Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 321 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

+ etre | eee “' Like enough, Sreienp I believe, was a for- mer suitor for the hand ot Miss Blye.” ‘‘T have learned that, and that is why I be- Heve he and Blye are confederates.” The day slowly ed by to the two pris- oners, who, despite Dick’s efforts to give their situation a cheerful aspect, could but feel Sm there were strong chances of “ border justice in the shape of a gman’s noose, Boston Blye and Leon Shrimp encountered one another, toward sunset, and the latter individ- ual looked quite savage. ‘‘See here! you’ve put your foot nicely into it, haven’t s he growled. ‘‘[ don’t know that Ihave. Whatis it your business anyhow, pray?” ‘Don’t get too sassy, or I'll show you. In the first place, by arresting that fellow so soon, you've lost the girl. Igave youcredit for being a cleverer scoundrel than that.” ‘Hang the girl! Ill attend to finding her when I get ready.” ‘That don’t suit me. Them tell-tale letters are getting heavy, and if matters don’t quickly come LO & focus, there’s no telling what I may dy. ‘ What does it matter, anyhow?” | ‘Several years behind iron bars, to you!” ‘Bah! [defy you. You have not the letters, and if you had, I can readily turn popular in- terest in my behalf to defend me.” ‘‘T bave the papers, and you know it, and more, that I can use them against you. Only say the word and your brother, here known as Oid Jewel, shall not only have these papers, but also—” ‘‘Hush} Curse you, say no more, All is working well. The girl will bein our posses- sion inside of two days.” ‘* But how ’bout the Yorker? You’ve cooked his goose, so fur as workin’ him is coucerned., It the outlaw swings, so will the Yorker. “Tl try to secure his release. You keep mum concerning Old Jewel, I’m off to see bim at first opportunity.” ) ‘* Well, Pll keep my valve shet as long as pos- sible; but ef ye’r’ too tardy, thar’s no tellin’ what may happen.” Ihe two men separated, Blye going to the Rewer in the office of which a man approached iim, ‘Sh! Not a word, till we are in private,” this rough-looking individual cautioned. ‘I’ve been watching for a chance to see you, but have failed until now. Take me to your room.” The captain eyed the fellow a moment, and then ar evidently resolved to see what he say. nce in the speculator’s room, he said: “Be brief now with what you bave to say, for I have no time to waste.” ‘‘Correct, yer honor. Do you know me?” ‘‘No. Never met you before.” * Thought not. I am familiarly known as Yoyote, and am the right bower of Black Bob, the bandit. It was I whocaptured your daugh- ter and her companion.” * You infernal rascal! How dare you come here and tell me that, I-just jailed one man _ telling me that he had rescued my daugh- ‘But you'll not jail me. We will cook our terms right here, and if you attempt to come it erga A ney ~ oe pol fe throu h hag iver. er, Deadw ick, to ou be had the girl, did he?” , y ‘¢- Yes, and I believe him,” ‘¢ Well, in one sense, he didn’t lie, He did have her for awhile—nigh about killed Black Bob, rescued the gal, and left her in a cave, while I slid along and rescued her, and trans- ported her to a safer place. ar she am now, and I am hyer to make terms fer her transfer ter you. This aire my own deal at present, an’ is ae awe ef I don’t take the trick w'ot’s profitable. * Yon are lying to me. You haven’t the girl at all,” the captain growled. ‘You have heard of Deadwood Dick having possession of her, and formed this thin plan to extort money from me, Begone, sir! Pil have nothing whatever to do with you.” ‘Oh! yes, you will, I know,” Coyote de- clared, and two revolvers arose above the table-top in his steady grasp. ‘I’m here for business, pot for play, capt’in, and ‘ No’ don’t go no further for an answer with me than a int of bug-juice would with a Colorado cow- Me D’ye want the girl or not?” , ‘When I do, I'll undertake to find her, with- out any desperado tance, I assure you.” / “Very well. Dll keep her safely until you her, ebarging 8 e from date. At Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. present my needs can be supplied by ten thou- sand dollars.” “ You are mad, man.” ‘*Ob! no; but heavens help ren ef I git riled. I’m worso than sixty thousan’ bornetson a jam- boree, Ten thousan’ I want now, an’ want ’er bad, an’ ef I don’t see er forthcomin’ inside o’ two minnits, ’ll see how close 1 can come ter hittin’ the pupil of yer lefteye. Mind, thar’ll be no postponin’ uv ther show, rain or shine!” The captain was livid and pale with rage by turns. That he was in a bad’ fix, Captain Boston Blye was not slow to comprehend, “You've got me foul!” he said, ‘‘and ['m no fool to resist, where pistols are trumps, But as your demand is far above the capacity of my »urse, you'll have to lower your notes to the ey of V, that being the entire amount of my earthly possessions, ‘‘ Vive thousand dollars?” ac Yes.” “Well, fork ’er over, That’s better than none, I allow.” ‘‘When I see my daughter, you see your cash.” ‘*Oh, no! I’m not takin’ any risks, you bet. When I get the twaddlededum, I skips out, an’ byme-bye you sees yer gal sailin’ inter camp, axin’ fer yer.” , ‘Do you think ['d trust you?” ** | don’t think nuthin’ ’bout it. I know ef ye don’t come ter my terms, I'll salivate ye in yer noddle, quicker’n greased lightnin’!” Blye took a roll of bills from his pocket and counted them slowly, a look of desperation upon his face. There was an even five thousand, and it was the last ready cash he had in the world. 