Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 197 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

me ee ee CS 22 thus far, at least, no blood had been spilled nor hard feelings engendered by that liberal burn- ing of powder. For some days past thera had been much talk and bantering going on between two of the ‘first citizens ’ as to their co oe ot skill with rifles and revolvers, and at length a regular match was made for * big money,” which had just been decided. With the match proper we bave nothing to do, for interesting as it proved to be to the rival marksmen and their enthustastic backers, still more interesting events grew out of it, events which would never be forgotten while Nugget Camp adorned the Footstool. Tt will be remembered that Dashing Della, before parting with Revolver Robinson on the nigh* before, promised to meet him that fore- noon at the shooting-match, and at the time she fully intended to keep her word, but unfore- seen circumstances prevented her from keeping the appointment, though Revolver Rob wag there promptly on time. His bandsome face bore not the slightest trace of the terrible ordeal which he had n forced to undergo on the night just past. His dark eyes were clear and calm, his nervs3 steady and unshaken. After that soul sickening vision faded away, he lost all consciousness, awaking only when the sun was shining brightly into his room, and the first sound that esca his lips was a light langh at that fantastic dream—for such he now firmly believed it to be. And by the time his breakfast was eaten the entire affair had faded from. his mind. “Not so bad, gentlemen,” said the noted desperado, blowing rings of blue smoke into the balmy air, and giving his opinion only when it was asked. ‘Not sc bad, considering the fact that you bave made a practice of shooting only for fun or money. But it would bardly answer where every shot was worth a life. miss was equivalent to death, and the loss of even the tenth part of a second in securing the drop might make all the difference between victory and defeat—and that where a man was never defeated but the once.” “In the good old days o’ ’Forty-nine!” sighed -" ragged specimen of the California *“ hard- shell. ‘Or them o’ ’Fifty-nine, when Cherry Crick was on a bender an’ everything smelled o’ Pike’s Peak or bu’st!” chimed in a gray old ** barnacle ” of Colorado’s youthful days. “Exactly; or later still, when Quantrell, Todd, Anderson, the James and Younger brothers, with a score of others, none the less daring and eg were fighting against fate and a countless horde of boys in blue— But those days are dead and gone, and few of you here know augbt concerning them,” the despe- ’ vado said, turning away, a dark frown wrinkling his brows. For a few moments there was utter silence, for all could see that dark memories were troubling the speaker, and none there cared to run the risk of waking the sleeping tiger. With a short laugh and quick tess of his head, Revoiver Rob solved the difficulty. ‘If you like, gentlemen, I will try and show ou how we shot in those days, though I was ut one of the rank and file among those Pistol Princes, only a novice among masters.” A wild cheer arose, but Revolver Rob paid no attention to it. His eyes were aglow, a strange look rested upon bis white face. Few if anv of those present had ever seen him so completely transformed—from the cool, smil- ing, courtly card-sharp into the reckless dare- devil, a smoldering human volcano which seemed on the point of breaking forth and scattering death and destruction on every side. His careless, languid grace had vanished. In- stead, his movements were swift and energetic as those of a hungry tiger. He stripped off bis broadcloth coat and white vest, toss Dg them, with bis hat, aside in a heap. | shower of shattered bark. He tied a silk handkerchief tightly around his forehead, suffering the ends to float loosel down bebind. He crooked one finger in bis mouth and whistled sbarply, a clear neigh answering him asa clean-built, long-bodied bay stallion trotted up to his side through the crowd, the same horse which he had ridden out from town, pausing only when its velvet muzzle touched the cheek of its loved master. With a single motion Revolver Rob was in the saddle, and tben the old guerrilla and bush- whacker shone forth in every feature, in every line of his glowing countenance, his flashing eyes, bis lithe figure. And the noble horse seemed to fully enter into the wild spirit of its master. Here, there, everywhere they dashed, darted, dodged and leaped, the rider now in the saddle, now on the gronnd running beside the horse, their motions so swift and erratic that the hu- man eye could scarcely follow them. A truly wonderful display of skili and adroitness, but this was only preliminary—only the “ warming ’ Abruptly the stallion came toa halt; and