Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 940 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

ee a eee _ . ne ee ee - “Oh, from over the hill and far away— Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s Shake-up, ee She had peerless eyes, and the glint in their depths boded ill for the man who dared to disregard her injunction. And it was not disregarded. She seemed to take in everything at a glance, and any one experienced in read- ing faces would have read surprise in hers When she saw tie prisoner, “ Hillo!” cried Buck. “Whar’ did you come from, beauty?’ “Oh, from nowhere in particular. I have just struck your camp. .Say, are you going to have a hanging-bee this mornh- ing?” ‘No, I reckon not.” “Pshaw! ‘That’s too bad. I thought I was in for a little fun. What are you going to do with your prisoner there?’ Put him in the lock-up.” “Well, I have no right to oppose you; | didn’t mean to do that anyhow—it is no funeral of mine.” “She lies!” cried the prisoner. ** Lies?” “Yos, She is the gal that got away last night, or my name is not Ben Welcher!” “You are off the trail this time, sure | enough, old man! [ have just arrived in , your little one-horse city, you see,” avowed | the lovely Amazon. ‘You lie like sin!” | “Say, gentlemen, just let him loose, will | you, and let me take a fall out of him for that? It will relieve you of all concern in regard to him, and you will never miss ——— —_—----—-— - — —— _— — ——- “ What could you do with him, miss?” “T’ll show you. I will make him think the lightning has struck in his neighbor- hood somewhere.” “Yes, let me loose,” seconded the prisoner, as he made an effort to free himself, “for this is the pard of Doe Dalton, and we wust search her for the paper she has with her.” “You are talking through your hat, old fellow!” cried the girl sport. “I don't catch your twitter. If you mistake me for some one else, let me set you right. I am Tulip Tilly, the flyest girl in the whole woolly West. and in my little fling around ‘he circle I have happened to drop in to see you.” “ Where did you come from?” Dan Buck. \ him.” | demanded it don’t just matter where, 1 opine. But, go on with your show.” ‘“T tell you, she is the same one,” in- sisted the prisoner. “By the infernal! if you don’t free me and let me fill my place as mayor of this camp you will live to re- pent it!” “What would you do, chappie, if you got free?’ asked the girl. “J would show you what I would do, and that in mighty short order, you can bet on it!’ . “Tet him free then, for goodness’ sake, the girl invited. “Ll would like no better fun than to take some of the conceit out of him. But who is this Doc Dalton he speaks of?” “See her play “Are you going to be it off?" cried mt way, | “We ain't fooled a whole lot,” averred fooled that way, uck, with a grin. ; sa What wey we hyer? What havea we hyer? Bless my twin eyes; what have we here, boyees ?” ’ “It was Happy Harkins, who, having lin- gered behind to take another drink, had just caught up with the procession, and looked the surprise he evidently felt on seeing the pretty sport. “Say, don’t you know her?” demanded Welcher. en. “Know her?” repeated the bum. D'ye think I have an acquaintance wi’ angels? Do I look as if I had the entrance to the upper realms? No, I don’t know her; but, by cracky, I will take a drink at her ex- pense, if she will just say the magic word, for it is *most a minute since I imbibed!” “Shut up!’ roared the prisoner. -‘‘Isn't she the gal that was with the man that we arrested last night?" “ Sartain not!” declared the bum, prompt- ly. “That one was in petticoats, while this hyer one is in pants. See? I tell ye, boys, ye aire entertaining an angel un- awares, if ye don’t reckynize her'as sech!”’ “You are all fools!” roared the mayor. “Let me go, and see how mighty soon 4} Will straighten things out! Let me go, 1 say! By Harry! but you shall all pay fo% this! I swear you shall!” “Why, he is rather wrathy, isn’t he?” remarked the girl sport. “Better take him on to the refrigerator, I should say, and if you want any more help than you have gxot I will lend a hand myself. I am ripe for anything that offers, ‘Think 1 will go with you anyhow.” “Forward!” ordered Buck. “We don’t want to mdnkey away time here in this fashion. You are welcome to come along if you want to, Tulip Tilly.” “Thank you! Il aim right with you!” “Me too! Me too!" eried out the bum. “T was on the p’int of rushin’ back for another dose of p’izen to stay my stum- mick, but I guess I kin stand it till we all go back if ye don’t stay too long. * Oh, I'm happy as a clam When [ am full kerslam Of the juice of ye gay and festive Bug, bug, bug. And Happy is my name, You would know it just the same, sv the hanny look upon my pretty Mug, mug, mug.” | That, and several verses equally as bad, if not indeed worse, he sang as they