Beadle's Dime Library No. 490: 'The Lone Hand in Texas' — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

| | t = . * Ve oe - — Se > a - -% ——_ an OPE i -—> : ' ° - fe The Lone Hand in Texas. other; still I know but little of this fisticuff | had kept watch of the e business,” Moreno said, ‘Tt is not to my taste. In my country we do not fight with fists, but weapons. I think the man has made a mistake that he did not choose pistols.” “ Wal, I reckon from the way I heered that the Mister Hand got away with the road-agent that he is to home with the barkers too,” the marshal rejoined. conversation extremely similar had taken place between the rancher and the sporting pro- prietor of the Big Texas Sandbank, but they were comparing the two men with the idea of getting up a little bet on the contest; bet to their mutual disgust they ascertained when they came down to business that each wanted to bet on the same man. Neither one was willing to back the English- man. “Tf this stranger knows any thing about boxing and from the way he handles himself [ reckon be does, he will use this big bloat up completely inside of ten minutes,” Doc Morti- mer remarked. And the sport was a good judge of this sort of thing for he had stood by the ring side and witnessed many a well-contested bat- tle. -“ What odds will you give me that the Eng- lishman don’t last ten minutes?’ the rancher asked. j “Fifty dollars to forty!” replied the sport, promptly. ** It’s a go.” ‘Gentlemen, if you want me to, I will act as time-keeper and referee,” Doc Mortimer said, taking out his watch. ‘‘ When you are ready, say so!” CHAPTER XXI, THE CONTEST. ** Dar ready,” said the Englishman, giving the fina] tightening to the belt he wore around his waist. Toe Lone Hand had just done the same. ** So am I.” *“ Time then, gentlemen,” the sport observed, watch in hand, and then, as the two men step- ped forward to confront each other he said: ‘* By the way, what sort of fight is this to be? A regular ring battle or a rough and tumble after the Southwestern style?” ‘According to the rules of the London P, R.,” the Englishman responded. “That is the only kindof fight that I know anything about, and you kin bet yer boots that Tam a blooming tulip at that.” ** All right, am agreeable,” the Lone Hand responded. ‘It does not make any difference to me. [I am for youany way you want to have it!” The tone of confidence in which the Arkansian spoke rather bothered the Englishman, for it seemed to indicate that the speaker had perfect confidence in his own powers. It was not the tone of a braggart but that of a man who knew what be could do. Tozer was not a regular professional boxer, although he pretended that he had been, but in the old country, during his youth, he had been a ot-boy—as the youths are called, who serve the Fiquid refreshments in the English ‘“ drums,” as the sporting-houses are termed—and, naturally had picked up a thing or two in the ioe _line, and this knowledge had served him we in bis knocking around the world, for, as a_ rule, the men he bad come in contact with in a fistic way bad been sadly ignorant of the “manly art of self-defense,” But on this occasion, from the peculiar way in which his adversary carried himself, the Eng- lishman, who flattered himself that he knew a boxer when he saw him, got the idea that his opponent understvod how to handle his fists. And this fact, coupled with the one that the Lone Hand when he took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves presented as fine a physical de- velopment as he had ever seen, tended to make the man feel decidedly uneasy. **Cuss the luck!” he muttered to himself, as he completed his preparations, ** this’ere bloke looks to be as big asa house! If he should happen to be clever with his mawleys now the chances are big,that I am in for a knock-out, “ Blow me tight! I would not have tried this on if I had had any idea that the galoot was so durned big. Why, he’s a reg’lar Heenan, a young man too, while I am old and stale. “T must try the rush game on him, ana go in to pink him in short order or I won’t do it at ” ** Come to the scratch—time!” ejaculated Doc Mortimer, perceiving that both of the contest- ants were pre The Lone Hand looked the very picture of manly grace as he advanced, while the English- man was clumsy and awkward. Tozer came up slowly, as though he had no idea of making an attack, until he got almost within reach of his opponent, and then he made a sudden rush and struck half a dozen vicious blows in quick succession, which undoubtedly would have done considerable damage had they landed on the person of his opponent, but the Lone Hand was not taken by surprise, for he the role of the skillful swordsman, and rea es of his foe, followin | classed and over-matched in every