Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1064 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

> —_ fer dead, have been here for hours. «sun was away up here,” indicating, ‘and tried to getup; but | fainted again, and it must be that » s > Tre I * 4 , A if \ a ; Fhe! 4 a <%. | Ls oe e ie Dandy Dick Decoyed; The Terrible Tussle at Satan’s Delight. BY ROBERTI RANDOLPH INMAN, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DANDY DICK, DETECTIVE,” ‘* DANDY DICK’S DOUBLE,” ETC., ETC, CHAPTER ‘I. A STRANGE COMPACT, A HARD-LOOKING customer, Such a man as you would not want to meet in a lonely place at night. He was dirty, ragged, unkempt and villainous of mien generally, But he was astride of a splendid black horse, As he was riding bareback, however, and had ouly a hastily made rope bridle, the natural in- ference would be that the animal had been taken | witbout leave, The man was of uncertain age, a stubby board covered bis face, and he was capped above with a shockingly bad hat and incased below ina pair of the most dilapidated and rusty old boots. Coat, shirt and trowsers were rags, tatters and patches, and his whole appearance was of the scarecrow order. He had no weapons—at any rate none were in sight, although a leathern beié girdled bis middle as witb fond embrace, The afternoon of a fine summer day was drawing to a close, This villainous-looking wayfarer was riding slowly along through a fertile ravine, following a trail which in turn paralleled the devious course of a swift mountain rivulet, The man was paying littlefor noattention to his surroundings, but sat as though buried in thought, his head down -and bis hands crossed idly before him. On either side the rugged mountains rose precipitously, and nota great distance ahead they drew together, narrowing the valley-like ravines to a canyon, No sounds were heard save the hoof-strokes of the horse and the fussy murmur of the stream, and there was nothing to arouse the rider from hi~ apparent reverie until suddenly, with a wild snort and a jump that almost dislodged the rider, the horse shied, standing then with fore feet braced and staring with bulging eyes at something abead, The rider had looked up quickly, one band making « motion as though to dive somewhere into his ragged raiment as he recovered his bal- ance; but the mution was checked almost as soon as made, for the man immediately took ia the situation and saw what it was that had frightened his horse. Just here the trail wound around a huge bowlder, and just beyond, in the middle of the trail, lay the body of a woman, ‘Hal what have we here?” the ragamuffin exclaimed, Urging on his horse, he drew near and dis- mounted, keeping the rein over kis arm. . Tne body was that of a young woman, appar- ently not over twenty-five, and it presented a most shocking spectacle, - Tbe face and hands were smeared with blood and dirt, the clothing was. soiled and torn, and the skirt of the dress showed plainly the marks where a horse had trampled upon it, Suddenly, as the man looked, he gave a start anid bent closer, ‘* By heavens, she lives!” That exclamation escaped bim, and letting go the rein from his arm he knelt beside the body, _ feeling for the heart. Yo his surprise. the heart was beating fully and regularly, and now he saw ‘that the woman was breathing like one asleep, It must be that she was aboat recovering consciousness. In another moment a sigh broke from the lips, and she opened her eyes, giving a start as she beheld the villainous faco of the unknown bending over her. Accry escaped her, and she quickly sat up, motioning the man to keep mathe ) ‘“{ means yer no harm, miss,” the feHow spoke. “1 found a byer on ther trail, an’ I took yer bat has happened to yer, anyhow?” The young woman got upon her feet before re- "ponding, aad looked about ber in a bewildered a is it so near night?” she questioned, “I I came to when the p. _*T opine that is erbout ther size of it,” the “4 . * Pans Keen asleep.” } p Dandy Dick Decoyed. — — man agreed. ‘* You seem ter beall right ergain now, But yer haven’t told me what it was as happened to yer. How did yer ever come ter git laid out hyer in sich style?” ‘‘Ab!” and the woman’s manner changed in an instant, Fire gleamed in her eyes, and her whole ap- pearance was that of intense feeling and a desire for vengeance, ‘‘ He tried to kill me—curse him! curse him !/ I loved bim as I love life itself, but he tired of me, and tried to murder me!” ‘‘T knows what yer says, miss,” said the man, in a wondering way, ‘‘ but duro meif I knows what’ yer is.talkin’ erbout. Mebby you do,” ‘‘Do you doubt it?’ the woman fiercely ex- claimed, ‘*Did you ever see woman’s love changed to hatred? If not, you see it now in me! The man I loved, and for whom I would have given my life, is now the object of my most in- tense scorn and hate, As strong as my love was —ay, and stronger, is now my desire for ven- geance!” The man drew back from her, as though doubting her sanity. Without waiting for any response, she raised her blood-stained hands, turning her stained face toward the heavens, and in a voice terribly vin- dictive, cried aloud: ‘‘ High heavens hear my vow! I swear that the man who bas done me this wrong shall die, and by my hand! Craig Morgan, if that be your name, nothing shall save you from my righteous vengeance! You tried to kill me; you left me here for dead; but, as the heavens witness m vow, my hand shall deal you the death-stroke!” Her arms dropped, her head inclined, and she stood trembling. At the name she had mentioned, the man be- fore her had given a start, and his lips had part- ed as though to exclaim; but he checked bhim- self, ‘*)t do look as if yer has suffered some wrong, miss,” he r@markéd, in even tones, ‘“‘ Tell me ther bull of it, an’ if I kin be of any sarvice to yer, you kin bet yer life I will. That’s ther kind of a ha’rpin J am, from ther ground up. My name is Timothy Tough, an’ I’m tough by natur’, too; but, durn me if I kin see womankind abused. Hyer’s my band on’t, Grab onter it, if yer wants my help, an’ it are a bargain.” He stuck out his dirty hand; it was silently taken. ‘ CHAPTER II, THE WOMAN'S STORY. A MOMENT passed silently. The woman was the first to speak. ‘‘T don’t go much on your looks,” she said, frankly, ‘‘but ’'m inclined to think you mean cog aa say, and I’m glad to accept your offer, ‘You kin bet yer boots I mean it!” the man exclaimed, as their hands now parted, ‘* When I see a woman git upon her ear an’ show ther grit you hev jest showed, I’m ready ter back ber up, every time.” =. ‘Then you do promise that you will help me to square the account with my enemy? at you will help me to avenge myself upon this Craig Morgan, or Devil Duval, as he bas been called, What bis true name is, if not Morgan, he only knows,” “That's what 1 said, miss, an’ that’s what I means, too. Do yer know whar ter find this devil wkat yer mentioned?” ‘Yes, yes! And sweet revenge can be mine before the midnight hour.” ‘‘Good enough! [’m with yer, tooth an’ nail, an’ if yer wants help, byar’s ther galoot what are ready ter lend it to yér.” “ But, sir, why should you be willing to do this? We may both be overcome by the wretch, and both killed. Why are you willing to risk your life for such a creature as I am?” ‘“ Wrigglin’ snaix! Do yer s’pose that ary man what calls himself a man could see a wo- man done up as! found you, an’ not chip in on her side ter squar’ ther account with ther ornery galoot what done it? Timothy Tough ain’t that sort, nary time. If yer wants my hand on it ergain, hyar it are.” e extended bis dirty fist as before. ‘*] will take you at your word,” the woman observed, ‘If you are willing to help me, be- fore knowing anything about me, I am sure I can trust you, I am no angel I can assure ou,” | 4 ‘Haw, baw, haw!” the tough-looking man laughed, ‘* Thar’s a air of us then, I opine fer I don’t set up ter be no saint myself. As t hev said, I’m Tough by name an’ tougb by na- tur’ too. I’m willin’ ter take ye at what yer is, without no tellin’ of yer story, ‘Then you have changed your mind, A moment ago you asked for the whole story con- cerning what had happened tome, Iam willing enough to tell it, and if you are going to help me it is your right to know it.” ‘‘ Waal, fire ahead if yer wants to.” ‘‘It is soon told. I met this man first at Den- ver, and loved him at sight. I knew him then as Henry Dawson. He asked me to elope with him, swearing he loved me, and I was only too willing to agree. I have been with him ever since, and have learned much about him. I believe his true name 1s Morgan, ~ ‘‘ Recently be brought me to this part of the country, and here, suddenly, he seemed to tire of me. He has abused me shumefully, in ever way, but I, asa woman Jn love will, bore it all patiently. At last, however, I came to believe that I hada rival, and that that was why he had tired of me. This roused the tiger In me, and I set out to follow bim to-day. ‘ There is little more to add, as you have seen the result. He discovered me, and knocked me from my horse with a blow of his fist, swearing he would killme, He dismounted, and the Jast I realized he was kicking me with all his might, on my bead and body. I grew faint, and then all was darkness, You know the rest. Ah! curse him! curse him! ‘bis night his life shall pay for it all! If 1 loved him once, now | hate him—hate him |” ' The disreputable-looking character looked at the woman in a strange way while she was speaking. A light gleamed in his eyes—a strange, bale- ful light; but it seemed unnoticed by the wom-' an, so intense was ber emotion and excited her manner, ‘‘He are a terror, an’ one of ther wu’st, L allow,” he remarked, ‘‘an’ you bas good reason ter want ter tup his vile heart. [’m with yer, clear up to ther ears, I am; an’ we'll make him sick, you bet!” «But I can never hope to repay you in any way, my friend, and—” “1¢ don’t matter, it don’t matter a bit,” the man interrupted. “Pll help ye jest fer ther satterfaction it will be ter see ye git bunk with him fer bis cussed doin’s. You say you know whar ter find bim; that’s all that’s needed. IT’ll help ye up onto my critter byar, an’ we'll walk chalk in that direction.” ‘No, no; that won’t do, You must leave the iorse in sime safe place, and we will go on foot. The horse would surely be beard, It is a dan- gerous mission we are going to undertake,” ‘‘Mebby you’re right, mebby you are; but, how fur off is ther critter’s hidin’-place?” ‘“Tt is not more than two miles. Find a place to leave the horse, and in a short time the sun will be low enough for us to start.” “ But is yer armed?” the man inquired, ‘“f have this knife,” was the answer, display- ing the weapon, } ‘Good ernough. If yer gits a dig at him wi’ that, { reckon he will go on ther Jong trail with- out shrivin’.” : The tough led his horse away, returning in about ten minutes to rejoin bis strange compan- ion, It was with some surprise, as his manner proved, that he found her in in the same sad plight as when he bad left her. With the water so near at band, she had not so much as washed the blood from her hands, If his ex- ression could have been seen under the cover- ing of dirt and stubble beard, it would have ap- peared a puzzled one. CHAPTER III, SPRINGING A SURPRISE, before, the woman spoke first, at believe T can a what you are thinking bout.”’ she obeerved. 2 A? I'll tell yer, *thout puttin’ ye to any trouble ter guess,” the man made response. ‘‘[¥m wonderin’ why yer basn’t washed up a bit.” ‘“T knew it! It is easy to show that infamous wretci w when I call him to account, going, for the su’ is getting low, The answer scemed to satisfy, lain. I want to at he bas done, Come, let’s be w. i and as the woman turned immediately and started off, the | about this — man followed. ; ‘7 want wt afte ne somsetny eat r ar game,” he presently spoke. ‘ bet odin’ ter play? If you = goin’ ter kill ther feller yerself, I don’t see as I'm very big in it,” ‘Nor have I asked you to,” was the response, “ You offered, and I aoa your offer, all there was about it, goin’ ter figger . that’s | I get the worst of it, | —f +6 a «) - ro