Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 340 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

‘ = * - mission, I welcome you ter Pistol City,” he said. ter drink with Oregon Noll?” ‘lowed by a tremendous tiger for Sombrero Sam a x ~— —~ — - > —__— ——— rs 7 =~ — 22 meme eee ee ** He’s our boss g’loot, an’ he’s a daisy, stran- | left traces even on that hard bronzed face of ger!” Captain Noll. Sombrero Sam opened his eyes wide at the His eyes had lost much of their old expres- bartender’s words. sion which, at times was soft, and in them ‘* Whar is he?” he asked. now gleamed the look of aman who is hunted ‘‘ At his shanty. Shall we call ’im?’ from pillar to post by the beagles of ven- ‘We'll drink first. Hyer’s ter Sombrero | geance. Sam’s ride ter Flat Broke! May he win it an’ 3 Hyer’s whar I hold forth when I’m at rake the thousand in!” home,” said Captain Noll, glancing around the The toast was drank with a gusto that told | room, “It’s no. palace, as you see, sir, but it’s how fond the Pistol City pards were of Holy | home, all ther same. Still,” and here the speaker Hank’s vile stuff, and the glasses fell back upon | smiled, ‘‘ still, ’'m fightin’ ter keep it.” the counter with a musical Dg. ‘*T don’t see why you should.” They all looked into the dark face and coal- ‘Ov course you don’t, I said I'd give you black eyes of Sombrero Sam, but read no decep- | ther lay-out an’ I will.” tion there. ‘* And you'll find in Sombrero Sam a listener ‘“Had a fine time ther first sixty miles,” | thet’ll do yer story justice.” smiled the stranger, as he leaned against the | Sombrero Sam looked into Oregon Noll’s face counter and set his elbows upon it. ‘‘Ther boys | and rested an arm on the table which was a sig- tried ter play road-agent twice, an’ once they | nal for the Pistol City tough to begin. got a lasso over my head, but it didn’t stay—not ‘*T ought ter go back several years ter ther much! I warn’t goin’ ter be stopped thet way. ; hangin’ ov a young kid somewhar in Colorado— Thar warn’t nothin’ in ther bet ag’in’ tryin’ ter | a hangin’ thet is ar on my shoulders, but you'll waylay me, an’ I hed ter look out. I guess I’m | understand it all as I go along,” began Noll. out ov their clutches now, seein’ thet I’ve not x Wal, thet boy hed a brother who has turned been molested since noon. Nice kentry this; | up an’ wants my blood an’ ther blood ov every must be gold hyer.” chap what saw ther kid pass in his checks, The ‘“* Some,” was the laconic answer. blood-hunter has already struck. You know ** Looked thet way to me when I came along. ; Monte Merle?” You don’t keep a graveyard hyer, I s’pose?” ‘*T should say I did.” More than one man glanced at the head-board, ‘Wal, he’s buried in our graveyard—killed by which had dropped on the floor on Sombrero | thet man! He comes like a wolf in the night an’ Sam’s arrival. strikes. But thet isn’t all. We're hunted by a ‘* Yes, we keepa plantin’ ground, but don’t | woman, too—a durned protty creature who calls use it often,” was the reply. herself Leo, an’ who wants ther same lives ‘Thought not, when I saw you gents. By | sought by Cool Conrad. I’ve said thet he killed George! would like ter hev seen Silver Chick! | Monte iterle: thet war several nights ago. Now Think he won’t come ef I stay my three hours | I’ll show yer what he did last night.” hyer?” Captain Noll left his stool and took from a “IT ruther think not. He’s liable ter stay _ shelf above his head something wrapped in paper away for days. He went off— Hello! thar’s that hada dark-reddish stain. Captain Noll.” “Thar! I found that at my door at day- mbrero Sam turned slowly upon the man | light,” he went on displaying to Sombrero who at that moment entered the door of the | Sam’s gaze a human_ hand. ‘‘Thet_ hand saloon, saved my life once. It b’longed ter Jaguar In an instant the eyes of the two met. Jerry, an now I throw it on my table ‘Captain Noll, eh?’ said the new-comer, ad- | while he sleeps under two feet of mountain vancing toward the boss of the gold camp. | ground. It’s ther work ov a man who is afraid “You don’t know me, I guess; but hyer’s the r walk up like a bravo an’ strike. I would hand ov Sombrero Sam ridin’ ter Flat Broke on | like ter toss Jerry’s hand inter his teeth, an’ a bet.” . then foller it up with my bowie. Do I look like Oregon Noll scrutinized the handsome speaker | a hunted man, Sam? I never expected to be from head to foot before he spoke or extended | dogged from lair ter lair by thet gold kid’s kin his hand. Cool Conrad! Ef I hed known