Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 268 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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14 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. ce ee ee ee It was a desperate remedy, but she resolved to try it. Leaving the hotel, she found a boy and gave him a do to take the candies to Lady Chan- dos, and say to her that Dick sent them. She then produced from the closet in her room a number of articles of disguise and a ring of keys to fit handcuffs—when or where obtained it would be difficult to say. She evi- dently was a master hand in villainy—a woman te'd in crime. The warden sat on the steps of the jail as she approached. ** Can I bid my husband good-by?” she asked. ““T am going to leave on the early morning stage.” e slipped a twenty-dollar gold-piece into his hand, and without a word he admitted her to the jail, and to Lord Chandos’s cell. “I'l be back for you presently,” he called out as he strode away. ‘Give me all the time you can,” Marie re- lied, with an extemporized sob, then turned to bandos. = ae Sh! me. Do you see? prepare you.” ith lightning rapidity she clipped off his beard with a pair of scissors, Then she dis- robed, herself and he did the same, and they exchanged garments, all except underclothing. In five minutes Lord Chandos looked so nearly like Marie that not one in a hundred would have noticed the difference in the darkness, the vail being pulled down over his face. ie, the aid of false beard, and donnin the Englishman’s suit, had also made hersel resemble his lordship very closely. When the warden came the pair were sob- bing very hysterically in each other’s arms, “Come! come! you'll have to let up on this!” he cried. ‘‘Tragedy won’t draw big houses ar. They like fun—ther pure cream o’ com- edy, such as a lynchin’-bee fer instance. Come, ma’am, you'll have to go out now.” Lord Chandos rose mechanically, but secretly trembling that he should make a blunder, and tollowed the warden from the jail, the latter letting him out at the rear so that he might not have to encounter the rabble that was again collecting in front of the jail. Once outside the jail, Chandcs chuckled vil- lainously, “Fare thee well, Marie, dear!” he said. ** Your loss is my gain!” When you leave this jail it must be as Not a word now, while I CHAPTER XVI. CONCLUSION. Tue package of candies that Marie had sent to Lady Chandos was received without delay when the party at the hotel were together in the parlor—Sir Ferrol and Mr. Cecil, Lady @handos, Lady Clare, and Nellie, who had worked herself by her simplicity into the friend- ship of all. “Why, this is from Deadwood Dick,” Lady Chandos announced, in surprise. ‘* He is sucha nice man. Thank God! listen to this: Here is written in pencil: ‘Respects of D. D. Boy all right.’ @h! he has got possession of dear little Cav- anaugh!” A glad expression beamed upon every face but that of Nellis Dean. Her face was as white as death. She rose from her chair and staggered across the room like one intoxicated, while all gazed upon her in astonishment. She reached the side of Lady Chandos and gazed down at the writing with a strange _ tremor in her frame, ‘Don’t dare—that’s Marie’s wri—” she (gasped, then fell upon the floor in a swoon. Great consternation ensued. Sir Ferrol seized the box from Lady Chandos, and placed it upon the mantle, while the others raised Nel- lie, and applied restoratives, Undoing the box, Sir Ferrol examined the contents. ‘‘By Heaven, [ believe we’ve hada narrow escape from a horrible death!” he cried, “all through the timely warning of this noble girl. I would not touch one of those candies for all in this wide world.” “Why, do you think there is poison in them?” Lady Chandos asked, in astonishment. “Tf my suspicions are not all wrong, there is some devil’s dose here, and Miss Nellie, I think, will agree with me when she recovers.” In a few minutes Nellie was able to sit up, and collect her scattered senses. “The candy?” was the first thing she faintly | man articulated. | “Ts all put away, to await an lanation of your affright,” Sir Ferrol said, while Mr. Cecil seemed very much devoted in his self-appointed duty of fanning Nellle back to life, The girl breathed easier when she heard Sir Ferrol’s words, ‘‘T never was more frightened,” she said. “It struck me instantly what was in the box, and that the wicked woman, Marie, had sent them for a murderous purpose. I knew it when you read what was written on the box, Lady Chan- dos, and a sensation of sickening horror came over me lest you should eat one of the candies ere I could reach you!” ‘It isa fortunate thing you were here,” Sir Ferrol said, while the ladies embraced Nellie, ‘for otherwise I dare say we would all now -be suffering untold agonies. You shall have your reward for your great service this evening.” ‘*You bet she shall!” cried Cecil, so impetu- ously that all eyes but Nellie’s were turned curiously upon him. ‘The candies have not been proven poisoned yet, and this may really be much ado about nothing!” Lady Clare suggested, and she left the room as if Cecil’s proximity to, and evident in- terest in, pretty Nellie Dean was of less moment to her than something in her own roow, The box was left severely alone on the man- tle, and soon all parties retired to their differ- ent apartments. But not an hour had passed when most terrific screams were heard issuing from the par'or, and among the first.upon the seene were Sir Ferrol and Cecil, and the land- lord, Big Jake, Upon the floor rolling about in excruciating agonies was a Chinese servant, while near by was the box, half emptied of its candies, The poor fellow lived but a few minutes, and all was over. The landlord was given an explanation by worried Sir Ferrol, at which be laughed gruffly. ‘*Pooh! that’s nothin’,” he grunted, “* knocked one o’ the skunks in the head the other day fer stealin’; serves ’em right!” And then he seized the dead Celestial] by the pigtail, and dragged the body down the stairs and out into the back yard as if it were but a dead dog he was putting away. It bad