Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 229 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

—_ ‘‘ They might have climbed a ropes, » 7 dr .wn the cord up after them,” said Touc Not, looking thoughtfully up the face of t1 pen- dicular wall of rock just in front of bi ‘‘Hosses an’ all. That’s just therw they did it. 1 wouldn’t ’a’ thunk it: but tha:’s er heap ter learn out byar.” te “Oh, say! This may be fun and froliq;with you, but it’s just old business with me. We’ve missed it somewhere along the canyon, as we might have expected. We'll have to hark back, and see if we can’t find the right trail. There’s one that beads up the side of the can- on somewhere, and takes on into the heart of he mountains.” ‘‘And ef these Cutsleeve gerloots hed bin tendin’ ter the’r biz, they’d bin a-watchin’ us from it, an’ plugged us both. They ain’t much ercount on war, er else the’r capt’n ain’t at bum. We'd better go back keerful like, for they may be thar now. An’ ef we see any one of ther gang, I guess we’l! pull an’ let go.” ‘*That depends; but you may go as careful as you lke.” It was well that their feet made but little seund in the gloomy canyon, through which their pathway led; and better yet that Gouger’s eyes and ears were sharp and on the alert. He suddenly raised his hand, and then sunk to the ground. Without knowing why Touch-Me-Not did the same. As his comrade continued to crouch, lis- tening, he did the same. After a little, the noise of feet and voices came down from above more and more plainly. ‘*T reckon he will dew all right, ez long ez he hez ther gal tew nuss him. I hev tew much on hand tew spend my time runnin’ eout an’ in; but yew kin watch for me heur two days from neow, at ther same time an’ place. Tm runnin’ a reesk, in course, but yer capt’n pays well, an’ ef he kims ’round, Kunnel Jim Canley kin foot his own bills. Good-day.” ‘¢ Good-day, senor,” answered a voice, with a tinge of the Mexican in its accent, ‘‘ Someone will meet thee to guide thee in. Ba doubly careful that no spying eyes fall an thee. Thou hast the lives of the children in thy hands.” The two were on the floor o: the canyon, level with Gouger aud the little sport, and at no very great distance. Gouger, lying flat upon the ground, craned his neck to peer around a projecting spur of rock. He sawa man in the flashy garb of a Cutsleeve removing a scarf from Dr. Sylvanus Coffin’s eyes. Then his hands went back to his belt, and grasped the butts of two revolvers banging there. As he drew the weapons he moved this way and that slowly, carefully, and a little at a time. Evidently he wanted a position from which he could take a snap-shot that would have every chance in its favor. A snap-shot it would have to be, for Gouger’s weapons were not self-cocking, and the moment the click of their hammers was heard toe out- law would be warned. He reckoned without taking into account what wasin hisrear. As he was bringing his revolvers around, his thumb on the hammers, he felt the hard, cold muzzle of Touch Me-Not’s pressed tightly against his skull, just behind the right ear. hat gentle reminder settled him. He re- mained Siena, but made no more hos- tile movements. The doctor’s steps died away in the distance, and soon they heard the outlaw reascending the hidden path along the canyon’s side. For fully ten minutes the two remained in their uncomfortable position. Then Gouger turned. He had had time to cool down, and yet his face was flaming red with anger. “Say, what ding-blasted foolishness ar’ this? Ar’ yer a pard, er ain’t yer? Ef we’s gunoin’ A J gabe i why didn’t yer let me make my tally? ‘* Did you think I was going to let you spoil it all? We've got the dead medicine on them now, though things don’t pan out just exactly as I ex- ted. When day after to-morrow comes, won't we be here to trail them right up? And meanwhile I can be pulling wires. I tell you there’s a heap in this thing, and we haven't struck bottom yet. When we do, then you can commence shooting; and I tell you there won’t be a man’s back toward you then.” -Gouger’s wrath was gradually but surely ote ‘Bat say, pard! yer wouldn’t hev pulled ef I'd ’a’ let go? ‘Huckleberry would have been out a pard unless he froze onto me. But now we can go back to Glory Guleh rejoicing.” CHAPTER XXVI. BLACK CHARLEY’s. TrHE two picked their way very carefully out of the canyon and through the narrow trail, It took time for them to get back to Glory Gulch, for they did not intend to leave room for any one there to suspect the size of their find. Their friend, the doctor, had the start of them by fully an hour, and when they got in they Captain Cutsleeve. ee a ee em a — aie found the miners’ meeting in full blast, with | his head, bad gone on the war-path in search