Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 221 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

“"_ = a re Sag ee oe eee ee With the utterances of the words there was a pistol-shot, and the poor fellow dropped dead upon the ground. Who had fired the shot? know. Shakespeare instantly drew a pair of revol- vers and sprung away toward the jail, followed by anumber of the better class of citizens, who in turn were followed by the crowd at large. They arrived in the vicinity of the jail, and put to flight a band of masked, whiskered men, who were upon the outside clamoring for ad- mission—a part of the same gang who had pre- viously been seen in the village. After they were gone it was found that Sam was all right as faras safety was concerned. lt was decided, however, to place a stronger guard around the jail, and ten men were de- tailed for that purpose, with orders to repel an attack coming in whatever shape it might, and to allow no one to see the prisoner, without permission of some of the principal citizens. Eveniig came on; voting ceased, for every adult male had voted at least once. The next thing to do was to count the votes to decide who was to be mayor. __ ‘This was done publicly, and in the open air. The three pool-tenders mounted a box just out- ‘sila the Bella Union saloon, and with the ticket 1. ceptacie between them two of them began to «count while the third kept tally. ‘‘Yip! hip! hooray. Three jeers fer ther stir bavgled spanner! Eccky signum sic dis- ‘te\nper syringe, anidomi plurus discombobbe- wate!” bellowed Shakespeare, rolling in upon the scene, with lezs made unsteady by the frequency “of his potations. “In Fourth o’ July Latin, thet means thet Sugar-Couted Sam’s goin’ ter take ther cake— ‘you bet—goiw’ ter waltz right inter our White luuse,an’ show us how ter run a town skientific. Ten thousand million dollars ter bet ag’in’a Single cent thet Sam’! scoops in the most votes.” * Thirty-two for Burt!” ** Thirty-two for Shakespeare.” ** Ninety-seven for Sugar,” said the tally. ** Heer thet, now, wull ye! Even I, ther Joa- ‘quin Miller o’ Grim Gulch sink inter significance as compared wi’ ther great sweet-toothed, lasses caudy dandy, Sugar-Coated Samuel!” yelled * the bullwhacker. ‘‘Ninety eight for Burt,” cried the tally, ‘whereat the bullwhacker looked crestfallen ‘“Shenannigun hyar,” he muttered. ‘ Re- eatin’, or I’m a blarsted fule. Ef Burt gets at, tien ther divil will be to pay.” But Burt didn’t get it. ‘The last vote told the story. With next to the last vote Burt and Sugar- Coated Sam were tie at a hundred and eight; ‘ue last vote was for Sam, and made the hun- «ved and ninth. When it became known a general shout went um» from those in favor of the election of the jprevident of the Sugar-Coated Mining and Mill- uu; Company, while the others gave vent to grunts, not of approval, but of extreme dis- »s..tisfaction. ‘*Curses take my luck!” Burt said, addressin ‘the girl sport, Sure-Pop, in an undertone. ‘“ “felt it would be so. Why did you not see that ‘the attempted lynching was a success?” ‘‘Tdid not care to,” was the fearless reply. '““T knew your plans would fail in that respect ‘and was wary enough not to get myself mixed Sap in the trouble.” ‘‘“Humph. Youaresmart! You hinted that wou had madea discovery that were it known would place this Sugar-Coated Sam in a bad position! What is it?’ ‘*How much you will be willing to give to ‘know, is what 1 would prefer to know first?” ‘* Not a cent!” ‘*Then you'll not know a cent’s worth.” ' ‘What? What do you mean?’ ‘‘T mean that you and [ are quits, George Burt. lve got tired of playing second wife to my sister’s third-ship, and being bossed around ‘by youasasort of slave to your will. \ Here- wafter, when you want me to do work for you, it “wiil be necessary for me to see a stipulated sum No one seemed to . “ef cash forthcoming, in advance, to satisfy any © «conscientious scruples I may chance to have, If “you want me to turn up a trump card against ‘Sugar-Coated Sam, [ have no Sayer in case *you’ve got a spare hundred dollars in your jpocket. And I won’t make such a failure as “any sister did on the wife business.” ‘It does not follow that she failed,” the Mor- wnon said, “for Sam is now in jail, principally “mn account of her little business. I shall look ‘well to it that he don’t get out right away.” “Provan ¥ I wiwe VS we ayy ‘ x = ae : . f ¥ >) , a - ei. weer ~~ a ’ +7. Se 7? Aw vee Y was ——— | . + ow Ww oe - ' denced by a feint grunt of approbation on ine ' ove ans | . =tie eng *.. ae -Sugar-Coated Sam. you get ready to fork over the hundred, I can fix him effectually.” **T’]l sse you hung first!” he deciared, grimly, and turned wrathitaiy away. In the niean time a crowd were discussing the feasibility of releasing the new mayor from con- finement, and after leaving Sure-Pop, Burt hur- ried forward to take a part in the business. ° ‘*T argue that it will be utterly rash to re- lease that man. until he is tried,” he declared, vehemently. ‘‘Heis a hard customer, and the last man you should think of making your head official. propose that you take him from the jail and try him at once. If he is jury-judged guiltv, hang him without ceremony. If he is judged not guilty, release him.” The proposition met with favor among a large majority, and so it was decided that Sugar- Coated Sam should have his trial at once in the moonlit main street of the town. A jury was picked out of the most disinterest- ed parties that could be found; Dutch Hans was appointed judge, and Shakespeare and Burt of- fered to act respectively for and against the prisoner as lawyers. Then a big barrel was rolled out into the street, and Sugar-Coated Sam brought forth from his prison and mounted on top of it in full view of the audience. Other barrels and boxes were produced for and mounted by the judge, counsel and jury in a circle, while the rude audience stood upon the ground surrounding, holding flaring torches to light up the peculiar scene. Sam was very cool and collected, considering that he was quite well aware that an attempt would be made to convict him and give him the benefit of some taut rope. He had been informed of his election to the office, but placed no expectation in ever being able to fill it, as he felt sure that, if a clear case could not be proven against him, as he was well aware could not be honestly done, Commodore Burt would invent some heinous charge of suffi- cient plausibility to preclude the idea of the people’s ever accepting him, Sam, as mayor. When things were all ready, Dutch Hans rapped upon his box with the heel of his stogy boot to enjoin silence, and the c.mmodore arose to make the opening speech. ‘* Fellow-citizens,” he began, ‘‘ the purpose of this occasion, as you know, is to try the pris- oner at the bar, known as Sugar-Coated Sam. Among you he is known by that nom-de-plume, and asa miner and speculator of the sportish order; of his former life I am aware that you know little or nothing. Enough to say that he never bore any too savory a reputation, and after placing his wife in an insane asylum, be- cause she refused to screen a terrible crime he had committed, he fled to the West to escape the vengeance of the law. That he is a thor- oughbred rascal this act alone quite clearly ge and if pains were taken you can easily d what an unenviable reputation he bears, in the East. Mrs. Singleton is a perfect lady, and though, on account of past bygones, she no longer cares for the man whose name she bears, she feels that it would be but right, that, after he receives his just dues, she should come in for what wealth he leaves behind. Then, too, you naturally believe that Sugar-Coated Sam has been guilty of appropriating some money you had intrusted to his care. Why, then, should you parley over the matter? Heis at best, an undesirable citizen, and where’s the man with conscience to express the candid belief that Sugar-Coated Sam’s death would not be a benefit to the community?” ‘‘ Right hyar he is—I, William Henery Shake- speare, ther poet o’ ther Pacific—l’m ther galoot as durst rise an’ spontaneously declare an’ asse- verate thet et can’t be did? Sugar-Coated Sam can’t be lynched, feller-heerers, fer the simple reason tbat he’s as innercent o’ ther charge ag’in’? him as ever war Mary’s lamb o’ coun- terfeetin’ government bonds. No, sir, feller- citizens, jes’ as squar’ an’ honest a galoot treads ther inners o’ Sugar-Coated Sam’s boots, as evyer trod ther trail frum hyar ter Jordan, and at the same time I allow ye all know thet ther chap ye call commodore ain’t nuthin’ but a reg’lar mountain wolf in man’sclothing. Ef ye don’t know it, et’s time ye did. He shouldn’t be believed half so much as I, ther royal old rhyme-slinger, an’ [ allow until he cum nobody sed