Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 434 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

S \ ————_- ee ——eeEeE—e—eeeee —— - the Thunder City Nabob fortified himself with | ed. ‘I never saw a case like it, never did But, Flavia, you don’t know ; Hank. another drink of mountain whisky. Not long afterward he found himself before the door of the neatest cabin in the camp, and, in response to his knock, a beautiful face con- fronted him. ‘* Aha! good-mornin’, Flavia!” said the big major, tipping his hat to the young girl, who looked about eighteen, and who was the posses- sor of a fresh rosy face, lustrous brown eyes and a figure that was grace itself. ‘*[’m rather early, ain’t I? But we don’t have | —— i ee Jove! ha, ha! when he will come to camp again?” ‘* T cannot tell.” ‘* He’s liable to turn up ’most any time, eh?” ee Yes.” ‘* Does he know they talk o’ postin’ him?” Flavia gave a sudden start. ‘Who talks of it?” +s sAghining Lay‘out. They talk o’ shuttin’ him off from huntin’ along the ‘ Divide.’” ‘*I did not know he had any enemies over callin’ rules in Thunder, by Jove! no, ha, ha, | there!” exclaimed Flavia. ha!” Major Sphinx did not wait for an invita- tion to enter, but stepped inside and dropped upon the first chair that presented itself. “[t ’pears to me, Flavia, that you’re git- tin’ lovelier!” he went on with no regard for the blushes that colored the girl’s cheeks at the outspoken compliment. ‘**Some o’ these days | you’) be discovered by some one an’ Thunder | half sneer. ‘He ought n’t have any anywhere,” was the earnest declaration, ‘* He has one here,” and then the girl looked as if she wished she had not spoken. ‘*One man in Thunder ag’in’ Gold Grit?” cried Major Sphinx. ‘* Who is he?” ‘* Reckless Roy.” ‘*Ah! that fellow!” cried the man, with a ‘‘Td like to know why be doesn’t City ’ll lose its peri, an’ some other place will | like the young bonanza-hunter.” get a queen, eh? by Jove! ha! ha!” Flavia did not answer, but avoided Major ‘J don’t want to go away,” said the young | Spbinx’s gaze and sought suddenly to turn the girl, meekly. ‘‘ This place suits . enough, just now.” ‘* Hspecially when Gold Grit comes, eb?” me well | conversation. All at once the sharp report of a pistol-shot came in at the half-open door, and Flavia utter- * Flavia dropped her eyes to the floor and did | ed a quick cry. not see the eager look bestowed on her by her caller. ‘* By the way,” continued the major, ‘he hasn’t been here for some time.” sé No,” ‘*When will he come again?” ‘*T do not know,” ‘* Is he still huntin’ that old mine, girl?” ‘I believe he is.” ** What do you think of it, Flavia?” “*T have often told him that [ do not believe it exists, but he does not want to give up the chase.” ‘** It may exist,” asserted the major suddenly, changing his tone. ‘I’ve heard of stranger things than that. I don’t know what the young man has to go on, but I wouldn’t discourage him. He might leave the country, you know. The young girl started and seemed to lose color. ‘*That settles one p’int,” ejaculated Major Sphinx inaudibly. ‘She doesn’t want the oung chap to go away. Neither do I, by Jove! Ishould say not, ha, ha!” Then he turned the battery of his eyes once upou the girl and went on: ‘* It’s kinder queer that we don’t know much about him, though he’s been here often,” he said. ‘* Tt is singular,” answered Flavia, ‘*We know more about you, girl.k We know that you came to Thunder City in a storm, sev- eral years ago—” ‘** But not much more,” laughed Flavia inter- ruptingly. ‘No,” replied the major seriously; but sud- denly smiled. ‘‘ We've found out something about you since, girl, but here is a young man who calls himself Gold Grit who is huntin’ for a lost gold mine, and thet’s all we know about him, unless—” The major paused and leaned toward the girl, ‘‘ unless he’s told you something, Flavia.” ‘** T guess he’s told me all he knows,” was the response. ‘‘ The truth is, major, Gold Grit knows but little about himself.” ‘* By Jove! Ah, that is so!” exclaimed Major Sphinx. ‘“ But what did he tell you, Flavia? I am interested in the young fellow—can’t help it, you see, ha, ha!” Major Sphinx always laughed when he wanted to get at an important point, and though the camp knew it, the young girl did not. _ ‘*Gold Grit has no recollection of his early life,” continued Flavia. ‘‘ He says that it is