Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 917 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

Flash Lightning, t ‘‘ This must be the house of old Dug-Out. My trail may be a false one, but if the boy he found is the one I seek, my fortune’s made.” At this moment Jacobs reappeared on the seene, creeping forward in a scared and startled manner, while water dripped from every thread of his clothes, his hair was plastered over his face, and green slime lay in patches all over him, He started back at a slight chirrup over head, aud looked with alarmed eyes into the branches of a trea above him, ‘Oh, it’s you, Mr. Squirrel! Your name’s Flash, is it? Come down, youchattering rascal. i’ve sworn, on the honor of a Jacobs, to wring the neck of every Flash in these United States. ** Bless us!” cried the new-comer, looking at Jacobs closely. ‘* It cannot be—” Jacobs leaped ten paces back on hearing this voice. But in a moment he came forward again, with a look of recognition. * Mr, Griscom!” he said, You here? In the Rockies?” ‘+ But what in the world have you been doing?” and Griscom surveyed him from head to foot with a queer sinile. “Been frogging,” explained Jacobs, ‘* Had a little set-to with a chap they call Flash. You ought to see him, if you want somebody to laugh at.” ‘*Come, now, none of your old lies, Jerry. So Flash dropped you in the frog-pond? What for?” ‘Cause I wanted to kiss a girl.” ‘Oho! you’re up to your old tricks again. Look out you don’t get worse than the frog- pond. From what I hear of this Flash, he’s dangerous stuff to play with.” ‘‘'m going to get even with him, if [ go un- der for it,” cried Jerry, valiantly. ‘*See here, Jacobs; suppose this should happen to be in my way? on your help?” ‘“There ain’t a man in the States I'd sooner work with, Mr. Griscom,” declared Jerry, with a look of admiration, ‘If you’re down on this Fiash, I’m with you—on one condition,” ** What is that?” ‘‘ You want the boy. I want the girl.” ‘Yon soft-headed fool,” retorted Griscom, looking at him contemptuously. ‘* Fooling with girls is like picking up red-hot coals, I tell you that. I’d sooner work against ten men than one woman.” | ‘‘ Ragged Bess is my provender, anyhow. I'll take the risk.” ‘‘ Bait so. Now go and get some dry clothes on, I’m staying at the Jolly Keg Saloon. You an find me there.” ** All right,” and Jacobs s‘alked away, the dirty water still dripping from his clothes, ‘‘He’s fool and coward at once,” muttered Griscom, looking after him. ‘* Yet I couldn’t find a man to suit me better. Where his own miserable hide is safe he is ready for any ras- cally work. Now for my interview. It is an awkward job, and must be handled neatly and skillfully.” He walked up to the cottage, and looked slyly in at an open window, . ‘He looks like a hard chap to handle, if he’s stroked against the grain,” he decided, “ But what is he at?” The spy at the window looked more closely. ‘“There are papers in his hand, Old and faded ones, Yet his face has the look of one who cannot read them. Can they have any- thing to do with my quest? I should like to break in on him before he can hide those pa- rs. But that wouldn’t be safe with a man ke him.” ; As he spoke he gave a ringing rap on the oor. . Several minutes passed without a response, and he knocked again louder than before, This time the dvor opened, and the weather- beaten face of Old Dug-Out appeared in the doorway. He looked his visitor from head to foot with an inquiring glance. ‘‘ What's loose?’ he asked. “I néver twigged your phiz afore.” “Tm on the search for some mining informa- tion, and I’ve been told that you’re the man for me to see,” ‘Me? ‘Bout minin’ and prospectin’? Wal, I do know summat ’bout that. But, who sent you to Old Dug-Out?” | eg The landlord of the Jolly Keg, where I’m ng. ; That coon? Is hetryin’ a lark on me? If he is, I'll bu’st his beer barrel. But, step in- _ ‘ There ain’t no harm having a chat, any- ow. **It ain’t possible? oung Man an I count He withdrew from tbe doorway, and Griscom | followed him into the house, A long conversation ensued between the guile- less old miner and his rogue of a visitor, on the question of the mining possibilities of the Pay- rock district. 