Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 416 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

‘ 22 voice from the friendly darkness, ‘‘ He butch- ered a pore devil who wasn’t sayin’ a durn word nur nuthin’ to him.” ‘*Run him in, Joe, or give up your badge!” ‘‘It’s a bloomin’ shame ef a card-sharp like him ken run the town to his own likin’, an’ not a bloody man in itdurst say I, yes or no to him when he gits his war-paint on!” ‘*‘A hemp neck-tie is what he wants the most!” “ Ar’ we’re jest the lads what kin fit it onto him!” *“*And there isn’t a better time than right now !” In swift succession these menacing speeches came from out the gloom, in no single instance from men whocould be recognized by either the marshal or the man whom they were directed against. n vain Monte Jim turned toward each quar- ter as the wordy missiies exploded. He could not catch the owner of the lips through which they were projected. ‘*You’re doing a heap of yelping, but you’re mighty careful to keep our faces in the dark,” he said, scornfully. ‘‘If there isa dog among you all that has the spirit of a coyote, step out and accuse me to my face.” ‘You go easy, Monte,” interposed the mar- shall, sternly, bis pistol drawn and cocked: ‘* ’m running this circus.” ‘* That’s all right, Kinney,” was the placable reply. ‘‘ You have a right to lip in, and as an orderly citizen, Pll give you all the light I can _ hed on this affair. But when a lot of mangy — curs set up their yelping at my heels, ve gota ar right to make them put up or shut up.” a ‘That's all right enough, but you are accused of killing this fellow—” a < ‘Who accuses me?” was the sharp interrup- \ ale tion. a ‘** Do you deny it?” ‘ 4 4 (a of ike wy been oe # ‘ a! ni ; BS 2 _. * Look here!” excitedly cried Alva Penning- ; ton, pushing forward. ‘* There was only one > ae shot firea, and that was intended for me! oe Look at my face—his powder burned it—I only -. eseaped the lead by dodging. If any one else + was hit, it was by accident, and by the bullet at intended by him for me!” ae ‘“What have you to say to that, Monte?” de- -—- Manded agg swt ** Just this; Mr. Pennington is mistaken,” was ~~ the calm response. ‘That his face may have got. a bit scorched when I burned powder, may _ all be; but that 1 intended him any injury, is not correct. I shot at a man who was breaking - in the window of my room, up yonder, I saw -_— ihe was raising something to throw at me, and I _ took a snap shot at him. He did throw—a ‘bomb of some sort, that struck me in the breast. . I caught it up and pitched it out of the window ain. It exploded, and must have caught the Ze scoundrel just as he jumped to the ground. “There you have the whole story in a nutshell!” ‘Impressed by the straightforward manner in which Monte Jim gave this account, Kinney stooped over the prostrate figure, just as Honest Giles turned the light of a lamp upon it. . * Patty Smith, by all that’s holy!” exclaimed the marshal, as he recognized the blood-stained - eountenance of the fat little professor. _ A faint groan broke from the lips of the _ ‘wounded man, and his eyes opened, staring _ —- *wildly- around him.’ ‘The flickering light was sufficient toreveal the terrible nature of his wounds to all eagerly -_ erowded around. . As fate willed it, the grenade had struck the ground almost directly beneath the professor, as hestruggled to rise from his hands and knees after leaping from the roof of the veranda, hor- ort ribly mangling his legs and body as it exploded, inflicting wounds that must certainly cause _ death in a very short space of time. Indeed, _ the marvel was that he ever drew a breath of - jife after the explosion. Ashis wildly wandering gaze rested upon the _ pale, handsome countenance of the card-sharp, _ it became fixed, and a cry of mingled rage and Bo anguish issued from his bloody lips. . * He did it—he murdered me—Monte Jim!” ‘he gasped, pointing one trembling hand at the +. ae “Rill the bloody cuss! String him up!” cried the voice from out the darkness, to be followed ‘by achorus of similar exclamations from those ~ whovhad no cause for loving the man. -. Joe Kiuney rose up, pistol in hand, scowling . around on the impatiently surging crowd, his ~. youce sharp and stern: Ae ‘Enough of that, gents! I’m running this ' ghow, ld have you to understand—and when I talk, I mean business!” Silence followed, for the sturdy marshal was __- well known to be a bad man when once aroused, + * He butchered me—Monte Jim!” repeated te. . eae ia , Dia «{ % ‘ ; a . eas a -~ ing to give him strength to fight back death for the time, ‘“‘I was quietly walking along— minding my own business—when he threw that infernal machine. I just—caught a glimpse— of his face—then it went off—and you see me! - Avenge me, boys, or—[’ll haunt you! Oh, -_-eurses on you, Monte Jim!” | In painful gasps the terrible accusation was made, and as the final words passed his lips, , . <7 iv, oS 7 ee tr , Monte Jim, $$ My, Fatty Smith, the burning lust for revenge seem- | i Vg om baer . Ame 1‘ © £* wee © dd * 3 sy ¢ | . te ' . Fatty Smith dropped back, seemingly in the last throes of a frightful death. Pale as a corpse, but otherwise showing not the slightest trace of agitation, Monte Jim list- ened to this charge, which he well knew meant his death, unless it could be plainly disproved, then moved a step. nearer the dying wretch, his voice calm and even as he spoke: ‘** See here, Fatty; you’re dying, man. Would you pass from life with your last breath utter- ing a lie asfoul as that? Bea white man now, if you never were before. the Black Sheep of Bismarck. Tell the plain truth, | . 