Beadle's Dime Library No. 351 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

eae = r -- ' -“ * > i i Ty "4 LA \/ | fwamwe tery, he began to realize that he was fh danger— that his hands and feet were fast bound. Summoning all his strength, he strove to burst his bonds, but in vain. And that action seemed to recall the growling fellows to their senses. ‘**Keep quiet, onless you wants the inemy to come down onto you in a heap!”’ warningly muitered one of the men, while a heavy hand ran over his person, “What do you mean?’ demanded Ovelman. ‘“Why have you tied me up after this fashion? What have I done?”’ “Take it cool an’ easy, fer jest a minnit, an’ | mebbe you kin see through the tangle. I'll strikea licht, so we kin see how to talk without gittin’ all tangled up.” a dim light made itself visible, and fishing a small fragment of a candle from his pocket, Dave Nichols lit it with a match, ‘“"Tain’t as big as the moon, nur as light as the sun, but I reckon it'll hev to sarve us fer now,” uttered his husky whisper as he stuck the candle- end on asplinter, then ran this into a crack in the wall above the head of the captive. Eagerly Arthur Ovelman used his eyes, his heart sinking still lower within him as he recognized the two men who apparently held him wholly in their ower. As the voices had first told him, they were he rival claimants who had played such a prominent art in the strange events of the past night, David vichols and Norton Weston Nickerson, who seemed to have become allies and pooled their issues for this occasion, It could scarcely be for any good purpose. He was not left long to_ his thoughts. Creeping closer, one on each side, the fellows touched their lips as they cast wild, fearful glances around them. ‘Pears like I hearn a footstep creepin’, mate!” ** An’ I kin smell powder an’ cold lead, with a taste o’ twisted hemp mixed up with it!’ muttered the other worthy. “We mought git cl’ar by stealin’ away an’ usin’ our legs mighty peart, mate, but we won’t do that, will we?” ** An’ leave him ahind fer them to string up ag’in?” indignantly hissed the other. “I cain’t say fer you, but this chicken sticks it out ontel the last keerd is laved, even though I knowed that it’d be my last eal! When Igo back on a feller bein’ in distress, you jest tell me of it, won't ye?” “That's the ticket! We saved him this fur, an’ we'll pu!l him through, ri¢ht eend up, or we'll dance the same sort o’ Jig alongside the old gent. Chirk up, boss! Ef you hev gotto make a dic of it, this trip, you'll hey the satisfaction o’ crossin’ the divide in the best 0’ good comp’ny, ef I do say it which hedn’t orter!” Arthur Ovelman scanned the speakers as well as he was able by the dim light of the candle. He saw that they were muffled and bandaged about the faces, that blood-stained bits of cloth were wound . around their arms, while their clothing seemed to have been half torn off them. A half laugh broke from the lips of Nickerson. “They did it—them cusses as turned to an’ was goin’ to hang you fer gittin’’em into the squabble with that p’izen critter which goes around ridin’ wild bulls, an’ takin’ the good names of honest gents away from ’em—” “Tain't only our clothes, nuther, that suffered,” broke in Nichols, with a surly note. ‘I’ve got slits an’ slashes an’ bullet-holes enough in my karkidge to sarve fer a rijiment. Ef I git through this job pel gies ketchin’ my last sickness, reckon I'll try to git ‘ligion!”’ ** Look here!” cried Ovelman, the dim light show- ing the uncomfortable suspicion which was rapidl growing to a certainty in hismind, ‘ Are you bot crazy, or am J going mad?” **Durned ef I know which, ef either, or mebbe all two both on ’em!’’ returned Nickerson, scratching his head, with a doubtful grin upon his battered countenance. ‘* You cain’t prove it by me! Ever sence I come into this durned old town I’ve bin turned eend fer eend, ontel it’s a even thing that when I feel like blowin’ my nose I twist my big toe- nail off! Crazy, I reckon, or I wouldn't ’a’ chipped in on sech a slender hand wheu I see them cusses stringin’ you up to the sign-post —” “Stop!” cried Ovelman,in desperation. “ Tellme what you mean in one word. Stringing whoup? Do ag mean that that demon incarnate tried to hang me ” “Let me do the talkin’,’’ said Nichols, with a snort of contempt. “ Your tongue tangles things up so, that a Ph emp lawyer couldn’t straighten ’em out in a month o’ Sundays! Jest here it lays, boss; ou