Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 453 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

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His right grasped a handsome revolver, which was the only visible weapon he carried. ‘*Great Jemima!” ejaculated the lank man, as be behéld this real apparition. ‘*‘Who be you, an’ what d’ye want? ‘‘LTama knight of the trail, placed here to in- tercept lone voyageurs, and guide them on the right route to You Bet.” ‘Oh! ye be, eh? Waal, neow, that’s kinder mice, too. What’s yer name?” “My namef Why, my name’s Deadwood Dick, Junior, and I’m a daisy!” “You don’t say! Yer can’t be much gud, then, for Vil swow my old dad has had more ‘trouble than,a little ter keep the daisies off’m his farm, down in Connecticut. Guess you «don’t know me, hey?—so I shall introduce my- self. J’m Uriaher fe pedyke, son of Mehetible an Absalom Opedyke, who live at Grubville, not fur from West Haven, Connecticut, you see, Don’t s’pose yer ever see’d dad an’ mam?” ‘No! I believe ( never had that honor.” ‘* Waal, ye see, dad used ter farm et, but he’s «sot sorter ’bove that now’days, an’ hev moved anter Grubville, an’ I do tell you, the old folks do put on the style! ‘*T should suppose so, from the way the dress their child!” Deadwood Dick observed, dryly. x Oh yer needn’t cast no ’sinywations ag’in’ my togs,” Uriah spoke up, quickly, ‘“‘for I’ve got better uns to hum. I’m travelin’ incogner- toe neow, yer know.” ‘Oh! is that it?” ‘‘You bet! Yer see, the case was like this: I’ve bin sorter sparkin’ up toa New Haven gal, named Peggy Prim, fer the last ten year or “more, an’ et were ’bout as good as agreed thet we were to git hitched, as soon as.I war thirty, "cause dad an’mam allowed I wasn’t fit fer mar- ried life till I begun ter mature, ‘* Peggy she war sum six year older than me, an’ she war a strong-willed gal, an’ she finally sed she wasn’t goin’ ter wait no longer, an’ ’d got ter marry her tew once. This kinder skeart me, an’ when I come ter luk around me an’ see how many other younger an’ purtier gals thar war for the askin’, an’ how satlow an’ wrinkled ‘Peggy war gettin’, I made up not ter marry her at ay an’ I told her so.” ‘Well? I suppose she got mad then?” ‘‘Mad? Waal, I should flip-flop! She got as ‘mad an’ sassy as a gander what’s guardin’ a set- tin’ goose, an’ swore by a stack o’ Bibles higher’n hysique, clad in top-boots, a lack, and a slouch hat of the - Deacon Overhiser’s church, that she’d sue me fer britches of promise. Jest think o’ that, will ye? Wasn’t.et the durnednationest scrape ye ever heerd tellon?? So Very bad, indeed, for a man of your posi- “Wal, dad an’mam got skeart,‘an’ so they give me some money, an’ [ skinned out 0’ Grub- ‘ville an’ come West. ’Tain’t no use, tho’—no sorter use. Peggy has got money, an’ she is searchin’ high *un’ low for me. Gosh-all-fish- hooks! Ifshe ever ketches me there’ll be fun, though, an’ my hair will ketch it! Hain’t seen anything of her round these parts, hev ye?” “ Not that I know of. I should not recognize the estimable lady if I were to meet her, very likely. ‘‘Mebbe not. But ef ye ever war ter see her, -you’d never fergit her! Heer’s her picture!” He drew a photograph from his pocket, and handed it to Deadwood Dick, Jr. It was decidedly the picture of an old maid, although by no means a bad-looking one, It was a bust photo, and the way in which the original wore her hair was the principal cause of her old-maidish appearance, for in face she Jooked younger than the recreant Uriah. - Deadwood Dick, Junior, studied the face for several minutes, as if trying to recall some one of whom it reminded him. _ “TT have seen some one this picture resem- bles,” he said, returning the card to the Eastern- er, ** but do not rernember just now.” -**Oh! mebbe you've met Peggy’s cousin. He wire somewhere up in this region.” ** What is his name?” “ Augustin Andre.” ‘‘ The dence you say! So your inamorata is’ * aire—you bet! Dye know him?” ' ‘the een of Augustin Andre?” Le 34 Ble! 7 ; pati ley ft ane > a . ‘ . Y > st f é r . wal > (i y ; ¢ " . ee : “apt” : 4 ‘ : ~~ « .9 2 sss sss estes eee oo oO __——e Sunflower Sam, of Shasta. (RE A Ee = A RN Same ee OY new a Tm RS A ** I have seen him.” ‘Whar does he live?” **In You Bet!” ‘‘ Jest the very place I was aimin’ fer, by | gosh! I dunno now whether I better go thar or not, for Peggy might be thar.” ‘*Guess you better not go!” Dick said, dryly, as he cocked his revolver. ‘“ You had better ' come right along with me.” ** With your What fer?” And Uriah began to look alarmed. ** Just for fun. I am desirous of getting some pee about Augustin Andre, and as luck would ave it, you are the very man to give them to me. So come along to my cabin and give me the information, or Pll blow the whole top of your tow head off—do you hear?’ ‘*Gosh all fish-hooks! don’t shoot! TU tell you all [ know!” Uriah replied, nervously. ‘**'Then come along. Don’t attempt to escape, or yon are a dead man!” With this order, Dick Jed the boy back up the gulch, turning at length and entering a trans- verse ravine, which they followed until they came to a cavern, which they entered. The only furniture was a couple of rudely constructed stools, and when Dick and his pris- oner were seated upon these, the former said: ‘Now, then, ’m going to put you some questions, and I want direct and correct an- swers to them. By thus accommodating me, you will save your life, for I'll drop you if you don’t do as I require.” ‘* Ye wouldn’t really shoot a feller, w’u’d ye? Why, that would be murder.” ‘* Bah! what of that? We knights of the road think nothiw’ of killing three or four men every day, just to keep our handin. Now, first, have you ever seen this Augustin Andre?” ‘* Laws, yes! He used to live in New Haven, an’ drive a milk wagon.” ‘* How long ago was this?” ‘*Oh! bout five years. He had a fuss wi’ the Prims, who he lived with, an’ he an’ Sis left fer the West. Last I heerd of ‘em, they were up in | this very region.” ‘** What was the nature of the fuss Augustin om te had with the Prim family, and who is sis?” ‘* Sis is the sister of Gus, an’ the row betwixt Gus and the Prims was because old man Prim wanted Gus ter marry Peggy, an’ Gus wouldn’t ' do et onless the old man would give him a thou- san’. So they had a fuss, an’ Gus skinned out on his own hook. I allow that was w’ot made Peggy kinder freeze on to me so hard, after- | ward.” ‘This happened five years ago?” 4 Yes.” ‘‘ Has Peggy changed since then?” ‘* Considerable. She were a right peart lookin’ gal, them times.” | ‘* How many were there of the Prims?” ‘Only the dad, mam, an’ Peg.” ‘‘ Who were Andre’s other relatives?” ‘* He hadn’t any, as I know of.” Dick hesitated a few minutes, before plying any other questions; he seemed to be turning some matter carefully over in his mind. , ** Did Andre know you?” he finally asked. ‘Yas. I uster throw rotten apples at him, when he’d drive by our house, in his fancy car- riage.” ‘* He was wealthy, then, I take it?” ‘¢ Well, yes, sorter, He used to make a heap bettin’ on hoss-races,” ‘“What was his character when he left the East? Was there any criminal charges against bim?” ‘Well, yes. Afore he skinned out, ho forged ole Prim’s name tew a note an’ sold the note, Then, he skipped.” “aw bat was the amount the note was drawn for? : ‘* Five hundred dollars!” ‘‘ Drawn payable to Andre?” be Yes.” ‘“‘ What was Prim’s front name?” ** Jake.” *¢ And his wife’s?” ss Lucy.” ‘* And Andre’s sister’s?” ‘* Jane Ann.” Dick made a memorandum of these replies on a slip of paper. . Then he asked for, and received Peggy Prim’s photograph, and rising quickly Jeft the cabin, closing the heavy door after him. ¢ Suspicioning that all was not right, Uriah arose and tried to open the door, but found him. self unable to do so, | It was fastened on the outside. There was no window in the ca _ He was a prisoner! . closely watched by a crowd of people. | self, about the matter, and kept an eye on the 3 ing the office, took the seat Max had— 4 4 1 al 4 . Sega, Oia a ae tana CHAPTER VI. A SURPRISE ALL AROUND. J THE nex! morning