Beadle's Half-Dime Library No. 109 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

¢ cee paper. say what you have to say.” “1 trust not,” Phineas replied. — ---— eer ee ee ‘“T come to — ask you if you know of the death of your | daughter?” Now the detective was only venturing the conclusion that the dead girl was this man’s off- spring. But it was a way he had of making a dive at conclusions, and he seldom fell short of his mark. “I have read of the affair,” Oswald Yates replied, indifferently. ‘‘It was a sad case, but { had no power to remedy it.” ‘* But, you still have another daughter in Rough Shod, who needs your fatherly protec- tion?” ‘* No, sir, you are mistaken. She is well able to take care of herself, without my aid. She left my roof on her own hooks, and I have waahoe tas hands of her,” ‘* You are an unnatural parent!” ‘“And a just one. For a stranger, you seem particularly interested in my affairs.’ ‘*It is a part of my business to be interested in the affairs of everybody,” the detective re- plied, as he arose and bowed himself out. He was satisfied now, and returned by the next stage to Rough Shod. The first thing he did was to visit Carroll Holly, at the jail. The young man was engaged in reading an old yellow-covered novel which Constable Hol- loway had compassionately tossed in to him, but looked up with a pleasant smile and nod, as the detective entered, and drew his chair up near. For the detective Carroll held a great liking. aS Well, how do you stand it? I suppose you are getting tired of these quarters, eh?’ Porter said, good-naturedly. “Yes. Ishould prefer the freedom of the outer air, as a choice,” Carroll returned, with a faint smile, “1 suppose, however, I cannot have my wishes gratifie’ until I take my final miff, to-morrow morning.” ‘** Probably not. I wouli release you, were it not for compromising my position as a detect- lve. Something may turn up, however, yet, to free you. They outuumbered me, at the trial, or you would now be free.” ‘Well, you did your best, and are not to blame. If'I die, Clancy Adair will be answer- Ean reeete the great judgment-court, fox my ife, ‘Then you are willing to die for the crimes of another?’ ‘* No; not willing, but still not afraid to die,” Carroll replied, a little regretfully. ‘* Indeed, I see no help for it, willing or unwilling.” ‘Nor I, just now, but something may turn up when we least expect it. Something tells me that you were not born to hang, and { trust and hope that [am right. 1 will bid you good- by now, and go. Perhaps I can procure a re- rieve for you, at least.” And shaking hands, the detective took his departure. After he had gone, Carroll threw himself up- on the bed, and lay looking over the situation as it was. He was a prisoner in jail, and unless he tould get free before sunrise, he was doomed to suffer death by hanging, for another man’s crimes. It was not a pleasant prospect to contemplate, oanouge he felt that he had no cause to fear eath. His life had ever been a quiet and serene one, and innocent. . His parents had been strict re- ligious people, and had reared him to believe in a God, and the grace and goodness of a Master. The main current of his life had ever run smoothly, and he had had no temptation to crime, But the prospect of being ushered into eterni- ty thus early in life, was not particularly invit- ing, and he could not be blamed for being down- hearted, For some hours he lay Sarg the matter over in his mind, and at last fell off into a trou- bled sleep. When heawoke, it was with a start. A man was fumbling at the door of his cell with a bunch of keys. Who he was Carroll Holly was unable to see, owing to the darkness. At last he sueceeded in unlocking the door, ate which he threw it open, and entered the vel. ‘Sh! are you there?” he demanded, in a voice that Carroll did not recognize. ‘‘T am here,” Carroll replied. ‘Who are you, and what do you want?” “I have come to release you,” was the calm reply. ‘It matters not who I am, at present. t a moment, and I will set you free.” He was silent a few momenss; thos a gleam | confining cords. (rrr SSS Deadwood Dick as Detective. re re es 2 ee ee + ne ee ‘‘T presume it will not take yon long to | of bright light from a bull’s-eye lantern he car- ried, illumined the cell. By its light Carroll saw what sort of a looking chap his new friend was—a lithe, iron-framed fellow, attired en- rene in black, and wearing a mask upon his ace, ‘* There!” he said, setting the lantern down upon a bench, ‘‘I will now cut your bonds, and we must get out of this, ere we are discov- ered.’ ‘You are Deadwood Dick, are you not?’ Carroll demanded, the thought suddenly occur- ring to him. “T am,” the masked man replied, cutting the ‘* How did you know?” **T didn’t; I rar guessed at it, from descrip- tions I have read of you. What objecthave you in setting me at liberty, sir?’ ‘The object of man’s humanity toward man,” Deadwood Dick replied. ‘‘Come! we have no time to converse, now, for the sooner you are out of nere, the better it will be for you.” And motioning Carroll to follow him, the Prince of the Road led the way out into the street. Here another surprise met Carroll. Mounted upon horses, and grouped abort the ja’ were penne two score of masked men, ooking grim and spectral under the light of the soaring moon, which poured its rays down warmly over the sleeping town. Up and down all the long main street the lights had been put out, and not a buman was seen abroad except the grim road-agents, of whom Deadwood Dick was the commander. The Prince of the Road led Carroll to a horse, and motioned for him to mount, ‘* You will now follow one of my men, who will guide you to a place of safety,” he said. So will join you, later, and conduct you out of the mountains, where you will be safer than here.” Accordingly one of the road-agents led the way stealthily down the street, and, nothing loth, Carroll followed. After the twain had disappeared from view down the street, Dead- wood Dick turned to bis men. ‘*Ready, now, boys, Bring out the murderer of Minnie Yates, and we'll hang him to the nearest limb. Out with