lit onto that p’izen cuss, which calls himself Nor est Nick—”’ ** Which ain’t his name, no more’n it be yours—” “Shet trap, or I'll stuff my fist down your throat ontel you think you've swaliered a elephant!” growled Nichols, “* A-b-u-l, bull—able! which is more then you kin do, the best day you ever see, old wiggle-come-twist!” and Nickerson put up his fists, dancing nimbly back and forth befove the angry giant, seemingly spoiling to renew the figbt which had been so strangely in- terrupted on the night last past. “Time enough fer that,” said Nichols slowly, with an ugly glitter in his snake-like eyes, which told how difficult ae, orae rere ‘< poe fo utter. “ Jest now we cain't a’ford to . Let them critters h us, an it'd be good-by jokni oe ** Don’t tromp too hard onto a gentleman’s corns, hen, What did it all mean? What had brought these fierce rivals into such close companionship? : Lo what peril were they making such frequent al- usions? Such were the queries which flashed athwart the confused brain of Arthur Ovelman as he lay there, tog and helpless, fearing he scarcely knew what. ** You know what kind o’ deal that feller give the boys, when you sot ’em onto him,’ resumed Nich- ols, speaking rapidly, but in the same guarded manner which he and Nickerson had used through- out, even when defying each other to mortal com- bat. “But I don’t reckon you kin ’member much after he fired the shot that knocked you off o’ that SR hl paused as though for that purpose. ylank until I awoke here.”’ ‘You missed a heap, but I reckon it’s jest as well you did,” withadry, unpleasant laugh. ** "Twouldn’t make your dreams none the sweeter, I don’t reckon, I’er instunce, you feel sorter tender ‘round the thrapple, don’t ye, now?”’ m Yeo but go on!”? impatiently returned Ovel- man, ready to grant anything, so as to learn the truth sooner, ** Most men do, after bein’ hanged, I reckon—”’ **Onless they're left to stretch thar necks too long,” interposed Nickerson. ‘‘ But we cut ye down in time, boss, though it was a monstrous close call } 'ferus all, bet yer life!’ There came the sputtering of a match, and then | ‘*Hung—who did it? What for?” gasped Ovel- man. ‘The very gang that you sot on to hang another,” laughed:the giant, grimly. “* Thar was a red-hot time fust, an’ them two cusses, Dan Brown an’ Kyrle Dando, as ye called him, laid out enough stiffs to start a dozen graveyards o’ thar own, afore they was took an’ strung up—” ‘* Not hung—they were not killed?”’ exclaimed the met i with an earnestness that amazed his earers. “Wasn't that what ye was workin’ fer all the time?” growled the giant, suspiciously. **No— that is—’’ hesitated Ovelman, when Nicker- son chipped in with: ‘*Whar’s the use in beatin’ ’round the bresh, mate? Tell the story straight through. How Cap'n Slyboots dashed in an’ cut the coves down afore they was clean gone over the range, which give us the chaince to git in our work—see?”’ ** Wasn't I comin’ to that?” Gomes the surly fel- low, wolfishly. ‘Could I tell him that afore it happened? Didn't the gang git b’ilin’ over with hotness when they looked ’round an’ counted noses an’ see how big a price that litile hangin’-bee hed cost ’em? An’ didn’t some dirty whelp holler out that it was all owin’ to this gent, here, an’ to finish the job up in style by ’spendin’ him with the other two? An’didn’t they do it, too?” _ ‘“Sartin they did!’’ chimed in Nickerson. ‘An’ then, when Cap’n Slyboots an’ his Anti-monopolistd made thar rush an’ scattered the gang, didn’t they leave this gent a-hangin’ thar, an’ didn’t we two boldly cut in an’ take him in out o’ the storm? An’ didn’t we git cut an’ stabbed an’ shot clean to pieces a-doin’ of it? Waal, [should remark /”’ Staring first at one, then at the other, Arthur Ovelman listened to these amazing statements with a growing suspicion. He believed that they were lying—but for what purpose? What could they ex- pect to gain by it? ‘Mighty right, we jest did!” added Nichols. “ Never did this chicken hev a closer call, but we got through in the squamble while it was the thickest, an’run onder kiver here. Reckon they're huntin fer us yit, but ef they do find us, boss, they've got to wipe us out afore they hurt you i Thanks—a thousand thanks!’’ muttered the capitalist. * Thanks is good—heap good, in thar right place; but thanks ain’t a-goin’ to pay our doctor bills fer gittin’ cut an’ shot to a riddle!’ growled Nichols, * What say, mate?”’ “'Spect I’ve got my last sickness!” returned Nickerson, with a doleful groan, ‘ Reckon Til kick the bucket afore the sun sots—an’ I hain’t got ary red cent in my clo’es fer to pay fer the doctor nur the coffin. Good Lawd! jest to think! Me, as is used to eat an’ drink from solid gold, to die an’ be chucked away in a pauper’s grave! It’s turrible!” * But don’t fergit that the gent hes said thank ye to us fer savin’ bin from stretchin’ a rope, an’ that'd ort to pay us fer gittin’ slashed all to bits, hedn’t it?” “I will reward you well, as soon asI get back to the hotel,” said Ovelman, choking down his rage at the insolent tones of the giant. ‘‘ Of course I did not mean thanks alone.” ‘*Mighty glad to hear it!’ said Nichols, with a grin, “But you fergit the gang that’s huntin’ fer us. §'pose they picks us up afore we kin git thar? What, then?” ‘**Sharks!”’ exclaimed Ovelman, no longer able to doubt the truth of his suspicions, ‘‘Cut my hands free, and I'll talk to you. Not a word until then!”’ “ Good heavings!” exclaimed Nickerson, with a tragic start. ‘““Why didn’t ye say so afore? Them cusses trussed ye up that-a-way, an’ we didn’t hev time to cat ye loose then. It's so pesky dark in here that we didn’t notice— Thar! that feels bet- ter, don’t it?’’ ‘*“How much money do you want?” asked Ovel- man, ~ hapa his benumbed wrists as the bonds were severed, “The price of a life won’t be none too much. We're both hurt so bad that it’s bi never git over it. An’ all them hurts we fightin’ tosave you. Reckon the price at whi valie your own life won’t be none too much, say, mate?” ‘Oh, I ain’t no hog!” cheerfully replied Nicker- son. “Ef I kick the bucket, which I ’spect to do afore long, that Ul be enough to keep you out of the poet nowne ontel your sweet mug kin holp ye to etch some rich widder,” ““Reckon you're mighty nigh right thar,’ mut- tered Nichols, with an ugly grin. “ over-healthy. Shouldn’ wonder ef you dropped off suddent afore long. When you do, Ill see that “All was & | rs. or’ West Nick, the Border Detective. come to our tarms, an’ say thank ye fer the chaince __ into the barg’in? An’ thar you went an’stuck him | fer keeps! our | odds we don’t | death b | | ou don’t look head bac 15 Had Arthur Ovelman been anything like his usual sel’, coci and clear-witted, he would have taken the hint which was but thinly disguised iv those words, and realizing his helpless condition, have made the best of a bad bargain. But his brain had been up- sect by the unexpected encounter with the man whom he had believed dead long years ago, added to the severe shock of the bullet which glanced from his skull, and he gave full vent to his angry passions. ‘*Bah! you have fooled me as far as you can. I know you now, for what you are—villainous thieves and robbers! You have lied to me all through. You brought me here to rob me. You have taken m money, my watch, my jewels—and not satisfied wit that, have concocted this vile story for the purpose of bleeding me still further. ButI ll foil you there! Not another dollar do ~ u get—and 1 swear that TR have you hanged for this outrage, the very moment I get free!” *““You hear him preach, mate?” asked Nichols, witha short, hardlaugh, “Savage, ain’t hey Sounds like he meant it, too!” **He’s gone clean crazy—that’s it!’ was the grave, sad response, and Nickerson wiped an imaginar tear from one corner of his eye. ‘“‘He couldnt speak sech cruel words, ef he wasin his sober senses, onstrous pity, too, fer you know whatis our sworn duty, as members o’ the Anti Loonatick Club!” “T only wish’t I could ferget it!’ groaned the iant. Oe it's got to be did,” gloomily. “Only a plum crazy critter would talk that-a-way to men what hed jest got cut all to ribbons in tryin’ to save him from the rope. The wustof it is that we cain’t give him no time fer seein’ ef the fit wouldn’t pass off an’ he come back to his sober senses ag’in. You know what the law says: cut him off short. fer fear the ae disease spreads furder! Shell we toss up, ard? a Reckon we mought as well. I don’t want to stick him, ef 1 kin shove the job off onto your han’s,” muttered Nichols. Dim though the light was, it was yet sufficient to show Arthur Ovelman the terrible change which had come over the faces of the two men, ‘here was no sizn of hatred or resentment for his harsh words, Instead, there was an expression of gravity which was even sad, as though they felt sincere regret ata disagreeable duty being thrust upou them. ‘Heads ferever!’’ said Nickerson, as the coin was un. ar Tails it is /’’ growled Nichols. ‘ Waal, it’s got to be did an’ sence the lot falls to me, I'll 0 it! Watch, 2 ou kin report how I done the part sot fer me to do.’ Drawing a long knife from his belt, the giant moved close to the side of the capitalist, raising the Seeree to strike. With a gasping cry, Ovelman tried to check the blow, but in vain! CHAPTER XVI. THE REWARD OF MERIT. Down flashed the steel in the faint, yellow the candle, and in that fraction of a moment, Ovelman suffered all the torments of death, The knee of the giant Dp en heavily upon his. chest. One brawny hand clutched his throat so tightly that not a sound could escape his lips. A vise-like grip was fastened upon his feet, to keep him from trying to free himself by kicking, and a voice came to his ears like the soft purring of the treacherous panther: “Stick him as easy as ye kin, mate! Don’t hurt the pore critter any more then ye hev to, though he wis powerful rough onto us fellers with his cuss- “a an’ eo anh e saw the ugly weapon flash before his eyves— felt a cold, candiing thrill through his neck—then all was a blank! Though he heard it not, there came an angry snarl from the man who held his feet, and then Nickerson cxneped bis rival by the throat, dragging bim back- ward with a strength which the giant was powerless to resist, taken wholly by surprise. “ Durn an’ double-durn ye fer a ove wed, tangle- legged idjit!” muttered enraged fellow, his little eyes fairly flashing fire as his crip tightened around the throat of the vainly-struggling t. **Couldn’t ye take a hint which was blunter’na kick? Couldn’ e see whatit wasi meant? Not to butcher the old ool, but to skeer all the grit out o’ him, so he’d ht of thur ‘lin’ the hull business! But Ill take itouto collywobbus. Take ‘hai!’ There was no acting now. The claimant was genuine. As he held their captive, wea e of the fat e felt that li 7 ag . eculiar quiver as the n of the giant descended, which je violence, and he believed that Nichols had scheme to frighten Arthur Ovelman ot in taken rd sin ou | for still grimmer earnest, and plunged his steel to hat | the heart. Wild with rage at having his ho moderate fortune thus rudely blas * * - ' « Tee's ot io * ide Mai indignitorious, gully-whompin’ os 4 Pa oa bod Ah Pha! ’ , + « ' a.) A. . . exact at least a measure of satisfaction fromthe | pee of his rival. Back came his ponderous fist— _ \@) rward it dashed, full into the face of the ling giant, with such force as to tear his” m the grip of his mad com on, and drive his against the ground floor with a sullen thump! ‘“*Cuss ye—let up!” gasped Nichols, as that fierce 2a) you're kivered deep enough to keep the coyotes grip was about to close upon his throat once more, rom unearthin’ ye toosoon,” Whatever retort Nickerson may have contem- plated to this cold-blooded speech was prevented by an angry cry from the lips of the capitalist, who had thrust his hand into his breast pocket in search of his wallet. “You scoundrels! I have been robbed! have stolen my pocket-book—” The heavy hand of the giant descended u You an an voice hissed into his ear: **Quiet, you p’izen fool! D’ y’ want to fetch the — me down onto us, that you squeal out like ** But I’ve been robbed!" he managed to utter. ““°Twas done in the crowd, then, of course,” volun- *eered Nickerson, ‘Sartin you wouldn't hint that x | two gents like us, who risked thar lives to rescue Nothing,” replied Ovelman, as the speaker you." | d do sech a dirty trick?” ; : pon his things so p’izen hot fer ye that when mouth, cutting short his angry denunciations, and ye home, you'll think he’s changed his ' “I didn’t Stick the critter—look fer yourself, dw Re ye!” . A gurgling groan from the lips of the capitalist emphasized this statement, “3 a only too eager to administer. “Ef you're 1 I find it out!’ he growled, warningly. “I'll make the devil calls business an’ uck to runnin’ a ice-house!”’ ' “Wait ontel this job’s over! Then we kin settle oa whichever way ye like the best!”’ hissed chols. “ All right, my covey! But Ill jest keep one eye onto ye, fer luck. Heap bad med'’cine onder that tongue o’ yourn!”’ A glance showed Nickerson that he had Wrougee, 3 his companion. The knife had descended, Goim (¢ ‘S *, SO much the wuss fer = when > —-— and probably saved _ Nichols from the punishment = ig Wickeraae was ~ ) “s ~ 2 ‘ “—~ ine rs wv = > ry 4 = i J ? 4. ~~ . £ 900!