Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 471 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

een | | pay him to deal square? Of course he is, and ou can bet he is not so much of a fool but what e knows when his nest is well feathered.” ‘*He’s no doubt smart enough. The question is if he is not too smart for those who depend upon him,” ‘“Pshaw! Don’t fret about him! Tl go a hundred he is all right. Even were he inclined to be crooked. I have some doubts if my brother would have trusted in him to any considerable extent, for you know Ham was of a suspicious nature, naturally. I’m fully satisfied to this ex- tent—if this girl was brought on here to be trumped up as an heir, Fink has uo hand in it, and in case there is another will in existence, he knows nothing about it.” ‘*What then, is to be done? Are we not in danger of being involved in trouble?” * Possibly, unless we make preventive moves, in advance. To tell the truth, I don’t like the outlook, myself; but then, we can’t well strike in self-defense, until we know just where to strike, and why we strike. This girl may be in collusion with the so-called Jones, and should anything happen to her, there might follow an exposure that would make things exceedingly warm for us. So, what is done must not be ac- complished until after deliberate judgment. When she called, you ridiculed the idea of her being an heiress to my brother's estate?” ‘“‘ Certainly, and tried to convince her that she had been lured here by some designing person, who meant her harm. I even advised her to set out at once on her return home, and volunteered to defray her expenses if she would go.” ‘‘ And she refused, eh?’ Horace Hinton de- manded. ‘¢ Yes, she refused, saying that she should not go East, until the matter was investigated, and that, ep I held eres now, she would try to dispossess me, if it lay in her power. or weds to that effect.” y witha “Indeed! Then I should judge that she means business, and is therefore dangerous to our mu- tual interests. Did she mention of having any knowledge of Harry’s existence?” ‘No. Why?” ‘Because, I believe the young whelp means to make us trouble, if hecan. You know he told us, point-blank, that he believed the will to be a forgery, and that he should try to get his rights.” ‘Yes. Well?” . ) ‘‘ Well, last evening, there arrived in camp, from Boise City, a young man who registered as Bozeman Bill. He is quite a dandified chap, dressed in white duck, wears diamonds, and be- sides handling his fists like a prize-fighter, has a rather detective cut of jib. This morning I saw him and Harry Hinton holding what appeared to be an interested and confidential conversa- tion together, and it at once occurred to me that Harry had secured the services of a detective, and that this Bozeman Bill was the man,” ‘Did you gain any positive evidence, more than simple supposition?” “No. Ihave not been able to speak with the sport, yet. But, I intend to, and to watch him, and if find he has come here to snoop into our affairs, Pll have him put out of the way in short order, and Harry and the girl, in the bar- ain. ‘Of course. Something of the sort must be done, for it won’t do to run any risks, at this late stage in the game,” Mrs, Hinton asserted, anxiously. ‘Right you are, Alecia—right youare. And, what is more, 4 am growing impatient to have you keep your promise to me,” ‘You must not be impatient, Horace. You know Hamilton has only been dead a month, and if I were to marry you so soon after his death, it would be likely to create a talk that would result disastrously, perhaps, to our mu- tual interests, especially considering the way matters now stand. “Well, maybe you are right. But, should anything occur to necessitate our leaving here on short notice, I shall expect you to marry me, and divide the money, according to our préyious agreement.” ei Which of course, I would do. If we experj. ence no trouble from the present menacing source, I will also agree to @ union at the ex- piration of another month. ! t “Very well. I will see to it that no such trouble arises,” Horace said, arising. I wi take this matter into my own bands, and find out the truth about it, so that you need experi- ence no annoyance, my fair Alecia. “If any one calls to see me?” b “Make it a point to not b2 troubled ye ceiving callers, on the plea of illness. It will be better thus, for you might unwittingly sive = —— EE ™_= eee Se anes Bozeman something away that would be detrimental to our interests, and which would make it bad for us.’ ** Very well. the widow said. Horace Hinton bade her good-morning and took his departure. CHAPTER VI. DEADWOOD DICK JUNIOR TAKES A NEW CASE, WHEN Janet Earl left the Hinton residence she took her way slowly back toward the Tally- ho Hotel, with a very serious expression of coun- tenance, ‘*l wonder if I have been deceived and en- trapped?’ she mused, ‘‘and if the widow will attempt to make me trouble? I can’t help it, if she does. I was determined to have back the letter, at all hazards. But, after all, what good is it going todo me? No one appears to know such a person as John Jones, and it really looks as if I had been lured here on a wild goose chase, Yet, who could have lured me? Mr. Hinton, who is dead, was the only ag here whom I knew anything about in Big Brace ewe to my arrival here; and who else should 1ave known anything about me, except he told them? Andif he did leave directions for any- one to write to me, it looks reasonable to sup- 0se that he had some good reason for doing so. can believe nothing else, and whoever wrote the note is either in Big Brace or in some place not far away, and if I havea little patience I will learn more about this matter than I know at present—that I soiemnly believe.” hen she entered the hotel office, Janet lanced about the apartment, in hopes of seeing ld Avalanche, but the veteran Annihilator was nowhere to be seen. This was a disappointment to Janet, for she desired to have a talk with him, whom she had learned to like and trust implicitly. She went up to her room, to deliberate as best she could what would be best for her to do. As she entered her room she made what was to her a most unwelcome and startling discov- ery; the window was raised, and her sachel, which she had brought with her te Big Brace, was missing! When she had left her room, atter breakfast that morning, to visit Mrs. Hinton, the window had