Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 1 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Deadwood Dick. 9 “Three! Fire’ cried Alice, quickly; then, there was a flash, the report of two pistols, and Ned Har- ris fell to the ground without a groan, 4 __ McKenzie ran to his side, and bent over him. ‘*Poor fellow!’ he murmured, rising, a few mo- ments later—‘‘ poor Ned. He is dead!” It was Harris’ request to be left where he fell. Ac- cordingly he was laid on the grass by the roadside his horse tethered near by, and then, accompani by Alice, Justin McKenzie set out to Deadw CHAPTER XL. THE POCKET GULCH MINES—INVADERS OF THEM. WE see fit to change the scene once more back to the egg gi oe home of the sweet, sad- faced Anita, date is one month later—one long, eventful month since Justin McKenzie shot down Ned Harris under the noonday sun, a short distance above Deadwood, Returning to the Flower Pocket by the route to the rugged transverse gulch, and thence through the gaping fissure, we find before us a scene—not of slumbering beauty, but of active industry and labor, such as was not here when we last looked into the flower-strewn paradise of the Hills. The flowers are for the most part still intact amy occasionally you will come across a spot where the hand of man hath blighted their growth. Where stood the little vine-wreathed cabin now may be seen a larger and more commodious lo structure, which is but a continuation of the origi- nai, A busy scene greets our gaze all around. Men are hurrying here and there through the valley—men not of the pale-face race, but of the red race; men, clad only to the waist, with remarkable muscular devel- opments, and fleetness of foot. Over the little creek which dashes far adown from pine-dressed mountain peaks, and trails its shin- ing waters through the flowering land, is built an- ther structure—of logs, eye | and carefully erect- ed, and thatched by a master hand with and rass. From the roof projects a small smoke-stack, rom which emanates a steady cloud of smoke, curl- ing lazily upward toward heaven's blue vault, and inside is heard the grinding, crushing rumble of pon- derous machinery, and we rightly conjecture that it is a crusher in full operation. Across from the north- ern side of the ch comes a steady string of mules in line, each pulling behind him a ppp (or, what is better known to the general er as a stone-boat) heavily laden with huge quartz rocks. These are dumped in front of one of the large doorways of the crusher, and the “‘ empties ” return mec cally and disappear within a gaping fissure in the very moun- tain side—@ sort of tunnel, which the hand of man, aided by that t and stronger arm—powder—has burrowed and blasted out. All this is under the immediate management of the swarthy-skinned red-men, whose faces declare them to be a remnant of the once t Ute tribe—now utilized to a better occupation t in the dark and bloody days of the past. Near the crusher building is a large, stoutly-con- structed windlass, worked by mule power, and every few moments there comes ve to the surface from the depths of a shaft, a bucketful of rock and sand, which is dumped into a push-car, and from thence transferred to the line of sluice-boxes in the stream, where more mae lirsvt pmy daghieg? yoaty engaged in sif ti olden particles from the rich sand. What a pamiatir tation isall this since we left the Flower Pocket a little over a month ago! a everywhere within those majestic mountain-lock walls is bustle ye excitement; penacn po ves. S war slee awa e calm, perfume-laden at Fe gn ln i of the ines of wealth lying nest- li in its bosom, and content and happy in its quietude and the adornments of nature’s beauties. Now, shouts, ringing halloos, angry curses at the obstinate mules, the rumbling of ponderous machin- ery, the clink of picks and reports of frequent blasts, the deadened sound of escaping steam, the barking of d the whining of horses—all these sounds are now to be heard. Then, the valley was pescetally 0 rest; the birds chimed in their exquisite music to the Aolian like music of the breeze through the branches of the mountain pines; the waters pouring adown from the stupendous peaks created an qverindeng BONE of love and constancy; bees and humming-b drank deli- cious draughts from the blushing lips of a million nodding flowers; the sun was more hazy and drowsy- looking; everything had an appearance of ethereal peace and happiness. But, like a aon the we a d transfor- mation had taken place; a beautiful had been c into stern reality; quietude and slumber had fled at the bold approach of eo: pots © industry and life, And all this transformation is due to whom? The noonday sun shone down on all the busy scene with a glance of warmth and affection, and particu- larly did its rays center about two men, who, stand- ing on the southern side of the valley, op as among the ed foothills, were watc e living panor- ami win the keenest interest. They were Harry Redburn and the queer old hum backed, bow-legged little locater, “General” Wal- Nix. singham Redburn was now looking nearly as rouge un- kempt and grizzled as any veteran miner, and for a fact, he actually had not waxed the ends of his fine mustache for over a week. But there was more