Beadle's Pocket Library, No. 64

# Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Gulch

By Edward L. Wheeler (1885)

This dime novel follows Rosebud Rob, a young, well-dressed dandy arriving in Deadwood City to challenge Munro Malvern's ownership of the Big Bullion mine. The narrative opens in "The Little Brown Jug," a saloon where various miners, lawyers, and roughnecks gather. Colonel Bill Stokes, a boastful veteran, discusses Malvern's questionable claim to the mine. Hickory Hank, a brutal desperado and Malvern's associate, becomes agitated during the conversation. When Rob enters and confronts Hank directly, the newcomer impresses the assembled company with his composure and wit. Rob introduces himself as "a man to suit all circumstances" and declares his intention to claim the mine. Baltimore Bess, a woman dressed in men's clothing and a respected figure in Deadwood, befriends Rob before his departure. The story promises conflict between Rob and Malvern over mining rights.