Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 375 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4. I’m altogether through with the Baby and his pards.”’ ‘‘ Wiggle out then, fur I’m tired a keepin’ ov them kivered, an’ I'd sooner you'd blow yer own horn an’ run ther fish wagon till yer git through with ther town.” Ragged Rufe did not show any signs of surprise when Lipscombe slid nimbly out from under his knee and stood erect, appar- en‘ly none the worse for wear. ‘‘T euess they won’t hang him, this even- ing, if he’s as good as he looks. Now we'll keep an eye on Bess. They may bring some harm to her if we don’t shut them off. When Sam gets back they can drive on with their hearse and he'll furnish a full load if they try any shenanigen.”’ ‘An’ s’posin’ they go fur you?” ‘‘That’s what I want,” answered Joe, with a queer smile. ‘‘I yearn for a square crack at the Bar—and it looks as though I was going to get it at last. I want to see who is who; and its worth the risk.” ‘All right ef yer think so, an’ I don’t jest guess ye’r’ fur wrong. Ef signs go fur ary- thing hyar they kim.” CHAPTER IV. THE TROUBLE IN THE JUMPTOWN STAGE, Iv was only a few miles to Jumptown, and the stage that had rattled and banged all the day over the tiresome trail seemed actually to become a sensate thing as it settled into the home stretch with a smooth, gliding motion, that made the three passengers al- most simultaneously utter a low sigh of relief. The lady who occupied the back seat in lonely grandeur, looked up with a brightened face. ‘‘Who would have believed it? One can actually imagine something of the poetry of motion that they talk about. How did they ever manage to pick out a bit of road like this? Had the day’s jaunt been only half as good we would have been landed in Jump- town hours ago.” She spoke in a silvery tone, and as she ceased she thrust her pretty face out of the side of the coach, and took an interested view of her surroundings, without waiting to hear the response of the man addressed. She was a sweet-looking little woman—all too fair and delicate, one would think, for the time and place. She looked as though she could nat be a day over twenty, was a blonde with the loveliest complexion, and , most finely molded form, an had large “liquid eyes of the deepest blue, while her hair fell over her shoulders in a great mass of olden curls, that even now, after the hard tans jaunt, could searcely be called dis- heveled. a Her companion was tall, thin and satur- nine. scarcely imagine them ac uaintances, much less friends. Mordaunt Mortimer was the appellation by which he was known and it seemed like an outrage to hang to such a ood name so unpleasant-looking a man as e was. ‘Really, Miss Ormsby,” was his answer, delivered in measured, pompous tones, ‘‘I am unable to see anything strange about it. ‘There must be good roads somewhere, and why not here? You had better draw in your ‘face. Our driver seems to be reckless and the limbs unpleasantly near.” : ‘‘Reckon yer don’t know ther: name ov this speshul bit ov ther road,’ broke in the harsh, rasping voice that belonged to the third occupant of thegoach. ‘Ef yer wa’n’t strangers in this hyer sec- - shun you'd be a-wishin’ yer war either back on ther divide, or else over ther only real dangersome part ov ther road frum Jump- town ter King George’s Flat.”’ ‘Dangerous! How so?” There was a sharpness about her tones that seemed sare ad out of place. ‘‘Reckon yer never heard ov Royal George an’ ther gang that trails at his back, He runs this hyer turnpike, an’ nine outen ten will strike his gate a few hundred rod furder on. Then jest unload. When he calls fur toll thar’s biz in the air. Oh, he’s jest a nasty man’ ter strike ag’in’ ther grain!” “‘T do not understand. Who or what is it that you are speaking of? What business has he with us?” ‘“Ther biz oy aman ez plays ther game ov Hands Up! fur al) it’s wu'th.” | ‘ Royal Geol Seeing the two together one could ee ee eee ce, the ‘‘ And if this is so, how comes it that you are running the risks of this trail, almost alone, and with no means of protection?” ‘““Ye’r’ a leetle eggsitcd, ma’am. Does | look like a man ez had anything ter reesk? Them ez has nothin’ can’t lose; an’ fur per- tecshun thar’s ther game ez Buck Burke ginerally plays all alone. I tho't I'd giv’ yer a hint ov what war ahead, so thet when ther circus opened, an’ ther band struck up, yer wouldn’t be too blamed skeered ter enjoy ther racket.” ceca Mortimer looked sourly at the ady. ‘‘As we might have expected. Two sane people could hardly have set out on a jour- ney of this kind without anticipating some such trouble. 1 suppose I am sane, for I looked for it.. Whether you did or not, all the same it is coming.” ‘You bet she’s comin’, hyar now!” Buek Burke was speaking; and if he hadn’t spoken a word, his actions would have told sufficiently well what he meant. By a sudden, dexterous twitch he whirled Mortimer over upon the opposite seat, along: side of Mrs. Ormsby; and before he had fairly settled into his place, Mortimer was covered by a revolver that was lying straight for his left eyebrow. <A twin weapon was puSpeensly convenient in Burke’s other and, ‘‘’m mighty sorry ef it puts yer to ary inconvenience; but ther fact are, 7m on ther make. Shell out!” The surprise was complete; Mrs, Ormsby ave a start and a little cry, while Mortimer rew himself up so straight that he looked about a foot taller than ordinary. ‘‘7—J—must say that this is extraordinary —perfectly extraordinary.” He jerked the words out in a mechanical sort of way, and after the first elongation of his neck hardly a muscle seemed to move, His hands remained half extended just as they had happened to be when Buck Burke first made his demand. ‘Dunno "bout that, boss. This hyar ain’t ary thing onusual., It’s bein’ blame fool ernuf ter hev ther hull top ov yer head blowed off fur not list’nin’ when some one’s a-shoutin’—that’s considered ther extr’ordi- nary thing ’round these regions. An’ that’s just what'll happen ter both ov yer ef yer don’t fork over in’bout half a shake ov a gray wolf's tail.”’ ‘*But, but—my dear man, you are laboring under a wild misapprehension. We at least took the ordinary precautions, Together we have not a dozen dollars on our persons. To those you are welcome. It is worth that to have been interviewed by so distinguished a person as Royal George. If you will assure me that my motions will not be misconstrued I shall take great pleasure in handing them to you. After that I hope our cordial rela- tions will be no further disturbed.” Burke looked at the speaker, whose tones were to the full as low as his own, seemingly gauged by them, and uttered a short, dry laugh. ‘You don’t pan out so bad fur a tender- foot. I’ve seen toughs with a record that didn’t show half yer nerve in a racket, an’ | ain't a-doubtin’ ov yer; but yer don’t sabbe Royal George ef yer think he’s goin’ ter let yer off fur half a slug er tharabouts. He’s on ther make, an’ knows ther level ter work on. Thar’s a leetle package ov papers ez Mrs. Ormsby kerries, that’ll just pay ther toll, an’ we’ll leave ther coin yer was a-speak- ing ov fur a starter in Jumptown. ebbe you could bu’st a faro-bank on it an’ come out squar’, after all. But them papers are my meat, an’ ther sooner I hev ’em the sooner youll be outen danger.” ** Never,” retorted Mortimer, with more warmth than he had yet showed. ‘‘ You would never dare—” “Thar’s where ye’r’ out,” responded Burke, savagely. ‘‘IT’ll count ten an’ then away goes yer soul bolts.” Mrs. Ormsby had remained silent, but a listener. As she heard the fierce threat her hand darted to her bosom—if she had been amanthe movement would have been her last, since Royal George, Buck Burke, or whatever his name might be, saw it beyond a doubt. Fact are, she’s But, Mrs. Ormsby was the reverse of dan- 4 gerous looking, and it was no concealed it ' J ae / hree in One. a weapon that her hand sought so hastily. Om the contrary, it was a small pocketbook, bound with a red ribbon, She tore off the ribbon with an impatient jerk, and spreading open the book revealed its contents. “Here! These are the only papers we have; take your choice of them. Take alk of them if you want; but then take yourself and your weapons away.” The little hands were just as steady as his own; her eyes looked into his unflinehingly ; while there was the xing of truth in her tones. Buck Burke did not hesitate. He thrust away one of his revolvers, grabbed the pocketbook, and kicking open the stage dour sprung lightly out into the trail. ‘So long!” he shouted after them, as the coach rolled on; ‘‘ I'll see you all later.” Then he darted behind a clump of shrub- yey and would have been lost to view, even had the passengers cared to take a last glance. And all this happened while the driver cracked his whip and urged along his will- ing steeds in blissful unconsciousness, A moment or two later, though, as his coach rounded a slight bend, he leaned down at hearing excited voices within; and, just as. he opened his mouth to ask what might be the matter there, he became aware that there was something wrong somewhere else. Fron» the roadside, there came a sharp hail: ‘‘Down brakes, an’ hands up! Ef yer goes another rod we'll plug yer, sure/ Hyar’s yer toll-gate; an’ hyar’s yer Royal George, Shell out er peg out. Yer has yer chance.” CHAPTER V. ROYAL GEORGE'S LITTLE CLEAN UP. ‘Top on, boss; don’t shute. You'll find us all reasonable critturs. Ef thar’s any pil- grims inside ez ain't, blamed ef 1 don’t take a hand in myself! So go slow with them irons.”’ The tones more than the words showed in what serious earnest was the driver; and as he spoke, he jammed down the brake and drew in his steeds. ° 3 ‘All right, old man. What you got in- side? Speak up, an’ don’t get a mile off ther truth, fur we give yer fair warnin’ ef there’s ary gum games tried, we’ll plug you, sure}”” ‘“‘Thar’s only three inside, an’ two ov them are tenderfoots, ez don't count, not goin’ fur ter say ez one ov ’em’s a female,’ Buck Burke air ther third, an’ everybody knows he won't shute.” ‘‘All right, then; we’ll take your word for it. But jest recomember we've got you kiv- ered. An’ you, in thar; go slow. We're comin’ ter look yer over.” Three or four masked men stepped out from where they had lain concealed by the og and swaggered up to the stage- oor. “You, Buck Burke, step out with yer | hands up!” exclaimed the leader, as he care- fully aimed with his pistol at the spot where he expected the challenged man to make his appearance. : There was a brief but awkward silence, during which neither man nor sound came from the interior. ‘‘Last warnin’! Ef yer don’t show up, we'll begin to chuck lead. We ain’t takin’ no resks, an’ we ain’t foolin’ ’round hyar all night, either.” “You, Buck, git out ov thar!” nervously yelled the driver, and then from within rose a little cry. . ‘The villain has been ahead of you all and robbed us himself. He is not here, and we have nothing left for you, so do your worst!” It was Mrs. Ormsby that spoke, and with a positive courage that was more than half- convincing. If she had waited for her escort to take the lead, the threatened lead-chuck- ing might have begun, for Mordaunt Moru- mer was cowering back in his seat, appar- ently too far gone with fright to care even for himself. The outlaws rushed forward with exclama- tions of surprise and anger. In a minute the two passengers were out in the road, and it was made sufficiently clear that there was no other occupant. ‘Say, Tony, what’s ther meanin’ ov this? ' Ther tally don’t 'gree with ther way-bill.” a rete Kaeo ,0O Me =) cor