a weg, blank to him.” ** When does his recollection begin?” ‘“‘About three years ago. It is all very strange, isn’t it?” sé ** His first remembrance is of a large mining- town on the railroad, and there he first heard of the lost mine which he has been hunting ever since.” ‘‘ What does be think of his past?” asked the big Nabob, of Thunder City, eagerly. “Of course he has told you his thoughts, his opinions, rl?” en He thinks that he received a blow at one time that caused the loss of memory. He has a scar over bis right ear, and does not know where he got it.” j ‘“T have heard of that,” remarked Major Sphinx. ‘*He never told me any more,” The man was silent for a moment. “You have tried to learn something of his past, haven’t you, Flavia?’ he asked, when he spoke again. Yes, It is natural. We are friends,” was the reply. ‘‘I have tried to get at Gold Grit’s ‘past, but only through the man himself. I had no other way. Isn’t there no way of helping him to solve the mystery? He is so anxious!” A sanper light came into Major Sphinx’s we but he shook his head. ‘*T don’t see how it can be got at,” he exclaim- i ee Ee ‘*That’s nothin’!’ ejaculated the Nabob. aaa things ar’ common enough in Thunder sity.” ‘* But not that revolver!” cried Flavia, spring- ing to the door, and she was beyond the step when Major Sphinx left bis chair. ‘* What do you think has happened, girl?” ‘I do not know. Look at the gathering crowd down yonder,” and she pointed away. ‘‘ Ah! we will know in a moment. Anaconda Alf is coming toward us now.” In another moment the tall figure of one of the best known men on the ‘‘ Divide” halted be- fore the major, and the girl. There was a good deal of excitement in his ** They want you down thar, major,” he cried. ‘Them two came together as they war bound ter, some day.” * What is it?’ exclaimed Flavia. ‘“* Gold Grit has killed Reckless Roy, an’ ther camp wants his neck!” A wild cry was Flavia’s response. CHAPTER III. A DUEL AT TEN PACES, ‘‘GREAT JUPITER! this is the last thing I wanted to happen!” cried es Sphinx as he recoiled before Anaconda Alf’s startling an- nouncement. ‘‘Is Reckless Roy really dead?” ‘**You kin go down thar an’ see,” was the response. ‘‘ Besides ther boys want you any- how.” ‘*Come!” said Flavia. ‘‘I am going to him. We will go together,” and the three started off, the girl with a white, anxious face, and the major much excited as he questioned Anaconda Alf about the affray. Let Bs Peete their arrival and see what had happened. eckless Roy was one of the most noted men in Thunder City. His adventurous life had been full of broils in which he was usually the ag- gressor, and from which he always emerged victor. He was a disagreeable man with strong dis- likes, and from the first had manifested much ill-feeling toward Gold Grit, the young mine- hunter, The youth had tried to avoid Roy, and while his poorly covered insults rankled in the young mine-hunter’s heart, he had resolved to bear them in silence. It was on Reckless Roy’s account that Gold Grit did not come oftener to Thunder City. There was an attraction there that had a cer- tain charm for him, but it was met by the moun- tain rough’s insolence and insult. Reckless Roy who, despite his nature, seemed to have the whole city at his beck, seemed deter- mined to exile Gold Grit entirely from Thunder City. The young miner was his special spite. It happened that Gold Grit had come to Thun. der City while Major Sphinx was paying his un- announced visit to Flavia at her cabin. He had not been there for several weeks, and bis absence had rendered the major uneasy for some reason or other. As for Thunder City in general, it did not seem to care whether Gold Grit came or stayed away. The youth’s best acquaintance in the camp was Happy Hank, the man who presided over the bar of the whisky den, and he never neglected his friend when he came back, It was not an uncommon sight for the roughs of Thunder to see the two, Gold Grit and Happy Hank, in close conversation at the latter’s bar, and while the young bonanza-hunter never drank himself, he oftentimes treated the crowd present. ‘* Hello! thar’s ther bonanza sharp!” exclaim- ed a man as Gold Grit stepped into the cabin on the morning in question. “I wonder if he’s ae: = his paws onto ther prize?” ld Grit paid no attention to the remark which he must have heard, but walked straight