been a night of incidents, but it was elected that there should be one more, of a thrilling character, ere night’s somber mantle lifted from mother earth. Though early in the evening, considerable rabble had gathered in the vicinity of the jail; but the crowd gradually dispersed, and maby quiet reigned over the bustling city of Lead- ville. But it was the strange quiet that usually betokens the outburst of a storm. The town seemed deeply wrap but some people were abroad, for one by one dusky figures began to gather once more in the vicinity of the jail, and the hushed murmur of many voices was ere long heard as the crowd thickened. Marie, in her prison cell, heard the dull Babel of sound, and her face blanched white with terror. Were they coming tolynchher? Would they lynch her when they found out she was not Lord Chandos? Suppose they should out of re- venge on her for her connivance in his escape? The thought was torture to her wicked, sin- stained soul, and her face blanched to a death- pallor there in the darkness, Outside the crowd still grew, but as if it were @ prearranged plan to meet after the law-abid- ing people were in bed, there were no loud or boisterous demonstrations. Evidently all were waiting for some one or something. Soon, however, a man gr net his way through the crowd to the steps of the jail, near the door of which stood a capital tree for lynching pur- poses, as if it had grown there to meet the re- quirement. The man who mounted the steps was a brother of the murdered woman, and held a huge key in his hand. ‘‘Get a noosed rope ready!” he ordered, ‘“ Half a dozen strong men follow me.” Marie began to shiver with terror as she heard the door of the jail thrown open, and to shriek as the avenger approached and entered her cell; but her frantic protestations were dis- regarded, and she was dragged from her cell to the steps of the jail, more dead than alive. Here she was held in a vise-like grasp, while her neck was noosed. “Mercy! mercy!” she screamed, in piteous accents. ‘I am not Lord Chandos—f am a wo- d in slumber; ” “It matters not!” the brother of the mur- ee ee dered lady cried. ‘‘ You released the murderer of my sister, and, curse you, you sha’ hang in his stead!” ‘‘ Mercy! mercy!” she shrieked at the tpp of oo haa ‘*Oh! God, is there no one to save ma Only a dismal groan from the crowd was the answer. It was perhaps merciful that she fainted then, of sheer terror, and they strung her up ere sho recovered consciousness: Let us draw the curtain. Lady Chandos knew nothing of the tragedy, until the neat poeta 4 She had the body of Marie seeured and given a decent burial at her own expense. Vigilant scouts had been sent in search of Chandos, but as yet no trace of his whereapouts had been discovered. In the afternoon Diek appeared at the hotel, bringing with him little Cavanaugh Chandos, whom he had rescued from the shanty where Carker had him imprisoned. He was in disguise, but the reception be re- ceived satis#ed him that he was recogniwed among those whom he had served, in a way that would never be erased from memory. Nellie was not present, but the others made much of him, and Lady Chandos and Sir Ferrol each tendered him large sums of money, which, however, he promptly but respectfully refused. ‘*T did not undertake to restore your child to you for any pecuniary consideration, Lady Chandos,” he said, ‘‘ for it was but an act of hu- manity, and I am glad it has turned out so well I must now bid you all farewell, as I have an- other mission to perform, ere I return to my wife at home.” ‘*Before you go I will insist upon pressing on you a present to remember us all by,” Sir Fer- rol said, taking a little case from his pocket and handing it to Dick. ‘“‘ And if you ever come to England, visit Castle Chandos, and I trust some of the present party, who owe so much to you, will be there to welcome you.” Dick opened the case, and his gaze fell upon the largest and handsomest diamond it had ever been his fortune to see. “This I will accept as a token of remem- brance,” be said, in a choked voice, “and Ill never forget the pleasant aequaintance our mutual adventures have been the means of estab- lishing. Wishing you a safe journey across the ocean, I will bid you all farewell!” He shook hands with them all then, and left the room. In the hall outside, he came suddenly upon Nellie Dean, who had evidently been listening. ** Nellie!” he exclaimed. ‘Oh! Dick, are you going away? Shall I never see you again?” she articulated, in a husky voice, and then she threw her arms about his neck and wept. “Sh! my child!” he said, chidingly, but tenderly. ‘‘Thisisall wrong. You must not be thus affected.” ‘** But—but what is to become of me? Oh! let me go with you to be your—your sister. Please do not say no!” ** No, no, Nellie! I cannot do that. You must control yourself and forget. Here are a thou- sand dollars, which came to me unexpectedly. Take it as a gift of one who has the greatest re- spect for you. Go with Lady Chandos. Sho will gladly take you, and do well by you.” He kissed her, tenderly, and gently put her off; then glided down the stairs, with these words ringing in bis ears: ‘* Come back, Dick! oh! come back!” He could not go back—no! for his mind went back to Calamity and their peaceful valley home, where he yearned to be once more, in the anticipation of a little Deadwood Dick, to brighten their after lives. Although the detectives of Leadville sought for Deadwood Dick, they were never destined to see him again, and though they sought for Lord ‘Chandos, they were not destined to find him, in life. During the evening following Chandos’s es- cape from jail, he hung about the rear of the hotel where the Chandos Falconer party were stopping, and late at night made an attempt te enter a second story room through the window —for what purpose only himself could say. It chanced to be the proprietor’s room, and the proprietor ehanced to be at home. . There was a pistol-shot, a groan, a dull thud and—silence. After breakfast, the following morning, the proprietor observed that he had shot a burglar, | IOOKS (ECON MICE Eon