way. | Nai bit of business has he with such a fighter as this therein the intention to attack before the as- , fellow, who strips as well as any man I ever saw sault was made so he was prepared for it. He gave way before tbe advance, contented himself with parrying and dodging the clumsily- aimed blows of the Englishman, and then, when the other paused at last, out of breath from his , violent efforts, he ‘‘ measured ” his man, ‘ feint- ed” with his left at the head of the Englishman, and when the other, in haste, threw up his arms | | tagonist had profited by the lesson which he had to guard his head, leaving his chest uncovered, he sent in his-right with terrific force, catching Toger justabove the ‘‘ mark” and knocking him completely off his feet. Over backward went the man, coming down with a violent shock. ‘First knock-down for Mr. Hand!” the Doc announced, ‘' Time, one minute! Colonel ”"— this aside to the rancher—‘‘ [ll go you a hundred to forty on the ten minutes!” CHAPTER XXII. THE END OF THE FIGHT. Burt the colonel was not anxious to invest any more money, even at such odds, He shook his head, **Oh, no, Doc,” he said. ‘‘No more in mine, if it is all the same to you. I am not much posted about this sort of thing, but it seems to me as if the big blower was going to be finished in short order. ‘Holy smoke! wasn’t that a_ pile-driver though! I reckon it would take a good many dollars to induce me to stand up and let that fellow bang me in that way.” ‘*And yet our friend byeris doing it free, gratis, for nothing,” the sport rejoined. ‘¢ You can bet your bottom dollar, Doc, that he didn’t know what kind of a game he was chip sing into,” the colonel remarked. . t reckon he has got his eyes open now,” the sharp observed. ‘‘Tf be hasn’t, he is a darned sight duller than | take him to be!” the rancher exclaimed, During this conversation the Englishman was being assisted to his feet by the landlord who bad entered the corral just in time to witness the discomfiture of the bully, and as the Eng- lishman fell right at his feet it was only natural that he should endeavor to aid him. After his opponent was down the Lone Hand retreated a couple of yards, and folded his mus- cular arms across his broad chest. His breath came a little bit quicker, but other- wise there were no signs that he had been indulg- ing in any unusual physical exertion, ** Hello, old man, you are getting the worst of this!” the landlord ejaculated in the ear of the Englishman as he helped him to his feet. ‘“Durn me if I know bow he did it,” the other replied, sadly out of breath, and plainly betray- ing that he had been making great exertions, ‘**He is too much for you, I am afraid,” the host observed. ‘‘ Oh, no, I reckon not; it was a chance blow anyway, and I kinder got my beels together so that I wasn’t braced to receive a lick and that was how he came’ to floor me,” the bully ex- plained, not willing to admit that he was over- matched, although in his heart he knew it to be the truth. The fellow was tolerably game though and be had not yet received punishment enough to make him ery enough, ‘‘T made a mistake in trying a rash game on. him,” the man continued, ‘‘I have got a deal too much fat on me to dance ’round much, and that is where he got the best of me, you see, ‘*T was fool enough to run arter him, and then when he got me winded, why a little poke sent me over.” In this way did Tozer speak of the terrific crack which, when it had struck, seemed for the moment to fairly knock the life out of him. ‘‘Will two minutes between the rounds be enough for you, gentlemen?’ Doc Mortimer in- quired. ‘* That will suit me,” the Lone Hand replied. ‘** All right; it will do for me too!” exclaimed the Englishman, who had by this time recovered his wind. ; ‘* Time!” called out the sport a half-a-minute ater. The Lone Hand promptly put himself in posi- tion, but the Englishman was slow in coming to the scratch. As Doc Mortimer remarked in the ear of the rancher: ‘* You can just bet he is doing a heap of think- ing now. That lick in the bread-basket has set him to speculating as to the best way to get at his man, ‘He is a leetle mixed, you see, for he has made the discovery that it is a tough job he has tackled, and be hasn’t made up his mind as to which is the best way to do the trick.” *¢ Well, now I reckon you are a good judge of this sort of thing,” the colonel remarked, ‘* what 7 te think would ve the best thing for him to fe) ‘“‘ Throw up the sponge and give it up,” replied the sport, immediately. ‘* He doesn’t stand any more chance to whip his man than a haw would to get away with an eagle. * =- ; * a ~ & i oe | | in the ring. He is another Tom Hyer, whom I saw spar when I was a kid, the best man that ever stepped foot in a ring in America, bar none before or after