Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 936 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

- he saved me the next day from the red- ther galoots who would hev’ ‘hanged yer heré thet kind 0’ law goes. much o’ i for well he knew that there might be con- cealed the deadliest of foes, the outlaw band known as the Mounted Miners, from the fact that they mined what other peo- ple had worked honestly and hard to ob- tain, with a rifle and revolver instead of shovel and pick, Upon the box were two persons, the driver, Joe Jarvis, a handsome fellow and one of the best hands that ever held the ribbons over a six-in-hand, and a boy, for such his companion was in years, being euly about seventeen years of age. The youth was dressed in corduroy, top boots, slouch hat, had a belt of arms about his waist, and a new cavalry carbine, a breechloader, lay upon the coach by his side. His face was a striking one, darkly bronzed by long exposure, frank, fearless and determined, a face that a man of thirty could have possessed, so strongly Was it stamped with character, Upon the top of the coach, swaying to and fro to the movements of the vehicle, Sat a huge dog, gaunt, savage looking g, and as strong as a panther. He seemed to be taking in the scenery as the coach went along, but his intensely bright eyes peered ahead as well, as though on the search for a foe. * Waal, boy pard, we'll soon be whar’ I first met yer, when yer was held up by ther outlaws, as yer was trampin’ on ter Mountain City, and yer dog thar’ helped 9? yer out o’ a ugly scrape,” said Joe Jarvis, breaking the silence that both had main- tained for a mile or more, “ Yes, as Chum often helps me out of scrapes, Mr. Jarvis.’’ “There yer be ag’in, Misterin’ me. I’m plain Joe Jarvis, and ef yer don’t call me Joe, blamed ef I don’t cut ye’r acquaint- ance.” “With such a threat staring me in the face, Joe goes every time,’ laughed the youth. , “Yes, Joe goes; and he knows that he owes his life to you, a boy tramp, as yer calls ye'rself, for when ye'r dog lit in on ther outlaws you got a chance ter play ye'r keerds, and ’atween yer, ther three Mount- ed Miners was downed when I drew up, and they was layin’ fer me, not fer you, only you happened along fu’ bi “Then look at yer,” ‘‘ Well, Joe?” © “Yer struck out on ther trail I p’inted out ter yer ter Fort Vidette, saved Buffalo Bill from being ambushed, and made him your pard fer life.” “* He quickly canceled the debt, Joe, for skins, and, several days after, when I was almost to Mountain City, and the miners would have hanged me because I had the horse of their comrade, did he not come just in time, and you also, and take me with you on this run? . * Oh, no, if I saved you and Buffalo Bill, you have both more than settled the debt, Joe.”’ ‘Not in a thousand years. “IT was glad to have you go on this run with me, and I'll be tickled to interdooce yer in society in Mountain City, and let see thet they had treed ther wrong coon. ‘‘T has ye’r two horses I carried on thar’ for yer, and which is your property, as they was ther outlaws’ animals, and out “They will sell fer a little money, and ef yer needs more, call.on me, for T has got it ter throw ter ther birds, and I knows, as you and ye’r deg were trampin’ when I met yer on my last run, yer hain’t got {00 ther yaller metal. e “ Thanks! But I sold the outlaws’ other horses and outfits.at the fort, as Buffalo A Bill told me to do, so I am quite rich for rT, _—— 2 . ee -tti— | ES DS SIS RE RA OR Dit Sn Le -_-_ oO rrr. O—o— enn er aaa — — — ee Se . ” Buffalo > Bill's Boy Waves’ ee a boy tramp—be acide Chum,” and the youth addressed his dog, who was show- ing signs of uneasiness. ‘Now, what are ther matter with thet grizzly wolf o’ yourn, fer he’s as a young feller courtin’ his gal when her daddy be around.”’ * Draw up, Joe, quick, and let Chum get | down, for he’s got the scent of something.” Joe Jarvis pressed his foot hard down upon the brake, drew in his horses, and the coach came to a standstill. Then Ned Osmond said: ‘* Now, Chum, what is it, old dog?” The dog quickly got down upon the dash and leaped from there to the ground, Then he ran rapidly on ahead and dis- appeared up the trail. * All right, Joe. .As long as Chum’s on ahead as patrol we have nothing to fear, so now tell me what you said you wished to.” ‘T'll do it, young pard, and it is a con- fession IT have to make, a secret I have to tell you,” and the face of the Overland as oOneasy | —_—-_ | | er driver became at once most serious, while | a look of intense in his fine eyes. CHAPTER II. DRIVER JOE'S CONFRSSION., “Yas, boy pard, I told yer 1 had some- thing ter tell yer, and its a secret I wishes ter remain in its grave, Save thet you shall know it, but I wants ter talk ter some one about it, and thar’ is no tellin’ when V’ll see Buffalo Bill ag’in, and I trusts you same aus yer was a man. “But Ill drop my voice, fer I hain’t makin’ a speech fer ther public,” and Joe Jarvis gave a jerk of his hand to indicate that he did not wish the people in the coac h to hear him. " What you tell me, Joe, I shall