Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 901 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

' apt! Rg TT TT ooo j The new-comer was a stranger to Baker, who had never seen him befor, but it scem- ed no idle boast when he saiu the foro:nan knew him. Ors Ali the repairmen evidently did know ,° | him, and they were not very likely t» pre- » ‘sume on the acquaintance, if appearances — went for anything. Mike surveyed him angrily, though his only answer was a Savage growl. ‘That's right, old man,” continued the stranger, airily, ‘‘lt’s not worth while to keep the fun up any longer, for you can bet | your bottom dollar it’s not ull going to be on | | , one side. What’s going on here, anyway?’ ‘“‘Churse ye, Diamond Dave! For why does ye mix in whin it’s not your game at all, at all? It’s a sthroike, av ye wad know | ' it, an’ the spalpeens wor layin’ in wid the _ bluddy monipoly.”’ — ** Looked as though you meant them to be Jaying in with a wooden overcoat,” laughed the man addressed as Diamond Dave, “Tm not caring a copper about your strikes, or the bloody monopoly, as you call it; but I do object to seeing a fellow mortal dissected with picks and shovels. Reckon ~ you have done about as much damage here * as vou ought to, and I'd advise you to pack your gripsacks and travel by the first. boat before 1 take the notion to say something else, You hear me?” Fortunately, there seemed to be a dearth of fire-arms in the gang; and with those trim muzzles covering them, the men did not care *© toattempt to begin again the rush which had once been checked. Mike looked along the track and his brow cleared a trifle as he saw the damage which had already been done. ‘“There be toimes whin killin’s no mur- ther, Misther Diamond Dave,an’ this wor wan av thim, perhaps, but we'll lit ye off ‘wid a warnin’, ‘Look out phor the nixt toime we mate, But, b’yes, the fun are over, so come along!” There was a savage warning in the tones of the section boss that might have aroused - Some men to anger, but the smile never flick- _ ered on the face of Diamond Dave, and he / saw the gang turn away without a word by _Y way of retort. Kr Sandy, the silent, gave something like a + sigh of relief as they went. {busin e had allowed the stranger to run things | gecording to his desire, without a word of encouragement or protest, but had kept a -keen watch on the movements of Mike. and his men, and even now never ceased to fol- ~ low them with his eyes until they had fairly 4 passed beyond the limits of a throw of a pick, ~~ ora shot from some hitherto-concealed gun, | Evidently, he did not trust the Irishman, | Baker did not seem quite so well satisfied. He took a step forward, as though about to - follow, and then shook his head savagely as -.& mechanical touch where his pistols should have been recalled again to him the fact that |) he was unarmed. 5 ie “Oh, come, pard, what you going to do now?” laughed, the champion of the occa- gion. ! , | t ‘You just build a bridge.for them, if they) i ; ae . - - - _ ‘ 2] z “ 5 = ~ = : a - a LLL eee eT -_* meed it, and let them go.” ? ‘'That’s all well enough in theory, but in practice it don’t seem always the best thing »todo. We can't get,to Standback in time to return with tools, andif 1 had held the drop }| On them as youdid Td have scen they lett 9? things in trim for Number Twenty-five. ia win _ “Strikes me you don’t think much of i isa" Small favors. Sooner or later you would mt have found Irish Mike a hard man to drive; G . ‘and I’m not sure he would have gone away /~ quite so peaceably if he had not thought he nef had either finished his job, or could finish it t ‘well enough to afford us but little room to ay Ya crow in,” They will - iN “That’s it. That is just it. ! ~ *go down the track a mile, and begin their _ Work again. It must be stopped.” nS io \ a YS a a ‘Excuse me, I don’t claim more prudence than the most of men, but you don’t suppose I would undertake to drive five ruffians into Standback at the point of the pistol, and then be mobbed if I got there? They would have a shy at us somewhere along the road, unless we began by murdering the whole outfit, and 1 hope I’m. too wise for that, to say nothing of a trifle of the bowels of human nature I have in my make-up. T’m willing to stop here and flag the train, and if anyone comes monkeying around to give him or them the best in the shop, but that’s nbout the best we can do, I wouldn't do that if I thought there was a reasonable chance of getting word to the Express. But there will be no chance to send a man here to-night unless he has a squadron of cavalry along with him.’’ ‘True,’ said Baker, a good deal calmer. ‘‘And I suppose there is no use to try to straighten up the track ourselves. Spikes and sledge are wanting, though, so far, they have done no damage to the rails. Looks as though they were going to make a fire of the ties, and give them a toasting, In another hour they would have been bent beyond straightening.” ‘That might be part of your circus, but ’ll swear to it that it’s none of mine, Tlie road wouldn’t haul me a mile for good iuck, and ’m not working for fun, Best we can do is to camp out till the train comes. After that—I can pay my fare, if there’s a reason- able show to get ‘on to-night, and if there’s not I can foot it to Standback along with the rest of the crowd that will be going that way.” ‘‘ He’s *bout right, boss,” said Sandy who had been listening after his somewhat stolid way. ‘We cain’t do nothin’ else; an’ we've kim out a heap sight better than I looked fur when Mike swung his pick. He