Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

a. . » . Tex, 4 2 4 & . 3 Aa an pe Ban 9 ie vl , erg i, : «, a ed \ . Stand SNe sgeel No. 8. Age: oe Wildcat are~7> vwo families did not associate nor even 8}2ak together, for the Setons, at the command of their stern progenitor, advanced not the shghtest degree of hospitality or sociability; " cansequently as neighbors they remained stran- gvrs to each other. Bertha Bloodgood took a gallop over the yrairies every morning, sometimes alone, but more often accompanied by gay frolicsome Thorpe, and Amber Seton did somehow the girls rarely chanced to meet, as their course, as if by concertel arrangement, was in differont directions. Charles Seton was absent from his home much of the time, attending to his duties. He held | Charles, we've @ same, but | i vast tracts of land in certain sections of the West, which, owing to the incessant tide of im- | migration, he did not have serious trouble in Jisposing of. Major Bloodgood was here, there, and every- where. ‘Where there was a chance for profita- bd}: speculation he went, and he never came out of an investment with there was in it previous to said investment. wis wide-awake, calculating and shrewd, and ever on the aiert for a ‘‘ fat” opportunity, his operations being chiefly confined to the mining di-tricts and lumber regions of the North. On th» night of thateventful rainy day that we have described in Pompeii, Charles Seton returned to his home in a state of angry nervousness. had ridden all the way to Denver with a vic disposing of a worn-out claim in Pom- soy guich, toa party of greenhorns from the fast, only to find that they had purchased in the Golden City mines. So ‘- had nothing to do but ride back through the drenching rain, and put up with the disappointment as best he could. This “pai claim wes about sixteen miles tlown the rugged gulch from’ Harper's, or ten ‘niles from the thriving “‘city” of Pompeii, and was in as ione and desolate a section as there was in Colorado. Some enterprising here, with the idea that gold was to be found hundreds of fect below the surface, but theirs miners had run a shaft less in his pocket than | He | Th | “ad Beet oo og 2 a ae ¥% _ oy a Bob, the Boss Bruiser. SE ee va ~ 5 “No, there has been no one here.” ° ything new about the folks in the other house?” " ere#—at Bloodgoods?” as Yes. » ** Yes, there is something new there, dear,” said Mrs. Seton, entering the room and seating herself with a mysterious nod. “I tell you, “* Certainly, certainly. But, what do you have reierence to?’ ‘* To our Amber and Thorpe Bloodgood, dear.” | “To our Amber and Thorpe Bloodgood,” re- | ted the land-agent, with a little start. * Why, what of them?” This!” whispered Mrs. Seton, impressively. ‘* While we have been little dreaming of it, they have been carrying on a secret correspondence, and meeting on the sly. Look at this!” She took an envelope from her pocket, and | gave ittohim. It was directed simply to ** Miss Amber Seton.” € superscription was in a bold and well- trained hand. ‘“* How came you by this?’ demanded the land- agent, giving vent to a low curse, as he tooka sheet of paper from the wrapper, and glanced | over the contents. *“T saw young Bloodgood sneak into our yard and slip the letter into a bed of flowers,” replied Mrs, Seton, ‘‘so I was not slow in getting session of it. But, just read it, my dear. Why tis the most outrageous piece of business I ever heard of.” Charles Seton’s brow grew rough with rage as he went carefully over the lines. It ran as | follows: | “My Dear Miss Srtron—] received your note, and will meet you at our old trysting-place, to-morrow, if I can possibly get away from my sister. Until then, I remain * Lovingly yours, THorPk Bioopaocop.” |} The land-agent cast the missive from him, and | ringing to his feet, paced angrily up and down | the room. % had been a rash venture. Ere they had gone “Curses on them both!” he cried, biting his down a hundred feet, the top caved in on and an fiercely, ‘‘ Have I not told the brat repeat- killed them. Shortly afterward another edly not to dare to even look at those people? recommenced the tunneling, dug out the bodies | Now, this is a fine state of affairs—a Jine stato, of the ill-fated miners, and ran the shaft down | indeed. And it’s all your fault, Maria, all your to a depth of two hundred feet, when both their | fault, Had you kept the girl in, as I ordered, stock of money and patience played out, and | nothing like’ this