LS Nhe oe a Meet chest tt ; by | to the counter and shook hands with Happy The crowd in the place at the time surged for- ' ward in expectation of a drink, and in a moment the young man was surrounded. ‘*Haven’t you found that turtle’s nest yet, hey?” exclaimed a tall and robust man whose eyes had an insolent snap as he leaned toward Gold Grit. ‘That is a secret of mine,” replied the youth, with a pleasant smile. ‘‘A secret, eh? By Jupiter! if you had yer hands on it you wouldn’t be hyer with yer old Lazarus look. Not much, sonny!” Gold Grit’s color suddenly hightened, but he kept his indignation down. e evidently saw the intentions of the man who faced him, for he knew that he had an ene- my in the person of Reckless Roy. ‘* What will you have, gentlemen?” he asked, treating the big rough’s remarks with silence, and glancing from the crowd to Happy Hank. ‘* Name your liquor, andif my friend Hank has it in his treasury, it will be forthcoming at my expense.” he men of Thunder City pushed closer to the counter! all but one. He drew back and threw his figure to its full hight as he looked at the youth. ‘‘T never drink with mountain tramps!” he exclaimed contemptuously. “‘Thar war one hyer last night, an’ he had ter drink alone.” The crowd looked at Gold Grit wondering how he would take this direct insult, Reckless Roy had spoken with all the venom he could summon. Gold Grit flushed and smiled. ‘‘Tam a tramp, that’s a fact,” he said, “ but one of these days [ expect my tramping to end.” ‘When ther lost bonanza ar’ found, I ex- pect?” ss Yes. ” ‘““Then you'll want ter buy Thunder City, I presume,” sneered Reckless Roy. “ Young man, youll never get enough cut o’ that bo- nanza ter buy a ring for ther girl ye’r’ tryin’ ter hoodwink now!” Gold Grit stepped toward his insulter with re- sentment flashing up in his eyes, ‘* You can throw yur venom at me, Roy,” he said coolly: *‘ but you want to spare those who are my friends!” The crowd looked, almost stared, at the young miner. For the first time he had 4 ‘saps boldly to the long line of insults to which he had been sub- jected by the bronze bully of the camp. ‘“T hit yer in a tender spot, eh?’ laughed Reckless Roy, coarsely. ‘‘ Don’t we all know thet you’ve been stuffin’ thet girl with a lot o” trash about yer future prospects?) Mebbe you’ve promised ter make her Queen o’ Goldland some- time, when you'll really make her Princess oy Poverty Plat ef ye kin!” ** That’sa lie!” The four words dropped from Gold Grit’s tongue like an electric bomb. Their language was not to be mistaken, and plainer English could not be used. Reckless Roy seemed to grow white in an instant, and the crowd separated as he put one of his bronzed hands upon his belt. ‘* I don’t allow any fuss hyer, gents,” exclaim- ed Happy Hank, leaning over the counter, and throwing his hand between the two enemies. It was noticed that he directed his remarks at Reckless Roy. ‘* A lie is it, eh?’ grated the bully of the “* Di- vide ” without taking the slightest notice of the interferer. ‘‘ You will not face me outside o this oe my young tramp.” ‘* Anywhere, if you continue to insult the per- son aimed at in your remarks,” was the cool re- tort. ‘Then you seem ter know who I war drivin? — at?” ‘You might as well have spoken her name, These gentlemen here know I have but one fe- male acquaintance in Thunder City, and that her name is Flavia.” Reckless Roy burst into a laugh. ‘‘ Well, P've nothin’ ter swallow!” he suddenly exclaimned. ‘“*I repeat that you’re hoodwinkin? her with your mountain air-castles, and that she’s a tool for takin’ ther story m!” ‘* Let that be your insult, Reckless Roy. It is the insult of a coward, and the venom of a liar!” Gold Grit stepped toward the door as he spoke the last words. “You want to watch Reckless,” whispered a, voice over his shoulder. The Thunder City bully came forward with a revolver half drawn. ‘*Do yer mean fight, atom?” he exclaimed. “If you want to force it, yes!” responded the young miner, through his teeth. “‘ But Happy ank wants no meeting bere.” “*Thar’s ther hull world outside.” ‘* Let it be outside, then!” Gold Grit was almost at the door of the moun- tain resort. As yet he had not laid his hand on a weapon, and there were some who thought he was facing the tiger unarmed. Reckless Roy followed him up with eyes that Gomicbooks. (E = (Elo) . : 4 y lbh oe aD