Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 42 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

| The Phantom Miner. 15 old Jerry Hogg, ther originator uv ther ju- She told her story to all, as they gathered about | that the skeleton shape and rattles were all ingenious venile o . re hodist preacher, an’ we co the camp-fire. contrivances of Red Brand's originality; also all con- up ter regard ther truth as a thing more sacred n She had a the two ruffians who stole Master | cerning Red-Hot Harris and Deadwood Dick No. at ey terbaccer or tarantler juice,”’ “Do you mean to say that I lie?”” Cambre demand- ed, in a well assumed ~—_ “Oh! no, my dear Careless; I nevyer yit war guilty o’ callin’’a feller a liar. But, I sw’ar, you look chm ap like this great destructive eppydemic, when he pulls ther long bow!” ‘*I’d shoot you, if—’ ** You had the , wich you ain't!” was the grim response. “Alf, e away the sarpint’s fangs, an’ we'll carry him up-stairs, before them galoots cum wi’ ther babby!” ‘‘Furies: what do you know about it?’ the ex- lieutenant demanded. “ All about it, geelorious Cucumber—thet ye’re ex- pectin’ ther consignment into your grub-hooks uv one male infant prodigy, by a couple o’ as ornery dasted galoots as evyer absorbed ther moisture from Virginia barl But fate ordained thet our desires she'd ruminate after thet same kid; wharfore we embraced the prisent opportunity to wisit you, an’ take persession uv it, accordin’ ter law.” Little Alf deprived the villain of his weapons, and then they carried him up to the room Bofton and ee | had recently ransacked, and laid him upon i) ’ Avalanche, then, with a skill that years of frontier life had perfected, set the broken arm, and dressed the wounded leg. This relieved the unlucky plotter of some of his pain; but his rage was more intense than the pain when Avalanche securely gagged him, so that he could not utter a word. This done, the two men seated themselves to await the coming of the two kidnappers. And, fortune favoring them, they had not long to wait. Heavy footsteps were soon heard aanotting the stairs, and presently two burly miners—the same the two scouts seen before—entered the room, closing the door behind them, The next moment they were “ covered’ by the revolvers of Avalanche and his com on, “Move an inch, without orders, and you’re both dead corpuses!”’ Little Alf exclaimed, sternly. ‘**Great salubrious ham-bone frum which old Joner manyfactered broth, yes!’’ put in Avalanche. “Ef er don’t want ter e ryence the eternal electric oke, jes’ becum stationary, or I'll demolish ye sure’s this great devastatin’ eppydemic luvs fun. "1 forever transfix ye wi’ glory, ttytudes, an’ sich rege punishments!" The two ruffians stood stock-still, , piaring around them in astonishment. Such a trap they had not ex- pected to fall into. ‘**Oh! we've got you!’ Coyle canes in, triumph- antly, “‘ without a doubt, so just d over yer wea- pons, and done with it.”’ ‘Fork ’em over,’’ added Avalanche. Seeing that they were in the power of the two scouts, the ruffians obeyed the eee by deliver- ing = a pair of revolvers and a knife, ne ece. ow, then, be kind ernuff ter open thet bag, and gently remove the baby,” orde the tor, coolly. ‘‘No roughness, now, or I'll salivate ye wi lead fizzic fer all ye’re worth.”’ With an a growl the larger of the two men slung the bag from his shoulder, and deposited it up- on the floor. Then he untied it, and took therefrom a litthe bundle of humanity, poe fast asleep, with a bandage tied over its little mouth, to prevent its screams. It was Deadwood Dick, Jr., sure enough, and Ava- lanche received it into his arms with a grin of de- light. Coyle assisted him to remove the bandage, but as the Bo eye did not awaken the little thing, they came the conclusion that it had had been drugged, ‘aly its moopera tons inet fact that it was ra wearing 0 e effects of the potion. The te r'ffians were now bound hand foot, after whic! our two friends quitted the lodging- house, Avalanche ha restored the babe to the bag, and slung it over shoulder, to prevent at- tracting the attention of any one they might meet. ‘‘Now we'll go back to Bonanza B wi’ our rize!’’ he said. “I'll goon ahead, while you fetch Noisy N ell on ther back o’ my mare Prudence.” ‘“ Why Noisy Nell?’’ Coyle asked. ‘““Why? Great ham-bone! won't she hev ter be ther mither ¢’ this hee nt till we can find its gin- wine mother? Wish ter ous my Florence Night- in-a-zgale war uv ther tender sex, so we ked derivé sum teal benefit out o’ him fer thes little cuss, As et is, ye’ll hey ter fetch along a bottle o’ milk, I spect, onless et ken chaw venison.”’ *D’ye think et can?”’ “Dunno. My e ence wi’ ther babylonians ain’t werrey much; but ef I remember, my old marm used ter feed me on pertaters an’ ” ‘‘ Waal, thet accounts fer yer smartness, then.”’ “Doubtless. Better ask ther gal w’at babies eat; she’d be apt ter kno’ sumthin’ about it.” ‘““Who? Miss Brandon?”’ “ VYas—weemen fokes ginerally take more ter in- funts then men; they orter know. After a few more words, Avalanche tramped rar up the lonely gulch, Wf ~ Kee turned back on after Nelly, who was ap- e he had avenoe already got ;/ means of a small but pow Dick until had puzzled and lost her in the intri- cacies of the mountain. Then it bad taken her many long, weary hours to pick her way back to the mine, where she at last arrived, omnis a few hours pre- vious to the arrival of Avalanche with the babe, and Alf and Nelly. That was a happy night at Bonanza mine—happy to Leone, in particular, because of somethi at promised her future happiness—the arrival of one, at the darkest hour before day-dawn, who of all men they least expected to see—the Prince of the Road of those bygone days in the Black Hills—Deadwood Dick! He came stalking une tedly into camp, his form erect and face calm; he stopped in the playing firelight, and ed around him, his eyes resting upon Leone and her babe. The little woman had grown deathly pale at first but she threw off the faintness that had attacked <7 eh - ee effort, and zoss ween» feet, ay ng violently, an a peatis g look in her eyes. had taken Master Dick. and the husband and wife stood once more face to face. ** Leone !’’ Deadwood Dick said, opening his arms, “*T have come.”’ She nbs a low, glad cry of joy, and springing into his embrace, burst into tears. But they were tears of ecstatic joy: how shall we ever attempt to de- scribe the ha piness and love that then filled those two reunited hearts? Tenderly Deadwood Dick caressed her; it seemed now that life once more had a future; that he could ever be supremely happy in the love of this glorious little creathre whose undying affection had so well stood the test. He had never known the depth of his own love until the hour of this gladsome reunion; he realized how he had wronged, and —— her; and now with her clasped close to his fast-beating heart, he swore a silent vow that in the ve kindness and strong true love he would atone for all their mutual unhappiness in the past. Leone was happy, Dick was happy, and so were all about the camp-fire, when they saw the young ex-outlaw and his true loving wife reunited. Little Dick took immediately to his new-found papa, and seemed by instinct to know it was his papa. And thus general Joy prevailed. After the t rapturous greetings were over, due explanations were made all around, Deadwood Dick coming in last on the list. ; “ what hev ye bin doin’ wi’ yerself, since the night I left ye, on our arrival in Eureka?” Avalanche asked of thé Prince. ‘* Well, I will tell you. I fled from the town, after laying out the sheriff, and hid for a couple of da in the mountains which flank one side of this gulch. The first day I t thus, I made a discovery —dis- pt gn dame: man, Brand, — in ng robes, and pa ng upon a rocky plateau. e hour was — at dusk, Fhe 94 Seat. revious to our com- ng to Eureka, of the tom Miner, I put this and that together, and came to the conclusion that Red Brand and the Phantom rr interested, and from my hiding-place I watch- a By and by two burly men the e of a la balloon out upon the teau, an oe a natural gas geyser close at hand, inflated the con- cern, which was of goodly size, and attached to it a car capable of holding four or five persons. When all was in readiness, the two men let go the grapnel, and — into the car, and rose slowly upward. Then : saw the secret of the whole business, plain enough. ‘*A rope was attached tothe car upon a windlass, and also to Red Brand, around his body, in under his feet and arms, so that when the full length, of about a thousand feet, had spun from the reel, he was raised upward and borne through the air. In the night his means of flight through the air is a mys- tery, unless the observer has an eye keen ee to netrate far toward the heaven, where, in whatis own as the semi-counter-current—meaning four currents blowing to a center—the balloon is drifting. The balloon rises or lowers at will, by use of a lever escape-valve, and ballast; if allowed to rise above the concentrating current, it moves north to the place of starting; if lowered below the said cur- rent, it foes sou’-westward toward the prairies. In the daytime the Phantom is not seen abroad, and I think this su ns what has been a a ra | to the ites of ots ‘And this Red Brand is the Phantom?”’ *‘ Was, until I adopted his role. We accidentally me one day later, and he told me of my know oO his secret, though the Lord ey knows how he found itout. He d red his hate for me, and proposed that we fightjit out.” “If I won, Iwas to Phantomize it in his stead. Well, we dueled, and I won /!”’ A piercing scream came from Noisy Nell. ‘* And was he killed?’’ she ‘ “Yes, young lady. I know—he was your father, and I have in trust for you a thousand dollars in _gold, which he had secretly mined from the basin.”’ ‘‘And you, then, are the ghost thet robbed us?” . Avalanche said Yes, by the mesmeric power which I I mesmerized you in the and later robbed the | camp. It was to try the experiment. You may have observed what seemed to be a finger of my hand, the end of which d, owed like a human eye. It was sim- | ply an ingeniously-contrived bull’s-eye-lantern, one side appearing like an eye, and thé opposite, by erful reaentor, casting around my person a phosphorescent halo.” Then Dick made further explanations, mentioning Miner were one. Of course. Seca a, gee surprise. This is er. known to the He also explained the secret of his invulnerability, by a a suit of mail worn beneath his garb, which he h A week was trusions from for Dick to fly. child, and a prime favorite in camp. During ed in the last hou wronged ones, an Dick’s request, to Cathie. Dick did not it. Th sia heat all genuine, he could not qui fancy the week old Fordyce by Bolton’s arrangement, and the te make i found on the body of Red Brand. ent in Bonanza Basin, quietly, no in- e Eurekaites making it necessary Happy was he with his wife and raylford died, and ck ad his new-found mother, Cathie, were present. The old man relent- and asked the forgiveness of his made over all his property, at a ‘tng any of of how Cathie had left him roofs, seemed seem that she was his mother, and he avowed it his intention to still retain the name of Harris, At the iration of the week he made a sale of Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza to Little Alf and Keno Bill; then, with his wife and child, and the two aero- he sailed away over the silver balloon, the ‘* Leone,” for a nauts, one mo land of Idaho, in land of the self forever, and the bitter Later, Keno married from her h Nelly Brandon took Graylford, also Bolton, th Cam with him went a fit while Roxly returned to Deadw over the unfruitfulness of his sulting in his death. Cambre male detective, who had obtained a usband, and at the same time the name of Coyle. Cathie after a period of m e attorney, for a permanent | suddenly disap from 0 : est, where he hoped to bury him- the little fe- legal divorce Cal Buckskin disheartened mission, so nearly re- With Deadwood Dick went that “‘ devastatin’ ep- pydemic,’’ Old Avalanche, and his goat. Prudence was left behind, for want of room in the balloon. They' are supremely there rises occasionally outlaw, like a haunti terest of all his foes, happ be of the future, the y, Dick and Leone, but ore the vision of the ex- . the it: nant face and ne a aoe eyes of Nor is this the end of Deadwood Dick's career; we have simply written to a happy conclusion of the PHANTOM THE END. THE NEW YORE Fireside Library. 1 Was See His Wire? Mrs. Mary R. Crowell... 10c. 2 Fieerne From Love. By Harriet Irving..... 10c. 8 Dip He Love Her? Bartley T. Campbell.... 10c, 4 A Srrance Woman. By Rett Winwood ..... 10c. 5 Nap, THE Russian Spy. F. Whittaker....... 10c. 6 Two Grats’ Lives. By Mrs. Mary R. Crowell. 10c 7-8 Lapy AUDLEY’s Secret. By Miss M. E. Brad- Gem < owe 385 oe eee TS ee 20c. 9 Tae War or Hearts. Corinne Cushman.... 10c. 10 LericHtTon Granee. Miss M. E. Braddon ..... 10c, 11 Taz Fatse Wipow. Mrs. J. D. Burton ...... 10c, 12-13 Lost ror Love. Miss M. E. Braddon...... 20c. 14-15 TorteRs or THE Ska. By Victor Hugo..... 2c. 16 Tae Ocroroon. By Miss M. E. Braddon .... 10c. 17-18 Uncte Smuas. By J. 8S. Le Fanu........... We. 19-20 Drap-SeA Frurr. Miss M. E. Braddon..... We. 21-22 Lirrrite Kate Krrey. F. W. Robinson...... We. 23 Sowrne THE WinD. Mrs. Mary R. Crowell.... 10c, 24-25 Brrps of Prey. Miss M. E. Braddon...... 2c. 26 Tuat Boy or Norcort’s. Charles Lever .... 10c. 27-28 CHARLOTTE’s INHERITANCE. By Miss M. B, ee eee oe eee Fr We. 29 A Grru’s Heart. By Rett Winwood ........ 10c. 30-31 Rep as 4 Rost is Sue. By Rhoda Brough- ree ee Ee 2c. 82 Tue Liry or St. Erne. By Mrs. Crow ...... 10c. 83 SrraNcELY Wep. By Mrs. J. D. Burton...... 10¢. 34 Tue Gresy Bripg. By M. E. O. Malen........ 10e. 85 Annie Tempter. By Rev. J. H. Ingraham.... 10c. 86 Wirnovt Mercy. By Bartley T. Campbell... 10c. 37 Buack Eyes anp Buve. By Corinne Cusb- oo Sa Pee Say eee 10c. 88 Brave Barsars. By Corinne Cushman...... 10c. 39 A Dancrrovus WomAN. By Margaret Blount.. 10c. 40 Ovurpa’s Love. By Henrietta E. DeConde.. . 10c. 41 Lost: A Wire. By Corinne Cushman........ 10c. 42 Woentne Ways. By Margaret Blount ... ...- 10e. 43 A Woman's Heart. By Mrs. M. V. Victor .. 10c. A new issue every week. For sale by all newsdealers, or sent, postage paid, on receipt of twelve cents for single numbers, double numbers. twenty-four cents. BEADLE & ADAMS, 98 William (E(@) im oofe) Publishers, street, N. ¥. S (E()