of a bel ue Pats hia le orm, and a of satisfaction told that the rough miner’s life agreed with him ex- c Theo "General ” was all dirt, life and animation, . and as full of his eccentricities as ever. He was a character seldom met with—ever full of a quaint hu- mor and sociability, but never known to get mad, no matter how great the provocation might be. His chance strike upon the spot where lay the gold of Flower Pocket imbedded—if it could be called a chance, considering his dream—was the prelude to the opening up of one of the richest mining districts south of Deadwood, We left them after Harry had driven a stake to mark the place which the somnambulist had pointed out as indicating the concealed mine, On the succeeding day the two men set to work, and dug long and desperately to uncover the treas- ure, and after t days of incessant toil they were rewarded with success. A rich vein of go d, or rather, a deposit of the valuable metal was found, it being formed in a deep, natural pocket and mixed alternately with sand and rock. During the remaining four days of that week the two lucky miners took out enough gold to evidence their supposition that they had struck one of the richest fields in all the Black Hills country. Indeed it seemed that there was no end to the depth of sand in the shaft, and as long as the sand held out the gold was likely to. When, just in the flush of their early triumph, the old humpback was visited by another somnambulis- tic fit, and this time he discovered gold deep in the northern mountain side, and prophesied that the quartz rock which could be mined therefrom would more than repay the cost and trouble of o ~p=," up the vein and of ning fa pe machinery to the gulch We need not into detail of what followed; suf- fice it to say that immediate arrangements were made and executed toward developing this as yet unknown territory. ile Redburn set to work with two Ute Indians (transported to the guich from Deadwood, under oath of secrecy by the ‘‘ General e to blast into the mountain-side, and get at the gold-bearing quartz, the old loeater in person set out for Cheyenne on the secret mission of procuring 2 portable crusher, boiler and engine, and such other implements as would be needed, and getting them safely into the gulch un- known to the roving population of the Hills country. And most wonderful to relate, he succeeded. Two weeks after his departure, he returned with the machinery and two score of Ute Indians, whom he had sworn into his service, for, as a Ute rarely breaks his word, they were likely to prove valuable accessories to the plans of our two friends. Redburn had in the meantime blasted in until he came upon the quartz rock. Here he had to stop until the arri- val of the machinery. He however busied himself in enl the cabin and building a curb to the shaft, which occupied his time until at last the ** General ” and his army returned.* Now, we see these two successful men oe and gazing at the result of their joint labors, eac financially happy; each growing rich as the day rolls away. The miners are in a pipepercus condition, and everything moves off with that ease and order that s of shrewd management and constant atten- on to business. The gold taken from the shaft is much firmer than that extracted from the quartz. The quartz yielded about eighteen dollars to the ton, which the *‘ General” declared to be as well as “a ud c’u’d expect, considerin’ things, more or ess ”” | Therefore, it will be seen by those who have any knowledge whatever of gold mining that, after pay- ing off the Speen, our friends were not doing so iY after all. ‘Yes, yes!” the “‘General”’ was remarking, as he inte at the string of mules that alternately issued rom and re-entered the fissure on the opposite side of the valley; “‘ yes, yes, Ors nee ar’ workin’ as I like ter see ’em at last. e shaft Il more’n pa expenses if she holds her head ‘bove water, de t opine she will, an’ w’at ar’ squeezed out uv the quartz ar’ cleer ’intment fer us.’ off the upon a “True; the shaft is more than payin hands,’ replied Redburn, seatin himself bowlder, and staring vacantly at the dense column of smoke ejected from the smoke-stack in the roof of the crusher building. “I was looking up accounts last evening, and after deducting what you paid for the machinery, and what wages are due the Utes, we have about a thou- prs do rs clear of all, to be divided between three of us ‘Exactly. Now, that’s w’at I call fair to mid- dling. Of course thar’ll be more or less expense, heerafter, but et’ll be a consider’ble less o’ more than more 0’ less, Another munth ‘ll tell a larger finan- 2 n, ess somet happens more than we think for now. If we get throueh another month, however, without being nosed out, why we may consider ourselves all-fired lucky.” ‘““Jes’ so! Jes’ so! but we'll hev ter take our chances, One natteral advantage, we kin shute ’em Brot Hedare interrupted. suddenly; ** Ho!” urn ITup suddenly, lea to his feet; ‘“‘they say the devil’s couriers pnp Be — when you are talking of them. Look! in- vaders Re He pointed Yoward the east, where the passage led out of the valley into the gorge beyond. Out of this p two persons on horseback had just issued, and now they came to a halt, evidently ean at the