodge. The order was a surprise to the men from Pay Dirt, and Sailor Sam was the only one who thought of resistance. As the road- agent who was to attend to him made a sud- den grab ut his collar Sam kicked out as sav- agely as he knew how, doubling the man up in a heap. Then, he darted away, willing to run his chances of catching a bullet rather than sub- mit to being bound and left there. The bullet reached him, too. Without hesitation the outlaw-lieutenant fired at the fleeing man, who flung up his arms and fell headlong. Without any apparent life Sam lay there. It seemed scarcely worth while to examine him, but Jolly did take the trouble. It looked as though there could be no mis- take about the fatal nature of the wound. The ball seemed to have struck somewhere near the temple, and there was blood enough to show it was no mere graze. ** Just as well,” said Jolly, witha shrug of his shoulders. ‘Tt will save trouble.” And without further attention to the store- keeper he led his men away. Harker Hazen in the distance heard that shot, and suspected why it was fired. Bound though he was he struggled to a sitting pos- ture, and listened eagerly. Tony’s hand on his shoulder forcing him back made him un- certain whether there wus more than the one report, but he guessed the truth pretty closely. ‘‘Sorry fur ye, cully, but ett’s no use, I kin fetch in a body jest ez easy ez 1 kin a breathin’ critter, ou want ter lay thar whar yer’ put er you'll be put whar you'll lay. Sabbe?” Tony spoke savagely, and Harker Hazen had no doubt he meant what he said, While it was evident they did not care to kill him at once, it was plain no one seemed to care much in what shape he was delivered at headquarters. He stretched himself down again, taking it as comfortably as he could between a trunk and keg which occupied more space than he would have cared to give them. The keg, especially, was like the boy who wanted to have his half of the bed in the middle. It bounced about a great deal, and he had hopes that it would finally bounce out of the wagon, though no such good thing as that came to pass. ; After that the journey went on in silence. Tony had enough to do to follow the course marked out for him, while Hazen was busy with his own thoughts, which were not very cheerful ones. Once or twice Tony seemed to have lost his way, forhe turned back, and after a little struck out in a new direction, It was a long ride anda wearisome one, but at lengtha streak of light appeared in front of them, and there was a sharp, low hail, which brought a quick halt, and an- swer to the challenge, from Tony. ‘Time you war comin’,” growled the senti- nel, ‘‘Jolly’s hyer, an’ wants ter see yo’ afore he goes back ter berry his pard.” : CHAPTER VI. CLEAN GRIT AND HIS PARDS TO THE RESCUE, ‘WE haven't exactly made a fortune, but we have come out of Pay Dirt a little bit ahead,” said Clean Grit, evidently in high good humor as they swung into the trail taken by the coach, ‘This beats foot-back all to pieces.” ‘Oh, it’s all slap-up for you,” grunted Mike, who, at the pace they were going, found himself bouncing up and down in a way that might be healthy, but which he did not think was at all nice. ** You’ve been here before; but it’s no skit for me, now don’t you forget it. Keep this up long enough and my mother’s darling will just be a jelly, that he will.” **'That’s right, You have a heap of things : —T A § */ A te up hn g. Aa. gb by nee Viale 4 co ore SORA s hi - ve , A, ‘ et Ea! a ee ted Da ‘ by » “a « » Pere ET Ie RRL” SR - 4 af : hore > 1 “pt ral ‘< ny <) a , : . > x 4s a ety » Lay i ' tay: oo, AE OT th 2, - Cc Th to learn in this world, and you are pe one of them now. When I getthrough wit you I'll have you an all around pard, that L can trust for big money, and get there with, every time. Don’t think about it, Mike, and the thing will come natural to you before you know it.” “It’s all right when I’m goin’ up. It’s when I begin ter come down that I’m @& thinkin’ ther hardest. When I stop there ain’t much breath left, to think with or any- thing else.” Clean Grit laughed, though not after a fashion that would badly wound the ee of his pard. He was at home so thoroughly in the saddle it seemed queer his friend should make such a poor showing there. Still, he had something else to think about, and had confidence in the pluck of his com- panion. There was no use to worry because Mike did not prove to be a finished equestrian at the start. ‘‘T’m sorry for you, pard, but you just got to hold on and do your level best. want you with me, and I’m not going to let you fall out of the procession. Time enough to-morrow to think about whether you can stand it or not. They have a good long start, and they won’t be going at a walk, either. If we want to come into thering be- fore the show is out we must keep moving,” Mike grunted a trifle worse than at the start, but shut his mouth and said nothing. He was too busy trying to keep his balance to care whether they overtook the coach or not. Fortunately, he had an easy-going pony, and after a while became accustomed some- what to its stride, so that he was no longer in fear of sprawling by the wayside. Seeing this, Clean Grit pressed the pace a little harder, and they began to get over the ground ata rate which promised to bring them up with the convoy before many hours. Suddenly, the boy hustler reined in his steed. ‘‘Hold hard, Mike! ‘There’s something hyer worth the looking at.” They had reached the spot where the transfer had been made, and the keen eyes of Clean Grit had taken in the outline of the case at a glance, ‘‘ Hold on tomy bridle a moment fwhile I take a look around. There’s sign hyer of some kind, though I think it’s too soon for Captain Kill and his men to be in it.” There had been considerable moving to and fro just there, but Clean Grit read the story as though it was a printed book. At least he thought he did. ‘Samuel ain’t asleep very sound, now you just take your affidavit to that. Hyer’s a wrinkle that Pay Dirt would crack its heels together and shout over if it knew of it.” “'There’s been a split, yes. What is ther’ to shout about?” ‘‘Can’t you see? Stay there a minute longer, if you please. I want to get it all down fine. Agents laying out for them on this trail. Not likely to have a scout quite so near to Pay Dirt. Turned the box over to another hearse, and—did the Fords go along with it? Yes. Hyer’s a dainty little track in the dust; and that looks like the marks of the old man’s hoof, Oh, there were no flies on that outfit. They'll come into the Flat by the back trail; and if Kill is: on deck with his men he can take a mort- gage on the empty concern and let her go through. Much gocd will she dohim. They can see her coming from the’ rocks around the bend and flash a signal over to the gang that will be waiting about five miles further on; and won't they do some systematic swearing when they know it’s too late to put, salt on the tails of their golden eagles?” The boy hustler by this time had learned. | the lay of the land for miles out of Pay Dirt,. and was reeling off the way things were to | go as well as though he had seen itina book, ’ ~~ Y ty Tht! whee fis i mI bk ' Pd » : i } Py ! a! ait eyes . , os ' cCcbooks.com * sae) » ns ; Fe rer <3 ee ee ro eh ~ = oo °2+ } pe eager - at a —- mee eg Ne piers uot 2. a — . - ry bd Poe ro te ae -* Yee he ¢ v . — » Se Ri = ww “ es — itz . 4 . v a = aie Se es rete « Se as -“ * “ 2 - » , 9 3p », * : A i o~ - - Die & h a bs —- 1 - _ - < Loo < 755-+ ~~. 2A IS = > alle — « sy ~ . + ES ee '’ 24 ~~ —"? ? vn oe Se “2 “ee 1% < sewed “ 4, = ott [os -—- wt es ~ ~ a = . a a * ~ aa =~ * 2, od * be ~ - ey : = _ ~ — Sl . rn ae oe = ene SEP - - = — — « -~ i. 2 Ps. ae o 4 M4 > a *...«-+on - 2 - Ts #3 wearer a“ (g