Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 189 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

: “2 _# s ‘Now, go to your rooms, the ones you had when you were here before, and Governor Dan will make you as comfortable as possible.” She silently pressed his hand and turned away, and then Wild Bill entered the bar- room, where his coming was greeted with a shout of welcome by his numerous admirers. CHAPTER V. THE COUNCIL OF THREE. “ANDY, I wish to see you a moment,” said Bill, when he had asked the party present be- fore the bar to “take something” an in- vitation that was accepted with promptitude. ‘Waal, Bill, Isuppose yer wants ter heur me shout ther trouble up in ther bills?’ said Andy, when the two were in Bill’s room together. “Yes, Andy, for Iam onascent I intend to run down. ** Tell me all you know.” “T’ll do it; but let me git ther Sky Pirate - too, fer he kin talk of what he seen, an’ may be he can help you.” *““Doso, Andy, and I will await you here.” Andy Rush disappeared, but scon returned accompanied by the young minister. Bill saw that the clergyman had a face that was handsome, beardless, and marked with a certain sadness that was very attractive. He was neatly dressed in a black suit which showed to advantage a fine form, and bowed with the air of one who wanted to be on friendly terms with the world in general, as he entered the room. “This are ther pulpit-pounder, Rill, an’ he are clean grit, as were Sampson as slugged ther P’illistin’s with a jaw-bone. ‘*Pulpit pard, this heur are J. B. Hikok, not ther boss o’ this heur hotel, but fer whom it are named. “His Christian cognomen are Wild Bill, an’ ef yer c’u’d jist see him sail inter a row an’ send souls ter glory, it w’u’d delight your hal- lelujah soul clean through. “Gents, shake, fer I interdooses yer.” With this characteristic introduction, Wild Bill and the parson shook hands. But suddenly starting, as though he had for- gotten something of importance, Andy said: “Pard, durn my soul ef I hain’t fergot ter ax yer handle.” ‘‘' You mean my name, I suppose, Mr. Rush?’ said the parson, with a smile. ‘* Mister Rush! Waal, thet does git me. “‘Thain’t been calt Mister Rush sin’ Adam were a baby, biblycally speakin’, pulpit pard, on your account. “Yas, Ido mean yer name; but ef yer hes did anything thet hes caused yer ter advertise it, an’ sail out heur ter be a Bible-banger, jist shout, an’ any name will do.” *“T am not ashamed of my name, my friend. “TItis Harvey Haviland.” ‘Good name fer a pictur’-book, I declare, * Bill, this are Parson Harvey Haviland, who are ter run ther meetin’-house o’ Poker City in opposition ter Carrots’s bar an’ ther Palis o’ Fortin, an ef he don’t strike ther bed rock o’ sin, then I are a liar.” The young minister laughed lightly, and wishing to check Andy’s tongue, which had been set going by a few extra drinks, Wild Bill said: ‘‘Parson, I am glad to welcome you to Poker City, and you can count on me fora friend. ‘* But as Miss Insley, who was your fellow- passenger to-day, and her father are old friends of mine, I wish to ask you to tell me all that you can regarding the attack on the stage by the Desperado Dozen.” “T will do so with pleasure, Mr. Hikok,” sail the parson, whose face had flushed at the mention of the name of Edna Insley, ‘Did you notice the leader, sir?” ‘‘T did, for I fired at bim.” ‘“¢ And wounded him?’ ‘Yes, for he staggered back and fell upon one knee. ** But the shot seemed not fatal, as I saw him rally quickly and issue orders.” “How many men had be with him?’ sé Nine.”’ “Was he the man who was on the stage in the garb of a miner?’ ‘‘But. teek command as soon as he sprung from the box?” “Yes, but he was , as one-half of his beard was tucked in, as though he had has- * tily put on a false beard and wig.” Wild Bill’s Gold Trail. ‘“Thet is jist what he did do, tho’ I hev not | am morally certain, and I only hope, parson, said it afore, Bill.” ‘What did he do, Andy?” ‘Waal, when I started ter run through ther fire, thet miner youth by me jist leveled a re- volver at my head, and then he jerked off his wig and beard, an’ I saw I hed been sold in thinkin’ him honest.” ‘Describe him, Andy.” ‘ Without bis toggery ?’ ‘ec Yes.” ‘Waal, I war jist a leetle flurried; but he were a han’some cuss, as faras I see, with smooth face, yailer hair, and a eye thet hed ther glitter of a snake.” ‘¢ And he resumed bis disguise again?” “He did fer sart’iv.” ‘‘It was a preconcerted arrangement, sir, doubtless, between the captain and his men, and they came to his aid promptly,” put in the Reverend Harvycy Haviland, “Oh, they is well trained; but, Bill, yer sh’u’d hev seen ther parson drop two of ’em, both ’it squar’ in ther forehead, as true as he c’u’d sling a hymn-book at a deacon fer raisin’ ther wrong tune.” ‘“T saw, sir,” said the minister, calmly, as though wishing to excuse his having to take life, “that the desperadoes meant the worst kind of mischief, for they fired full in the face of a Jew, who was a passenger, and Mr. Insley and his daughter seemed to be their particular game, for the gentleman was seized and drag- ged from the stage, and a vailed lady, evident- ly mistaken for Miss Insley, was also pulled out of the vehicle.” ‘“Ab! you think she was taken by mistake then for Miss Insley?’ asked Bill, quickly. ‘*T do, sir.” ‘‘-You were cool to note these facts,” ‘“‘T am not easily flurried in danger, Mr. Hikok, and I saw all that passed,” was the quiet reply. ‘‘T bet yer; fer he were cool as ther lJeadin’ attraction at a funeral, an’ pard, ef yer is a glory-shouter pow, Til bet my leaders ag’in’ yer Old Testament thet yer hes been w’ar shootin’ was did in t’other days.” Wild Bill noticed that this random shot of Andy Rush seemed to hit home, for the young clergyman turned slightly pale, and a shadow crossed his face, as though the remark had reopened an old wound, while he said in a hasty way: ‘‘'Yes, the leader was disguised, and I feel confident that Mr. and Miss Insley were his game, as much as the gold.” ‘‘ And I believe you are right, sir, and your words go far to aid me in identifying the leader.” “Captain Tiger?” ** Yes, so called.” ‘You think you know him, then?’ ‘*T do, as one both Mr. Insley and his daughter have cause to dread. “Tbe truth is, parson and I wish it to go no further, Andy. ‘“T’m deaf, dumb and blind on secrets, Bill.” “JT know I can trust you, Andy, and will say that Mr. Insley was once a miner and struck a good lead; but he had an enemy who sought to find out where he had hidden his gold, and, getting him into his power, tried to wring the secret from him by torture. ‘(In this he failed, and Mr. Insley and his daughter, after an absence of some time in the East, believing their old foe dead, were coming West to get the buried treasure, when this attack was made. “Fortunately Miss Insley escaped, but, unfortunately, Mr. Insley is in the hands of Captain Tiger, whom I believe to be none other than his old enemy.” ‘‘ But how did he know, if he be the man you think, that the father and daughter were coming West?” asked Parson Haviland. ““T received a letter some time agq from Mr. Insley, telling me he would come West soon, and the letter had been opened, I am now confident. ‘‘As it must have beeh opened by Captain Tiger, who again replaced it in the mail, he knew its contents, and, in disguise, went back on the Overland Mail, met Mr. Insley and his daughter, and came West again on the same stage with them.” ; “He joined us at Flushtown,” said the parson. “Yas, he bounced upon ther box with me at Flushtown,” added Andy ‘Well, he is none other than their old foe, I that your wound did prove fatal.” ‘Tf it would save the life of Miss Insley’s father, and her from harm, I sincerely hope so myself, though my cloth is not worn by those who kill generally,” was the fervent reply of the young preacher. ‘‘ He sball not die by that villain’s hands, and she shall not suffer, if I can prevent it. ‘‘Now, I must siart to work, and, parson, if I peed your aid, I know you will give it.” “ Willingly, Mr. Hikok.” ‘‘ And I may call on you, Andy; but I have not decided fully upon my plans yet.” *“ Count on me, Bill, for I'll be thar. ‘‘Now let’s hev a leetle sunshiny smile o” Carrots’s best brandy.” But both the parson and Wild Bill refused, and Andy Rush adjourned to the bar, as he expressed it: ‘Ter play a lone ban’ ag’in’ a dose o’ brandy.” CHAPTER VI A PLOT FORA LIFE, In a cavernous retreat, some miles from Poker City, shortly after the attack on the stage-coach by Captain Tiger and his band, known as the Desperado Dozen, a man sat alone. He was of large stature, broad-shouldered, and bad a face thickly covered with beard, while his hair hung below his shoulders. He was dressed in a suit of corduroys, wore his pants stuck in the tops of bis boots, and was armed with revolvers and knife, that looked as though they were meant for use and not show, The place where he was seated upon the rocks was a canyon’s end, and so far over- arched by the rocky sides as to form almost a cave. The spot was called, by the few who knew of its existence, Satan’s Den, and the approach to it was so wild and forbidding that the name did not seem inappropriate. ‘‘ Well, I have kept my part of the agree- ment, for Iam here, and have been for two days, and if they don’t come, I'll go on and see who I can get in Poker City to join me in the work, for I bave sworn that man shall die, and I will keep my word, or lose my life.” The man spoke aloud and with savage earn- estness, and then he sprung to bis feet, as though urged to motion by his thoughts, and begun to pace to and fro, Suddenly he halted, for there fell on his ear the sound of iron ringing against rock. A moment after a voice was heard saying: ‘‘Waal, this are well calt Satan’s Den, an’ I guesses we'll find ther Devil at home, pards, as I sees a horse up yander.” ’ He pointed to where an animal was visible up the canyon, lariated out near a spring, It was the horse of the man in the retreat, The speaker was one of four men, all wel} mounted, well armed, and roughly dressed ag miners. They were hard-looking characters, a single glance was sufficient to show, and just such a quartette as might be employed in any devilish work, ‘Yes, the Devil’s at home,” and the man in corduroys stepped out from the shadow of the overhanging rocks and confronted the four horsemen, who instinctively drew rein and their revolvers at the same time, ‘You skeert us, pard,” said one, as all now seemed to recognize the man. ‘If you are that easily frightened, you'll be no good for the work I want you to do,” was the reply. “Try me, thet’s all, fer I are not as scary as I looks, ‘But here we is, pard—what’s yer-name?” “ Call me Captain Corduroy,” ‘Tl fit yer, an’ thet’s ther handle we'll hold er by. ‘‘ But we is beur.” ‘So I eee, but late.” “Ther Bible said when I were a Sunday school kid, ‘‘‘It are better ter be late, than never to git thar,’” said the man who seemed to be the spokesmen of the four men. “True. We'll, dismount and after we have had something to eat we'll talk over the work to be done,” and Captain Corduroy threw some sticks on a fire near by, and spread out some edibles from his haversack. The quartette lariated their horses out to feed, and soon the five were busy discussing the contents of their provison bags. IJOO EGOMIG cS co -- Se