Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 971 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

~. . a _ J Wee Ss AP "se = _. = =o ~~ ? : , yo = = = » A ee onto A Feige (es o ; =a te > “it ' ae . -< 4 Se . we ‘tow Py - al <> ong; oi i eae aS an As: _ - 7 * oh ath. - im r Tee = th Fs 5 “a “ee < % * ’ - gee * : wis i - . at : Ly mre’ if = hy : 3 le ity Sy —f ¢ : 4 ‘) ie i} P . — want?” the mayor demanded. Just then the other horse - and Phil Parson seized it and made a leap as 4 ae 4 at? a} ~ _ “ As surely as the morning sun is shin- | Spe — 2 et; The bullet had been fired by Gil Rog- ers. Before there was time for any of them to recover from this surprise, another was upon them. There was a wild yell, the thud of hoofs, and into the circle dashed, Duplex John, on his coal black, and he stopped directly under the tree and faced the howling mob. He was between the crowd pard. It looked like certain death for both, now, as it would surely have been cer- tain death for the one without the inter- vention of the other at the critical mo- ment. Duplex John, as we have heard him called, was now armed with a pair of revolvers, and these he presented at the crowd, while his ringing voice called them to heed what he had to say. For the instant he held the better hand, but he could not hope to keep it. “Stand!” he shouted. “ The first man to make a move dies! You have had your inning, and it is now my turn.” “At him!” roared Hot-head Smith, who was not directly in the front. ‘Hear what I have to say to you first,” cried the fearless horseman. “I am in- nocent of the crime of which you have accused me, and my pard is beyond sus- picion entirely. He was not even here at the time of the crime.”’ “But he was on hand mighty soon after it was done.” : “You know how he came here. Now, the question is, do you mean to murder us here in cold blood, or will you give us a chance to prove what I assert?” “You have been tried and found guilty, sir,” reminded the mayor. “ Twelve men have found a verdict against you, and there was nothing left for us to do but carry out the law.” “The law—ha! ha! Mayor, to my mind the law is a stranger to you here, or at any rate justice is. Now, here is a prop- osition I am going to make to you, if you will allow me to say a few words before you begin your attack. Give me a chance, and [ will find for you the man who killed Dave Hamilton.” and his _ “Give you a chance ter git away, you | ' mean,” shouted Hot-head. “What kind of a chance do you Duplex John was only talking to gain time. His horse was whinnying, and the other animal was drawing near unno- — ticed. | “Let me and my pard go free, give us the freedom of the camp, and in less than a week I promise you that I will clear up this mystery and deliver the murderer over to justice.” “You promise too much, my man,” said the mayor, sneeringly. | ; “Then you refuse it?” ! “T feel assured that you are the man who did the deed, and whatis the use of further parley about it?” trotted up, into the saddle. And no sooner done than he, too, turned and faced the crowd. _. He had found a couple of guns ready _ for his use in the saddle pockets, the butts in plain sight. “T can see there is no use of further parley, sir,” said Duplex John, in re-. joinder to Eastwood. “I will give you. just one minute to get gut of range of my | - “Wh—what do you mean?” We ve Ate \ 4 9 e. I mean business, nothing, more and certainly nothing less. You are wasting valuable moments.” | _ “You do not mean to shoot—” ‘ f A 7 Pane ¥ i mm oh + ° ~ = ee —_ — —sIo7™ 4 Lae ee ae + as hs Fares As , —_ ry mee ? o Cod ’ ing. My life was nothing to you; I hold yours as nothing to me. Men of Para- dise, draw back, or your mayor dies in his tracks.” The mayor, pale to the lips, moved back, the keen eyes of the sport fixed upon him and his revolvers aimed straight at his breast. There was muttering, but the whole crowd acted as one man. “Make haste!”’ was the order. “ You know whether I can shoot or not; you know why I am called Duplex John—be- cause [ am as handy with one hand as with the other; I am giving you a fair chance. Fall back, every mother’s son of you. Get a move on you!” Bang! Zip! A shot, and a bullet within six inches of the sport’s head, fired by a man a little distance behind the mayor and in the thick of the crowd. John Dixon did not flinch, so far as could be observed, but instantly one of his weapons spoke, and the fellow who had fired that shot threw up his hands and dropped, a bullet in his brain. “Who is the next?” the sport cried. “Try it if you want to, Hot-head; I notice that you are itching to do it.” If so, ir. Hot-head did not give way to the temptation. The crowd fell back with haste, after that exhibition of marksmanship. In less than one minute there was a wide space between the two mounied men and the angry mob, although every man in that throng was armed and the two could have been riddled, could they have acted in concert. Such is the power of the “ drop.” “Further than that!” Duplex John called