Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 340 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

¥. _—. ere cm ee bel - * A — ene > ee ee i- — . “ ge em oe ee — >y ane. °- . i * Le SS SI —_—-—-- —- - fiew a ——— = 24. * Allright! Off with yer coat!” Marmoset did not immediately obey the com- mand, He saw Holy Hank glide around the corner of the counter with the blacksnake in his hand, and with cruelty sparkling in the depths of his eyes, fe Hyer, boys. Strip this young galoot to ther waist!” said Oregon Noll to the crowd. ‘*Touch me not!” exclaimed the boy as he broke from his captor’s somewhat loosened grip. ** 111 do the stripping myself.” ‘Then be quick about it,” grated Noll. ‘We're no slouches in Pistol City; when it aon ter takin’ vengeance; you know thet yer- self. Shutting his teeth hard, asif he had resolved to stand the indignity without a murmur, Mar- moset began to obey the merciless summons. He was in the hands of a lot of men who would show no mercy. It were vain to look for a single friend among the crowd: those who had been his friends in times gone by, were now fiercest in looks and words, Where would the threatened whipping stop? There was no telling this, and, knowing the crowd as he did, Marmoset had a right te imag- ine his body carried to the mountain graveyard after the terrible ordeal. He took off his coat, or jacket, and cast it at his feet. “Thet’s progress!” laughed Captain Noll. ** Now yer shirt, boy.” A deep crimson suffused Marmoset’s face, and he looked up into the big desperado’s face. ‘*'Take Floss away,” he said. ‘* You will not force her to witness ‘tr hyena-like cruelty.” ** No!” said the girl, before Oregon Noll could answer the boy. “T want to stay—I want to see ita'l. It will nerve my arm for vengeance ; it will incur a debt which shall be paid with double interest.” ‘‘What’s that?” cried Captain Noll, with a fierce look at the girl. “*Do you talk about avengin’ ther work ov ther whip on Marmoset’s back? Beware, girl! A skin whiter than his may feel the lash!” ‘“*T am ready,” was the reply. ‘Your infa- mous pards want to see my blood flow, Captain Noll. ees them, if you like. I have nothing to take back. For each drop of blood cut from Marmoset I will call somebody to account!” ‘* Thet’s yer daisy pard, captain!” laughed the crowd, derisively. ‘ Whip ther boy, an’ let her go ter git even with you? hip them both!” Under his mustache Oregon Noll bit his lip, and for a second made no edt ‘* Aren’t you goin’ to peel?” he said suddenly to Marmoset. ‘* In Floss’s presence?” ‘* Yes; she wants to stay. her? Stay she shall!” Marmoset made no reply, but proceeded to di- vest himself of the garment which left him stripped to the waist, and his roseate skin glis- tening in the lam light. ‘‘ Form a ring thar an’ give Hank room,” said Captain Noll. he crowd obeyed, and in less than a minute Marmoset stood in the middle of a circle, his well-built figure drawn to the last inch of its true hight, and {his eyes defiant and ready for the worst. Holy Hank stepped into the human inclosure with the whip in his hand. There were few in the crowd who did not know that, at one time in his life, Hank had been a cattle-herder on the Southwestern fron- tier, and that he had used the cutting lash on the naked back of more than one fellow-human. He was in his element, as his glittering orbs showed plainly as he tet into the ring and cracked the whip over his head, ** Ready, I am, captain!” he said witha glance at Oregon Noll, ‘Say whar ther first cut shall be an’ I'll git it thar. Deep er shallow? Take yer choice, captain. I kin cut ter ther bone, er just draw ther claret, ez yer wish. I’ve killed men with two cuts of ther whip!” ‘*So you have, villain,” said Marmoset, catch- ing Holy Hank’s eye as he finished. ‘ I’ve heard of more than one of your whipping mati- nees, You kill me here to-night with that yea or Vll drop you some time in your boots!” oly Hank burst into a wild laugh. ‘““Tll see ter thet, my mountain pink!” he cried. ‘I never hed a whipped g’loot ter turn on me yet, an’ I never will. Give ther signal, captain.” The eyes of all save those of Marmoset were riveted on Captain Noll. Suddenly one of the bronzed hands went up. ‘You kin go in, Hank. Let ther first cut be a feeler—a sample ov what’s ter come!” A devilish grin shot across Holy Hank’s coun- tenance, and the whip leaped into the air like the spring of a black snake. For a second it made several lightning evo- lutions above his head, and then fell with a half- drowned crack across the boy’s back! Despite his resolved firmness, Marmoset’s lips , and he seemed to leave the floor! It was a terrible blow, and one which drew blood like a razor would have done, Didn’t ye hear Cool Conrad, the Dakota Detective. SS —_—_ ‘* Forward, Floss! Show some sense once im yer life,” said the desperado. ‘You will kill him if I stand here?” ‘“‘Try me an’ see,” Pure-Gold Floss threw a meanful glance at. “You've gone far enough!” she cried. | Marmoset, and stepped toward Captain Noll. ‘*'You’ve drawn blood enough to doom you all She passed so near the leveled revolver that to death!” | she might have knocked it down, but she did From Holy Hank’s wrist the hands of the girl | not, for she knew that no quicker man with the leaped to the whip itself, and before one of the | trigger than the gold sport inhabited the Golden miner-desperadoes could recover and arrest her | State. intention, she had wrenched it from the bar- | She passed to Captain Noll’s side and looked keeper’s grip. up into his face, ‘*The whip is no new thing in my hands!” ‘* Now throw yer whip at Holy Hank’s feet,” cried the girl as she started back. “Stand | was the next command. where you are, men of Pistol City. Itismy | Floss glanced at the whip still clutched in her turn to draw a little blood, and I'll draw the | hand and hesitated. meanest to be found among you!” They were goin The astonished and speechless crowd saw the | the deed but half bloody lash leap above the girl’s head, they It should not be. heard it crack in mid-air, and the next second a Holy Hank gnashed his teeth and stepped for- yell that seemed to shake the roof of the saloon | ward to receive the whip as Oregon Noll spoke told that it had fallen with a knife-like cut | the command. ‘‘Sample number one!” laughed Holy Hank. ‘Ther next one will be better still!” Up went the whip again, but all at once Floss sprung across the arena and flew like a tigress at the whipper’s wrist. to whip Marmoset again; one was to be completed. across Holy Hank’s face! He had attempted to wipe the blood from his All this seemed the work of less than a min- | face with his sleeve, and in doing so had increas- ute, and the man who a short time before was | ed his hideousness. \ in his element, danced in the arena with oaths ‘Drop ther whip, Floss! Don’t be a fool!” of madness, and cheeks cut to the bone! said Noll, glaring at the girl, who still clung to ‘““Tt’s a game two can play,” said the fearless , the implement of torture. irl to the crowd. ‘‘ Take that man away, or | “Throw it at his feet?” she suddenly exclaim- ’LL whip him to death!” ed. ‘‘IT will never do that. He would use it on Marmoset’s back again.” CHAPTER XXVI. ‘““'Thet’s ther programme, exactly!” was the CUTTING HER WAY OUT, retort. BRAVE as a lion when he had things his own ‘‘Then I'll use the whip for another purpose!” way, but a coward at heart when anybody held | murmured Floss, under her breath, and all at the ate hand as against him, Holy Hank | once she sprung toward the tinlamp which hung shrunk from the girl who now pointed scornful- | against the weather-boarding at the end of the ly at him with one hand while the other clutched | bar, and by aid of its reflector, furnished light the whip. for the whole room. Her chradt to whip Holy Hank to death if he Nobody seemed to divine her purpose until she was not removed forthwith had a singular | had successfully accomplished it. effect. All at once she pat within seven feet of the Some of the desperadoes grinned at the | lamp and cut it such a blow with the heav thought of Floss getting the ~ ae) hand of the | whiplash that she knocked it, reflector and all, man who sold the worst whisky in California, | from its support, and it disappeared with a crash and others glared at her like savages. behind the counter, leaving the interior of the Hank’s face was already covered with blood | place in pitch darkness. which had issued from the gash inflicted by the It was an une coup, well-played, and lash, and he | nn a ludicrous as well as over with before a hand could be rai to pre- hideous aspect. vent it. | ‘Hyer! we've had enough ov this display,” | In an instant loud curses and cries arose on suddenly said Captain Noll as one stride carried ree! side. him half-way across the arena, and he caught ‘Shut ther door! Don’t let ther two kids out! the girl’s arm. ‘Back out an’ let Holy Hank | We’ll hev their blood for this work!” Forty hands darted at Floss in the darkness, but a noiseless bound carried her to the door. ‘* My revolver’s stolen!” suddenly exclaimed a voice. ‘‘ Look out! the girl will shoot!” ‘‘- Yes,” answered Floss, at the door, as a white figure leaped from the saloon. “The man who shows his face drops dead in his boots! Men of Pistol City, the birds lately in your hands have carry out his orders!” ‘* Not while I hold his own weapon,” she said, returning Noll’s look with interest. ‘‘ Let him throw a foot forward, and Ill cut his face into strips. She jerked loose from the big desperado’s clutch as the last sentence fell from her tongue, and straightening before him threw a challenge ce toward Holy Hank, returned to the bush!” Captain Noll for once in his life was embar- A loud cry of baffled rage met these words, rassed, and the om roughs nearest the door involun- What to do with the girl he did not know. tarily recoiled. ‘‘ Put out yer matches,” said a whisper on the inside. ‘‘ Don’t give ther Californy pantheress a chance ter pick yer out.” A smile played at the corners of Floss’s mouth. She recognized the voice, and could not but smile at Captain Noll’s fear. Slowly and urseen she backed from the door He could disarm her himself, or, by lifting his hand, he could precipitate upon her the blood- thirsty men-tigers of Pistol City, who would not only disarm her, but would inflict a punishment that would do Hank’s heart good. Meanwhile, Marmoset had not stirred since the girl’s startling interference. His back had n cut open by the one blow | and joined a few feet away a youth who ha inflicted by the Rents just put on a jacket. The stroke seemed to have paralyzed him. “Tt was by a scratch, Floss,” said the youth who was Marmoset, with asmile. ‘I owe it all I will pay Holy Hank for his whip- Our visit to But all at once, when Floss turned upon Cap- tain Noll and demanded to be released from | to you. captivity, he started into life and sprung to her | gash.” s ide, “Yes, but not now. Come. ‘Don’t touch her!” shouted Oregon Noll | camp has almost proved fatal.” pointing madly at Marmoset. ‘ Don’t say Ten minutes later the sole person in Holy youre goin’ ter stan’ by my tro rty, er by | Hank’s bar-room was the proprietor himself, and eavens! we'll whip yer ter death afore her he was patching up his face with the assistance eyes,” of a greasy mirror and strips of adhesive linen. ‘Your property?’ echoed Floss and her eyes Between the laying on of the strips he was cur- seemed to ignite. ‘When did I become your | sing in no pleasant tones the girl who had laid be hh Captain Noll?” his face open with his own dog * and vowing to hose girl ar’ ye ef not mine, ha, ha!” get even with her in a manner that should never laughed the camp villain. forgotten, ‘*’'Yours? I am free! I owe nothing to any Holy Hank’s face presented a ret singular living man!” was the quick answer. appearance when he had completed his surgery, ‘* Who fetched yer ter Pistol City?” and he helped himself to a glass of bis own vile oo liquor in a@ self-congratulatory way—then he ‘** Sartainly.” said: ‘But that circumstance doesn’t make me| _ ‘‘ Notas purl te I war, but with more sense, ours,” Arter this mebbe, I’! obey Captain Noll an’ meb- “Tt doesn’t, hey? Thet’s jest what we're | be I won't. By Jehu! thet kin make a black- about ter settle. Come away from ‘thet young- | snake sting like a scorpion! ster.” Holy Hank was putting the mirror back to its Floss made no answer, but seemed to plant piace above the counter when a footstep caused herself more firmly at Marmoset’s side. im to turn toward the door, and he saw Keno “Won't, eh?’ and the next instant Captain | King, one of Oregon. Noll’s right bowers, sliding Noll whipped out a six-shooter and leveled it at | across the floor. t Marmoset’s breast. ‘“ Ar’ ye in fer a big capture, Hank?” asked the ‘* Stand back, men, an’ let me win this game,” | pard. . he continued with a glance at the roughs of the All at once the whisky spider’s eyes lighted up camp. ‘‘ Never in my life hev I been balked by | with animation. a girl. Now, my mountain daisy, jest step ‘‘ Bf it’s ter git even with thet girl, I am!” he cl’ar ov thet tenderfoot, er see im tumble back- | said. 3 ward with a bullet in his body!” ‘“Tt’s hardly thet, Hank, but it’s suthin’ jest ez important. Show up yer bottle first.” Marmoset was completely covered by the re-~ volver of the captain of the camp rards, Keno King took a good draught from the black bottle which Hank pushed over the counter He looked into Oregon Noll’s eyes and saw no 5 mercy in their depths. toward him, and the genius of the mountain trap GDOOKS com ’ (E(0) —_—