a word ag’in’ ther sugar-coated pard. So thet goes ter show thet ther commodore hez got a grudge ag’in’ Sam, an’ is workin’ on yer ter git ye ter help him wipe it out.” Rude though the logic and style of delivery, it made a perceptible impression, as was evi- ~~ & ~=— we V ~h wen CO ee te ee ey ol But, justthen came a new witness. ‘‘ Tr you please,” said Miss Bessie Burt step- ping forward, ‘‘ would it be asking too much, if I would give a little testimony in this case?” ‘“Yes!” the commodore yelled. ‘“No!” cried Judge Hans. ‘‘Say yoost vot ever ish drue.” ‘‘ Then I wish to state that Commodore Burt, my uncle, is a great rascal and a Mormon Danite, whose sole motive is to kill me, in order to possess my property. In company with two of his wives, he is now bere for that purpose. This charge of the third Mrs, Burt is but a black- mailing scheme against Sugar-Coated Sam, be- cause he aroused Burt’s anger by taking my part. They never saw the prisoner, before coming to Grim Gulch!” ‘‘This is utter falsehood!” an authoritative voice cried—that of the female eccentric, Sure- Pop. ‘‘I am a United States detective, and Commodore Burt is my aide. The man on the prisoner’s box is the tamous outlaw, known to many of you as—Deadwood Dick.” CHAPTER VI. A STRANGE HORROR, Hap a bomb exploded in the camp it could not have created more astonishment than the sudden declaration of Sure-Pop. ‘*Deadwood Dick!” ejaculated Commodore Burt. ‘‘Deadwood Dick!” cried several others-— ‘‘ the dare-devil road-agent!” ‘‘ Ay, Deadwood Dick, the outlaw of a uozen aliases!” Sure-Pop replied, triumphantly. ‘He came quietly among you this time, to ply his thieving vocation, and I’ve been watching him, and now I expose him!” “Tt is well. At last I know your game!” Bumblebee Bob cried, leaping forward. ** Hur- rah for the new mayor, and death to all who oppose him!” And, following his words, he leveled his pistol at the bosom of the Danite’s wife and fired. With a cry of pain, the beautiful but mis- guided woman threw up her arms and fell to the ground. An instant later the vicinity of the trial-stand was in excited commotion—a pandemonium of wild and warlike sounds, It seemed as if a campuign of incarnate war- fare had opened upon the spot. The torches had been dashed out, to be suc- ceeded by the vivid flashes from revolvers, whose reports rung out, on every side with deadly spitefulness, accompanied by yells of pain and human agony. Two party cries rung loud and fierce above the din—two cries which spoke of opposing ele- ments that were struggling fiercely for victory: ‘‘Long live Deadwood Dick, mayor of Grim Gulch!” ‘‘Death to Deadwood Dick, the road-agent!”’ In the darkness that shrouded the street of the lone mountain town it was hard to tell which party was getting the worst of it, but the ai rattle of fire-arms and the succeeding yells of distress fully evidenced the fact that it was a deadly affray in the fullest sense of the word. : In the beginning of the battle Deadwood Dick .(whom the reader has bitherto known as Sugar- Coated Sam) was hastily and quietly removed from his stand, and @arried back to the rude cabin jail, Commodore Burt being one of the leaders in the matter, and the turnkey of the rison. +‘ You see it would be bad policy for me, the future mayor, to relinquish hold on so valuable a bonanza as you,” he said. with a sneer, as he took a last look at the prisoner, and then left him to himself, locking him in. The two men who had assisted in returnin, Dick to the jail were left on guard, and Burt returned to the neighborhood ‘of the battle, which was raging as hot as ever. But the valiant commocore was careful to keep himself out of the path of the flying bu! lets, instead of rushing forward to take a han in the conflict. He was not over-brave at any time, and much less when a deadly struggle ap pealed to his manly qualities for succor. But the conflict could not always be, and soc » there was a lull in the uproar caused by 0" © party beating a precipitate retreat. And it might have been noticeable to a clo-» observer, that this party was principally com posed of the red-whiskered men who had bec so numerous during the election. Although a dash was made in pursuit of them, it resulted only in eliciting a yell of de- fiance. The victors returned to the scene of the con flict, and lighting torches. proceeded te exami.o (ECON AAIICE OOO) cS (El)