Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 263 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 have to do is to work it right, Ye see, old Laurel will arrive on t’other shore, an’ not bein’ able to get across, he'll havo to oar: Well, wecan fix it, Assoon’sall’s quiet and Old Dan’s turned in, we'll cut loose the boat, and seni Lanky and Blue Bob over to fetch Laure! across, hen they git bim out into the middle of the lake, they can pop bim over, and pull fer the cover of the swamp, into which the boat can be run for miles, I think, as I believe the lace covers a deal of territory unknown to us. We will at once follow, from this shore, in ee tended pursuit, taking our passage in te Laurel’s skiff, How like you the idea?’ “Bxcellent!” Quantrel replied. ‘“ But this matter must be kept quiet, or there’ll be trcuble. Do you think Lankey and Blue Bob will go?” ‘Yes. They'll do ’most anything in the way of crime for money. The anticipation of sharin the fortune will be spur enough, I fancy, will bunt them up, and put them onto the rcheme.” Night drew on apace, but brought no change in the condition of the man Brent, for, although he several times aroused from his drunken stupor, he immediately imbibed enough ‘‘nizen” to fix bim back in his corner again, insensible, There would be no moon that night, for the sky was one mass of dark, ominous clouds that threatened to burst at any minute, and send a deluge of rain upon the earth. Just when the shades were beginning to gather, a horseman was dimly seen upon the pny shore, with several pack-mules behind im, Old Dan was sitting down by his boat, when the report of a rifle attracted bis attention for the first time to the man who wanted to come ACYOSS. *Humph!” he muttered. “Jest you kee right on firin’, fer all ther good it will do ye. don’t run a boat to accommydate passengers at this time!” After awhile the man on tho other side fired again, and again, at which Dan chuckled, but made no move to start across, And the fast gathering shadows soon obscured the other shore, after which no more was heard of the lone traveler. Kate Laurel came down to the beach a short while afterward. ‘* What’s the matter?’ she asked. ‘‘ Some- body want to come across, eh?” , I reckon so.” Dan replied, with a grunt. ‘‘Some miner, whose pard I fotched across ‘to-day, an’ he lays drunk over in the Jew’s den now. One’s enuff at a time o’ sech a kind, so I'll let that feller stay whar he is till mornin’. He kin get the genuine mountain dew over thar free of charge.” | _ ** Hope it isn’t papa!” Kate said, anxiously. ‘*¥ dreampt, not long ago, that he was coming on to join us. When he comes, he is going to bring lots of money, and I should hate to have tbese roughs of “oat rig | know it.” — ‘Yas. They're jest the kit an’ cargo what would not hesitate to rob a man—that is, taken asa whole! The feller, Wild Walt, isa ruffian of the worst stamp, an’ they say that Calamity Jane isin with bim. If that’s the case, why, she can’t be much better than be.” ‘‘f am afraid of her!” Kate declared, with a shudder. ‘ She mistrusts me of being acquainted with Deadwood Dick, who, she says, is her lawful busband. I am fearful that she will harm me.” ‘** Bab! she knows better than to burt you, you may rest assured. Sheis likely jealous without cause. I don’t believe that Deadwood Dick is alive.” And so the conversation dropped, and Kate soon after returned to her home, while Old Dan sought his—for the rain began to patter down in big drops. n the storm broke out furiously, the rain coming down in torrents, the thunder rolling auu crashing, and the lightning coming in in- cessant, vivid glares. Most every one who was out of doors, availed themselves of shelter as quickly as possible; but it was not for four men of Doomsday to lose a golden opportunity, for the sake of avoiding a - webting. Soon after the storm commenced, Wild Walt, Quantrel, and two other ruffianlv looking fel- lows, appeared in thevicinity of the beach where Old Dan's flat-boat lay. ‘“1t’s a bully old night for our scheme,” the said, with acbuckle, ‘‘All’s clear as mud, and no one near to hinder. As soon as we hear a -ahot, we'll jine ye, in the little boat.” 6 ferry flat was then cut loose, and Lanky and Blue Bob leaped eboard, pulling out from a . —- - ° =0e-- oo Divide. shore, with the great sweeps, while the Tiger and Quantrel remained behind, and watc - Deadwood Dick's and waited. By every glare of light they pons discern the flat-boat nearing the further shore, Then, there was a half-hour in which the light- ning was not vivid enough to enable them to see the other shore. ‘* Tl wonder what success they're havin /’ Wild Walt finally growled. ‘They orter be comin’ back by this time.” Just then @ pistol-shot was heard |! Then followed a blinding flash of lightning. CHAPTER IX. THE SPECTER AND THE HAWKE. In that flash of lightning, the two villains upon the eastern shore, were enabled to witness for the instant, that which was not unexpected to them—a strange, thrilling scene, wherein one man was standiug, holding a pistol leveled at another man, who was falling backward. Then, all was darkness, followed almost im- mediately by another prolonged glare, as if it were the will of the all-wise Ruler to throw light upon the dcadly deed committed under the cover of night. In this second flash, a boat was seen bearing down upon the ferry without apparent means of volition, while upright in the boat stood the al- leged specter of Deadwood Dick, clad in a cloak of white, and holding a rifle leveled toward the barge, from which Lanky and Blue Bob were seen leaping in terror into the lake! The rifls of the specter spoke even as the flash ended, and there was an unearthly yell, as if it had been the death- warrant of one of the outlaws. ***Cuss the luck!” Wild Walt hissed. ‘‘The thing in the boat is cleanin’ out our pards! Hark! heer comes a gang from the Big Bonanza. We must slip away, and join in their rear.” From above the roar of the storm, many foot- falls could be heard approaching from the dir. c- tion of Solomons’s saloon. Hastily the Tiger and Quantrel crept away along the beach, made a stealthy detour, and joined the crowd in the rear, so that their com- plicity with the doings on the lake might not be suspected. Down poured the rain in torrents, but the thunder and the lightning momentarily ceased. ‘‘What’s ther matter?” Old Dan Doomsday demanded, running up, followed by Calamity Jane. ‘* Who has stolen my boat?” ‘‘Dunno!” was the grim response on every and, Just then there came another flash of light- ping, of which all took advantage to stare hard upon the lake. They saw the spectral figure of Doadwood a standing upon the ferry-boat, but notbing e1se, The mules end men whom the Tiger had pre- viously seen there were all gone, Had the Phantom of the Lake killed even the mules, and tumbled them, with their golden burd n, into the lake? That was the only conclusion the Tiger and Quantrel could arrive at. To the others, of course, nothing was yet known of the true circumstances of the case; consequently, the Tiger and his pard were the only ones capable of appreciating the situation, No other lightning flash rewarded the watch- ers’ earnest gaze, for several minutes after the one that betrayed Deadwood Dick standing on the boat; and, when it did finally come, the boat was tenantless, and Dick was gone, or his apparition, whichaver it was. The next morning, after the storm was over, the lifeless remains of Lanky and Blue Bob were found washed ashore near the spot where they had embarked on their murderous mission, and a true suspicion that they had gone over to murder the traveler became rife. The ferry-boat, stained with blood, was re- covered; the man Brent was brought to his senses sufficiently to give a comprehensive state- ment regarding his pard, whom he stiil insisted was Jim Laurel, and had possession of their united fortunes in gold at the time of his land- ivg on the other side. ben Kate Laurel and her mother heard this they were nearly distracted; and on their ac- counts, a search was made for the body of the unfortunate miner; but without result; no trace of his body, or of the pack-mules, could be found. Evidently all had gone down to the bot- tom of the lake. Calamity met the as ig on tho street during the day, and confronted him. “They say all the gold’s at the bottom of the lake?" she said, ratber interrogatively. re ee ee oe ee mere mm one * ore ww ee sa wdllantanee ep eoree er ennentngpaetesess ——_ “Of coufrse it is,” was