Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 129 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

T4 . Deadwood Dick’s Double. 9 — OF NIE AY OO COLE IE “Perfectly so. All we have to do is 'to step | in and take our game.” ‘*Which may not be so easy as you think for,” the outlaw replied. ‘‘ Where do the girls os. 3 ‘* Your game sleeps upon a couch in the fur- ther end of the cabin. My game also sleeps alone, in a curtained bed, near by.” ** Good enough, so far. How about the dog?” “T drugged him, a bit ago, with a piece of smerre meat. Did you bring the chloro- orm?” ** No, but I have some ether, which is equally — Get a light stalk or sapling about ten eet long, that I can fasten a sponge upon.” Lyons softly obeyed, and the outlaw then fastened a large ee = the end of it, and soaked the sponge liberally with ether, which he carried in a bottle. He then removed his boots, and equipped with sponge and pole, followed Lyons into the fort. Within all was dark and silent, the sup- pressed breathing of the sleepers being the only sounds audible. Softly the two villains stole toward the couch where Edith Harris slumbered, all uncon- scious of the danger that threatened her, When they were but a few yards away, they paused and waited until their eyes had become somewhat accustomed to the gloom; then Deadwood Dick’s Double shoved forward the pole so that the sponge was directly in close proximity to Edith's nose. ‘For several minutes he held it there, and when he finally removed it the poor woman was quite overcome by the powerful drug. ‘* Lift her and take her outside,” he said to Lyons, ‘‘ and I will see what I can do with the other one. Get far enough from the fort so that in casel give an alarm you can reach the timber with her.” Lyons gently raised Edith in his arms, and bore her cautiously from the building. Then Deadwood Dick’s Double stole across the floor to the curtained bed which Lyons had ilesignated as the sleeping place of Ethel Elliott. Before parting the curtains, he paused and listened to assure himself that all was right. The regular breathing satisfied him on this score, and he finally parted the curtains and peerad in. Ethel had thrown herself upon the bed with- out disrobinz, and now lay sweetly sleeping with her head resting upon her arm, instead of the pillow. Her face was turned toward the prowling outlaw, and he paused a moment with an inaudible exclamation of admiration. Then after a moment he shoved the sponge forward beneath her nose, and allowed her to breathe the drug with which it was saturated. At last he calculated that she was bereft of all power, and removed the sponge, prepara- toc ing her away a helpless victim. t at this juncture he heard a stir, and eg through the curtain, he saw that Fred t, Celton was up, and was moving toward the open door. - Asmothered oath escaped the outlaw, for he saw that unless prevented the young colonist would discover the condition of Myers and the Chinaman and at once give the alarm. Should he do this, escape would be doubtful and discovery inevitable. Resolved not to be baffled, when he had the so nearly in his own hands, the ruffian eon a knife, and glided noiselessly in the wake of Fred St. Celton, his movements alike to those of a cat in the act of pouncing upon a rat. nse at step the young colonist took without the f then the murderous knife of the as- gassin was plunged to the bilt in his back. With a low groan St. Celton sunk forward to the ground, but to make doubly sure the fatality of his terrible deed, the outlaw leaped upon him, and fastened his bony hands about his neck in a vise-like gripe. veral minutes he remained thus; then arisi with a horrible chuckle he softly re-entered the fort, and re- moved Ethel Elliott from her bed, and bore her out and away into the black night. The next me bes | the corpse of poor Fred was found lying partly across the threshold, by the horror-stricken colonists, and upon the floor, near by was asheet of paper, bearing the following words, in cramped chirography: “ By this time I'll allow thet ye’ll opine I mean bizness. I’ve sp’iled another 0’ yer men, freed m wife, an’ hitched onter one o’ yer urtiest gals, whi ain’t bad fer one night’s work. Mebbe ye’ll take sf advice and skin out, now, sence ye’ll obsarve thet ain’t no slouch on my muscle. “ Ef ye’re gone, pack an’ pilgrim, afore sunset, so good, but ef ye tinge pepe ter get took off, one by one, Ye’ve got damien. Truly yours, ** Deapwoos DICK.” ll TT A ee CHAPTER XIII CONCLUSION. SHALL we pause to picture the grief and hor- ror of the ill-fated colonists as they gazed upon the inanimate form of the fourth of their party who had fallen a victim to the cruelty of the ter- rible scourge, Deadwood Dick’s Double? With heavy hearts the mourning colonists raised their stricken companion and bore him within the fort, and endeavored to restore him to life; but it was a hopeless task, which they were finally compelled to give up, and prepar- ations were made for the burial. Mr. and Mrs. St. Celton were wholly pros- trated with grief at this last blow, and obliged to take to their beds, and the remainder of the colonists were more or less affected. Nothing of old Bill Myers or Sing Song could be seen or found, and what had become of them was destined to remain a mystery, as they were never seen in Cat City Basin again. Doubtless they had awakened to a realization of what terrible harm their spree had precipita- ted, and had thought it best to slide out. oward noon a party of horsemen were seen entering the gulch by the south gap, and in a few moments they drew rein before the door of the fort. There were thirteen in all—stanch and stal- wart-looking fellows, who looked every inch as if they were born to fight. The colonists crowded without the door to learn the meaning of their coming. “‘Good-morning,” the leader of the party said —a wiry little fellow with iron-gray hair and mustache, and a keeneye. ‘‘ Iam Jobn Webb, sheriff of this county, and hearing that you were in trouble, I thought I'd ride over with my posse, and see if I could extend you any assist- ance. ‘For which [ thank you in behalf of myself and companions. We have been troubled much since coming here, and