Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 902 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

- for the devil. The landlord greeted the boy miners pleasantly, and when they had had their breakfast they walked out on the street to have a talk, for in a board hotel, where every word could be heard from room to room, they had not dared to speak aloud. Their young chief had something of import- ; ance to communicate to his two companions. Bs, Having strolled leisurely through the set- * tlement they sought a secluded spot and then Nat proceeded to discourse, ‘‘ Well, boys, we are on the right track, and if we do not find Gentleman Jack we % will find out who kidnapped him and if he By really was murdered, as reported.” | ‘You bet we will, Pard Nat,” Keno as- sured, while Freckles asked: ‘*What’s the first play, cap’n?” ‘‘ Well, we came here as boy miners, and ‘we are to begin to look about for an out- fit. While doing that, we can shadow this $ Satan Sam, Scar-Face Sam, or whatever else he may cali himself, ‘‘ We will take our time, work slowly, and get all the information we can as to Satan Sam’s habits, who are his associates, and just what he is up to. ‘*T will try and be friendly with him, be- cause in some way we have got to trap him. He is the wolf we want.” ‘‘We can doit, Pard Nat,” Keno assured, confidently, F’ ‘*You bet we can,” added Freckles. Op ‘* Now, as he was one of those road agents ‘beyond all doubt, he has pals who must be spotted, and once we discover who those pals are we can act. It would be strange if ae one of them could not be persuaded to tell - -what he knows from fear of death or fora lively bribe.” 4 | After discovering the situation further the ~——s three ~pards tramped about the settlement, fas “Se, visiting the stores, the camps and corrals ss where the horse-traders kept their stock. ' They went to see the west-bound and ecast- bound trains pass through, and, not wishing _ toattract attention by dressing in Eastern _ gurb, they had rigged themselves out in the regulation frontier toggery. They looked quite picturesque in their top-boots, broad slouch hats, blue flannel shirts and belt of arms, but avoided putting on airs, as they knew they would be very quickly ‘‘called down” or have to fight. The Chince killed by Wide Awake Tim was buried decently at‘the expense of the Jandlord, and the coroner’s jury decided very quickly that it was acase of ‘‘ justifiable homicide,” as the Celestial should have known better than wake a2 man up when he was having a bad dream. The boy pards attended the funeral, and then discovered an ugly feeling among the half a hundred Chinumen who were there. ck aaa Wide Awake Tim was on hand as chief ‘} ~———- mourner, and had to explain again and again | how it happened, his recital causing much -. * @imusement. ~~ «*‘The young Easterners felt sorry for the - unfortunate Chinaman and jooked on with serious faces. ‘ _ They remembered that he was far from his mative land, that be’ had a mother, and kin- dred to love him, and that he had been shot vr + “ — ad pm Ss i. g . > ana ee . R . © , ; ; : { j : anty 5 ik P r ) out a pang of remorse or regret, tig aon So they strolled over on the hillside and fh Sab gathered some wild flowers and placed them ies upon the humble grave, little dreaming that fe” a f) a F bs : #' Ve, te) Meas : r x a ~~ . ‘the act was seen by two Chinamen, who see- ~ near by, . _. Beholding this act of kindness to the dead, | -—s the two hiders stepped from their place of _—— goncealment and timidly approaching the trio of Ferrets one of them said: | | — *?*Melican young’ man put flowee upon )}) Chinaman’s grave?” yj > . +** Yes, for we felt very sorry \ r >> i ‘ ‘ i: : ' : : . : » 4 » i bias uf ~ ~ y . _ i Me ; a 1 s of ¢ , vi _ \ ¥ re Oe : #, i _e a ° bat * as ; y 2,4 4 1G M4 ge sce * a, >~ < ‘ 2 er » ‘> > p Ta ma « ° 2 . . , a ~ a #e Magis Seis eR Sa” tai eR ry “ea 7"? S s — = - > _ New Y hhim his papper, and was shot by the clerk + down, though not with intent to kill,.with- ~_ » ing them approach, had hidden in the bushes. for him, far | ts <) S = ee -“ oe \ bee ed . " ae’ ‘ fi. © i, ae | away from his home and people,” was an- swered by Nat. | ‘‘Goodee young man! Wing Lung likee him, for itis his bruddee who is dead, and Loo Choo here is cousin—my cousin, too. Me much likee goodee young ’Melican man,” The Chinaman held forth his hand and New York Nat and his comrades shook hands with him and his companion, who remarked in a significant way : , ‘‘Satan Samee bad man; him die some day.” ‘“ Yes, we saw his act,” said New York Nat, alluding to the fact that Satan Sam had fired his revolver six times down into the newly-made grave, brutally remarking that it would scare the Heathen Chinee and hasten him on the trail to the Devil—which remark caused a general laugh, Finding out that Wing Lung was also a waiter in the tavern, and that Loo Choo worked in the gambling saloon, the ferrets retraced their way to Junction City, as the settlement was called, and at once set about their work. The human wolf had hunters on his track! CHAPTER VII. NAT PLAYS TWO GAMES AT ONCE. “Pv onlya boy, sir, but 1'd like to play a gume with you, if only to learn, for I like your way of handling cards. Don’t think I’m broke, sir, for I’ve got money to pay if I lose.” No one could take offense at the words and manner of New York Nat, and Satan Sam, whom he addressed so politely, did not, He only saw a pigeon to pluck. He cared nothing for the youth or condition of any one he played with, so