Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1096 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

f lane) 7 ‘7 * Uetm 4 (ae 5 ie i ? gy ; aha 4 arf al ' 3 a 7 * 7 », 45 } .% a f'.) /) my 4 le ’ of" J‘ . re 6 <>) Pulled 4 ~ ~~ =| ¥ f.- ‘aa . £, ‘ . 7. os ry} « Fr ‘ i + -“ > sf e - ‘ = 4 h . ay, be at ae “3! 5 i 7 ne AL. > now. i yu fe rch y | » = tof ‘ the 10 Dandy Dick's Dragnet. ‘“* Oh, it doesn’t take a man of heavy brain tv be a detective; all it requires is a little ready wit, ** You reasoned that out well, anyhow.” ‘“*T think so. You see, if this bad been a note received by Teaberry, and he were what ha claims to be, he would never have cast it into a\ corner so, but would have put it outof the way for good ard all.” ‘* That’s so.” ‘*On the other hand, wanting to use it as he did, that was the natural thing for him to do. This piecing old letters and scraps of writing together is an old thing, and he knew it would be done if the scraps were found by any one who came prying around,” **That’s so, that’s so.” ** But he overreached himself badly this time. Still, we had all the proof we needed without anytbing of this sort,” ** There was sense in it, just the same,” ** Yes: but he didn’t reckon on the kind of material he was fighting against in the Invisible Seven.” ‘** And yet he has branded us, every one, as a marked man,” This caused a moment of silence. ‘** That is what I can’t understand,” the leader declared, : ‘it is as good as a warning to us, however, and at the first alarm it must be war to the knife.” 7 **'You say aright. At the first move, it must be death to Dick Darrel, You can swear it was in self defense, and the rest of us will stand by you, whoever it is that kills bim,” There were further plannings, but little of im- ee pence was brought out, and at last they were one, The torch was put out, they were heard mov- ing aboat for a few moments, tben their steps died away in tbe distance, and all was still. CHAPTER XIV. WAKING UP THE CAMP. DaNnbDY Dick and Ham waited a considerable time before either spoke, Ham wisbed for Dick to break the silence, since he was tbe master spirit. Presently Dick whispered: **' Well, [ guess it will be safe for us to get down now, Ham, They seem to have all gone, and if they baven’t it will be as unpleasant for them as it will for us, I guess,” “Right you be,” answered Ham. ‘“‘ Darn their p’izen hides, I'll be glad ter see ’em scooped in. Don’t reckon I kin look ’em in ther face any more, ’thout givin’ away that I am onto their game,” * You must guard against that, Ham.” “Ob. I will, in course; but, it won’t be no easy thing ter do.” “Well, let’s get down and away from here. fam Alpaid dark work bas been going on at Im- rial, sat? What makes yer think so?” **Didn’t you notice what they said about Yang Kee?” ‘That's so, b’gosh! really done fer bitm?” 4 **No: but they have done for somebody, as you callit. You heard them say Yank has been dealt with.” “Yes; dast’em! I hope it ain’t so, fer that Chinee ar’ wu’th a duzen of em, But, then yer a he ar’ safe. Who is it they has fixed Do yer s’pose they have **It must be that Chinaman who was with the qoung ladies, They have been taking bitn to be ank there at Imperial, you know,” **T hope it ain’t so; but let’s slope.” “Yes; we have no further business here just Did you recognize any of the voices?” ** Yes; dast ’em!” ** You can believe what I told you, then?” “You bet I kin. There'll bea big time when you make ver haul, b’gosh!” “lL rather think there will, Move carefully, ort till you get hold of the rope. Are you all Tight” in a momert more Ham responded that he Was, and swang off and descendgd, Dick followed close after, and ‘was soon down. .. Putting the rope well back, so that it would be out of sight by daylight, and not likely to be discovered without close looking, Dick and his companion set out upon the retury to the camp, _ ‘One thing I want to ask ye,” spoke Ham, resen | * And what is that?’ asked Dick, in te ' = 4 Ld _ How ae ‘ar letters kem on ther gowns of pa , Tie: 4 ° ‘ ce "¢ - - e "a \ eS Fee te ly a) rye. ws ” 04% tM ae Roe Ys 7. * * ‘ . ; . : % - . 