Beadle's Half-Dime Library No. 109 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

eee rer om --- -_ - — —— i — and conception in villainy that was not a gift | to other men of his type. After leaving the saloon, he went straight to | at least. the jail, and was admitted by McAdams to the | cell of Barry Meredith. The false witness was stretched out upon the cot bed, fast asleep, but awoke with a start, as his sire entered. ‘*Oh! it’s you is it,” be grunted, ungraciously. ‘* Well, all I’ve got to say—you’re a wonderful fine galoot,” “Tut! tut! my son,’ the elder villain said, seating himself. your arrest. The detective has orders f om the _ling. I have sworn that Ill ‘I was powerless to prevent | \ government for your arrest, and | had no right | to interfere.” ‘* Well, have I got to stay in this blamed hole, then?” Meredith demanded, dubiously. ‘*Not long, I hope, my son. hen night onee more hovers her mantle over Mother Earth, I will see if you cannot be released from your confinement. Until then be of good cheer.” And with this consolation, his mayorship left the jail, and returned to his cabin. ‘* Now, let me see how matters lay, and how I must scheme to play my hand through,” he mused. ‘There will undoubtedly be a g chance for Vic to attend a hanging ceremony, unless I do something for him. Then, there is young Holly to be gotten rid of, or I shall have more trouble with him. Next comes the girl, Edith Yates. I have come to the con- clusion that she would suit me, to replace the former Mrs. Adair. She does not know that I know that she is the owner of the big mine, which, of course, must come with the bride. It strikes me that [’d better pay her a visit, at ounce, and if [ cannot induces ner to marry me in the usual way, why, there are other ways.” Eating an early supper, the chief magistrate of Rough Shod’s little city spruced himself up, donned his duster, silk hat and kids, and, gold- headed cane in hand, set out for the candy-shop. On his arrival he found Edith behind the coun- ter, and graciously condescended to purchase a cigar by way, as he supposed, of winning her favor. “Miss Ya‘es,” he said, after lighting the cigar, and drawing several puffs, “‘ [came here this evening on business of great importance and of great interest, I trust, to both vou an myself. lamaman of few words, and I can- not perhaps plead my case with as much ardor and high-flown language as a younger suitor, but I can tell you that 1 have formed an ardent attachment for you, and 1 have come to offer ou my heart, hand and fortune, and ask you become my bride. Do not say no, for I am not going to listen toa refusal. Mine is en eligi- ble offer, and [ will make you the most devot- ed of husbands, and therefore I beg of you not to say no!” To say that Edith was surprised at this sud- den outburst of loverly passion from Rough Shod’s mayor, would be greatly understating the facts of the case—she was astounded. ‘Marry you, sir?—I marry you?” she ex- claimed, bc hauteur and laughter. ‘‘Why, ou are nearly old enough to be my grand- ther!” ‘ Ah! my dear Miss Edith, there is where you greatly err,” his Honor assured, feeling sure that he had already gained one point. ‘ Al- though time has indelibly left its mark upon me I am but eight and thirty years of age, an right in the prime of manhood. -Indeed, my heart is just as young as ever it was,” ‘‘Andas green as cucumbers upon salad, in springtime, sir,” Edith replied, with ill-conceal- ed merriment. “What! Did I understand you right, Miss Yates—” Mawar ‘‘T guess you did, sir, and I will further elec- trify your greatness by telling you that I would no sooner marry you, than would I the veriest bullwhacker that you can find on the street. You are a villain, Clancy Adair, and I know not how much worse. You are utterly without heart, principle or respect, and any. girl who would for a moment consider a proposal from you, must be very low, indeed!” ‘“Ah! my child, you sre young and impetu- ous, and talk wildly. You do not consider that by marrying me, you would be rising in social rank, and pecuniary troubles would be a thing of the past.” ‘Bah! were every hair in your head hung with diamonds, ’'d despise you'the same. Go, sir—there is the door behind you.” A fearful oath escaped the mayor’s lips. He had not calculated upon such