Beadle's Dime Library No. 299 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

——e Se eee eC 22 thought that he was getting a great deal for his money. On account of the excitement which kept “all hands” from their work, the nightly revel began earlier than usual—indeed, as soon as the sun went down. But it had hardly got under way when the camp was invaded by a body of men numerous enough to prove for- midable, if their coming was not amicable. Mulligan’s Bend bad got anxious at the long delay of its representatives, and had come over en masse to learn its Cause, They were received with every demonstration of hearty good will. The three champions were of the party; but they suddenly found themselvas become heroes, Tron Despard was lionized most of all; the Sportive Sport was received as a man who had made his mark in the world; the ‘‘ leetle on- rer eye between Tiger Dick and the Iden Serpent was tacitly dropped out of view, and all three received the homage which the world is ever ready to pay to its “* boss fighting men ”—monarchs of the tented plain or of the unstable sea, champions of the ring or of the areva, masters of fence or of the nimble trigger. Never bad Coyote seen such a gala night as this; never had the jealousies of the two camps been so reconciled. Adam Farley fell in with the prevailing sentiment, since be was expected to do the honors of the caup. He played the host to Tiger Dick with #he formal courtesy of a medieval baron entertaining his deadliest foe: but Dick had the tact to keep away from the Golden Serpent. It was near midnight when the horseman re- turned, bearing the wounded Hank, who was by that time very much exhausted. The whole camp gathered about to listen to the narrative of that game of hide and seek in wkict death was the forfeit for being caught. Ther execrations of Joe Moran went up on every hand; and the beroes of the hour. were lionized anew. Gents!” shouted an enthusiastic denizen of Coyote, ‘‘ef ary one of our illustrious guests goes home sober, it will be a standin’ disgrace to Coyote as long as wood grows an’ water runs; an’ ef thar’s a galoot in Coyote as don't go to bed with his boots on, J say that he’s no gentleman!” ‘Hear! hear! hear!” went up the shout on all sides. Then the round of mad debauchery was re- sumed with new fury, and held unabated until broad daylight. The morning sun found scores of men lying in all sorts of places, in doors and out, dead drunk, while along the road to Mulligan’s Bend reeled a struggling line of inebriates, howling: ‘*We won’ go bome’ll mornin’! We won’ go home’ll morn’—bic!—’n’!” On the field of battle—in the saloons Coyote— and along the line of their retreat, this demoral- ized army left their ‘‘ dead and wounded.” They were marshaled by Doe Warren, who, with perhaps more Jiquor in bim than an other man in the y, was on his way to bis patient apparently pone the worse for bis thorough pickling in ‘‘corn juice.” The only sign of intoxication that be exbibited was that he kept shaking hands with everybody within reach and assuring them that tbis way a red- letter day in the history of Coyote, and that it was the first time that he bai ever thorougbly ange ed himself. | the others, the three champions alone were entirely themselves—Tiger Dick ause he seemed invulnerable to liquor, and Iron Despard and the spestine Sport because they had ob- served moderation, where such prudence was a very difficult matter without offending the men who were determined to get them drunk. When the reconciliation was assured, Shadow Jim had made his appearance, no one knew whence, and acquitted himself with his s peculiar grace, but before he got quite ‘‘ blind” he had taken himself to his hotel, and carefully doff- ed his garments, so that they should not get soiled during his unconscious state. When he recovered, he reappeared as spotiess as before the revel. But alas for Jim! The powers that shape our human destiny were preparing a most ignomin- ious eclipse for him. The lash of Sam Seaver’s whip shot out like a lariat and stung the off leader’s flank witha ringing crack, at which the four horses set off at a dead run, making the ramshackle old coach sway and creak, and rumble and bump, until it seemed as if it must fall to pieces. But the cloud of dust that rolled np behind it like smoke before the cannon’s mouth, made its entry into Egg Harbor what Sam considered a very im- poeng spectacle. : As it approached the Egg Harbor Hotel, who should be sitting before the door of that hospi- table establishment but the elegant Jack Drew? His symmetrical person was disposed on two blocks, one used as a seat and the other as a rest for his high-heeled calf boot. His right elbow