Beadle's Dime Library, No. 13 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

— ae ooo “Stranger,” said Brace, with mock serious- ness, “ you'd better tell me your name before I devour you; as some of your friends may want to set up a stone over your bones if they should chance to hear what kind of an eend you made!” “Should I be assassinated here by you, or yonder cut-throats, an adventurer by the name of Pathaway will be missed among the moun- tains. Are you ready, Bill Brace ?” “ All ready !” responded Brace. “Then come on, and get what you have long deserved !” he young man adyanced his right foot and arm, then the left with the corresponding arm, and “dressed up” to his antagonist. His right arm was now drawn back like a bent bow, his left hand forward, while his eyes were fixed steadily upon those of Brace, who came on with a great flourish, intending to bear down his antagonist by mere force of muscle. He led off with his right, and received a return in his mouth with Pathaway’s left. It was at once evident that the latter understood the art of self-defence, while the former was ignorant of its advantages, confident that brute strength was all that was required in an encounter of that nature. “The youngeter’s drawed the first: blood !” eried Joice. ‘“ Look out for him, Bill!” Surprised at this rebuff, Brace fell back, and noticed that his beard was changing its color from dark to red. “ Time!” shouted Joice, derisively. At the second round, Brace advanced more eautiously, manifesting an intention to end the matter by one crushing blow. He led off with his right again, when Pathaway cross-coun- tered, and gave him a heavy fall. Joice and Beck greeted this event with noisy laughter, thinking that their champion was “ playing off,” in order to come off with more honor by- and-by, when he had tampered with the youngster long enough to suit his purpose. “Get up, Bull; what are you tumblin’ about in that way for?” said Joice. “There’s a good ’eal of ’possum in Bill,” observed Beck, hopefully. “Yes, indeed! he’ll peg into him by-and- bye. He’ll whip that youngster till he won’t know the moon from a fire-bug !” Bill Joice was now ina furious passion. He sprang at Pathaway, roaring like a buffalo- oull. He struck right and left; his arms swung about like flails, always strikin the air—never his antagonist—who, dread under those active members to the left, to the right, planting his blows wherever he pleased. Joice called “ Time” again, and the bully was wine rf glad to rest. He scanned his more you antagonist from under his depressed and heavy brows, with mingled ferccity, ma levolence, and amazement. He wondered what had become of his own strength, and on what object his hot wrath had fallen. He mouthed. and scowled on Pathaway, with the swelling fury of a baffled and tantalized beast of prey. The man who had given the somewhat unique name of Pathaway, maintained his calmness , and, with his arms folded upon his breast, met the flaming glances of the ruffian trapper, un- moved, Ben Joice and Zene Beck unconsciously drew nearer ; they were becoming deeply interested in the contest. Sebastian, too, fascinated by the exciting spectacle, raised himself to obtain a better view; and the dogs, equally sympa. thetic, arose upon their haunches, Brace, panting like a steam-engine, with a startling oath, dashed again at the hunter, who, assing under the belligerent arm, plunged his eft like a bullet under his right ear. Brace fell like'a bullock in the shambles—got up in a flurry, striking more wildly thanever. Now, for the first time, the gray hunter began to show his marvelous power; he aimed his blows with a skill that was never bafiled, and the face of the bully was soon reduced to a pulpy and unsightly mass. The blood rained down his beard, and reddened his broad and heaving chest. He fell every moment, and scarcely had strength to rise, while the small fists of Pathaway played upon him like iron bolts. An upward blow, like a lightning stroke, under the chin, gave Bill Brace the coup de grace— yy - him senseless upon the ground. 