him, I tell you, for he that killed the young mother and her child, shall have no mercy at the hands of my men. kruger and Raymond, you may go in for the galoot!” The two road-agents designated accordingly dismounted, and entered the jail. lor several minutes they were gone—then they issued forth, dragging Barry Meredith after them. The poor wretch was begging and pleading for mercy, piteously, with tears streaming down his face. At a motion from Dick, the guards stood him upon his feet. ‘* Algernon Ashton!” the Prince of the Road said, in stern, unpitying tones, ‘‘ you are stand- ing in the presence of your executioners, and it behooves you to cease your cowardly sniveling, and send up a petition to Heaven for the salva- tion of your soul, Your crimes are many, and hell stares you in the face, unless you can make your peace with a just and merciful God. I give you five minutes to make that peace!” ‘‘ Have mercy—have mercy I beg!” the wretch cried, wildly. ‘‘ For God’s sake, do not kill me, gentlemen.’ ‘*Do not appeal to me for mercy, for it is use- less. Iam not the one to look to for mercy in the hereafter. In the present, there shall be none, beeause you have committed fou) murder in more than one instance. You shall die. Come! two minutes out of the five have already gone. Boys, get him ready for the boost,” Several of the road-agents dismounted—the doomed man was dragged in under a tree, and a noosed rope fitted around his neck, while the loose end was tossed over a limb which reached out overhead. Then, at a motiin from the chief, enough manned the rope, and at a given signal they mulled, and swung the murderer into eternity. Jpon his forehead was then stamped a mark in the shape of a double cross, and he was left hanging there, a ghastly spectacle, in the moon- light. jhile the road-agents remounted, and with Deadwood Dick at their head, they struck into a wild, rollicking song, and galloped out of the town! | A few of the honest citizens were awakened, but took care not to make targetsof themselves, for afraid of these night prowlers, were they. Not long after the departure of Deadwood 15 —__— ee ang similarly in the vicinity Dick and his band, another dressed, and mounted, appear of the little gulch candy-shop. Here they halted and waited, as silent as shadows of the slumbrous night. Not long had they to wait, however, for a man soon emerged trom the cr:dy-shop, bear- ing in his arms a form weep ber in a heavy cloak, One of the night-hawks assisted him to mount, and then the whole gang galloped away out of the town in the same course taken by Deadwood Dick and his band, a short time pre- vious, Under spur and lash they urged on their horses through the wild mountain gulch, until— There was a shout, and the Ar found themselves surrounded by a swarm of armed masked men, ten times their own number, Re- treat was impossible; advance ditto. On eve side they were hedged in, and ‘ covered” by myriuds of shining weapons. ‘* Halt!” cried a stern voice, and frem the ranks rode the well-known figure of Deadwood Dick. ‘‘ You can gonofurther, my gay knightg. You have no choice but to surrender, for we — are ten to your one!” ‘* We ain't goin’ to do nothin’ o’ the kind,” the leader argued, ‘‘ We’re a party o’ honest min- ers goin’ empty-handed into the upper regions, and you hain’t got no right to stop us.” “T allow you are a confounded liar, and that unless you throw down your ‘hands,’ or rather your ‘arms,’ we shall be under the painful necessity of gesc. you down to the lower regions instead of the upper,” Deadwood Dick said, grimly. ‘‘As Are i you are upon your last trail. Come! will you surrender, or shall we take vou?” ‘Waal. ef we must, we musu, } caikylate,” the leader replied, ‘Throw away ver pop-guns and ribticklers, b’yees, an’ surrender.” There was a disagreeing murmur at this, but there being nothing else to do, the rufflans sur- rendered one by one, and submitted themselves to be bound uvon their horses. When they came to the man with the mask who carried tne ourden, Deadwood Dick gave vent to a laugh pregnant with bitter sarcasm. ‘* Your game is foiled Clancy, Adair,” he said, derisively, ‘‘anc you may hand Miss Yates over into my care,’ With curses the chiei magistrate of Leudville’s sister city obeyed, and suffered himself to be bound with the rest. He had played the last card in his pack, and lost! After the Archangels were securely bound to their horses, Deadwood Dick gave orders toa part of his men, who led the captured outlaws back to Rough Shod, and handed them over to the authorities. With the remainder of his band, the Prince of the Road led the way to a stronghold in the wrt aa where he found Carroll already ar- rived, Edith was restored from the effects of the chloroform Adair had administered to her, and given the best accommodations the place afford- ed. Deadwood Dick she did not see, but while she was conversing with Carroll Holly, she was greatly surprised to see Phineas Porter enter. ‘*'You here, Mr. Porter?” she exclaimed, joy- fully. ‘You are the last person I should have expected to see here.” ‘Very likely, for I seldom ap here in this disguise. I am more generally known as Dead- wood Dick.” _* You Deadwood Dick?” ‘‘The same, lady. The detective whose name I bear recently died here in the hills, from an encounter with a prunly On his death-bed he bequeathed me all his secrets, wealth, and his title, and I have been very successful in bring. ing several offenders to justice under his name!” Re Rough Shod, later, the Archangels were shot. Carroll remained but a few days in the mountains, and then journeyed East, with the intention of settling down. Somewhere in the Colorado districts, hidden under the disguise of Phineas Porter, detective, . Deadwood Dick lives with his new bride—his third wife, by the way, whose name is Edith. Until some accident occurs again to betray Dick to his enemies, their wedded life promises to be a blissful one, While down in Rough Shod, blatant and boastful as ever, yet prosperous and ular, Beautiful Bill holds his own with ifornia Kate as his better-half. THE END. com ebooks com