Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 971 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

i eried out. “Throw up your hands, or by Harry, I’ll bore ye through where ye stand. JI am in dead earnest.” ™his was evidently more than the man had looked for, for it seemed to take him by surprise. He had no chance to defend himself, even if he would have offered resistance, so he made the best of the situation and surrendered, and in the same moment a dozen hands 1im. Pi grail what does it mean?” he coolly asked. ‘This is quite a surprise, I as- entlemen.” s fa gabe admit these as your tracks? | the mayor demanded, pointing, “Certainly,” was the response. “Then you are our prisoner. Bind him, men, and gearch him. He may atts something about his person that wi See believe it,” declared Gil Rog- ers. “ This man ain’t ther kind ter do a thing like that, nohow. What have ye got ter say about et, ge Dixon; why ‘ eak up in yer ‘fense: Poe ae ros ] 6 that, till I learn what the charge is?’’ asked the prisoner, with ‘an air of utmost innocence. ‘ “Fa! ha!” the mayor sneered. That is pretty well played, Duplex John, you have styled yourself—though g00' : ness only knows what your real name is; but it won’t serve the purpose this time. «her charge is murder, that’s what et is,” cried out Gil Rogers, “ but I say, and I stick to it, that you never done ber A eag " “Murder! Who has been murdered? “Tia! What d’ye call this?”’ “Dave Hamilton’s watch, as I live!”’ “What say you now?” demanded the “Mayor. ; fhe action of it all had been rapid. The prisoner had already been bound, ets, and a gold watch was brought. to jight at the moment he demanded to | ‘know who had veen murdered.. “Yes, it is David Hamilton’s watch— I admit it, certainly,” he said, with all coolness. “He is sending it up_ to Apache to have a spring put in it. But --who has been murdered, { demand, and - why have you pitched onto me for it? I am all in the dark.” “Hat ha!” was the mayor’s hard jaugh. “Sending his watch to have a dead in his cabin—” “ My God! You don’t mean to say Ham- | ilton is dead—that he has been mur- dered?” .. : y _ The prisoner’s face blanched, and his exclamation was like a cry. “Yes, we do, and we believe that you are the murderer,” responded the mayor, grimly. “ Haven’t I said before, boys, that I had my suspicions of this fellow?” he appealed to the crowd, - (There was a howl of assent immedi- ately. | mya ; | | _. “ All ther same, I hold him innocent,” ) declared Gil Rogers, determinedly, his / own face pale. ‘‘ Guilty men don’t act like he has acted from ther first, Pete Aatalvwodd. Ef he had killed Dave Ham- - ikton, he wouldn’t ’a’ Jeft so plain a trail ter show which way he had come,” _ Before more could be said the rattle _ of wheels was heard and the stage came _ fumbering along ak ee le ei COREA PT ER VW TWO AGAINST MANY. | |“ Whoap!” } as | sang out the _ “CGonsarn ye fur a lot ov fool mules, any- ‘Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Oath. ——— ee willing hands were searching his pock- until so informed by these men. spring put in, and him a-laying stone | to the scene and stopped. oe | in your camp, sir,” interrupted the new- comer, “there is only one honorable course open for you, and that is to see that my friend has the fairest kind of a trial, and every chance “Who : Jehu, as he _ brought his six “critters ” to a stand. ee “Matter enough, Hawkins,” responded the mayor of Paradise. ‘‘He has done a murder, that’s what’s the matter, and ~ ; oe hl “Yes, that is the right way,” chipped in the driver. ‘A fair and square show ' fer his money, every time.” es He was gathering up his “ribbons we are going to string him up higher than Haman. «You don’t happen to have a rope aboard your hearse there, do you? | If you have, hand it out.” “Whew: ther doose yer say! No, I} ain’t got no rope aboard, and ef I had one I’m blamed ef you would git et, Pete Eastwood, fer that feller don’t look like a murderer, he don’t. Have ye got ther proof hard on him?” “No, he ain’t no murderer, nuther!” cried Rogers. “I say and I stick to, that he is innocent of ther charge. He ain’t had no show yet.” “Who says that man is a murderer?” A new voice, and a man leaped out from the stage and confronted the men of Paradise. The foregoing had taken but a few brief moments, after the stage came to a stop, and this man made his appear- ance as promptly as circumstances would admit of. He was a sharp-eyed fellow, mayhap thirty-five years of age. He wore a rough business suit that fitted him well, and looked to be a man accustomed to brushing up against the world. He had a sandy mustache, and there was just the suggestion of an Irish accent in his speech, “JT say that he is a murderer,’ re- sponded the mayor of Paradise, prompt- ly. “His tracks have led us straight from the place where the body of his victim was found, and it stands to reason that he must be. The body wasn’t cold yet, and this fellow has had just about time enough to get down here. He was | no doubt going to light out.” “TI have told you for what reason I came down here,” said the prisoner, in a calm tone. “He came here to meet me, undoubt- edly,” said the