Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1005 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

ae elared Dick. old your cutthroats at bay for a mo- Dendtrood Dick. Sy: k, Jr., Branded. _ a: Ps : ee Don’ ’t do that; we'll come to an agree- ment somehow.” “ What do you propose, then? i “ You come down here with that cash, and we’ll give you the chance I told you about.” “The drawing for a white bean?” e Yes.” “ What assurance have I that I will not be shot at sight?” “None but our word. We'll respect that, if you are willing to meet us half way. We are determined to have that money.” “* Joaquin? ” It was a woman’s voice that called. _ Dick recognized it as the voice of Su- sana, and wondered what had brought her there. “What are you doing here?” cried Captain Joaquin, in something of anger. ek thought i told you to remain at the house.”’ “ Yes, but I could not do that, with you in danger. I had to come out and find you. Do not be angry with me; I could not help it. Besides, I was anxious about your treasure.”’ She had come out into sight, while speaking. | Deadwood Dick was peering over the edge of the ledge, at a point where a shadow protected him. He saw the young woman cast a swift glance around, saw that she was nearly out of breath from evident shaste, and that her face was flushed. ‘What danger am I in?” was the an- gry demand, “No danger, I hope, but I could not know that. I could not remain there in uncertainty. Do not be angry, Joaquin,” “ Well, sit down and rest yourself, and do not interfere in this matter. Now, Deadwood Dick, let me know at once what you will do or what you want us to do.”’ “Tf you will return my revolvers to me, in. good order and loaded, I will come down and turn this money Over to you, on condition that you let me escape With my life, or give me a fair chance to do so. It is for you to accept or refuse, as you please.” “We refuse. 7 “Very well, then; this money goes up in smoke.” “Heavens!” cried the young woman. “ an: Ma, “ Do not burn the money, sir, I beg of you!” we It. is. the oily Weapon I have,” de- ‘Without it, I could not ment. life.” sea fehe Perhaps you ieevat the gave me,” suggested Joag “No, I do not. I was simply giving you the benefit of @ possible doubt, though, ‘in truth, I did not believe it ex- isted.” a And what do you promise him now, ‘With it I must bargain for my chance you oc) Be Joaquin? * the young Woman inquired. willl come down here with that money,” the Red, Rover explained. | >“ You, had better accept it, sir,” the young woman ealled out. ‘ You are at a Ms disadvantage, and cannot possibly hold (9 out there cares while. That is your only chance.” i; iy law that my life will be spared.” “That word will be kept, will it not, Bh * Of course it will be kept. But I told | x Fo not to meddle in this matter. Keep t of it, now, or r return to the house at 17? : ‘es ‘ a, acy le 7 ceedings. until Fhe young woman gave him a sharp glance, and leaned back against a boulder that lay behind the stone on which she had sat down. Dick believed that he caught a look of pain on her face as the torches lighted it up. “It is. all one-sided,’ said Deadwood Dick. “ Arm me, and make me an equal, and I will leave the bag of money here and come down and go away. Refuse, and I will carry out the threats I have made. There need be no further parley about it.” “Well, I’ll do it, but I have not got your weapons here.” “Send for them,” “Tt will take time to get them.” “No matter, we can call a stay of pro- your man returns with them.” “* And you will destroy none of the money mean time?” “No, I will not.” “ Agreed.” Captain Joaquin spoke afew words to one of his men, and the fellow started off. Deadwood Dick withdrew from the edge of the ledge then, and put on his thinking cap. The advantage lay with the outlaws, there was no denying it. He did not believe they would be fools enough to arm him. There must be some trick in it, ihe be- lieved, but what it could be he could not imagine. He looked around for a means of escape, but knowing full well that it did not exist. He would ‘have to-trust to the word of the outlaw captain, and take chances. No word was passed between Captain Joaquin and him during the time the man “Was gone, and Dick waited eagerly for the fellow’s return. He had a scheme in mind, but whether it could be made to work or not remained to be seen. would be at the risk of this life, but he hoped to give them the slip and get away with the booty. At last he came, Captain Joaquin called out to Dick, and he responded. ‘“ Here are your weapons, now, but how are they to be sent up to you? And what assurance have we that you will keep your word?” ‘‘T have a plan to propose, ”’ said Dick. “ Let that lady bring them up to me, and she may carry the bag down .to you in exchange. Then, when you find that it is all right, all go away and leave me to come down when I please.’ That, however, was not his scheme. “ What is the sense of that? ’’ demand- ed the Red Rover. “ I will bring them up myself.” “And perhaps shoot me the moment you come where you can get a bead on me. I will not trust you that far, Cap- tain Joaquin, for I do not believe you mean to allow me to get away from here if you can help it.” “But you have my word that you shall be allowed to go away pode ey it is, that your life will be spared.” “And he will keep his word, sir,” spoke up the woman, “You have nothing but his promise, the same as I,” said Dick. “He must |. meet my terms, or I will carry. out the threat I have made. It can only cost my | life, anyhow and—” «But I meet only the word of an ‘out- . a A noise just behind him caught Dick’s frend at that instant, and he turned his lead to see what it was, when a man threw himself upon him and bore him to the ground. Dick, already kneeling, was taken at a disadvantage, and he was shoved headlong over the ledge. Even as ae ining himself going, the. Ne xy 7 * I ' , “J i *) ce * gh My - 17 . - $ : mn oui : 4 £ ae ry a . ‘oi oe a ms é te - var : . a 4 ¥ 4 tao : 8 Se ‘ws 4 4 ole ~e' ‘ , - ey ee ae ! - It ' ~ fellow. ll brand him before we hang with the bag of money, and so he did, holding it tight to his head and drawing himself into as much of a ball as possi- ble, for there was not the least use in hig. trying to save himself the fall down the rugged side of the cliff. And so he fell, over and over, landing at the feet of Captain Joaquin. CHAPTER XIII. DEADWOOD DICK BRANDED, A shout of exultation had accompanied Dick’s hasty departure from the cliff, and a ‘burst of laughter greeted him from be- low. The instant he landed, for the moment more dead than alive, ready hands seized him and a pistol was clapped to his head, and Captain Joaquin snatched away the bag of money. This the Red Rover anened immediate- ly, to make sure that its contents were intact. * What is to be done with him?” one of his men demanded. “You know who he is,” was the re- sponse, “Yes, he is Deadwood Dick.”’ ¥ And what is he to us? to all of our class?” ‘“ That’s so. Death to him, boys; death to Deadwood Dick! Where is the rope? ’” “Hold on,’ spoke up the young wo- man, who had leaped to her feet at the shout from the cliff. *‘ You promised him. his life, Joaquin.” “If he came to my terms, yes, but he. did not do that. He is our foe, Susana, ~thought came to thim to protect his hosed What is he ~ and he must die. The world is not wide — enough to hold us and him, after this night’s work.” s = - _ >" ‘“ That’s so,” shouted the men. “ Death to Deadwood Dick!” . “Hang him,” said the captain. Dick was jerked upon his feet roughly,. and his hands were speedily tied behind. his back. — . : Mean time the young woman had thrown herself upon her knees before: Captain Joaquin, pleading for his life, reminding him of the chance Dick had given him for his, “* Get uP, fool!’’ the Red Rover sternly”. ordered. “ Have you taken leave of your senses? Let him escape, and we are done for. No, he dies, here and now, and no. more fooling about it. Get up, I say... and do not anger me against yourself, (a Susana!” ing. gers, spoken word as sacred, and now—” “See here, what is this man to you,. Susana?” was the rough demand, laying: a hand on her shoulder. “Tam not thinking of him, but of you, Joaquin, I do not want to think of you “That for it,” with a snap of the fin a murderer—a murderer! I am oe Ati believe—I know it would set me against you. ” “ Bah! you are a woman. Get out of the: way, now, for business is business. Pg hag got to die—” ee “ Joaquin, for my sake—” et. @ is Bg “é No! ” vk “ee “Por my love—” ’ oe “By heavens! I begin to think there: ‘is more to it than you would express. Men, an example shall be made of this him!” The young woman uttered a devepin’l “Ha! I thought so,” the Red Rover sneered. “A woman’s heart is as fickle oe * )+4 *, 9 os 7 .s - a ow o-- Pit ‘“ But your promise,” she reminded, age xi fae - eig® we Me com i a as the wapthiog, This cp Ss rmake-be- | ve Ba tk Rfut ad ¢ Oo mi . Ai * - 7 * = » > at Se » . 'e e > - — = ST ey ; _Pt« ~ 0 « iw «* < we + atte >= eA =* Pa te ° - ” - tae * a) 255} x 4 P Sts ’ ae a. ad et . ~ - - ™ 7% 7 * ~ 2 - as v =— _ — K 3 ers eS ‘ - - - * s "9 om» Gs - r - - a) dB ne. 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