4 7 “) f. 7 + * =. an) “ats a a > ‘. lad ~, : . . : 155 Be wide. /@ ; r , : ih Ye 4), ee bah re ’ ~~ re a Fuse’ he . j < ‘J ' ie -. : te * at tht oe ~ ‘ . > “ ’ w ex 9 4 i. ‘‘That was the clever work of Yang Kee, Ham. That fellow is a very imp for secret work,” ‘**T should say so.” ** And he is soon to undertake something even more difficult than that, You will know what I mean to-morrow nighv,” ‘* He’s nobody’s fool, that ’ar sartain, I don’t see how he done it, an’ that is ther trutb.” ‘*Nor I, scarcely, It was not important in itself, and yet it was, too; but the main idea was to prepare him for this other I mention.” ** fT see, sez ther blind man,” “Believing that I have detected them, and that proof ougbt to be evidence enough, they will be all the more determined to put me out of the way.” ; ‘Yas; and ther goodness help Old Teaber- ry, for they seem ter have their eyes sot on him, bad,” ‘*T am making every circumstance play into my hands, as well as I can. They will bring him here to-morrow night, for the purpose of killing him, provided ¥% | can get bim without getting the worst of it. have an idea that he is more than he seetns.” ‘*' Yer would ’a’ thort so, if yer had been in the Primrose ter-night.” ‘“* Why, what was going on there?’ o Teaberry took Big Ben an’ stood him on his head.” ‘‘ Ha! is that so? thought, perhaps. berry a little.” ‘* Yas; an’ Ben was sure it must be you, then, an’ he wilted right down, though he made a show of gettin’ out of it easy. He was glad ter “— I tell yer.” hey continued their talk as.they proceeded cautiously up the ravine, and in due time were once more out in the valley where the neat little city of Imperial nestled. Here they paused and. observed yet more caution, It would not do, now, to let the In- visibles suspect that they had been shadowed. Not a sound was to be heard, and nothing could be seen moving, so they proceeded cau- tiously forward, now in silence. They, did not pause again till they came to Ham’s cabin, having kept in the deeper shadows all the way. ** An’ whar ar’ you goin’ now?’ asked Ham, ** Back to join my allies.” ‘Yer wants ter be mighty keerful.” ‘Be assured of that, Ham. First, though I’m going to nose around a little to see if I can find out what has been going on,” ** Don’t yer want me along?” ** You had better keep out of it, Ham, If dis- covered, you would bave to answer unpleasant questions, That is to say, inconvenient ones,” eas, that’s so; but, what if you is diskiver- ed? ‘** 1']1 elude them, somehow, If { discover any- thing, Vl alarm the camp, and then you can come out with the crowd.” ‘* All right; but take keer!” They spoke good-night, and Dick Darrel was gone, Ham did not eftter his cabin at once, but stood outside by the door waiting and listening. ‘* He ar’ a dandy, an’ no discount on bim,” be muttered to himself. ‘‘ ’d bate ter be a doer of evil, an’ have him git after me, b’gosh!” Keeping well in the shadows, Dandy Dick had gone on in the direction of the public Square, and wassoon there, when he went forward in the direction of the forum and the gallows-tree, If any infamous deed had been done, it was here he would find evidence of it, Not neglecting for a moment to use all cau- tion, be was soon under the tree. All was dark, and he was debating whether to make a light or rot, when something struck him, Not in a figurative sense, but he was struck in fact. He was moving forward toward the platform, when some object struck his breast. A weapon was in his hand in the same second as he stopped short, to listen, and as he stood thus he was struck again, this time with less force, and the object remained, It was too dark to see, there under the tree, and he put out a band to feel. The thing that had hit bim was a human foot, and that foot was attached to a body that was ony too evidently suspended from a limb of the tree There is mors to this than I I must see about this Tea- ‘‘4 banging!” Dick exclaimed, under his breath, He felt at the foot, and found that it was that of a Chinaman, the peculiar shoe telling bim that. ** And a Chinaman, too,” he added, “ but not Yank. He has on American foot-gear at 6: Le ‘ . , ‘> ay) Ee ’ a a hadtes rv" =e ~ a) Tae SSeS EEE OEE EE EE EEE EEE EE EEEOEOEOEOEOOEEEOEOEOEEEOEOOEOOEOeeEeEeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eee eee eee 7 - : . . 