Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 1102 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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pon, and, with what looked like a careless snap Springing to his feet he discharged his wea- | but when you come to talk about doing any- The Stranger Sharp. a ee 0 ee thing to a white man for killing a couple of shot, puta ballinto the throat of the red-skin | red-skins in a fair fight, why, o d fellow, you which was his passport to another world. The old warrior sunk back in agony. ‘* A devil—a white devil!” he moaned; ‘‘ what can a man do against a devil?” Thé contest was ended. Two of the braves were Slain outright and the others severely wounded. * CHAPTER XXX, OLD BULLION IS. ASTOUNDED. AT the end of the fight, the townsmen, in their delight at the easy triumph which the Fresh of Frisco had achieved against such odds; would have made a regular lion of him, In fact, they proposed to form a procession and carry him on their shoulders around the town. ‘¢ Just as the ancient Romans and the rest of the heathen cusses used to do when one of their chief cooks and bottle-washers came home from a raid in foreign parts,” Jimsonweed explained. The saloon-keeper rather prided himself on his Imowledge and claimed to be the best-educated man in the town. Blake declined the honor with thanks, but he had hard work to get out of it, so eager were the others to do him honor. ‘*T only wanted to teach these red-skins a les- son,” he explained. ‘‘T may be wrong in my surmise, of course, but I got the idea in my head that they came to Santa I'é on purpose to pick a quarrel with me, and when I run afoul of a job of that kind I al- ways make up my mind to make it as lively for the parties as I can. ‘‘T am as peaceable a man as walks the earth, but when Iam waked up I reckon I can be as ugly as the next man, and I don’t care where you pick him up.” The crowd were quick to protest that they fully agreed with the speaker in regard to the correctness of this statement. A As a compromise, finding that the citizens were determined that he should accept some sort of an ovation at their hands, Blake went to the Forty Rod Saloon and had half a dozen glasses of wine with his admirers, and then, with great firmness, tearing himself away, went to bed, leaving Jimsonweed to do the honors and relate to every group of new-comers who came to the saloor, attracted by the news of the contest and eager to learn aj] the particulars, how the Fresh of Frisco, single-handed, had whipped five of the best ’Pache warriors who had ever breathed the wild Western air. Early on the following mornin the conflict came to the knowl the news of e of the al- e. The intelligence was brought by Santilla, the as we of police, aay: deemed the affair of suf- cient importance to warrant him in riding down to the Marmaduke ranch in order to post Old Bullion in regard to it. The old cattle king listened attentively. .” pe , aiver the chief of police had finished his story. mt ** So it ap a tay ‘*T know these lans well, and any one of them I should take to be fully a match ra any ordinary man; and the idea that this fellow should be able to clean out the whole five, and without any iculer trouble too—first, the old buck, and then the four young ones—why, Tl be hanged if it isn t wonderful!” the alcalde exclaimed. . “Two of the bucks were killed in the fight, you know, and there’s grave doubt if one or both of the others will not die. ‘‘Limberlegs thinks the old chief will pull through though.” ‘The old raseal is too tough to be killed by anything short of an earthquake,” Old Bullion commented, ‘* T suppose it will not do to allow this affair to pass without taking some notice of it?” the chief of police observed, in a reflective sort-of- way. One said Marmaduke, in a tone of question, ‘¢T don’t exactly understand what you mean.” ‘ There’s been two men killed in the fight, and I suppose we ought to have this Fresh of Frisco up and have a trial so as to see whether he was justified M* wiping out the two or not,” Santilla % ihe two men were Indians, and Indians don’t count out in this country,” the alcalde re- lied. Pe Yes, but it seems to me that we ought to take some action in the matter,” the chief of po- lice ur “Old fellow, you've got a little grudge against this ot thet it sort of confuses your judgment, the alcalde answered. “You ear eames. Li that you would be able to make some trouble for him about this affair, but I tell you, You are barking up the wrong