Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 936 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

- “ , wag 7 4 7 é ‘ a . ty es ; fe it : 3 . se iyo = 4 Buffalo Bill’s Boy Mascot. a WSs. eee oOoeyoq$wa=$@®sSmsSsmmosS ooo — ~ iy _ “No, my poor pard, it war’ no joke, for | ‘That's what.” Pretentious in name, Mountain City was ™ a: the women were armed; one had a key to; ‘“ Nobody knows just who they are?” in reality a collection of camps, some dozen fet fit the strong box, and those manacles you |“ No.” : little villages of log cabins, with scattering ‘But you recognized a miner in the man | huts between, and all centering about a have on—it was all a put up job, and I ; 4 a d. FN es Sad « * * - / now and then.” . ‘So does I; but let us be off, for I is anxious ter make up lost time, and if you ‘atches on ter drivin’ ¢s yer did ter fight- in’, yer kin run ther old huss’ inter Moun- tain City same asTe’u'd.” - The dog was helped up to the top of the coach, Joe Jarvis clambered up with an effort, and then Ned Osmond followed, | seized the reins, and the team was Started | level head, boy pard. once more upon the trail. CHAPTER V. THE SECRET BETWEEN THEM, Ned Osmond gathered up the reins over the six horses like one who was not a stranger to driving, and with cleverness, common-sense and daring would soon learn. The dog lay on the top of the coach, and, though wounded, had his eyes and ears open on the alert for-danger. Joe Jarvis sat on the box, suffering with the wound in his leg, yet with his feelings completely subdued by what had hap- pened. “My heart pains me more, boy pard, than does my leg,” he muttered. His manacled hands were clasped before him, and he seemed to be lost in deepest meditation, until suddenly Ned Osmond put his foot hard down on the brake, and drew rein, with the remark: ‘See there, Joe!’ : He pointed to the trail, and there were visible some fresh tracks made by shod horses. “You are right, boy pard, here is where them fellers waited for them road-agent gals. “You is beginning to read signs like a borderman, for I hadn’t noticed them tracks.” ; ‘You were not looking. But how many horses do you think were here, and do you see those boot heels?’ “Yes, thar’ be leetle feet and big ones— here is whar’ they hed some one waitin’ fer ’em, and thar’ is ther tracks of half a dozen critters, if not more. “But what on ’arth is them road-agent gals doin’ in this eountry, and whar’ js they going?” “T give it up; and I’ve one for you, Joe.” ‘Let her fly.” ‘Were the four in the coach the com- panions of the four who held us up back on the ridge?’’ ‘‘You have got me, boy pard.” ‘ Well, I don't know, but would like to. “‘ See, they go off in that direction, and if Chum was not wounded we could soon find where, for he could track them on a scent a day old.” “Waal, we is not able ter do it now, so I says we goes ahead ter Mountain City and starts ther Vigilantes out on ther trail. Ned drove on again, and for some time did not reply. Then he said: * Pard Joe!” “* Waal, boy pard.”’ “* Who are the Vigilantes?” “They are some thirty or forty of ther miners thet is banded ter keep things straight in Mountain City.” “Do they do it?” “Waal, they lifts a man with hemp “Sometimes getting the wrong man?’ aT Waal, [ has know’d ’em ter do thet, outlaws who were trying to ambush him, and the gang that were going to hang me said openly that one of the slain outlaws was their comrade. “Now, Joe, we don’t know but that even among the Vigilantes there may be several outlaws, and I am going to suggest a plan, if you'll let me.” ‘‘ Jist fire away, for you’ve got a mighty “Tell your agent, or boss, the truth about the four passengers, but keep it a dead secret to all else.” “JT jist don’t git hold of ye’r meanin’, boy pard.’’ “My idea is to tell that we were held up by road-agents, and that you and I, and my dog are wounded there is proof, and I am pretty sure that two of the outlaws went under. ‘‘Now the women who were in the coach got the boodle, and the two men who played seared were their pards beyond a doubt.” “You is about trampin’ ther right trail, pard.” “Vell, what is the use of speaking of the two women or the men; just let it be thought that the road-agents robbed you.” “T think you is about right. “T don’t want to give it away two petticoats held me up?” “Not exactly that, for a revolver is as dangerous in a woman’s hands as in a man’s, and I would just as soon be killed on purpose as by accident, it’s all the same, “The women downed you, for they were elever in their way of playing their game, and you never looked for treachery. “But if you report tovall that the wom- en did it, why, the Vigilantes may have men among them who will post the out- laws, and somehow I don’t connect the four passengers with the four who held the coach up.” “T believe you is about right.” “Now, I wish to go at once to the fort, upon reaching Mountain City, and report the