Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 333 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

"4 tn egy Se oe eee ’ a you that we Derringer Deck, the Man with the Drop. 9 T learn fast. I know now that in this savage region you must trust no one.” ‘I hope I am not included in that sweeping assertion; though I would rather be a victim of unmerited doubt than have you confide in the rest of the world to your own or,” They were at the Ark now, and without an- swer lIanthe hurried in, leaving her father to follow whatever might be the desires of his er, uninfluenced by her. ‘* You have, unfortunately been to Mulloney’s to-night, and created a bad impression. It seems to me imperatively necessary that you should visit the cles again and do what is pos- sible toward repairing the damages. In my SoRORY it will be perfectly safe. How is it? Will you be guided by me?” ‘‘Have it your own way,” answered the doc- - tor, wearily.” ‘“ This excitement is too much for me, and will break me down I suppose; but I am willing to at least try to do whatever you think is neces- sary.” or Then come on. Show no fear or fluster, and trust in me. Brad Awlis as safe for a tender- foot as any spot in the universe, if he don’t put on frills and furbelows.” They walked briskly away, talking as they went. When they reached the saloon they no- ticed Mad Mike just in the act of entering and they followed promptly after. A savage smile wrinkled the lips of Early Joe as he saw the new-comer, and instinctively his hand dropped toward the weapons he had again belted on; but before he could move a step he felt a light touch, and a voice whispered in his it “Don’t you do it, Joe. Somehow, I know they are all against you. They have been trying to get you into trouble all evening, and if I were eas I would hold back until they showed their nd, if nothing else. That man is only a dum- my, and it’s Thompson that is setting him up. What he wants is always blood and gold. Better save both, and turn the tables on him in the end. Hush, now! don’t let on that I spoke to you. If you have the nerve to do it, clear out, and Ill see if I can’t find out the truth and let you know to-morrow.” She spoke hastily, while Thompson was intro- ducing his friend to the proprietor, and the others were moving forward,so that no eyes were on them. ‘* Ye’r’ askin’ me to show the white feather,” he retorted; ‘‘ an ef it was a man ez did that I'd knock him down.” ‘*You are wrong. It is the winning feather that I want you to show. You've ruffled it around here pretty well, but this is not your night on. Wiuill you go to please me?” t seemed to be a hard task, and yet he only hesitated for a moment. ‘* Tt’s the first thing you ever asked of me, an’ T'll doit. Let them ez crows over it ter-night look out fur to-morrer. Early Joe ‘ll be round!” “Thank you, Joe. By the back way now—by the back way, while they are not looking.” “Tet ’em look. Good-night, Lil, and look out fur yerself. When the bank wins, there’s apt to be more than growlin’ in Brad Awl; an’ I’ve allus bin hyer ter see fair play.” With this cmpng ten ateay, , he glided out of the back door, as Doctor Gordon had done a short time before. The movement was quietly made, yet just as he went through the doorway the eyes of Col- onel Thompson rested on him for an instant, and a frown of disappointment overspread his face. The frown was momentary, but Laughing Lil caught its expression, and could have “Not this time, Colonel Thompson,” she thought. ‘‘ With Early Joe out of the way, you'll have a hard time to get up a racket here, when Mike Mulloney is at the fore. I think the bank will open soon, and maybe J will have a chance at the innocent stranger.” Nonchalantly she threw herself in the easy- chair behind the table, and waited for the bet- tors at the interrupted deal to return. CHAPTER X. ““IN VINO VERITAS "—PERHAPS. It was not more than an hour later that Doc- tor Gordon came staggering up to the ark be- tween the colonel reg a friend to whom the colonel had introduced him. ‘*T’m sorry you didn’t have a chance to see Early Joe to-night, but we'll find him in the morning. I judge you are not accustomed to dissipation, from the effect of the very mild form of it we have been indulging in to-night. You will have to brace up a little if you want to make headway at Brad Awl.” “Thash o’ right,” responded the doctor, thick- ly. ‘*Gep my war painton—show ’em Spanish, hic. Notsh ther benzine ‘tall—ridin’ in ther windsh, Goo’-nightsh.” ‘* Better let us see you to your room.” ** Noter shtepsh furder. I’m ol rey Go’- nightsh. Won’ have it. Kin walksh myself. Goo way er Ill howl.” % There, there, that will do,” laughed the colonel. Bang or adh ay to navigate I assure on’t want to come in. If Miss Gordon has not barricaded the door I feel pretty sure that