Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 480 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 With shouts of acclamation, the majority of the menin the room, made a rush toward the Avenger, who stood grimly and resolutely at bay, his knife firmly clutched, and ready for use. Then followed such a struggle as never before had been seen in the Bluzing Brand Hotel, and was des- tined never to be seeu there again. The miners had calculated it would be an easy thing to capture the boarder, by massing a force of numbers against him, but they reckoned without their host. F With the power of a giant, Mormon Bill hurled them back, at the same time using his knife with deadly effect. It was notime for mercy now, and he spared noue who came within his reach, Curses and dying shrieks rent the air, and as the seconds flew by, and the conflict grew hotter, the crowd melted away to be trampled under foot, and be reinforced by others who now were determined that the man should be overcome, And at last he was. The conflict of one man against a multitude could not endure for long. And after five minutes of most desperate resist- ance, Mormon Bill was overpowered, and bound hand and foot. : But, at what a cost! The floor of the Blazing Brand Hotel was saturated with the blood of the dead and dying! When the dead and wounded were hauled apart, and the full number ascertained, a cry of horror burst from the lips of those who had escaped Bill’s fury. “Lynch the cuss!”’ yelled a miner, who had lost a brother, ‘* Hurrah! string him up!”’ howled another. **Revenge! revenge!’’ came from a third. “No yer don’t!’ roared French Ferd, jumping a the bar, and flourishing a pair of revolvers, * Ye'r’ a pack o’ fools. What d’yer want to do—send ther cuss off so easy as ‘hat? Not by a big sight. He’s goin’ ter hev a trial, an’ then, each man as wants ter pay a dollar interther city treasury shall have a shoot at him, wi’a gun. D'ye savy? He shall be shot ter pieces by inches, beginnin’ at the outer edges o’ the figger!’ There was something so terrible in the proposal, that, for the instant, the crowd stared aghast. Purty Pete, however, sounded an applauding yell of approval, after which the bloodthirsty crowd re- sponded, uproariously. A strong cabin or jail was one of the institutions of Gro e, and to this Mormon Bill was taken and locked in, and the jail was surrounded by a posse of armed men, CHAPTER XI. BIG BOOTS’S LARGAIN, Tue tragedy at the Blazing Brand Hotel, threw the town into such a vielent commotion, that work was suspended in the mines, and the whole excited popu- lance was gathered in the streets, or in the saloons. Loud and strong were the anathemas against Butterfly Ben, as, of course, he was known to. the citizens, and eagerly the mass of miners discussed the vengeance that was to be wreaked upon the prisoner. ’ Great ‘‘ fun,” they all agreed, it would be, to stand up and shoot the prisoner as full of holes as a sieve —shoot him to death by inches, a novelty that they would not only keenly enjoy, but whicn would Ore enduring notoriety to their budding metro- polis, Much eagerness was manifested to know when his honor, the mayor. would order the event, and this desire to know, was not destined to be gratified, for a time, for, after ordering the prisoner to jail, and under guard, French Ferd bad sought his own pri- vate apartment at his hotel. It was not until nearly noon, that a placard was nailed up in full view, on the front of the Casino. It contained the following: ‘“ NOTICE: ‘*In hopes that I may be able to secure others of Deadwood Dick’s party, and thereby make the exe- cution larger and on a grander scale, Benjamin But- terfly will tried to-morrow morning, ac sunrise, and dealt with, immediately afterward. “In the mean time, citizens of Grogville, you are commanded to put forth your best efforts to secure Deadwood Dick and his allies, and to see to it that Butterfly Ben does not escape. ‘FERDINAND FRENCH, ** Mayor of Grogville.”’ The crowd did not receive the announcement of delay to their anticipations with any too good grace, and one or two of the bolderroughs freely suggested that the people ought to take the matter into their own hands and lynch the prisoner at once. No such move was made. however, and the likelihood of an outbreak was not great, During the afternoon, as French Ferd sat in his room, enjoying a bottle of wine in private, he sud- denly became aware that a man was seated just - across the table from him, and that the man was no one eise than Deadwood Dick. in his disguise of Big Boots, the bullwhacker, whose countenance was drawn into a ludicrous grin, as he noted the mayor’s astonishment, *- Curses and furies! vou here!’ French Ferd cried. ‘How did you get in?” ‘Walked in, 0’ course, yer Honor.”’ ‘** What do you want here. you vagabond? T’ve a mind to blow yer brains out.’ “Don’t!” Dick said, deprecating| . “*T hain’t got many, an’ I hev ter work ’em hard ter raise a drink. I meee, Sonic free o’ yer hospertality t’other night, wasn . LL LLL LLL LL Et Cade Deadwood Dick’s Dust. —_———— —— ** Curse you, yes!”’ ‘* Waal, neow, did you think I’d be so mean as not ter pay you, yer honor?” ‘* You pay? Bah!’ *“Nary a bah! I hed ten snifters at a apiece—two-fifty. Thar’s yer kernoodleum! And two dollars and fifty cents did the pseudo bullwhacker slap down on the tal.le, with a bang. French Ferd looked too astonished to give utter- ance to a word.’ Here was something he could not understand, Never before had he known Big Boots to pay fora drink. What liquor he drank he al- ways got by ** cheeking’’ it. ‘* Where the deuce did you get any money?”’ Ferd demanded. ‘‘°Twas give ter me, tell yer.”’ ‘* Well?’’ - Ye orter not let thet Butterfly be alone in ther al. ‘* Why not?” *“ Why, yer see, be might get loose an’ kill hisself ie then we wouldn’t hev ther fun o’ seein’ him gi shor.’ *Do vou want to see him shot?” “Dol? Well, Ish’uld hum ahymn, D’yer know thet air Buttertly aire ther dog-goned meanest ger- loot in seven counties? AS Many as er dozzing times hev I axed him fer enuff ter buy me a smile an’ never a-oncet would he tip me, Oh! but he war a bioody mean cuss—so darned mean thet ef he thort et would spite ye any, he’d commit suicide.”’ ‘*T have thought he might try such athing. But, then, there is no danger of his getting loose.” ‘Dunno ‘bout that. A feller as could fight like him could do *most anything. Didn’t know I was in ther melee, did yer? I got in one blow at ther cuss’s ear, an’ thet kinder lamed him so thet et wasn’t so hard t:'rnab him, Hope you'll give him an inside guard, fer et would beashame ef he war ter up an’ spoil all therfun.” | ‘**) don’t reckon any 0’ ther boys would fancy, get- tinge nearer to him than they aire now!’’ French Ferd said, with a shrug, “Pshaw! I wouldn’t mind it. I’d jest like ther fun o’ picterin’ ter him how we’re goin’ ter cook his goose to-morrow.”’ French Ferd’s eyes sparkled. This was something he would like done, namely: have Butterfiy tortured the few remaining hours he yet had to live. * You're a trump, Big Boots!’’ he said, pouring out a glass of wine, and shoving it across the table to the visitor. ‘* You go an’ keep company wi’ ther dapat and make him as uncomfortable as you now how, and fifty dollars slall be yours, to-mor- row. Besides, you shall have the first shot at the prisoner,”’ ‘Then, I’m yer hummin’ bird, you bet! Ef I don’t keep ther feller in sech a narvous sweat that he can’t tell which from what, ye kin call me a liar, an’ ride me out o’ town on a rail stuck full o’ darnin’ needles, ”’ ‘Very well. I'll fix it.” The arg i pounded loudly on the table, and in a moment, uaey Pete entered. He looked astonished when he saw Big Boots. ‘*Pete!l’’ French Ferd said, ** take Big Boots to the jail, and tell the guard itis my order that he be ad- mitted to the inside of the jail as a guard, to prevent the possibilitv of Butterfly getting loose of his bonds, and committing suicide. When it comes dark, you are to take Big soots’s place, and he will give you instructions what to do,” Purty Pete made no reply, but left the room, Dick accompanying him. Since getting thrown out of the window, Purty Pete had not opened hostilities azainst Big Boots, who, he had evidently made up his mind, was too much for him.,. So the two marched side by side to the jail, where the dwarf gave French Ferd’s orders, Biz Boots add- ing an explanation of the necessity of preventing the prisoner from committing suicide, and thereby spoiling the *“*fun” of the morrow, After some little delay, the bummer was locked within the log jail with the prisoner, His little game for getting an interview with Mor- mon Bill, fad certainly worked like a charm. The jail was a single-roomed, story-and-a-half log structure, with a view to strength being built of three thicknesses of logs. The door was heavy and tight-fitting, and there was but one little window, up neart he roof. A person within might yell, and yet could only be faintly heard on the outside, The interior contained but a dim light, after the door was closed, but Deadwood Dick managed to make out that the prisoner was lying upon the log floor, at the f-rther side of the room. Dick crossed over, and knelt beside him, to en- counter the Avenger’s burning gaze. ** Well, boss, how d’ye feel?” Dick asked, cordially. **Rather a hard bed, ain’t it?” * Rather!” Bill replied, dryly. ‘* Who are you?”’ “A friend,who got in here by a ruse—ostensibly to keep you from suicide, you see.” * You’re not Lily?” ““Oh!no, tam’’=hbere he lowered his voice toa whisper—* the much-wanted Deadwood Dick, alias Big Boots!” ‘‘Ab! I see you are the bullwhacker, now, So that’s a disguise, is it?” ‘ es ’ ‘What bees *To see if you are not got out of you’re a doomed man. “Bah! what do I care? My life is a wreck, any- how and I care not how soon it is ended,”’ quarter But, say, I’ve got suthin’ ter you here?” can't be of some service to you. If here, ere another day dawns, by the Master. Tam aware that you've hac your trouble, but, what of that? There’s much to Live icr et. My whole life, nearly, has been a life of trcu- le and fighting against enemies. Yet, I’m still top of the heap!”’ ““What do you know about my trouble, pray?” the prisoner demanded, in astonishment, ** All!”’ Dick replied. ‘‘When you went to your mountain rendezvous, last night, 1 followed you. 1} was within hearing distance of you when you told the story of your wrongs to ie lieutenant,*’ “The deuce you say! Well?” ‘* I became interested in you, and have resolved to make a bold stroke for your liberation.” ‘*Don’t you doit. You will only get yourself into hot water, without doing any good.”’ ‘‘ITdon’t fear for that. Lowe this camp a good cleaning out, any ow, and there’s no time so ep- propriate as the present. How many men have you in your band?” ‘** Even ten, aside from myself.” **Not enough, quite. Do you know whereI could increase the force?” “Give Lily,my lieutenant, an hour’s notice, and he could supply. a dozen more,”’ ; _**Good! That would be as many as I would want, if they have the stuffinthem. Write me an order to Lily, giving full instructions and particulars, so that [ gct command, and I'll do all in my power to get you out of here.”’ Mormon Bill hesitated. ‘**I’m not so sure I want to get out,’ he declared. ‘What's the use? The only thing I have to live for is revenge, and the job to-day is about as much crime as I want to answer for. If | were executed, Lily would carry out my intentions as regards the party et the Fort. So there’s nothing to live for.” ~ ‘* Supposing your wife were living?” ‘That would alter matters.” * Would you seek, if free, to hunt her down and wreak vengeance on her ?” Mormon Bill laughed wildly. ‘* Would I?’ he chuckled. ‘* Well, Tshould say sot If satisfied she was living | would search to the end of the earth to find her. But my vengeance would not be such as you would suppose—oh! no. If found her, and she had not really so sunken into the slough of vice as to be beyond my reach, I would lift her up, take her to my bosom, and, a happ man, hie myself to where the fame of to-day’s work would never find or disturb us.”’ ‘*Nobly spoken! I see you area man with guod se though the whole world may believe you : But, do not despair. J believe your wife still ves. ** What?” ** Just as I say—lI believe your wife still lives.” ‘*Ah! Isee. You seek to arouse me into beiter spirits.” ‘**No, Ido not. Listen, and I will tell you what causes my belief.” Dick then proceeded. He told of finding the petrified hand, and his in- clination to cae it; of the first mysterious message he had received, that had brought him to the present site of a pip of the second message he had re- ceived in the cavern, and the last one at his cabin; of the footfalls he had heard; of once seeing a wo- man’s face at his window; and concluded by narrat- ing how he had slipped a drawing of the hand into the prisoner’s pocket, Mormon Bill listened without an interruption, but the heaving of his chest, and the eager gleaming of his eyes told plain enough that his emotion was deep. ‘*Good God!” burst from his lips when Dick had finished; ** can it be poss'ble that she still lives?” ‘* Does it not Jook that way?’’ Dick answered. “It does to me, anyhow.”’ **Describe the face you saw at the window!” Bill gasped, breathlessly. Dick did so the best he coul’, remembering only from the brief glimpse he had obtained of it, “It’s Ire--—it’s my wife!’’ the prisoner cried, ex- citedly. ‘‘Glory be toGed! Man, I must get out of here—must!—do you hear? I'll not po Tl not. die! They shall not kill me! I will get free, and find my wife!” ; For a time, he was fairly wild, but Dick finally got. him composed, and they had a long talk. Dick released Bill's hands, until he wrote a mes- sage to Lieu.enant Lily, and then bound them again but so loosely that Bill could free himself, if neces- sary. The afternoon was well advanced, when the faint sound of yelling was wafted into the jail. It grew louder, and the yells sounded like those of tripe), rather than rage, ‘What's up now?’ Bill demanded. **T don’t know!” Dick replied, ‘*‘A moment later. he started. violently. ‘**Good Heaven!’ burst from his lips. He had heard a name yelled, in a coarse, blatant voice, ; The name was— ** Kerlumity Jane!” CHAPTER XII, CALAMITY TO CALAMITY, Bie Boots, or Deadwood Dick, had not departed from French Ferd’s office more than an hour, when ‘‘his honor’ was apprised by Purty Pete that a cou- le of men in the bar-room were desirous of obtain- ng an interview with the boss of the town. Ferdinand had by this time drained the contents of the wine bottle, and was in a decidedly sleepy and irritable humor. | ‘“Who aire they?” he growled—‘‘what do they t! tut! A man should want to live until called | want?” ‘ 6) comicboo - us + Or ©) “a at A — pcg tee a ee ie. Se eet ee a a