Beadle's Dime Library No. 429 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

“Eh! That so? Well, but pard, what’s that got to do with you ?” “Oh, nothing much. Only, J was the third man !” ‘* By ther holies! I thort ez much. But don’t it kinder strike yer you’ve bin givin’ away a heap when yer lets me inside ov that game?” “Nota bit of it, Pluggy. Nota bitof it. I know enough to hang you several times over, not counting on it that [am the equal of any man with the tools; and have several friends of your own stripe, who shoot as I wink. You can’t and you daren’t hurt me. ** But, lve given you enough for an inside ointer, to show you just where I stand. If the ellow is what he seems, a Boston dude—you’ve done enough, He will be off in the first coach if fou just send him word that you are laying for im. If it’s Tom Carey, and you choose to take the risks, ll ante up a thousand to get you over the mountain if you happen to send him over the range,” **Good ernuf! You kin put it right thar, on that. Ef ho stays he'll go a-climbin’, an’ you kin it yer ducats ready. ‘That’s what yer met me yar fur, are it?” ay **Sometbing of that kind. I want you to take him off my hauds altogether. I’ve too much else on board to bother with him, just here and now; and! [ want you to begin proceedings at once. If we’ve struck the wrong man I'll pay you for your time when you quit the trail.” * Allright; but don’t yer furgit they’ve both spotted me. Ef I work slow it’s acause I don’t want two bad men ter double-team me. But yer 9 won't hear from me ag’in till I bring in his fis scalp. 1s that squar’ ernuf? Hello! What’s that?” At that very moment Hart Hawkins was ering in cautiously through the little crevice y which the pencil of light escaped; but it was not he that had attracted the attention of the men within. It was the sudden, sharp report of a pistol at no very great distance, and in the di- ag rection of the Happy Home Hotel. & At the sound Hart Hawkins knew that it was ty time for him to get back; and he ‘*‘ got.” With- p out the least noise he darted away at right an- gles to his former course, trusting that he would not be noticed, and not caring much if he was provided he could get so far away that he could not be recognized if they chanced to see him. | But there was little danger of that. a To Pluggy Becker the shot was just a chance i one, such as was heard nearly every night at 7" ‘ Bad Man’s Bar, but to his companion it was something more, ‘ Stay here!” he shouted. ‘Ill post you if it’s anything with funinit; but I don’t want you seen just now. Remember.” Then he rushed out, and almost as noiselessly mv" as Hawkins, sped on his course; but this was i: straight toward the Happy Home, a CHAPTER X. ey HOW THE RACKET AT THE HAPPY HOME ee A PROGRESSED. . Lona had not intended to lose consciousness ~ _, at once, when she laid down, but she reckoned oy without the remembrance of the excitement and fatigues of the day. It was just an even chance whether they would keep her wide awake or send her very sound asleep: and by chance they did the latter, in spite of the trains of thought Nang that she was anxious to follow. She did not : bear the old gentleman softly open the door to look in, nor did she know that he was roaming around camp, under the Sei pee of the gover- nor. When he returned he looked in again, but still she slept. The spice of adventure evidently had acted as a tonic, for Sidney Darelle’s nerves were stead y enough now, and he rolled into bed without hesi- ane tation, and sunk into solid slumber without ep as: delay. After that some little time passed in \, ae peace and quietness. oe Then Miss Leona awoke suddenly, and found sant herself in unexpected danger. A hs Two men were at her bedside, and one of 1 _ them had one hand upon her throat and the palm of the other over her mouth, to check any wie? acpeemn she might attempt to utter. Ge he did not intend to scream, however. e The first thing she thought of was Fairy y Fanny’s warning. Then her wits came back to iy her more clearly, and she listened to catch the low whispers that she could hear, yi ‘¢‘ Curses on it!’ mumbled one, » . & Here’s a bad go. We've got into the wrong : room. If we choke off the wind for good there ' will be a merry little blazes raised about it; and ) if we don’t, I guess she’s got lungs enough to raise nA the top of the building. I can feel her begin to 2 squirm. What shali we do?” ae ‘Hold her just that way till she don’t squirm, ae _ an’ then we'll go onter the job. is gate x fool head, how did yer come ter git in hyar =, - “Dry up! thar’s something going on next o »or. ’Pears to me thar’s more than us nosing ‘ et ) ' - 3 und here. Wonder if they've nit the wrong a. reom too?” 2 ie * You bet! Drop that an’ puckachee, Thar’s be oo ter pay an’ no hot pitch. You hear The two villains were as cool as cucumbers; E b ut they had no