Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 481

Deadwood Dick in Deadwood by Edward L. Wheeler

This serial Western installment opens with detective John Madden arriving in Deadwood to investigate the mysterious robbery and disappearance of Owen Megargee, a Chicago banker carrying ten thousand dollars. Megargee vanished en route; evidence found near McMichael & Megargee's office—a pocket-book, handkerchief half, and ammunition box—suggests he was assaulted. Sheriff Hardgag's week-long investigation proved fruitless. Madden deduces Megargee likely survived the attack and was kidnapped rather than killed. He learns that telegraph operator Gus Thornton knew of Megargee's arrival, widening suspects beyond McMichael, his clerk Chadwick, and miner John Trent. Madden recommends increasing the reward to one thousand dollars. The narrative then shifts to a new Boston Cheap Restaurant opening across the street, where a pleasant young stranger becomes its first customer and converses with the proprietor's attractive hazel-eyed daughter.