Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 389 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

j themselves in a comfortable frame of mind and body, prepared to consider their situation calm- ly and to take as pleasant a view of their affairs as circumstances would allow. The next thing in order was an inspection of the spoils of the day—not a division of the prof- its, as Col. Double-edge was the banker of the firm—but a figuring up to see what a division would amount to, First came the express packages, which footed up, as had been expected, only a moderate amount, and theirleanness caused the partners to indulge in some sarcastic remarks at the ex- pense of the senders and the express company. Next came the few letters that had been se- lected from the mail pouch, and they were even of less account than the express packages, their contents amounting only to a few dollars. The watches were viewed with more favor. Two of them were of fair value, and one other would at that time and place be considered worth about $300, Altogether, the booty was not to be sneezed at, and yet it was by no means of sufficient value, in view of the risk they ran, to pay the bandits for their trouble. ‘* Well, Ben,” observed Col. Double-edge, ‘* we have good cause to grumble at our luck, and yet we might be a durned sight worse off, There’s enough to be got out of this days’s labor to ye us a pretty decent sort of a spree, if we cared to go in for frivolity.” ‘““ Where would we go to take the spree?” growled hiscompanion. ‘I judge that all the settlements in these parts are shut against us b this time, or cal he jail end of them is open.’ “* Nonsense! e are not near as famous as Me seem to suppose, The fact is, Ben, that you ave been afraid of the face of man ever since you were laid by the heels in Texas. We could both go to plenty of townsabouthe eif we cared to, and I am willing to bet you the value of that heavy watch that I can take it even to Gonzalez any day and sell it there.” “*T won’t make the bet, Dick, because I don’t ‘want you to run any such risk.” ** Not much risk about it. Hello! here’s one little matter that I’d forgot.” Col. Double-edge took from his pocket the wallet which he bad got from the big ranchman and smiled sardonically as he felt its suspicious thinness. ‘* Looks as if an elephant had trod on it,” he observed. ‘* No wonder the cuss was so willing to give it away. One thing is certain—there can’t be any infernal machine in it to blow us to bits—and not much of anything else, for that matter.” ‘Aly ‘What can the man have meant?” inquired Ben, ‘‘ when he said there was something in it that you might like to see?” ‘That's more than I can tell you, my boy. I will look inside, though it don’t seem to be worth while.” Col. Double-edge opened the wallet, and found there a new and crisp $10 bill. ‘“That’s all I see,” he said, ‘ except a bit of white paper. Hello!” He fad} pulled out the bit of white paper which was folded in the form of a note, and ‘was staring at it. ** What's the matter, Dick?” “Pll be blowed if this thing ain’t a letter to me! That is, it’s addressed to Colonel Double- edge, and I answer for that gentleman.” ‘That is a little queer.” ‘“‘ Should say itis, This is the thing, I reckon, which he said I might be glad to see. How did the man know me? I didn’t know him. What can it be, now?” ‘‘ Maybe it’s an invitation to play the leading part in a public hanging performance, Sup- pose you open it and see. This Was an easy thing to do, and the bandit’s face brightened as he glanced over the serawl. “Spit it out, Dick!” implored his partner, *“'You do seem to be a bit glad of it.” * Well, this is a sort of an eye-onener, and 1] don’t know but I may call it a straightener. He calls me Col, Double-edge, just as if we were old pards, and says that he made the trip in that stage on p to meet me.” ‘He didn’t seem tobe anxious to claim your acquaintance, though, when he did meet you.” “That's a fact; ut it was private business that he had with me, and he thought it best to put it into this note. He says that he has heard of me, that he has a use for Just such a man as I am, and that he will pay me big money if I will do the work he wants done.” ‘‘ Rough work, I reckon,” suggested Ben, “No doubt of that, though he don’t give a hint of its style. He wants me to go to see him and get full particulars and terms.” 