notion of remaining te fight it | dime vor de night? Eh, py shiminy! a ee ee + — out after what they heard. First, there was a low, gruff exclamation of surprise, distinctly ted them from Sidney Darelle’s room. Then the hasty shuffling of muffled feet; and a mo- ROO STIgES SUBLET ee eu, audible through the thin partition that separa- | ment later a jingle of breaking glass, followed | by a single pistol-shot that sounded on the out- | side. ‘* Not just so easy to do, eh?” said the first speaker, in his excitement his whisper rising in- to audible acuteness. ‘‘ Shut the door and hold on. They will be swarming through the house now, and the fellow next door is hanging out of | _my bed. From the window he fired cue stot, the window. We are in for a shooting frolic, and no mistake.” ‘‘That’s solid. Don’t hurt ther gal, but keep a stopper on till we see a chance ter slope,” ‘*Here’s your chance now,” interrupted tho other. *‘It’s a wrinkle, and if it don’t work we can’t be any worse off. Be ready for a bolt when the crowd comes!” Flinging Leona back, he threw up the window | at the foot of the bed, and shouting, ‘‘ Thar | they go! thar they go!” fired several shots as | fast as he could work thumb and finger. His comrade ‘‘caught on” to the dodge at | once. ‘“This hyar way they go! lurray, boys! hyar’s fur a frolic. ropes reacly an’ kim on!” And out of the window the two sprung, shoot- ing as pati went, aud apparently in hot pursuit | of several flitting forms, for a moment dimly seen as they were vanishing in the darkness. When the whole house was aroused it was not | very likely that Sidney Darelle could sleep. | When about half the crowd, headed by Hoop- nagle, with a lantern, burst into the room, they | found him sitting up in bed, staring wildly around, while the open window showed where the intruders had made their exit. ‘“Vot vos der masser?” exclaimed Jacob, as he seized the old gentleman by the shoulder. ‘‘ For vot you pees shootin’ in mine house dot I pleeves | Der vos nodings | ' Out an’ after ’em! Git yer ou vos have der shim-shams! ere,” ‘*There’s some more of them, then, in the same fix,” gasped Darelle, ‘It is from Leona’s room. What is it? oh, what is it? Help her, quick!” He sprung hastlly from his bed, drew on his pantaloons, and in hot haste dashed away for 'and then | Can Il be of any further use to you? “ _~ indictment, darting the question at him like an angry sword-thrust. e received it unmoved. ‘‘Ah! yes, yes. It is amusing, almost. Both in danger. Hum! Providence—with a little outside assistance—seems to be watching over us. My experience was something like yours. Wakened out of a sound sleep by a man vending over my bed I made an effort to cry out. ‘At that he darted away, and out through _ the window, by which he had doubtless entered, + As he went some one came rushing in, and past leaped out. Well, our feces have opened the attack promptly; now, who could my friend have been? Strange that he has not announced himself yet. Perhaps it was Gov- ernor Shaw. If know no one else who might have had an eye in this direction, or would be apt to come so gallantly to the rescue.” While he was speaking there came a rap at the door. ‘*Mr. Darelle, Mr. Darelle! It is I—Shaw. I hope there is no harm done. Jacob has assured me there was not,” ** Nothing, nothing, beyond a scare for Leona. Go onto my room. I[ will be with you in a mo- ment. Have they taken the ruffians?” ‘**Only one of them, that 1 just handed over to a committee of the boys. I am not certain that they will not bang him if I leave him with | them too long; but I had to see how it had fared with you and your @aughter. I will wait for ycu then. This needs explanation.” Darelle went to the window, from which he took a long look before closing and fastening it. Then he said good-night, and went over to Egbert Shaw. hat gentleman was waiting for him. ‘** See here, Mr. Darelle, at the risk of a re- buff, and a request to mind my own business, I am going to talk serious to you, and offer my assistance. All this that has happened to-day shows me that you are a marked man. There are desperate men on your trail: and not alone for your money. Can’t you tell me what is be hind it all? Or, at least, enough to enable me to protect you? A man like you, alone at Bad Man’s Bar is in danger every moment, as you can see, and though | could save you from any _ open attack for the purpose of robbery there are the next room, into which he burst, a moment | some things that one must know about before after the two intruders had flung themselves | out of the window. | ** A light! a light!” he shouted. you here—are you hurt? Speak!” | A gasping gurgle from the bed, just as his hands fell upon the face of the girl, showed that | she was still living, and when the Dutchman had | brought his lantern and Darelle had anxiously examined her face he was reassured. She had been a little roughly handled, but no great harm done beyond the mental shock and a momentary semi-unconsciousness. ‘*Nothing—nothing to aged to articulate. 