would ever have happened. the claim was abandoned. Now, something has got to be done!” Since then it had been reported haunted, and “My dear,” said . Seton, scothingly, ‘do it was rarely visited, although Charles Scton had | not take on so. For my part, I see no actual gg er despaired of selling it to his pecuni- | harm in it. If the Bloodgeads are really a good ary vantage. But, to-night, he inwardly | family—and we have no reason to think differ- swore that he would not again make an effort | ent—I do not see why it could fail to be a good for its disposal. match. This Tho seems to be an attractive “You can send me up a cup of coffee to my | young fellow, and I am sure his father is well- room, Maria,” he said as he entered the kitcher, o—” and threw aside his oiicloth cloak. “I’m tired, and soaked to the skin, too. Curse that bother- some claim, Pi never raisea hand to sell it, It’s given me more than a thousand dol- Jars’ worth of trouble already.” “T told = I didn’t believe those fellows would buy it?” said Mrs. Seton, as she gave the hickory another stir. ‘There are better claims awaiting industrious miners than that, 9 Seni that’s good enough!” he growled, off his boots and throwinz them into a corner ‘‘if one could find any sensible men to take the thing in hand. Where’s Amber?” “She ran down to the village for some tea, a few moments ago.” ** What! in all this storm?” ** Sho had an umbrella,” faltered the wife. “TI don’t care if she did. She'll catch her of cold, now, mark my words. If she Piib your head for it!” i: well,” replied Mrs. Seton, composed- ly, as irritable spouse lim from the room. She was used to this, knew how to take fag Os honge angry. Mr. ton wait. $0 his bedchamber, and t a somewhat le y solace from a flask, stood on his i d. i Hetiprtetning t ae Ahr to his library, a appointed room, in which burned a “to he grunted, as he seated himself be- fore in blaze to warm his damp feet, “this is horrible Sponge ae weather. If it son a , it give me the rhe again. — weather, anyhow. “Shut up!” he quickly to- ss Spine s ead sling tis spittoon as Your teachoaal” ime Wenehed sotehien f “and seo bow Til’ doctor you « your you old boor. “But have not answered me. Has been to see me during the day? I didn't ** Madam! interrupted the land-agent, almost livid with passion—‘ will you hush, Isay? Let me hear no more of this. Thorpe Bloodgood marry my daughter? No, by ail the gods, I'll see him—you—hber—all in the fiery pit first. Why, woman, have I not told you, time and again, that no intimacy must spring up between us and them—that they are my enemies, and should I be Ping Speen by them, all would be lost? Curses on them—curses on you and your brat! Leave the room, madam—leave the I say, and let me think. What shall I do? I know of but one thing, Ill walk over to this rascal’s house and put a bullet through him. Hold! madam; tell me, did the young villain see ate get this letter?” “t—TI don’t know!” faltered Mrs. Seton, palo and trembling, “but I think that he did watch me go to the piace, though I was careful in tak- ing. up the note.” sharles Seton turned away with a horrible, sarcastic laugh. “* You are an idiot!” he hissed—‘‘a blind, crazy fool. You have ruined me; I know itt know it. But go! leave me alone, and when that brat comes, if she ever d send her to me at once, Do you hear—send her to me at once.” “You will not harm her, Charles—” “Oh! no. I won't harm her, not I!” he re- plied, with a wild maddened laugh; then he pointed sternly toward the kitchen. She bowed, and leaving the room, closed the door behind er. ‘““Now, I am alone!” he hissed, striding up and down the room like a tiger in its cage— “alone, and I can think. What shall I do? Shall I tell them both and thus end the matter? Yes, that seems the only resort. But ha! I didn’t think of that, before. epics § they may have flown! Yes! yes! that is what they have done, curse them. But they shall not esca oh! no. I will follow them even to the ends of the earth!” He seized his hat and leaped toward a glass door which opened out onto a front porch. But the next instant he recoiled, while a yell of hor- ror pealed from his li A face and two sathcbs wero es closely ace so hideous against the frame of ed and distorted that it t been taken for Re roask. A face of « borpes in color, terrible furrows ee es ; en a got to keep an eye on our child.” | pale-were tod loyhl to dicover es ait Is ad -as-naneeneracknagesaniaeiia-reedicae eae eee tee eee balls of