Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 217 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

- SS el suit of pink and blue colored fabric, with a jounty slouch hat upon her head, and knee- Qo ots upon her feet of asmall ligaut pattern, A belt about ber waist contained a pair of “silver-plated revolvers, and a knife-hilt pro- “teuded from a sheath which hung upon her “hip. In:face she was decidedly fresh and fair, with sweetly chiseled features and expressive dark wyes, while ber hair fell in a mass of natural eurls uj on her shoulders. She was far too pretty a person to occupy the position she did, and sie was evidently conscious of ber beauty, as she gave her hata somewhat jaun‘ier pitch, and rearranged her collar, as the brigand drew rein, and she came up. An expression of admiration entered her eyes assbe saw Gipsy Jack. Few finer-look- i.g men than be in that wild country. “Well, you got him, I see?” the Girl Brigand Suid. “Yes mam,” was the reply. ‘Well, you may release his feet, that I may “take him to wy council-chamber to interview -la.oo,” she said. ‘he bandit obeyed. “You may follow me,” the young woman ~waid, leading the way through the fissure in the ruck to a large cavern, which scemed by its size as if the whole inside of the peak were ~ Lollow. la the center was a large raised dais, some tu. feet in hight, with steps leading to the top, Upon the top of this was a rude easy-chair, while upon the ground in front, were @ num- Lor of bench-seais. * Motioning Gipsy Jack to be seated upon ove cf these, the girl captain seated herseif upon 1.2 »econd step of the platform, and faced him, \.ith a searching glance, ‘“ Well, Deadwood Dick, how does your sud- cen change of base agree with yuu?” she ~Uked, Cipsy Jack started. ie asked, “Just what I asked—how do you fancy your change of base?” “Nos at all. But you addressed me as D.adwood Dick?’ ‘*Because I thought it would be more natural to you than Gipsy Jack. Oh! you moedn’t deny that you’re Deadwood Dick, tor 1 happen to know better!” ** How cid you acquire your information?” “Ob! quite easily enough. I saw you as Deadwood Dick about a month ago, apd once Scen, you are not to be mistaken for any other @).n." C.psy Jack started, and his features grew 60.0ewhat cterner. ‘* Admitting that I am, as you say, Doad- wood Dick,” he said, ‘“‘I begin to awaken to % tucthing I had not thought of before. You %.y yeu saw me a month ago. It was just “lat length of time ago, that 1 lost the dearest ‘treasure of my latter life—that my wife, who was ruthlessly stolen from my very arms as ib wore, and borne away to some place unknown ‘to me, and for a purpose equally unknown, Perhaps you can tell me where she is.” ‘* Were I disposed to be merciless, I could— but as I would not break your heart, I prefer not to tell you,” ‘¢ What! do yoa mean to insinuate that she was not true to me?” ‘¢ Well, if you must know—yes. With my _ ‘band of men, | was roaming in your vicinity, eLout a mouthago, when ore day my lieuten- ant suddenly came up missing, Careful in- «, .-y failed to discover him, and then came i . aews that your wife bad also turned up 1....,ing and was not to be found. Remember- ing that while we were prowling near your suanty, my lieuteuvant had seen you aud your wife sitting in the doorway, and expressed a wsirong admiration for her, I naturally eon- -c.cded that he had induced her to elope with him.” ‘Bah! Ido not believe this,” Gipsy Jack— @s we cball s.ll continue te call him---sc** “What do you mean?’ Captain Crack-Shot J sternly. ‘* No amount of lies could ever serve to convince me that Calamity was faithless to me,” “Hal ha! You've a great deal of confidence in her, Isee. I fancy you little understand a woman’s heart. It is a fickle piece of me chanism, and easily attracted from one pcint to another.” ‘‘ Perhaps that may be the case with yours, but not so with Calamity Jane. I believe yuu have ber in your power, as a prisoner!” ‘¢ Well, Isuppose I may as well admit the truth of your charge,” she said, with an indul- gent laugh. ‘I, Captain Crack-Shot, chief of the Kuights of the Colvrados, bave the honor of holding as my prisoser, the wife of the no- torious ex-road-agent, Deadwood Dick, sub- ject to release ou certain terms. I didnt know but I could deaden your interest in ber, and capture your affection, myself. Ha! ba! ha?’ ‘‘T comprehended your plan at the first!” Jack replied. ‘‘It failed from the fact that I care only for one woman, and that woman the one who has been true to me, through thick and thin—Calamity Jane!” ‘* And that very extraordinary aff*ction you seem to cherish for her was the cause of wy having her abducted and brought here, as I dared to presume you would bs willing to pay quite a respectable sum for her release!” the girl bandit replied. ‘‘I was upon the eve of writing you when I heard of your arrival in Durango, and concluded that 1 could best ar- range with you by having you brought hither,” ‘* Well, what do you pro, ose t » do?’ ‘‘T propose to have you accede tu my terms,” she replied, decidedly. ‘‘ You seem very confident,” he raid, a faint smile playing over bis face. ‘‘ You perhaps don’t rully know me.” ‘*On the contrary, I know you bett:r than most people. Do you remember the old Spaniard who used to run the Casino La Pierre, in Deadwood? If so, you will perhaps also recollect that he had a daughter who some- times handled the paste-boards expertly, and thereby tempted sundry dollars into the parental treasury?” ‘‘ Ah! I see. I have been turning the thought over in my mind that I had seen you some- where, You are oid Carlo’s daughter?” “The same, but lately transformed into Captain Crack-Shot—the title given me because of certain abiity in the line of straight shoot- ing. Hence, yousee, | have seen you long ago, and heard so much of you that I have Leen able to make a pretty accurate estimate of your eharacter. Iam full well aware that you are considered a hard man to buck ugainst, but I am not afraid but what I can bring you to terms in case you become balky.” Gipsy Jack surveyed the woman in no li tle wonderment. His long experience ia the golden West as Deadwood Dick had brought him into contact with many strange characters of the feminine sex, but he had seldom met a girl so young in years who was such a self-pos- sessed villain and schemer, ‘“‘T have serious doubts as to your success in taming me,” he replied. “I don’t generally yield to any one, and presume I shall not break my rule in your favor,” ‘¢ But I presume you will, as you can have but two alternatives to select from, one of which is—death. Listen, however, and I will tell you my plan, which I think you will em- brace when you kuow it, ‘¢ Since coming to this section I admitted an old witch to my band who owns a great share of the flats near Durango, and in particular the claim you pitebed yourcampon. This witch having disappeared, and I believing she is dead, I propose to elaim the flats as my own by right ef heritage, In order to get possession, I shall have to fight for it, and I want you totake a hand in the struggle as my first lieutenant. If we win you shall share equally with mein the prefiis; if we fail we will share such toli as can ve obtained iu the usual lino of my business. ' Of course, when you teke the oath of allegiunce, a ae aaaausassss_a ee SSS sis I ee _ the Girl Brigand. EEE your wife sball be returned to you, and all will be well.” ‘* And it I refuse?” ‘Well, then that will be another thing. You’ll get a just reward for your {fcoiisliness Your wife, Calamity Jane, will be rold to Toucder Cl.ud, the 1:ed-»skin vebob, fora thou- saud dollars, You will then be foiccd to pay five times that amvunt for your lile:ty, or be shot by my sergeant and thrown 1)cm the shelf outside into the gulch over thiee hui died fees below. How like you the prcepectus?”’ “It is quit. novel and cxtertuining; you should have a meual for ) our 1ev0y inve: tion,” was tue defiant answer. ‘* You bed Letter call your sergeant at once, as 1 sball :urely retuse to .cecde to your plans.” “You ao not mean it.” ‘Decidedly, yes. Lam not inclined to re~ enter the ranks of road-agency again, and, were I, } should do so un my own account, 1am ne cutthroat.” Captain Crack-Shot evidently was not pleased at this decision, und rose aud Walked about upon the sieps of the dais. ‘*Perbaps you thik Iam jesting ,” she said, ‘‘ perbaps you do nut believe 1 will do, or cause to be aone, a thing 1 have threatened?’ ‘““No. On the conirary, 1 believe you will do as you tureaten.” “And in face of this, you mean tbat you would rather have me fuifill my threats than to accede to my proposition?’ ‘Exactly. Threaten even to bring the skies crashirg down upon my head, and you could not budge me from my resolve,” ‘Then i7il give you the hospitality of the ‘den’ until I cau send word to the Indian ree ervation for Tbunder-Cloud to come and pur- cbase your wife, fur whom he bas a great ad- miration. ‘thomas! At her call a young Spaniard approached,, and stood in waiting. ‘ Thomas, take the prisoner and lower binx into the dea with the others!” she said. ‘* Go, Sic Gipsy, and consider yvurself in luck that I don’t shoot you On the spot.” ‘*T am ever so much obliged,” Jack sarcas- tically retorted, as be suffered himself to be led away. From the main cave he was taken into @ smaller one, divided ty skin curtains from the larger ove, and from this out upon a sbelf on the mountain -side, which was an exuct counter- part of the one upoa the opposite side of the honey comb peak, Just in front of this ledge was a deep, cellar~ like space, surrounded on the other three sides by perpend ou ar, smooth, rocky walls, up whieh no mortal cuuid clia#b without a ladder or other: artificial aid. The bottom of this natural hole was about: forty feet in diameter, and in the center was built a strong walled cage, or cell. ‘Ibis was about twenty by thirty in size, leaving an aree.. running entirely a: ound it. The walls of this cage or den were fully’ twenty feet bigh, and perfectly sm: oth. The depth of the cellar from the ledge above: was at least forty feet, and there was no ap-- parent outlet to it, except by upward ascent. A more effective or novel prison could scarce-- ly be imagined, for in the area lurked several wild animals, among which were two or three wolves and a cinnamon bear, From the howls they sent up, it was onl too evident they were purposely kept ina hall. starved condition, and should a prisoner suc- ceed in ecaping from the den to the open space, he would only fall into their ravenous jaws. A strong crane or derrick bad been erectea upon the ledge, and provided with a rope anid tackies, so that a person could be easily lowered or raised from the pit, As they emerged upon the ledge, Gipsy Jack took in all these points in swi't glance:. Then he allowed the Spaniard to fasten a kin of strap harness to bis shoulders and waijs' ans hook the tackle into it, well Kiowilng thet ad: he resist there were those at hand whs woui. | shoot him down at a signal. His only hope wis. 4 | 0)(0)(0) eomile gs) (EO)