scene which lay spread out before em. No sooner did the “General” clap his eyes on the * This crusher is said to have been the first intro- duced into the Black Hills. ! Senses patr. than he uttered a cry of astonishment, mingled with joy. “It’s thet scarlet chap, Fearless Frank!” he an- nounced, hopping about like a pig on a hot griddle, ‘“*w’at I war tellin’ ye about; the same cuss w’at de- sarted Charity Joe’s train, ter look fer sum critter w’at war screechin’ fer help. I went wi’ the lad fer a ways, but my jackass h ned to be more or less indispositioned—consider’bly more o’ less than less o’ more—an’ so I made up my mind not ter continny on his route. Ther last I see’d o’ the lad he disap- peared over sum kind o’ a precypice, an’ calkylatin” = how he war done fer, Irej’ined Charity Joseph, an” m on,” ‘“* He has a female in his company!” said Redburn, watching the new-comer keenly. em rs to me he has, an’ et’s more or less likely that et’s the same critter he went to resky w’en he left Charity Joe’s train!”’ ‘* What about him? We do not want him here; to let him return to Deadwood after what he has seen. would be certain death to our interests.” ‘Yas, thar’s more or less truth in them words 0” yours, b’yee—consider’bly more o’ less than less 0” more, e ken’t go back now, nohow we kin fix et, He’s a right peart sort o’ a kid, an’ [ think ef we war ter guv him a job, or talk reeson’ble ter him, thet he'd consent to do the squar’ thing by us.”’ Redburn frowned. ““He'll have to remain for a certain time, whether he wants to or not,” he muttered, more savage usual, It looked to him as if this was to be the signal of a general invasion. ‘“‘Come! let’s go and see what we can do.”’ They left the foothills, clambered down into the awe n | and worked their way toward where Fearless Frank and his companion sat in waiting. As they did so, headed by a figure in black, who wore a mask as did all the rest, a band of horsemen rode out of the fissure into the valley. One glance and we recognize Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, and his band of road-agents! CHAPTER XII. MAKING TERMS ALL AROUND. Op General Nix was the first to discover the new invasion. ‘“Gorra’mighty!” he ejaculated, flourishing his staff about excitedly, “d’ye mind them same w’at’s tuk et inter the’r heads to invade our sancty sanctor- um, up Pf ropa Howly saints frum ther cullender! We shall be built up inter an entire city ‘twixt this an’ sunset, ef ther populatin’ sect becum enny more numersome. Thar’s a full fifty o’ them sharks, more or less—consider’bly more o’ less than less 0’ more— an’ ef we hain’t got ter hold a full hand in order to clean ’em out, why, ye can call me across-eyed, hair- lip hyeeny, that’s all.”’ burn uttered an ejaculation as he saw the swarm of invaders that was perhaps more forcible than polite. He did not like the looks of things at all. If Ned Harris were only here, he thought, he could throw the responsibility all off on his shoulders. But he was not; neither had he been seen or heard of since he had quitted the valley over a month ago. Where he was staying all this time was a Pa em that no one could solve—no one among our three friends. The ‘‘General’’ had made inquiries in Deadwood, but elicited no information concerning the young miner. He had dropped ges | out of the magic city’s notice, and might be d or dying in some foreign clime, fot all they knew. Anita worried and grew sadder each day at his non-return; it seemed to her that he was in distress, or worse, yen ail dead. He had never stayed away so long ore, she said, always ret from his trips every few days. What, then, could now be the reason of his prolonged absence? Redburn foresaw trouble in the intrusion of the road-agents and Fearless Frank, although he knew not the character or calling of the former, and he Sry to make one bold stroke in defense of the mines. “Go to the quartz mines as quickly as you can!” he said, addressing Nix, “‘ and call every man to his arms. Then rally them out here, where I will be waiting with the remainder of our forces, and we will see what can be done. If it is to be a fight for our rights, a desperate fight it shall be.” The “General” hurried off with as much alacrity as was possible, with him, toward the min while Redburn likewise made haste to vit the shaft and collect together his handful of men. : He the cabin on the way, and, seeing Anita ee in the doorway, he came, to a momentary t “You had better go inside and lock the doors and windows behind you,” he said, advisingly. “There are invaders in the ch, and we m try and ef- fect a settlement h them; so it is not desirable that they should see you.” ‘You are not going to fight them?” ‘* Yes, if they will not come to reasonable terms, which I shall name. Why?’ “Oh! don’t fight. You will ae “ ti t of that? o would care if I were *“*I would, for one, Mr. Redburn.” Ha 4 ners neat gavea great Soi, and ik Sac e pure w face 0 e passionately. Was it o le that she had in her heart akin to love, for him? Already he had conceived a ing fancy for her, which might ripen into love, time. aT te oan are. make mie happy,’ Miss Anita. ‘tnt sop! must away. Go e, and eee shady until you see me again;” and so saying he hurried on. comichoo (E aS - —- a << Se