meantittew kill. All I'm hopin’ fur air that there’s no other devilment behind it. Reckon the rest of the gang air half-way white, er more, but I would like tew say ez much for Mike.” ‘‘T hardly know what it could be,” an- swered Baker, promptly, ‘‘Tt was evident the ruffians were not arm- ed with anything but their tools, or they would have cleared us up, quick enough. If they had been going to do anything ’be- ond what they were at there would have een a sprinkling of firearms in the crowd.” ‘*Don't worry about that,” interposed Diamond Dave, his face becoming sober, as he considered the problem. ‘If there is anything further than what appears on the surface it is not likely these fellows will have a hand init, But they may send some interviewers who will not be so easy to dis- pose of. l’m not sure but what it would be a good plan to take to the brush until the Express is due,” ‘Or walk the track eastward until we meet it. You understand, of course, that I am in the employ of the railroad company, and feel like being Joyal to. the limit. I had heard nothing of a strike being on, though there were whispers that it was coming, Sandy and I have been locatifg a line fora side track from the Fair Isabel, and so, are a couple days behind the age.” ‘‘So am I, for that matter,” answered Dave, as they moved away. ‘* You heard Mike address me as Diamond Dave, It seems he recognized me, and be- ing asport at large, with a reputation of being a gilt-edge shooter, not apt to linger long on the trigger, he had a very whole- some respect for me and my sixes; I’ve been off in the mountains, too, though I may not look like it, and had some crazy idea about flagging the train as she went by. and getting a lift into town. Perhaps we'll get there yet!” The two looked around. Darkness was not far off, and in an hour the Express would be due. Wasthe break they had just left Diamond Dave, the Gilt-Edge Shooter. rr nanan ene eee eee TCE tttCrCPCtCtCPCrtt CCC ts ae , 3 ase the only thing in the way? They talked the matter over, not as men who feared, but as men who were annoyed. ‘The moments slipped away as they dropped tie after tie behind them, and at last, as they stood ona long stretch of straight track, they heard the rumble of the approaching train, ‘*Get your torch ready!” exclaimed Dia- mond Dave; and as Baler crushed wp a newspaper for a torch, and held a ready match, they heard the mad gallop of a dozen horsemen, CHAPTER ITI. .~A REMEMBXRED FACE, THe erew of the ‘‘ Pacific Express” were not in the happiest of frames o* mind that evening, as the train dashed along. They were a trifle late, but that had noth- ing to do with the uneasiness which pos- sessed every one, from engineer to train-boy. They were aware that a strike had begun, and were uncertain just how far it was go- ing to extend—or who were to be included in its operations, One thing was pretty sure. No matter who it was went out it would be uncomfort- able for the rest; and it might be that all hands would be left high and dry somewhere in those lonesome wilds. The passengers also had heard something of the labor difficulties, but with the indif- ference of Americans, who never borrow trouble, or seem to anticipate until the last minute that such things can affect them, In one of the Pullmans two ladies were seated, and though apparently. looking idly out of a window were conversing in a low tone, The two were evidently mother and daughter, though the elder woman was by no means past the age of feminine attractive- ness, Her face might even yet be called beautiful, though there was here and there a line suggestive of trouble and care, Were it not for the girl woman at her side it might have been hard for the casual ob- server to believe she had passed her fortieth ear, 1 And so, you see, Vera,” she was saying, ‘‘T have reason to hope the mystery will be unraveled at last. For myself I do not care, since I have enough to satisfy my few wants; but it may mean a great deal to you, who are young, and with your course in life yet to fashion.” The young lady smilec—and when Vera Vane smiled, her charming countenance be- came altogether beautiful, ‘‘My dear mother,” she said, softly, ‘‘ I have an idea you are not exactly Methusalah in his latter years; and certainly believe you have ages yet to live. Lam young yet, and, as you say, can make my destiny. It is for you 1 am interested. Your wants are simple, when they have to be so; but there is no one living knows better how to enjoy wealth, It is true, we are in no great ished of starving, but think how much brighter life would look with half a million at your com- mand, You need not make any excuses to me. The end is worthy of the means in this case, and [am sure I see nothing discredi- table about them.” ‘* Perhaps not; and yet, I cannot help but reproach myself with having ventured on what may be considered, were the facts known, as a wild goose chase, to say nothing of the hardships and dangers it may entail,’ ‘The hardships may be borne I’suspect,” answered Vera, with another smile, as she looked away from the window, along the aisle of the luxurious ear. ‘‘And, as for dangers, is not one place as safe as another so long as we are guarded over by the cherubim of destiny ?” ‘‘If you.can aecept Emerson as gospel you may think so, But—what is that?” She pressed her face against the pane, and tried to look through the window. The engine had given a short, sharp whistle, and > A 2 \. ‘ : bf ok “ ed 4 : a \ Imes . r4 ore a ‘ " ' y ag é ; ublieat na ies A) al esa mm @& © PUG | vN ‘ |. on “- * — =< = a. _—