Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 229 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

ee ES eee — _— — — ine arnfinane Ne aa he A li aT Al NES, ITE a “ T , I _———- - — ~ — i ad - At the same time he recharged his pistols with htning-like dexterity. be most of the crowd were shouting with him, for such quick, precise fancy shooting was new to the Guich; but Little Billy looked solemn as a sick grizzly. : ‘‘ Yer a chief, an’ don’t you forgit it, an’ thar ain’t no use settin’ yer any or’nary patterns. Pll take one more hitch, an’ ef yer wins on that, yer takes ther cake. It ain’t no joke, an’I want three tries at it meself, an’ not quite so fur. Call out yer pard.” ‘‘No pard bev I, I’m playin’ er lone hand, an’ I want ter know ther natur’ ov the game afore 1 let any stranger assist.” ‘‘'Yer’ll hey ter find er pard, er by ther livin’ blazes, ye’lleat lead an’ chaw steel, I'll set yer ther pattern, an’ then yer kin see whar’s ther man ez hez ther gizzard ter try yer sand. Mike, take ther match.” The same man who had tacked up the cards slouched to the target-end of the room. ‘‘ Now outen ther lights!” exclaimed Little Billy, coarsely. His friends and Black Charley were all ready. The lights went out. In the room all was dark- ness, and the only sound was the suppressed breathing of the spectators. Then Mike drew the match sharply against the wall, and held it up. Straight at the blazing stick fired Little Billy —and the first shot was a failure. Once more it was tried, and this time the lit- tle spark of light went suddenly out. The bul- let had squarely crushed the burning end as it rested against the wall, , ‘Stand up yer pard an’ do ther trick, Hit ther match on ther head er take water,” said Billy, sternly, as some one lighted a single lamp. In either band he held a revolver, and he covered Gouger as he spoke. ‘‘T ain’t got no pard; an’ ef I bad I wouldn't ax him to reesk his life.” ‘+ Allow me,” | Touch-Me Not stepped quietly forward. “Tne man can shoot; and he must have a chance to show what he’s worth, J’l/ hold the match,” ‘¢ Hol’ on! hol’ on!” said Gouger, in some ex- citement, as Touch-Me-Not turned away with a match in bis hand, ‘‘ You’rea white man, mis- ter, an’ 1 daren’t reesk it, Don’t yer know ef I hit yer ther camp ’d hang me, sure? I kin fight a storm, too; but I ain’t that bad a man.” He moved after Touch-Me-Not and caught | a fair one at you. him by the arm, - Can you do the shot?’ asked the latter, sharply, as he turned around. Cutsleeve. ary man ever invented; an’ ef I gits ’em—now I lay me! Oh, cinnermon b’ars an’ wildcats, what’s ter be did with my cussed narves? It’s no use torkin’—I ain’t dead game—but I kin shoot.” So this bully thought to himself, owning in his heart, with a frankness that was strange, to the one blot on his prowess. This time Touch Me-Not was a little more careful in his selection of a match. He turned them over, and refused several, before be found one that would suit bis purpose. Then, for the last time he turned to Gouger, and spoke in a whisper: ‘‘You shoot by sight and not by aim, The first time VU not light the match—l’ll leave that for you todo. Fire quick, and fire at the glow. They mean foul play. if you're sure of it try your leff hand.” He walked off and took his station, ‘‘ Light’s out!” he excluimed; and utter dark- ness came upon the room, Then on the knee of his pantaloons he rubbed the match sharply, and the next instant against the wall appeared a tiny, almost imperceptible low. Then, instantly, there were two pistol-shots, so closely blended as scarcely to be distinguished as two; and the sound of a man falling heavily to the floor, At the same time the match in the distance burst into a sputtering flame. CHAPTER XXIX. A SPRAY OF CHLOROFORM. THE man who fell so solidly to the floor was Tom Gouger. And no hand or ball had struck him, .1t was that his nerves had got the better of bim—though not before bis left hand had sent the unerring bullet on its mission. Not an instant too soon was he, either; for scarcely had his finger tightened on the trigger when a hand struck bim on the side, that had made a cluteb for his right arm. Gouger had kept to himself a fact that only Touch-Me Not bad suspected. Though he sbot center with either hand, he was, in reality, left-handed. Toen, as Gouger’s' overstrung nerves gave way, and the match spluttered bluely, the sharp, clear tones of Touch-Me-Not cut through the darkness: ‘The match is burning where be hit its head; and now, Captain Cutsleeve, [’'m after your life. It was a foul shot you had at me; lll take Black Charley, turn up the light!” But no light was turned up. Instead, there was a jinele of broken glass, and then three Captain a ‘‘In