1t is not necessary for us toe re- peat it, as it has nothing to do with our story. A half-hour thus passed. The old man was very earnest, as he sat with his elbows on the table, answering his visitor’s inquiries. ‘* Then you ralely think you won't settle down in this yere town?” ‘‘ Not if the court knows herself. From what you say, the claims are all staked out here, and no opening left for strangers. I must travel on to where there’s a better outcrop.” ** And you'll not be back this way ag’in?” “Why, ’m kind of sorry for Payrock,, but I’m afraid it will have to get along without me for the future. I’ve staked out my graveyard further on, and must keep moving toward it.” ‘You look ’s if you mought go a good way thout reachin’ it; but, nobody can’t tell. Sud- den death ain’t unkimmon in these diggin’s. But that ain’t to ther point, I reckon as how you kin read ’ritin’, Mr. Griscom,” ‘* T don’t brag on education,” answered Gris- com, laughing, ‘‘but I fancy I can do that much,” ‘**T can’t, more’s the pity. I didn’t have nary ’vantage when young, and I’ve handled ther pick ’stead o’ ther pen ever since.” ‘*{ should fancy the pick would pay best out here,” ‘*That’s jist as luck hasit. I’ve been peltin’ inter the rocks fur twelve good year, and duga hole you could hide a hull circus in, 'thout hit tin’ an ounce of ore, That’s what ther pick’s done fur me. But, once ag’in, that ain’t to ther pint. , l’ve got some papers here as I can’t read myself, and thought as how mebbe you mought guv me the inwardness of ’em.” ‘Read them for you? Why, certainly. That’s no more than one man ought to do for another.” ‘“‘They’re dokyments I’ve had on hand ther best end o’ twenty year,” said the old man, ris- ing and walking to a chest at the side of the the room, ‘'l dunno as they ’mount ter much but 2m kinder cur’us ter get at the inside of em, Re unlocked the chest as he spoke, and took from it a bundle of papers, There was a repressed eagerness in Griscom’s eyes as he followed the motions of the old miner. But he put on a careless aspect when Dug-Out turned to him with the papers, ‘* Yell promise ter keep secret what’s in these dokyments? l’ve reasons why [ don’t want ther Payrockers to know ’bout’em, jist yit. That’s pa lve axed you as a stranger ter read ’em u’st. “Why, as I caper to emigrate from Payrock before another day is over, I fancy I’m safe. Pil keep your secret, old man. You can trust ‘‘That’s clever,” answercd Dug-Out, with sat- isfaction. ‘‘ Then here’s ther dokyments, Peg inter | ’em, and let me know the’r signiferca- tion. He passed the papers to Griscom, seated him- self sgain at the table with his face supported on his hands, and looked into his visitor’s face almost as if he expected to read there the con- tents of the papers, The documents were certainly as old as Dug- Out had said, They were yellow with age and the ink dimmed and faded, while some of them Hates frayed edges and a splitting at the olds, Griscom opened them carefully, one by one, and ran his eyes rapidly over their contents, He strove to keep his face steady and indiffer- ent, yet could not quite prevent a look of satis- faction from showing in his features, ‘*T didn’t ax you to read’em to yerself, but to me,” broke out the old miner, impatiently. ‘‘ Come, squar’ yerself, Mr, Griscom, and let out what’s in ’em,.” ‘‘T don’t fully understand them,” answered Griscom, in a quiet and careless tone. ‘ Sev- eral of them are old letters, written to a Mr. Bernard of New York, many yearsago. They don’t seem to amount to anything particular. And here’s a document that says Mr. Bernard and wife are about to start across the plains to California with their infant son. ‘** He bad lost his fortune in the East, he says, and must seek a new one in the gold-mines of the West. Then, this last paper only tells who he is and where he came from. It seems intended to aid in pecing him if anything should happen, Did anything happen to him?” he asked. with a show of curiosity. he Mountain