you will be all right. Good-night.” ‘*Goo’-nightsh,” mumbled the doctor, with drunken gravity, and turning he lurched through the doorway, and guided by the wall began to make his way toward his room, The colonel listened long enough to know that there had been no catastrophe. ‘*He will do, Chet, if the girl don’t set up a howl when he reaches his room. But he must be managed more carefully. Never saw a man that could drink less whisky and have it fly to his head quicker. About the time we were ready to lead him up to try his hand on the table he was ready to goto sleep under it. For- tunately he didn’t have much money with him so nobody is much the worse off.” ** Just as you have it. I don’t profess to un- derstand your game, If you had got him into Early Joe’s paws I don’t think there would have been much left for little Lil to handle.” ‘Very true; but as Joe wasn’t about I thought it might make things more pleasant for Mike and the girl if they got a divy. It requires their aid after all, to carry the game through. We will see what to-morrow brings forth.” While they were walking down street, en- gaged in this sort of conversation, the doctor was making a quiet entrance to his room. ‘Is that you?” inquired Ianthe, as she heard him stumble on the threshold of the adjoining room. He carefully shut the door before making an- swer: “Yes, it is I—thanks to a little more com- mon sense than they gave me credit for. If I hadn’t played off drunk they would have made me so in reality. As they have my gauge quite thoroughly, the next time they won’t undertake to pour quite so much fire-water in, and then the fun will last longer. Quite a varied expe- rience we have had of it, and all that was re- quired to complete the interest was for me to have met the festive Early Joe. I had a glimpse of his face again, and understand that he had been making personal threats, but for some rea- son he declined the meeting, and went off to his burrow to nurse his wrath. It strikes me that Brad Awl society is a little mixed; and the mad Irishman, who keeps a rum-shop and faro- saloon, is the ouly honest man in it.” “*I believe you,” responded Ianthe heartily. ** At least the’ rest are bad enough in their way, and I have no doubt but that he is as bad as the worst. The danger J had been in seemed to give no one the least trouble, and the murder of the man that saved me would have only been a bit of pleasant amusement, if your friend the col- onel could have accomplished it. Fortunate] he met a man that could take care of himself, He and his friend, who I feel confident was not seriously harmed, can look after themselves, and would be bad men to have as enemies. I would advise you to-steer clear of their anger.” ‘* And them not to interfere between me and my affairs. When they strike Thompson they strike at us, in more ways than one.” ‘*Unless they have some peculiar grudge of their own they will not trouble him unless he troubles them.” ‘Or unless they have designs on me, you had better say. There have been too many friends turning up to-night. I distrust them all, and what is back of them. There is a league some- where, if not everywhere.” ‘“If you are afraid of it, why not get out?” re- turned the girl, briskly. ‘‘ You are not obliged to stay. You knew it, in fact, before you came. If we had found them different we would have been disappointed, ‘*Of course; and lam not murmuring. ‘ The way to the stars is rough,’ as the old proverb says. That is no difference if we get there. Good-night.” ‘* Which we certainly will. Good-night.” The doctor went back to his own room, and in a very little time the: two were fast asleep. Whatever might be the complications around — they were very far from giving way to ear. The night passed without further interruption, and the sun was well up before they were awake and moving. By that time Brad Awl had got on its daylight dress, and was going about its every-day affairs. As it was not the Sabbath, gos deg Sony serene, and semi-respectable. _Ianthe having breakfasted was looking cau- tiously around when she came face to face with hee nd Deck. He had his spectacles off, and really was quite a presentable man. He nodded in a free and easy manner, but she held out her hand. ‘T want to give go thanks by daylight for the service you did me last night. My father do the same when he meets you and will apologize for the fracas, in which indeed, he had no part. From what he and his friend had heard it was not hard to mix you up in it; and I suppose they have the fashion here, that is only too prevalent in mining-towns, of shooting first and investigating afterward. How is your friend?” ‘* Thanks, that is all right. Your father seems to be harmless enough, and I'd do him a friendly turn any time that I knew how; but for Thomp- son, who wants to run