Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 263 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 - “‘That depends somewhat on circumstances,” was Dick’s answer, “ As far as I am concerned there is nothing wrong, and if you want an apol for my desertion, why, I freely make it, as | guess I was hasty in judging you wrong.” “Is that ible?’ Calamity replied, with garcasm. ‘* You do really believe it is time for you to come to your senses, eh? Well, I am very much surprised indeed. I guess your ab- sence from me did not give you much pain, however, as I see your gallantry with other » women has been progressing finely toward a ‘limax.” “If you refer to seeing me in company of Miss Laurel, allow me to state that we are no more than friends. We have met on two or three occasions, but that is as faras our ac- quaintance has gone.” “‘I did not see her kneeling before you, in a very loving fashion, a few nights since? Per- bape it was an optical illusion.” You saw Miss Laurel kneeling before me, expressing ber gratitude to me for saving her futher’s life the night he was decoyed on the juke and his life attempted. I happened alon just in time to save his life and gold, cond rought him to this island, where he has since deen confined to a tent, from the effects of his wound, but is now recovering. But look, yon- der cabin is afire, and it is as I feared! M men have teen defeated by Maguire and _ his gang. See! the ground is strewn with dead and wounded! And there is Maguire now, Jooking at the burning cabin!” _ The rain was subsiding toa drizzle, but the ligetoing flashed and the thunder crashed near- ly as hard as ever. Down in the basin was the cabin burnin brightly, the timber being pretty dry and we geasoned. ‘*We had best lie flat!” Dick warned, ‘to avoid discovery |” His advice was adopted, and all laid down in such a posi ion that they could see without be- ing seen. r Fomeibly Shay: have noé all been killed, but have been risoned in the other cabin,” Dick suggested. ‘ uire will no doubt await there hoping that I will venture into hisclaws. But although 1 intend to venture down amon them, they’ll not know me. Before dayligh fll have a change made in affairs on this island, and if | mistake not, leave this part of the West for good,” ‘*And leave your divide in the bottom of the lake?” Wild Walt queried, in surprise. Dick laughed. Hardly!” he answered. ‘‘ The sacks of gold that went down with my horse bave long since been recovered. In the dead of night I have several times been lowered down, until, little by little, [ have got the lost treasure and trans- ferred it to a place of safety, far from here, All those who come to Doomsday to benefit by my loss will bave the pleasure of searching the e and having a picnic among the fish, but will find no gold.” The Tiger quietly winced a little at this, but no one noticed it. Down in the basin, some of the Regulators were engaged in collecting the bodies together, and laying them out in a row. Otherwise thére was nothing ticular go- ing on—Maguire and the remainder of the men being engaged in watching the fire, “Come!” Dick said. ‘I am almost certain that some of my boys are shut up, as well as Laurel, I will take you toa place from which we can escape, when I return; then I will go down into the basin in disguise, and see what remains to be seen.” “Oh! don’t! You will be captured and put lie ath!” Calamity protested, laying her band pep his arm and looking up into his face, pite- , Vv. ‘“* Never fear, mine own!” he replied, bending nearer toher. ‘For your sake I will not be rash, but will come back, and we will go hence ther. Come! crawl after me!” e led the way, and ma | followed, worming along like snakes. In a short time they came to a crevice, or more appropriately a hole, in the rock, which seemed to extend downward far into the bowels of the cliff, near its outward edge. i ladder of rope was fastened to a strong sapling at the edge of this hole and furnished a means of descending into it. ‘““There!” Dick announced. ‘‘ You two can remain here. If danger