Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1003 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

= ee | ° : i= 7” T- The WRX & ce om a baa , > _" - 2 Py -? on ’ ’ * > ee - Ae » 4 . ‘ ‘ ' % M . ad ——— Daan oo _— ese eee ‘a sorry to se you get the worst of ft, but you shall have a fair show as far aa this fight is concerned.” | “That’s all I ask,” the plainsman replied, quickly, ‘‘and as to rour friendship or hatred, I despise the one and laugh at the sther. This fool forced the quarrel on me and yet I don’t seek viz life, although the moment he get’s within the range of my revolver, I reckon I shall hold the fee simple of it. But, go abead with your bird’s egging; ['m ready for you.” “Ti take a position midway between you two,” Clark said, a scowl upon his dark face, caused by the bold words of the scout, ‘‘ At the word ‘one,’ you will step out into the middle of the street, at ‘two’ advance and open fire.” ‘‘ All right, go ahead!” ‘Clark turned upon his heel and walked up the street about a hundred yards, retired to the side of the road, and with his roag, clear voice gave the first signal: ‘* One!” The trze aptagonists stepped out into the msiddle of the street, ami then came a sudden shot, followed by the cry of a mortally WOUP ‘LF, OOD, CHAPTER VIIL ASSASSINATION, A sHot waking the echoes of the night, a,terrible yell of mortal agouy, and a poor stricken man down flat on his face in the dust, groaning with pain. | It was the Mormon Googer! and the moan of pain from his tips was answored by a cry of rage from Long John Clark’s throat, and then, in a twinkling, his revolver glistened in his hand. “You villain! you fired before the time!” he yelled, deliber- ately drawing back the hammer of the revolver and taking atm at Gold Dan’s breast. The Danite’s eyes hai been fixed upon Googer when he had given the signal, He mistrusted the Mormon’s ability to cope with the plaicsman, avd pvaturally looked to see how he carried nimself, 20 he really did not see Dan fire the shot. ‘No, by Heaven, I did not!” Gold Dan cried, earnestly, “I baye not pulled a trigger!” “Tt’s a sure enough fact!” shouted the red-shirted giant, “ and the man wot says he did siaps my face and insults the man $ board with!” “Yes, he did fire!” one of the Mormons exclaimed in answer. . “J gaw him fire, the murtherin’ villa‘n!” eried another of the Salt Lake gang, whose sweet accents betrayed the son of the imerald Isle, “Course he fired!” put in a third. “Tt’s a lie!” howled the giant, ‘and I kin chaw the ear right off the man that says it. That’s me, boyee; you hear me? And wow some of you ornery cusses come and pull my hair, for the iove of Heaven! Whoop—yow-yow—vw hoop la!” And the eccen- tric individual executed a war-dance im the middle of the street, The Danite leader felt a strong disposition to put a ball through the heart of the capering Horcules, and so end his fun, but by a strong effort be resisted the impulse He had his revolver leveled at the breast of the plainsman, but he saw that Gold Dan was ready for him, and a4 ‘bis sort of game, Jack was likely to be as good as his master. Besides, Ciark was really puzzled; he had not seen Gold Dan fire the shot, although of eourse he felt certain that he did do so, and yet he could nos - detect the clinging smoke-wreath which generally hovers around ad et ~~ > tbe barrel of a weapon for a moment after a discharge. ‘¢- You had better hold your yaup!” the Danite said, sternly. “This quarrel does not concern you in the least. Is be badly wurt?’ be asked of the men of his gang who had sprung forward #o assist the wounded man. Googer, even in his agony of pain, recognized the voice and anderstood the speech of the Danite, “Oh, I'm done for,” he muttered; ‘he’s plugged me right in atween the ribs, an’ he never give me no chance to fire at ’im.” “You foul murderer! Do you hear the words of your victim?” k cried, sternly. “By Heaven I did not fire!” Dan replied, utterly astonished by the strange turn of affairs. I appeal to all those who had their eyes upon me, Is there a man here who saw me fire” Yes, yes!” cried the Mormons, vindictively, _ “No, no!” the men of the town responded. _ And thep the Mexican, Castana, stepped from his position in ‘he doorway into the street. “Senora all Corinne knows me!” he exclaimed, ‘Sand the town knows that Iam an honest man. I had my eyes upon Gold Dan at the moment the signal was given, and saw him step out mt« the road; he did not fire and his revolver was not above the evel of Kis waist.” . . Vor a moment Clasx seemed undecided, but a torrent of excianwtions from the Mormons pointed out to him the course to be pursued, _ “No, nol be did fire! I.saw him! I'll take my oath on it!” fhe Mormons cried. _*Piood has been shed—foully shed!” the Danite exclaimed, “an the crime must be avenged. I ask nothing but justice, and justice [I will have if it takes all the force that we can ss mapeter yonder in Salt Lake to get itt” | ss he men of Corinne understood well enough the meaning and ee Pk % of this threat, and more than one in the ie . - su ‘Gold Dan. b of th @ in the crowd felt — a his mind the wish that Gold Dan was well out of the scrape. Few men of all those