rested on the elevated knee, and with that hand he picked his teeth with a pine splint, beld dain- tily between thumb and forefinger, the others gracefully spread and curved, so that bis great cluster diamond ring showed to the best am - ——_—e—<—a——Kx———————————————— eee $A e—————— ee eee Three of a Kind. advantage. His left hand rested palm-down on that thigh, so as to throw his elbow out from bis bon’ completing a very effective attitude. is light slouch hat was canted over his left eye, leaving the whole right side of his shapely head, with its glossy black locks, exposed to view. His teeth were large and even and white, in contrast with his mustache and goatee, so intensely black that there could be no doubt that they were dyed. He wore neither coat nor vest; but, far from negligent undress, if was in this that his pecu- liar style consisted. He prided himself on his speckless linen; and, his pantaloons being sup- ported by the belt which carried his ivory- bandled bowie and gold-mounted revolvers, his shirt was pulled up all round so as to bag at the waist. It bad a plaited bosom, and opened down the front, being buttoned with diamond studs. A crimson silk neckerchief, passing un- der a turn-down coliar with long points, was tied in a careless scarf-knot, and bad its ends tucked through the opening above the first stud, Cuffs secured by gold link sleeve-buttons com- pleted this dazzling array of immaculate white. There were one or two personal habits of Mr, Jack Drew's to which the society in which he moved could not easily accommodate itself, They could understand why a man should p’ck his teeth. That was an elegant way of whiling the time, interchangeable with whittling or jab- bing with the point of one’s knife the hitcbing- bar on which one balanced, But a tooth-brash! That seemed effeminate and ‘ gassy.” Another thing! Mr. Drew was so dainty in his eating that, paseng the two-tined steel fork in common use not to his satisfaction, he always carried a four-tined silver one about with him, as also a silver spoon and one of those silver- plated knives the handle of which is metal like the blade, and which the miners had never seen except in a ‘‘tony” restaurant in Frisco or ‘“the States.” To see him eat, using this knife only for the purpose of cutting, and never to shovel food into his mouth, impressed the miners with something of the awe inspired by a religious ceremony. As he drew up before this person, Sam Seaver winked to him, and then threw his head back and opened his mouth to its widest extent—a pontoasnt guffaw—at the same time Jerking is thumb over his shoulder in the direction o the inside of the coach. cated that any intelligence had passed between the driver and him; but his eye sought the door of the coach, and caugnt a glimpse of varie- gated color. Instantly he was on his feet, and advancing to the side of the stage with the grace of a dancing-master; and while Sam was winding the lines about the brake-handle, he opened the door, with his hat in his hand, « Allow me, madam!” he said, with a smile and a bow that would have done credit to a courtier. CHAPTER XX. A DINNER UNDER DIFFICULTIES. Tue first return for this courtesy was the furious snapping and snarling of an exceedingly diminutive Skye terrier, whose eyes fisshed through the overhanging hair like coals of fire. Then a voice, which Mr. Jack Drew thought charming, said with dainty reproof: ‘* Fido! Fido!” And then: ‘Oh, sir, you are Ag” kind, I am sure!” The coach swayed for a moment, as with some one moving within. Then a daintily- kidded hand grasped the eo of the door. Then a lace-covered parasol made its appear- ance midway of the door, to be followed at the top by a hat covered with plumes, and at the bottom by the smallest of feet, in In a French boot, with a beel almost momo under te middle and so high as to compel walking on ptoe, Then by degrees issued the body of a lady, who held an ample train over her arm and bad ber skirts gathered up in front in a sort of pouch, in which rep the irascible Fido, glaring defiance at all comers. The lady rested one band on Mr. Drew’s shoulder, and with a little spring reached the ground with a “ fwoof” of silk and muslin, ‘* Allow me!” said Jack once more, crooking his elbow still hat in hand. The lady took his arm, a fascinating smile wreathing ber ricbly-carmined lips and con- tracting the eyes which she had made large and liquid by the use of belladonna, still further hightening the effect by delicately penciling the edges of the lids. Then, while she ambled at his side with the teetering motion uliar to camels and ladies in high-heeled boots, Jack let bis admiring gaze rest on the fluffy hair which hid her forehead, dyed to that golden hue so much affected by the modern siren. The approach of the stage-coach was enough to bring all the loungers to the hotel; but when the intelligence that it brought a petticoat was sent through the length and breadth of the camp by some mysterious telegrapby, picks and pans and cradles were abandoned, and the sud- No change in Mr, Drew’s facial muscles indi- _—_——— ae _ et” —_ ee den and universal interest in those particular horses was something remarkable. The lady looked about with pleased interest, and asked Jack, with a rising inflection of tho voice: ** What do you call this place?” ‘‘Egg Harbor, madam—Egg Harbor,” replied Jack, ‘* A thousand miles from the sea?’ ‘The lady arched her brows with amused sur- prise, and then lifted her eyes to Jack’s witha ewitching smile, ‘* Waal, ma’am,” he answered, smiling with her, “of course every place has got to havea handle of some kind; and I suppose the boys thought thatthey could git their tongues around that about as easy as anything else.” “Yes?” said the lady, with that vague up- ward inflection which has no particular mean- ing, but displays the teeth very nicely if they wa ate to be beautiful. y this time they had reached the doorway, and Jack banded her over the threshold with a grand salam, ' As she turned and bowed her acknowledg- ments to him, she included in her sweeping glance all of the men who were flocking to the common center from every direction. Then she was taken in charge by the land- lord, who in turn handed ber over to a shock- headed girl, saying: ‘*Ef you'll be pleased to order your dinner, ma’am, we'll be gittin’ it while you air remov- in’ the dust of travel.” * And what may I have for dinner?” “Oh! almost anything, ma’am.” : Amaral suggested the lady, rather du- iously, “The which, ma’am?” asked the landlord, tak- ing his scra By chin in his hand, and inclining his head slightly toward her, but with his eyes ‘fixed on the floor, in an attitude of profound meditation. ' . Perhaps you haven’t chickens?” faltered the ady. * Waal, no, ma’am !—to be candid with ye, we hain’t got no chickens—not at this season o’ the year, ma’am.” And the landlord now lifted his eyes to those of his fair guest, with the earnestness of a man who, when he spoke deliberately, was careful to speak the exact trutb. “ But,” he went on, with that kindling of en- thusiasm, that tenderness, with which a man brings forward that on which he particularly prid®s himself, ‘‘ ef so be ye bappen to like hog- meat/—ye kin believe me, ma’am, when [| tell ye that we've got somthin’ in that line as I kin recommend, not takin’ no back seat fur nothin’ as wallers on this hyer continent!” . “Thank you! I’m not partial to hog-meat!” said the lady, bridling with offended sensi- bilities. A The landlord looked hurt at her contemptuous rejection of bis favorite viand, but also at a loss what to offer one whose palate did not incline to hog-meat. “Maybe,” he ventured with pathetic hesi- tancy—‘“‘ maybe you'd find corn to yer Jikin’— hominy, ma’am?’ ‘* -Y-y-e-e-s!—if it is nicely cooked. Have you any canned goods?” “ Canned goods!” repeated the landlord, to himself, as if this proposition required consid- eration. ‘*‘M-m—no! I can’t say that we have got any canned goods: an’ that’s a fact!” ‘* But you surely have something besides hom- iny?” cried the Jady, in dismay. ‘Oh, yes!” replied the landlord, brightening and rubbing his hands. ‘‘ We kin give ye any amount o’ taters, an’—” ‘“* But is your butter good?” “The which, ma’am?” Once more mine host was brought up with a4 round turn, “Butter! butter!” repeated the lady, im- patiently. ‘“‘Is it such a scarcity that you have forgotten its name?” The landlord scratched his head while be con- aceree the matter a moment. Then he said, slowly: “Waal, ye see, I reckon, now, butter—that is to’ say, cow's butter—wouldn’t keep very well, not in this climate—at this season o’ the year, ma’am.” “But what in the world do you use, if not butter?” ‘*Waal, ma’am, most on us our bread in the o’ the hog-meat, the which, of course, we wouldn’t expect it of a lady like yourself as bain’t the stummick fur the grunter in no shape. But then, ma’am, barrin’ the grease, we’ve got a fu’st-class article in molasses—” “On potatoes! We were speaking about something to eat with potatoes!” ‘*So we was, ma’am. ‘You're right thar, an’ no mistake.” With which frank acknowledgment he slip- ped by the real point at issue, with: ‘“The which you kin have ’em cooked any way you air pleased to say.” Baked?” suggested the lady, consenting to waive the matter of dressing. ‘**M-m b’iled, ma’am—mostly bDiiled,” said the landlord. ‘Well, we certainly are getting on very GoOmichbooks . con