a repulse as this. His vanity had led him to believe that he was invincible, and that all that was necessary for him to do to win the pretty shop-maid, ‘as to q | she mused. | | | Deadwood Dick as Detective. oe ee ee ee ee a ask for her, and sho would willingly acquiesce. But he had made a great mistake, for once, ‘*Do you then refuse my offer for good?” he demanded, savagely. ‘*] do, most certainly. Go!” ‘* Yes, curses on you, I will go, and when I return you shall go with me, willing or unwil- possess you, and you may rest assured I will not break my oath. ’l get you first, and then tame you after- ward?” And with a malignant laugh, he left the store. After he was gone Edith went to the door and gazed after him, an anxious expression settling upon her face, ‘* He is a bold, bad man, and means me harm,” ‘*] fear him only because I am all alone, and nearly friendless. If, as I believe he is in league with Barry Meredith, he would not hesitate at any crime!” ‘Fear him not, lady!’ a voice exclaimed, and turning, Edith beheld a man standing with- in the store—the same she had once ‘hidden from the Vigilantes—Deadwood Dick. ‘‘ Fear not that man, for in your hour of need Dead- wood Dick is on deck. When you least dream of it, he is lurking near, watching for your wel- fare, with a brother’s care, and removing such obstacles, as will be apt to trip you and throw you into the power of enemies.” ‘And you are Deadwood Dick?’ Edith de- manded. ‘* Yes, miss, I have the rather doubtful honor of being that personage,” the Prince of the Road replied. ‘‘ You may remember that I once took refuge in your cellar, to escape the road-agent hunters.” ‘*T remember, yes. But how did you get out of the cellar?” ‘Through a narrow window in the rear. It only requires a small hole for me to creep out of, and so I thought I'd better puckachee. As it was, it proved lucky that I did.” ‘‘Yes. The Vigilantes searched the cellar, and would have caught you.” ‘*Probably. They’ve a peculiar itching to lay their hands upon me, but it is a desire on their part that I cannot see fit to gratify. The cause of my call, forcey Miss Yates, is to ask ose a few questions, which I feel sure you will willing to answer.” ‘“*T can, hg oe At any rate I will listen to what you ask!” Edith replied. ‘“Which is kind of you,” Deadwood Dick said. ‘I will try not to detain you from your business, long. me time ago you came into possession of a piece of property called the Dun- can mine, in rather a mysterious manner, did ou not?” **T did,” Edith replied. “This property was made a gift to you through a letter, by some party who did not 1 hisname. Am I not right?’ ‘ You are.” “Very good. In the letter wasa clause that ifthe giver ever saw fit to claim the property again, you were to return it to him, when he presented himself, and exhibited a double cross stamped upon a piece of paper, the paper to ex- actly correspond in size to a duplicate which was inclosed in the letter.” ‘* Very true. And you have come to claim the mine?’ Edith demanded. ‘‘By no means. Although I was the owner and also the giver, I do not propose to take i back. I have more wealth than is required to meet my demands, and it occurred to me that I might benefit some honestly disposed person by xiving them the Duncan, with the proviso that i could reclaim it, if I chose—which meant if I found them dishonest. 1 found you toiling here with slim chances for support, and believing you were the right party, I gave you the mine, and further propose to make you the owner by absolute deed.” And as he finished speaking, Deadwood Dick nen oO unsealed envelope into astonished Edith’s ands. “But, I cannot think of accepting such a gift sir—” she began. But he silenced her by a wave of his hand. “Say not so, <3 It is yours, freely, to keep and manage. have no use for it what- ever. Were I a free man, and permitted to go among my fellow-men as such, I might need the mine, but Iam outlawed from civilization, and as a free rover I have no need for such an incumbrance.” ‘Nevertheless, now that I know who the owner is, } do not consider it maidenly to ac- cept such qagift from a stranger.” ‘There}"is no need for compunctions in this case, mg I am not quite a total stranger to si ™= : ee 13 you, and I flatter myself I am too much of a gentleman to take an advantage