but one after the murder, i the remair4 of Joseph Mora were laid away to rest, and it being the only real funeral the camp had ever known, it was attended nearly by every man woman and child in the camp. . The services were conducted at the house, iy: and afterward, the people were allowed te sep in single file past the coffin to view the ody. es AY pretty spot had been selected, ‘near the house, for the burial-place. The excitement over the murder was una- bated, and was a subject of discussion on every hand, Nobody appeared to bave formed any opinion, as to who the assassin was. Sunflower Sam, in his movements about the place, was regarded with much interest and , curiosity, for a large share of the people appar- “a ently looked to him for a solution of the mys- A: tery. by But, Sam had not made this solution, yet, N and did not seem in any particular burry to do *| so, for he spent his time in leisurely walking Be: about the camp, or now and then playing a st friendly game of cards, at the ‘‘ Colchester,” th ae only gaming parlor in the camp. | A If he had made any discoveries he did not \ ay tell of them to others, and his apparent indif- sone rather puzzled and disappointed the peo- LO, The afternoon after the funeral, the denizens of the camp were very curious, for it was sup- posed that, if Joseph Mora had made a will it Ss would be produced at once; hence, the little : office near the mouth of the Beauty mine, was p Sunflower Sam was somewhat curious, him- a office, determined to be among the first to know 7 t how Mora’s wealth was to be disposed of, ois Toward mid-afternoon, three persons left the Mora dwelling and approached the office. The three, of course, were Mrs. Mora, Bly and Max. ' When the office was reached, Max addressed those who crowded around, : ‘‘ Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, ‘‘we pro- pose to make an effort to open my uncle’s ae safe, in order to ascertain if he left a will, or not. When the will is found, if there is any, it shall be read to you. Therefore, I trust you will forbear from intruding on our privacy.’ This was a polite hint for every one to keep out of the cffice, except those immediately Ais concerned, and it was so accepted, only Max ae and his two companions entering. ‘en The safe was a large affair, which Joseph Mora had had shipped from the East, of course at heavy expense, and much trouble in its trans- ort. oe ae fs It was over six feet high, fire and burglar- ‘a proof, and equipped with a combination lock, | Drawing a stool near to the safe, young Mora sat down, and began to experiment with the sil- ver-plated knob, | A He had often watched his uncle unlock the , safe, and he flattered himself that it would not wee take him long to unravel the mysteries of the at combination. [ ae But, after vain attempts lasting fully a quar- Ne ter of an hour, his patience gave out, and he le6 something drop, paapiclaity like an oath, An ‘Tt can’t be done!” he cried. ““Theonlyway || to get into the safe, is to blow it pe rein for nti Nba: uncle never gave any one the key of the combi- nation. Some use a drill, and some use giant fe powder in such circumstances.” ER ‘“'That’s hardly worth while!” spdéke up Sun- flower Sam, who stood near the door mang “Tf . vou will permit me, I think I can open the safe, | without resorting to powder.” ; re sé How?” : | ‘‘ Simply by manipulating the knob.” eee? ‘Bosh! You're wonderfully smart, nodoubt, = but you’d better not set yourself up too high,or some one may pull you down a peg!” sneered ax. ae “Tf they do try it they'll always find me at home, and the latch-string out!” Sam replied, decisively. , + Te RS “Why, Max, let the gentleman try to unlock the safe. Perhaps he can do it!” spoke up Bly, eagerly. ‘‘ There’s no telling.” : ed, ‘Oh! he can try if he wants to, but I know | he can’t do it!” Max growled, doggedly,as he = arose from_the stool. ‘*So come ahead, ee Sunflower Dude, if you can accomplish suck i) wonders!” ree PAM ees Sam paid no attention to t Max ad jit Ww" et Me cated. ; c " 5 MTV = bs