Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 129 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

her vi 8 -————- ee ee ee re i a ee ee ee ee ee ee CO ‘had had experience—that hers was an old head npon young shoulders. The Judge took more than an usual interest in her, evidently, for he frequently drew her ito conversation, and his eyes were upon her, ‘vhen she was present. But Slippery Sal failed to notice this, evident- iy, for she treated one and all alike, with the «xeeption of Lew Lyons. To him she seemed to take an instant aver- sion, which, however, was not singular as none ~ of the colonists were particularly fond of him, ' + gr his societ duyons did not appear to care particularly, an if he meditated mischief, he was frustrated by being closely watched. About midnight, when Judze Elliott had “stepped without the fort for a moment, Slippery Sai crossed over to where Lyons was lying, and peered down sharply into his face. Tho man was evidently sound asleep, and the Girl Sport had opportunity to closely inspect his face without Nis knowing it. “T thought I had seen him before, when [ “tame here, but guess I’m mistaken,” she mused, as she finally turned away and went back to L, At fais instant Judge Elliott came rushing in‘to the fort, in a state of great excitement. ** Wake up! wake un—all of you!” he cried, vevilily—‘* wake up, for God’s sake, and tell ma thet I am dreaming, or am I going mad! A «gh sst— Royce! Royce, my dea boyy -\Qae by one the colonists collec by the Ju \z3’s side, and followed the line of his pointed - xem down into the basin, where the gravo of Royce Elliott had been made, Lhere they saw what Montague, Hanson, and the St. Celtons had seen the night before—ths ath »stly horseman by the edze tho of forest, sur- ro.nded by the mysterious halo of light. Plainly perceptible to those at the fort, the fac. was an exact counterpart of what young Ultiott’s face had bsen in life, except that the #y23 were now closed, and there was an un- -eartaly pallor upon the features. Pranstixed with horror, the colonists gazed a5 * the frightful spectacle in mute silence. There was somefhing so very terrible in ths thought of Royce Eliiott’s coming back to haun ‘them, that they could but stand and gaze in wspeechiess horror. “Montague and Slippery Sal were the coolest gues of the lot. Montague was not so greatly agitated as when he had seen if before, and as for the Girl Sport, she was perfectly cool, a3 she gazad keanly ab the spactral apparition. Law Lyons was the first min to speak. ‘Curse che thing!” he gasped, white with terror, as he reached for his rifle. ‘* Pll drop bhhas ghost, or waste my lead, ons or the other!” H> raised his rifle to his shoulder and took aim, but Slippery. Sal suddenly sprung forward ant knocked the weapon out of range. ‘* Cheese it!” she said, authoritatively. “* Don’t vou dare to fire, ef ye don’t wanter die!” CHAPTER VII. EDITH HARRIS, _ Busrvess was there in the words of Slippery Bal and althouyzh ib wasin the mind of Lyons so disobey her, ce hesitated, and flinched before . the deadly gaze that came from her midnight bs. ‘“‘ What the hang’s the difference to you, what { do?” he demanded, with a savage growl, ‘‘A. good bit,” Sal replied, coolly. ‘Ye don’t shute that speerit, not if I kin help it—fer two reasons. Fust: [ve gota purtickler river- ance fer spesarits an’ ghosts; an’ seckont—know- _. in? well ye couldn’t tech yonder yf MO ye’d _ better keep yer fire, fer thar’ll be fightin’ ter do, - atore daybreak. Them woods down thar ain’t 30 dull an’ gloomy fer nothing, bet yer dirty socks on that!” “The girl is right,” the senior St. Celton de- » elared, Aah ‘** Nothing can be gained _ by wasting pow - on yonder thing, be it spirit, man or devil. dear Elliot, what in the » mame of Heaven can it be? Do you think it is the ghost of your dead son?” ‘Yes! yes!” the Judge oats, wher 4 “itis his ghost come back to haunt me. Oh! God, what have I ever done to merit this blow?’ ‘‘Do not take this matter to heart so, Judge,” Mon e said, hobbling foward upon his erutches. ‘If yonder specter is indeed a spirit fron the other world, | am sure it does not come to haunt us for any particular sin, but is sent as a warning of danger, and also to watch Yor or welfare. I have seen the thing once be- ee ee ee ; ¥ q Deadwood Dick's Double. the fact, lest it should give you undue anxiety and trouble.” ‘*See! see!” Slippery Sal cried, pointing down into the basin, excitedly. ‘** Montague’s words are right. It comes as a warnin’, durn my cats ef it don’t. See! it holds aloft a banner.” They all looked, to find that it was even so. The right arm of the specter had suddenly stretched out from the shoulder, and the hand asped an illuminated banner, on which was inscribed in letters of fire, which shone brightly into the night, the following words: ** Look out! Danger! Be firm!” That and nothing more. Then, after a moment, the apparition sudden- ly began to fade from view, until it was quite lost from sight, although it did not seem to move from the one side where it had first ap- peared, When it was gone there wasa general sigh of relief among the colonists as they turned back into the fort. The Judge and Ethel had, in a measure, conquered their agitation, but were grave and silent, which showed that the sight of the specter had affected them more than was apparent, here was no sleep in the little fort for the re- mainder of that night, nevertheless the ghost did not make its appearance, Toward daybreak hoof-strokes were heard and it was discovered that Fred St. Celton and his party were approaching tlie fort. The door was thrown open as soon as they arrived, and they were heartily welcomed. Mounted upon an extra horse was Edith, the pretty wife of Deadwood Dick, now looking pele and faticued. Close beside her horse the ig mastiff, Old Daggers, kept vigilant watch of his mistress, as much as to say: a“ Look out! If you harm her, woe be unto you. ‘* Here we are!” Fred St. Celton cried, as he rode up, and slipped from the saddle. ‘‘ We corraled the game, after a while, and induced her tocome, And as tired and hungry as dogs are we,” A general dismount was made, and Edith was ponmneien into the cabin, closely followed by the og. ‘You want to look out for her,” Fred St. Celton said. ‘‘ She protests the cuss who claims the valley isn’t her husband, the true Richard, and claims we are doing her a greatinjustice by bringing her here as g prisoner.” “And so I do!” Edith cried, ey cE ‘You are all aset of cowards, or you would seek the man who is harming you, instead of causing trouble to one whom you wrongfully | deem to be a ruffian’s wife.” ‘*We don’t wish to harm you, ma’am, if we | can help it, but we must use you asa shield to | protect ourselves against the villainous on- slaughts of Deadwood Dick,” the Judge said, gravely, but kindly. ‘But you are wrong. My husband is not | offering you the least harm.” “ Ah! I cannot credit that, ma’am. You | claim to be Deadwood Dick’s wife.” ‘*' Yes, I do and am proud of being so,” “ And this man who aspires to drive us from Cat City Guich, announces himself as Deadwood Dick, So you see we are not wrong.” ‘But it is not the original Deadwood Dick, I say,” Edith declared, tears of vexation and in- dignation standing in her eyes. ‘It is some impostor who has stolen my busband’s notoriety, and is using it to a devilish purpose. My hus- band is even now absent in search of the usur- per of his name to unmask him!” ‘*I dare say so,” the eain replied, with a quiet smile of disbelief. ‘‘I am sorry to sa that I cannot yet pes faith in your protes and shall have to hold you as a hostage. Will you promise to stay here peaceably, without at- tempting to escape, or shall we be obliged to confine you?” ‘You can do as you please. I shall escape at the first opportunity, and you’d better lock up your weapons where I cannot get hold of them, for your lives will answer for this indignity, if I get free.” ‘* In that case, we shall take care to not per- mit you to do us harm,” the Judge said. “I have a pair, of handcuffs among my effects. ar wi ot about fit you, I guess.” ‘““Say, Jedge, ar’ them the ones you wore when ye escaped from the penetentiary?’ Shlip- pery Sal demanded with a FS ageres dryness. “Undoubtedly,” the Judge replied, smiling, at which there was a genera! laugh. The handcuffs with a long slim chain attached were soon found. The lattar, being long enough, —— semana --—— -— + eee we ee es ee were also placed upon her wrists, and she was indeed a prisoner. She submitted without further argument, but the flash of her orbs evidenced the fact that she ae greatly incensed at the indignity put upon er. Daggers, the big mastiff, watched the pro- ceedings with a sullen look and a growl of dis- satisfaction, and seemed to be anxiously wait- ing for an invitation on the part of his mistress to wage a battle with the offending colonists. Great were the horror and grief of Fred St. Celton, when he learned of the terrible death of his two younger brothers. And the glances that were turned upon the fair prisoner, as the ghastly crime was dis- cussed, were anything but promising to her future welfare. Indeed, were they to be blamed for thirsting for vengeance upon the ruffian who was the cause Of all these deaths? The dog, Daggers, lay Gown before his mis- tress, as a sort of protective guard; yet he gazed keenly at Slippery Sal, as if believing that she was a friend. Finally he arose with a whine, and crossing the floor to where she was sitting, sat upon oe haunches, and looked wistfully up into her ace. ‘*Git out, you purp!” she exclaimed, makin a motion at him with a stick of wood, at whic he slunk back to Edith, and lay down. ‘I nevyer was partial ter dorgs, nowhow. They’re most allus troubled wi’ fleabotomy, or sum sich ailment.” Banished by he was wholly abashed, for he cont pery Sal drowsily. Moining at last dawned, without any hostile movement having been made by the ruffians who were concealed in the forest. This was not according to the expectation of bo colonists, and consequently they were puz- ed. What was the cause? If Deadwood Dick meant to fight for posses- sion of the gulch, why did he not institute pro- ceedings? Or had he concluded to hold the wooded por- tion, and allow the colonists to retain the ground they already occupied? These and many other conjectures agitated the minds of those within the fort. Shortly after sunrise, a band of horsemen, numbering a dozen all told, rode into the valley from the northern gap, and took to the woods. They were headed by a masked leader in black, and this man the settlers immediately Daggers was not inued to eye Slip- _ decided was Deadwood Dick. ‘That explains the reason why we have not been attacked before,” Montague said. ‘ Now, look out for warm times.” The settlers, by Judge Elliott’s order, kept closely within the fort, as from the edge of the timber a rifle shot, well aimed, could kill a man standing in front of the building, so that they were obliged to use the western window as a mode of egress. Food was now becoming alarmingly scarce, there mas barely enough obtainable for another meal. A consultation was held as tothe best means of supplying the larder, but none could be de- vise To leave the fort in search of game was not practicable, inasmuch as there was great danger in so doing. And there was no other source, as Myers had refused to part with any more, from his larder. ‘** Perhaps we can at least send by the stages for the supply we need,” Montague suggested. ‘* But, where’s the money to come frcm?’ the Judge demanded. ‘‘We all deposited our cash in the bank at Leadville, and I doubt if there are five dollars among the crowd.” ‘“‘Ef ye want spondulicks, jest call on me,” Slippery Sal said, slapping her hand upon ber breeches pocket, witha smile. ‘‘ I’ve made my pile, you bet, and you shan’t starve ef et’s money ye want. But let me puta flea in yer ear, =, pe ye harm that lettle woman over yander, ef ye don’t want me ter skulp ther hull top o’ your head off, I’m tellin’ ye.” “You mean Deadwood Dick’s wife?” ** On course I do.” ‘** Why do you interfere in her behalf? Is she not the wife of a notorious outlaw, whose crimes are known from the Atlantic to the Pacific?” ‘*Thet don’t make!” Sal declared. ‘ Ef I was ther wife o’ ther devel, d’ye suppose I’d be an- swerable an’ ter blame, fer all his shines? Not by a hanged sight! Besides, ye ken count fore, togetner with young Hanson, and Tom and _ «Mred St. Celton, but refrained from mentioning a * was removed, and alter being secu! ed about her | strong on wnat thet gal sez. She ain’t no liar, waist, was fastened to the wail. The bandcuffs ; Pll allow.” T ~ \ ' y . « w a . A ‘EO Awe \. cbooks.com