Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 268 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

-_— -— ee — —_$_——— ——— — —_— * Release your hold upen that girl!” he cried, in tones that instantly attracted the attention of every one in the roem, The rufgan, bushy -bearded and sinister, glared at Dick witha stupid expression upon his face. ‘Wat ver say?’ he growled. “I’m Bulldog Ben, I am!” ‘Oh! sir, please make him release me!” the i cried, appealingly. ‘‘He is crushing my rm “Release that girl!” Dick thundered, taking a ftep nearer, his fists doubled and a dangerous ight in his eyes. ““T won't!” Bulldog Ben declared, doggedly. The words had hardly left his lips, when there was heard a resounding whack, as Dead- wood Dick’s fist struck the forekead of the raffi in. Bulldog Ben released his hold upon the girl, clutched wildly at the air, and then went down wpon the floor. A doen roughs iustantly sprung toward him, and a pitched fight ensued, in which Dead- wood Dick came out victorious, by knocking one after another down, until the whole number lay stretched owt on the floor. ‘*There! is there another batch ready?’ he cried, looking round. “If there is, send ’em along, and I’ll bustle ’em off, while I’m at it!” A dead silence for the moment reigned with- in the saloon, until the rescued girl pulled at Dick’s coat-sleeve and said: **Come. Go with me. This is a hard den, and the sooner you get ont of it now, the better. Besides, | want to talk with you.” Dick gazed at hera moment, and then turned to the rough audience, ‘*Please say for me, after these loafers wake up, that if they want more, 1 shall be in town oo days yet, amd can likely accommodate em He then turned and followed the girl from the dance house. She led the way to an out-of-the- way spot, and turned and faced him. ‘You must think me a public character,” she began, ‘‘ but I ain’t. [’'m a girl that can’t be run on, and I admire men like you who ain’t afraid to take a woman’s part. | perceive that you are a waan of steel, as they express it, here in the West, and I’ll bet you’re every incha entleman, too, so I just want to ask you a $:cstion—or twoofthem. First, what is your name?” Dick laughed. ‘Why do you ask?” he queried. “Bimply out of curiosity to know who you are that was so brave?” * Well, ’m ealled Deadwood Dick, sometinaes —a pretty tough name in the West, correspond- ing witt the man that bears it.” “Ts it possible! I’ve heard of you. Well, my name is Nellis Dean, I belong in New York. What I wanted to ask is this: Do you know of any way a niles; but respectable girl can get. from he there? I’m willing to work at anything, as long as it is honest and respectable, so I can get back to my friends!” “ You say you belong in New York, Nellie? How is it, then, that you are out in this country among such rude associations as | saw you to- might?” ‘Since you ask, I will tell you,” and tears i into her eyes. ‘‘{ am an orphan, my parents both having ween lost at sea when I was a child. I then went to live with a widowed aunt. Two years ago we came West. I was only fifteen then, and kwew byt little of the world, but I awoke to my ignorant innocence when we arrived in Utah, where my aunt told me every man had from one to ten wives. We were not tkere long ere my aunt married a Mormon elder, who was many years younger, and had three wives already. It was not long hefore’ taey wanted me to marry an old gray- haired maa, and you can betIsaidno. They shut me up, then, and tried to force me to, but I escaped them and from Utah. Since then I’ve been tramping here and there, trying to get a living, bat wes much luck bave [ had, when I’ve nat at any ome time bad enough money to take wie Kast. * What broeght you to the dance-house?’ “No sad motive, I assure you. I am sto ing with a miiner and his wife, until I can do tter. The latter is suspicious that her hus- band frequents the dance-houses, and paid me eo find out for her. I had hardly got into the den when the big ruffian attempted to haul me into the dance.” Dick “looked the girl over keenly and then er am going East on a detective trip. If you desjre, I will take you along, you to assist me in any little spying jobs that I may elect.” —_—— ““Good! It’s a bargain! When shall I report for duty?” ‘To-morrow, sunrise. I want to bunt up a man named Carker.” “You do? Why I saw him leave town early in the day, He had a fight in the street and was forced to leave.” ; CHAPTER VI. MARIE SHOWS HER HAND. THE next morning they all left San Jacin for Gander’s Gulch, another mining town to the eastward, which Dick concluded Jerry Carker would be liable to strike, as it was on his route. Dick could see that Ladies Clare and Chandos did not exactly fancy the idea of Nellie Dean’s being added to the party, but he did not care, as he resolved to see the girl back to her eastern home, at all hazards, and might also much need her services. Lady Clare, more particu- larly, appeared to be a little piqued, for without appearing to do so, she had been endeavoring to win the special attentions of the dashing Prisce of the Road, but Dick’s heart was far away, in the keeping of Calamity, and he was not eager to even attract the notice of the gentler sex, as he only too well knew that flirtation worked trouble at the best. He took considerable interest in Nellie, how- ever, for further acquaintance proved her to be a most charming girl, full of the wit and spar- kle of innocent womanhood, that could but win her friends anywhere, Two days and one night of steady travel brought them to Gander Gulch, which was a fair-sized mining town, with considerable life and bustle about it. Securing rooms for the ladies at the hotel, as in the lit town, Dick went forth on a tour of reconnoissance, and had not gone far when he spied a man whom he knew. It was the bully of Seaport, Fargo! He was strolling along, watching the miners at work, bis maimed hand done MP in a bundle of rags. Quickening bis steps, he overtook the ruffian, and slapped him on the shoulder. ‘‘Hold up!” Dick cried, authoritatively. ‘* Seems to me I’ve seen you're purty phiz some- wheres.” Fargo wheeled, and then uttered an oath. ‘‘Seems to me 80, too,” he repeated, lookin ruefully at his injured hand. ‘‘ W’at the devi d’ye want o’ me anyhow, cuss ye?” ‘‘T want to know what brings you so far away from Seaport?” Dick demanded, sternly. The bully emitted a growl. ‘Dunno what’s it yer bizness long’s I ain’t disturbin’ you.” ‘* [t makes a deal of difference!” Dick retorted. ‘You ain’t so far from your home for nothing. fam aware just what you are up to, my larky, and you can bet on it. You’re dogging me, watching out for a chance to trap me—that, too, at the instance of the villain Jerry Carker!” The declaration only brought a bulldog sort of expression into the ruffian’s face. * Well, what of it?’ he gritted. ‘‘ As long as Tain’t teched you ye can’t complain, | am sure.” “But, mark you this!” Dick cried. ‘‘ I'll let you off now, but just as sure as I catch you dogging me hereafter, just so sure will I send a bullet through your brain. Where is your as- sociate, Carker? ‘Out of your reach. He left this morning for Frenchville.” Dick knew this was a lie. Frenchville lay oat? the main line of travel, there. and very few ever went 6 | Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. like hera bit. But, Mr. Dick, I have got some —~——_s news for you that you will value.” ‘* Have you, indeed? Well, let’s hear it.” ‘This is it. I was down in the hall a bit ago when the man who keeps the post-office came iu and asked the landlady if she had a guest named Miss Toodles. I overheard the inquiry, and at once stepped forward and laid claim to the letter, as it popped into my head that maybe it mages be of service to you.” ick whistled. ‘Well, you’re cute!” he said. ‘‘So you cal- culated Miss Toodles might turn out to Wm Marie, eh?” ‘Yes; just that and nothing else.”’ ‘Well, let’s see. Perhaps you areright. If so, you shall be enlisted on the regular deteo- tive force when we get to New York.” He opened the letter and perused its contents. It read as follows: ‘*ToopitEs—I leave by southeastern route, with a view of striking into the Leadville country. You be sure to take the northeastern trail, and then there will be no danger. .. ‘*It is evident that you are right. Marie and Carker are in correspondence, with a view of outwitting me. Does it not look that way to ou?’ Nellie looked the letter over and nodded. ‘*Certainly. K stands for kidnapper, in place of Carker,” she said. ‘‘ The woman Marie must. not receive this, eh?” ‘*No. Ill just keep mum, and not let her sus- pect that we know of her treachery. When the proper time comes I’]l open up on her. I sus- cted all along that she, in some way, had a and in this kidnapping business. Now I know it.’ ‘*It has just occurred to me that possibly this is a blind to put us off the track,” Nellie sug- peta ‘May it not be that the enemy be- i eves we are suspicious, and therefore takes this. ° method of putting us off the track?” ‘* Your suggestion is not without weight, but I am inclined to believe that Carker has struck for Leadville country, whence, if pursued, ke can easily get to the East. We will run the chances, anyhow, and go to Leadville,” Marie entered just then, but on seeing that Nellie was present, soon retired. The following day the party set out on their long journey for Leadville, which we will pass over until the day before they were due in the mountain city, when an incident occurred woi thy of narration. Cook’s Curve, an outlying town, had beer reached about sunset, but the party had intend- ed to push on, This, however, was made im- sible, as Lady Chandos was taken viclentl il, shortly after reaching the settlement, wit vomiting and internal pains. room in the only hctel the town afforded, and a doctor sent for, who, upon appesrance, turned out, fer a wonder, to be a man of both refine- ment and education. After studying the case for a while, he called Dick aside, and said, in a low tone: ‘* Sbe will doubtless be all right ina few min- utes, but 1’d advise you to see that she eats or drinks nothing except what you know is pure.” ‘*Ob, then you mistrust—”’ ‘‘ Foul play, of course! There is every reasou to believe that she has swallowed poison—pro- bably by eating.” **] will see to the matter,” Dick assured bim ; and after receiving his pay the doctor took bis miles to the north, off | departure. Jick at once sought Nellie, whom he made his confidante in most everything, and infoi med He knew that the ruffian would not be likely | her of what the doctor had said, first, however, to stop in the mining country of the West at | warning Lady Clare to maintain a rigid watch least. Giving Fargo a parting warning, Dick re- turned to the hotel, and consulted his pocket map while he smoked in the parlor. rom Gander Gulch three stage trails di- verged in northeastern, southeastern and east- — ern directions, all leading to towns beyond the | divide, or water-shed. Which one to take he was a little at loss at first, not knowing which one the kidnapper had pursued, He was still puzzlin~ over the matter when Nellie Dean came tripping into the room, look- ing like a modern fairy in a pretty traveling dress which Dick had given her the means to purchase. ‘* Well, I’m he to resume the journey you see,” she said, with a merry laugh. ‘I don’t know how to thank you enough for your kind- ness to me, Mr. Dick, And, oh! what do you think that nasty Frenchwoman said? She had the impudence to ask me where I made a raise of the money to get this dress with! over her sister. Nellie listened to the news, beaming from her pretty eyes. ‘* And this, too, is Marie’s work,” she queried. “Undoubtedly. She is rushing matters rather faster than I supposed she would, Lut I can’t see into her little game. If she is in the employ of Carker, I cannot see why she should want to poison Lady Chandos; for I believe it is Carker’s design, in abducting the boy, to ulti- mately force her ladyship to marry him. Why then this attempted poisoning?” ‘*T cannot see myself, unless the wily French- woman has some private scheme she is trying to pusb. What will you do?” “JT cannot tell, until I reflect. Where is Marie?” ‘‘In her room. She bas been there ever since our arrival, complaining that she felt too sick to attend to her ladyship. Don’t that show guilt?” ** You are rigbt;—yes, she is the leper, in our party, at present!” Dick said, absently, as he with surprise I just don’t | drummed upon the table, IOO Gomic gS) he was given a. (E(0) oe