affair to Buffalo Bill, and we'll know just what to do, you may be sure.” “Boy pard, it shall be as you say, and we'll keep the thing a secret about the women holdin’ me up; in fact, I feel kinder ‘shamed ter let it be known I wilted afore a gun in a girl’s hand. “Yas, Buffalo Bill is the man ter £0 on ther trail, and you go to ther fort; but yer is not ter start afore dawn ter-morrer, for there be ugiy men in the mountains, and some of ’em won't forgit yer, and thet Buffalo Bill rescued you from a lot of ’em, and yer must keep ye’r eyes open fer dan- ger.” ““T will be constantly on the watch, Joe,’ was the youth’s reply, and he sent the team along at a more rapid pace, for he could see that the driver was suffering greatly with his wound. CHAPTER VI. THR BOSS OF MOUNTAIN CITY. The young driver handled the reins with a skill/that won much praise from Joe Jarvis, and it was a little before the time when the coach was due that it began to climb the last hill on the way up to Mountain City. | Ned Osmond had a curiosity to see the place known as Mountain City, for, what- ever was ‘the mysterious mission which had brought him to the Wild West, and that ‘ want to know what Buffalo Bill will I killed some days ago, Buffalo Bill dis- | central point where there were a stage sta- say ?’’ covered another miner among the three | tion, stables, a tavern, blacksmith shop, several stores, and half a dozen combina- tion saloons and gambling dens, A population of half a thousand miners encircled the village proper, and ‘there were to be found men of all kinds, classes, nationalities and characters. ~ Seattered over a space of ten miles Square, the miners were wont to congre- gate at nightfall toward the central point where the stores and saloons were. Twice a week they got a mail, and on the nights when the stage came in there was a larger crowd than usual. The head man in Mountain City was the stage boss, Luke Leathers, and he was the right man in the right place, being a bright fellow, knowing the country, under- standing the characters with whom he had to deal ,and utterly fearless. A man with less nerve than Luke Leath- ers possessed would not have held the position he did one week, for he would have been killed. There were those who said that Luke was a man-kiler, but he had had this questionable title forced upon him by the necessities of the work he had to do when he first took charge in Mountain City. He had been a soldier, then a scout, and next a stage driver, and he was appointed by the Overland Company because his’ worth was recognized. Luke Leathers was not only stage boss, but he was landlord of the Good Cheer Inn, the proprietor of the largest store in the settlement, owned the blacksmith shop, was postmaster, and had a saloon and gambling den as well. Altogether, Luke managed to handle about half the money that circulated in Mountain City, and was looked upon as the richest man in the mines. With his stage force, two blacksmiths, tavern help,. store clerks and saloon-keep- ers, Luke Leathers had what he called his “Regulators,” something over a score of men, whom he could call on when needed to keep order in Mountain City, when the miners got too wild, which was sometimes the case. He was a man over six feet in height, erect as an Indian, an athlete in build and strength, and one who could handle a re- volver or knife with deadly effect when needed. . Long blond hair, blue eyes, with black lashes, a complexion that a woman would envy, a frank, cheery expression, and a picturesque costume, half military, half sport, made up a man of striking appear- ance, and one whose word was law in Mountain City, while he was both liked and hated, admired and feared. t Climbing up the long, steep trail to the Good Cheer Tayern, Ned Osmond handled the reins well, while a score of men called out to Joe Jarvis to know if he was going to retire from the Overland, and was “breaking in a cub” to take his place, | Joe held his manacled hands down in his lap, to hide that he was ironed, and paid no heed to the calls or comments, save when a pard spoke pleasantly to him, _ when he as politely responded. The Good Cheer was a large log cabin with wings on either side and a building running back in the rear, and which was dining room and kitchen. | by Over the rear building were a dozen sleeping rooms, all that were needed, and they were bare of furniture other than cot beds and benches, for the guests could go down to the piazza to “wash up,’’ where ee ata we Pee ce he | ) « a + \ . at al ¥ ~ : which he kept so well locked up in his Sy See Err nnn eee Ne — a ee eA] “ The Mounted Miners are a band of out- | own breast, that had been the destination there were soap and towels. tale ase ee, Jaws banded for robbing?” — 7 he had aimed for. | bus Path, Two rooms were quite well furnished for = A 7. , P ‘ ; se ; ‘ ; OS ite See on ET IS aR ie ae eae AN ES Bish el Nas sa eae ; ate it Par ela 1eleve