of your accept- .ance of a gift from me. Since I heard of your struggle to support your sister, and your bravery in leaving your home and facing a piti- less world, my friendship for you has not de- creased, and as a friend in an hour of need I trust you will ever regard me.” “YT certainly do regard you as such, and if I accept your gift, I shall feel under many obliga- tions to you.” ‘Do not, lady, I pray. Obligations are not the most pleasant tl.ings to bear up under—they are the precursors of distress—insolvency— ruin. Obligations and gratitude are two separ- ate and distinct feelings—lI’d rather have the true gratitude of one person, than the obliga- tions of a thousand,” ‘Perhaps you are right. In either case, I shall not soon forget your kindness. When in need of any aid I can give you, I shall be ready to extend you a helping band.’ ‘*Ma.ay thanks, Miss Yates. I shall not hesi- tate to call for assistance if I need it. For the present, I shall lie shady, but shall be around when you are in peril. I must go now, lest some minion of the law take it into his head to look in here for me!” And smiling, the Prince of the Road fitted a false beard to his face and took his departure, Edith gazed after him, with a strange long- ing expression upon her face, ‘A road-agent, a robber, an outlaw, and yet a gentleman, for all,” she murmured. ‘If it had been such aman whom poor dead Minnie had centered her affections upon, she would have led a life of peace and love. Oh! Barry — Meredith, you have yet to feel the pain you caus ’d her to feel, and God grant that your sins may not strike upon your conscience, lest the torture be unendurable to you.” CHAPTER XI. THE COMBAT IN THE STREET. “May I be teetotally hugged to death wi lar b’ar’s, or stunned wi’ nuggets o’ pure aurifer- ous, ef I’d sell my skin so cheap as will the mayor. Licked, pilgrims—on course he will get licked, an’ don’t yer fergit thet the fact war impressed upon yer memories by me, ther Apoller o’ ther West—ther famous Pet Elephant o’ the Leadville trail. A sure prophet in sech matters, am I—at unfallible calendeer o’ signs an’ astronomical calculations, an’ [ll bet any ga- loot in ther crowd a nugget as big as yer fist that Kate socks it to ther mayor in a way het ‘11 make his flesh skeerce, Oh! she’s a reg’lar war-horse, is my Kate, pilgrims—a two-storied complex catapultian comet, an’ don’t ye fergit et. An’ when she rasps ther conceit outen thet ar’ chief cook-an’-bottle-washer, ye call ther Honorable Clancy Adair, why thar’s goin’ ter be a weddin’ in this yere town, an’ every man o’ ye can cum an’ smell o’ my empty tarant’ler jug, that is, ef ye don’t gi boozy. Ha! heer comes ther gal now—my daisy, Catherine!” The giant had been addressing a rabble of men and boys who had congregated in front of the ‘‘ Roost,” and as he spoke, California Kate | came from the interior of the building, equipped for the duel. ii She was now dressed in a semi-male suit, con- sisting of breeches, knee-boots, and a frock that nearly met the top of her ts. Upon her head she wore no covering whatever, aid her hair fell unconfined over her shoulders, A belt was secured to her waist, which con- tained a handsome sword; another scabbard held a slim rapier, ‘‘T am ready!” the girl said, quietly, as she turned to Beautiful Bill. ‘‘ Where is the man you want to engage with me, sir?” ‘‘ Whar is he, me Catherine, my holly-hock— whar is ther specimen 0’ hoomanity? Waal, neow, he ain’t cum yet, but I reckon he'll be | along, soon. Sayeth he to me, ‘I will come and cut her cussed head off,’ an’ I'll bet high ther galoot do cum, even ef he gits licked clean ouv’ 0’ time.” ‘‘The mayor is coming,” a miner said, lookiyg up the street, ‘an’ he looks b’iling mad.” “Tet him bile. Dll bet two dollars, Californy Kate takes all ther b’ile out o’ him in les.’n five minutes by ther turnip. Oh! I’m a bettin’ man, am I, and ary a galoot as wants. ter buck ag’en’ fate an’ fortin’ can hev an o opportw nity fer ter inwest, Beautiful Bill am 1, an’ I can steal an’ hide more tricks ir. a quiet game, ag ary other rigged schooner-auncher in ther wn, But no one had any desire spparen®ys to bet. with the notorious mule-drver from Leadville. He had already established his reputation in Rough Shod as a ‘‘ bad man,” and those were | COMME sA( Ge) IOO