Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 496

# Catalog Note

This issue of Beadle and Adams' weekly (January 1887) contains the serialized novel "Deadwood Dick Jr's Inheritance" by E. L. Wheeler, author of the Deadwood Dick series. The narrative follows Richard Bristol, also known as Deadwood Dick Junior, a detective known for his exploits in the American West. In Del Norte, Colorado—a gambling center in the southern part of the state—Bristol encounters Don Jose Mellique, a wealthy Spanish-American gentleman from Santa Fe. Mellique, despondent after romantic rejection by his brother's adopted American daughter, Donna Nola, enlists Bristol's aid. Mellique plans to gamble at the San Carlos saloon and requests Bristol's presence, warning that trouble and possible violence may occur, providing him with instructions and a family diamond ring should he be shot. Bristol agrees and disguises himself as a bearded Jewish gentleman to observe Mellique's poker game against Dr. Larry Keegan, a skilled Colorado card-player. The narrative includes colorful frontier character dialogue, particularly featuring "Avalanche," an eccentric prospector accompanied by a mule and billy-goat.