of Alligator Abe on the floor, as chairman of the | something to stay his empty stomach. committee appointed to wait on the doctor. _ * Feller-critturs,” he said, bis breast evident- ly more full of confidence than it had been at the previous meeting. ‘* We hev seen that very square man, ther doctor, likewise ther woman. It war a short talk—but it war a sbort hoss ez war to be rubbed down. Ther woman are O. K., an’ hyar’s ther doctor, ready to speak fur her an’ hisself,”’ . This court contented itself with republican simplicity, and the report was accepted, espe- cially as the tall form of the doctor was visible | just behind him, and from the looks of Coffin’s face it was evident that be intended to speak. W hat be said was plain and to the point. He apologized for being absent when the com- mittee first called, and explained that he was absent visiting a miner by the name of Jenkins who bad a cabin in the mountains and who was sick of a fever. Then he went on to say that he knew some- thing of affairs at the Slap Jack, as he had be- fovehend been consulted professionally by tbe lady in question, fur attack of nervousness con- sequent upon the excitements connected with an endeavor to optain an acknowledgment of her true name and position. At that interview she had shown him her papers, which conclusively proved that she was married to Colonel Canley a number of years ago. Also, some letters from bim, which tended to show, that, without any reasonable cause, he had deserted her. Finally there was a letter of a late date in which he had addressed her in endearing terms and begged her to join him at Glory Gulch. Probably it was his intention, when be penned that letter, to attempt to repair the wrong done ber—he even hinted as much—but when the wife reached the place, upon his own invita- tion, he had reconsidered bis determination and utterly refused to have anything to do with ber. He hoped Glory Gulch would not go back upon a woman, but, in the absence of any nearer heirs, would belp her right along. At any rate, he and his friends would stand close behind her; and he guessed that the rest of Glory Gulch would not be far off. This was the substance of the doctor’s speech. He gave it in a straightforward way, and be- fore be got through the majority of the listeners could not. tell whether he had forgotten his drawl or not. [t was more than likely that, for a great part, he had. When be added: ‘** An’ neow let me interdoose ter this meetin’ Missus Jim Canley, who kin run ther strike at ther Slap Jack ez her defunct husband never could.” A great roar arose from the crowd as a hand- some woman stepped forward and greeted them with a business-like nod, She was dress- ed in a rich silk and velvet walking costume, the skirts of which were rather shorter than fashion in fashionable quarters would have de- manded, but which did not seem out of place there. The body fitted closely to her splendid form, and was without doubt cut by an artist. Her luxuriant hair was gathered up in a great black coil, and ber dark se gleamed brightly from under thé broad brim of her wide som- brero. Few of Glory Gulch had hitherto had a near view of her; and now she was dressed with a care and style to which the inbabitants of the camp bad for years been strangers. She came to captivate; and right well did she perform her mission, ‘*Gentlemen,” she said, and there was a sweet, wild ring to her voice that went right home to the hearts of ber hearers, ‘‘ you bave heard the report made by one of your most es- teemed citizens, a man who bas no interest of his own in business effairs, but who has endear- ed himself to more than one of you by bis skill, eare and patience. I thank him that he has had the courage to tell the truth, much as it may run counter to other interests that may be better understood than mine. 1 am going to run the mine as it bas been run—better if I can, for I bave some capital of my own—and if the time ever comes when I am called on to give an account of my stewardship you will find things ship-shape and square.” | is? | : | born! s far as possible the woman came down to the level of the majority of her audi‘ors, and struck the popular taste as well as her general appearance had done. here was a haziness about the colonel’s fate, that some of the crowd would have liked to have had explained. Sandy Bob, with his usual cross-grained cussedness, even went so far as to begin the offering of a question on the subject: but he was so promptly choked off that he did not know who hit him. There was one man that had pushed his way into the center of the throng when it first as- serobled and ruffled around with an importance that was a painful burlesque on some of the larger men, Howlin’ Billy of Black Dam had crawled