approaches, you ¢an descend into the pit and secrete yourselves, un- til Ll join you, which will be before daybreak. Keep your eyes and ears open, however, so as t© avoid a surprise. Deadwood Dick’s Divide. Then, after a few words, he crept down the sides of the basin, and was soon lost from view of Calamity and the Tiger. Passing on Dick soon came to where an ex- cavation had been made in the side of the basin, in quest of gold. Cautiously entering this, be groped around and found a bunudie of things, some of which he at once proceeded to don, and in a few minutes there emerged from the excavation Old Bum! Rough, uncouth and possessed of the strange- hued beard was he, and not one out of a hun- dred would have suspected that beneath his queer exterior was the famous man of the mines, Deadwood Dick. He walked boldly down the slope to the bot- tom of the basin, apparently without the least concern, As soon as he drew near the burning building he doffed his hat and gave a hurrah that awoke the echoes, **Kerwhoop! §8o ye’ve cleaned out the ranch, hes ye” he cried, as he approached Magzaire. ‘**Thet’s a good thing, by gum! Hed a curiosity ter sec how ye war gettin’ on, so I jest skated over. Didn’t find Deadwood hisself, tho’, did ye?” “No!” Maguire growled. “It won’t be long ere I trap him, however!” “Kill'em all?’ Bum quizzed, staring grimly at the row of lifeless corses. “No; have reserved his right-hand man, also a wounded delegate named Laurel and bis daughter, in the cabin yonder.” ‘“‘Humph!” Bum grunted, ‘ S’pose ye would- n’t ee ef ye knew whar Dicky and C’lamity aire ‘*Do you know where they are?” Maguire queried, suspiciously. ‘Waal, neow, that depends altergether whar they aire and how much ye want ter pay to know whar,” Bum replied, with a queer grin, his false nose seeming to look more of a purple than ever. ‘‘Oh! you want to speculate, do you? Well, let me tell you you won’t get a cent out of me. What’s more, you can remain right here in camp until I see fit to dispose of you. For in- eae how would you like to roast in yonder re? “Oh, heavings! I’d screech the top of the houses off!” Bum cried, quaking with apparent terror. ‘‘ Don’t say any more. I'll be as meek as a lamb, an’ ef ye want me ter show ye whar Deadwood Dick is, Ill do et fer jest agg shillin’s cash. Then, while ye watch him, I'll come back an’ get some o’ yer fellers to help capture him an’ his wife, Calamity Jane.” ‘* Bah! Calamity is in jail!” ‘‘ You lie! The Tiger reskied her to-dey! I follered, an’ I can show ye jest whar all parties ire. ‘* [ll reflect!” the deputy said, turning away, while Bum sat down upon a rock to take a smoke from a clay pipe perhaps a century old. After awhile Maguire came back to bim, with an evil gleam in his eyes. ‘‘See here! do you mean business?” he growl- ed, savagely, ‘fer ef yedon’t [ll fix ye so ye won’t never try purty games again.” “I mean bizness—on course I do, what I cum hyar fer!” wa: thereply. ‘“‘ Why, cuss yer heart, I war a bizness man from baby- hood, when I uster bite the nipples off’n bottles ter influence the trade.” ‘Your gabis too plentiful. If you want to earn fifty dollers, show me where Deadwood Dick is, and then come back after thé boys, and when the devil is captured the money shall be yours! ‘‘Thank you! I don’t propose to wait till the end of the world, not by er long shot, fer m pay, as the devil won’t never git took in, t that time!” ‘‘ You are facetious. for a fool!” the deputy wled. “I mean Deadw Dick, when mention the devil, for be represents the Old Nick, here on earth, or else I’ve lost my reckon- ing. “All right! I’m yer man! Come erlong!” Bum called out, with a nod. ‘I can’t make my fortin’ easier.” With which words he started off. Maguire eyed him a moment, as if balf sus- picious, and then followed, beside him. ori the burning building Old Bum, as we shall still continue to call him, shaped his course toward the southern end of the island, where a chaparral grew in the bottom of the 3 In ten minutes, they were within a little opening, surrounded by the chaparral. Then, suddenly, Deadwood