keep as a dead secret, of course,” replied the youth, and a fter a moment the driver said: “It was ye’r dog who did it, fer he jumped onter him and gripped his throat: in them powerful jaws 0’ his. : ‘*T hain’t no hard feelin’s ag’in’ ye’r dog, "cause, poor dumb critter, he was protect- in’ yer, his master, from three outlaws wearin’ masks, “He didn’t know who they was, save thet, when he come aiong ter overtake yer they had yer held up, and was about ter down yer, So he chipped in, you played yer keerds, and ther game was won, 2 But ther feller as ther dog got his grip on? “Yer see me thet day when I tu’k his mask off, and I seen thet you know’ df hed reeognized him, Le lied ter yer When I said I didn't, fer I did know him. — ‘Away back some fifteen years ago thar’ was & mighty pretty home on a farm on the Missouri River, and a happy family dwelt thar’, ‘But thar’ come inter ther’ home a imp in ther guise 0’ an angel, ther young school Marm who teached ther country children, “T lived in thet home with my father and mother, and my brother, and ther school marm were a distant cousin o’ ours. *T fell in love with her, so did my twin brother, and she pertended she were in love with us both, and made each believe she was going to become his: wife, but told us ter keep it secret. ‘Waal, it Were a secret as wouldn’ t keep along whar’ ther lovers was twin brothers, and I told. my mother. —.. My brother hed done ther same, and that evening a gent came to t ther farm as was going ter marry ther — _ right off and take her away with hii . as he had been engaged to her for a year, and jist ‘got a fortin’ left ‘him. : “Waal, it hit me a hard blow, boy pard, | fer I would hey’ trusted ther woman as * ; ; . toy * x mY \ eet : e ; 4 a or \ . “> cry typ) is ripe es fea hi AP ea ur = or Stall ” sadness dwelt afar back | ‘did my mother; but it made my DIE crazy mad, and that night he shot ther m: theo ther winder as he sat talkin’ to’ ther girl in ther parlor. ‘He kilt him, and had ter run fer his life. “ Ther girl were ill fer a long time, and, fool like, I fergived her, and she promised ter marry me after a year of mournin’. “Well, I waited, and meanwhile my father died, and it was found he hed no property of his own, all bein’ mortgaged to pay notes he had indorsed for friends. “Then ther gal begun ter git sweet on 4 rich young farmer I hed never liked, and he told me plainly his money would win her from me. “One evening I came across them in ther woods, and he told me they was en- gaged; she laughed at me, and—well, I did almost as bad as my poor brother did, only I didn’t kill him from ambush, but forced him to fight me then and there, for both of us had our rifles. “Do you.believe it, boy pard, thet girl stepped off the distance and gave the word to fire. ‘ His bullet cut through my arm, and my bullet went into his heart. “Then she said to me, cool as ice: “Ef yer don’t want ter hang, Joe Jar- vis, just make tracks fer home, get ye’r horse and what money yer kin raise, and light out fer ther Wild West, for that dead man was my husband, we having been married a few weeks ago secretly, and I'll get his fortune as his widow, while T’ll spend a big sum to send you to the gal- lows fer killing him.’ ‘Boy pard, she scared me, and I took her advice, though I tell yer Satan fought hard within me ter kill her. in a voice as ‘Waal, my poor mother didn’t last very — Jong after I had gone, and she was laid by the side of my father. “The old farm was sold, but a few thousands over were put in bank for me, though I have never caimed it—maybe never will.” “And the wicked woman?” “She got her husband’s fortune and lott soon after, having put all into cash, and J have-not heard from the old place for ten years—never want ter ag’in.” “And your brother?” “Ah, yes, it was my brother Jack that ye’r dog kilt. “He had tarned road-agent, and was ther lieutenant of ther Mounted Miners, for they called. him Wild Jack, “Yer see, he went ter ther bad for a woman’s sake, while I~: Waal, stage driver of ther Overland, when I were born a gent, educated, and was hoping for a bright future. “But my hopes is wrecked, boy pard. “But whar’ is yer dog, fer T hain’t seen — him since hé started on ahead. ‘“‘T don’t know, but he’s all right, and—” “ Hands up, Joe Tarvis, and answer for the life of Wild Jack!’ Ff The voice rang out sternly from the side of the road, and four masked men stepned into view with rifles leveled at. the Overland driver and: his boy pard, — The dog patrol had given no warning of Ganger. IIT. THERE YANKDPR ROY PLAYS A BOLD GAMR. What Joe Jarvis would have done under the circumstances, he had not time to consider. A driver of. the Overland for years, he . well knew how fatal it was for him to resist the road-agents, when hey’ had the “drop” on him. Did he see any chance to escape, 8 run the gantlet, he would have done so, but with four rifles leveled at ‘bias. there was ‘ | ' “ b f : 1cCDO | ul Rass Nd oO ~ bd #*e* ; af ' sy Z. - ee A uv Wl Ai : - eae Oo cS. = m I’m’; a: honest man, but look at me now, only a_ . + od Or ., ‘ 7% . - : ) » ot me