course L kin; but, pard, it’s your life an’ | shots, | red at the spot where Touch-Me- Mot was mine, an’, honest Injun, I heven’t got ther | supposed to be standing. sand.” ‘‘Do it you will, though, or fight me, now. And if you miss, | swear No man with me backs water, and if he hasn’t sand enough of hisown I'll load him up with mine, Do it or die!” Thea the little sport turned to the house at large. | Dye got five thousand dollars that says he ean hit the match’s head the second try or sooner, and the bargain was for three, Who looks my game in the face or stumps around where I live?” ‘Five thousand dollars ar’ a sight ov money out pyar. I[t’u’d b’ust twoer three purty lively sports wide open ter lose that, but me an’ my pards kin pat down ther half ov that, Thar ain’t ther man livin’ kin jo it in the fust two After that, there was a scampering of feet, and then some outsider, more cool or more curi- will cut your throat, | ous than the rest, lit a Jemp, disclosing Touch- Mes-Not standing over Gouger’s senseless body, in either outstretched band a leveled pistol while his eyes were searching this way and that for the Little Billy, whom he had so boldly charged with being Captain Cutsleeve. But no Little Billy was there. Whether he was afraid to face the little man, or feared the storm of investigation this charge wouid raise, he and his friends bad vanished. ‘‘Hands up, all!” cried the little sport, “I don’t know friends from foes here; but the first man | see fooling round his irons, till this thin gets straight, Vil plug. Black Charley, han me the stakes.” “Hyar’s ther coin; but the balance ar’ on OO A 19 Not ought to have been. A little to one side was Gouger’s bullet in the wa)], and beyond that the marks of the two tbat the soi-disant Little Billy bad fired. While they looked and wondered Gouger’s voice was heard, faint and husky: ‘*They reached fur me right band, pard; but I tried it with me left ez yer told me. Ef I missed cut me throat fur I ain’t fit ter live no- how. I ain’t solid.” ‘* You're all right, old man: and it’s Heaven’s blessing that you ar’n’t solid. If you were, | with your shooting you'd depopulate Arizona, Vve heard of you before, 16 takes backbone to hold you to your work when the game’s. against you; but I’ve got enough for both. Come. is not been a bad evening’s work, and we'll meander home.” Various efforts were made to detain him; but be would not stay. He roused up Tom Gouger, who looked more like a vanquished tban a vic- torious hero, and with the Death Shot of Shasta at bis heels left the building. ‘You needn’t have got so excited, Gouger,” Touch-Me-Not said, as they gained the street. “They didn’t want you; it was I that they were after.” ; ‘‘An’ they’ll git yer yit ef I don’t quif me ding-blasted foolishness. It warn’t my chip, an’ I hed ter set up fur a chief, an’ gi’n meself away. Kerry me out on er cbhip—I feel too. small ter walk.” Gouger felt keenly the disgrace that attached to hia Joss of nerve, but the little sport spoke kindly enough. “Oh, you did it well enough. Win your game and it don’t make much difference how if it’s only fair and square. We'll go to bed now. That’s the place for us. We've got work on hand for to-morrow end next day.” The two siipped quietly in at Goodman’s. “Say, pard, I don’t b’l’eve it ar’ safe ter sleep. Toar’s music lingerin’ in ther air, an’ that cuss ll hev another twitch at yer tail fea- thers. Less take it watch an’ watch : bout.” ** You be hanged! Afrer tonight they won't come af us unless they havea young army; and that would raise the Guleb.” ‘‘ You kin sleep then; but blowed ef I shet me” eyes fill yourn ar’ open.” Gouger seated himself resolutely upon the side of the bed, and his intentions were as good as his word, but, as time passed, his eyes grew drowsy, he nodded, and finally lay down to cateh a little fleeting rest, Tuen the window-sbutters, that must heve eS mn" been already tampered with, opened a little, — the window was softly raised, and into tle room came two jets of chloroform, full into the faces of the sleepers. Both started, und Gouger gave one hoarse cry, while Touch-Me Not struggled fiercely against. the powerful anesthetic. Tue dose was too powerful for flesh and blood to resist, and be fell back again, while, like tigers, three men sprung through the window, ‘* Kill the tough!” cried a harsh voice, ‘“* His. yell shook the house. Here! Hand out the lit- tle sport. Twoof uscan carry bim. He only Peas a hundred and twenty-eight pounds.” ** Yes; but be’s solid lightnin’. Hyar he ar’?” While the second man spoke the sound of hur- rying feet came from the pussage. Gouger’s cry bad aroused Johnny Goodman, who started witlx a pistol in either hand. efore now men withthe triangles bad raided through his house, and when he suspected deli- Ee = rium tremens he generally tried to meet them: | before they started. ig P; As he stood outside, listening at thedoor,a ~~ knife came down into Gouger’s back, with a ts sickening ‘‘chug,” and then the three men | dropped through the open window, taking with Lee | ther huff, an’ that you'll hev ter take,wbar yer i find it,” And stepping past a row of upraised hands, Black C@barley handed to Touch-Me-Not the five thousand, < —— times er tryin’, I'll. bet my life on it.” i “Taken!’ said Tonch-Me Not, coolly, ‘Til put up twenty-five hundred and my life against | | ours, and if I win Ill take the stakes! When | go out on the sport I want a sight for my money, and my pile is the limit. Inside of that | ‘‘Thar’s a hundred ez berlongs ter yer friend | them the form of the insensible Touch-Me-Not, ty I a Nido gene rp io on ther floor, Sgt 7s take we a er is be ; et ne cool words of the little man electrified the | goin’ ter speak fur hisself? er kin put up a! | house. He was recognized now by more than | yer pops—thar aiu’t er man hbyar ez wouldu't CHAPTER XXX. BRR 32: one there as the man on his muscle at Johnny | figbt fur you two, Yer sport from ther ground A CHANCE FOR LIFE. te rg | | Goodman's, and it seemed he must know what | up, an’ them’s ther kind we like.” COLONEL JAMES CANLEY was undeniably bet- | sort of a hand be beld or he would bardly call ‘*T believe you, my friend; and there’s no use r. eo | on Little Billy. No bluff was this, but astraight | chasing Little Billy and his pards; they are He came to his senses at last, weak but clear-' “) bet, with no chance for | ag or raise, “Stranger, that word’s yer death-warrant, Put up yer money —the game’s set; and when this gerloot gits through shootin’ Pil try one barrel on you! Hyer’s our pile.” Into the pands.of Black Caarley was placed the five thousand dollars. He and one or two others tried to stop this dreadful game of death —for such it would be if the deal was finished. bendies and found a girl-woman seated by his: efside. - He stared at her a little blankly at first. are was something strangely familiar about | er, ‘Who are you?” he asked. : “Your nurse. Hush! Do not talk. It wilk omy harm you,” . ‘“T must talk. Whoare you? How did you 3 half way over the mountains, They gave me a close call; but I'll be even with them yet.” “Bot are he Capt'n Cutsleeve?” ‘Captain Cutsleeve is the only man I ever heard of doing the match sho’. He invented it— so I’ve heard, anyhow. When he set that copy { drop to him at once; though I had another cause for suspicion.” While he spoke, he was examining Gouger. ome , 2 . ~ -— * sd — i » - - ; “A te { x. ee a ee “Dry up on that!” interrupted Little Billy No trace of wound was there on him—the | get here?’ Y sternly. and Black Charley looked into the muz- | Man simply lay in a stupor or swoon. ‘Never mind; Iam a friend. I was brought “ff es of two leveled revolvers, ‘‘I’'ve got ther | ‘ But who fired the other shot? Your man | here to save your life.” trate skekels ez goodezcorr led, It took meer month | lit the match, I reckon; but who did ther rest “Ah, you cannot deceive me, You are $-| ter learn ther trick, an’ ther’ ain’t ther other | of ther shootin’?” Ellen!” ara man livin’ ez kin do ther shot! An’ter eend | An anxious outsider made the inquiry. ‘Yes, I am your daughter, broughttoyour ther frolic, Court Hammond’ll go in outen ther | _ ‘‘ Captain Cutsleeve,” answered Touch-Me- | bedside by the strangest of events. ButsaymO = dew.” | Not, sternly. “ ITknew there was going to be| mere. By-and by, when you are stronger we k Lest Z| Touch Me Not did not appear to notice the | foul play, and slipped to the other side, holding | will talk.” Ne coarse bravalo. He looked quietly at Gouger. BN ‘“Youw’re shooting for your life and mine. You daren't plug me, and if you miss I’)! kill y Ot He'll do it,” muttered Gouger. ‘‘He means it. I wish ter glory Huckleberry war byar. Ef 1 don’t git ther trimbles | kin make ary shot | the match in my left hand, If I hadn’t done | it— Go to the wall, and see where 1 would have been.” A cry of wonder came from the lips of the | men who went. There were four bullet-holes, well bunched together, covering the spot where Touch-Me- “My daughter? Oh. But how came you bere? You were to go back with the major. I never t's: dreamed.” Tala ‘* But I did net go back with the major,andI = — am here. Let that go. Do you know a Doctor $57 Coffin? He it was that saved — life—for ye" — are going to get well, He will come to*sce Wa nm so A bF — ~ <=. , 4 Ff ee FE —o ee ee ie i co | BR we! cM Comicboo CS ' # » s ° a ‘ ‘<- >). rd ~» P 2 . ° - s ¥ “ . . > a . P 7 . 4 od « ; he: z* " = 7 | om a — 4