been closed and fastened on the inside, and her sachel stood at the foot of the bed, She had taken particular pains to lock the door, as all the money she possessed in the wide world was in the sachel, she considering it safer there than in her pocket, in case anything should happen to her. But, now, both the sachel and money were gone, and she realized that she was left a com- parative stranger, in a strange, rough town, without a cent to fall back on to defray her im- mediate expenses. The realization of this loss fairly drove her distracted. Here she was, far away from home and friends, with no way of getting back to them, isa ae or no prospect of getting proper work. What was she to do? She hastily searched the room, but all in vain. Her sachel was indeed gone! She looked out of the window, and saw that it opened out upon a rear porch; but how a burglar could have gained entrance to her room from this direction, when her window had been left securely fastened on the inside, was more than she could understand. It was to her an inexplicable mystery. Finally, thoroughly disheartened, and ready to ery, she went down to the office, and laid the case before Colonel Corker, the landlord. The colonel had evidently been drinking and was not in the best of humor, for he listened to her in a drowsy sort of way, without manifest- ing much concern. ‘Well, if you’ve lost your baggage, through a burglar’s breakin’ into yer room,” he said, ‘* you can’t blame me, fer I had nothing to do with it. No burglar didn’t come down here wi’ yer traps, or I’d ’a’ seen.an’ stopped him. Reckon yer loss can’t be werry heavy, fer. yer sachel wasn’t big enough to hold much.” “Tt is not the few clothes I lost,” replied Janet, ‘‘ but every cent of money I have in the world, was in the sachel.” “How much?’ ‘* A hundred dol'ars.” ‘“Humph! That’s not much!” ‘* But it is a great deal for me to lose.” 2 ‘““Can’t help that, young lady. There’s a notis On yer door to the effect that I won’t be respon- sible for vallybles not left at this offis.” I will act upon your advice,” Bill of Big Brace. ‘Then, I suppose that is equivalent to saying that, having been robbed of my money, I am no longer welcome as a guest of the house, until I can find some way of raising some more means?” ‘* Yas, that’s about the size of it, miss. Sorry fer you, if that will do you any good, but, ye see, the terms o’ this shebang aire cash, an’ as I can easy fill allo’ my rooms w.’ cash custcmers et don’t pay one to deal fer credit.” Janet bowed coldly, and her lip quivering with the emotion she tried to suppress, she turn- ed away, and left the hotel. She wandered up the gulch, until she was beyond the outskirts of the camp, where she a 20 herself upon a bowlder and burst into ars. ‘*Oh! what shall I do? What shail I do, now? Oh! why did I ever come so far away from home, to this town, where I have no friends?” ‘*Say not so, Miss Earl,” responded a voice, near at hand, ‘‘for one is here who would es- teem it an honor to be your friend.” Janet looked around, with a start, and saw, much to her surprise, that Deadwood Dick, Junior, was standing, with folded arms, only a few yards away. She recognized him at once, for his appear- ance was the same as when she and Avalanche had encountered him on the trail. ‘**Be not alarmed, Miss Earl,” ke continued, coming nearer, ‘‘for you have naught to fear from me. Do you recognize me?” ‘““You are the gentleman who set Old Ava- lanch free, day before pemeacay %y “*T am—Deadwood Dick, Junior, at your ser- vice. You appear distressed over something. Might I make bold to inquire as to the cause of your grief?” ‘*Oh! sir, I have met with a great misfortune —or, at any rate, it is a great one for me to in- cur. While I was absent from my room, this mcrning, a burglar broke into my room and stole my sachel, in which I had pinces ali the money I have in the world, and [am now penniless, and friendless, and was told a few minutes ago, that I could no longer stop at the hotel.” Deadwood Dick, Jr., gave a whistle of sur- prise, while Janet once more burst into tears. ** Don’t cry, lady,” Dick said, coming nearer, ‘*Very true, you are in hard luck, but there is no occasion to give way to grief—not when I am about. Rest assured I will gladly assist you out of your trouble, How much money did you lose, Miss Ear]?” ‘“‘A hundred dollars, sir. But you must ex- cuse me, sir—I could not think of accepting money of you, a perfect stranger.” For Deadwood Dick, Jr., had drawn a roll of bills from his pocket.and tossed it into her lap, ‘Tut! tut!” he replied, ‘‘ you are welccme to what there is in that roll, and if you need more, _ do not hesitate to ask for it.” ; ‘‘ But, sir, you are a aratings to me, and I don’t know when I can repay all this money ; for I see that there is a considerable sum here,” ‘‘No repayment will be asked or expected, — Miss Ear], for it is a gift of friendship.” + ‘¢T will accept it as a loan, sir, and at the ear- liest moment will return it with interest, and I wish to add that words fail to express my grati- tude toward you for your kindness, If it would not be asking too much, I would like to look upon the face of my benefactor, so that should I meet bim again under other circumstances, I would recognize him.” Deadwood Dick, Jr., hesitated a moment, as if undecided whether to grant the request or not. ‘You have already met me unmasked, Miss Earl, but providing you will promise to kee my secret for a time, and will also tell me what brought you to this out of-the-way camp, I will make myself known to you.” “Very well, sir. I shall do as you wish, sir, If you have any secret to confide, it will be safe in my care,and since you have been so very kind to me, I have no objections to tell you what brought me here to Big Brace.” “Thank you. As to my real name, it is Richard Bristol, otherwise Deadwood Dick, Junior, and as I told you on a former occasion, T am in the detective business. Since coming to Big Brace I have taken on another name, and when not fixed up as you see me now, I blossom forth as Bozeman Bill!” an “Indeed!” Janet exclaimed in surprise, ‘I never should have suspected that, for Bozeman Bill, when I saw him, wore blonde hair and mustache.” ’ ‘‘That was merely a disguise.” ‘What brought you to Big Brace? Are you working up a case here?” | ‘Yes, or rather, I expect to. I came here for that purpose. And now, I am rather curious to ~~ 7 *) 4,