pro- ceeded to the lock-up of the camp, ‘to the great amusement of the members of the crowd who cared for that sort of thing, and when tiey reached their destination he wound up with: “T won't pass the hat now, boyees, but I'll drink to your good health when we get back—at your expensa Now, Dan, what is on the carpet?" The mayor had, by this time, worked himself into such a passion that he was al- most frothing at the moutn. ‘Why, we are going to give this other prisoner his trial,’ answered Bob, to the bum’s inquiry. Information which caused the mayor to rave and storm the more. He was wild to get free and take the case inte his own hands, threatening calamities the most dire if he was not released. “Et’s no use, mayor,” protested Buck. “This hyer little rebellion has been a good while hatchin’, and now you see the chick that has popped out of the shell. It is all your own fault, and you have no- body to blame but yourself for it. Your trial will come next, I reckon.” “My trail! What do you mean?” | “Jest what I say. You will be tried fer murder, ef we know ourselves.” “Tried for murder?’ and the mayor grew pale as he echoed the words. “I have done no murder, Dan Buck.” “You have done a dozen, right hyer in Reilley. You have shot many a poor cuss down in his tracks without givin’ him the ghost of a ehance; but now the tables have turnei—turned clean over, and you are wnder ’em!” “It's a Le! If I was the quicker on the draw, it was their fault. This is carrying a joke too far!” sputtered the prisoner. “You will find it ain’t no joke we get done with it.” “Where is Hank Riggle? I'll bet he will take a hand in this thing before it ‘fore 7 a « .* = ~ a = wn ie te hte, tat KOE S08 > : ’ . — . eC er Ee | is done with, and if there isn’t a ruetion here at Reilley it will be a wonder! Ill hang every mother’s son of you as soon as I get free!’ “Your will is good enough, no doubt, but ye ain't free yet, and we aire goin’ to take mighty good care that you don't get free, either. Do you observe? We are the rebellion I spoke about when I first called you up, and I guess we can carry it to a finish. By this time the calaboose had been opened and the mayor, having been se- curely bound, was thrust within, while Deadwood Dick was brought forth into the morning air and sunshine. At sight of him the whole posse of rebels gave a cheer, as if they knew the man and were eager to hail him chief. He was freed at once, and they escorted him to the Shanty Palace, where they gave him ample time to make his toilet and breakfast. CHAPTER IX. A SCRIM IN. PROSPECT. Felix Fox had come forth smiling. He was stiff and sore, and felt wretched, but be had tried to Jet none of this be seen in its reality. It had been a disappointment to many that he and Tulip Tilly did not recognize each other when their eyes met, for it had been the general supposition that she Was none other than his pard of the night before. She, too, had gone to the hotel, however, had registered there by the name she had given, and had taken a room. There had come a lull in the excitement, and it seemed as if the camp had lost some of its population, for not many men were observed on the streets. Hank Riggle had not been seen; where- upon Dan Buck remarked to his men that se aseiyy a | g Ee there was mischief on the air of some ’ kind. He felt it in his bones, he declared, and it was to be looked out for, for Hank was the ugliest man im town when aroused, as everybody knew—the mayor's right-hand man, in fact. Meantime, the rebels had taken charge of the mayor's offiee. “Who is going to be made mayor?’ Happy Harkins was demanding. ‘“* That is what I want to know? I want to drink his good health jest as soon as he is in, and at his expense. Hence I want to know. “Oh! give us a mayor ‘that’s fair an’ square, And ‘about as broad as he’s long, And we'll drink to his health, To his limit o’ wealth; And that is the sing of my song.’’ Silliness that brought a laugh from the idlers around, of course, “The thought of it makes my mouth water,” the bum declared. “I can’t wait, but must go and indulge once more. Don't let anything important occur till I git back again, Dan, for I don’t want to miss any of the show.” He disappeared into the bar-room of the Shanty Palace, and about the time he did so Felix. Fox stepped out upon the piazza. He looked like a new man, almost, and he certainly felt like one, “Well, gentlemen, here is your pris- oner,” he said. “I have kept my parole, you observe, and am ready for the trial you promised me. I am willing to place myself in your hands for that purpose at once.” “And we are ready to give you the trial.” “asserted Dan Buck. ‘ This hyer crowd is your jury, if you don’t object.” “That suits me, sir.” “And we'll proceed to try you just where you stand. I'll take it upon my own shoulders to be judge, since this hyer