fire; hair snarled and matted; and hands—such awful hands, more like the claws i Pac wild beast than those of a human ing. It was an awful, hideously-terrible spectacle, and yet there were traces of where beauty had been, long ago, in that same face. Charles Seton staggered back, white as death, and then as there was a blood-curdlng shriek from without, he could bear no more, but faint- ed quite away. CHAPTER V. THE MAN WHO BOUGHT THE HAUNTED CLAIM. Criss of astonishment and wonder came from every hand at the sight of the senseless bully and his eye, and a dozen of his pals sprung for- ward to assist him to his feet, but Wildcat Bob hurled them back with giant strength. ** Back!” he shouted, taking the matter quite coolly for all the impending danger, ‘* back, or I'l spile more than one of you. Keep back, and let me "tend to this big moose, or he'll never at- tempt another set-to, T can tell you,” With growls and mutterings of vengeance, the ruffian crowd slunk away, while the athlete knelt down beside Big Hank. Colonel Tupper also came foryyard, rubbing his greasy hands, gleefully. a4 ‘“By Moses, young feller!” he ejaculated, slapping the bruiser on the shoulder, “ you're a brick—a double-action, compressed brick, an’ no mistake. Why, I’ve scen prize-fightin’, sir— lots of scientific prize-fightin’, but I never see'’d ther like o’ ye, by no means. It was beautiful sir, actually beautiful, and can’t be beat. Til back you wi’ ten thousand ag’in’ any bruiser in ther universe.” ‘* ’d advise you to use your small change first,’ Cap.,” was the sarcastic reply. ‘*Then you wot!d not be wholly swamped, should your ésti- mation of my prowess betray you into difficul- ty. By the way, you may fetch me a Kittle whisky, and I wil try and repair this damaged individual.” ‘* Cool—wonderfully cool!” muttered the colo- nel to himself, after ordering one of his rosy- checked waiter girls to fetch out the requifed spirits. ‘* He'd be a fortune to some enterpris- ing young man who could ‘farm’ him out, through the Eastern States, and no individual, with mental and financial capacity, is better adapted to such a venture than myself, to be sure, Exactly! ‘tis a grand thought, an’ I’m goin’ ter tackle him on the subject, as soon as possible. Oh! yo visions of slow! ~acquired wealth, avaunt! I’ve snatched another, an’ a vast superior idee. I've found a sinecure, cure pop, an’ ef I longer live in ignomoney an’ pocu- niary distress, ye ken skin me fora rabbit,— yes, ye can take my hair wi’ a Comanche gcalp- in’ knife!” In the mean time the whisky had’ been pro- duced, and after gently repressing the dis} eye back into the socket, Wildcat Bob ba’ the swollen and discolored cheek and brow for several moments. He then poured a quanti of the fiery stimulant down the pests throe after which he rose quictly to his feet lanced about him. © expressions on the aces of the border ruflians were anything but friendly andinviting. They glared at him with a savage ferocity, that, despite his selfcommand and courage, made him shudder a trifle. He knew thet a storm was brewing whose whols force was to be directed against him; yet he did not fear for his present rsonal safety. ** Gentlemen,” he said, in a cool, esi tone, ‘‘ you have witnessed the contest, and the effect it has had on yon giant. Is there any one among you that wishes to step out here end measure stre with me,—any one who cares to stand up before me, and say I didn’t give a fair shake to Big Hank, all through?’ For reply, there came a thundering ‘Thres cheers for the Boss Bruiser!” from the and a low angry murmur from the ruM ans, A least there were as many for the Wildcat as there were against him. t no one seemed ea- ger to accept his chall so he donned his garments, and casting a n toward the colon moved toward the door where his horse was ye standing. ** Coward!” cried a voice from the ruf- fian crowd, just loud enough for the word to reach gd man’s ears. Then the same voice added: ‘He wants ter sneak off afore Big Hank gots on his taps ag’in, fer feer he'll get bu'sted SEER, mug!” 8) Quick as a flash Wildcat Bob whg apd k lazing eyes scanned the sea of fe in search of the taunter, “*Show me the whelp that eal ard!” cried the bruiser, sternly upon the bar, and watching thei * Bring him out where I can get bhostering loafer!” But the offender a re himself, for he did no emy. A contemptuous smile h - athlete’s mouth as he saw how mat s seem to doubt as you Til wait for your big bully to recover, choo