him!” The two men were within reach, and as they began to spar it put an end to the conver- sation, The Lone Hand saw immediately that his an- received, and did not intend to try another rush, but as it was his game to force the Englishman to move around so as to get him out of breath, thus taking advantage of the other being alto- gether unfit for a contest of this kind, he pro- ceeded to attack. He was as light and quick upon his legs as a featherweight, and fairly danced around the Englishman in a manner which completely as- tonished that worthy. The Briton was compelled to exert himself and for about a minute the Lone Hand kept him busy, making him shift his ground rapidist so as to ward off threatened blows, which, in re- ality, were only feints, Then the Lone Hand, with a true boxer’s cun- ning, apparently left an “opening” exposed, and the Englishman hastened to get home a tre- mendous blow, but bis opponent, with a laugh, drew back his head, calculating the distance so well that the Briton’s blow stopped within an inch of his nose, and then, to the amazement of the bystanders, before the Englishman could withdraw his arm, the Lone Hand banged his antagonist twice, right and left, the cracks so sharp that they resounded on the air, and then he jumped back out of distance, ’ The Dagiiahman was infuriated by this treat- ment; smarting under the punishment he forgot his caution, and rushed madly after his foe, One idea only in his mind, to get hold of his antagonist and kill him. The Lone Hand was prepared for just such a movement as this, for 1t had been his game to provoke the other to make it, and as the Eng- lishuman rushed at him, forgetting all that he ever knew of boxing, he braced himself, and with his massive, 1ron-like right fist, smote his antagonist between the eyes. Tt isan old pugilistic maxim that the most powerful blow a boxer canstrike is the one which catches the man upon whom it falls in a rush, for the force of the stroke is doubled. It is the same as the two engines at full speed coming together; the shock is enormous! And in this case the blow fairly made the © Englishmen see stars, and over he went, coming to the ground with tremendous force, ** 4 second knock-down for Mr, Hand,” ob- served Doc Mortimer, ‘‘ Time, including wait, five minutes! ** Say, sport ’—this aside to the colonel,‘ I will o you a bundred to ten that he knocks him out inside of five minutes more.” . ** Doc, I reckon you are trying to play the hog in this game!” the rancher exclaimed, in mild reproof, ‘*To ask aman to bet on this English duffer now would be about as bad as to request him to throw hisducats ito the Rio | y | ' | | | : ’ i J . ‘ ' ‘ - u —y rf » 8S | A Se ef 4 in «= x :/ \ Dy x 7 > od A | 1 7 % t / * - i a Grande with the expectation of being able to ~_ whistle them back.” ** Colonel, you have not the sand, I regret to say, which I have always given you credit for possessing!” Doc declared, in saddened accents, ‘**Go ’way! you want to skin a man alive!” the colonel retorted. ‘‘ This is worse than a brace game of faro. You ought to te willing to give $ a a man some show for bis money.” ‘* A show to be struck by lightning,” mur- mured the sport, softly, half to himself. ‘* Yes, that is about the way it is in this case! Itis anold joke, but it fits mighty keen!” the _ rancher declared. : As before, the landlord hastened to assist the fallen man to his feet, but this time it was fully a minute before the Englishmen recovered from the effect of the shock, for besides the crushing weight of the blow, he had bit the back of his head violently against the bard earth when came down, He. Then it was almost another minute before he got on his legs, and he would not have been able to rise if it had not been for the landlord’s help- ing hand, and when he got upon his legs he was he could hardly stand, and had to lean so sbak upon Plunkett. “*T will have fellow three minutes this time,” the sport ob- served to therancher. ‘* The two minutes are about up now, and he is in no condition tocome _ to the scratch. That will make eight minutes, so you see Pit will bave achance to win, fe the other fe finish him in,” . «*Oh, what are you giving me, Doc?” ex- claimed the colonel in a disgusted sort of way, ‘* Do you suppose I haveuw’t got my eyes? What is the use of trying to fool an old man like I am? The fellow is finished already! I doubt if he | comes to the scratch again, and if he does, the other will lay him out instanter, for he is as fresh asa mage This was the 7 Eomicboo m to make a mistake and give this _ > “a . ow will only have two minutes to truth, although the exertion — He is out~ which he had made in the last round had made 4 , + ae 4 ~ L -~_* wl << < A -¥ +s . 4a , ose a b 4% »* if o “ J e.'* ¢ A - 7, . : . P od ‘ ~ - 7