Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 375 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

j ‘ 1 } ’ Lv gue mm ~ --——- - time, you've jest about arrove. You've bin on ther road in two sections, an’ ther perces- sion hez got in ahead ov ther hearse, if thar sin’t been no drawbacks.” There was a malicious twinkle in the man’s eyes as he spoke, and he evidently enjoyed the start that his companion gave. ‘* Not that woman again?” exclaimed Mrs, Ormsby. “That blessed, identickle female, ez large ez life an’ twice ez ugly. It wa‘n’t a bad idear, yer stoppin’ off hyar. Ef yer hed gone on, yer might ‘a’ struck her onprepared, an’ there's no telling what would ’a’ follered. She’d ez soon shoot ez eat, an’ she’s got a bad man ter back her. Ef that scallywag husband ov yourn we thar, he'll think the | world hez kim to anend about ther time she meets him. ov his name ain't Buck Burke, be ye?” ‘* Ah! then you do not know who our com panion of the stage really was? I'm glad of that. If you don't, neither do I, and that settles it, Ile seemed to take such an inter- est in our affairs that for a time I was really afraid he might be some one | ought to have recognized. He's not # stranger in this re- gion, anyhow,” ‘‘T’ve got a couple men on his trail now, an’ if they find him, ez I more ner half think they will, it won’t make much differ- | ence who he is. Now, what’s yer game about Mortimer? ‘ Allow him to show his hand without making an open call of it. If we can trust him, he will be a valuable piece of furniture. If we can't—perhaps he ought not to reach Blazer's for the present.” ‘‘Good enough. And I suppose you want to git there ez soon ez possible. take you right along over, an’ we won’t be obliged ter pass through Jumptown at. all. But fu’st, you must rest upa bit. I don’t think they will come out ter look fur you | from the town much afore morning. Then they kin whistle. Ther toll-gate will be down, an’ we'll be ’way ther other side ov ther divide.” ‘‘T’m ready for anything as soon as I get my supper. You can help me out on that, ot course?”’ ‘* To be sure. out.ez will make yer mouth water. sleep then, an’ we'll try an’ git ‘round to ther other side ov ther mount’in.” Amicable relations were by this time fully I can set yer down to a iay- restored. Their conversation had not been | overheard, since the following of the man had reversed the usual order of things, and gone on ahead, leaving the two alone to- gether, to have their talk out, It was nota very long journey to where the outlaws were encamped and once there Mrs. Ormsby made herself very much at home for a captive. She eat a hearty supper, had some further conversation with the cap. tain, refused to notice the admiring glances of the half-dozen men that were assistant toll-collectors, and then peacefully lay down to her slumbers in the little wicky-up that had been assigned specially to her use. Evi- dently her surroundings did not trouble her since she fell at once into a gentle slumber— and immediately thereafter Royal George stole quietly out of camp. When he had led his horse a short distance he flung himself into the saddle and galloped away at a great | rate. If he intended to keep his departure a secret he was pretty badly fooled. Hardly had the noise of the footsteps died away when there was a low whistle from the rocks above the niche in which the cabin nestled, and almost at the same time the little lady herself made her appearance, She looked carefully around, to see that the coast was clear and then upward to get a glimpse of her visitor, . “Jt’'s all right,- ue, one, he’s made his calling and electi \- sure, and is half-way on the way to Jump. wn by this time. you didn’t dri: . very hearty of his coffee or you wev ‘n't uave wakened quite so easy. Come ° Ww. some sess to look after that won’t keep.’”’ 4 +e J fg ven to watching. varni "would have had an eye open; with it Ye’r’ certain ther first letter | Ef so, I kin | A leetle | I judge | I’m waiting for you. There's | .a't think I’m overburdened with | + nei uu anybody, and even Royal George is Without your warning I | Meantime the sooner we get clear out of the reach of Royal George's fingers the safer I willfeel. No doubt when he is in an ami- able mood he is a very clever fellow; but if he suspected we were playing him false he would be around hot for murder. I wonder you ever had anything to do with him.” ‘‘{ had my doubts; but the fact is, I needed him when it wouldn’t do to let either your hand or mine appear. He hunted me up, seemed to know a good deal, and offered me terms, that’s all. ‘To-night he will hit or miss and after this it will make no great dif- ference which. Once at the Bar and he may make the best or the worst of it. After de- tecting him in his treachery what can he say, anyhow?” | ‘* Hell be apt to try to do a good deal more than he will say. All the same, that’s no matter. Weare ready to take the chances, With a million on the turn and a square box you would be a fool if you didn’t risk your last dollar. Ihave things in trim; are you ready to go?” ' ** Don’t be foolish. Of course I am; but how? Are we to walk?” | ‘*A mile, perhaps. Then you willhave as good a beast under you as you ever mounted, and I hope by to-morrow you will see your way clear to getting both hands into the Ormsby coffers.” ‘* Where they belong. you.” Then the two silently stole away from the camp, turning their faces in the direction of Blazer’s As had been suggested, there was a shorter path to the Bar that did not go through Jumptown at all. The young man seemed well acquainted with it, and once in the saddle he led the way at what was next thing to a break-neck pace, There was very little conversation, and going ata hard gallop wherever the narrow trail would allow, the time seemed to slip rapidly away. It was not many miles yet to the Bar when they heard a sudden hail from a point they had just passed. ‘‘ Halt, thar, an’ hands up!” was the stern order, in a voice there was no trouble in recognizing as Royal George’s. The two were at a gallop already; at the cry they