treo, if ever #.man Was, big odds, too; if t + wot he wiped out had been as white as he * wee eat make any differ- ence as long 4% ves & square deal all round; 4% + SY 2 a Se ees —wes. - o yy P : - te 3 might as well go out on the prairie at night and try to whistle down the barking ‘of the coyotes, ‘No, sir, if we take any notice of the skirmish it will be to present the cuss with the freedom of the town, or compliment him with some such honor; but if we were to attemyt to make an offense out of the thing we would be the laugh- ing stock of all Santa Fé.” antilla affected to be satisfied, and aftersome casual conversation took his departuie, but the shrewd-eyed alcalde saw that he wss freatly annoyed and went away in a decidedly bad humor, ‘*There’s trouble ahead for my bold chief of police, if he isn’t careful,” Old Bullion remark- ed, communing with himself after the other had departed, and from the window he watched him ride down the trail toward the town. ‘*T should think that the test he has already made of the quality of this fellow would satisfy him, but some men are like hogs, they never know when they get enough. ‘* He will be apt to fool around this cheeky rascal—who has the skill and courage of a deys1 though—until there’s another fight, and San- tilla may not be lucky enough to come out of the second contest with as little damage as from the first.” Then the alcalde was silent (for a few minutes, his mind busy in reflection, until the dark coo of the chief of police vanished in the dis- nce. ‘*T begin to believe that I have made a mis- take about this fellow,” he said at last. ‘**T thought that he would make a very good re ag for my girl, but now I begin to doubt it. ‘“* He is acting like an idiot about this Fresh of Frisco. ‘* As far as I can learn he was to blame in the quarrel! that took place between them. The other fellow was too shrewd for him, and he was donkey enough to think he could get square by forcing a quarrel on the other. **It was the old story; he went for wool, and returned shorn. ‘*By Jove! I never thought of that!” he ex- claimed, abruptly, as a sudden idea flashed into his mind. ‘*It may be that he is jealous of this fellow; I remember now he bad a suspicion that this stranger was inclined tu be sweet on my girl, and he half-hinted that she might look with favorable eyes upon this brazen-faced scamp. ‘*Tt’s all nonsense, of course, but if the idea has taken possession of him it would account for his foolish actions, ‘No, no, friend Santilla; you are a good enough fellow and make an excellent captain “a po ice, but you vill not do for my peerless arr You have not brains enough to mate with my beauty. ‘T am sorry now that I gave him any encour- agement whev he spoke to me on the subject, but luckily there is not much danger of Isabelle taking a notion tc him. _ ti he had my infuence to back his suit it would be a differe..t natter. I might be able to persuade the girl to receive him as a lover but as it is, if I am referred to in the matter, I shall be obliged to use my influence in the oppo- site direction,” ‘ And the old cattle-king nodded his head sage- ly and smiled to himself, for he had that pleas- ant conceit so ble to fathers, that his will in any matter of the heart would be as law to his blooming child. But it isnot always so, as Many a parent has discovered to his cost. | For fully a good half-hour the alcalde mused upon the subject, and then the idea occurred to him that it would not be a bad plan to have some little conversation with his daughter about it so he caused her to be summoned. She came, and when questioned in regard to Santilla expressed surprise at the idea. ‘* He certainly has been polite and attentive, but I supposed that was on account of the offi- cial relation he bore to you,” she observed. ‘“*The other day he spoke about the matter and as I did not see sy Sap to his suit so ns as it found favor in your be I told him that I would not interpose any obstacles.” A frown gomnred upon the brow of the girl, and she looked anything but pleased at this an- nouncement. “a Hie’ ~y not possible, father!” she exclaimed, ‘ . é Mr. Santilla is a very pleasant gentleman, r ory company, indeed ; I him as a riba » but he can never be anything more to ad the decided manner in which the gir] = 8 — convinced the old cattle-king that © Xnew her own mind and had no doubt what- soever about the metter. ‘ash te 3 am. hot sorry that you think in this no i should select for » Sa ene aes of man I gt no; my union with him would be impos- = She « ee . me" . 3 “. . me "<4 iM ha “2. *. . rae a ry . 7 6. ree “s : ¢ Dieu MeO, ar renmpee S S 21 And. with this decided expression the girl] withdrew. ‘* That settles Santilla,” old Bullion remarked, with a great deal of satisfaction apparent in his tone. ‘*My chief of police will have to go and look for a wife elsewhere. I don’t doubt he will lay all the blame on this dare-devil of a Blake, and if he don’t puta bridle on himself will be apt to get into trouble, for this cheeky scamp would not find it much trouble to chaw up the chief, judging from the way he settled the red-skins.” At this point the alcalde happened to glance out of the window. ‘* Talk of Satan and ke appears!” he cried. And surely enough the Fresh of Frisco on horseback was approaching the ranch at a brisk gallop. ' CHAPTER XXXII, A STORMY INTERVIEW. WHEN he reached the ranch the Fresh in- quired for the alcalde, saying that he desired to see him on particular business, and was forth- with conducted to the presence of the cattle king. The alcalde was curicus to learn what the Cal- ifornian wanted, and after discovering his ap- roach had summoned one of the servants and ade him be in readiness to receive the stran- ger, SO it was that there was no delay in Blake reaching the presence of the cattle king. ‘* Aha, Sefior Alcalde, I trust that I have the leasure of finding you in the best of health?” Blake said, accepting the chair which the ser- vant, at a signal from Old Bullion, had placed for him. With a wave of his hand the alcalde dismissed the man, for something whispered to the old cattle king that there wasn’t any need of wit- nesses to the interview. ‘‘J am in robust health, thank Heaven,” Old Bullion observed. ‘‘ And I presume there isn’t any need of my putting a similar question to you, for your little exploit last night, the particulars of which I heard this morning, would seem to indicate that there isn't anything the matter with you.” ‘*No, I think am tolerably well, thank you,” Blake replied, in a reflective sort of way, as if he wasn’t quite sure in regard to the sub- ject. ‘** Are you in he apne with any graveyard company in Santa Fé, or bave you got a lot of coffins that you want to work off?” the alcalde inquired. ** Oh, no, no business or speculation about it - all; I just got into these little riffles for n. ‘* Fun, eh?” said Old Bullion, in a tone of question. ‘* Well, there ain’t many men in this world who would think there was much fun in one aoe tackling four others in a duel-to-the-death fight. as And yet men who have plenty of money travel all over the world for the sake of a little bit of excitement.” ‘* Well, if they run across any chaps of your kidney I reckon they get all the excitement they care to encounter,” Old Bullion observed ‘* Yes, possibly. I must admit that I have found Santa Fé to be a pretty lively town ever since I have been in it, and that remirids me, alcalde, I have come to see you on @ particular matter of business to-day.” ‘* Go ahead!” ** Well, in the first place, what do you think of me?” asked Blake, bluntly. Old Bullion stared for a moment, and then an- swered, equally as bluntly: ‘*T think you about the biggest and cheekiest scamp I ever set eyes on.” ‘*Now don’t be hasty, you know,” observed the Fresh in the most serious manner possible. ‘** Don’t jump to a rash conclusion. Do you feel perfectly sure in your own mind that I am the biggest seamp you ever struck?” ‘** Yes, I do; your cheek is perfectly colossal.” ‘* Well, that’s good; that’s satisfactory, that is. That is the point I always aim for. I al- ways try to be at the top of the heap, if I can possibly get there,” the h remarked, com- lacently. ‘*In my mind there is not the least doubt about it. You are the cheekiest customer I ever run across, and I have met with a heap of men in my time.” “When I get ready to leave Santa Fé, you will, 1 suppose, be willing to give me a recom- mendation to the next town?” - e te A recommendation?” said the alcalde, puz- ‘* Yes, you might couch it in these words, ty know: ‘ The r of this, Jackson Blake, tter known, perhaps, as the Fresh of Frisco, is the biggest scamp I ever ran across.’ Then sign your name to it, Martin Marmaduke, alcalde of Santa Fé.” ““What are you driving at, anyway; what ie the meaning of this nonsense?’ demanded Old Bullion, impatiently. “T only want to get at your honest opiniag of me, that’s all. >» © Ss : ~ | a 7 E Le! - * “ee : 4 ~ | 4 e . At te Fee | 7 m ws 4 An ce. ur an a s Bt Sk ky Ue ae Per \ Vi Oa wo