The Deadwood Dick Library: Denver Doll's Device — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Denver DolPs Devico. and pepper is not the most delightful thing in the world-to encounter, And Yankee! } Insteai of standing triumphantly to witness __ the antics of his adversary ne bad thrown up his hands with acry and fallen to the ground, I Leaving Verner to himself, the crowd, headed | by Denver Doll rusned forward to ascertain the caus3. Blood was trickling from a tiny hole in his left side, which had been made by a bullet, and although le yeb retained his senses, he was evi- dently bard hit. ‘*@reat Heaven! yoa are shot!” Denver Doll cried, kneeling beside him, ““Youshould Inow., You had charge of the weapons!” Yankee cried, sternly. a i Denver Doll looked pained and anxious, “True, but as God is my judge I did not put shot in eithar weapon, nor was I aware that either was thus loaded!” Ie “The gal is right!” Old Pap Mount cried. — *Cavortin’ crockydiles! how could ye hev gota single rifle-bullet wound out o! a shot-gun? Some one élse has fired at ye, Yankee Doodle— eat war-hoss of Taos, yes!” I “¢Perhaps!” the Sport said, dryly, as he in | vain attempted to arise, ‘*‘ Will some one as- sist me fo some place where I can haye my wound dressed?” ke “Obt bring the gentleman to my store—I | havea couch he can he upon unfil lie can find better accommodations!” cried a feminine voice, and Miss Crystal Carrol stepped forward. ‘Few of the miners cared about having a sick man in their house, and therefore the kind offer was accepted; the Sport was borne tn the little store, and laid upon & couch in thesaloon apart- tment, A doctor was then sent for, CHAPTER IV. DENVER DOLL’S DISCOVERY—THE ROAD-AGHNTS AT HOME. . DmnveR DOLL moy or may not have ap- proved of taking the Sport to Crystal Carrol’s; | sion that bore him there, Instead, she gave the two weapons a close ex- amination, after which she set out for the boatdinog-house, where she had previously put up. | Going up one flight of stairs, she followed a | long hail to the rear of the building, and tnally _ entered an apartment of considerable size, where threa men were seated around a table engaged in a social game of eucher. They paused and looked up, as the Detective Queen entered, bowever, and by the reflection of the candlelight upon their faces we recog- nize three former acquaintances in the persons of Walt Christie, Chug, the Chinaman, and Yakie Strauss, : There was a look of expectancy upon their faces. as they bebeld the young woman, in whose faithful service they had been for sey- eral vears. | “Vel, vot der news is™ Yakie asked, pushing forward a vacant chair, with bis fuot. “T think we have not lost by coming here agaiy!? the girl replied, seating herself, ‘‘ Mc- Parland attacked the stage 1 came in on to- at any rate, she did not join the little proces-" night, not far from this camp. He had twenty or More men,” “Shimminy shumpers! you don’d vas say so! Did he make much of a haul!” -‘* Yes; cleaned out the crowd and the treasure- hox, and took off the mai-bags, We must ouce more lay our traps for him, but you have got to lay shady, in disguise, It don’t matterso much about me,as I can look out for number one, poo bet! There’s another lay-out, too, that I ae expected to find,” - “ Not—der shild?” 2 “No! but the murderer of the child’s mother. Walt, let me see that lockot once more?” ‘Lor’ yes, honey, but don’t you gone for to lose it, for I wouldn’t take de worl’ fo’ dat locket, wat I foun’ roun’ dat infant's neck.” Walt took from around his neck a slender gold chain with a1 magnificent locket attached to it, which was almost literally incrusted with diamonds, - This chain had been found around the neck of the child whom Walt had rescued on the monn- tain-side, a year befere—and since which tims little Grace, as they had named her, had been mysteriously abducted from their keeping. Opening the locket in two sections, three pic- {ures were revealed. Tha middle one was a correct likeness of little Grace, the left side contained a lifelike picture of the murdered woman Walt had seen in the mountains, as sbe bad appeared in life, while the right-hand likeness was of a dashing young man, singularly like the wounded sport, who -bad given his name as Yankee, E ‘' Yes, yes—there can be no disputing that fact,” Denver Doll murmured. ‘t Yankee aad this mau areone and the same, and he should know of the child, and the crime on that wild snowy night, one year ago. By the way, when Tcome to think of it, that woman who keeps the cigar store is the living image of this woman in the picture, although she appears much younger, Humph! there’s a mystery about this case that needs solving, and the more you tackle it the deeper it grows, Yet, Pve faith I can un- tavel it, Walt, let me inspect that box once more,” The box was apparently solid, yet ita light — weight proclaimed that it hada cavity within— but the question was how to reach it without spoiling the’box, for there was no lid, or visible way of opening.it. “*T still believe that this box contains some importsnt secret in regard to this matter of the child,” Doll said, thoughtfully, ‘‘ and it looks to me as if it was our duty to open it, and find ou. _what we can.” “Yaw, dot vas how vasder matter, Smash der box—but maype der vas dynamite in it,” Yakio suggested. **Let ber go, den, fo’ suah—but put de box under dat yar rat-wrustler!” said Walt, to whom Ohug was an eyesore, 2 “oMelican no muchee smartee,’” Chug said, witha contemptuous shrug. ‘* Let Chineeman hab box—mebbe open *im,” _ “T dare say,” Doll remarked, sarcastically, as she handed him the box, : Chug-turned it over and over and examined it closely for several minutes—then, taking aa