Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 245 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

> i ee ee Barranca Bill, the Revolver Champion. “This is my reading-room,” said Hecate, pausing before the last door, ‘‘and my boarders are inside. I shal] be proud to introduce you.” Barranca Bill glanced at Gentle John. If the patrons of the Weeping Willow were really in- side, they would confront the worst men in Novada by entering, and it might be death for them both, His ally did not hesitate, ‘* You first; I foller,” he tersely said. Then Hecate flung open the door, entered, and at her heels came the pards. : ‘min were in the presence of the lambs of the otel. In a room of considerable size, with a bar at one side and a good quantity of tables and benches, a score of men were seated in noisy devotion to the painted pasteboards and the geductive bottle. Men who were monuments of dirt and rags; men whose brutality of expression was increas- ed by the scarsof many an affray; men who were the peers of the worst ‘‘ toughs” beyond the Mississippi and the hardest characters in all Nevad.., They were Hecate’s ‘ boarders,” Acoustomed as Barranca Bill was to all classes of society, such a collection of repulsive scoundrels was a little more than he could coolly bear, and he expected to see them spring oe as one man and seize their weapons; but, . ter one glance, they resumed their occupa- ons. “ They expected this visit,” thought Bill. ‘‘Look, most noble gentlemen,” continued Hecate, ‘‘and see if you recognize your youn lady. Did she have broad shoulders and a bear a foot long?” Her sarcasm was irritating in the extreme, but Barranca Bill remained cool. Without replying, he glanced keenly about the room. Standing where he did, be could see behind the bar, and it was very evident that no one was secreted in that locality. Where, then, was Helen Néyille? CHAPTER XII, DADDY GRAY WANTS A NEW HEAD, -BARRANCA Brtu stood gnawing his mustache, reluctant to abandon the search, yet convinced that. it was useless, while Gentle John stealing a side-glance at Hecate saw her eyes glisten with satisfaction. “Ther blamed old catamount ez a-playin’ he: {ther roots on us,” he thought; ‘‘but Ill be durned ef I kin head her off. Ef Bill kin do it, all right; ef not, she rakes ther board, Ther pins are all down in my alley.” While Bill hesitated, one of the card-players suddenly arose, scattering the pictured paste- boards in all directions, and moved toward the party with long strides. Neither of the visitors failed to notice his movements, for the Lambs needed watching at all man B00 when he pulled out a gleaming Smith & Wesson the scent of battle arose in the ‘* He’s arter you, pard,” said Gentle John. Barranca Bill drew his own revolver with a jerk, but at) that moment the Witch’s staff sent her follower’s weapon flying across the room. She had pushed between the two and used her stick with remarkable celerity. ‘* Hands up!” sbe cried, shrilly, ‘The first ~ man who shows fight gets a broken head.” ‘Every one of the Lambs had lea up, and Gentle John had drawn a pair of sixes, but under the spell of Hecate’s voice the impending _ storm paused in its course and dead silence reigned for a moment in the room. **1’ll shoot the first man that makes a hostile move,” resumed Hecate, glaring about her. ** How many times must I say there shall be no aghting in my house? If an idiot is sick of life, let him say so and [ll send him over the range!” In ail his life Barranca Bill bad never seer such a degree of influence, Those rough scoundrels whose creed was to fight and kill stood mute in the presence of the old woman, and, what was more, not a murmur arose. You, Abe Neal,” she resumed, turning to him who would have broken the peace, “ what do you mean by such idiocy?” ** Pile et on,” was the sul y reply, lay down ther law while you hold ther camp, but ef I meet a sartin man outside, one on us goes up ther flume. I mean him!” He leveled one finger at Barranca Bill. ** Perhaps I can accommodate you, some day,” returned the latter, tmomepelys “but it might clear away the mist a bit why you thirst for gore.” : “Oh! you’re innocent, you are, Ben War- ren,” sneered the rough, “but you mustn’t think I don’t know you. “‘So I’m Ben Warren, am I?’ ** Yes. Buh! do you think I will ever forgit ye? I will when I bore you through the heart, not before.” ‘* Perhaps you'll explain why you hate me?” ** You bet, I will. Go to Californy an’ ask ef Steve Tyler sarved five years in prison. That’s me, an’ I don’t dasy that I was in ther game that put mo there, but I kin safely say a year you would tell us, would have settled ther debt ef my pard, Ben Warren, hadn’t turned ag’in’ me an’ swore ter lies, Tbat’s you, you hound, an’ I'll bev your life fur it!” ** When was this?” ** Jest six years ago.” “T was in Texas, at that time, and I can prove it, You are barking up the wrong tree, my festive friend, for I am not Benjamin, at all, nor was I ever your pard, Cut, and deal again, 7 bt *em up on tother alloy,” added Gentle obn. ‘*-You’re a liar!” shouted Abe Neal. “You can’t fool me. Bah! hate never makes a miss.” ** You go and sit down,” interrupted Hecate. ‘‘T won’t have quarreling here, and if you don’t hold your tongue, I’ll clear you out of the hotel. You hear me, don’t you?” “T hear you,” growled Neal, ‘““and T’ll post- ne ther killin’, but, my gay Ben, you’ll hear rom me ag’in. I never forgita wrong, an’ l’ll carve more off’m your life than you lied out o’ mine. When we meet ag’in, it’s war ter ther death,” With an evil scowl he slouched back to his seat and the ‘‘ Lambs” settled into position, but Hecate failed to recover her old blandness. ‘‘ Well, are you ready to get out of this?” she surlily asked. ‘¢ Yes,” said Barranca Bill, calmly. ‘‘ Throw open the cage door and we'll leave your men- agerie alone.” Preceded by Gentle John, he walked back- ward through the door, and in less than a min- ute the outer one clanged behind them, Hecate had failed to regain her fluency of speech, and they went without gpa” words; nor did the two men speak until the Weeping Willows was a hundred yards behind. * We are foiled,” the superintendent abruptly said. ‘Right you are, asked Gentle John. ‘‘ Well, it may be absurd, but it is my fixed opinion that the Witch has caught Miss Neville, and, foreseeing our visit, has in some way dis- posed of her, Perhaps she has a secret room about the house, or she may be outside, some- where. [Lam now going to sift the matter to the bottom. I shall enlist Sheriff Sharpe and have him search the whole town. Girls like Helen Neville don’t come and go like rough men, you know.” ‘** Mebbe, she was tuk to Ramrod Bar.” ‘*T doubt it. Sam Soaper is a rough fellow, but I don’t take him for a villain.” ‘¢ An’ what o’ ther galoot. who called ye Ben Warren?” ‘‘ Now, you have me, John. Confound it, do I look like all the rascals in the world, or why do they turn up so brisk to claim me? I know nothing of this Abe Neal, and it’s my opinion Hecate engineered the whole plot. Perhaps she thinks she can get me roped in for alaw-breaker, but if any biped crowds me too hard, I shall make hair fly.” “Right yoube! Them’smy motto. Golight ef you kin; ef not, set em up ag’in an’ bow ther alley clean.” Barranca Bill went at once to the office of Sheriff Sharpe, who promised to search care- fully for Miss Neville, and then, bidding Gen- tle John good-day, returned to his own house. Once there he was informed by Hans that a caller was awaiting him in the inner room, and going there at onee he saw an aged, gray- bearded man engaged in reading a copy of Shakespeare—a book which, in itself, formed the whole of Lincoln’s library, He paused, a little mystified by the old man, who united with a miner’s dress the look of a patriarch and a taste above the Nevada aver- age; but the reader suddenly, Be him, laid aside his book, arose and bowed with state- ly dignity. =. “T trast you will pardon me for claiming * hee time, sir,” he politely said, ‘‘ but Icalled— Good gracious! it’s Paul Pindar!” For the first time the old man had fairly raised his eyes, and his exclamation was accom- panied by a look of astogishment. ** Do you come from Ramrod Bar?” irritably asked Barranca Bill. ; sé Yes.” ‘“‘Then, for Heaven’s sake, sing a new song; I’m tired of the old one. No; it is not Paul Pindar, old man, and I'd thank you to grapple with the fact. My name is William Lincoln. What can I do for you?” ‘‘Ah! ah! Iremember hearing thet .ysmen- tion the resemblance now, but it is so wonderful .amamazed. I trust you will overlook ‘t, Mr. Lincoln.” The speaker’s manner was so earnest that Barranca Bill lost all his ill eoling and he said as much as he sat down near the o d man. “Have you come as a messenger from the men of Ramrod Bar?” he asked. ‘No, no; I came—a—on private business. I don’t suppose you know me, Mr. Lincoln?” **Can’t say I do.” “That is not strange, for Idon’t know my- self. You may think me jesting, sir, but I don’t even know my own name, ** Indeed!” What d’ys maks out?’ Barranca Bill looked at him sharply. There was nothing, unless we except a tek of melan- choly, to suggest mental disorder; he looked more like a benevolent old gentleman of means, so far as his face went; but the supertendent clearly saw that something was wrong. **T belong at Ramrod Bar, and the boys call me Daddy Gray, but that’s because my hairand beard suggested the name. lappeared there some months ago, but I couldn’t tell where I came from nor whol was, Singular, wasn’t it?” ‘ You had met with some accident, doubt- ess, ‘*Something must have happened sometime to so overturn my reason, but 1 believe it was many years ago, perhapsa score. I have an idea I}have been roving aimlessly about the West for a long time, for visions of other camps flit across my darkened intellect like the scenes of a panorama; but when I try to grasp them, ne slide away, slide away!” e mournful, gentle air of the old man deep- ly interested Barranca Bill; the idea of a lost life, a lost identity, was inexpressibly touching. ‘“You should seek medical advice,” he said. *“ That’s just why I came to you,” said Daddy Gray, brightening. **To me?” cs Yes. ” ‘Tam not a doctor.” ‘‘T have heard you are as good as one,” ‘Oh! I have some knowledge of medicine, and in my way can set an arm or leg, if the fracture is not too complicated, but it is only the rudiments of the business which I have mastered.” ‘*Can you make a new head?” ‘* A new head?” echoed Bill. ce Yes. ”? ‘No; I don’t think Ican. That’s away up in the king-row, clean out of sight of the rudi- ments. at an want a new one?” ** Hither that, or to have the old one repaired. I don’t like the everlasting buzzing in here.” Daddy Gray tapped his head, and Barranca Bill had become so interested that he made a personal examination, but there was no evi- dence that the skull had ever received an in- jury, so far as he could see, ‘“1t?s beyond my skill,” he said, shaking his head. ‘‘I advise you to go to Virginia City, or San Francisco, for surgical treatment, and if you need money, l’ll chip in freely to put the ease through. Id like to see you all right again.” ‘*Oh! the money is all right,” was the proud reply. ‘‘Ramrod Bar won’t see Daddy Gray want for anything, and I think I'll mention your suggestion to them. I want to be cu sO {can see what Cephas Brown had to do with me. *“ What do you mean?” ‘* As soon as I saw him last night, I knew I had seen him some time ay ay back in my life— before I lost myself. His face and his pame were familiar—and, by the way, do you know ever since I heard that name I can see it float- ing before me in letters of fire, blood-red and large, Cephas Brown! The name and the man are familiar, and I know I ought to hate him, Some time he did mea yt * W ben and how? Ah! that I can’t tell, but I mean to know. Ill go toa doctor and get cured, and then I’ll remember Cepbas Brown.” The old man rambled on in this manner for some time, but though Barranca Bill was in- terested he could do him no good, and it was rather a relief when he arose to go. He walked with considerable firmness, and from his window Bill watched as he left the town, and started on the trail to Ramrod Bar. CHAPTER XII. A STRANGE ALLIANCE. Sureriry SHARPE’S search for Helen Neville only served to increase the mystery surround- ing her disappearance. He had looked through every house and shanty in the village, except the boa go? Willows, without finding a trace Behe and he confessed that he was wholly at ault. Barranca Bill, however, was not to be baffled, and he sent Gentle John over to Ramrod Bar to see if, by any chance, the girl had sought refuge there; but he came back to report a failure. He had found no sign of her, nor could any one give him a clew. All these disappointments merely served to ut Barranca Bill more in earnest; he resolved find the young woman if she was alive. Considering that she might some day bring him into serious trouble, he was acting oddly to become her champion, but he had somehow fixed on the idea that he must save her—why, be could not tell. : ‘‘Our former plan must now go into effect,” he said to Gentle John, who was following his fortunes with unwavering fidelity; “‘ we must enter the Weeping Willows in disguise, and see what we can leara. Or, perbaps, you don’t feel like leaving your business?” It was a-gentle way of giving John a chance to withdraw if his courage was at but the worthy master of the bowling all shaky, Ecomicbooks ~— * -