Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 964 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

to give us all surprises, pard, when I was a scout under you at Fort Hays, and it is just like you to call in Pete Dunn's chips when he gave you cause.” “Yes, it is just like you, pard.” ‘* But I did not kill him, Bunco.” “Then who did?” 4 *T'll tell you all later; but I have seen the boy, and I believe matters are shaping to get my work through here much quicker than I thought.” ‘*T hope so, for as long as you remain in Devil's Canyon I shall be anxious about you.’ * And how about yourself, Bunco?” * Oh, I don’t count. I just go on in the even tenor of my way, and have no trouble with any one, while you are already sus- pected as having come here with a slip + knot to put around somebody’s neck.” ‘Well, I was the cause of bringing you out last night in a way that may cause you _ trouble.” “No, it was the boy sport, Bill, and I did but my duty in killing the fellow before he could draw trigger on you.” “You know I appreciate it, Bunco. ** Oh, yes; I know that, as I do okt you have saved my sealp half a dozen times; but here I am talking in the old way, be- cause I am with you, an’ it don’t go here, pard, so I must drop inter ther border lingo ag’in,” and Bunco went on to speak in the frontier dialect the few minutes more that Buffalo Bill was at his cabin. Leaving Buneo, the scout sauntered through the camp, spoken politely to now and then by a denizen, and again scowled at with a malignant look by some one whose crimes caused him to dread him: Back to the Wide Awake Inn for an early supper went Buffalo Bill, and soon after he was in Sports’ Delight saloon, where he discovered that the boy sport and Bunco had arrived before him, CHAPTER XVIII. THE NEWS IS HEARD. The Sports’ Delight saloon began to fill up early, for after supper the men com- - meneed to congregate there, to gossip, drink, gamble and to idle away the early hours of the night. ‘The young sport soon found a man to play | cards with, and they were pie in a a game, while Bunco sat at a table alone, _ smoking his pipe, as was his wont. Landlord Brad Burns was there, with an eye upon all, and Buffalo Bill was seated at a table talking to two very hard-look- customers. yaised in an excited way, and the next -» instant Hal Hastings, the saloonkeeper, - sprang into the saloon, his face white and “manner unnerved as he called out: _ Pards, my friend, Pete Dunn, has been kilt dead in our cabin, Ae ~ “T found him thar’ when I went home ome. supper, and ther shock nearly upset gy Oe. “e i ne eT ee Bat pards, who does yer think did ther deed?” ase looked over the crowd as he uttered ae the words, and every eye was upon him. ara ‘The saloonkeeper was not an unpo Aa Cea / man in pains 3d while Pete. eV partner, had been. } Me? 4s, me, worst said against him was that he dee Dupn’ s friend, said by those who did Es atte y like the desperado stripe. ee ‘But the two were not partners, really, _ though they occupied the same eabin to- a: a nA . 2 CN a " saloonkéeper’s pe. sil wea rt ved by nn, aud the latter had been in- “tit ad to. wake his home with him saps work is mine on shares. im" ork ot yy bis A f set ayctat bute va abe ee 4 vig Ey "Suddenly there was heard without voices Buffalo Bill’s Decoy. With his partner the saloonkeeper ar- ranged his hours of work, one day on and one day off of duty, with both serving their customers when business was brisk in the evenings, But the Sports’ Delight saloon was the one of the camp doing the great bulk of business, and where ten men congregated to one in the other places. So the comrade of Pete Dunn had rushed right to the Sports’ Delight to make known the fatal news, knowing he would find there about half the people in the camp. His tidings were received with a start by many. This secret assassination of a man in his home awed them, where half a dozen men might be killed in a saloon and not create more than a flurry. “Tell us about it, pard,”’ said Brad Burns. In response the saloonkeeper told his story. “Pards, I hain’t got Over ther shock yit, . “Yer see, Pete saved me from death once, and though many here didn’t like him, I did, and I shared my cabin with him. ‘We was good friends and always talked at supper awn when we wasn’t busy. “Well, [I goes to my cabin after knock- ing off work, and though Pete always has supper ready, I didn’t think nothing- at see- ing the door.closed, and no smoke coming out of ther chimney, for 1 thought as how he were with his pard, Red Sam, ther sport done up so bad last night, fer I heerd all about it, and they do say it was beautiful, and how he just done it. ‘Ther fellers I heerd talk—” * But to Pete Dunn’s death, pard, and never mind the sport and Red Sam!”’ broke in Brad Burns, “Oh, yes, as I was a telling ye, I opened the door, and yer c'u’d hev’ knocked me down with a