4“ et brutal insolence be punished !” cried the hunter. Then, turning to Joice and Beck, with a lofty and scornful air, added : “ Which of you will take his turn next ?” Presently, Brace began to revive; there was too much brute hardihood in him to re main long passive. He blustered to his fect cee A ALLEL OL OT mi i mmm ai led The New York Library. hurling impotent impreeations upon his con- queror ; but, too weak to stand, fell with 4 helplessness that made every joint in his body crack. But, though deprived of physical power, he still command had his vocal organs. “Your bowie-knives, men! Cut up_ the rascal as you would a slaughtered buffalo. He’s the devil!—at him, Ben Joice! Give him plenty of steel, Zene Beck, and I'll be your debtor forever !” Quick as thought, Pathaway put his hand to the back of his neck, and drew forth one of those terrible weapons that bear the famed name of the great Texan fighter—Bowie, the brave, the dashing, the daring. The bright, silvery, two-edged blade flashed rapidly in the air, reflecting the moonlight like the facets of a diamond. Joice and Beck drew the same weapons from their leggings, and were in the act of springing forward, with an uncivilized, free- tray:ver shout, when they were arrested by the gladiator attitude and gleaming blade of the gray hunter. ‘Cowards!” he shouted —“why do you p ise? Come on, and the mangeur de ard ® } give you a lesson in wild-wood manners.” “Don't let him scare you, though he be the devil!” muttered Brace, hoarsely. Ashamed of their weakness and incertitude, Joive and Beck advanced upon Pathaway, whe awaited the onset with rigid muscles and eompressed lips. Both sprang at him at once ; but, evading them with the same adroitness that nad marked his encounter with Brace, he gave Joice a wound upon the right arm that nearly disabled him. At the same moment, an arrow struck Beek upon the shoulder, and the two dogs, Smuggler and Misfortune, freed from the restraint of Sebastian, charged the trap- pers, baying furiously, while a voice shouted : “ What's the matter? Hold up! There’s a cussed little diffikilty here—isn’t there ?” The combatants paused, and saw a tall fig- are, clad in Micka with a rifle upon his shoulder, approaching them from the northern stretch of the valley. CHAPTER V. THE HUT. A little in the rear of the tall figure, appear- ed another of lesser altitude, but of greater breadth of shoulder. After the quaint address of Nicholas, the hostile parties suspended their sanguinary operations, with the exception of a few kicks at the dogs (who were inclined to worry them) and considered the new-comers with interest. “Be quiet, Smuggler! Down, Misfortin! It’s best to inquire into this business, I reckon. Been a trifle of fightin’ here, it pears. What eritter’s this on the ground? His head looks like a rotten apple, I swear to gracious! It never could a been a handsome face, that 0’ his’n. I don’t believe my gran’father, in all his travels in Centril Afriky, ever come across sich a speciment of human natur’; though he seed niggers with tails, apes that could talk, and monkeys that had real military musters, with captains and gin'rals, majors, and corpo- rals,”’ The dogs became silent at the voice of their master, who now turned slowly to Pathaway, and began a philosophical and by no means hurried examination of his person, ceeping up a running accompaniment of remarks. _ “Stranger, you've licked him like p’ison! I don’t know the beginnin’ nor the eend on't, nor whose side justice is on; but, by the looks, should say it was on your’n.” “T believe it is, sir. I was forced to defend myself, or submit to robbery, or worse, I trust I have taught that bully a lesson that he'll remember avis the remainder of his life,” answered Pathaway, pointing to Brace, rica was lying upon the ground in 4 sorry plight. “He must have a short memory, if he for- gits it! I must say, mister, thet you don’t look capable of handlin’ sich a big lump o flesh. But you’ve give him enough on’t, and don’t ’pear fo be cut up much yourself. What was the mean skunk doin’ all the while?” — “ Accordin’ to his brute instir cts—wasting his strength in ill-aimed blows, striking out like an old woman, instead of straight from the shoulder, trying to perform with his threats and invectives what should have been done with skillfully-directed bone and muscle.” “You're