stranger. ‘“‘My name is Phil Parson, and I am his pard. I am on hand as you expected, Dixon. What do you say to this charge?” “JT say that I am innocent, of course. I did not know that Hamilton was dead He was alive and all right when I went to his cabin to get his watch, and so [ left him when I came away. I know nothing about it whatever.” “A clever story, a very clever story,” sneered the mayor, “but how are you going to prove it?” “T’ll undertake to do that, if given the chance,” said the prisoner. “And you shall have the chance,” de- clared the new-comer. “How many among you, men, are in favor of giving the prisoner a fair trial, with ample time in which to prove his innocence? ”’ “Count on me fer one,” called out Gil Rogers, promptly. — | “And me fer another, ef I could stay hyer,” supported the Jehu. “I don’t be- lieve he done et.” For the most part the rest were silent, looking to the mayor to speak for them, apparently. | | | | The mayor’s face darkened. ‘No one can be more in favor of fair play than I am,” he asserted. “ This man shall have a fair trial, but it is so plain a case that it looks like foolishness—” “Tf you are in favor of law and order 2 possible to prove himself innocent.” de a fore to-day.” es friend expected a pard to come by this _ ae | stage,” spoke up the arrival. you are fully satisfied that he to goon. Late already, it was impossible for him to linger long by the wayside, | unless absolutely necessary, for he had a railroad connection to make. “Do you think that I would be in fa- vor of lynching an innocent man?” asked the mayor.” “TI should hope not, Pete,’ said the driver. “That is all we can ask, then,” ac- cepted the new-comer. “ Give my friend a fair chance, and I think he will prove his innocence to your satisfaction.” “ Nobody kin kick at that,’ the Jehu approved, tightening his grip on the lines and flourishing his whip. ‘“ You'll find that ye have got ther wrong man, is my opine, boys. QG’lang, there! ye a9 lunkhead brutes!” a tact There were other passengers aboard the © oan stage, but not one of them had opened | his mouth to say a word. The stage went clanking on its way, seul the driver casting a look behind as he | turned the bend, and until it had passed out of sight no one in the crowd said anything. fe The prisoner was the first to speak. aoe “Well, mayor,” he said, “lam in your yea hands, and I have only one favor to ask nak Fs. : at present.” A ie ‘What is that?” the mayor snarled. ae “That you take me back to the camp ays and let me have a lobk at Hamilton’s ok body and the cabin. There may be some af ‘APR clew to the rascal who killed him, for, Feats I assure you again, that I am not the ‘ees man.” Ses ‘We'll take you back there, rest as— a sured on that point,’”’ was the crusty re- Mt i sponse. “And you shall have a trial, iy too; but as far as your being innocent, ho Oe I don’t take any stock in that myself. | You have told a clever story, I admit, 7 but I have had my suspicions of you be- er ee “That’s so,” some of the crowd sup- ported. | “It is certain that I told you no lie abe when I said I had to come down to the oN yo stage this morning to meet a pard,” the Bs. prisoner argued. | fs 5s fc) “You never told me anything of the 5 is kind, young man.” | *T made no secret of it. I mentioned it in the Jolly Polly last night, and Mr. Hamilton for one knew of it, as did re others who stood around.” | Wie Vis os “Maybe so. Who stood around? ”. Meer “You were not far away yourself, may- — ‘NOG or, and some others, I did not particu- = larly notice who they were.” | oi “T suppose not. I certainly did not | ei: hear you say anything of the kind, and ~~ unless you can find some one who did, | your story will not pass. Hamilton cannot testify for you, that is certain.” “You saw us leave the Jolly Polly to— gether, : didn’t you?) <<" - +! : “Yes, I saw that.” . | “Well, outside he asked me to step up. and get his watch this morning and bring it down to the driver, as I told you; and I did so. He was then alive and well, and so I left him. I know noth- — ing further than that, as I have said.” © “And I am here as proof that my — ornate <~ Trt a M —? — Sars -— wh Ae if Dot» ey > « a” Md o PAS ye « return to your camp, and, as he says, there may be some clew to the raseak who has done the deed. I cannot be- lieve that you want to hang him b 5d 3h is the ») ay. 4 “ how! Wha ; | SURE PUT, a Ed are _ how! What is ther matter hyer, boys?| “That is what I am kickin’ fer,” cried | “To the camp with him!” ordered the _ What has that feller been a-doin’?” — | Gi : | : ~ * mayor, 3 i 8 | erie is tera Seacoast pido eu, lee | Gal Ragere, 5.50093! "mayor, sullenly. “I am for fair play, r mee TT ¢ DP ta car bac be! ‘ i ’ give js, tr les ; , © oe ' : ’ Che tps ] + 5 ae - | PEMA At ‘ “4 >. r ¥ a d ry pare, oF ibe oy au , J ot : , ‘7 : yf: . 4 ¥ 4 he a ty care | be 7 Wrap Ws ae a, 4 SSN Ra NS AS 0, Pe GOR gah Seu ee TS Ro (hat cw ea Acton rh aS, | Le. eR aN aa ee a EMER gia Cues, RTE NST pe aos rages RC ah poe Peete Da ea i, ot SCal ea, capes” a ue neta ga A TEN Mr nong remy Mt cs SNE Le Sit! Ratty cea nae a pilags i to pt a ie ‘ j y 2 4 ~ ‘ | : ’ Engen = EEA ES RII CVROCRS @ + ie &,.