out at a late hour that morning, and having vainly inverted the empty bottle that he found under In that way he bad missed the first meeting; and bad gained a very indifferent sort of infor- mation in regard to the matters that were agi- tating the mind of the denizens of the Gulch. He was around now, to hsten to whatever might be said—and to find, if possible, some traces of the little sport, who bad taken him in tow the night before, and who had so mysteri- ously disappeared. He listened to Dr. Coffin with a scowl! on his face. He did not share the wide-spread con- fidence in the bonesty of the orator. When the woman came forward be looked at her at first in a vacant sort of way. Then bis eyes gradually fixed themselves upon her, and a shadow fell on bis face, as bis gaze was pro- longed into a wondering stare. His lips moved, and they fashioned the familiar words. ‘* Copperheads an’ coal-ile!” Then he took several steps forward, a half- finished cry, that was almost a scream, issued from his moutb; and just as balfa dozen turned toward theold bummer, with the intention of firing him out if he attempted to disturb the harmony of the meeting—for Glory Gulch was fully committed to the beautiful woman who bad taken possession of the ‘‘Slap Jack,” he doubled up in a ball, and fell senseless to the ground. And Touch-Me-Not and Tom Gouger, who bad been edging vearer and hearer, emer | bis face until he fell, picked him up and carrie bim out of the jam. ‘‘T spotted. the old antelope the moment I saw him. Now mayte, he'll begin to talk—though I got the dead medicine on the doctor without bis belp. There’s no mistake. It’s the same man, though tke ancient fraud didn’t know it for sure.” ‘“Which?” ssked Gouger, as he heard the lit- tle man muttering to himself. ‘‘ Four by bonors and the odd trick to play for. I think I have the doctor.” CHAPTER XXVIL HE WON'T KNOW IF EE DON’T BET. GLory GULCH was not deeply interested in Billy Bender. He bad drifted there with some money in his pockets and a good suit of clothes on his back. He also bad a set of miraculous yarns, to tell to any listener, about certain won- derful sports and marvelous road agents at the Slaughter Bar—the last camp before this, that he had graced with his presence. These things beceme stale in course of time; the *‘ judge ” got lower and lower down in the social scale as his coin evaporated, and at the time of the advent of Touch-Me Not he had no friends but his wits, and they supported him but badly. When the nearest of the crowd saw the little sport carrying him out they turned away, for | every one was anxious to bave a word to say to the popular mistress of the Slap Jack, who was just ncw bolding a regular levee. Perbaps it was to render futile any renewed attempt of the ruffianly assailants of the night before that she had at her back several brawny henchmen, strangers in the Gulch, who were —— to bail from the mine, but who looked con- firmed shootists. **Come, brace up, old man!” said Tcuch-Me- Not when once well out of the crowd, and he saw that Bender was reviving. ‘‘ You ain’t go- ing to let the sight of a dead woman’s face knock you allapart. Who is she anyhow?” ‘* Not now,” said Bender, faintly. ‘*Mebte I'll git stren’th ter sling her out by an’ by; but I reckon she got away with what leetle breath I bed. I’m a worthless ole cuss anyhow, an’ sbe’s a stunner on wheels, Elijer- fishbites, yes. Eh?” ‘“Dve frequently observed that there is nothing more provoking to work witb than a natura! born idiot; and you’re one of that kind. You can’t give me an item of who sbe really ‘“ Which she ar’ those?” answered Billy, who tad been gathering strenght, and whose face assumed a look of utter ignorance. ‘*The woman who calls herself Mrs. E!len Canley. She looks for all the world like one I saw sporting sround Sacramento in ‘65; bat I can’t just recail ber name.” ‘In 65? Why, pard, that wer afore you war / war thar then, but I didn’t see no sich woman as those. Teach yer Uncle Ezra how ter dance, will yer?” And Mr. Bender winked sbrewdly with his right optic. It seemed that there were some things that the talkative dead beat could hold his peace about. . “Oh, well, if you don’t want to talk, kee quiet till you come to your senses, and we'll ad- journ to Johnny Goodman's before the drouth gets away with the corn.” Goodman was.at home, as usual, attending to his business. When he saw Touch-Me-Not come in, he stepped around from behind his bar and button- holing him, took him to one side. ‘Say, little man, when you go in on your muscle you’re a screamer on wheels, and I won’t say but what, when you get yer irons out, you're a ravaging war-hoss; but don’t yer think it’s ECoOmichboo (E S 7 . com : eee U : a . 7 a em mn 8 ge ee * Sao —_— 7% ee Ts