out. ‘‘ Your mayor is within too easy range yet. Further than that!” The muttering was increased to a low rumble, and it was plain that the storm must soon break. It was a single chance in ten thousand whether the two intrepid pards would escape with their lives or not. The crowd continued to fall back, act- ing with their mayor, who felt himself to be the target of a man who never missed. ) But the rumble was becoming a roar. During this time, Phil Parson had said nothing, but had held his weapons Froennren He was looking with admira- ion upor his friend. | “Had we not better run for it?” he now whispered. — “The range is short,” said the other. “They will riddle us the moment we turn,” | “We'll have to take the chances, won’t we. The flood is going to leap the bar- rier in a moment, anyhow, by the sound of things. ground we can before we make the break.” ] They began backing at once, At that moment came another shot, not quite so close as the other, and again quickness. nas _ His bullet went unerring to its mark, for this time the man who had fired the shot stood out in plain sight, and could hardly have been missed by such a marksman, in spite of the distance. This had the effect to throw the crowd into momentary confusion again, and in another minute Duplex John and his did Duplex John fire with lightning pard wheeled and dashed away at top speed. Soon a shower of bullets was sent after them, but they were out of ee: and they disappeared, leaving the denizens of Paradise howling with rage. és - —_—. >. a = ER ATLAS Pee sow . edie ies i > as yy % sé “A wey CP ew : ‘ Pot PUt se fey i by ASS + rats > > Y f= a. , W 7 gel 2s ™ € a A te i . oe > a ‘ $ “Be (ah ‘ . et aiettys ‘ ‘ - 7 . 4 Lat ay 4 : * a ” : Fs Pos oe om ae, a Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Oath. What do you say? I am ready for the word.’ | | “No; it is certain death to try it. We must back away and steal all the ** >. ‘ a ai _* a ’ o ° ’ f } ,- o 4 Wt o. ie { CHAPTER IX. — CHAGRIN AND DISCOVERY. “A thousand curses!” head Smith. “ They. are going to escape us!” cried the mayor. “ Who ever saw such nerve as that?” “Tell me they ain’t guilty!” bellowed Hot-head. we wur fools fer not hangin’ ’em when we had ’em in our hands in the first place.” “ By Heavens! they shall not escape us! David Hamilton shall be avenged! Get your horses, a dozen of you, and arm yourselves well, and we will run them down! Would they have acted thus, if not guilty?” “No!” roared the crowd. “Then get your horses,” the mayor repeated.. “ We must not allow them to get away.” “ Not if it costs us every drep of blood in our bodies!” yelled Hot-head. “ Dave Hamilton was my friend, he was a white man through and through, and will ther citerzens ov Paradise ’low him to go un’venged ?” “ Never!” screamed the frenzied mob. They were already off for their horses, with never a thought of breakfast in their eagerness. It was still early morning, all that we have recorded had taken place with rapid action, and by this time the whole guleh was' in a state of wildest commotion. And if frenzied before, what was the condition of the untamed denizens of Horsetail Gulch when a new and startl- ~ ing discovery was made? They went raving distracted, if that be a stronger term, and especially was this true of Hot-head Smith. , : } Nearly every horse in the camp had been hamstrung! . “Ten thousand curses upon ther cuss what done et!” shrieked Hot-head. “I will cut out his heart, if I git hands upon him! Oh! ther pizen varmint!” . He ran around and around, tearing at his hair and beard, and it looked as if — he was going out of his mind, or had al- ready taken leave of his senses. He howled like a mad hyena. 3 ' Nor were the others much behind. “And my horse, too!” bewailed the mayor. by long stalk! Oh! if we could only get hold of them again. can it have been? They must have had still another man with them—” “No, no! who et was!” ‘Yes, it must have been!” : “Death to Gil Rogers!” howled the | crowd. ‘‘ We’ll burn him at ther if we kin find him!” | “A thousand dollars to the man who can find and bring him here!” the mayor loudly proclaimed. “If he did this we'll skin him alive! We will hang him, anyhow!” | MALS stake, “Yas; fer et was him that helped ther __ murderers to git away!” “ And self!” “'Whar’s Gil Rogers? ” That was the question—where was he? \ s The old plainsman was searched for, — Ee His absence was taken for proof that __ it had been he who had crippled The si It seemed like a cruel thing—it was a tat cruel thing, but as compared with the 7h a - nh, » _ _ There was no help for the horses; they had to be shot and put out of is- but he was not to be found. | horses of the camp. saving of two human lives it became as — nothing—not, however, to the the denizens of Paradise. | their “They are both guilty, and “The best horse in this camp, © . But neither of © them did this business, Hot-head; who |. It was Gil Regers, that’s | roared Hot- | mebby he had a hand in et him-_ * | i “ raj Mh! trae aa ris - ™ Ve deat Wh . 2 gia >|