Dick turned u the deputy, by a touch threw off bis disg and, produced sane movement two swords and a revolver from beneath the dis- guise, the latter being leveled upon the deputy. Maguire shrunk back with a gasp, when he saw how he had been tricked, and probably would bave yelled for assistanca, but for the motion of the pistol which warned him to de- sist. “Tf you make an outcry, you die!” Dick ex- claimed, sternly: ‘‘you are a black-hearted | scoundrel—a dirty villain—and you shall apn- swer for the injury you have done me, and my true wife, There is a sword, sir”—and he threw the weapon on the ground, in front of Maguire. “It is either you or I, now. Pick up your weapon and meet mé like aman, if, in- deed, there is a speck of mephood in-you.” A flush of rage suffused 5 ete face, and an evil gleam of hatred entered his eyes, He picked up the sword, and the men faced each other, with weapons seized in a firm grasp. Then came thrust and parry—and a low groan. Maguire dropped dead, The point of his sword had caught in Dead- ick’s hilt, and breaking off, was butried back i a manner that the point of it was buried in the deputy’s left eye, and penetrating to the brain, produced almost instant death. Kneeling beside the ruffan for a few mo- ments, Deadwood Dick ransacked his pockets of his papers, then, redoffing his disguise as Old Bum, he ran back to the camp in the heart of the basin. ‘‘Quick! quick!” he shouted. ‘‘Go to the as- sistance of Maguire. I will look to the prison- ers! Every man went, and— Three days later a happy party were camp- ing fifty miles to the westward, engaged, ‘neath the shadows of a forest and within the light. of a roaring bonfire, in counting and weighing golden treasure. There was an expression of content on each face. The party consisted of Deadwood Dick and Calamity Jane, Kate Laurel and Lieutenant Lloyd, Mr. and Mrs. Laurel. While the Tiger sat near at hand, smoking and evidently somewhat tamed, THE END Half-Dime Singer's Library 1 Waoa, Emma! and 59 other Songs. 2 Captain Curr and 57 other Songs. 3 Tue Garnsporo’ Hat and 62 other Songs. 4 Jonnny Moroan and 60 other Songs. 5 l'un Srame You Wirn A FEeaTHER and 62 others, 6 GeoRGE THE CHARMER and 56 other Songs. 7 Tae Be.t_e or Rockaway and 52 other Songs. 8 YounG ‘FELLAH, You’RE Too g and 60 others. 9 Suy Youne Grau and 65 other Songs. 10 I’« THE GovVERNOR’s ONLY Son and 58 other Songs. 11 My Fan and 65 other Pougs. 12 Comin’ THRO’ TuE Rye and 5 other Songs. 18 Tae Rowiuickine IrisHMan and 59 other Songs. 14 Otp Doa Tray and 62 other Songs. 15 Waoa, CHARLIZ and 59 other Songs, 16 In TH1s Waeat By anp By and 62 other Songs. 17 Nancy Lee and 58 other Songs. 18 I’m THe Boy THat’s Bounp To Biazg and 5&7 otherg 19 Tae Two Orpnans and 59 other Songs. 20 WHaT ARE THE Witp Waves Sayineo, Sierunt and 59 other Songs. 21 InpiaNant Portiy Woc and 59 o@her Songs. 22 Tue Utp ArmM-CHarr and 58 other Songs. 283 On Coney Isitanp Beacn and 58 other Songa, 24 Op Simon, THE Hot-Cornn Maw and © others. 25 I’w iv Love and 56 other Songs. 25 PARADE OF THE Guarps and 56 other Songs. 27 Yo, Heave, Ho! and 60 other Songs. 28 "T wilt NEVER po To Gra iT up So and 60 others. 29 Buve Bonnets Over THE Borper and 54 others 30 Tae Merry Lavonine Max and 56 other Songs. $1 Sweet Foraezt-me-Nor and 55 other Songs, $2 Leetux Bany Mix and 53 ether Songs. 33 Dz Banjo AM DE INSTRUMENT FOR Me and 53 others. %A Tayry and 50 other Songs. 8 Just To PLEASE THE Boys and 52 other Songs. 86 SKATING on ONE IN THE GuTTER and 52 others. 87 Ko_torgep Kranxs and 59 other Songs. 38 Ni~z PesprrRanpoum and 53 other 89 Tax Gra_ I Lerr Beuryp Me and 50 other Songs. 40 "Tis spur a Lirrte Fapep FLOWER and 5@ others, 41 Prerry WaHrLeetmuta and 60 other Songs. 42 DANCING IN THE Barn and 68 other Songs. 43 H. M.S. Prnarore, coMPLETE, and 17 other Songs. Sold everywhere by Newsdealers, at five cents per copy, or sent post-pcid, to any address, on re eeipt of Siz cenls per number. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Pus.isHens, 0% Wu1aM Steer, New Yorn, — Eboo com cS (E@)