this camp, I’ve no great —-—.) love, andI’m glad I made him show his hand. My friend is all right—no thanks to him, I had a close call though; and I'd like to havea chance to pull on the man that sent the shot. Ill bet high I could go him one better unless it was a chance shot, which I sometimes suspect.” ‘* And there is no doubt but that he will re- cover?” ‘* Not a bit—unless he’s caught a chronic de- rangement of the heart. The ball splintered along a rib, right over that important mem- ber, letting out what little of the sanguine it could find, and when the reaction came he fainted away. That’s nothing. He will be out to-day, and well to-morrow. Until that time keep yourself and that father of yours out of trouble: and look out for Colonel Coldsteel and his Lucky Seven. They turn up when you least expect them.” ‘Thank you; I am doubly armed. If the colonel comes I will look for you to be there also.” “Tf possible; but, thanking you for your trust, I’ve other affairs on hand that may inter- fere with the gallant rescuer business, and IL would advise you to have an eye for your own safety.” He bowed himself away at that and Miss Gor- don did not reply though she thought she per- ceived the sarcasm under his words; she had her own reasons for believing that whatever might happen to her he would be found near at the finish. As she knew that he had not been in his room the previous night and consequently could not have overheard the conversation between her father and herself, she had intended to give him warning, but that escaped her mind just now, and only when it was too late did she think of it. From the doorway of the Ark she watched him go down the street toward Ante Pete’s cabin.” ‘*T wonder if I am wrong?” she muttered. ‘I had half a mind to make the charge boldly, and have done with suspicion. At any rate, I am all the safer—though what could one man do, or three for that matter, if they had to fight the town?” ***Melican glil bettle look see shlap him; noe hap love-pidgin insidee he mouth. Delingleé Deck hap heap catchee waifo alloleddy. No hittee use fool ‘lound him. On’y maskee tlubble. galow. Eh, ch’hoy?” Miss Ianthe looked up calmly and without a blush at the Celestial who breathed his advice into her ear, ‘“*Ah! you are the ubiquitous Chinaman that has been making more bother than your head is worth. Idon’t know what you suspect, but I can vouch for it you are on the wrong tack any- how; and I am certain that if you had kept away from Ante Pete’s, last night, it would have been the safer for you and the better for him. Let me alone, or there will be trouble in town!” Miss Gordon spoke like a little rowdy—a thing she did not often do—and the other listened to her, bland and unmoved. ‘‘ Allee lightee. We Wailo speak um tluth; no can do bettle. Him flind way uppee when he that can do. No care fo’ bad man when him an’ him ’volver ‘lound. So longee! See him ’g’in. Blad Awl be on wheels, an’ We Wailo chief in camp when um time come.” Having said this much, he skipped away with- out waiting for an answer; and Ianthe did not attempt to stop him for the last word, to which the sex is entitled. It seemed hg certain that he was domiciled within the building, and, doubtless, he would turn up again. Besides, just then she was interested in a woman who" rushed past her—a woman with a handsome, almost a sweet face, a perfect figure, and a cos- tume at which a connoisseur in dress could find nothing to cavil. In daylight, no pantaloons and sack coat for her. Of course it was the young lady best knownas Laughing Lil; but this was the first time that the two had met, and Miss Gordon could only suspect. The description her father had given her of the lady of the faro-table had been brief, and fell far short of the reality. From that de- scription she had hardly thought she would care to meet her; but now she wished that she had looked for an opportunity, and then made the most of it. Lily Bascombe was too busy with her own thoughts to even notice her. She stepped straight on with the air of a queen, and when she had one a hundred yards, met the very man she was ooking for—Joseph Early. ° ‘“*Good-morning, Joe,” she said, with scarcely a perceptible movement of her lips. “I want to have a little talk with you, but Y don't want all Brad Awl as witness to the performance. I'm going to be at the bridge in about twenty ee my constitutional, of course— and if you can drop down there about that time, Ill say my say.” | _*Good-mornin’, Lily. I see yer dodge, an’ I ain’t too proud not ter take a chance like that, ef I hev ter crawl ther hull way. I'll be thar, an’ ther town won’t be any ther wiser.” “Just so it don’t look like a regular appoint- ment I don’t care. Just now I don’t want that. It might make trouble.” The words that e¥ 574 WW et of eyo) (€s0 es —— ee ee