Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 347 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 miner. Prisoner at the bar, have you provided yourself with counsel for the defense?” **T haven’t been allowed the opportunity of doing so, yet!” Kid replied, rather grimly, as he looked over the rough audience. ‘* Then, sir!” cried a voice, ‘‘if you have no Objections, I will act as your counsel!” Anda female pushed forward into view. ‘‘I am Ju- ‘dith Green, from Chicago, and a regularly ad- mitted member of the bar!” Every one stared. The female who had thus suddenly appeared, was a type of character hitherto unknown to Devil’s Diggings, , She was young—that. was evidenced by her shapely features, and soft complexion—and possessed of a good figure. Her attire, bow- ever, consisted of a bedraggled calico dress, a coarse pair of shoes, a flaring red shawl, and a bonnet, remarkable for its oddity and age. Her eyes were hidden behind ogreish green goggles, and she wore her hair combed down smoothly on her forehead, after the style of a few gener- ations ago, In one hand she carried a well-worn and lank looking carpet-bag, while her right clutched a large umbrella, here was a snort of laughter as she stood gazing about, which Judge Splinter checked, in a measure, by rapping smartly upon bis desk. ‘‘ Order in the court—order!” he yelled, ** Madame—” “* Excuse me, sir, miss, if you please!” she in- terrupted. ‘‘ Remember that, if you are a re- specter of persons, as every learn-ed judge should be.” Splinter’s bosom immediately proudly swelled, as from the effect of an overdose of water and dried apples. **Gracious, Miss Green!” he orated, clapping his ‘*‘ plug ” deftly upon bis head, and doffing it again, with a Chesterfieldian air, ‘you will surely excuse my oversightedness. I am Judge Tamarack Splincer, at your service, and I repre- sent the Commonwealth, in the case about to be tried. Can it be possible you would take the opposition side, against a man of my legal at- tainments?’ “Yas, [ do!” Miss Green declared, with a strong nasal twang, ‘‘and if I don’t fetch the handsome young feller out, scot free, then Judith Green never studied law!” ' ‘‘Very well. As it is fair for ther prisoner to have counsel, let the old gal fight fer him!” Splinter said, dryly. And thinking that some amusing develop- ments might follow, the crowd did not dissent, Accordingly, a chair was placed on a deal table, near the judge, and Judith Green was helped to a seat upon if—umbrella, carpet-bag, sand all. The case was then taken up, in earnest. The first witness called, for the prosecution, was Masked Mose. On being sworn, he gave testimony that his name was Moses Markel, but that he was usually known as Masked Moss, from wearing a mask to hide a hideous deformity of the features. “*I object to this man’s testimony, on the grounds that it is illegal for a man to testify ,with is mug covered up,so that no one can judge whether he’s lying or no!” interposed Judith Green, nesta her umbrella on the floor, ** Silence! ho’s runnin’ this hyer court?” roared the Judge. ‘The jury’s verdict settles sech things as that. The relator will proceed to testify.” ) Deponent further stated, that on the day of the murder he was on his way from Pineville to Devil’s Diggityzs, in company with a comrade, when he discovered a man climbing the mount- ain-side, and acting in a rather suspicious man- ner. Prompted by curiosity, they shadowed him, and at one time got near enough to hear him say aloud. ‘Oh! Deadwood Dick, your doom is sealed, The mine shall belong to me, and the treasure, too, if I can find it.” By-and- by, another man appeared in view, and the shadowed man drew a bead on him, and crying ‘*Die, Deadwood Dick!” shot him through the heart, killing him, instantly, The assassin then fled. The comrades followed him, first to the secret mine, and thence to Devil’s Diggings, where deponent caused his arrest. The prisoner at the bar was identically and positively the same man who had killed Deadwood Dick! ‘“*Have ye any cross-examination to make?’ Splinter asked, turning to Green. ‘*Not at present,” was the quiet answer. “There’s plenty of time for that yet.” Bill Blinker, a ruffianly-looking loafer, was the next witness, He claimed to be a pard of Masked Mose, and his testimony was a straight aorroboration of the first deponent’s, er":..2....Xwn0"_.2.222°00- te Deadwood Dick’s Ducats. McBride deposed that be and Masked Mose had, the previous day, visited the scene of the murder, buried the unfortunate miner, and taken _— that he bad been shot directly through the eart, Several others testified as to the arrest of Kid | Karl, and so forth. The defense was then begun. More interest now seemed prevailing. Kid Karl took the stand and was sworn, ‘* Ye kin conduct the examination of the pris- oner,” Splinter said loftily, glowering down upon Judith, ‘I do not consider it my duty to overtax myself.” Miss Green seemed elated at this. ‘Your name is Kid Karl?’ she said, survey- ing the prisoner. Ft is” ‘‘Have you ever used the name of Harry Le- clede?” **T have |” Sensation in the court-room. ‘‘ Under what circumstances?” ‘*Leclede was my nom de plume when I met and joined Deadwood Dick in a prospecting venture. I can scarcely assign any motive for adopting it more than that I did so.” “How long were you a prospecting partner of Deadwood Dick?” ‘For a matter of three months.” ‘* Were you on friendly terms together?” ‘We were. I learned to look upon him as a brother.” ‘Ever quarrel?” ‘* Never.” ‘“‘What were the financial results of your partnership?” ‘*Thirty thousand apiece. This was, from time to time, converted into coin. Finally we fell to gambling, with the understanding that the ultimate winner of all was to resign in favor of the other, and vamose,” ** Well, who won?” ** Deadwood Dick.” ** What then?” ‘‘ lL asked for employment, and he granted it, He seemed to believe that I had designs on steal- ing his treasure, So, in the dead of night when I was sleeping, he removed it to a secret hiding- place and buried it. The next day he left fora bunt, while I Jabored in the mine. A few days before, he had mentioned something about com- ing down here after some tobacco, but regarded it as dangerous to our interests. The day passed, but when night drew on Dick did notreturn, I thought it rather queer, but waited a while, At last i came to the conclusion that he had come down bere, and so started down the mountain, expecting to find him returning. ‘*Not meeting him, I came on, growing con- stantly anxious for his welfare. When reached this place I resolved to enter, to learn if he had not been drawn into a game of cards, What followed is known to nearly all now pre- sent, except, perhaps to my counsel. I was charged with a foul crime by yonder lyin vagabond, and was attacked. You all know made a fair offer of remaining, to stand my trial. The men I killed, I killed in self-defense, and I’d do the same thing again. But, as there is a God in Heaven, I never harmed a hair of Deadwood Dick’s head. Another thing, to show the character of my accusers: Masked Mose and McBride came to my room this morning, and offered to set me free, if I would tell them where Dick’s treasure was buried. That’s all I think of, just at present!” ‘*That’s quite sufficient!” the judge thunder- ed, ‘I will now give the case to the—” “Say. bold up, won’t you?” Roaring Ruth cried, ‘*I opine I've got a little say in this, Swear, me, ef you please!” She was sworn, and testified to the facts already known to the reader, including her visit to the spot where she had left Deadwood Dick for rl 4 and her failure to find his body, and her belief that he still lives. mention of encountering the specter, as she did not believe it advisable. ‘*I believe, your Honor,” spoke up Miss Green, ‘‘that ons of your clients testified as to burving the remains of this Deadwood Dick?’ ‘They did!” Splinter reluctantly acknowl- edged, now not so perfectly sure that he was going to win his great case, “Very good. e will deploy a posse of cit- izens to visit the tomb, and thus make sure the crime has really been committed, before we can conscientiously give the case to that most august body, the jury!” Masked Mose uttered a violent oath. ‘*That won’t work!” he snarled: ‘‘8’pose we might as well acknowledge we didn’t bury the cuss. We dumped his carcass into the creek!” testimony. Judge Splinter, as a man of great She made no |! — “Cleverly caught in a lie, which breaks your wisdom, you must see how the matter stands. We cannot proceed with the case, on the unre- liable evidence of the still more unreliable vag- abonds who have been playing so bold a hana, I demand that no further action be taken in the matter, until it can be learned whether Dead- wood Dick is, or is not dead!” The juy’ge eyed her, sharply. Now, just at this point, a new thought had popped into his noddle, e was getting along in years, and bad never as yet, been so successful in love affairs as to lay claim toa Mrs. 8. Here was a smart, shrewd woman, evidently an old maid, yet comely and promising. Perhaps, by a little amelioration, he could— well, make a hit! The fact struck him so impressively that he at once wilted becomingly and signified his appro- bation. ‘‘Wair sister of the bar,” he said, donning and doffing his hat—a peculiarity of bis, by the way “it is with feelings of approval that I, a stern old oak of jurisprudence, must bow to the jus- tice of your suggestion, with all its sensible pro- cedure. The prisoner shall be remanded to jail until we have further developments to work upon.” ‘‘L propose the prisoner be admitted to bail. Ill put up five thousand dollars, to be forfeited if he is not on hand when wanted!” cried Jonas Argyle. **T object! I strenuously object, in totum!” shouted Splinter. ‘* Where, in all this glorious Camp and Commonwealth o’ Devil’s Diggings— where, I say, kin you find the galoot that can be trusted with five thousand dollars?” A roar of laughter and applause at this strik- ingly sensible sally, fairly made the building tremble. Argyle himself, for the first time since the foundation of the camp, was aroused into a hearty laugh. ‘‘True enough!” he allowed. “ But you all know me, and I’]l be responsible for the fellow’s appearance to the valueof all I’m worth,” After considerable dissension, it was finally satisfactorily settled. Jonas Argyle became surety for Kid Karl's appearance. In case Karl could not be caught, should be forfeit bis beil, Argyle was to contribute five thousand dollars to be divided, pro rata, between the enraged citizens of Devil’s Diggings. Judge Splinter then pronounced Karl free for the time being, and warned one and all against again provoking him to self-defense” Kid Ker! was then liberated and received the weapons that had been taken from him at the time of his capture, Among “the first to congratulate him was Roaring Ruth. ‘*T am glad to see this much ofa point gain- ed,” she said, simply. ‘1 was afraid after I found that you bad not been at Pineville things would go hard with you. By the way, our friend, Miss Green, worked about all the good that has been done yet.” ‘* Who is she?” ‘“‘T haven’t the slightest idea.” ‘¢ Ts it original do you think?” “I’ve half a notion not; but, if not, she’s well made up, and knows her biz!” ‘‘T should say so. Somehow, she has too deucedly a girlish face for the character she takes.” ‘‘Somewhat my opinion, too. ‘You are really Deadwood Dick’s pard?’ ‘“‘That was. It grieves me sorely to think I should be accused of killing bim, when I had formed so warm an attachment for him, that I did not even regret it when he won the last of my thirty thousand. Did he believe me to be his assassin?” : “T think he was loth to believe such a thing, and yet, could lay the crime reasonably to no one else.” “He should have known me better. But, tell me—do you really believe him dead?” ‘“T hardly know. Partly to satisfy myself, it was, that I took the trip last, night.” ‘“ And the result was naught?’ “On the contrary, some one’s ghost—your pard’s, I suppose—came, and ordered me to git —that is, motioned me to return here!” ‘‘ Nonsense!” Kid Karl] laughed, ‘ There ig no such a abe as a ghost!” “Thar ain’t? Waal, now, [ ain’t over scrump- tious, an’ yet I allus held the same opinion, and bed! and bahed! and all that sort o? thing. ut, Pll be tuk sick wi’ the snakes, ef Iain’t | about cross-ways 0’ the fence on the subj-ct { now! ' er ere ae a