4 flung the pile at Coyote, with an angry snarl, ‘‘Take the money and begone, curse you!” he cried. ‘* You bave robbed me of my last cent, and Il amapauper. Begone, I say!” ‘*‘ Keerect, boss; jestas yesay. I'll send the gal ter once. Men like you don’t keep down in the gutter long at a time, and when you get heeled again, I'l) call around for the other five thousand,” And with a mocking laugh he left the room. Boston Blye sat for some moments in deep meditation, his face wearing an ugly expres- sion. ‘There is but one thing todo. I must see my delectable brother and extort money from him, as it has been-extorted from me, Without money J’ll be in deeper trouble than I have yet seen, 80 I must visit Jewel.” : te CHAPTER VI. A BAFFLED VILLAIN, ‘“‘Prrw! fire! fire!” Loud rung tbis ery, at about dusk, that night when everybody and everybody’s neighbar was either abroad on the street, or, perhaps, wast- ing their time and money at the big gaming- saloon, | But.when the cry rung out, all habitations or resorts poured forth their humanity into the street, making the populace one excit« d mass, fire in a mining-town like Phantom Flats was something of a novelty in its way; then, too, the average buildings of a camp are dry as tinder, if of any age, and once a fire gets started it is liable to do a great deal of damage before it can be checked, To-night a stiff mountain breeze was blowing down the gulch, and tbe fire being at the upper end of the town, it looked as if a serious confla- gration might ensue. As soon as the location was settled, a great rush was made up the street, many carrying buckets of water, so thatina few minutes the bee portion of the camp was entirely de- serted, Thus it was that the jail where Deadwood Dick and George Gerald were confined, and which was located at the lower edge of the camp, was left unguarded, except one old man, who was too infirm to run to the ‘“ sarcus.” When matters had assumed this shape a dozen figures, black-clad and masked, stea thily approached the jail. - Every man was armed, and had Deadwood Dick seen their approach, he would have known that they were bis dozen of dumb defenders, and he would have felt a thrill of exultance. But he knew not who, a few minutes later, began a fierce attack upon the heavy dx~s, without uttering a sound of the human voice, “Hello! what is the matter?” Gerald asked, starting up, out ofadoze. ‘“ Who’s attacking the door??? ‘Regulators, I reckon,” Dick returned, — wee |= and the pee ‘“ There wus a cry of fire, a bit ple rushed to .it, and now eome fellows break into the jail. It looks decidedly to mie as if the fire was afput-up job to give a party of roughs under n Blye a chance to takeus out and lynch us!” , ‘‘ Heaven help us if that be true!” An intense silence then ensued. The battering upon the door continued witb unabated violence and the stout barrier finally began to weaken— so much that the prisoners momentarily ex- pected it to burst open. They had not long to wait. There wag a sharp crash, and the barrier fell inward, while the as- sailants poured over the threshold, Deadwood Dick uttered a glad cry, as he recognized his Dumb Dozen! ‘They are my men, Gerald,” he said. “ We are once more free!” be Their feet were released in a twinkling; then they were hurried from the jail, and out of the camp, long ere their escape was discovered, Captain Boston Blye left Phantom Flats about sunset, on his visit to his deeply wronged brother, whom we will continue call Old Jewel, the hermit—for he had long ago re- nounced bis former name, partly as a guard against arrest and partly because he hated it Not knowing the exact location of the her- mit’s abode, Blye had secured the services of a miner, as guide, and, well mounted, they were not long in making the journey, arriving at the lone cabin about an hour after dark, Dismountivg a short distance from the lodge of the hermit, Blye left his horse in charge of his guide, and approached the hut, where, some- what to his surprise, he found Old Jewel seated upon a camp-stool in the doorway. | The bermit made no motiom to rise or wet- come bis visitor, and so Boston paused, at afew paces from him. ‘‘ Good-evening, Mr. Jewel!” he said, doffin his hat, ‘‘ 1 am lucky to find you so easily, suppose you do not recognize me?” ‘On the contrary, 1 do,” was the cold re- sponse. *‘ Your coming is not at all unknown, or unexpected.” Blye looked incredulous, ‘* Who am I, then?” he demanded. “A wretch—a villain—a crear aoe knows how much more!” was the stinging tort. 18u “ Yet Iam your estimable brother,” ° sneered, with a chuckle. “One can hardly back on their own relations.” Q. “ Can’t they? Why did you do so, vears when your devilish schemes brandeo me a pn inal and outcast, and forced me to kave my home?” 0 Fs | ‘¢Ob! you know I never barmed you, brotber —I could not do that, Your own villainy got you into trouble, and you have me to thank that you were ever able to escape the vengeunce ef the law.” ? | “ Liar! coward! devil in man’s form! Away with you—I wouid not have you further Ho jure your soul. Why doe you come heref fam no brothegof yours, Begone, ere I set my de- fenders upon you!” | “Defenders!” And Blye laughed evi, | “That is a big word for _ use, Who would defend you, pray y, there’s not a person in Phantom Flats but what is down on you,” os “Keep on believing that!” Jewel retorted, with decision, ‘“ There is at least one man who will not go back on me whom all the men of Phantom and all the ‘mps of Satan c cope with. Friends? Yer, l bave them yet, but not of my kith and kin.” ‘‘Bah! what care I? Neither do*I fear, no matter what bold outlaw you may have for an 4 ally or friend. I bave come here to see you as a brother and a friend, and as such I expect to be treated.” . “Then your expectations are destined to sus- tain a severe shock, sir, In flesh you may be a brother of mine, but there the relationship ends. Friends we can never be, and so there is no use of prolonging this interview.” Ch ‘Ha! ha! How anxious you are to get rid of me! My gentle brother, are you not aware that you are addressing one who can make you more real trouble than you have yet experi- enced?” ‘‘T well know you have come here to annoy and threaten me, and for the a extorting money from me. I also that hink to torture me, and which you omaudane to sign.” Mh have a lying document, with which ‘Exactly. Ha! ba! You are an excellent JOO com (C gS (Eo)