thet Albert he ‘**T don’t know you, but if you’re on a peace | a brother ['d hev hunted him down years ago. You don’t know it all; you don’t know thet I’ve lost Pure-Gold Floss on account ov it all—thet we hev aman hyer called Red Roy who gave a well-kept secret away—thet a boy called Mar- moset is mixed up in ther matter. You may ride on ter Flat Broke, but [ll stay hyer an’ fight it out. When you stop hyer ag’in, on yer In the middle of the floor the hands of the two men met, watched by the crowd, who knew that a drink would follow the introduction, ‘* What’s ther matter thet you’ve guarded yer camp?’ asked SombreroSam. ‘‘ When I warn’t thinkin’ ov sech a thing I rode ag’in’ a guard an’ got halted.” way back ter ’Frisco, we'll be at ther end ov ** We've had a time hyer ov late.” ther game.” **TInjuns?” As Oregon Noll ceased, his hand crept forward ** No, white people.” toward the Bnasisy, memento of vengeance which “i! fight for a claim, eh?” t still lay on the table. ‘* Not — A tussle for blood.” ‘‘What ar’ you goin’ ter do with yer pard’s Captain Noll’s eyes sparkled madly behind the | hand?” asked Sombrero Sam. last sentence. “Throw it inter Cool Conrad’s face when I meet him!” was the hissed reply. ‘* Would you do it now if he war ter come?” ‘‘ Wouldn't I? He dare not open my door an’ enter hyer!” ** Ar’ ye sure ov thet, Oregon?” And that mo- ment Sombrero Sam’s hand closed on the camp rough’s wrist. ‘‘ You needn’t look far for Cool Conrad. He sits before you!” The eyes of the two men met, ‘You? What ar’ yer givin’ me?” laughed the desperado. ‘The truth!” was the solemn reply. ‘‘I am Cool Conrad of Dakota! Whar ar’ yer eyes, Oregon Noll? Couldn’t you look under my dis- guise and see yer doom? Ha, ha!” CHAPTER XXIV. KNIFE AND KNIFE, NEED we say that Captain Noll’s eyes seemed to start from their sockets? He sat on the stool like a murderer suddenly faced by the ghost of his victim, and stared across the table at the man of many disguises, Cool Conrad, of Dakota. Sombrero Sany the dread hunter from the North? He could not believe it, and yet he had just heard the announcement and confession from the lips of the man himself. For several moments after Cool Conrad’s last words the two men stared into each other’s eyes. There was the cool glitter of finished madness in‘the depths of the detective’s orbs, and aston- ishment in Captain Noll’s. Only a deal table stood between them, and the tin lamp lit up the tableau. **Do you doubt me now?” gaien asked Cool Conrad. ‘' You don’t think I would call myself Albert’s brother in Pistol City for mere sport, do you? The hand that clutches yer wrist cut off Jaguar Jerry’s, an’ threw it at yer door last ‘Pll give you a part ov ther layout, but not hyer,” he went on. ‘‘How long do you stop ‘with us?” ‘“Three hours.” ‘‘That’s good, an’ we’re glad ter see you in Pistol City, Sombrero Sam. You'll not refuse ‘*T never go back on a mountain gentleman. Seems ter me, since I’ve met you, that I’ve seen ou in ’Frisco.” ‘* Quite likely. I’ve been thar,” assented Noll. ‘‘ An’ I’m fresh from ther city ov faro banks an’ boss times,” was the retort. ‘‘Drink with you Oregon Noll? with all my heart, sir, an’ then you'll tip glasses with me?” We will not describe the scene that followed; the two men drank together over Holy Hank’s counter, and then the whole crowd was sum- moned to drink again with Sombrero Sam. ‘*T invite you ter spend part ov yer time hyer with me,” said Oregon Noll to the man just in. “‘T’ve got a story ter tell an’ suthin’ ter exhibit.” Sombrero Sam took from his pocket a gold piece which he tossed upon the counter with the words *‘ for the boys” as he caught Holy Hank’s eye. Then, turning upon Captain Noll, he took his arm and the two men started off. A wild cheer from twenty throats approved of the new comer’s liberality, and this was fol- himself. Just outside the den stood a horse whose flanks still bore evidences of a long ride over none of the best of trails, and Sam took hold of the rein as he walked on at Oregon Noll’s side. But few words were spoken by the two men until they found themselves seated in Noll’s cab- in, a rough deal table and a lamp between them. Tt was a strange picture in the gleam of the Lo and in the midst of the weird surround- =i i LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL ES F. night. You ar’ goin’ with me to ther mountain, he two men, while they were well built Oregon Noll.” fellows physically, were quite unlike in fea- The desperado of the gold camp started and tures. drew back. The startling events