put their horses to a run, looking Lead on, Il am with | nervously back in the direction whence the sound had come. Then—they all fell in a heap. A rope haa been stretched across the trail, and over it they crashed, falling heavily to the ground, ‘‘Guess not,” chuckled a coarse voice. ‘*When Royal George are left it'll be some other day, not this day. Ther poor infants war goin’ ter throw the’r uncle Ezry. Reck- on thar will hev ter be a leetle palaver ‘afore this firm dissolves. Ef not, why not?” He came forward from his hiding place as he spoke, and stood looking down at the sense- less, prostrate two, while over his shoulder three or four faces showed dark, their own- ers awaiting the orders that Royal George was ready to give them. CHAPTER XVIL ROYAL GEORGE LAYS DOWN THE LAW. ‘No use trustin’ ov a woman, even ef she’s yer own flesh an’ blood,” said the out- law, perfectly unconcerned over the fact that the two neither spoke nor moved, and _might well have met their death by the fall. ‘Ef I hedn’t seen the youngster a-scoutin’ ‘round they might ’a’ took me in, but Royal George hes ter keep both eyes open, an’ it’s a cold day when he gets left. Let’s see ef it’s any face ez I know. ’Pears there's a hefty sight of strangers on these trails, an’ all wantin’ a finger in ther same pie.” He dragged the young man a few paces forward, to where the moonbeams would fall better on his face. __ The body lay limp and heavy in his hands, _ but there were still signs of lifeabout it, and /even as he looked a long-drawn sigh be- tokened returning consciousness. |. ‘*Hyar, you, Ned, give a squint at him. I sw ar he beats me. ev yer ever seen him afore?” Ned the Nailer slouched forward. He was of aslow, ponderous sort of a man, but he had course I was wide awake all the time. Here , his value. No man had roamed more widely Iam, what’s on the carpet?” ** You will find out when we get there. or seen more faces, and every one that he saw he seemed to remember forever. He Royal George, the Three in One. ' } ee —— — — SSS 13 coldly turned the body over and looked at it, first from one side and then from the other, in a meditative sort of way, stepped back a pace or two and thoughtfully expectorating before he answered: ‘It's a blamed tenderfoot, I’]l answer fur that; but if he ain't forked-lightnin’ I want ter know. Yas, I've seen him afore, but it war ther other side oy ther Rockies. 'way back East. He’s a sharp frum New York, captain, an’ ther fu’st letter of his name thar war Hen Hurley. He’s on the make, every time; an’ he don’t care how he makes it. Say ther word, an’ I'll slit his weasand, an’ send him ter never-kim-back ag’in. It’s ther best thing yer ken do.” The Nailer scowled as he spoke, and Royal George looked at him sharply. There was something in the man’s tone indicating an earnestness born of a personal reason. ‘*Don't hurry ther funeral. Mebbe he’ll make a dyin’ speech afore we turn him off ter take the road ahead oy us. Lucky ez yer know him—who don't yer know, though? ‘Tell us who he are afore he kims ‘round, JUtalk ter him then, with ther bark all on,” ‘* He’s a keard sharp, fur ther fu’st, an’ he's on ther shoot every time. When yer crowd him close he don’t give an inch, an’ ef yer must know it, be took ther daisiest pard I ever hed out ov ther damp, an’ him then jest aboy. He warbad then, Ill bet high he’s perfect blazes now. He's bad medicine fur yer, captain, better let me send him over ther range,” ‘Hold hard! That’s my say so. When ther time comes mebbe I'jl gin ther word; but mebbe I 11 need him now. Jest hold him so he can’t do no harm, while I look after ther woman.” : Mrs. Ormsby seemed to be the least hurt of the two. Though perfectly dazed by the fall she had never lost complete consciousness, and by this time was sitting up, staring around her in a wondering sort of way, as if trying, but unable, to understand what had happened. she looked first at Royal George and then at the body of the young man. There was trouble in her face, but no very deep grief, as the outlaw leader could see as he narrow- ly watched her. ‘‘Sca’ssly, my dear,” he growled as he saw that she had sufficiently recovered to take in his words. ‘* Yer didn’t s’pose I war dog- goned fool ernuf ter trust yer alone in camp, an’ not keep an eye on whar yer war goin’? Ther man er woman ez gets away frum Royal George gits up mighty early in the mornin’, Mebbe you'd be willin’ now ter sell out at half price, bein’ ez yer goods hez got badly damaged. What's all this racket about.” ‘‘ When we see what has been the result of your interference, will be time enough to give you an answer,” was the bold response of the little lady. ‘‘ Perhaps it may be all the better. The hands are all on the board now, and we will know how, to play them,” “Ez yer choose. You've bin tryin’ ter run things your way, now I'll take hold an’ run ’em mine, Ef yerdon’t feel like helpin’, thar’s more than one Mrs, Ormsby in ther bushes, an’ you an’ yer friend kin lay back till ther fun’s all over, Maybe, then, we kin turn yer loose; but ef we don't, | don’t guess there'll be anybody inquirin’ round fur ther lost lam’s.” ‘* You're welcome to try your best or your worst. When you get yourself into trouble, come around and maybe we can help you out. Now, whai’s the next thing on the carpet? I don’t suppose you intend to keep us here all night, and as Henry is hard to hurt, I suppose he will be ready to travel in a few moments. The sooner we start the sooner we will get to where we can have a chance to doctor our bruises. I’m shaken up pretty fairly myself, and it’s no thanks to you that I’m not dead. Of course I'll re- member this night’s work in the future.” ‘You always was the leetle lady fur cheek, an’ yer ain’t softened up any by time. All right. You kin go along, an’ I'll show yer ther game ez it stands. No one could offer fairer. Ef ther rest choose ter take yer in on ther ground floor, I'm willin’. But ef they don’t, you'll hev ter lay by till ther game's over.” By this time the man recognized as Henr Hurley had straightened himself up. His a cComicbook Ss: