Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 389 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

' I re } t, ’ ~~. + ~ eeF eg EN 24 ** You did?” “OF cougse I did. Do you suppose I was going to run off and leave a partner in distress as long as there was any chance to help him? That is not tae style of yours truly, Devil Dick. It was easy enough to do, as it was night yet, and the brush was thick at the foot of the hill there [sneaked back under the brush, and hid wher I could see and hear everything that went | begun,” said he. Tf they had strung you up a foot further, | large majority, and I mean to show those Gon- on. or had shown that they meant to kill you, I be- lieve I would have opened fire from where I lay, and I shouldn’t wonder if I could have cleaned out the gang.” “You areas good as gold!” exclaimed Hill- man, ‘* You were the good one then, it seemed to me. When you stuck it out so bravely, and were as true as steel to your friend, he would be a poor | quire sort of a scalawag if he couldn’t be true to you. It wasn’t worth while to fight them after they had decided not to hang you, and they would have been likely to blow the top of your head off as soon as I pitched in. So I did the best I could, and Jost no time in rigging myseif up and coming to Gonzalez to look after you.” “You must have played your cards very well there?” ‘*The rig was the thing, Ben. I got the hair from a show chep in Sandstone, who taught me tomakeup, I was afraid that somebody might catch on and expose me, as had happened in Gonzalez once before.” ‘* Why, Dick, I would never have known you when you came to the jail, if you hadn’t told me wuo you were,” ‘There was only one cuss to be afraid of—that sharp eyed circus man who seems to be on my track or in my wey wherever Igo. But he was away, hickily, and if I don’t put him out of the way forever, I’m mistaken in myself. Well, Ben, it has been a fine spree for me, and I have made a good piie above expenses, too. I only wish I could let those Gonzalez zaloots know that the man they have been making much of and losing their money to is their old enemy, Devil Dick,” | ‘*Don’t you suppose that the man who came upon you at the jail knew jt? ‘*No. He was fooled as badly as any of the rest of them. I hope 1 laid him out for good. Tf I hadn’t been in such a hurry just then, I would have made a sure thing of it.” About the middle of the afternoon the two partners reached Jack Koopman’s Ranch, where they acted and were received as if they were quite at home. On» of the men took care of their horses, in- forming them that ‘‘the old man” was out on the range, but would return shortly. An the mean time iets were told to call for what they wanted, and t ey freely did so. A good dinner was brought to them, and when the master of the ranch came in he found them enjoying his liquors and cigars. This was not atall unpleasant to him, however, as he appeared to be overjoyed at finding them there, ‘*Help yourselves, boys!” was his hospitable greeting. ‘Make yourselves at home. Iam as clad to see you asif I had struck an unbranded lot of cattle.” ‘*For my part,” observed Ben Hillman, “ lam more than oad to get hero.” , ‘‘T can believe that. So Dick got you out of hock, Bully for Dick! He’s a whole team with a bulldog under the wagon. Give me a pull at the whisky, Dick, and tell me all about it.” ‘*You must wait a bit, old man,” replied Devil Dick. ‘‘I want to get rid of this con- founded toggery that makes me feel like a fool, and I don’t know what you have done with my duds.” “Tl get them.” As speedily as possible the desperado shuffled out of the Samuel Prosser garments, removing a large amount of *“‘ stuffing” that had caused him to bulge so visibly in front, and attired himself in bis own apparel, which made him look and feel vastly better. He picked up the coat that he had worn at Gonzalez, and handed it to the rancnman. ‘*Here’s your coat, gov’nor,” said he; “ but Tm sorry to say that there’s a bit of the lapel gone, I suppose the cuss who tried to nab ine at the jail must have torn it off.” ‘‘ That’s bad—my best coat, too,” ‘“T am well able to pay for it. I struck those Gonzalez galoots at poker, and you may bet that I just settled them.” ‘ ‘“T don’t want any pay, Dick. To see you two back here, safe and sound, is worth a pile of coats. St right down, and tell me how the scheme worked.” Devil Dick told with full particulars the story of his adventures at Gonzalez and the rescue of Ben Hillman. ' The recital caused a large consumption of liquors and cigars, and it appeared to please Jack Koopman vastly. i ‘That was grand!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Dick March, you area wonder, You can just beat the created universe at working such schemes as that, and I wish I owned you. I don’t care a straw about the coat, and anything in reason f | | | f Colonel Double-edge. welcome to. next?” The cattle baron’s extreme friendliness was strongly suggestive of a desire to ask some favors in return; but Devil Dick did not seem to think of that, and perhaps was quite willing to return favor for favor. ‘* We mean to keep on at the business we have ‘‘ It’s not played out yet by a What do you expect to go at zalez galoots that they will have to be wider awake to get ahead of Dick March. But there are some cusses about here that I want to get even with as I go along—two men in particular who are rising up in my path wherever I go and whatever I do.” ‘“*T wo cusses who are connected with that measly sheep ranch down in the valley?” in- Koopman, ‘*That’s the sort—the circus man and his artner, and most especially the circus man. IL hought I had blown the top of his head off when he showed me up at Gonzalez; but he is as hard to killas a cat. Those two followed me down to Texas, and got out the writ) for me there, that drove me out of Sandstone just when I was about to drop into a good thing. When the accident occurred that landed poor Ben in jail, they were on hand, and they helped to spring the trap, if they didn’t set it.” ‘* They are stopping at the sheep ranch, now,” suggested Koopman, ‘*T know it, and I mean to work some scheme to get hold of them and settle all scores with them'right soon.” ‘In doing that, Dick, you would be likely to worry the whole set at the sheep ranch.” “Tam willing enough to worry them, How do you feel toward those sneaks now, old man?” “The same as ever, only more so. I hate them, Dick, worse than p’ison, and would do a good thing by anybody who would rid the val- ley of them.” ‘*Then your scheme will work in with mine nicely. I can settle my accounts and clean out that ranch at the same time. We have had bad luck there twice; but the third time is the charm. The thing is as good as done, old man. With your help I can do a good turn for both of us. ‘** But I can’t help you, Dick. I mustn’t show up in the business any more, Ive gota position to hold, you know, and if I should pitch in there again it might be dangerous for me. No, I can’t take a hand.” ‘*'You don’t need to take a hand. You won’t have to show up in the business or be known in it. All you will have todo will be to let me have afew of vour men when I call for them, You can spare them, and they will be glad of a little excitement.” This was true enough, as it was known that Jack Koopman recruited his cowboys from the toughest chararcters to be found in that region, and that they were always rcacly for violent and lawless deeds, Like some of the guerrillas during the civil war, it was hard to tell whether they were far- mers or fighters, as they passed very easily from one condition to the other. ‘“That’s all right,” said Koopman. ‘No doubt the boys will be willing to help you for the fun of the thing, and I will see that they don’t lose any money by it. But I would like to know what you think of doing. Two schemes have been tried, and they failed to work. You don’t want to make any more noise about it than you can help, too.” ‘*T intend to work on the quiet,” answered the Gesperane. “We will try a bit of strategy that will fetch them, I think. At this time of the year they corral their sheep at night. With a little help I will run off the sheep, and they will naturally hunt them up. That will lead them into the hills, where we will lay for them and give them such a dose of lead pills as will ‘cure them of hunting Devil Dick. What do you think of that scheme, old man?” ‘It ought to work. There is a girl at that ranch, too. How about her!” ‘*] will see that her case is attended to. That is one of the points I mean to make,” CHAPTER XXXIIT. ONE END OF THE PLOT. THE two returned travelers from Sandstone were of course gladly welcomed at the Throop Ranch in the Gonzalez ries of Chinquapin was overjoyed at meeting Jeptha Jones, and Etta Throop did not disguise her yleasure at seeing Walter Brandis, and George hroop was more than glad to shake hands with both of them. That) young gentleman had got well of his wound, He had not yet fully recovered his strength; but he was able to get about as well as any- body, and considered himself as sound as ever. With the aid of Chinquapin and one hired herder, he attended to all the business of the ranch, and had already made various improve- ments about the premises. The story of the travelers was listened to with about this place that you two want you are! the deepest