Beadle's Dime Library No. 490: 'The Lone Hand in Texas' — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

f ee ~ - 1s bs 2 The Lone Hand in Texas. a % (eh, ie i ie TG SE a BT F ROP EE i LE ‘¢ What makes you think so?” ‘‘ Because this young man—this lawyer, Mo- reno as he calls himself, has gone to speak a good word for you.” : ~ «Dy you really think that will have any par- ticular influence?’ Webster asked, decidedly in- credulous. ‘Why, certainly! Don’t you?” ‘‘T am notsosure about it. Il have heard in my time so many ghost stories of that kind—to give them the cant-name—that I am_not in- clined to put as much faith in them as I might. From all I have heard of the old Jew heis a pretty tough customer; but with me, the way I was situated, it was do or die. I had to try this, although it was like a forlorn hope, because there was nothing else open tome, I do not doubt I will get the position, for the old fellow needs a clerk badly enough, but the question is, will the old man give me enough to live on?” and Webster shook his head in an extremely dubious way. ’ “Well, now, I soppore you will be astonished to hear me say that I think he will offer you a very fair salary.” ‘“T am, indeed!” ‘‘That is my idea, and you will owe it to the good offices of this Maurice Moreno.” ‘¢ Yes, if the old man does make me any kind of afair offer, I should not be surprised if I did.” ‘‘ By the way, that is rather an odd name,” the Lone Hand remarked, reflectively. ‘* Maurice Moreno,” : : ‘Yes, it is; he is of Mexican or Spanish descent, evidently, his appearance _as well as his surname shows that. oreno is Spanish-Mexi- can enough, but Maurice is not.” ‘‘ No, Maurice is either Irish or German, most likely the first in this case, I should not be sur- prised if his mother was Irish by birth, If you noticed, he has a different appearance from the Spanish-Mexican usually met with along the Rio Grande; take this old rancher, Aldama, for in- stance.” ‘* Very true.” ‘¢The man is of mixed blcod beyond a doubt —a fellow of great courage, endurance and genius unless I am greatly mistakeu.” ‘‘Upon my word he would be apt to think you were extremely complimentary if he were to hear you!” “ Well, I don’t know about that,” the Lone Hand answered, a peculiar smile playing upon his features. ‘‘ Such men as he would sometimes prefer that the world would be in ignorance of their true qualities.” ‘Why so?” ‘Oh, a whim, [ presume,” the Lone Hand an- “wered with another one of his baffling smiles, ‘Then, do you know, I have an idea that Maurice Moreno is his right name.” ‘* Certainly, of course; why should you think otherwise?” Webster asked in astonishment, ** Well, this is the queerest country in that re- spect you ever saw; this isthe jumping-off place of civilization. About half the men that you encounter down here are fellows who have been obliged to ‘leave their country for their coun- try’x good,’ and as a natural consequence they do not bear the names by which they were known at home, ‘‘Down in this region about the greatest in- sult you can offer to a man is to express a doubt in regard to his name—to insinuate that the one he now bears is not the one by which he has al- ways been known.” ‘Oh, yes, I have been down here long enough to have found that out. ‘“ But to return to our mutton,” observed the Lone Hand. ‘I donot ciaim to be much of a prophet, but in this case I will predict that you will not have any trouble at all in coming to terms with the Jew. You will find him anxious and eager to secure your valuable services.” Webster laughed. ‘*T sincerely hope your prediction will come true,” he said. ‘* And you will owe it to Moreno’s kindly in- terference on your behalf. He is anxious that ou will have the place and you will get it.” ‘* What makes you think so?” the Bostonian inquired in wonder. * Did you not notice that he tried to discour- age the idea of your trying a position on Alda- ma’s ranch?” ‘Ves, his speech in regard to it was certainly not encouraging.” ‘‘ Exactly; for some reason of his own he does not wish you to go there. What the reason is, of course I cannot guess, being a stranger on the ground, but after I get a good look at the lay-out, I will be willing to bet all I am worth or ever expect’to be, that I can tell what game he is up to.” By this time the hotel was reached, and that put a stop to the conversation. They entered and were greeted by the land- lord, Jacob Plunkett, in person. The host was an English Jew, although beyond his prominent nose—with the true Hebrew hook and jet-black hair which curled in little tiny ringlets all over his massive head, he betrayed no signs of the race from which he came. Dame Rumor with her thousand