4 ‘“Where do I come in, then?” ‘You are included in the invitation. It calls for me and my partner.” ‘“*Do you suppose that he really means _busi- ness? It may be a trick to get hold of us.” ** Oh, he’s all right, and is business clear down to the toe-nails.” ‘** Who is the man, anyhow?” ** Jack Koofman, who runs a big cattle-ranch in the Gonzalez district—one of the cattle barons, as they call them nowadays.” *“Do you know him?” Colonel Double-edge. } © ‘Only by his reputation; but that’s good enough—or bad enough, which means the same thing for us. I know his place, too, and the easiest way to reach it.” ‘*He must have been going on to San Miguel. When will we find him at home?’ ‘** Any time after to-day, he says, and we will light down on him to-morrow. I told you, Ben, that there were plenty of chances in these parts for men of our caliber, and we’ve struck what promises to be a good one already.” ‘*T hope it won’t cost us our scalps,” ** Big risk means big pay.” ** All right, Dick. We'll pick it up to-morrow.” CHAPTER ITI. THE CATTLE BARON. On a hight that overlooked an extensive range was the house that appertained to a big cattle-ranch, one of those that require for the sustenance of their horned thousands a vast amount of pasturage. As the herds increase, more pasturage is wanted, and it is acquired or occupied in one way or another, with precious little regard to the rights or claims of those who own the land or happen to be in possession of it. Such was the ranch of Jack Koopman, and the house from which it was dominated, though comfortable enough, was quite unpretentious, and had in no respect the appearance of a strong- hold. Yet it was the castle of a cattle baron whose business represented a large amount of capital, and whose cattle were almost countless. On the porch or veranda sat Jack Koopman, the proprietor, the same man who had occupied a seat in the San Miguel stage when it was so his wallet for Col, Double-edge. The burly cattle baron sat in a broad, hide- bottomed arm-chair, and at his elbow was a small table with bottles and glasses on it, Before him stood a stalwart cowboy, his face shaded by a broad sombrero, and his spurs jing- ling as he stepped, who had just dismounted from a horse which he had not taken the trouble to hitch. “Take a drink, Gabe,” said Koopman. ** There’s the whisky. Help yourself.” Tho cowboy needed no persuasion, but poured out a glass brimming full of the amber liquid, which he tossed down his throat with a simple ** Here's luck!” ** How’s things, Gabe?” inquired the proprie- tor of the ranch. ** Purty much the same, Cap.” **Have you been down into the Gonzalez vallev again?” ‘Yes; me and Bill Hines started early this mornin’ and took a run down thar.” ‘* How about that sneaking squatter who is trying to start a sheep farm dewn there? Does he give any sign of being willing to break up and clear out?” ‘*Not a bit of it. He’s as stnbborn as an mule that ever got bis tail twisted for ornari- ness. He drove our cattle off the range, fixed up his wire fence whar we'd cut it, and when we went to cut it ag’in, he had the consumed cheek to come and order us off.” What did he **Confound his impudence! say? ‘He said that he owned the land, and that he’d blow a hole through the fu’st man who started to cut the wire. We allowed that mebbe he mought have the law on his side, and we didn’t have no orders to go furder, and so we came away.” * That's right, Gabe. I don’t want any of you boys to run into anything of that sort without my express orders, and I know that when you get them you'll go your length.” “Jest so, Cap. We only want you to back us up.” ‘**'You_may depend on me for that. Law or no law, ve got to have that range. Without it I might as well pull up stakes and emigrate.” “Tt looks to me, Cap, as if you'll have to make a clearance of that cuss by wipin’ him ‘If there is no easier way, that is the game I mean to play; but I want to doit without bringing any of my own boys within the pos- sible reach of the law.” ** Don’t see, then, how the scheme kin be made to work,” declared Gabe. ‘‘T mean to get somebody else to work it. I know a man who will be likely to do the job for ” e. *¢ Who's that?” “Col. Double-edge, or Devil Dick, as some call him,” ‘*The road-agent who has been makin’ it lively fur the Gonzalez and San Miguel people?” ‘** That’s the man.” ** Jest the cuss fur the job, and he'll be willin’ to do it, I reckonffur good pay, and, purvided you kin git holt of him,” ‘T have already seen him and made him an offer, and am expecting him here to-day with his partner.” ‘Thar they come, then. Leastways, I see a they don’t belong here.” couple o’ men ridin’ up the slope, and I now ee eS unprofitably ‘‘held up,” and who left a note in | —_——— i a —eeeeeeeeESSSESSSSSSSSSFSFSFSFSSSssSe nl | 3 Jack Koopman stood up to get a better look at the apprcaching horsemen, **Those are my chaps,” said he, ‘‘ and they seem to have