7 » JF A i ce oa i. a7 : 4 Lamy ‘. * ty * . Oa Sse ! | that, old man, or you may get left,” was the | cool retort. ‘As for the fool part, that’s just what I’m trying to steer clear of. I'd be the moldiest idiot oat of an insane asylum, were I to surrender and give up my tools in response to ' such howls as came from the cowardly rabble, | just now!” ‘* But you can’t fight us all, Monte.” “I can try it, Joe. Maybe I won’t make a very great success at it, but those who can count the cost, when ’m down for good and all, will be pretty apt to think they have seen the worth Didn’t you throw that grenade into my room, | of their money. That’s the size of my hand, old with the intention of killing me? Didn’t I take asnap shot at you, as you broke through the man!” ‘‘Now you just want to listen to me, Monte window? Didn*t you jump to the ground from | Jim,” retorted the marshal, plainly growing that porch, only to be caught by your own bomb as [I threw it out of the window to save | myself and Mr. Pennington?” ‘**'You lie! You murdered me!” gasped the | dying wretch, in tones so husky that they were | barely articulate. Again there came an ugly murmur from the | crowd, and Joe Kinney did not raise his voice | again to check it. Instead, he looked darkly at | the accused man, plainly believing the charge | given by the dying man. At this moment a broad-shouldered, neatly | dressed man pushed his way through the crowd and confronted the sport. ‘* Perhaps I can throw a little light on this | matter, gentlemen,” uttered Frank Lisle, for he | the new-comer was. ‘‘ Not ten minutes agol | separated from the poor fellow who lies there, weltering in his blood. We were then in front of the place called the Clipper Shades. He stop- | ped me to request alight for his cigar, from the | one [ was smoking. We were standing in the full light from the open doors of the saloon, and I could not possibly be mistaken in the person. I had a passing acquaintance with him, having been introduced to him last evening, and we talked a little together, about the row at the Shades, in which I was unluckily mixed up. ‘“We parted, and I saw him come this way. I was about to follow, for I board here, when I heard the explosion and saw the light. Mr. | Smith could not have had time to climb up that porch and make any attempt at murder. I’m | willing to take my oath to that effect.” A low, agonized groan came from the bleed- ing mass, and with the last remnant of his strength, Fatty Smith lifted his body upright, | shaking one clinched fist at the pale sport, as he | gasped in painful jerks: | ‘“*. die—a murder d man! Hell’s hottest curses—on your herd—Monte Jim! Avenge— ny cant bome Ah-h!” e fell forward upon his face, dead! Again that ominous muttering—the growing cry for blood! And then, rising clear and sharp came the words: ‘*Do your duty, Joe Kinney! Demand his arms, and make him surrender to meet the charge which is brought against him !” ‘**Better than that!” came another voice. ‘* Hitch arope around his neck and string him up! A dog’s life he has led—let him die like a dog!’ ‘*Come and take my tocls, if you think you’re men enough!” cried Monte Jim, leaping back with cocked revolvers. CHAPTER XXIV. MEDEA PENNINGTON CAPTURES MONTE JIM. A SINGLE man bidding defiance to over two- score—but such a man! Tall, broad-shocldered, trim-waisted, with the limbs and torso of an athlete: handsome in face asa demigod. He was very pale, but even his worst enemies could not believe that this was the effect of fear. They knew thatif crowd- ed to the wall, Monte Jim would fight to the death. In conquering him they would gain no bloodless victory; and the boldest among them all hesitated before pressing against that stern front. Night though it was, and faint the light that was shed on the scene by the flickering lamp held in the hands of Honest Giles, they could distinguish the resolute glitter which filled those dark blue eyes; could see that those white hands trembled not as they clasped the butts of the leveled revolvers; and anticipating the twin spouts of flaming death which they knew those dark tubes could vomit forth at will of the card- | sharp who held them, the first movement of the crowd which had so recently cried aloud for the blood of Monte Jim, was to increase, rather than to contract the size of the circle. ‘*Keep your fingers out of the