tongues had already informed him in regard to the strangers, and he welcomed them in the most cordial manner, The Lone Hand proceeded to explain in re- gard to himself and companion, but the land- lord immediately interrupted him. ‘Oh, I know all about you, gentlemen!” he exclaimed. ‘* News travels rapidly in a little town like Pedroville, and I consider it an honor to have the pleasure of entertaining two such gentlemen as yourselves.” And on the heels of this dec- laration the landlord made a profound bow, which the guests of course acknowledged. ‘* Yes, sir, you are the lions of the day. Mig- uel Aldama and Maurice Moreno are both par- ticular friends of mine, and I am glad to be able to entertain men who have helped them 3 you did by routing the outlaws. It was a big thing, gentlemen, as big a deed as has ever been heard of in this part of the country.” ‘‘Oh, you are giving us too much credit,” the Lone Hand remarked, with becoming mod- esty. ‘But now touching accommodations?” ‘*T will take the best of care of you!” the landlord exclaimed. ‘‘ And, although I say it myself who should not, I keep as good a house as you can find all along the Rio Grande, bar none!” ‘*T should imagine so, from the appearance of things,” the Lone Hand observed, politely. ‘Yes, and when it comes to the bar-room, you won’t find any forty-rod whisky there, no stuff, a couple of drinks of which will lay a man out, but as good liquor as you will strike in the whole of 'Texas,” ‘“T am glad to hear it, although I am not much of a drinker, yet still when I do take something I want it good.” ‘‘ Exactly! that is my platform, every time!” the landlord declared. ‘¢T shall not want regular board, as I reckon to be away a good deal prospecting—I am down here on a speculating tour, you see,” the Lone Hand explained. ‘t Yes, yes, I see.” ‘‘T will keep my room all the time and take my meals when I am here.” ‘Certainly, of course. How about Mr. Web- ster, will he room with you, Mr. Hand?’ The landlord had the names down pat. ‘Well, I reckon Mr. Webster will not make much of a stop with you,” the guest answered. ‘¢ You see he has come to Pedroville with the idea of clerking for Mr. Oppenheim, I suppose he will sleep in the store and board with that gentleman.” ‘*Oh, yes, he will sleep in the store, under the counter while the old Jew lays on the top of it, and Moses will board him luxuriantly on crackers and cheese—when the cheese gets too hard to sell, and on Sundays for a treat he will open a twenty-five cent can of corn-beef, but only on Sundays, mind you!” ~ The Lone Hand laughed and the young Bos- tonian looked disgusted at the picture. ‘*Oh, come! it isn’t as -bad as that I hope!” the Lone Hand exclaimed. ‘‘Gentlemen, I give you my word I am not exaggerating in the least!” the landlord pro- tested. ° ‘‘T trade with the man and so know all about him, That is reason why he cannot keep any clerks. They will not stay here but clear out just as soon as they get the chance. The old man is as square as a dollar, mind you, will pay every penny that he says he will, but he is bound to get the butt end of every bargain if he ” ‘* Well, that does not appear to be a very promising outlook for me,” Webster remarked, evidently discouraged. ‘*] am not telling you anything a the truth, gentlemen. The last clerk he had was a poor fellow who hoofed it into town from down the river somewhere. He engaged him for two dollars a week and his board and he boarded him as I tell you. The cuss stood it for just two weeks and then he corraled his four dollars and lit out. . ‘““Why a man like yourself, Mr. Webster, would never stand the old Jew’s meanness for three days, You would get disgusted and dust, sure!” ° ‘“‘This is an extremely brilliant prospect be- fore you, pard!” exclaimed the Lone Hand. ‘Yes, I should say so,” | ‘‘ You will find it just as I say,” the host pro- tested. * ‘¢ Tt is steange that Mr, Moreno does not know this?” the Lone Hand remarked. ‘‘Hh, what’s that?” exclaimed the landlord sharply, for the speech was directed to the young Bostonian and not to him. ‘‘T said that it was strange that Mr. Moreno —Maurice Moreno—does not know what kind of a man the old Jew is, and the treatment he extends to his clerks.” ‘© Oh, bless you! he knows the old skinflint like a book!” ‘*He does?” a Yes, certainly!” _ “ What on earth did he mean by recommend- ing my friend here to go there?” ‘*Did he?” exclaimed the landlord, evidently much astonished. ‘*Most decidedly he did,” responded the Lone | Hand, taking careful note of every change of expression on the face of the host, although ap- parently not paying the least attention to him, ‘Why, he has gone to see Mr, Oppenheim ie to speak a good