Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 533 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Oregon, the Sport with a Scar. ‘Sorry, mum, that you look at it in those lamps. I’m ez innercent ez a defunct babe, man—a big man, pur much all whiskers an’ coat—axed me ef I'd like a clubbin’ er would I rather earn a dollar? ‘* You kin guess w’ot I sed. “Then he told me ther balance, an’ give me ther letter an’ ther cart-wheel. You kin hev it —ef yer take it ’cordin’ ter contract—er you kin let it erlone. Thar may be millions in it, an’ thar may be not.” ‘* With the ‘ not’ most likely. Still, I imagine the best way to get at the mystery is to take the letter. Will everybody please ca the other way? This fellow intends to follow orders if it breaks owners,” Merry May was just in time, for Chestnut had made a movement as though to withdraw, He looked around and saw that the eyes of the other occupants of the room were bent in the direction he had indicated. He dropped the note into the outstretched hand of Merry May, and went hastily out of the room, ee CHAPTER VII. MERRY MAY STARTS OUT CALLING. OREGON had kept discreetly silent during the presence of Chestnut Chink. When the young man went out, be drew a sigh of relief, ‘* That’s a young man ter tie to; jest please don’t disremember.” The announcement was made in a whisper that could not have been heard two yards, but he looked around to be certain that no one else was present. ‘Why, what is there specially praiseworthy about him?” Merry May glanced up from the perusal of the note, and threw in the question ina meditative way. cf He ain’t sech a blame big fool ez he looks; an’ (ibhat’s more nor yer kin say fur one man outen a thousand, I kinder thought he war ov our side, an’ now I know it. He was knowin’ ez well ez us whar that belonged, but he placed it whar he thort it would do ther most good. Ef he can’t beat ther old boy round ther stump, I want ter know!” ‘But perhaps it was intended for me, after all. It meutions no names, and the parties may want to meet me just as badly as as youimagine they wish to see Miss North,’ That young lady looked up on hearing her name mentioned, “Tf it is not strictly private and confiden- tial, perbaps you would inform us as to its con- tents,” ‘* As I told you, the writer wishes to see me— or some other feminine-—and appoints a rendez- vous at ten o’clock precisely, in front of the Hole in the Ground. Ah, won’t there be a scat- terment when I get there, and they find they’ve wakened up the wrong passenger?” ‘* But you are not goin 1 by yourself? It is the night of folly to think of it.” ‘* Perhaps—and perhaps not, If I can’t take care of myself, it’s time that I knew it, closed out business, and went home. If JZ don’t come out level boas will have a charce to guess where you would have been.” And Miss May laughed softly as she rose from the table and consulted her watch by the not very certain light. : ‘* Of course Pll post you all upon the result of the racket,” she continued. ‘*‘ There is plenty of time, I see, to look around the camp a little, Perhaps, for to-night, at least, it would be just aswell that we are not seen in company. I think that no one will sus- pect me of being a kind of side-pard, as it were; and I can see an advantage in that if your un- known friends should turn out to be very des- perate individuals, Good-night all, ‘There may be something worth telling in the morn- ing!” She waited for no answer, and did not seem to hear the good-niehts that followed her. Neville North, who was a little puzzled, half rose; but she was gone before he could speak. «Who, under the sun, is she?” he asked, as the door closed, “A good little woman from ’Wayback,” smiled Oregon. ‘‘If yer hed bin ‘round amine the sports ov this section yer wouldn’t hev hed ter ax that, after yer onc’t heered her name, Onless Miss Viola wants ter go it tlind—which I wouldn’t advise—jest let her alone, Sbe might git mad an’ go ter work on ther other side. She’s smart ez they make ’em, quick ez a cat, an’ full ov luck up to ther chin. Thar’s nothin’ that she could give away; an’ ef thar’s arything thet kin be learned [ reckon she’s ther party ter git thar when she strikes fur ther bottom. Td like mighty well ter see ther cirkiss, but I ain’t yearnin’ ter hev her pick trigger my way. Ef you two hev arything to talk over now’s yer time. Ill go bunt fur Sam, and ease his mind. He’s been awfully worked up, an’ wants ter see ther captain bad. Ef it’s too late ter-night, when I find him, he'll be on the sod early in ther mornin’,” “Tf I thought we could find him at the Bower I would go along,” responded Neville. a ne “*T want toshow up at that lively little sec- tion of pandemonium, and let them know they can’t bluff over me, or scare me. Perhaps I had better wait awhile, though. If convenient, drop in about nine o’clock and see if ’m there, and how the game isrunning. I confess that lL do not like to see Viola mixed up with our young friend who just went out, but in war you can’t always stop to consider your allies, and as long as she is on our side it won’t do to neglect her, or be too particular, Keep an eye out about the Hole in the Ground, There may bea chance to help that fresh young maiden.” ‘* Ail right! In Brace Box it’s eyes open an’ fingers ready. So-long, pard; I may see yer later. It was handy to take in the Bower, and Ore- gon took a glance through the rooms. None of his particular acquaintances were there, so he did not make a very long stop, in- tending to return soon. Had be waited a few moments he would have been able to mark the entrance of Merry May, who had gone back to the costume-room in the stage. She did not don the masculine habiliments for the sake of disguise, but the result was all the same, It took an extra keen pair of eyes to note that the youngster, who ruffled up to the bar with bis bands on his hips and his nose in the air, was nota handsome, beardless, stylish- ly-dressed young man. ‘‘Johnny, good-evening. What’s the very lightest drink you can find for a FON lady? When I strike a bitters fountain | always feel it my duty to help keep the stream going; but {[ can’t join in on. the average bug-juice, { want something a leetle softer.” The bartender looked up. ,.May was speaking in her most feminine tones. Knowing pretty well how she looked she wanted to convince the man on the other side of the plank. With her words and tones as pointers it was not so hard to believe the truth in the case, and the bartender was ready to do business, ‘*Good-evening, miss. Don’t know that I ever saw you before, but'I wouldn’t wonder if I could call the first letters of your names— and they sound like Merry May. We’re not very partial to sports of the other sex, at the Bower; but you’re welcome. If you need back- ing—and the best of men do that sometimes when they try to play a lone hand here—just call on me. And there’s a demijohn of sherry here that is rather better than fair if you leave sugar out of it.” ‘*So you don’t admire the sex on the aver- age? Well, I don’t blame you. They are apt to makes more noise than profit in a well regu- lated house like this, Maybe I’d be as bad as any of them if I drank the whole of that de- mijohn, I sometimes have to drink for form’s sake, and I like to know, beforehand, what sort of an infliction I am going to endure, Who’s your best man here?” ‘* What way? Brace Box has several chiefs, and we haven’t made up our miads which is the best, all around. ‘*Wor a slugger, Solid Sam is generally sup- posed to take the cake. When it comes to shooting, Colonel Killer is an unhandy man to have <= you; while Charley Coldcard is generally supposed to be able to call the deck by name, They can each hold an end up at the other’s line about as well as the average. If you are going to open;for’business I wouldn’t try very hard to rope either of them into a ame, ‘Thanks! You’re awfully kind. Those are the three best, are they?” ® “‘ Nothing else near them.” ‘* Don’t forgit leetle, teetle, Paul Morrison, w’ot lives up ther gulch, He’s a cripple, but he’s a cuss,” Chestnut Chink was convenient to the spot, and slipped in his say-so, just as he had done when Oregon was taking the census, ‘* What have you got against Paul Morrison?” said May, regarding the young man with a cold stare, ** Nothin’, _I’d ez soon lean on ther hind legs of a mule. I war only jest a-sayin’, Thar ain’t no one gives him credit, only me, I hev ter tell ther truth er bu’st.” _ “Don’t mind him, miss, He’s a little wrong in his upper story. This Morrison ho speaks of is a no-account cripple that the boys kind of lend a helping hand.” *“* He’s ther only man in Brace Box thet no one hez tried ter plug. Ef that don’t read his pe een Chestnut Chink can’t, an’ won't try oO “Thanks for the information, and I'll jot it down,” replied the young lady. ‘ It may come handier than you think. If it does, I won’t for- get to give you credit ina solid way that I am sure you will admire,” Byer ie Matha gone nak n arley Coldcard—where wil] I to find him?” je ‘Right in there. You can’t miss the way; but if you will wait a minute Ill be able to show you the route and point out your man. Of course this is confidential, as I understand it. Chestnut, if you breathe a word of this Dll kill * you on the spot,” i ee ——— ——— — is He looked threateningly at Chink, who grin- ned and giggled. ‘‘T could keep a hotel meself, ef I hed ther chance, an’ you bet I ain’t talkin’ ’bout what I hear ef I kin only git ter see ther fun. Ef she can’t wait ter git eyes on Charley, I could p’int him out meself; an’ you could come ‘long bime- by when ther racket begun.” ‘¢ All right, but if they catch you raising a row in there youl! come out minus a scalp, Den’t you forget it. Take Chestnut in tow, miss. He can point out—as he says—the man that you’re after.” Together the two passed on to the next room. “'That’s ther daisy,” whispered Chestnut cautiously, indicating a man who sat by himself at,one of the little tables, ‘He looks ez though he war ina prime bad humor, so I'll draw out. You kin size him up from here, an’ then go over an’ do yer talk- in’.” Charley Coldcard was certainly thinking about something more than usually disagree- able, for the ordinarily impressive features had.taken an unpleasant look, A young man would be very tender in the feet, and something of a fool to boot, who could not just then re- cognize him as a dangerous man, Merry May was neither a tenderfoot nora fool; but she came up smiling. ‘« CHarley Coldeard, I believe?” ** Correct you are, What can I do for you?’ ** Pass the time away—or help to do it— for an hour or so, [’m a stranger in the camp, and have an appointment for ten o'clock, How to put in the intervening time I[ can’t so clearly see, so I come to you as the likeliest man I can pick out to play the good Samaritan, In that time I can find out whether you know anything about the pasteboards, If it should turn out that you do, [ could see you later, and buve an interesting time, I play cards myself.” She put a good deal of laugh and banter in her voice, and if Coldeard had not been the pro- fessional gambler that he was, it is more than likely that she would have bewitched him into a game anyhow. He recognized the sex if not the woman, and was as polite as could be. ‘* That is the style of invitation I am more in- clined to give than to refuse, and I’m not in the habit of giving a warning along with it. I should be only too happy to accommodate you, but I play a strong game—so strong that even in Brace Box they talk about barring me out when some one proposes to look around for enough material to get up a little game. I had to give up short cards a year ago, though { am not entirely out of practice. Faroismy main- stay and dependence now, though they are be- ginning to say I am too mucky at that,” ‘' Then you are the man I have been yearning to meet, As I play solely for amusement there’s not much fun playing with a chump that don’t know the value of an ace full. Time is flying. Let’s get to work.” ‘*All right. I suppose this will suit you as well as any place, and time is too precious to waste, If we want to get inany real work in this trial canter, as you say, we had better get up to the starting-post.” pisaiccand was not idle during the conversa- on, He was watching covertly but keenly the fair face before him, and smoothing the wrinkles out of his own, He had hardly made up his mind when they sat down to play. ‘** Poker, of course,” he suggested; and Merry May nodded, Lie CHAPTER VIII. PAUL MORRISON'S WIFE. ‘* ARE you Charley Coldeard?” The gambler was just weaving the cards to-~ gether preparatory to a cut for deal, when a man laida hand on his shoulder, and eagerly asked the question. **°Most any one could tell you that was my name; what’s the matter with you?” + ‘* Read that! A fellow that called himself Boston Joe got as far as Rock with it, and paid me big to bring it the rest of the way, Said e’d traveled forty miles in three hours, and I’ve beat his record,” ** And where’s Boston Joe? He’s nota man to let forty miles break him up.” Coldcard looked at the man searchingly, still holding unopened the letter that had been thrust into his hand, ‘* His cayeuse stumbled just above Bed Rock, and he went over. An awful bad fall. it was, and he broke a leg if nothing worse. They ker- ried bim into camp, but be wouldn’t bave a thing done till he’d started that letter on. You'd better read it, and don’t ferget the time you got it. Joe said there was twenty-five extra depending on that.” . oldcard opened the letter, and glanced at its brief contents, then he nodded gravely to the man. ‘* All right, my friend. Pve got time and all down, There’s a ten for yourself, and Dve no doubt Joe will divide fair. Go around to Bower, and tell him to treat you well on my ac- count, You'll want to rest over night, but Tl —— a rs aSS-t /)icomicbooks:com Bi Se : . . ‘ afc % val eee ss Se se: Pet aeLe = paste