Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 268 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

“ Yes, and I have something else to tell you,” Nellie went on. ‘‘Soon after our arrival, I heard her ask of the landlady : ‘if there was a “rene office in the town?’ ” ‘‘fihe did? Well, Nellie, yeu’re a jewel of a detective. I had no idea you would beso good at the baminess.” ‘‘T am-pleased, if anything I can do pleases you, Mr, Dick,” she said, very earnestly, as she aid one of her white hands upon his shoulder. Dick teok the second glance at her. ‘*Don’t get too serious in your efforts to please, little one,” he said, kindly, ‘‘ remember- ing it is your duty to steel your heart against any particular friendliness with married men.” ‘* Married!” @he echoed—“ you married?” ‘Why yes—¢o one of the dearest little women in the world,*® The waié was evidently a little staggered at this, but kept her self-possession well. “f didn’t know that,” she said, ‘‘ but we are all liable to be mistaken in a person.” Just then a note was shoved under the door of the room, and the ‘‘ shover” was heard to beat a hasty retreat. Sa aay ran and seized it, and handed it to ick, : ‘I wonder what. news this brings?” and Dick hastily tore it open. CHAPTER VIL. DICK’S BIG DROP. ‘\HE contents were by no means less than Deadwood Dick anticipated, for he expected to be surprised, and was not deceived. The note ran as follows: ‘“Sir:—If you want to find Jerry Carker and _ the boy,come tothe mouth of the Big Blow-out to-night, at moon-up, and an enemy of his will show you whar to lay your hands on him.” That was all—no signature whatever. Nellie also perused the note. “What do you think of it?’ Dick asked. ‘* Looks as if Carker had offended some one of his tools, and be was taking this method of re- venging himself,” ‘Don’t look a bit like that, to me!” Nellie de- clared. ‘‘ It’s only a bait to get you where they can get rid of you.” ‘* Maybe you are right. I’ve known stranger things to happen. But, at any rate, lve made up my mind to test the matter. Il go to the Big Blow-out mine; but, mind you, on the alert, and not unprepared to defend myself.” ‘*Oh! I wouldn’t go, nor pay any attention to it, if I were you, Mr. Dick. ou might be sur- prised and killed, when you were least expect- ing danger.” ‘Never fear. I’ve had death stare me in the face a hundred times, and in many shapes, but have so far lived to tell of it. I will be back all right—perhaps bringing young Chandos—an falls well we will push on to Leadville to- morrow. Keep mum about our little discoveries, and I fancy it will not take long to work the case to a climax.” When near moon-rise that evening, Dick armed himself thoroughly, and made a few oo inquiries as to the location of the Big low out mine, to learn that it was a shaft, about half a mile beyond the limits of the town, which, though moderately profitable, had been deserted because of a rumor that it was haunted. ! Leaving the camp, in the course directed, Dick was not long in gaining a position in what he judged to be the neighborhood cf the mine. Here he paused and listened, but could hear nothing except the wind sighing through the scrub-oaks and pines, which grew in little patches here and there. _Made bold by this, he advanced, little by little, until he was within a few rods of the Big Biow-out shaft, the location of which was dis- An by the great windlass over its mouth, ‘‘if lam not greatly mistaken, too, it is Marie. Ill go and see what she wants.” e thrust his hands into the side pockets of his coat, and they came in contact with a pair of revolvers that nestled there. Advancing from his place of concealment, Dick approached the vailed woman, who was evidently awaiting his Pima 5 “ Good-evening, madam!” he said, looking at her keenly. ‘‘ Were you waiting for some one?” ‘‘Yes—for you. You are Deadwood Dick, are you not?’ she asked, in a voice which did not sound familiar to him, ‘1 am Deadwood Dick, at your service, and you, I presume, are the party who sent me an unsigned communication some hours ago.” “Yes, I am the person. You want a man named Jerry Carker?”’ sé I do. ” ‘Well, you can’t have him!” a voice cried from in the rear, and at the same instant Dick was seized by several pairs of hands. Although he had been alert, the approach behind him had been made so cautiously that he had no suspicion of such an attack until it came, : With ail his strength did he try to jerk and twist himself free, but all to no are ee for they held him asin a vise of iron, while Marie, throwing back her vail, ee ag forward, and with cords secured his hands and feet, so that he was a prisoner, in all truth. He was allowed to stand, however, while his captors came around to get a front view of im. : They were Jerry Carker, Fargo, and another ruffian with a scar up and down his cheek—a trio of as villainous looking men as you would often meet even in the wild West. ‘*Ho! ho! so we have you, eh?’ Carker ex- claimed, with a triumphant leer. ‘‘ Didn’t count on our bein’ so cute, did you?” ‘*] presumed there was a trap set, but being in the habit of attacking my enemies in the front, instead of the back, which is the coward’s method, I was hardly wary enough!” Dick re- torted. “You call me a coward, do you?’ Carker cried fiercely. ‘* Yes, though I don’t know but the average coward would then feel insulted at the com- parison. You are a murderer, a thief, a con- temptible sneak, and the devil, your master, only knows what else.” ye Apt arker drew a revolver, and cocked it, signi- ficantly, his face livid with rage. But, before he could use it, Marie knocked it out of bis rasp. « Stop!” she cried, authoritatively. ‘‘ What did you promise? Don’t attempt any murder, or Til withdraw from the game and denounce ou. Carker uttered a sullen growl. ‘* Well?” he said, interrogatively. Marie turned to Deadwood Dick. ‘“My sharp friend, you see I have just saved your life!” she remarked, with evident sarcasm. ‘‘ This in reward for your efforts in behalf of her ladyship. Finding it difficult to elude your vigilance, we have concluded to dis- pose of you until Mr, Carker has time to get away where you cannot find him. To this ef- fect, we have concluded to lower you into this haunted mine, where you can have the plea- sure of sojourning, until some kindly disposed spook comes along and sets you free.” se) Dick did not reply. It was a less terrible fate than he had expected, and he resolved to take it with good grace, baving hopes of being able to escape, sooner or later. He had a small sized idea that pretty Nellie Dean would never leave the mining-camp, with- out making a diligent search for him. The great iron bucket was hauled up out of the shaft, by Fargo and the other 10ugh. Ordinarily this hoisting process was done by horse-power, but a crank bad also been pro- From Bis position the moonlight afforded | vided by which a man could raise or lower the Dick a good view of the place, yet he could see | bucket at will. nothing of human presence in the neighbor- | | no demur, and the bucket was once more low- hood. ‘Possibly there f@ an ambush waiting for me!’ he muttered: “ but I won’t stumble into it just yet. Dll wait amd see what turns up!” e bad not long to wait, only a few minutes; then the sound of footsteps were heard approach- ing from in the direction of the Curye, and soon a lomeke figure, wrapped ina black cloak, and wearing a thick vail over both face and hat, peared, and came to a halt in the vicinity of t “That must be rrespondent, I should ascte my corresp: ) shou judge!” was Dick’s wi ae ae aebt of her. | Dick was then placed in it, to which he made ered into the mine, where the darkness of Stygia reigned supreme, a grim silence pre- | vailing among the authors of the work. Down! down went Dick, and still down, un- til it seemed to hia that he must be really en route for China via a new line of travel. Suddenly the rope parted, far above him, and his downward flight was continued with light- ning velocity. ; n, he was conscious of a tremendous jar-— and remembered no more, for a long time. When he did recover consciousness, the scene Deadwood Dick's ‘Death Trail. = 7 — — eae ele er me | ge ne wet was materially changed. He was still lyin upon the ground, in the mine, but a miner’s lamp burning in a crevice in the rock. near at hand, and Nellie Dean was bending over him, holding camphor to his nostrils, and applying it to his forehead. When she saw his eyes open, she gave vent to an exclamation of joy. ‘‘Oh! L was so afraid vou were dead, when I found you bing: 29 still and white. Are you hurt much, Mr. Dick?’ ‘Don’t know about that, till I find out!” Dick replied, staring around, to recollect what had happened. ‘‘ Guess there’s no bones broken though [ got an unmerciful thump. Ugh! I feel kind of sore like;” but with an effort he re- gained his feet, Nellie having cut the bonds. ‘**Oh! I ain’t so bad hurt after all. How’d yen come down? Hope you didn’t take the lightning express that I did!’ ellie laughed. ‘*No—I took an accommodation. You see, about as soon as you left the hotel, 1 hired a couple of rough but honest fellows to come with me, and set out to look after your welfare. We arrived just in time tosee you lowered into the well, and the men began an attack on your captors, who, however, succeeded in escaping. en we arrived at the windlass, we found that the rope had been cut, the perpetrators of the deed undoubtedly thinking the fall would kill you. One of the men at once returned to camp, and procure’ a long rope, and lowered me down here, where I have been, since, work- ing to restore you to your senses.” * You are a noble girl!” Dick said, taking her hand, and pressing it warmly. ‘* No kindness I can ever do you will be sufficient to express ay gratin. ut, how are we to get out of th en is the next question to be considered?” ‘‘T have that already arranged. Yonder lies the bucket, and I have fastened the rope to it, by which I was lowered. The other end is secured to the windlass, so that we sball have no difficulty in being drawn up. By the way, the aoeen Marie was with your captors?” ‘ Yes.’ ‘‘ What do you propose to do with her?” ‘‘Tam not decided. I hardly think she will trouble our party again. If she does, 1 may not make any mention of this night’s work, in hopes of using her as the trap through which to catch Carker. That rascal is no doubt on his way to Leadville ere this. Come! let us go.” hey entered the bucket, gave a jerk on the se and were alow iy drawn upward. n a few winutes they were once more above ground, and safe from the effects of the adven- ture. Paying the two miners liberally for their ser- vices, Dick wert back to the hotel, «ccompanied by Nellie, who at once retired to her room, while Dick sat down in the parlor, to smoke and reflect, first having inquired and learned that Lady Chandos was feeling much better, and would no doubt be well enough for the morrow’s journey. He had not been seated long, when Marie entered the parlor, and nodded pleasantly, as though nothing had happened. | ‘*T was just looki see if 1 lost a glove here,” she said, apologetically, ‘‘Have you been out?’ There was no trace of guilt—not even a flush —upon her attractive face, as she turned it to- ward the Prince of the Road, ‘““Yes—I just got out, about half an hour ago!” Dick replied, dryly, at the same time wondering why this woman did not adopt the stage, so skilled an actress she was. ‘“Why, were you in jail?’ Marie queried, raising her eyebrows in surprise, and at the same time looking him straight in the eye. ‘Yes, in the jail you helped to place me in. Don’t play off your assumed innocence on me, woman—it won’t work, You are guilty, and your fate is sealed,” She turned pale, and trembled, at this; then, to Dick’s astonishment and disgust, she dropped on her knees at his feet, and burst into a vicleut fit of weeping. CHAPTER VIII. DICK ‘* TUMBLES TO” A LIVE LORD. “Ou! Mr. Degdwood Dick!” she cried pit- eously. ‘*‘Donot be merciless with me, but for- give me for my sinning and give me a chance to repent and atone. You alone know of my deed, and why ruin my future prospects by allowing the matter to travel further, when yu can save me from going utterly to the bad. Dick sarncyed her with little expression of mercy upon his face, and a feeling of repugs JOO Comic S