Mascot. Fa TG —_—— -_—_— eo — --_— a ‘Why, ves; they got kinder rough-handled, Like some folks does on the peraries,” ‘“*In what way?” “Had the’r ha’r lifted by a parcel o’ bloody Injuns, that’s all, Me and some o’ the boys was prospectin’’boant thar jist then, and stampeded them cut-throats, I guv a couple on ‘em a pass- port to tother world. But the bernards—that’s the name you said®”’ és Yes 3 ‘‘They was done fur; transmogrified inter ghosts, and the wagons set a-blazin’, But, ther’ was a /ittle youngster as the woman had in her arms and kinder kivered up. We stampeded them Lajuns ’fore they could finish ther bioody work, i got the boy and the papers as you’ve jis@read, and that’s al! that’s left o’ that thar wagon-train.” ‘* The boy is still alive, then?” ** Tf you want ter stir upa livelier young hoss, you'll have ter foot the Rockies from end to end. Now read them papers out loud,” Griscom proceeded to do so, but we will not trouble the reader with a transcript of their con- tents. As read by him they showed nothing of importance other than to identify the Bernards and prove the parentage of the boy. There was nothing in bis manner to indicate that he had not read them correctly or in full. ‘* That’s the hull! on ’t?” queried Dug-Out,with some show of disappointment. ‘* Every word.” ‘* They jist show who the boy’s parients is?” ‘¢ Nothing more.” ** And I s’pect "twouldn’t be no sort o’ use sendin’ to York to ax ’bout’em? Like enough the lad’s relations is all dead and buried afore now.” ‘** Is the boy lively and happy?’ **'You bet! Ther’ ain’t his beat on two legs.” ‘* Then let him stay so. It would just worry and upset him to make him think he had relations in New York, and do nobody any sort of good.” **] don’t see but you’re ’bout right,” assented Dug-Out, with a sigh, as he rose and tuok the papers from his visitor. ‘* Ther’ never was no use rakin’ up dead chips. But (?'m proper glad to know what’s in them papers.” He mepinced them in the chest and turned the key in the lock. ** And now, as you’ve made me dry with your documents, which are a little extra dry sort of fodder, I hope you’ll treat me to a mug of cold pvhte Pret by way of wetting my whistle again. . ‘* Water!” cried Dug-Out. ‘‘ Nobody drinks that here, ’coptasararity. I’ve got some good old rye that’s much more to the pint. It’s *most as old as them dokyments, and a good deal ilier.” ** No, no!” laughed Griscom, whisky. Water’s my drink.” ** Then ie wasn’t brung up in ther mines,” answered Dug-Out, reproachfully. “If ye’re goin’ to locate here, you can’t begin ’arlier in **T never touch ‘| gettin’ the necessary eddication.” ‘* No, thank you. Water, or nothing.” ‘*T reckon you’re yer own doctor,” rejoined Dug-Out, as be eee up a bucket and walked oe door. ra But water isn’t quite our idea Oo ; He disappeared with the bucket, closing the door behind him, Hardly had he done so. than Griscom was on his feet, peering about him eagerly. The old fool!” he hissed. ‘If he knew the value of those papers be would sooner trust me with a gold mine than with them. I have but» minute. I must make the most of 1.” He sprung to the window and looked out, ‘Allright, Yonder be goes. Now for that key,” Dug-Out, after locking the chest, had laid the key in a closet on the opposite side of the room, Griscom hurried there, threw open the door, and looked hastily for it. But it had been placed somewhere out of sight, and it took him several minutes to find it, hen, with an oath of impationce, he hurried across the room to the chest, inserted the key, and turned the lock, His nervous haste inter- fered with his movements, so that another min- ute before he had the lid lifted. He had noted precisely where the papers were placed, and in an instant more had them in his *} Tt is only the inventory and will I need,” he muttered. ‘‘ Those he.will not miss, anc ae is welcome to the others,” He sorted the papers over with nervous haste, and picked two ont of the bundle. These he placed in his pocket and prepared to replace the others in the chest. But all this had taken time—too much time a] ? * ' } - . s:com *