6 villains! way!” Leona pointed to the open window. ‘‘ Mine crashus!” ejaculated Jacob. ‘‘ Pees der vindersall open? Dey moost shoost shpring oop mit de’r own acgoord, Put vor vhy den doos dey shoot? Nefer vos dey sooch goings on mit my bouse,” ‘‘Gosh! I should hope not!” said the voice of Tommy T ough, his familiar expletive comin ak of,” she man- first. ‘*‘ButI reckon you'd better be seein’ e Gone! That they all got away. Thar war shootin’ ernuf ter salivate a few. It ain’t ther squar’ thing, neither, ter be lettin’ em squirm ’round out thar in their miz’ry ef ar ov em are winged. Jest imme anax an’Tll go out an’ knock ’em in ther head. I know thar’s a few thar, fur I heered ’em a groanin’.” There was a good deal more interest about persons thatwere hurt than about those who were not, and the suggestion of the young man from Red Bend, whether or not it was intended to effect the p , enabled Sidney Darelle, who had recove his wits to all intents and u to clear the room, F Then he turned to his dau hter, who was lying back in an exhausted condition. ‘‘ What was it my dear, what was it? I do not understand yet. Who was in my room— who visited yours? And what was their ob- ject? Is the whole house a den of thieves?” ‘“‘T think not. They seemed to be more afraid of the house than of us; and the trouble in your room saved me, and frightened away the scoundrels in mine. And the strangest part was that they seemed to be there by mistake. Their surprise at finding me was as great as mine at finding them. They were, I think, after you. You see it is just as I have told you all along. Every step that we take here is marked | with danger. Be wise and retreat before it is | too late. I had already been warned that both | you and I were in great vsti, end from | different sources, This proves it. First, the road-agents, who seemed to have known of your coming—and who can tell if not of your object? And now, these midnight assassins! Darelle, are you mad?” She flamed up as she drew out her article of had, but one 5 : ; , 5 re : Na ‘| - - o os they can guard against. What is it?” ‘““Thanks, thanks, a thousand thanks, I—I ‘* Leona, are think I have been followed.” ‘*Followed? By whom, and from where?” ‘By cut-throats, by desperadoes, whom I thought I had thrown from my trail far to the East. There is wealth against me, money in pursuit of me, thousands to give for my life be- fore I can achieve the object of my journey. I have wealth but I cannot strike back in that way, and the law is powerless, even if I had the convincing evidence that it is next to impossi- ble to obtain.” ‘But your object? You have not yet ex- plained that. Is it worth the risk and labor? With your wealth, it must be something very important that would lead you into these dan- gers.’ ‘It is. it iss My son, whom I too long ne- glected and allowed to go bis own way until he could sow his crop of wild oats—my son’s in- terests and perhaps his life are at stake, And it may be that even now he is no longer living. I am searching for him, if living, to puta nd lion more into his hands—a legacy tbat will beg and be lost to us all if I do not find m, ‘Surely you go about it strangely. You might not find him for a million years. Why not intrust the search to those better qualified to carry it out? Give them the name, descrip- tion, and all the points you have, This secret way of yours will only end in failure.” ‘Do you not see? He must not be su ted. Oh, it would never do to leave a plain trail back from the mines to his millions. Alas, I have heard but too clearly the sort of life he led after coming here. No one else knew him in the ise he had assumed, no one else ever would: ut a father’s heart never can be deceived. I recognized the description, and now I want to find him; to snatch him from this life of dissi- pation, and even crime; and lead him back to civilization, reformation and wealth. If he be living Iam on bis trail; if dead—I will aven him, Those are the reasons I am doing the work myself, and have been withholding my con- fidence from even you. Pardon me for having done the latter. ou are a stranger, and though Leona pleaded for you, yet I felt that I must know more of you before I unvailed my heart and purpose. sides your kindness. have other reasons to trust you. In the little time I have been here [ have been making in- quiries. I know, now, that { can; and I have opened ap my whole heart accordingly.” ‘*Thanks, a thousand thanks for your confi- dence, Mr. Darelle. But your son? You have not yet mentioned the name by which he is Sidney | known. For whom, now, are you searching?” ‘* Ah, yes, [ forgot. A dozen names he has last one under which he is best Eomichbooks: co | . ne ah ct ..-, ee nal ie ~'