that he could get his money. He had seen the young fellows about the tavern for some days and had his eye upon them. Whether he had seen them before, upon a certain tragic hold-up of, a stage coach, he kept to himse!f, Now that one of the youthful trio ap- peared to want tO get acquainted, he was willing; so he replied 1s graciously as one of his rough nature could; ‘“‘So, yer wants ter have me l’arn yer ter play, kid?” ‘Yes, sir, for I like the way you handle cards.” ‘¢ Now, most men don’t like it; but then, you is young. , Yes, I can Varn yer, and lll give yera square game, though if yer loses yer dust don’t piny ther baby act on me, or I'll hev ter spank yer.” > ‘¢T won't cry, sir,” assured Nat, with a laugh, and he sat down to the table to be- gina game With a man of whom everybody in the settlement stood ip awe. Well, how high kin yer go, kid?” asked Satun Sam, ‘‘for TI don’t play no nickel game, you understand,” . “ T've got some hundred, sir,’ innocently replied Nat, and he showed his roll of bills, The desperado’s eyes glittered and the game was begun, | To the surprise of all Nat won, deliberate- ly raising his bet, until Satan Sam, unable to bluff him, threw down his cards, a good hand, at which the young Ferret revealed four aces. A perfect yell went up from the crowd of on-lookers, but it was checked ap the savage oath uttered by Sam, and by his erowd, as he glanced around, The second game was also won by the young New Yorker, and the third went his way, too! “Tsay, kid,” growled the bad man, ‘you wanted me to l’arn you and you is l’arnin me —see? . a ‘‘Tf it keeps up I guesses you isa clear cut ork Nat in Colorado... nn — — ——————————— —————————————————— —————————————— ——————————— sharp, young as you be,” and the desperado ’ shoved the winnings of New York Nat over to him with a vary bad grace, ° f . PR * - he a ese ur Le etek a . - ’ ‘¢- ‘ eZ °. . . 7 . * ‘ . . i ; -ane oe , 4 beta - : « ane Ge hate oii: nau bo oe ; thes eat TU Caw) \ of : + : . sf \ , No , ¢ p ra . +) a i“, . he. *} ae) ee bg f, ; oa > “ $ . . Ae § re - 4 J, Tf - au a ie tas ‘the night-clerk from his slumbers. . Tam no sharp, no cheat; I simply have won because luck has been my way in hold- ing the best cards,” quietly answered Nat, and another game was begun. This time the boy player ran the bet up to one hundred dollars, and the desperado won on four aces, Nat coolly took the balance of the pack from the table and handing it to a miner said: ‘* Run over those cards, please, and see if there are any aces among them.” Amid breathless silence the miner called out: ‘‘ Here is ther ace o’ diamonds and ther ace o’ hearts.” ‘‘T asked you to teach me, not cheat me. Give me my money back again, for these two men at your back there slipped those cards into the top of your shirt!” and Nat’s revolver covered Satan Sam with a quick- ness that surprised all. Every eye was upon Sam, and he burst forth into a loud laugh and threw the money down on the table, while he said, with no show of anger: ‘*You is right, kid; I did slip in the keerds on yer asa joke—me and my pards, Buck- Sh and Slouch, playin’ it on yer jist ter see if yer was sharp enough to git onter us, ‘““You’ve won yer money squar’; nor I~ wouldn’t hev tuk yer dust in ’arnest, but was only l’arnin’ yer how easy yer cu'd be cheated, and you was onter me clean through. ‘Never play with keerds as has backs like other packs thet kin be bought near by; that’s gambler gospel. ‘But you'll do, and I likes you, and we'll be friends, for I don’t begrudge you ther two hundred and fifty you has won from me —you bet I don’t!” and Sam of the Scarred Face held out his hand, which was warmly grasped by Nat, who answered: ‘*] didn’t think you intended to cheat me, but I saw those gentlemen slip the ‘cards down your shirt collar, as they leaned on your shoulder, and you got the money out of your breast pocket and the aces at the same time.” ‘Well, you is a keen kid, and will do. Ycu is quick on the draw, too, and I has heerd you kin shoot to kill, for you is the boy dandy thet give ther road-agents a scare some time ago, they tells me. . “Yer must go under my teachin’ and you'll l’arn border ways.” “Thank you, Mr, Sam, but we are going to start for the mines to-morrow, or next day, for we have bought our horses and outfit, and are going gold-hunting again,” “I'm downright sorry to lose yer, for yer promises well fer a kid. ‘Well, i'll sce yer ag’in—so-long!” and Satan Sam turned to another game of cards, while New York Nat left the saloon and went up to his room, . Two hours later he was joined there by Keno and Freckles, and shortly after mid: night Wing Lung, the Chinaman, crept softly into their room, and made a motion for New York Nat, which the latter seemed to understand, as tre Chinee departed at once, without uttering a word. CHAPTER VIII. THE PIGTAIL DETECTIVE, Wina Luna, the Chinaman, left his hotel’ through the kitchen door, for he did not wish to attract the attention of Wide Awake Tim by passing out through the office. Since Wing Lung’s brother had been shot - by the night-clerk in his sleep, the China- man had been very cautious about arousing Leaving the building, Wing Lung glidcd away in the darkness like a night shadow, He sought a group of trees upon a little rise, ond going from tree to tree, to be sure that there was no one else there, he sat down ~ upon the ‘grass as though to await the com- ing up of some one, as hice Peas et : Te s- J *. gee at yay as i Ak laa rer pea a aes 2 a . —— yN ea - YW ’ RY PES “yy J ‘