present, hardy, reckless frontiers men, cared to provoke the anger of the Mormon leaders. ‘And who shrinks from justice?” the plainsman cried. “Am I the man? Whoever says so ltes; I throw the falsehood back im his teeth, and I'll make good my words with my body!” . “So will I!’ the giant howled, leaping up in the air and smacking his hands together with a crack that sounded like the report of a pistol. ‘I'm the-Man-from-Red-Dog, I am! Dandy _ Jim’s my handle, and I’m any man’s mutton who is sp’iling for @ fight in this hyer defickilty!” ‘“Oh take me in somewhere, I’m bleeding to death!” the hurt Mormon murmured. “Bring him into the saloon,” Castana suggested; ‘‘ we'll get a cot for him.” As gently as they could the Mormons raised the wounded man in their armis and carried him into the saloon, but this operation brought groans of pain from the unfortunate Googer. It was evident that he was pretty badly hurt. “Somebody go for a doctor!” Clark commanded, but hardly had the words left his lips, when a tall, slender, dissipated-look- ing fellow, in an extremely seedy suit, stepped out from amid the crowd. “T beg your pardon, sir, but if I sould be of any service to your friend, I should be happy to tender my professional advice, Iam a medical man.” | This gentleman was no stranger by reputation to Clark; an Englishman, by birth, as was plainly apparent by the slighf “aw!” accent with which he flavored his speech, Corinne boasted few wilder or less steady citizens, and yet it was currently believed that he came of a good family in the old country and was a regular graduate of a first-class medical college, Anyway, he had proved, on several critical occasions, that he was no mean professor of the healing art, and that his skill as a surgeon—It was this latter branch that is most called upon in such frontier towns as Corinne, where ‘‘difficulties” are usually settled with knife and pistol—was far beyond that possessed by the majority of the doctors common to the frontier. ; ‘‘ Much obliged for the offer Do all you can for him,” the Danite answered, The doctor at once hurried into the saloon whither the wounded man had been carried. And all this while no one had thought of trying to ascertain who it was that bad really fired the shot which had wounded the Mormon s0 badly, provided that Gold Dan really was innocent of the deed. Plenty of time had been afforded for the wreaker of vengeance upon the Mormon bully to escape, and no one had either lifted a hand to prevent it, or to try and discover the lurking-piace from whence the shot had been fired, : The Mormons were all perfectly satisfied that the plainsmas had fired the shot; those of the townsmen who had their eyes upon Gold Dan at the moment that the signal had been given, were decidedly certain that he was guiltless of the deed, and the rest were wavering in their minds. And now that the victim was removed from the scene of action, ami the doctor had hurried in to attend to him, the Danite leader took decided action. “This man is badly hurt; death may ensue from his wounds; and I call upon you tothrow down your weapons and surrender, that you may answer for this crime,”’ “Be never fired it, no how you kin fix it!” the-Man-from-Red Dog yelled, defiantly. “Surrender? Who to?” Gold Dan exclaimed—" to you?” “No, not tc me, but to a committse which I call upon ths citizens of Corinne to choose at once, Here has been murda done and it must be atoned for.. My friend has been shot dows in. cold blood without being given a chance of his life, and although I might take it upon myself, with my own hand, te avenge his fate, for if Corinne attempted to shelter any man from my vengeance, within two hours I could bring force enough to level it as flat as the back of my ys = am willing he should have a fair trial I ask no favors, neither will I show any!” “‘ No more do I!” Gold Dan cried, promptly. “I am ready te surrender myself to a proper committee at once, and ready te stand trial, for, as there is a heaven abeve me, I never puilleé trigger on that man!” “As fair as fair can be!” the-Man-from-Red-Dog assented ** And I'll app’int myself one of the committee.” ** You just hold your horses!” the Danite exclaimed, *‘I reckoa that we want men that we know in the town, not strangers.” ‘ And don’t you know me?” Dandy Jim demanded, “No, I don’t!” ‘‘Strauger, thar’s a heap of pleasure afore you!” “Maybe there is, but I ain’t in any hurry to enjoy it,” Clare replied, menacingly. And just then there was a little pustle at the entrance to the saloon that attracted the attention of all the throng. — The doctor came out. ‘Well?’ cried Clark, anticipating what was to comme, ‘The man is dead!” : And a little thrill passed through the crowd, animal 3 A S24 ~ = be . . . ery b ah b, tsa « rs = 7 = Fes ee . P 7 ss , 2K - by ou = Sart nn aes Agee - 2% . t = ; ‘ ( * | , | a | »; || | | - iam X | \ . | | 7 > eww =~ ° e- a ’ al an . e « « “hy Y , : Ly « “ a ° i > ‘ sy a a yt —_——- ‘> $e hea yr, * 4 an sf ’ 4 A Mae e . — -,. “eae = —— Pe ee : > iy ~~ re > ad ae = et 4 A et 2a od ~. ey oe = eo + -. 4 ne e ates : s : . ‘ Ne ty ag ry - a dl = - — s ‘s ; a og 2S “~ os LS, oOo | 7 : | : | ‘ eye) Cc : WT Ts ” a N J |_| kg —