Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 443 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

3 : ~ ~ 1s - = leer ee er Te ee pl ea = > —— +. 4 ~ + ay, ot . — =. | te wae —— i) - LTR 10 ee ee De ‘‘ Bravo! And count me in as with you. As we are set adrift, two helpless waifs upon troubled waters, so we will brave together the perils before us.’ : ‘‘Right you are! I would my hand was free, that I could grasp yours. There’s a dark night before us, full of terrors, but we will be brave, and if we get through safely together, I fancy we will be drawn more closely together than years of ordinary acquaintance could effect.” ‘*True. Jam glad the sentence is what it is for something tells me we will get out all right. Itwas lucky Judge Lynch passed the sen- tence.” ‘* How so?” ‘* Because he favored us, Ye remember me speakin’ of Old Monte?” sé Yes 7) ‘* Well, Monte an’ Judge Lynch, are the me. ‘** The deuce you. say!” ‘You bet! Monte walked in ter find us in trouble, and he took about the best way o’ get- tin’ us out, he could think of. He know’d *+wouldn’t be no use tryin’ to rescue us, so ye can see by the sentence that he thinks we can get free, in that way. Oh! Monte’s a brick!” “‘I should say so. And you're really his daughter, eh?” ‘* Well, no—that is, we only pass off for father and daughter. I met Monte, ’bout a year ago when he was near dead with the ‘ jams,’ and nursed him through an’ we’ve stuck together, ever since.” Rain began to come down, just then, and was immediately accompanied by sharp lightning and heavy thunder. Soon the shouts from the river’s edge an- nounced that the raft was completed. ‘** Keep a stiff u’ per lip, now!” Dick encour- aged, ‘* We’ve a journey ahead that bids fair to take us close to the portals of death, but we may yet escape, so rie up courage.” ‘*T will be brave!” Kit replied. ‘‘ With you for company, I feel sure I shall be safe!” Just then, a crowd of miners came rushing up, headed by Paul] Potter. “Yank a-hold of ’em, boys,” Potter. cried. ‘* We'll give ’em a ride on a river that’s worse than Salt river.” > And the prisoners were seized, bodily, and _- dragged toward the uoisy, rushing stream. The rain was now coming down in torrents, putting out the torches. As for the lightning, it came in long vivid glares, one flash rapidly succeeding another, and making the roar and boom of*the thunder al- most continuous, : The raft had been launched, and was held to the shore by a lariat. It was a hastily built concern, about ten by twelve feet in size and threatened to go to pieces at the least strain. The prisoners were ps ay tossed on it, and then with one sweep of his knife, Paul Potter cut the lariat, and away the float went. As it swung out on the wild stream, Dead- wood Dick Jr. was seen standing erect, with one released hand raised on high, brought into startling relief by the lightning’s white glare. ‘* Beware! men of Bummer’s Bar!” his ring- ing voice was heard to shout—‘ beware, I say, for the curse of the new Deadwood Dick is upon you and your accursed camp. I shall live for revenge! So tremble, when you see the Sign of the Crimson Crescent!” hen, the raft swept around the bend of the bar, and leaped away out of view, through the darkness of that wild, tempestuous night—a night never to be forgotten by the occupants of the torrent-driven raft. CHAPTER VIII. A SERIES OF ASTONISHERS. DEADWOOD Dick, JR., and Kit having been set adrift upon the roaring river, the men of Bummer’s Bar lost no time in getting to shelter, the better share of them seeking their respective homes, A few of course were there whosought out the saloons, but they were the rougher element, to whom almost any shelter was acceptable. At the Daisy Saloon no business was doing. The events of the evening had spoiled the pro- fessional gamblers’ business, and they had given up in disgust until some more propitious occa- sion. | David Hyatt, it appeared, had gone directly home, and those who flocked to the Daisy were mainly *‘ Dutch Duff’s boarders,’ who never had a cent to spend, but who always stood ready to encourage trade for the house, providing it was at some other person’s expense. “Shendleman!” Duff said, eying the crowd / oe ia? oe — FP ee ee ae a ee ree v ; \ \ Deadwood Dick Jr. who ranged themselves along the wall opposite the ee ‘“*did you send der young devils avay ‘*'We did!” responded the bums, in a chorus. ‘* Das vas goot!” Duff smiled, helping him- self to a nip of ‘‘ private” bug-juice, which was kept for his individual use. ‘‘Das vas ver goot. Id vas quite vet, mitout in der rain, eh?” ‘* Awful wet!” assented the ‘ boarders,’ with one simultaneous shiver. ‘* Yaw, dot vas $0. But, vile id vas wet out- side, das vas der blace vere all peobles shouldt go, who vas dry!” The ‘ boarders,’ however, were blind, as far as to seeing ‘the point of the hint, and retained their positions, sure some one would happen along who would feel disposed to set ’em up. And they hoped not in vain. Frozen Bill and Paul Potter entered two hours later, and the former threw down some money and ordered up the drinks; after which he and Potter took seats at a table, in the rear part of the saloon. Both men looked in rather a disagreeable hu- mor, but Potter’s expression savored most of MoS ‘* Well, here we are,” Frozen Bill said; grimly, ‘‘ what do you want?” ‘‘T want ter have a chat, just as I told ye,” Potter replied, as he lit a cigar. ‘‘ You don’t seem to recognize me, it seems?” ‘‘ How should I recognize you, when I know no one this far south?” ‘‘Bah! Give us a rest on that! It won't work! You're not from Washington territory, nor nowheres near there.” ‘* You lie!” ‘** Look out! you away!” and Potter show vulainous grin. ss ‘What do you mean?’ Frozen Bill de manded. ‘*T mean that I know you and your past, from the time you married Alice rg ny! until to- day. Your name is not Frozen Bill, but— Potter here leaned forward, and uttered the name in an undertone. Frozen Bill started violently. ** Who the deuce are you?” he growled. ‘* Paul Potter, formerly of Boston.” ‘* Ha! you—” ‘‘ Married your wife after you deserted her. Of course it was not a legitimate marriage, but I did not know it until I sounded back into the ast life of Alecia Anna Paulding. Then, I ound that she had previously been married to you, but you had deserted her, and she had put your child in the poor-house.” ‘* We never had a child of our own!” ‘Oh! I’m aware of that. It was understood that the child had been adopted by you. But, in reality, it had been stolen by you, you hoping to make money out of it, as the parent was wealthy. Before you got ready to spring your trap, however, the parent failed, for every cent he was worth, and as it had been supposed his child had been drowned in the Charles river he left Boston for good, and you had the child on your hands. You and your wife had a quar- rel, and you skipped for parts unknown.” Frozen Bill uttered a surly grunt. ‘** You know too much!” he growled. ‘*‘ What else have you been smart enough to learn?” ‘**Oh! lots more.” Well? What of it? What do you want? What do you expect?” “Tl tell you: You area shrewd fellow, and as big a rascal as ever lived, unless I bar myself. You are here for a purpose, Budd Bristol, and that purpose has been accomplished.”, “Sh! Do not utter that name again! I would not have it known I was ever here for Don’t get too tonguey, or Pl give his teeth in a ‘*The wealth of the Niobrara ranch,” inter- rupted Potter. ‘I don’t know about that. The ranch is worth two hundred thousand at the least.” ‘Perhaps. But, go on. What do you mean about accomplishing my purpose?” ‘* Why, you accomplished that, when you laid the charge of robbery to young Bristol, and got him sent off down the river. Oh! yousee ma daisy, Budd! You never knew me until now, but I’ve known you, and have been following up your case out of curiosity for a long time. You’ve been playing a strong game, and bid fair to win yet. You see, I understand the case from A to Izzard, and—” ‘You calculate you have me somewhat in your power?” ‘*T sup I have, since you remind me of it, but I should not have thought of mentioning it. No, that ain’t my lay. I know that only a ship of the Niobrara property. One of them was