Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 321 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

a rh ——_— nein See — Seated about a table, in a gloomy cave a mile south of Phantom Flats, were three of Blye’s evil league, composed of himself, Leon Paro Black Beb. A tallow candle burned dimly on the table, and a fire of pine-cones bl in the’ rudely constructed fire-place. vi Upon Blye’s face rested an expression of un- easiness, ‘Don’t fret yourself,” Black Bob said, “If the game results either way it amounts to the same thing, We have got him, and before he shall escape he must sign over to us, in checks or mortgage, every cent he has, or pass in his checks!’ Blye was silent. Some deep emotion seemed to possess him. Did he, as a father for years, have any love for the child he had stolen away from his brother? His present conduct would seem to indicate that much. But aftera few moments a vengeful expression swept over bis face, and he brought-down his clinched fist upon the table, with emphasis, ‘* Bring out Gerald!” he ordered. Sbrimp arose and entered a narrow fissure, which led into an inner cavern. , Soortly he returned, and accompanying him was Dandy Dan, Between them walked George (iefald, with his hands firmly bound behind bis Lack and a gag in his mouth. ‘ ’ He was led to the table where the flickering light fell upon his face, but even that failed to reveal anything but its expression of deflance. The gag was removed. Boston Blye regarded him for a moment in- tently, an evil glitter in his snaky orbs. " Gerald !” he said, finally, ‘‘do you know why you are bere?” ‘*How am I to know when I bave not been in- formed?” the Easterner demanded. ‘Well, that’s so, boy. You see how it is, Gerald. D’ve become short of cash, through spending so much in my efforts to find Agnes, and knowing you to be well fixed in this world’s goods, I had you brought here to try to induce to make me a loan of what you are worth.” ‘*Indeed! Isn’t that what you might term re- markably cheeky ?” $ ‘*Toink of it as you like, I naturally con- cluded that you would not accede to my de- rnands unless forced to do so, and being in des- »erate circumstances, I was compelled to adopt a little strategy.” ‘‘ And supposed, by kidnapping me and bring- ing me here, you could frighten me into coming to your terms.” ‘“‘T suppose notbing about it, We do not deal in suppositious here. You have two choices— life or death, If life is to your liking, you will be treated as squarely as in any gaming-place in America. If you prefer death, you have but to say the word. ‘Then you propose to gamble for my money.” “Exactly. You must play cards, or die. If ow win, you will be set at liberty, If you ose, you lose all, and will be th in custody until your checks are drawn and we bave the cash, and are safely out of the way.” 7” Well, if that is the case, I can but accept the terms of the pack of wolves into whose ee ten Ms see A ee your 3 w much cash “One dollar. ht bie ‘ Or aes ¥ ‘One dollar, Xou must stake your all against that amount. Since I have Bova you I have learned that you have seventy-five thousand dollars on book de New York at the Park National Ban our check for this amount, payable to pas Roberts & Co,, and deposited as a wager &galnst a dollar, will be su lent for the tego on Gerald was sile ent, durin which time he felt a revolver muzzle pressed to his temple. “ Decide? Black Bob growled. “ We've no time to fool here, for so small a matter.” “ T decline to accede to your infamous Boston Blye. Todo so would be unpardonable cowardice. No, sir—before you shall bave a dollar of my money beyond what you robbed me of, when you captured me, you can ® my life. is final.” A fearful oath es Blye. He had not cal, culated on Gerald having so much nerve, evident- ly. “Get ready, Shri ! he ordered, hoarsely. “Tf he makes no conceeaton before I count three, puta bullet through his brain and end the mat- ter. One! i liowed so in ) “yr oak Sore patil blag se that the fall ‘Two!” / ‘ lack Bob, the bandit, I think we know each other quite well, do we not, on short acquaint- Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. Gerald’s face was resolute and defiant, while the conspirators watched*him anaiously, ‘CTHRER! Fire!” re! CHAPTER XI, AN INTERRUPTION—AN EXPLOSION—AND THE END. THE pistol held by Leon Shrimp still rested against the head of young Gerald, and buta touch of the finger was required to send the Easterner into eternity. But the touch was not given, As Boston Blye gave the order to fire, no less a personage than Deadwood Dick leaped into | the room, aud knocked the pistol from Shrimp’s hand, and it exploded, as it fell to the floor. Dick was immediately followed by bis Dumb Dozen, who marched into the room in double file, and covered the conspirators with their re- volvers, Boston Blye’s face assumed a ghastly hue, as he saw the ex-outlaw-detective, but he sum- moned the courage to rise to his feet with a pre- tense ef indignation. ‘What does this intrusion mean?’ he de- manded, fiercely. ‘‘ Who are you, and what do you want?” ‘You don’t know me, then?’ Dick queried with a dry laugh. ‘* How should I know you, sir— Ah! I do re- cognize you, now—you are the cut-throat, Dead- wood Dick!” ‘* Ard you are the scoundrel, Boston Blye, to- ether with your colleagues, Leon Shrimp, and ance? ‘Boston Blye, I came here to save the life of a man who befriended you, and who will eventually marry the child you stole from your brother. It isin my power now, to arrest you aud cast you into prison, together with your as- Black Bob the bandit, and Leon Shrimp the bank robber, who was your tool. Now, Mr. Boston Blye, what have you to say?” “Go ahead,” the schemer gritted, withholding his passion as best he could, } e knew very well that he was in adangerous position. “Do you count yourself a man of‘honor, Bos- ton Blye?” Dick asked, solemnly. ‘*Go ahead!” was the indifferent reply. ‘Evasive answers won’t do at this stage of “T want to know sociates, the game,” Dick warned. where Agnes Blye is?’ “T do not know?” ‘* Do you swear to it?” éé I do,” ‘‘Do you swear to forego your resolution to roy your own brother, known as Old Jewel, of his wealth ?”’ “T swear to nothing.” “Then you have until to-morrow night to get out of this part of the country. If seen here after that you will be strung up without mercy. Leon Shrimp, release that gentleman of bis bonds.” “T’ve nothing to do with him,” the younger villain asseverated, doggedly, ‘** When the boss Says SO, I’m agreeable. | ‘Release him!” Dick repeated, his face grow- ing bard and stern. ‘lf you do not it will be the end of your tether.” 1 “T am gat orders from you, Captain Blye,” SEP said, turning to the schemer; but Dick made a leap forward, and seizing bim b the throat, hurled him against the wall wit terrible force, Shrimp struck the wall with a dull thud, and dropping, lay like one dead. Dick then severed the thongs that bound the prisoner’s wrists and removed the gag from his mouth. ‘‘There, my friend, you are free, Now, Bos- ton Blye, and your confederates, I'll give you, though uncalled-for mercy, ig one hour to get out of my reach—out of the Territory. I find you anywhere in this vicinity again I'll take you, dead or alive,” and Dick quitted the place, Black Bob listened until their footfalls were no longer heard; then he returned to the table, and faced Blye. ‘Now, what?” he demanded, tersely. ‘‘ This Sort of work won’t do; It’s evident that this accursed Deadwood Dick is after us, and it is not anprobable that the better share of the foe lation of the Flats are in with him. At cast, he got on to our racket with Gerald, utifully, and that proves that there’s an in- former in our midst.” It would seem so!” Blye admitted, with an ro ler “It’s not Swilltub, you bet, for § money too fast to go back ' on us. 18 That son of yours, I do not trust any too mueh, let me tell you. He is as crafty a rogue as either of us, and if he thought to gain a few dollars by it, he’d bring us both to the hang- man’s scaffold.” Black Bob turned and regarded his insensible son, darkly. ‘‘IT don’t believe that of him,” he growled. ee thought be was treacherous, I’d soon end his career, ‘‘ Well, you can use your own judgment in the matter, There’s a traitor somewhere and it’s a sure thing that it’s either Shrimp or you.” ‘‘1’ll be forever cursed if I’m the man,” the bandit growled. ‘* We’ll soon find out who the traitor is!” There was a wolfish expression upon his nely face, as be arose, and approached the still in- sensible Shrimp, | 3 ‘““What are you going to do?” Blye asked Bar vOUsys a sudden pallor creeping over his ace. : | ‘‘ Kill him!” the ruffan returned. ‘It shall never be said that a son of Black Bob was a traitor!” Even while speaking, he whipped a revolver from his belt, and fired three times, the bullets pesca Leon’s body, in the vicinity of the eart, The poor fellow ee ite struggled, and in a moment he was apparently lifeless, The bandit then turned to Blye, ‘‘Come! There are but three of us now, and we'll go straight to Jewel’s ranch and settle up this matter.” ‘‘Wouldn’t it be advisable to wait until an- other time? Deadwood Dick or some of his em- issaries may be lying in wait for us,’” ‘‘ Bah—no! The whole dozen were with him, a few moments ago. Jewel is alone.” “Possibly, now, but having the start, Dead- wood Dick can return there before we can reach , the place,” ‘That shows how much you know about it. I happen to be posted in regard to a short route, by which we can reach the hermitage an hour before the other crowd, let them do their peyel best, Come along, and be quick about t ? Old Jewel sat in front of his hermitage, at # late hour, that pight, beng | away at a , which bad the appearance of being near! aged as himself. A worried expression rested, upon his face, howereks and he started nervous- ly; at the Jeast sourid, : ‘Something warns me of impending tha a he murmured, ‘‘and yet I do not fear I—I—sometimes think my latter days culminate in insanity. Old, feeble, fri . what else can I expect but insanityf” _ A footstep startled him and he instantly sprung to bis feet with the glare of a hungry niger n his gaze. t was not the step of an enemy, he quickly concluded, for no caution was observable, _ Whoever it was, he came from the of Phantom Flats; so Jewel stepped w door of his hut, A rifle was standing near, and he evidently determined to sell his life y indeed, the person appronsnieg ¥ an en Suddenly the foo ad ceased Half an hour passed, and there was no re of the sounds. Jewel was puzzled. | He was satisfied that the a gh alieg not been a freak of his imagination; egg too plain and natural for bim to be rr There were loop-holes, rey screened by vines, in different parts of the but, ee a ful reconnoissance through them failed to cover any signs, whatever of an enemy, Nothing now remained for him to believe b that he had been deceived, by bis own i - nation ; so he resumed bis position in fron the bu ‘“‘Strange that Deadwood Dick and the Dumb Dozen do not return,” be mused. ‘It is now past midnight, and I should think some of them, at least, would be back.” a The words were hardly out of his mouth, when he was seized from behind, and a hand was clapped over his mouth, so could not utter a word, His hands were then drawn behind his back and tied; all of which was done before he could get a glimpse of bis captors. It needed no glimpse of them, however, to tell him who owe of them was, The image of his evil brother Ls hig before Rog steppe ore him, to. olowed by On as not present. of “Si, EOmichboo cs Y | ‘YI ‘ates, Black Bob and Dand ‘eee Y re nc Bi end Pandy Dan, 0 > Col