Beadle's Dime Library No. 305 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

= A oP mmgp st “= . a oe T Paw ; = “2 Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover. ~~ ____ __ longer, I'll fall on ye like Pike’s Peak on a | what to one side to avoid being thrown out, jack-rabbit an’ snatch ye bald-headed, I'm Mose Devlin, I be, an’ I’m a slugger from Slung-sho; City, I’m ther man who knocked out Tom O'Sullivan in four rounds. I’m a double-distilled extract o’ Maori an’ Prussian spiced with eighteen-carat blizzard pepper, an ef my fist draps on ye thar'll be a funeral in ther pig tail deestrict right away. You hear me, John Chin Shangho?”’ Hamed strode to the door and looked out. Sing-So was holding an intruder at bay. The latter was a white man, or could have been transformed into one by judicious use of soap and water. He wasaman of middle-age; a broad-shoul- dered, long-armed, burly fellow; not tall, but very powerfully built, and looked like what he claimed to be—a * slugger.” A more ill-favored, lawless-looking tough had never been seen in Bowlder Bar, but, though he shook a ponderous fist under Sing-So’s nose, the Celestial faced him unwaveringly. ‘You gitee out o’ here, or me takee you by ear and slingee you off ledge-ea!” Sing-So an- nounced, “You will? You? Wal, 1 should smile ter grin! Woy, ye couldn’t sling ther ear alone, ef I wasn’t hitched on‘ter it. I want ter thunder in yer tin-panners that ['m a professional pu- gilist, an’ a bad man with a holein my left boot, I’ve fought thirty-seven battles an’ never been licked, an’ I’ve. helped start twenty grave- ards. Ever hear on me? ’Most everybody cnows Mose Devlin, an’ them ez knows bim shakes all ther buttons off their waistcoats when they hear him boller, I say git out o’ ther way, an’ what I sez goes ezit lays!” Mr, Devlin drew back his fist as though about to sacrifice Sing-So on the altar of bis anger,, but Hamed abruptly strode forward. ‘* What do you want here?’ he demanded, The pugilist transferred his attention from man to master, but his unsteady gaze and un- steady legs betrayed the fact that he had drank far more liquor than was good for him. ‘ ‘‘Hallo, old Ku-klux Kalamazoo!” was. bis greeting. ‘‘Hyar ye be with yer night-cap on, ain’t ye? Durn yer, I want my fortin told; that’s what I want, I desire to know what sa- lubrious good luck is cipherin’ around on ther Aurora Borealis horizon o’ my future; ter know ef Ill be’lected President in 1884, an’ ef fishes kin swim—” ‘““Thatis enough. I do not deal with drunken men, and you can take yourself off as soon as you see fit,” Devlin made an effort to leap up and erack his beels together, but his limbs were weak and he barely escaped a fall by staggering against the wall, ** What?” he shouted, “The door is open; you can gol” coldly an- swered the Magician, who did not seem in the least alarmed, ‘‘T ain’t goin’ this week so much: ez I was. I’m byar to bev my fortin told, an’ hev it told I will ef I hev ter pull it outer ye with a cable- chain, Whoop her up, an’ let me see ther fu- ture unvailed. “IT shall do nothing of the kind, nor will I have you here, Go, at once!” m7) Yes,” ** Mebbe you kin make me go.” ‘‘We can, and shall, and you will not fare well if we have to resort to force,” Hamed an- swered. ‘“Me kickee you ten times in seben minutes, an’ wipe allee dust up wid you,” Sing-So added. Devlin laughed with a roar which almost shook the building, for his well-developed lungs were not so drunk as his legs. | ‘‘ T should smile ter see ye try it on; you’d weep a Missouri river-full o’ tears fur yer brashness., Durn ye, ye needn’t think ye’ve got ther earth ‘cause ye own this one-hoss house on arock. Notany, Ef 1 take hold o’ you tharll be a fallin’ apart o’ bones, I’m Mose Devlin, pasilist, an’ a bad man with a hole in my boot, ell my fortin, or out goes yer lights, an’ down gece yer durned shanty inter Mud river. You ear me?” Hamed, who remained unmoved, glanced at ja Chinese follower, Sing-So was equally calm, ** We shall have to throw him out,” he said. » “We do that welly quickee,” Sing-So replied. ** Tt’)l be ther slowest quick-trip ye ever sad- dled, ye durned Hoang-Bazoo!” declared the posts: “It takes a man eleven feet in his ts, with a tin ear, ter move one side o’ me. Keep away from ther slugger from Slung-. shot City. I’m a bad man with a hole in my ‘boot!” ' they _were fo é | the drunken brute’s explosive talk. _ __,, Toward the last, however, he moved During this parley Lois and Ettala bad been ‘standing side by side, Both were thoroughly frightened, for Mose Devlin was a man bet -whom even taose of his own sex might excusa- ‘bly cower, and they wished they were safely out of the Magician’s