a trump, by gracious! As you stan’ there, you ‘mind me of my unele, the his- torian. Ue was about the same height, ouly shorter. He had an arm like your’n, only longer. His legs was the very picters of them you stan’ on, on’y his was owed out a ood eal, and wasn’t so straight, as ‘twere. fis countenance was more open nor yours, ‘cause his mouth was a third wider. A re- markable nose had my uncle. I’ve never met one like it till I see your’n; but "twas a hea bigger, stranger—a Leas bigger! ‘I seed it once in the night with the moonbeams shinin on it, and it looked like'a cock o’ hay. Ah! sich an orgin as it was! "T'was jestin his line, howsomnever, for bein’ a historian, he could smell out facks that he souldn’t git no other way.” he gray hunter smiled. There were no traces of the recent excitement upon his face ; it was now pleasant in expression. The mus- cles that had been as rigid as steel bands had relaxed their unnatural tension, and now Jook- ed white and soft as a woman’s. The giadia- tor spirit in his eyes was uenched ; he was no longer the implacable and pitiless abe but the composed and quiet looker-on. He had dexterously concealed his weapon about his erson, and now proceeded to put on his gray rock. The trapper outlaws listened to this collo- guys which passed quicky) in silence, when en Joice approached Nick’s companion, who had been making various gesticulations and pantomimie signs. + sek “Why don’t you speak, Jack Wiley, instead of makin’ an ape of yourself by noddin” and flourishin’ and holdin’ your fingers on your lips? Ain’t ashamed of our company, eye ? Haven't forgot old acquaintances, I s’pose ?” “Don’t!” said Wiley, edging up to Joice, and speaking in a low voice, shielding his mouth with his open hand on the side nearest Nick. “*Don’t? what the deuce do you mean?” said Ben, gruffly. | “ Haven’t you any sense, man? I don’t want you to know me too well afore this tall, talke tive feller, He’s one that we shall have t watch sumw’at. The Injuns, he says, call him Doubledark ; and if they do, you may depend on’t, he’s a sly one. t shouldn't wonder if he’s sent on purpose to look arter us, though he’s done me a good turn. He’s lookin’ at us; Jon't talk to me too much.” Nick’s observant eyes had already noted their conduct, and he perceived, with ready acumen, that they were birds of similar plumage. “Youaog man,” he said, Addrossthd ths gra hunter, “ your work seems to be done here; thik you'd better go with me. These men don’t owe you much good-will, and the quicker you part company, the better for both.” ‘I aceept your offer,” answered Pathaway, courteously ; “glad to escape these outlaws with my life.” “ Come, Jack Wiley, if you’re goin’ with me. Its time to leave these merry companions. They’re a little too free in their notions to make He, safe and agreeable comrades of the camp re.” Bill Brace staggered to his feet, and leaning against Joice, indulged in a storm of invective and menace, interspersed with Indian and French, that could find its parallel in the Nor’- west only, among the hybrid and lawless trap- pers. “ Bill Brace has a memory like an Injun! Wa! wa! Youngster, you've tetched a fire- brand to the nose of the grizzly bear!” he roared, shaking his fist with the unsteadiness of a drunken man, “Should say he’d tetched it with sumthin’ harder’n a fire-brand,” remarked Nick. “I’m trapper and Ingin!: Wa! whoop! More Ingin than trapper. I’ll have your blood, you ork-eater! I'll foller ye night and day. m Bin Brace, and nobody shall live to say that he’s whipped me. Kill him, Jack Wiley, and I'll give ye a hundred beaver-skins ! Where’s your pistils, you sneaks? JI—I—] fee] faint. Git me some water, Ben. My head’s floatin’ all about; lay me down, or I shall tum- ble.” Bill Brace pressed heavily upon his companion, who laid him upon the ground in a Beriaes Hay ick moved from the spot, the do ing about him. iin og JuARr * Sebastian! Sebastian! What, ho! tian !” he shouted. aiding somip $2 darted forward to the cluster of pines and commenced barking. Nick hurried to him at once; he found the youth lying in- seusible, with his bow in his left. hand. He raised him tenderly in his arms. “ Poor lad! poor lad!” he muttered. “ He's EOomMmicbooks