7 . - . “ b ‘ua 7 re f a \ = 4 . e Set! ’ S eal on wo present, while these are felt clogs. it must be the girls’ Celestial.” Taking the risk, he struck a match, and when it had blazed up, took a survey of the swaying body. [It was that of a Chinaman, and he recoguized the poor devil as the one who had been with the two young ladies at the hotel, ‘*Poor Hop!” he muttered, ‘‘ He met a bard fate when he was innocent. But, I am glad it was not Yank, Ha! what is this pinned on his breast?” Lighting another match before the first was out, be held it bigher and read these words: “WARNING TO DICK DARREL! ‘* Here is your Chinese ally. Take warning by his fate and get out. We know you now beyond mis- take, and if you are here twenty-four hours longer, the same fate will be yours. ‘* INVISIBLE SEVEN.”’ “They will find I don’t scare,” muttered Dick, as his match went out, and be was left in the dark. ‘* Fools that they are, they are too smart in their own conceit to be smart enough in point of fact. I have themon the hip now!” Considering for a minute or so, be turned and went boldly out into the middle of the Square, and there, firing bis revolvers, he began to shout and whoop wildly. ‘Come out hyar, ye more-dead~n’-alive pil- grims, ye! Jump inter yer boots an’ prance right our hyar! Thar’s evil doin’s goin’ on while yer sleep, an’ yer wants ter take a band ip. Hustle, I’m shoutin’, or PH shout hyar till daylight! Whoo-o00-o00!” Windows and doors were heard immediately, lights were soon appearing, and other voices broke the stillness of the night. And Dick shouting and firing again, soon bad the whole camp astir, or nearly so. And then, when all was excitement, Dick slipped quietly away in the darkness, CHAPTER XV, FINDING THE CHINAMAN, In a brief time men were pouring into the Square from every direction—coming in every state of dress and undress, and some brought lights of one kind and another, And as they came the eager demand was to know what bad bappened, who had cailed them forth at such an hour, and what it meant anyhow, Nearly all the windows of the hotel were up, the doors were all open, and a good many of the inmates had already rushed out to learn the cause of the unusual excitement, Among these were the proprietor of the house, Sinclair Fowley; Gold-plate George, and others; most of them all dressed, in spite of the baste with which they had responded to the shouting and firing in the street, ‘* What is the meaning of all this?” demanded the marsbal, as be pushed to the front. ‘‘Durn us if anybody seems ter know what’s ther matter,” somebody answered, ‘* Who was it firing and shouting so?” ‘* Jest what we all wants ter know.” ‘* Cali upon the fellow to sbow himself and ex- plain,” suggested Fowley. The marshal acted upon it, ** You fellow, whoever you are,” he called out, ‘‘step out and show yourself and let us know what all your noise was about.” ‘‘Nary a one of us seems ter be ther galoot,” said one fellow, after a moment of waiting. ‘* Well, somebody made a deuce of a racket, that is certain,” the marshal declared, ‘‘ and if he did it to fool us he’d ought to be booted.” At that moment came acry from the direction of the tree. oo. Some men hurrying into the Square from that direction had run against the teet of the sus- pended Celestial. ‘* Who hev yer been a-hangin’ hyar?” one call- ed out, ‘* Whar—what?’ wag the shout, ‘* Why, hyar on ther tree, o’ course! Who ar’ it?” There was a sbout at once, and a great rush was made for the tree, Lights were in. demand, end those who held them made haste with the rest of the crowd, Others made haste to proenre torches from any convenient source, and the light about the Square was growing brighter each moment, ‘*Tt ar’ a Chinee!” was shortly made known. ** A Chinaman!” echoed the marsbal, pushing to the front. ‘*'That’s what it ar’,” was affirmed, _— ; md , bog oe _ Pa ~» - - < . a - . en ee a “= a” a - ~ = - ry t= 2 ee tong: % Snatebing a light from the hand of a man i Le - i> i Sahn 4 € ub . i y aa 4 oe — C (ae \ ’ j ™~ || | | A \ y ad '