interest by those they had left be- ee ee PS . | hind, who were sorry to learn of the escape of Jim Sartine at Sandstone, after his arrest had been secured. Their displeasure was largely increased when they were informed that he Arizona and had resumed the business of stage- robbing at the old stand. All those at the ranch felt that the fact was fraught with danger for them, as the returned desperado was not likely to forget his grudges. The position of affairs was hardly bettered by the imprisonment of Ben Hillmen, as nobody supposed that it would lead to the capture of his: partner, Hardly had the travelers settled down whem they got the news of Ben Hillman’s escape frcnr the Gonzalez jail, with the declaration of Lieut. Cripps that the escape had been engineered ty Devil Dick. There could be no doubt of this, as the cavalry-— man, who fortunately possessed a tough skull, rode out to the ranch to give them the particu- lars of that occurrence, and to assure themposi-- tively that the man who passed as Samuel oe could bave been no other than Devil ick, This state of things caused an earnest and serious discussion among those interested; but it was agreed that nothing was required except caution and watchfulness. There were surely enough men at the ranch to: meet any ordinary attack if they should not. scatter, and it was believed that the alliance of’ Devil Dick and Jack Koopman had been effect- ually broken. But the danger came in a wa tirely unexpected and calculate settlers off their guard. Lieut. Cripps returned to his post, having: stray Indians to look up the next day, and the people at the ranch slept the 7 of the just, quite unaware of any lurking peril. Early in the morning there was an alarm. George Throop’s herder, who slept in the sheds; with the circus men, came to the house and. aroused the inmates to report that the corral had been opened, and that the sheep had been turned. loose or driven away. It was easy enough to do this quietly, and nothing was known of the performance until the herder’s discovery in the morning. The men hastened out to the corral, and the growing light speedily showed them that am enemy had been at work, as fresh tracks of horses and men were plainly visible about the: corral. ‘‘ Some of Jack Koopman’s sneak thieves have: been about here,” said Jeptha Jones, ‘‘ and they have done this to worry us. It is likely that they have driven the sheep away a little dis- tance. and have then scattered them and left: them,” This was the most probable supposition, and the circus man’s opinion was concurred in by the others, There was but one thing to do then, and that was to go after the sheep and bring them hack. As it was quite possible that they night en- counter the sneakire foes who had raided the corral, it was thought best to go in force and well armed. Accordingly all the men about the place mounted, some of Jep Jones’s hands taking cir- cus horses, and set out on the trail of the lost sheep. It was an easy trail to follow, so broad and plain that it required no skill or pains to keep it, and all the ranchmen had to do was to ride right ahead as rapidly as they cared to. At this rate they might expect to overtake the marauders or their prey before long, as the sheep were slow travelers at their best. It was evident, however, that several men were driving the whole herd, as the tracks of their horses were visible enough. Though the pursuers clearly outnumbered the raiders, it was more than possible that some sort of a fight might be expected if one party should overtake the other. For this the ranchmen were prepared, or be- lieved that they were. The trail led across a bréad plain and into the hills heyend it, entering at a gap that could be lainly seen before it was reached. “Their game is to drive the sheep across the range and keep them there,” said Jeptha Jones. ‘We will have to hurry up if we are going to catch them.” All spurred their horses into the gap; but the shock of a terrible surprise awaited them there. that was en- to throw the As they rode ye slope they were greeted — a the sudden hes and reports of several rifles, The effect of this unexpected fire was fearfully disastrous. . One of the circus man’s hands was shot dead, and another was badly hurt. Walter Brandis fell to the ground, the blood streaming from a serious wound in his side, The rest of the party had as much as they could do to disentangle themselves from their slain or wounded horses. ‘“Down on the ground and fight for your lives!” shouted Jep Jones, and the order was promptly obeyed by all who were able to obey it. Without any directions they knew what they ad returned to — —— pe = ’ ee BYoKo) com (E S) (E )