fires, gents, and you'll not be so apt to get burnt,” coolly uttered the card-sharp, and there was even a trace of raillery in his tones that stung like the crack of a whip. ‘* There’s only one man standing in my boots, but if you crowd him too close, T reckon you'll think he carries a gatling in each hand , and amule battery or two in reserve to draw *‘ to!” ‘Now don’t you be a fool, Monte,” said Joe | Kinney, advancing a step and making a placa- ble motion with his unarmed hand as the card- sharp turned the frowning muzzle of one re- volver upon him. whole crowd ” ** You don’t want to put too much money on _— —— * Youcan’t buck against the | irritated by the unreasonable obstinacy ex- hibited by the card-sharp. ‘‘'‘There’s been a | mighty tough charge made against you, and as asworn officer of the law, I’ve got to rin you in. You must give up your pops and surrender, I pledge you my word that you shall have a fair show for your money—” ‘* From that dirty gang at your back?’ scorn- fully interposed Monte Jim, his glittering eyes ranging swiftly over the semicircie, where he could recognize many personal enemies, ‘* There’s no use wasting any more chin-music, Joe. You may take me dead, but never alive. It’s all a put-up job on the part of Curly Kaine and his heelers, to run me out of the way, in payment for my making him and bis eat dirt in his own roost, this very night. If you or they want my tools, come and take ’em!” At this bold defiance, a little thrill of mingled admiration and fear ran through the crowd, for they knew that Joe Kinney could not recede from the position he had taken, and not one among them all could doubt the perfect earnest- ness of Monte Jim. And, Black Sheep though he was called, the dauntless manner in which he faced such overwhelming odds, made him more than one well-wisher out of those who had until then looked upon him coolly as a sort of pariah. Joe Kinney saw that Monte Jim had him lined, while his own pistol hung at his side, muz- zie downward. He knew that at his first motion to attack, the man at bay would surely fire, and with such odds against him, he would shoot to kill, selling his life for the greatest possible price. Yet he could not,show the white feather under the circumstances, and his muscles grew tight as he prepared to make a leap that might land him in eternity—when therecame a most unlooked-for interruption in the shape of a wo- man’s figure which glided between them, with arms outstretched appealingly, first to one, then 10 the other. [t was Medea Pennington, who, together with Will Rice, had been drawn from the parlor b the loud explosion and excited cries which fol- lowed the discovery of the frightfully mangled nody., of Professor King Smith, weltering in his blood. From the tral? she had seen and heard all up to this point. Even she could not help but see that a wild tragedy was impending, and her fear lest Monte Jim—Lloyd Pennington, as she firmly believed—should be slain before she could emt the sacred duty with which she had een charged by her remorseful father as he lay upon his death-bed, conquered her womanly timidity, and deft'y slipping from the reassur- ing grasp of the ex-conductor, she rapidly inter- posed between the two armed men. ‘* For shame, men!” she cried, her voice ring- ing out clear as a bell, as she proudly confront- ed the muttering crowd, her glorious eyes flash- ing with indignant scorn. ‘* Fifty men on one! Is that your boasted love of fair play?” ‘* Your pardon, miss,” said Kinney, with a re- spectful bow, as he doffed his hat before the roud beauty. ‘It’s only ore man against lonte; and ‘that’s me—tke sworn marshal of this burg. He’S charged with murder, and if he don’t surrender quietly, I’m in duty bound to take him the best way 1 can.” ‘*Clear that mob away, and I'll surrender to rou, old man,” coolly put in the Black Sheep of ismarck. ‘* But all Curly Kaine’s gang can’t take me alive.” ‘**You will surrender to me, Lloyd Penning- ton,” said Medea, stepping closer and gently closing her white re mt over the muzzles of the leveled weapons, looking him straight in the eyes with a gaze that seemed to burn. ‘f } dge you my word of honor that you shall haves fnir trial. There shall be no mob rwe— no lynch law in your case, if you yield quietly. “T appeal to you, gentlemen,” she added, turning her magnetic eyes upon the wondering spectators. ‘As gentfemen—as honest men— I ask your aid and support in this matter!” ‘*Fair play is a jewel, and I am one to back your words with tongve or tools!” cried Will Rice, striding to her side, ‘An’ I'm a swill-fed hog ef I ain’t in the same boat!” exclaimed Honest Giles, pushing forward, lamp in one band and a huge revolver in the other. “I never co hack on a boarder, and them what wouldn’t do the same, ain’t fitto come to the second tabie:” A shout arose from the crowd, but it was very different in its nature from that which sent Monte Jim leaping back on guard, It EComichooks: ; ° : ‘ ," PS & q - | a r J ; “A | +4 7 as a J — 7