Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 268 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. from her late illness, but talked and warried #onstantly about her boy, who she was fearful would be barmed. ‘Phat evening a paper had in it this item: ** AN OLD OFFENDER IN Town.—It is learned, at this office, through an anonymous letter, that the notori- gus outlaw and road-agent, Deadwood Dick, who pome time ago made himself many enemles here- sbouts, owing to his defiance of the law, and his esperate deeds, is once more in town, in disguise. 6 informant neglects to give further information, more than to say, ‘watch out for him,’—not even a description of his disguise. As there are still several rewar ga for him, the latter, with his former description has been referred to the police, and we age sanguine that it will not be long ere the festive Richard languishes in our local ‘‘ jug.’’ That he is here planning out some new campaign of deviltry, is evident, and the sooner his actiuns are nipped in the , the better—or rather the worse for the business our local undertakers.”’ And, as fate would have it, the ‘ festive Ricbard’ was among the first to purchase a copy of the paper, and read the interesting notice concerning bimself—interesting because it was of vital importance to him, when he remem- ered that dville was no longer the utterly lawless mining town of the past. CHAPTER XI. PICK’S WARNING AND CARKER’S BLUFF GAME. Dick was not surprised. He had rather expected that his reappearance in Leadville would endanger bis liberty, but for the papers to be first to open on him, was rather unexpected. Who had given the information—Carker, or Marie? He hardiy knew which, as either certainly was possessed of the necessary cunning. Having read the paper, he went at once to the hotel, and donned an entirely new disguise, ¢eonsisting of a luxuriant pair of side-whiskers, of jetty biack, with sweeping mustache and hair to match, and a ful exican costume, such as is worn bv a general. With a prepara- tion, he also expertly dyed his face and bands to a darker hue, and when his arrangements were all a cag he was an ideal picture of a high-toned -- Greaser,” The next thing was to test the disguise, and complete some other little arrangemeuts. Taking bis bundle of baggage, he made his exit from the hotel] by a rear stairs, unseen, and went to another hotel and registered as General Guyamirez, of the city of Mexico, Having acquired considerable of the broken Mexican lingo, it helped him in furthering his attempted deception. Half an hour afterward, he went back to the Clarendon, and registered under a different name than he had adopted at the other hotel. After sauntering around awhile he dropped into a chair near where Lord Cuandos aad an- other man were engaged in conversation and in which the detective soon was drawn. After awhile the third man left, leaving the -pseudo-general and Lord Chandos alone. Fully an hour passed in exchange of confi- dences, after which, having acquired many pone to satisfy him that Chandos was a heart- ess wretch, and Lady Chandos a sinned-against woman, Dick took his departure, assured that his disguise had not been penetrated so far, although he saw persens pass him whom he re- membered from his previous Leadville experi- ence, Going to his lodgings, he wrote a note to Lady Chandws not to be alarmed at his non-ap- pearance, as he was working up the case in an- ether disguise. He also wrote to N :llie to the same effect. After sending these to the hotel where they were stopping, he wrote outa poster to fasten upon the door of the ass»ilant newspaper office when it should become quiet enough, PROCLAMATION! “ Wherevs, a certain sheet of Laadville having an- unced the presence of an old offender in this city, t individual takes this method of informing the people that he is in the city on business, and pro- poses te remain here until he sees fit to absent him- salf. The person who gave the pa pe notice was one of two persons concerned in a shameful abduc- tion of a child with a view of extorting money from sae parents, and it is for the purpose of capturing these sharks that Deadwood Dick again visits Lead- . Those concermed will please take note of this— my old challenge is still applicable. Let me alone and [ll let vou; crowd on me, and hice are welcome to the benefit of what you will get in return. “ Yours ag ever, Drapwoop Dicx.”’ Dick did not write this as a bluff to invite ee Uatho teiplidicn maori ie too amatg the past-and-gone dare-devil to tolerate | ‘Jerry Carker was no fool. Indeed he was an unusually shrewd and sensi- ble man did he put his gifts to their right use. Lady Chandos and sister had not been located at their hotel two hours before the wily Carker, in his disguise of a red-bearded bullwhacker, had found them out, and the number of their room. Lounging about the hotel for awhile until he saw Lady Clare and Nellie go out for an even- ing walk, the villain watched his chance to sneak up-stairs and made his way to the door of Lady Chandos’s room. Softly trying the knob, he found to his satis- faction that the door was unlocked. To open it, quickly enter, and then close and lock it behind him was but the work of a mo- ment, when he wheeled around, facing her with .a revolver in his hand. She would -have screamed only that she was too terrified to give utterance, “Sh!” he cautioned. ‘It is useless to raise a fuss. I am Carker, and I mean business. I have come to arrange terms—or kill you; one of the two things!” CHAPTER XII. A BRUTAL MISTAKE AND A STRANGE RESCUE. Marre had struck deeply when she had in- formed Lord Chandos that his wife was untrue to him, There was little in the man’s nature that was good or pure; he was envious, selfish, mean and treacherous, and was intensely jealous of hand- some Lady Beatrice despite the fact that he really cared no more for her than he did for any pretty woman. onsumed with all the torments of his burn- ing passion, he went once more to his room after his conversation with the disguised Dead- wood Dick. “T}) kill ’em! Pll kill ’em both!” he raved. Tl learn her that, in this country, she cannot shake her Ilcrd and master off without a decree of divorce!” He procured his revolvers, loaded all their chambers, and then