word for Mr. Webster 1ere, ‘*'You see, my dear sir,”—and the Lone Hand leaning over the counter became very confiden- | tial,” my friend here had a pressing invitation from Mr. Aldama to come tohis placeand the — old gentleman said that he did not think there | was any doubt but what he could find some- | thing for Mr. Webster to do on his ranch, but Mr. Moreno reckoned that it would be a great deal better for my friend to try the clerking q with Oppenheim, and as my friend had come to hy, ria by with the intention he thought so 4 00, ee ‘*So, Mr Moreno said he would go and put in a gooa word for Mr. Webster, and as he dida : good deal of trading with the old man he reck- | oned it wouldn’t do any harm.” The Lone Hand had purposely made the explanation as long as possible, and while he was — speaking, he watched the face of the landlord as | closely as a cat watches a mouse-hole from which ws she expects to see her prey emerge, and yet this —_| espinage was performed so cleverly that the land- lord—who was a decidedly sharp fellowand no i man’s fool—had no idea of the scrutiny to which ng he was being subjected. Le The look of astonishment vanished and a pecul- iar, keen, shrewd look came into the man’s eyes , before the Lone Hand finished his recital. Soe ‘* Well, Mr. Moreno will be able to do a good is deal for you with the Jew for heisa good cus- _ tomer, and now I come to think of it’”’—and the % landlord scratched his head in a thoughtful way bi as if he was trying to stimulate bis memory— ‘‘it seems to me that somebody was saying in here only the other day that Oppenheim had de- he. clared that he was sick of hiring these cheap Sh clerks and that if he got hold of a good man he 4 ee es willing to pay a good price for him.” a ? the most innocent manner possible, taking the " bait as greedily as the greatest ‘‘ tenderfoot ” in ; Texas could have done, ‘‘Mr. Moreno knew of ee this and that was the reason why herecommend- —— ed Mr. Webster to try the clerking.” a ‘* Yes, that is the explanation of course,” the +2 landlord remarked with a sigh of relief, as though ne, - had cleverly got himself out of a bad posi- ion. ea. ‘‘{t was very stupid of me not torememberit | yes, I see!” exclaimed the Lone Hand in y | ) in the beginning, but then I have always been “2 so used to poking fun at old Moses in regard to Le the old fellow had resolved to turn over a new leaf as far as a clerk was concerned. \ em ‘*Oh, that was natural under the circum- stances,” the Lone Hand remarked. ‘* But I say, Webster, suppose we go and see | | his mean ways that I had clean forgotten that £ { pt cin a and then you will know how you ‘ ; stand, te “T reckon it will be all right!” the landlord | declared as the pards departea. P, CHAPTER XIV. | : oe ARRANGING THE GAME, aa AFTER they had got into the street, safe from | any listening ears the Lone Hand put the query | to his companion: ¥ | ‘Well, what do you think of this matter?” a . ‘Hang me if I know!” Webster replied, de- ey perplexed. 1 ie ‘‘Where is this Jew’s shebang anyway?” ex- occurring to him that he did not know where ae : > their objective point was situated, | But hardly had the words escaped from his | lips when bis eyes fell upon the Jew’s sign, placed _ 74 on the top ofa one-storied shanty-like storea short distance down the street, . a ‘* There it is now,” the Lone Hand remarked. ‘* Let us walk slowly and we can discussthe mat- ter as we go.” | ** Yes, by Jove! I am mixed up.” ii *“*Did you notice the sudden change of front | in the landlord?” the Lone Handasked. “Inthe beginning he laughed at the idea of yourclerk- —_| ing for the Jew—your salary would be miserable 4 and the old man would starve you intothe bar- _— gain, ee)’ claimed the Lone Hand, the rca suddenly } | | ‘t ‘Yes, of course, he was very decided on this point,” ery | ‘‘ But the moment he made the discovery that — Moreno had interested himself in the business and had°gone to speak to the Jewin your favor then he suddenly remembered that Oppenheim — had said that he was going to give good wages gy to his next clerk,” ial ‘“* Yes, [ notice the abrupt change and it puz- : zles me to account for it, for it does not sem possible that the man can be honest in his state- Poche ment that he bad forgotten all about it.” it ‘‘ Honest! of course not!” the Lone Hand de- clared. ‘‘No such statement was ever made. But when the landlord found that Moreno was interesting himself in the matter, then he saw that he had put his foot in it—made a bad break, to use the vulgate—by telling how mean the Jew was and he had to patch up the matter the best way he could.” 2, ‘*Yes, but I say, I don’t understand it at ally what does it mean?” ey IOO — = Gomme