the reply. “ Thar’sa rich prize layin’ thar fer somebody.” . " Fa but it won’t be got at until the ghost is laid!” Calamity said, ‘‘ It’s a cold day when Dick gets left, when he sets out to do a thing, and I reckon he’s set out to boss Swamp Lake. He's sunk the treasure where he calculates it'll be safe out of any seeker’s reach, and will fight any one off from getting possession of it, until be sees pruper to raise it himself. We must first plan to capture bim, and then you will have a chance to work for the find. ou ma have the gold; all I want is Deadwood Dic himself.” ‘*Capture be hanged!” was the Tiger’s un- Pe gee pte ge apswer, ‘‘ How ye goin’ to do it ‘* Leave that to me,’ Calamity replied. ‘I’m oing to lay for him to night, when it is evi- dently going to rain again and be dark. In Miss Laurel’s boat I'll venture into the timbered part of the lake. If I’m nct mistaken, it won’t take me long to unearth bis ghostship. You and pour men are to remain ashore, and when you ear three pistol-shots in rapid succession, seize the ferry-boat and come to the edge of the tim- ber to my assistance.” “All right. It shall be as ye say this time, and we'll see how much ye accomplish, Ef ye don’t make yer p’int, then I'll assume the lead hereafter, you bet.” Calamity Jane smiled quietly. ‘That remains to be seen,” she said, ‘“‘I do not as a usual thing say fail to any reasonable project, nor train under any man’s lead,” She then turned away and entered the Bi Bonanza, nearly in front of which she had me the Tiger. Just before sunset the stage whirled down | into Doomsday. What few passengers were aboard quickly disembarked ard adjourned to the * hotel” to seek spiritual coolness, for it had been a warmday. _ ! Among the passengers was a rather hand- some man, attired in citizen’s clothing, who, withal, had a keen eye and a hawkish expres- sion of countenance that proclaimed him at least possessed of ordinary wdness. He wore a sweeping mustache and long hair, and yet harcly possessed the appearance of a regular frontiersman. The moment he entered the saloon he saw Calamity, and she saw him. On his face came an expression of recognition and admiration, while on hers nothing but cool defiance and dis- like was noticeable. The man advanced to where the youn woman sat, his face looking unusually hawkish in the smile it wore. ‘*My dear Mrs. Harris, how delighted I am to meet you here,” he said, gallantly, doffing his hat. ‘‘I thought you were down the southern country; I did, I assure you.” ‘‘T generally hover around the place where I think danger menaces my husband,” Calamity responded, baughtily. ‘Sir, you will have the condescension to not address me further.” ‘* A deputy United States marshal has, I be- lieve, the right to address whoever he pleases,” was the unabashed answer, ‘and Major Maguire, generally improve the liberty when- ever I please. You should know Letter than to repulse me in such a place as this, Calamity, where my position is all-powerful.” ‘‘Bah! Try not to terrify me,” she flashed back, menace in her tone and gleaming from her eyes. ‘‘ Your very words betray the amount of sterling manhood that exists—only —in your mind.” . The major laughed lightly, and taking a chair, seated bimself so that Calamity could not readily escape from the corner where she was seated. ‘‘Now youre a little too rough on me, dear,” be said, persuasively. “ Pray tell me, who loved you first—that infernal rascal, Deadwood Dick, or I—then a scout wp in the Black Hillis?” , ‘‘ Stop!” she cried, imperatively, a wild glare in ber eyes, which betokened desperation. ‘If I met you before I met the man whom my soul yearned for, and whose wild life I saved time and again, I knew you only to despise you, You have caused me enough trouble, sir; why seek to persecute me longer? You came to our cabm while my husband was away; you first insulted me, and when repulsed, commenced te make a ruffianly and disgusting plea of love. T was so horrified that I wept. My busband ar- rived outside the cabin just in time to hear a part of ycur accursed plea and witness my weakness. Misconstruing the truth of the situ- ation, he fled in sorrow and indignation, and I awoke to find myself husbandless, through . «wr f # iZEcomicbooks:com _- SS a ae eee ee. pee