quarters, eee aes] They had looked in vain for a place of exit e door, but none was visible and reed to remain and hear all of ore Tan who ha with rage, but his repeated falls were beginning | silence. ol (nt ' “So it’s you, Giant Dave?’ he then said, some- | slowly, and they did not fail to perceive their chance, Moving together they glided. through the door unperceived by either Hamed or the Chinaman. Devlin did see them, and that, too, for the first time, and he stared after them so blankly that -he entirely forgot his guard. It was a chance Hamed did not neglect, for, though be had abundant courage, he was in; clined to do justice to the strength Devlin dis- played. It was just as well to take him off his guard if possible, He made a motion to Sing-So and they sprung forward together. Another moment and the pugilist found him- self struggling in their grasp, but it was only a brief contest. Both his assailants were muscu- lar men, and almost in the twinkling of an eye he was flung out of the door, He fell heavily, but, considering his condi- tion, wasup quickiy. He was full of wrath, and he bad picked upa stone with the inten- tion of beating in the door, which had been closed, when be caught sight of Lois and Ettala hurrying down the ledge. ff Hal ha! hyar’s better game!” he exclaimed, as he hurried after them as fast as possible, As a pursuer, he was not much better than a tiger. CHAPTER VI, GIANT DAVE. THE fleeing girls were making all possible speed, but they were not accustomed such work, and Madrock Ledge was not a place of secure footing. Chasms yawned jn their path here and there, while at one side there was an abrupt slope down to where Mad river flung its waters against the rock. A fall might do untold mischief, Devlin was not affected by any such pru- dence, Always reckless and hot-headed, what prudence he possessed was crowded back for the time by the load of liquor hs had aboard, and he dashed down over the ledge as though it had been the best of roads, Nevertheless, with the start they had they. reached the level before he overtook them, Then he came rushing down like a tornado. ‘* Hollo, thar; hold up! Stop the train until ther superintendent gits aboard. Throw up ther grapplin’-irons an’ stop ther engine. [’m Mose Devlin,.an’ ’masweet-scented dand y with a rose in my button-hole. You hear me holler, an’ hyar L be!” He was there, for he bad overtaken them at the moment he commenced spemend, and seized both of them in a hold which they endeavored in vain to break. ‘* Rasy on ther right flank,” be added. ‘‘ Don’t rile me up, or thar’ll be a row in the synagogue, I’m a bad man with a holein my boot, when my mad is up,” | ‘‘ Let us go!” exclaimed Lois, more indignant than frightened. ‘‘ Release us, or I will ery for help.” P. Do it, my charmer, an’ [’llcomein on ther chorus, Call fur help; I'd like ter see ther two- legged galoot that dares tackle me. I’m Mose Devlin, ther champion pugilist, an’ ’m an earth- quake let out of school when I git wrathy. Be quiet, my darlings, an’ let me take ye to my manly breast—” He ceased eeakinle abruptly. He was pro- ceeding to carry out his indicated purpose, when he received a sharp blow from Lois’s hand which made him stagger. He uttered a roar of rage and all his evil passions came to the front. e was in a con- dition where predencs was unknown, and he was not to be kept back by any fear of conse- quences, Sbarp as had been his rebuff he had not re- leased his bold, and he was about to carry mat- ters to an extreme point, when a new actor ap- peared on the scene. The trio were too deep! nterested to see him, but a large man strode toward the spot, and, seeming to understand the scene at a glance, laid hold of Devlin and cast his several feet away, evidently finding the pugilist’s huge bulk no impediment to his pur- pose, 6 The girls experienced a sudden revulsion of feeling. His coming was most timely, and as they recognized a village miner of good repute, as well as abundant muscle, they felt that they were, indeed, saved. The new-comer must have gone at least an inch over six feet, and his frame was admirably proportioned, but it needed buta short time to discover that his size was not attended by the slowness, or clumsiness, usual to large men, The chance was open for the girls to beat a retreat, but neither of them seemed to think of it. They knew the trouble was not yet over, and they remained to see how their champion would maintain his position. Devlin staggered to his feet and looked at the flung him down. He was mad to have. could be desired. . He looked at the new comer for a moment in ect and bis head was not so clear as 4 = ; i ™ ar. ue ae 5, - er > ed : wy r+ od ™ ¢ : Aged? ox eM TS aie oe Sap ra — \ Le re “fist At e ? a ’ pa . al * 4 fd oy oF age ve) i: pe Pe et gon ‘‘'Yas,” answered the champion, in a mild oice. ‘‘ You’re ther man that dared ter fling me— me, ther compressed essence 0’ Maori and Prussian; ther man who knocked out Tom O'Sullivan in four rounds?” ‘“T had ter do it,”.said Giant Dave, in an apologetic voice. ‘‘You had ter thunder!” was the vague answer, ‘‘Don’t go ter givin’ me any taffy. Don’t ye know that when ye laid a hand on me ye sealed yer fate?” ‘T hope thar won’t be no trouble,” said Dave hesitatingly. ‘‘I have no quarril with ye, but, ©’ course, | couldn’t stand idle an’ see ther ladies abused.” ‘** Tadies!’ Oh! you durned idiot, Dave Bond, go an’ git some brainsinter yer head, What call bas a rough-an’-ready chap like you ter be a knight-errant? Scud out o’ this, afore 1 set down on ye heavy.” ‘‘Go away yourself an’ let them alone,” said Dave, ‘‘an’ then Vl go, too, Lain’t a fightin’- man, an’ [ don’t want no trouble, but you must let them go,” His manver was not calculated to impress Devlin with the idea that he had the *‘ sand” to carry out bis purpose, for be spoke besitatingly, even apologetically, and the pugilist began to count.on a double triumph, ‘You're modest, you be; a reg’lar, timid school-girl, Anything else you went? Why don’t ye ask fur ther earth? Now, you hear me, Dave Bond. I'm a bad man with a hole in my boot, an’ when 1 rise up in my wrath fer ter devour, thar is ginerally a rattling o’ dry bones. I won’t bevy yer cbippin’inbyar. Kee ter yerself, or thar’ll bea e,) o’ blood spilled. Vl lay ye out ez I would a wolf,” ‘‘T ain’t sure ye could,” said Giant Dave, mildly. ‘' But that don’t count. Me and you don’t want no trouble. Why should we hev trouble—” ‘Ob! you dry up!” interrupted Devlin, in disgust. ‘\I hey heerd you talk afore. I know ou ain’t got ther sand o’ a blind mouse, an’ you now it, too, So you’d better take yerself cff, Do I see ye goin’?” ‘* No, ye don’t,” said Bond, more firmly tban before, ‘‘ I sha’n’t leave ther ladies till they’re safe, Gals, ef ye’ll start tur ther village, V’ll see ye safe thar.” e giant bad turned to. Lois and Ettala ashe epoke, and bis voice was lowered; but Devylin’s quick ears caught what he said. . “Ye will, eh? We'll see about that, Pl break you in two fur that, Dave Bond!” He rushed forward as he spoke, and a cry of alarm broke from Ettala’s Jips as she saw a knife in his band. The hesitating, mild manner of their champion had given her tbe idea that his massive frame was not accompanied by a warlike spirit, and she expected to see him cut down atonce, . Bond, however, stood firm, and as the pugil- ist reached him he thrust out bis powerful arms suddenly. One hand closed over Devlin’s knife- wrist and the weapon was wrested away, and eae raised him as though be had been a cLild, One moment the bully was suspended strug- gling in theair, and then be was cast several fcet away with such force that he lay motion- less where he fell, Dave looked at him in silence for awhile. ‘‘T had ter doit,” be then muttered. Something about his peculiar ways impelled Ettala to move forward to bis side impulsively. ‘“You bave done nobly,” she said, ‘t and I thank you most earnestly. You were very brave to face that man, and you conquered him gallantly.” St hope he isn’t hurt,” said the champion, still looking at the fallen man, ) ‘‘ What if he is?” sharply asked Lois. ‘‘ Didn’t he deserve it?” Bond turned, took off his hat and brusbed the bair from his forehead with a motion quicker than was bis custom. CRT mI | ‘(He sartainly desarved punishment,” be re- plied, ‘‘ but I wouldn’t be ther man ter doit. I ain’t a fightin’ man, an’ only that he was mer- lestin’ you two I wouldn’t hey laid a band on him, But I couldn't stand that, an’ ef he’s burt he bas only himself ter blame,” iS hee ‘‘ You certainly are not to blame,” act tala warmly. “ It is brave and noble to defen nie too weak to care for themselves,” nine aie Bond turned his hat over awkwardly, but. gaze was fixed steadfastly on her face. > ‘*That’s a good doctrine,” he said, r rons ‘Tt is the true one, and nobody can blame | you for practicing it.” ‘*But you see I hev a hot temper, an’— But P ae ye safe home, an’I thank ye kindly good words. I ain’t always got so many op ‘em. ef payne bats i aja att . ‘* Pm sure you deserve them. , “Wal, I what’s right, but it’s rayther a hard road t travel in this rough country, ’specially whar one ain’t got no friends,” ; os eu t who | » ?- 4 be true ones, as far as ! &; = 4 * APD © a, het 4 oa “But you have friends. You have. made two — ¥ Lye . be 4 4 +A eh at) - . c ' . res , \ = aE : /_ at 4 YY « Bea? yee 3 : don’t know; I’m tryin’ ter do ebanis he: