Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

‘a moment later the road-agents, with Fearless Frank at their head, reached the doorway, where the halted. The poset, paseeess Dick came forw here was a wild, ening cheer, : ‘‘Hurra! hurra! Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, still dives. Three long ey cheers, lads, and a hummer!”’ cried Fearless , and then the mountain echees reverberated with a thousand dis- cordant yells of hurrah. The vous read-agent responded with a nod, and then said: a ‘‘ The prisoners; have you them there? ‘Here they are, Cap!” cried a score of voices, and the two Filmores were trotted out to the front, with ropes already about their necks, “Shall we h’ist ’ ” ‘Not jest yet, boys: I have a few words to say, Then arin Ronee Feat in the doorway, Dead- ued: wood Dick con : “Ladies and gentlemen, a little tragedy is about to take place here soon, and it becomes necessary that I should say a few words explaining what cause I have for hanging these two wretches whom you see here. ‘‘ Therefore, I will tell you a short story, and you will see that my cause is just, as we look at these things here in this delectable country of the Black Hills. To begin with: Z “My name is, to you, Hdward Harris!” and here the road-agent flung aside the black mask, revealing the smiling face of the young card-sharp. ‘I have another—my family name—but I do not use it, pre- ferring Harris to it. Anita, yonder, is my sister. “Several years ago, when we were children, living in one of the Eastern States, we were made orphans by the death of our parents, who were drowned while | driving upon a frozen lake in company with my uncle, Alexander Filmore, and his son, Clarence—_ those are the parties yonder, and as God is my judge, I believe they are answerable for the death of our father and mother. ‘* Alexander Filmore was appointed us, and executor of our propesss which amounted ‘to somewhere in the neig borhood of fifty thousand ‘dollars, my father having been for years oe reel gn engaged rhe Fhe 2 can at which he was most al- ‘ways su ul. “From the day of their death we began to receive ‘the most tyrannical treatment. We were whip ‘kicked about, and kept in a half-starved condition. ‘Twice when we were in bed, and, as he supposed asleep, Alexander Filmore came to us and attempted ito assassinate us, but my watchfulness was a match ‘for his villainy, and we escaped death at his hands. * Finding that this kind of life was unbearable, I to our neighbors and even to the courts for — | when the first whispers of gold got afloat, and a (protection, but my enemy was a man of great influ- ence, and after many vain attempts, I found that I could not obtain a hearing; that nothing remained for me to do but to fight my own way. AndIdid fight it. ‘Out of my father’s safe I purloined a sum of mo sufficient to defray our expenses for a while, and then, oe Anita with me, I fled from the home of my youth. I came first Fort Laramie, where I spent a year in the service of a fur-trader. “*My during that year, sent three men out to kill me, but they had the tables turned on them, and their bones y bleaching even now on Laramie plains. ‘* During that year my sister met a ga , dashing young sorger who hailed to the name of Justin Mc- e, an of course she fell in love with him. That was natural, as he was handsome, suave and gal- lant, and, more than all, reported tolerably well to-do. ‘*T made inquiries, and found that there was noth- ing nst his moral character, so I made no objec- tions to his paying his attentions to Anita. ** But one day a great surprise came. “On returning from a buffalo-hunt of several days’ duration I found my home deserted, and a letter from Anita that she had gone with McKenzie to a5 4 eee to live; they were not married yet, but vee Tha t aroused the hellish part of nate : aro e he of my oO nature. I believed that McKenzie was edie her a life of dishonor, and it made my blood boil even think of it. Death, I swore, should be his reward for this infidelity and mounting my horse I set out in hot haste for Cheyenne. ‘‘But I arrived there too late to accomplish my Mission of vengeance. “TI found Anita and took her back to my home, a ‘sad and sorro maiden; McKenzie I could not find; he had heard of my coming, and fled to escape my avenging hand. But over the head of my weep- sister, I swore a fearful oath of ve ce, and I have it yet to keep. I believe there been some kind of asham e; Anita would never speak on -the subject, so I had to guess at the terrible truth. = there's where you made an mess .of the whole affair!’ cried McKenzie svepping into the cabin, and leading Anita forward, by the d ‘Before God and man J acknowledge A be m ally wedded e. Listen, Edward and { wl explain. That day that you came to Cheyenne in pursuit of me, I'll acknowledge I com- ree - - a that bes caused me much rouble since, e case was : “Twas the nearest of kin toa rich old fur-trader, who proposed to leave me all his pro at his ‘death; but he was a desperate woman-hater, and a Harris to bound me to a promise that I would never marry. “Tempted by the lust for gold, I yielded, and he ew Ups willin my favor. was before I met Anita, here. ‘‘ When we went to Cheyenne, the old man was lying at the point of death; sol told Anita that we - apprisi Deadwood Dick. would not be married for a few days, until we saw | Your refusal has decided my future. A os if how matters were going to shape. he died, we would be married secretiy, and hee: roof until I could get possession of my inher- tance, when we would go to some other of the country to live. If he recovered, I would marry her e would return to | die. | anyway, and let the old man go to Tophet with his | | mone vege I see now how I was in the wrong. ‘““ Well, that very day, before your arrival, the old man If pounced down upon us, and cursed me | up hill and down, for ee ees en and forthwith struck me out from his will. I immediately sent for a chaplain, and was married to Anita. I then went up to see the old man and find if I could not effect a ee. phn with him. “He told me if I would go with him before Anita and swear that she was not legally my wife, and that 13. road- shall ent I have been, and a merry road-agent Now, good-by forever.”’ On the following morning it was discovered that the road-agents and their daring leader, t her with the no less heroic Calamity Jane, had left the valley—gone; whither, no one knew. About a month later, one day when Calamity Jane was watering her horse at the stream, twe miles above Deadwood, the road-agent chief rode out of _ the chaparral and joined her. I would never live with her, he would again alter his | | INarry me and become my queen?” will in my favor. “Knowing that that would make no difference, so — far as the law was concerned, I sent Anita a note her of what was coming, and stating that she had best return to you until the old man should die, when I would come for her. Subsequently I went before her in company with the old man and swore as I had promised to do, and when I departed she was weeping bitterly, but I naturally rea eo it was sham grief A month later, on his death-bed, the old trader showed me the letter I had sent her, and I re- alized that not only was my little game up, but that I had cheated myself out of a love that was true. I | ardian over | ment later he turned and grasped | | | Harris, want you for my own darling. Be mine, | was left entirely out of the will, and ever since I have bitterly cursed the day that tempted me to try to win gold and love at the same time. Here, Edward Har- ris,’ and the young man drew a packet of papers from inside his pocket, “ are two certificates of my marriage, one for Anita, and one for myself. You see now, that, although mine has been a grievous error, no dishonor is coupled with your sister's name.” Ned Harris took one of the documents and glanced over it, the expression on his face softening. A mo- McKenzie’s hand. **God bless you, old boy!” he said, huskily. ‘I am the one who has erred, and if you have it in your heart to forgive me, try and do so. Ido not expect much quarter in this world, you know. There is Anita; take her, if she will come to you, and may God shower his eternal blessings upon you both!” McKenzie turned around with open arms, and Anita flew to his embrace with a low glad cry. ere was not a dry eye in the room, There was an impatient surging of the crowd out- side; Dick saw that his men were longing for the sport ahead; so he resumed his story: “There is not much more to add,” he said, after a moment’s thought. ‘I fled into the Black Hills chancing upon this valley, I built us a home here, wherein to live away the rest of our lives. “In time I organized the band of men you see around me, and took to the road. Of this my sister knew nothing. The Hills have been my haunt ever since, and during all this time yon scheming knaves ”’ —pointing to the prisoners—‘* have been eee weed sending out men to murderme. The last tool, Hug Vansevere by name, boldly posted up reward papers in the most frequented routes, and he went the same way as his een Seeing n could be accomplished through aids, my enemies have at last come out to superintend my wei rf thn person; and but for the timely interference of mity Jane and Justin McKenzie, a short time since, I should have ere been numbered with the dead, Now, I am inclined to be merciful to only those who have been merciful to me; therefore, I have decided that Alex- ander and Clarence Filmore shall pay the penalty of hangi _ for their attempted crimes. Boys, string "em up: So saying, Deadwood Dick Rennes without the cabin, and closed the door behind him. Redburn also shut down and curtained the win- dows, to keep out the horrible sight and sounds. But, for all this, those inside could not help but hear the Reading cries of the doomed wretches, the tramp of heavy feet, the hushed babble of voices, and at last the terrible shout of, ‘‘ Heave ‘o! up the gos which the commencement of vic- * journey into mid-air. Then there was a long blank pause; not a sound was heard, not a voice spoke, nor a foot moved. This silence was speedily roken, however, by two heavy falls, followed ost immediately by the tramp of feet, Not till all was quiet did Redburn venture to open the door and look out, All was dark and still, The road-agents had gone, and left no sign of their work behind. . When morning dawned, they were seen to have re- camped on the eastern slope, where the smoke of their camp-fires rose in white columns through the clear transparent atmosphere. D the day Dick met Alice Terry, as she was gathering flowers, a short distance from the cabin. Alice—Miss Terry,’’ he said, gravely, ‘‘I have come to ask you to be my e. I love you, a ce, an I will mend my ways, and settle down to an hon straightforward life.” oe The beautiful looked up pi . ** No,” she atl ak ae eat hee tone kind and sp St “T cannot love you, and never can be your wife, Mr. Harris.”’ ** You love another?” he ee a She did not answer, but the tell blush that suf- fused her cheek did for her. ‘It is Redburn!” he said, positively. ‘“ Very well: tions. See, Alice; here the him ceremle young road-agen took the crape mask from ; now resume the wearing of this mask.’ | ee ' } i | He was still masked, well armed, and looking every inch a Prince of the Road. ‘“* Jennie,’’ he said, reining in his steed, ‘‘ lam lone- iy and want a companion to keep me company through life. You have no one but yourself; our spirits and general temperament agree. ill you htily, aternly. “I have had all the man I care for. e can be friends, Dick; more we can never be!’ ‘* Very well, Jennie; I ree’on it is destined that I shall live single. At any rate, Ill never take a re- fusal from another woman. Yes, gal, we'll be friends, if nothing more.” There is little more to add. We aan write at length, but choose a few words 4 cae t o'er true romance of life in the Black i McKenzie and Anita were remarried in Deadwood, and at the same time Redburn led Alice Terry to the altar, which consummation the ‘‘General”’’ avowed was “‘more or less of a good thing—consider’bly less 0’ more ’n’ more o’ less.”’ . Through eastern lawyers, a settlement of the Har- ris affairs was effected, the whole of the property being turned over to Anita, thereby placing her and Fearless Frank above want for a lifetime. Therefore they gave up their interest in the Flower Pocket mines to burn and the ** General," Calamity Jane is still in the Hills. And grim and uncommunicative, there roams through the country of gold a youth in black, at the head of a bold lawless gang of road-riders, who, from his unequaled daring, has won and rightly de- = the name— Deadwood Dick, Prince of the THE END. FRANK STARR'S NEW YORK LIBRARY NOW READY, No. 1.—A HARD CROWD); or, GenTLEMaNn Sam’s Sister. By the author of Tiger Dick. 10c., No, 2.—THE DARE-DEVIL; or, THE WinGEp WircH OF THE Ska. By Col. Prentiss “s No, 3.—KIT CARSON, Jr.; or, THE Crack SHoT OF THE West. By Buckskin Sam, (Maj. Sam 8. Hall). ; d . 10c, No. 4.—THE KIDNAPPER;; or, THe GREAT SHANGHAI OF THE NORTHWEST. By Philip 8S. Warne, Author of ‘Tiger Dick,” “ Hard Crowd,” ete. . ; . 10e., No. 5.—THE FIRE-FIENDS; or, Hercues, THE HuncHBACK, By A, P. Morris, Jr. . 10c. No. 6.—WILDCAT BOB, THE BOSS BRUIB- ER; or, THE BorpDER BLOOpHOUNDS. By Ed- ward L. Wheeler. ; . . . We. No. 7.—DEATH-NOTCH, THE DESTROY- ER. By Oll Coomes. . ; ; . 10ce, No. 8.—_THE HEADLESS HORSEMAN. By Capt. Mayne Reid. . ‘ - . 0c. No. 9.—HANDY ANDY. By Samuel Lov- er, : ; : ; ; . We. No. 10.—VIDOCQ, THE FRENCH POLICE SPY. Written by himself. ET ie. Capt, 0c. No. 11—MIDSHIPMAN EASY. By Maryatt, . , . ; ; No, 12—THE DEATH-SHOT; or, Tracken To DeatH, By Capt. Mayne Reid. <r No, 13—PATHAWAY; or, Nick WHIFFLEs, THE OLD TRAPPER OF THE NORTH-WEST. By Dr. J. H. Robinson. . : - . 1c. No. 14—-THAYENDANEGEA, THE SCOURGE! or, THE WaR-EaGLe OF THE MOHAWKS. By Ned Buntiline. . ; , . 10c, No. 15—THE ome gaa lg or, EAGLE- “No!” said the girl, ha HEAD TO THE UE. Gustave Aim- For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, . , on of twelve cents for single num ; double numbers twenty-four cents, FRANK STARR & Co., Publishers, Platt and William Streets, N. Y. (E(OVPALiCel exe Ko) <S <eom