been ready enough to bite at the bait I offered. You may slide off now, Gabe, as I will want to speak to them alone.” The cowboy gracefully retired, and in a few minutes the two horsemen rode up to the house. They were at once recognized by Jack Koop- man as the bandits who bad “held up” the San Miguel stage the day before, and he requested them to alight and come in, As they walked up to the veranda, he noted with pleasure the appearance of the two, es- peci that of the larger and elder men, who seemed to be exactly the person for a difficult or desperate enterprise. e offered them chairs, and Col. Double-edge seated himself where he could lock the cattle baron full in the face. “This is Mr. Jack Koopman, I suppose,” ob- served the bandit. ‘Yes, colonel, and I am glad to see you.” ‘* You knew me, it seems, when we met yes- terday; but maybe you didn’t know my partner here. His name is Ben Hillman.” ‘*Glad to know Mr, Hillman, and hope I will know both of you better before we are through with each other.” Koopman shook hands with the partners, and offered them liquor, of which they partook glad- ly and freely. ‘** Help yourselves to the cigars,” said he, ‘and before long we will have something to eat out here; but we will have plenty of time, I think, to talk business before dinner comes on,” ‘* Business is what we came for,” remarked Col. Double-edge as he lighted a cigar, ‘‘ and we are ready to talk business straight along.” ‘* That suits me, ey. the way, colonel, is your name really Double-edge? A young man in the stage yesterday told me that you were also known as Devil Dick.” ‘*That cheeky young chap with no cash, I reckon, who said that his firm never allowed him to collect any bills. Sensible firm that. Well, Mr. Koopman, either Col, Double-edge or Devil Dick is a good enough name for me to dio in my boots with; but my sure enough name is Dick March, and you may call me that if you care to.” **Thank you. It suits me better than either of the others. And now for business. I am glad you took my note as it was meant, and that you came to see me so soon,” ‘** Here we are, as you perceive. My partner was afraid that it might be a trick of some of the Gonzalez folks to trap us; but I had heard more or less about you, and I told him that you warn’t that kind of a man.” “You were right. It was just as my note in- formed you, Dick March. I had heard of yeu, but did not know how to get at you, and madea trip in that stage with the hope of meeting you. Fortune favored me, and now you are here, and I will explain the business to you.” * Is it important?” inquired the bandit. 7 ratte important, to me.” ** Rather rough?” ‘**Rather rough, as you say; but the pay will hs something that you won’t be likely to grum- e at. ‘**That’s the main thing. Give us the buri- ness, plain and straight, so that we can know exactly what you mean and want.” ‘You will always find me up and up, ry friend. men, and I will join you.” . The throats of the party having been duly moistened, Jack Koopman proceeded with his explanation. ‘I have a big ranch here, gentlemen, as you may have heard, and lots of cattle, I require for them plenty of rocm, and must have it.” ‘And if anybocy gets in your way, he hed better get out of it,” suggested the bandit. ‘* Just so, and somebody has got in my way retty badly. A man from ccmewhere in tho tates, named Throop—Tcm brocp, I believe— has lately squatted In the Gonzalez valley on part of my range.” ** Just a squatter?” inquired Dick March. **T believe be makes some kind of a claim under a land-warrant, or ran in that way; but I can’t bother with such foolishness. “ * Help yourselves to the whisky, gentle- The fact is, that he has not only squatted on the © best part of the range that I have*been using for more than three years, but has fenced it in, and has shut my cattle out from access to water just where I want them to have it. You know that water is a scarce article in this region.” ** Scarcer than whisky,” observed the colonel, as he tilted a bottle and filled his glass, ‘‘Help yourself to the cigars, That squatter — has taken it into his thick head to be stubborn, and can neither be bought out nor scared off ‘*Perhaps you haven't offered him a enough pile, or a strong enough scare.” ‘*T have gone as far as I mean to go with hi in the money line, and I am inclined to lelieve that something more than a scare will be re- cel to rid me of him. My boys bave gone own there and cut his fence and turned my cattle on the renge; but he bas turned them o and mended the fence, and this morning he told the boys that he would shoot the first man who ” J *hig / yet ag * | - pe bid + Gomichboo <SGOom