as Revolver Rob drew the pistols from bis belt, his keen eyes roved swiftly around. A moment sufticed, then he spoke, his voive cooi and steady Revolver Rob, the Red-Handed. | el ee here a | mockingly he cried: ' | i | | } | [ i ' | ' i i ' | a ee Ce Se, ES ee ee a) ee ee ee i , _ 2 see na — <_< as though the fast and furious exercise had only | to cover the vacant space between the first and served to steady his nerves: second men on the right-hand side, and so on cat Nay erie ho — bn pare pe! fall age = Ps ag ural hoa ‘ ck a little, or else get ready to dodge glanc- ‘Ready, boys!” crie volver inson, his ing lead, for [ am going to show you how Quan- | voice ringing out like a clarion, as he settled trell’s boys used to girdle the trees on their | himself in the saddle. “Spin promptly when I ore when - boys a — ~— tired of mw | oo your <p or some of my lead may go ing them—or o ing hunted in turn,” and he | astray—and the clumsy ones find it!” ps — ta : re te bane tree which stood alone | Be se tg wae — on parness, ere ne in ae Dn ve way. speech, e ough it was uttered with a smile, There was a general ‘‘scatteration,’’ though | and there was little danger of the men failing schiryolous fente hick hed team ehiaparea con-| . J light touch of the spar sent the pay nisl en whis C - sht to of the spur sent the bay stallion cerning the noted desperado, and they only | iieward, and as be eared the first le the sought the nearest cover, | voice of Revolver Robinson rung out clear ani At aword the bay stallion darted forward, | sharp. Upspun the coin, and as swiftly was it running low and level, its motions as easy and | followed by the gleaming weapon. Spitefully far more smooth than that of a rocking-chair, | rung the pistol—the dollar vanished with a on pra the os sa AC iad at a dis- | wane — — gr ymecaend kee ened yrs ozen yards or more. sharper whistle o e ered lead, bo is- Qaasteelre a wild ee Ds ane cry ” of | mages ema even piers the second report. uantrell’s men, which rone who beard will ; In rapid succession volver Robinson called ever forget-—burst from the lips of the horse- | out the numbers, the whirling coins gleamed as man, and then his revolvers began to speak, in | they spun into the air, the pistol cracked as the such swift succession that the dozen reports | rider flasbed his weapon first to the right, then were blended in one long roll. The sapling | to the left and back again, so rapidly that the cin the “aes flew _ ag here cg . eyes of the fpecaness nt ho Soar eey follow the ular saw in motion; then Revolver Rob | motions, while the iar whistle and hum of drew rein and coolly recharged bis weapons, | battered coins and ragged bullets told with bib the vung rushed soe her gg oe surround- wie Morera precision each shot was di- the tree, their amazement finding vent in | rected. ejaculations of Pree er - they viewed the yee " All eyes aS -¥ hes coins rise into “e air, of that rap silade, for true as though done | but no one eld their return to earth, though wo Base roy of A the —— wo paw each | one of the men on the outskirts eg the crowd ut- s ng bullet taking up the work where the | tered asharp cry and staggered as though on preceding one had left off, not one of the mis- | receipt of a severe blow. A moment later that siles burying itself in the wood, yet not leaving | cry was altered to a yell of exultation, as he the slightest fiber of bark on the line unsevered. | held up one of the silver dollars, now bent in‘o - se hg Rob laughed ge _ — a un- : sy cre: one pees received a glancing isgu sneer in his voice as he listened to | hit from one of the bullets, these ie ge agree as them it mane | TE sg bis gir qe Robinson rode so marvelous, te bim it seemed so simple. nd | slowly back to the crowd, his dark eyes aglow, ; ! a proud smile curving his red lips, for the first time suffering himself to show that the enthu- siastic applause of the crowd was egreeable to i ‘Spare your breath, gentlemen, or you will have none left for use when I settle fairly down to business.” Casting a quick glance around, Revolver Robinson rode up toa man standing pear, and addressed him: **T believe you always carry the tools of your craft with you, Faro Phil; oblige me with a few cards, please.” A pack was a qathe’ produced, and taking half.a dozen of those lying uppermost, Revol- ver Rob rode slowly away toward a number of scattered trees, selecting two from the rest with some care, which stood nearly two-score yards apart, the space between and for several rods beyond being perfectly smooth and free from undergrowth or other obstructions. Still keeping the saddle, he fastened a card on each of the trees, facing each other, level with his breast as he rode. Then he put two others on each tr.e, but one-fourth of the way around the trunks, so that they would be brought into full view of any one riding