last night an additional blow was struck by the accursed outlaw and ruffian, Deadwood Dick.” “Hold! you err there!” Webb declared, quick- ly. “The man who calls himself Deadwood Dick, in this gulch, is an impostcr, as has been proven to my satisfaction. This man, at my gat here, is the original character of that title. And as he spoke he pointed to the handsome knight of the saddle, who formed one of his company. ‘““Ah! say you so? Then the woman was right,” the Judge said, turning to his party. “If this is the a ae Deadwood Dick, | wish to apologize for the trouble we have made his wife, under the belief that she was the wife of the ch outlaw.” ** None is needed, if you treated her respect- fully, asa prisoner of war,” Deadwood Dick said. ‘‘This Double of mine has caused you serious trouble, and you were perhaps right in holding my noble little wife. But, now that you have been satisfied on that point, I trust you will be willing to yield her to my possession.” ‘Willing I would be, sir, if it were within my power, but it is not,” the Judge said. And then he related how they had found Fred St. Celton’s corpse, and how the papers of the bogus Deadwood Dick had explained the abduction of Ethel and Edith. Both Deadwood Dick and the sheriff listened with stern faces and flashing eyes, and when the Judge had finished his recital, the officer tight- ened his belt, suggestively. ‘The ruffian has run nearly to the end of his rope!” he said, gravely. ‘If you will furnish a couple of men or so, I will lead an immediate attack upon these outlaws, and rescue the wo- men or fall in the attempt fy “ Ay! we'll do that very thing,” Deadwood Dick assented. “If we boldly attack the wretches it won’t take long to wipe them out.” Montague, the two Warwicks, and Lige n at once volunteered to go, and bringing forth their horses they mounted, ready for the attack. Then brave John Webb, known buyouebout all the Colorados as a fearless officer, led a charge down into the basin—into the forest, and to the very outlaws’ camp. Gathered outside were the followers of the counterfeit Deadwood Dick, with drawn wea- pons, and no sooner did the sheriff’s posse ROK into the peace than they were greeted by a deadly vo ev- Fortunately, however, nota man was disabled, and the next instant they returned the salute deliberately and with withering effect, every Pe counting a disabling mjury or a ea But a handful of the outlaws now remained, and with Lew Lyons at their head they at- tempted torally, but the sheriff and his men dashed forward and cut them down without quarter, till not an able outlaw remained stand- ing. Short and decisive had been the battle, and it had resulted most victoriously in the favor of the right. The bodies were gathered together, but noth- ing of Deadwood Dick’s Double could be found. A search of the cabin resulted in the finding of Ethel Elliott, unharmed, and she stated that the outlaw chief had only a few moments be- fore taken his flight, with Edith Harris in his wer. Directing the sheriff to re’urn to the fort, Deadwood Dick mounted his horse and rode rapidly away through the forest, declaring it hi: intention to pursue, overtake, and capture the outlaw. John Webb and his men returned to the fort, Montague, of course, escorting Ethel. Their coming was warmly greeted, and it was with a sigh of relief that the colonists heard of the breaking up of the terrible band that had caused them so much harm, Shortly afterward the sheriff dispatched the captured outlaws who had not heen killed to Fairplay, under charge of a part of his men, he with the balance remaining to learn of Dead- wood Dick’s success in ca eas his ‘‘ double.” At sunset poor Fred St. Celton was buried not far from the grave of his old companion Royce Elliott, and sorrowing friends watch d his remains laid forever away frcm the sight of man Just at dusk a little party upon horseback rode into the basin through the northern gap, and drew rein before the fort, and prpves to be Deadwood Dick, Edith, Chris Carleton, and— aay we relate it?—Royce Liliott, alive and well Wild exclamations of surprise and wonder came from the colonists at sight of their sup- posed dead companions, and rising in his stir- 1ups, Deadwood? Dick motioned them to be si- lent; ye, he spoke. “Tf you will permit me,” he said, *‘T will ex- plain. Mr. Elliott is alive and well, as you see. After you had buried him, I took the liberty to resurrect him, and by administering proper remedies, succeeded in restoring him to life. I then enlisted him in my service until this gang of outlaws should be destroyed, and we manufactured the ghost business with the aid of simulation, white robes and plenty of phospho- rus. I now surrender him to you, alive and well. Also, toCaptain Webb I hand over my risoner, here—Chris Carleton, alias the bogus Btedwone Dick. Let the law punish him as he de- serves. Now, having tendered you this explana- tion, I will beg to leave my wife in your care a few days, while I am off on private business in the North,” Edith was warmly welcomed, as was the re- turned Royce Elliott, and after many thanks had been lavished upon Deadwood Dick, he was permitted to take his departure, The next morning Sheriff Webb and his men set out for Fairplay with their prisoner, but their absence was shortly after made good by the reappearance of Slippery Sal. A week pleasantly passed at the fort, and as there were no outlaws to hinder them, the colonists got to work, and activity soon teemed every where throughout the gulch basin, Weeks flew by; paying gold was struck; shan- ties dotted the valley every where, and one night Ethel and Mon e celebrated their nuptials, midst the best wishes of many warm friends. And the Judge, who had been vigorously spark- ing Slippery Sal for some time, found oppor- tunity on this occasion to draw her aside and propose immediate union. And shall we record the answer? Off came the blonde wig, and on went a long- haired black one, and a false mustache and im- perial, and as Deadwood Dick stepped forward and encircled Edith’s waist with his arm, he gave the Judge his answer: ale a appreciate your offer, friend Elliott,” he said, ‘* but, as you perceive, lam not at liberty !” : 3% —s-—~-