set forth upon the street as soon as it was dark, ‘‘Something tells me I shall meet her to- night,” he muttered, ‘‘and if I do, curses be on me if I don’t remove one disgraceful blot from the fair name of Chandos [T’ll shoot her and her paramour, too,” For some time he paced up and down the principal street, attracting considerable atten- tion, partly from the fact that he had made himself a reputation asa bad duelist, and partly because so much fury was now expressed in his countenance. It was perhaps an hour after coming upon the street that his lordship saw a man pause upon a corner, as if waiting for somebody, His suspicion at once aroused, Chandos paused not far away, despite the fact that it was beginning to rein a little, and his fine cos- tume was in danger of getting wet. He had not long to wait. In the course of twenty minutes, a woman came tripping across the street, joined the man, and the two went off together. Chandos followed. So great was his rage, that he could scarcely refrain from yelling out for them to halt. The woman was invested in a long oil-skin ulster, with hood attached, and very little of her face could be seen. The man was well dressed, and wore a luxuri- ant hrown beard, “This is their trysting-place, is it!” his lord- ship hissed. ‘I'll break in on their duet in a way that will surprise them.” The pair were evidently lovers, for they walked slow, and seemed evidently wrapt up in each other’s society. Directing their course from the main street into one of the more quiet thoroughfares, they continued on, with their unsuspected enemy lurking behind them. Finallv Chandos’s jealous spirit could bear no more. He saw the gallant Romeo stoop and kiss the Juliet of his promenade. ‘“Curses on you both!” Chandos gritted. ‘““Down to perdition you shall both go, and I will be free!” Leveling his revolvers, he fired repeatedly, until every chamber was emptied. Then he saw the couple lying on the walk ahead, strug- gling in death-throes. A realization of his terrible crime partly dawned over him, and with a gasp of terror, be turned to run from the spot. But flight was impossible, for on turning, he was seized by half-a dozen officers, and hand- cuffed before he could give utterance to pro- test. ‘Let me go! let me go!” he cried. ‘‘You have no right to arrest me for shooting my own wife and her paramour!” ‘You have not killed your wife, my fine bird!” the chief of police said, ‘‘ but instead, have killed two of our most esteemed citizens, Mr. and Mrs. E——, who have but recently been married. If we can keep you from the mob that will come to lynch you, you may be exceed- ingly thankful. Come!” lordship went, trembling in every limb, and cursed himself with every breath, as the fearful mistake. That death would be his reward for the crime, he had but little doubt, and then all his estates would go to his wife, to be enjoyed by her and her old lover, while his bones were moldering in a felon’s grave. With the ferocity of a madman he tried te get away, but it was no use. The officers were too strong for him, and he was soon securely locked up in jail. There was no mistaking the tone in which the villain, Carker, spoke—he had come for a purpose, and he meant business. Poor Lady Chandos was pale and weak with affright, but she managed to speak, fimally, though it was with an effort. ‘Sir, I pray that you will not torture me with your presence,” she said, in a piteous tone. ‘*T am not feeling well, not having fully re- covered from the effects of the poison adminis- tered to me by your partner in crime, so I trust you will be humane enough not to worry me until I am stronger.” ‘** Dear Beatrice, accept my assurance that ! did not come here for any such a purpose as that. But, [I don’t understand about the poisoning. Surely, I had no knowledge of that, nor anything to do with it. Did Marie de it? ‘“‘She did, and got her discharge.” ‘Too bad. She will prove a worse enemy to p20 than ever I could, But, Lady Chandos, I ave come to talk business, now. You tell me ee no longer any affection for me, as of old. “Certainly not. Indeed, I can see little of the former Sir Ferrol Falconer about you.” ‘Well, such being the case, I presume it would be useless to press my suit?” ‘“‘Quite absurd, sir; alike dishonorable and impossible.” ‘Well, I’ve about come to that conclusion myself, and consequently do not feel so badly as I otherwise might. Therefore, we will pass that matter by, by considering terms for the boy. You see, it is beginning to become quite apparent that there are healthier parts of the country for me than the West, and I’ve a desire to find out where they are, without delay. I have several reasons for wanting toslope. The kid, although there is money in him, by hold- ing him back, is a nuisance to drag around the country. Therefore, lam going to dispose of him to the highest bidder.” “Monster!” why do ycu keep my child away from me?” Lady Chandos cried, in anguish, ‘*Simply because you have a fat bank ac- count, and I desire to taste of it!” Carker chuckled. ‘*Then go, you inhuman wretch, for you shall never handle a penny of it!” her ladyship cried, firmly, ; “Oh! well, I'll try Lord Chandos then, and succeed. By the way, I dare say you bave not heard the latest sensation.” ‘*T am ignorant of what you refer to, sir.” “Why, you knew that Lord Chandos sus- pected you of coming to this wild country to meet me, and followed you hither?” ‘‘T knew nothing of the kind!” ‘‘ Well, he did come, and found out that you came bere to meet me, and have met me re- peatedly. He has even learned, beyond doubt, that our meetings have Created a Taal of tall, and is naturally enraged. To-night, afew mo- ments before Il came here, he was arrested and lodged in jail, for murdering a man and wo- man, whom he believed to be me and you!” Lady Chandos turned deathly white, but did , not answer—so Carker went on: ‘“The murder was a clear case, and Chandos will meet the penalty of the law, unless he is taken out and lynched—something not improb- able—or is rescued. I happen to be the only oue who can rescue him, as 1 have the power to do it. If he will handsomely for the child, he can have his rae | and the child, too, If you will see him, go him one better, the JOO ¢€oim S (E Gol palin emmy ee ey ee ee ee ——