between and past the trees. Riding back to where the crowd was watch- ing his movements with interest, be said, light- m. ‘“‘That’s a fair sample of how we shot while riding with Quantrell in the ‘Sixties, gentlemen. How do you like it?” The yells, cheers, unstinted praise and ex- travagant compliments which followed were enough to satisfy the most vain, and the hand- some desperado received them one and all with a careless grace rea ora his own, finally rais- ing his band as though to command silence; but ere the words could leave his lips, a cold, cut- ting voice made itself heard: ‘*Passably well done for trick-stooting, but only trick-shooting, after all—not the genuine science of marksmansbip!” All eyes were turned in the direction of the voice, and the daring speaker was the observed of all observers. There was little difficulty in locating bim, for he stood apart from the crowd, and coolly ncdded es those wondering looks were cast upon him, thus frankly father- ing the remark. Tall, athletic and well built. Plainly yet well dressed in somber black, the long coat button- ing closely to the throat, only a narrow border of white being visible at his wrists. A heavy, full beard of black, bis complexion Beatty bronzed, bis eyes small, deep-set and brilliant y: ‘‘No danger of glancing bullets this bout, gentlemen, so choose your own stations, just so you keep the passage between those two trees open for me.” as tho e of an angry ra'tlesnake. After the astonishing degree of skill which he | Such was the personal appearance of the man had already displayed, the simple word of Re- | whose bold and sneering speech seemed like a volver Rob was accepted without the slightest | loaded shell cast into the camp of a sleeping doubt, one and all breathlessly watching the re- | enemy. : sult as be once more started his horse in that Revolver Robinson was the first to face the steady run, wheeling and riding down midway | speaker, his countenance flushing hotly for a between the two trees, each band holding a | moment, then turning white as that of a dead cocked revolver with the muzzles upward until | man; but not. from fear. Into his eyes came fairly abreast the trees, when out shot his arms | the cold, icy glitter that few men could encoun- with the swiftness of thought, the weapons ex- | ter without flinching, and there was an ominous sd as it seemed without the slightest at- | echo in his voice as he addressed the bold empt at taking aim, yet at the double report | stranger: each card fluttered to the ground amid a tiny ‘From the way you speak, my dear sir, one would think you held yourself competent to give me lessons in the art of shooting. Is that what you mean to bint?” “‘T never give or take hints,” was the quiet retort. Lg In plain words, then, can you teach me any- thing? ‘“ Perhaps. I am willing to try, provided you make it an object worth the trouble.” ‘‘ What do you call an object?” ‘¢ Gold or its equivalent.’ . ‘In the shape of a gift, of course, to be yours whether you succeed or not?’ laughed Revolver Robinson, mettre The stranger laughed softly, with a light mo- tion of his hand, as though brushing the insolent remark aside. ‘* My dear sir, if the strain be net too great for your nerves, let us talk like gentlemen. You are proud of your supposed skill as a marksman. As a trick-shooter, | admit that you are pass- able in a common crowd, yet among true ar- tists of the trigger you wculd have to takea Se ee Turning half around in the saddle as he swept past the trees, Revolver Robinson fired four more shots with marvelous rapidity, and no less astonishing success, for the bullet-pierced cards drop from where they had been stuck, the fourth leaving its resting-place ere the first one touched the earth. Without waiting to hear the comments on this performance, the Pistol Prince rode back, and while reloading his weapons, called six men by name from out the crowd, tossing them a handful of silver dollars. “You know the trick, Baker, he added, ad- dressing one of those who was well known to form oné of his particular following. ‘ Place. your men, and if they require it, give them the necessary instructions.” ‘Puttin’ your private stamp on them, eh? All co-rect, boss!” and signaling the others to follow him, Baker led the way out into the open ground, placing them in position and giving to each a single coin. When all was in readiness, they stood in a | back seat.” double line, separated by a dozen yards or ‘‘In other words, you think you can beat more, each man being the same distance from § me?’ his nearest neighbor on the same side, Though “ Think is only indefinite, my dear sir; say all facing inward, no man was directly opposite | know /” any other, but the first on the left was stationed ' Eomichoo Si ‘ ‘ } ‘Talk is cheap, but it takes money to buy» (E(0) me Dp * PP 209 a [ae a Ge, eee Pee