jeethue for thar’ lay Pete, dead. “And more, he had been murdered, for laying on him was a knife and slip of paper, ther latter tellin’ how ther Silent Slayers hed done ther work.” A perfect yell went up at this startling information. Men here and there sprang to their feet, and exclamations broke from many Lg while half a dozen yoices broke out with: “Tt hain’t so. ‘Ther Silent Slayers didn't do it!” The eyes of Buffalo Bill, Brad Burns, . Bunco and the sport were busy. They were taking in the whole situation. Their eyes were upon the men who as- serted the innocence of the Silent Slayers, “T tell yer they did, fer their knife was thar’, and ther slip of paper tellin’ thet they was avenged, ’ * Yes, pards, it’s only a third of a mile, so come to my cabin and see fer ye'rselves thet ther Silent Slay ers done ak deed, fer it hain’t dark yet.” There was a move of many as though ee but Brad Burns called for order, and sa ‘f Borde, this killing done. by the Silent Slayers is getting to be too frequent. “Pete Dunn was a rough one, but he- was a.man in our midst, and ‘his death thus must not be passed over, . “We must stand together in this matter —— and find out just who are the men who be- Jong to this secret band. thn ‘I say, therefore, that we must go about n an orderly way, and as you have been . pleased 1o make me a leader in Devil's the org Pete Dunn. sete, in the ¢a a 4 Toy: Canyon, I will appoint a jury of six men to return with our pard here, turn the bin over to him, for’ T he owns about all there is, and to see ee ie Pete mine tg ae die, and sig Cie oid / ¥ : ‘Vs oh ht i. aX . aie 3 | . , re Ms 6 aR, Fi eit Ws om ‘ ¢ - 7? ‘ ‘h. -~s 4 a a“ { ee i % w,: ‘Waa ay? ‘ :* ava aia yo) oe La Viet fe Li yu" ;. . cover, if possible, the causes that led to his: death.” There was a chorus of cheers at the words of Brad Burns, but a few wished te go as a crowd. These were frowned down, however, and the landlord appointed six men to ac- company the saloonkeeper back to his cabin and investigate. Others” wished to go along, but Brad Burns was firm; and in re fusing he “spotted” those who were most urgent, ’ and they were the ones who had sad the Silent Slayers had not killed Pete Dunn. CHAPTER XIX. THE “JURY’S’’ REPORT. Buffalo Bill had watched all with an — eagle eye, but in silence, As a stranger he had taken no part in the affairs of the camp. mlancing at the boy sport, he saw that the news did not seem to impress that cool youth in the slightest, that Pete Dunn was: - dead, and had been murdered by the Silent | Slayers. | The seout also saw that Bunco, in _ his. quiet way, was taking all in. | The plan ¥ Brad Burns had pleased the scout. He saw as the landlord was acting: with a fixed purpose, and more, he was sure that ‘he knew what it was, and they were in perfect accord. The six men had been selected among those who were the best of the dwellers in Devil’s Canyon. Not one of the loud criers against the Silent Slayers Deing the mur derers of Pete Dunn had been selected. When several of these started to go with the “jury,’’ Brad Burns called out that he felt the crowd would uphold him in saying only those he had picked out should go. This the crowd did with a yell of appro- bation, en But as two méi Still attempted to leave the saloon, Brad Burns halted them in no uncertain tones. ‘See here. The men of Devil’s Canyon have selected a jury to investigate this murder, and if any one not appointed dares — to go, I shall hold him up as a suspected | person. “Tet them beware, for this Silent Slayer work has got to be put down, ‘Do you all understand?” It seemed that they did, for the thalbon- tents dropped in their seats, when Doc Stone said: “Tm going to see my patient, Red Sam,’” cs He will keep until after we know about this jury’s report,’ answered Burns, and he continued: “ Remember, we are acting now for the safety of all, for no man’s life is safe with the Silent Slayers at work in our midst. “The man who fights against our. _pur- pose will have to answer for it.’ ai The roar of assent that ousted this showed the malcontents that they dared — not attempt to leave the salpon and the | jury departed, led by the salo onkeeper, Then the games were resumed, and all went on a$ before for a while. | Believing himself unnoticed, Ben La | cas, one of Red Sam's seconds of the night before, quietly slipped out of the saloon. “Hands up, there!” He found himself covered by a man who Stood just outside the door, and he quickly obeye ed, for a rifle was leve ‘ag im. “T was going to the Nugget sa-— loon, landlord, for I has a Mieke uy’ * play a game thar’,” he sald, recognizing: Brad Burns.) “T could report you to. that crowd. with- — in as a_ suspicious Fak oad one w wee } eis Pie lise to “ss t Psi She Die en ‘time ia r ‘ al Nie ht) ia sh - ; ~* wit A ha Ph =f “i Pie ; ihe : op. ite ea ak ny sd vs yt tas ei = eal . ie AS ¥ FEB Oo Cen