Deadwood Dick's Big Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Oregon — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

30 DEADWCOD DICK. ity and prodigious strength when necessity required it. His face was one hard to read in the way of feature, be- cause of a luxuriant long silken beard of the blackest hue, and a heavy mustache of the same color. For a more magnificent hirsute growth, man could not wish. The nose was well-defined, the forehead high and pure 2s elabaster; the eyes dark and magnetic. ~ His well-shaped head was covered with well-trimumed dark hair, surmounted by a prairie white hat of the broad- brim “slouch” order; his hands were small and white 25 a’ woman’s; his dress was.that of a private citizen, consist- ing .of black diagonal cloth, a b’iled shirt with a large diamond blazing upon the bosom; top-boots of patent leether, and a belt about his waist which contained only a single revolver. His saddle and horse trappings showed the good taste of the owner—all being. of the best material. He had the bearing of a gentleman of about forty years of age. The road-agent who put in an appearance was roughly dressed, and the lower part of his face was beard- ed. He was well armed; and the piercing gaze that swept through the cye-holes of his mask, showed that he was.a mean of strong passions, ‘ He advanced slowly toward the traveler, keeping the ee sile.on:e. lech With his ¢ re; then, when but a few paces , intervened between him thé er, he suddenly and = by a: habining. mewement dropped the rifle and snatched Se “A military move, that, executed with perfection!” he gai, “I presume.the army. has lost.a valuable private, > while the public highways has found one, eh?” “You are wrong. I never belonged to the army,” the whore mie mp ie, ltd Rg cor aie CconmiclookssecoOmn * o _