Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 379 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

o — ee —_ —— ee though its owner was uttering the merest com- monplaces in the midst of his dearest friends, instead of facing nearly two-score hot-headed men, who had weapons drawn and their evil passions wrought up to fever-heat, Only in those big gray eyes could be seen any- thing like menace. A yellowish light was shin- ing there, and those who knew this icy sport the best, felt an uneasy thrill as they beheld that rising signal-light. “That cussed critter killed Ugly Dan!” growl- ed one of the dead desperado’s friends, shaking a grimy fist toward the stranger. ** It was blow for blow, and Bennison struck first,” as promptly cried Frank Spartan. ‘ But all we're standing up for is a fair trial, as against mob rule, If our man is proved guilt by responsible parties after a fair hearing, we'll be the last to stand between him and punish- ment,” ‘*But you cain’t railroad him over the range *thout a show, onless you buck this hull rijiment off o' the track—an’ I wouldn’t give a pinch 0’ last year’s frost fer your ole cowcatcher when the job’s jobbed, nuther! It won't play pilot never no more, it won’t!” added the Howler with an apni nod, by way of emphasis. Swiftly those big gray eyes roved from face to face as each man spoke, then passed on until they rested on the prostrate figure lying ina poo! of dark blood, in the angle formed by the partition and the bar. The yellow light deepen- ed to red, as though it caught a reflection from the pool of blood. The thin lips parted enough to show a line of white below the drooping mus- taches. betray emotion, though into his hands there somehow came a brace of revolvers, grim and business-like, as he spoke coldly: ** Keep your places, gentlemen, or somebody’s going to get hurt. You all know what laws ek The Mint. One of those laws has been roken, and I’m going to get at the bottom facts of the case before a soul of you all stir a foot front or back. You know me, I reckon!” He strode forward and bent over the dead man, paying no attention to the angry men ‘whom he had so boldly bearded, even threaten- ed. And it is probable that to this very care- less contempt Iceberg Dave owed his immunity so long. His cold contempt of danger rendered him almost death-proof. Only a few moments were spent in the ex- amination, but they were quite sufficient to satisfy the experienced sport that Ugly Dan was indeed dead, The avenging blade had literally cleft his heart in twain. And cold, calm asever, he rose erect, turning toward the man behind the bar, saying: ‘** You must have seen the whole affair, Harry. How did it begin, and who deserves the blame?” Briefly, but with sufficient clearness, Head- light Harry described the event, and none who listened to him could say that he showed par-~ tiality to either side. ‘Tt was a blow for a kick,” interposed Frank Spartan, as the barkeeper concluded, ‘‘ but we don’t hold altogether by that, ample cause though it was. This poor fellow is crazy as a loon, and it would berank murder to hold him accountable for what he has done.” ‘** Crazy be durned!” came with a savage snarl from the opposing party. ‘‘ What bloody mur- derer ain’t crazy, ef you take the say-so of his friinds? Ugly Dan was white, clean through, an’—” ‘Will you stick a pin right there, Croaker?” coldly interposed Iceberg Dave, emphasizing his request by a rapid shifting of his revolver-muzzie, “Uely Dan wasclean white? Hell’s deepest pits never contained a blacker, viler, more utterly despicable wretch than this same angel of light— according to your gospel!” For the first time since his appearance on the Scene of trouble, Iceberg Dave showed outward Signs of heat, of anger and excitement. And though the lips of the growling mate of the dead cepa parted to utter a retort, he thought better of it when he saw that white face show: twin spots of red on the cheeks. He shrunk back, oe though ordinarily a bold fellow enough. ‘Tt isn’t often I speak hard words of the dead, even when those words are truth boiled down,” added the sport, his voice suddenly resuming its wonted calmness, though the danger signals still glowed in his eyes andon hischeeks, ‘But I’ve got to do so now, IN justice to myself, for right well I know that after what has’ happened this day, yonder carrion would never have come here unless on the war-path. ' He swore you crippled him—shot him from behind!” P “ And so I did,” was the cool admission that caused a murmur of wonder to break from the law-and-order party, a deeper, more significant owl from those who opposed them. ‘ And ia tell you why I fired that shot. When I have done so, if Ugly Dan hasany friends present who think he didn’t get off with far less punishment than he deserved, I'll give them a chance to get even on his account. ; ‘“‘ He and two other dirty whelps were making sport of a poor, weak, aged blind man, and abus- ing his young daughter—a lady, if ever there was one come to Good Leather!” But in nothing else did Iceberg Dave | Howling Jonathan. Spartan, and he took a step forward, his face | white and hard, his jetty eyes flaming, but paused as Iceberg Dave raised his free hand with acom- | ‘* The young lady met no injury, pard, thanks to Mrs. Watkins, who fortunately chanced to be ‘riding out that way. She heard screams, and caught the drop on the dirty cur, She held it, | manding gesture. too, though Ugly Dan managed to cover her with his gun, while holding the girl as a safe- guard for his worthless carcass. The widow vowed she would shoot him if he didn’t clear out before she could count ten. He swore he’d drop her from the saddle as her lips formed the word nine. He meant it, too; but even his ugly face and dirty threats couldn’t frighten the little | woman who is an honor and an ornament to Good Leather!” | ‘** Be durned ef she ain’t, now!” enthusiastic- | | ally cried Jonathan, casting a vengeful glare ' toward the corpse. ‘‘ An’ Dm only wishin’ we hed a ’lectric battery right here so’s we mought bring that low-down critter to life ag’in long ; enough fer each one o’ this outfit to lend him a | punch right—be durned ef it don’t make me gag up my boots, jest to think! The widder! that little angel with the fiddle-squeezer!, He—Ugly | Dan—good Lawd!” | _ Utterly unable to do justice to the subject, | Jonathan tore off his dilapidated felt hat and flung it to the floor, lifting his foot as though to | Stamp it through the planks, only to pause ab- ruptly, shaking his head in supreme disgust as he muttered: ‘* Tromple the old louse-cage—fer sech as him? Be durned ef it wouldn’t be too much honor fer the likes o’ him, so it would ]” Iceberg Dave bore with this interruption calmly enough. He knew his hearers, pe se that’ just such touches of nature as this went a long way with them, ‘**T chanced to come up just at this juncture and I sent a blue pill through the cur’s paw. I could have downed him for good just as easily, but I wanted to make him chaw dirt as far as I could. And he did it, too, big fighting man and ens oa chief as Ugly Dan claimed to be! I made him get down on his knees and beg par- don of both ladies. L turned him loose, to go his way, for the time being; but I meant to look him up and put him beyond the power of insult- ing ladies for the future. For that reason Iam sorry he has met his fate, and for that reason alone,” Frank Spartan stepped forward and grasped his hand with wanrnti ‘**T thank you, Dave, for what you have done. Miss Moskau is my promised wife, and a favor done to her is a favor done tome. Be sure Ill not forget it very soon!” ‘** ‘You owe me nothing, Mr. Spartan,” was the cold, almost rude reply, and there was no an- swering ghee no friendliness in those gray eyes, ‘I simply € glass aie my duty then, just as I am going to do my duty now. Phat was to ladies in distress, this 1s a duty L owe myself and the house I have sworn to run on white princi- ples. You can’t fight in here. Decide your quarrels after your own fashion, but do it out- side. I swear to put daylight through the first man who fires a shot or strikes a blow this side the threshold yonder!” Frank Spartan uttered a light laugh as he stepped back and joined’ his little party, feeling far more confident now than he had a few min- utes before. Even as a neutral, Iceberg Dave was a power in the land. Jonathan stepped forward, grasping tho ‘cool sport’s hand before it could be guarded, crying sapere 4 ; ** White as they make ’em, pard! an’ be durn- ed ef I cain’t bloody the ear o’ the man as dast to say you ain’t a chief mong chiefs! That’s the sort o’ kittens I’m lookin’ fer, an’ when we git this little tangle sorter straightened out, ’m comin’ back to make yea call, fer pure fun or many ducats, to see which is the high-muck-a- muck o’ Good Leather from this time on} durned ef I ain’t now!” ‘You'll find me at home, I reckon,” was the cold retort as Iceberg Dave shook off the warm grip, adding: ** And now, gentlemen, if you will be so kind and accommodating as to take a little walk with that crazy fellow of yours, I'll try and see the rest of the company don’t disturb you as you pass them by.” Frank Spartan led the way, and his friends followed, with the madman in their midst. Not a hand was raised to check them, though many were the sullen, vicious looks cast at them by the enemy. Mowing Jonathan was the last to pass the door, and turning he said: ‘‘ ff I was you, gents, I don’t reckon I’d be in any too big a. hurry ’bout follerin’ this crowd ne I’m gittin’ powerful stiff in the jints with rheumatickisms, an’ it makes me tired to be crowded. So durned tired that jest as like as not I'd hev to ax ye to tote part o’ my load—say a couple dozen or two 0’ blue whistlers! So- long !”? , He backed out into the night, keeping a few yards to the rear of the escort, hand on pistol, eyes watching the door of The Mint. But the 2 EE rr Be- “ 5 2 | 23 A sharp cry escaped from the lips of Frank | enemy showed no haste in following, either owing to the arguments of Iceberg Dave, or the parting hint conveyed by Howling Jonathan.* Frank Spartan led the way direct for the shanty in which Perry Blair was confined, feel- ing almost certain that he would yet have to do battle with the friends of Ugly Dan and the gambler before day dawned. And he had seen enough of the detective and his aids to know that they would be prime ailies in a fight. The Hewler, as they passed out of sight of The Mint without any signs of pursuit, hastened his footsteps and gained the side of Frank Spar- tan, hurriedly uttering: ‘*T reckon you ketched my hint, pard, when I said the quicker you got the pore critter to a sate spot the better?” ** You meant the house where Perry Blair is confined?” ‘Fer sure! An’ I reckon it won’t do no hurt fer me to mosey on ahead fer to explanify a bit, or them ’tective critters mought take us fera gang come to bounce ’em ’count o’ Blair.” ‘You are a friend of theirs, then?” pointedly asked Spartan. ‘**Friend o’ the law, ruther, pard,” laughed Jonathan, pressing on at a rapid pace that quick- ly carried him out of sight in the shadows. To give the Holy Terror ample time to pave the way, and seeing no signs of pursuit, Frank Spartan moderated his pace, and when the party came in sight of the stone house, they caught sight of the Howler hastening toward them, waving his right hand. Taking it fora signal to halt, they did so, but the red-headed cyclone laughed as he came up. ‘It’s right as right can be, pard. Them ’tec- tive fellers is white as human critters gen’ally git to be, an’ they says they'll not only lend ye the loan of a bunk fer Ugly Dan’s layer-out, but they'll agree to swap fightin’ with ye ef trouble hes to come on either ’count. How does that strike ye, pards?” ‘It’s a little one-sided, but we’re not going to split straws,” laughed Spartan = shortly, ‘The first object is to get this poor fellow un- der cover, After that, w2’ll do our part, Eh, mates?” There was a prompt and cheerful response, Men who would shirk a fight would hardly have ventured to espouse a cause so hopeless as this one had looked at first. “Rf it ony comes—which is what’s troublin’ me heap sight the wu’st jest now!” grinned the Holy Terror, smacking his lips loudly as he led the way on to the extemporized prison. They were met a few paces from the entrance by the tall detective, who asked a few questions as to what had happened, then keenly sertti- nized the.man without a brain. ‘Tam satisfied, Mr. Spartan,” he finally ut- tered, quietly. ‘‘ Come with me, and I'll let you inside with your friend.” is ‘“*That is what I most desire,” hastily utte: ed Frank, his voice a trifle unsteady as he recurred to those wild, incredible fancies which had flash- ed across his brain when he first noticed the face of this nameless man. ‘‘I believe he is one for whom I have been searching a long time, and if Tecould be alone with him where there was a light, I think I might learn the truth!” | he detective was unlocking the door while Frank was speaking, and now flung it open. There was a single lantern inside, lighting up the one rude chamber indistinctly. ‘ At the further end of the room Perry Blair was sitting on the floor, his back supported by the wall, Irons were upon his wrists, and strong thongs bound his ankles together. Near him half-lying on a blanket spread on the ground floor, was a guard, revolver in hand, Evidently the detectives meant to run no chances! His eyes better used to the dim light, Perry Blair was the first to recognize Frank ig ep | 6 - and a savage curse, burst from his lips, ed his manacled hands and shook them until the short links rattled again. a demon as he burst out: . **Curse you, coward—cur! Come to gloat over your dirty victory, I hy fe Bah! TI wouldn’t change places with you for all the gold in America to boot! Afraid to meet a man— afraid to stand up for the blow you dealt when I wasn’t expecting anything of the kind! To save our cowardly hide, you trumped up this dirty rick} But it won't save you, even though you add my murder to the list! e boys will see ie the true story is spread broadcast! They will— His rage and hatred were too intense to permit his lips to form another coherent sigan and he went off into a stream of curses and black- guardism so horrible that the tall detective leaped upon him and forced a gag between his jaws. glowing eyes! “To keep him quiet, if not for the good of your ears, Mr. Spartan,” said the detective when this work was accomplished to his satisfaction. ‘Of course he knows his vile charges are utter- ly without foundation, just as well as we do, but somehow he seems to hold a particuler grudge against you for some reason.” ** Which I neither know nor care to discov- er,” was the cold response, ‘‘ You have satisfied His face was that of | Even then the wretch vasa cursing with * - Gomicboo S eon i . i +