your brother’s son, whom you have disposed ‘“You think he is effectually disposed of?” Frozen Bill demanded eagerly. ‘“Most likely. I don’t beleve that raft can live fifteen minutes on Reese river, and the two on board will no doubt be drowned.” ‘‘T hope so,” was the grim response. ‘‘But another obstacle was your wife. settled her, and she is dead!” ‘‘ Curse you, how do you know?” ‘‘ Because Ido. I know where the boy buried her.” : . ‘‘ Then, is there any other obstacle?” “ “Yes, Byron Bristol.” ‘‘ Bah! If heis alive he will never turn up. No trace can be found of him, although I have had men hunting for him for years,” ‘‘There’s few things so easy to make, as @ mistake,” Potter laughed. “I, too, have been on the lookout for Byron Bristol, and know that he was alive, and in Shaefer’s Flats, two weeks ago!” sé Then—” ‘Hold on! Don’t get excited, now. Let me talk. Long excesses in drinking have lost the man, his mind, so that he has forgotten his own name. It may not seem possible, but it’s a fact. His memory is dead, so far as the past is concerned, and he is but a tottering wreck. He is never- theless as sane as you or I, and if he ever over- comes the liquor habit, his memory will no doubt return to him. I expect him here, any day, now, as he is wandering this way; so it will be to your interest to remain right here, in Bummer’s Bar. When he is out of the way, the Niobrara ranch is yours.” ‘‘True! And, then, I may naturally suppose you will try to bleed me?” ‘No. Pve no intentions of anything of the sort, in that direction. I’ve no objections to telling you, however, that I’m in for making a haul, and want theassistance of a villain of your fire-proof caliber.” éé Ah!” , Frozen Bill appeared considerably relieved. ‘Well, let’s hear from you. You're evidently shrewd enough, yourself, so I fail to see what you could want of my assistance.” ‘‘ Well, two of a kind beat a single, you know even be it an ace or six-spot. Listen, and I will give you an outline, or as good a oneas I can. ‘‘ We will go back to Boston, years ago, wher you were wedded to your child-wife, Alice Anna Paulding!” ‘Bah! to the furies with the woman, What has she to do with the case?” “Steady, now! You shall learn, as we pro- ess, You and Anna were married young. ouhad a position in the employ of a wealthy oung married blood, named Hollis. Y6u were is valet,” ‘* Well?” ‘¢ Hollis knew nothing in particular about you, not even that you were married. and you went under the assumed name of Joe Ferris?” » ‘‘ Correct.” ae ‘*Well, you staid with Henry Hollis for a while, but finally he caught you under suspicious circumstences, in his private office, and you were summarily bounced, ‘* This sort of treatment, it ni gui. aroused all the villain in your nature, and partly out of revenge, and partly with a view to rider, money, you stole Hollis’s little child, and adopte it, for the time being. A dead child was seen floating in Charles river, answering somewhat to the Hollis child’s description, but the body was not recovered, and the parents fina ave up search, and mourned their pet as de e ‘‘The Joss killed Mrs. Hollis, a ortly afterward, Hollis broke, made an a ment, and left for parts unknown. You quarreled with your wife, and also left; she put the chile in the poor-house, and. a year later, I met and married her, in Providence. A child was born You eg ) | | oh ee na tous, but died, after we parted. She went her way. and I went mine.” =y “Well, well! What are you driving at?” “You shall see. The Hollis child remained in the poor-house, and finally, was recognized, by a former nurse; the matter was then investi- gated, and finally, the facts all came out, and made quite a sensation. The nurse got posses- sion of the child, by promising to devote her life to searching for its father, whose where- abouts was unknown. —— ‘A search was made for you, and you had to Previous to this discovery of the child’s identity, Anna had me jugged for desertion. — When I got out, I learned all about her previous few obstacles stand between you and the owner- | marriage, and when the child’s case was made — ebook ; i ; 7