Blonde Bill, or Deadwood Dick's Home Base

# "Blonde Bill: Deadwood Dick's Home Base" by E. L. Wheeler

This dime-novel installment, published April 21, 1886, follows a stagecoach journey through Colorado's San Juan canyon toward the mining settlement of Deadwood Dick's Discovery. The coach carries diverse passengers: miners, gamblers, a minister, Hon. Ray Vernon from Ohio, and a mysterious blonde man in green goggles traveling with a veiled woman—both carrying substantial gold and currency.

When the "Silent Tongues," a band of reticent road-agents, ambush the stage, the blonde stranger—Blonde Bill—rallies the armed passengers to defend the treasure-box. Beautiful Bill, a boastful giant borderman, and his partner Old Avalanche join the fight alongside others. During the intense canyon gunfight, the veiled woman is fatally shot. The outlaws retreat mysteriously upon hearing her death-scream. The stage halts to address her body while tensions flare between Blonde Bill and the driver over continuing the journey.