of the last few days had To the mountains with Cool Conrad? Cool Conrad, the Dakota Detective. | te amp.” a d thar Never! He got upon his feet, but the detective rose also, still clutching his wrist. “Not a word, notacry! It is Cool Conrad’s hour!” said the I’skota Detective sternly. “TI have tracked th’ ‘%nthers to their last lair, an’ Iam goin’ to de. with them—with you first, Oregon Noll. To the mountains!” Captain Noll threw a glance at the human hand lying on the table. “Let it lie thar,” said Conrad, catching the look and pointing at the hand. ‘‘ Thar may be another beside it afore daylight.” ‘t We'll see about thet, tiger,” growled Oregon Noll under his breath. ‘‘ By Jupiter! when we git to ther mountain, Ill hev a say in ther final settlement ov our blood debt!” Cool Conrad, or Sombrero Sam, had taken a step toward the cabin door, and the man he had hunted so long was at his side. ‘‘Rememter,” said the detective in impres- sive tones, ‘‘ Not a word over yer lips.” There was no reply, and the two men stepped into the starlight. They could hear the boisterous voices of the dark-shirted revelers at Holy Hank’s which was not far off, and the sounds caused Captain Noll to turn his head instinctively in that direction, but his action was caught and watched by the man at his side. They went down a trail between the cabins 2, Spas S and Noll knew that Cool Conrad was taking him toward the mountains whose forms in the daytime shadowed the eg As they neared the confines of Pistol City, the eyes of its chief desperado suddenly flashed with 8 i for he thought of the guard he had estab- lished to ey 4 back the very man into whose hands he had fallen. Every road leading into camp had been pick- eted. There was hope of rescue yet. ‘Don’t look fer yer guard, Noll,” suddenly said Cool Conrad as if he read the thoughts passing through his prisoner’s head. “I fixed the fellow on this road when I came inter c Oregon Noll made no reply, and the place where he had stationed the guard was passed without a halt being made. Cool Conrad had told the truth; the sentry had been ‘‘ fixed.” On, on for a mile more, and all at once the Dakota Detective halted. ‘‘ How ar’ ye armed?” he asked suddenly. ‘‘ Like yerself, I guess—bowie an’ six-shooter.” ‘‘ An’ you want fair play, I reckon?” ‘¢-Yes: thet’s ther custom hyer.” ‘¢ Did you establish it?” ‘‘No; it war ther custom afore I came.” A moment’s silence followed. ‘Which weapon kin you use best?” asked Cool Conrad. ‘*Tm pretty good with both,” was the reply while a faint smile appeared at the corners of Captain Noll’s mouth. ‘I’m considered thet way myself,” said the detective. ‘‘Show yer bowie an’ we'll measure blades.” Oregon Noll’s wrist had been released, and he drew his bowie at the same time that Cool Con- rad’s blade caught the star-gleam. With the coolness of ancient giacio ites; the two enemies laid their bowies side by side and measured their shining blades. There was no appreciable difference in length or width; the knives looked like twin weapons fashioned by the same hand and at one time, ‘‘They’re just alike,” said Cool Conrad, glanc- ing from the bowies into em, Noll’s face, ‘¢ Well try conclusions with them.” Oregon Noll ae back a pace with his bi knife clutched in his right hand, and with defi- ance leaping from his eyes. “You've hunted me a long time an’ now you've found me,” he said to the detective. ‘You've trailed me from lair to lair, you say?” ‘‘T’ve done thet very thing,” was the a1.swer. ‘‘T didn’t find yer trail at once, but I hunted till I struck it. when you did, I would hev settled with you ‘An’ ef you hedn’t esca from Monte Merle’s man-trap, you wouldn’t be hyer, eh, Conrad?” grinned the man from Pistol City. “That is true, perhaps; but ther man-trap didn’t hold me, an’ hyer I am!” ** So I see.” “Then, get ready ter fight!” cried Cool Con- rad. ‘I give you a chance which is more than ou win this bowie Tever thought P’'ddo. Ef er pards ov Pistol game, go back an’ treat ity; ef I win, doit!” — ‘All right! they’re sartain ter be treated any way it goes.” ‘ Tn the starlight trail of the mountain the right feet of the two men crept forward noise- lessly and like serpents. Ailat once up went the gleaming knives m their right hands. ‘‘ What's ter be ther signal?’ asked Noll. ‘““Thar’s ter be none. t the best man win! The fight is on. Sail in, Captain Noll!” But Oregon Noll did not move, although he looked gers at his enemy and seemed about to aim a blow at his breast. COMIIGEDOOKS GO If you had not left ‘Frisco ~ a ee _— Ties 3 a cet