Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 534 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“; > 2 - - } During that ride, he told me that Old Paro had ‘*Oh! that it could only be as you say! But | duriog the night. an immense fortune concealed in tie hovel , it cannot—no, no! it can never be!” Not lomg after he came up, Dick sauntered ‘ | where we lived, and he told me if I would help ‘‘It can be! Before Henry Hastings meets | over to where he was standing. rai | him to secure tuat fortune, he would give me | his doom, he shall make reparation for the great ‘*Goodl-morning!” the ‘lieutenant’ saluted, a : half, we to elope together, get married, and go | wrong he has done you by clearing you of all | pleasantly. ‘* Have a cigar!” \ ; to the great city of New York, and there live | guilt. To this I swear; and then, and only 4 ** When be gave me what he said wasa strong | your name is.” aman to play.a game of poker; couldn’t even a, sleeping potion, I put it in Old Paro’s tea, one ‘‘How am I to do so, when I do not even | fird one with gumption enough to tackle me at evening, as Hastings had directed; then, with | know myself what my real name is, nor who | eucher.” i het | my evil genius, after the old miser was asleep, | my pareuts were? Paro named me Polly ‘*Indeed! There must be a pious crowd on . he ie we ransacked the hovel together. Patch!” board.” a VIB ** We looked everywhere, but found nsothing, ‘Well, I'll call you Sylvan, which is much “Well, [should say so. Do you ever play, = ao?) and Hastings went away, in a towering rage. | prettier. When are you of age?” sir?” My ives} es Oh! was I not glad, when he was gone, that we ‘* Two months from to-day.” ‘Oh! once ina while I dip in a little, when oat away had found no money? Indeed I was! Whata ‘* Will Hastings, or rather, would he if living, | there is anything worth while to play for. I’m ¥ hee good girl I would be, in the future, I said to | return to’Frisco and claim your fortune?” not a successful peels but Largue if a fellow | ie pt myself, ibe ‘*T presume so,” don’t enjoy himself as he goes along he loses the ‘al ie ** But, my joy was destined to turn to utter- ‘* Well, you can rest easy that be will never | best half of living.” . A ee most horror and grief, for when, after I had | set foot in California again. When any one |" “ Yes, that’s so—that’s so. What do you say, Tew ie, put things to rights, I triel t» arouse Paro, I | presents a claim for the Patch fortune, it shall | lieutenant, if we try a few hands, just to pass s ple be discovered that [ was a murderess! The old | be you!” bis away the time?” - {I was found in the streets of San Francisco, when a toddling infant, by an old rag-picker, named Paro Patch. **No one knew me, nor did any one ever claim me, and so Paro, miser though be was, adopted me as his own. ‘*He reared me after his own style of living, and what little education I got, other than by bitter experience, | picked up on the streets, or at night-schkools, ‘** When I reached the age of fourteen, ragged though I was, 1 was voted good-looking, and had numbers of would-be beaux. By this time Old Paro was getting too old to pick rags, and as I had higher ideas, 1 started a newspaper stand on a street corner. It paid, too, for all the young men patronized me liberally, and I did a thriving business. ‘* Among others who became my patrons, was a well-to-do broker, named Henry Hastings. He was old enough to be my father, but was stylish, and nice looking. He seemed to be at- tracted by my good looks, and sometimes bought all my papers, in addition to which he sometimes gave me little sums of money, and trinkets, ‘*Unsuspicious of his evil designs, I grew to think a good deal of him. ‘*One day, after supplying me with good clothes, he induced me to go carriage-riding. in the greatest magnificence, with servants, horses and carriages, and everything that mortal heart could desire. ‘*T think the villain had me under a spell, for what, with all the grand pictures portrayed by him, [ had not the power to resist him, and promised to become a partner to his schemes, ** He, the devil, or some other evil spirit, had ssession of me, for when he ordered, [ obeyed, ike a well-trained servant. man was stone dead, and fearfully distorted and swollen. ‘**Good God! I can never get that awful scene - Fr : , ° x 4 a : ~~ “ - = oF Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt, ritories until over a year and a half ago, when the counterfeiting plant was established on Syl- van Lake Island, and I was forced to play the role of queen. That is all. I have told you everything, except the torture and abuse | have undergone. J could scarcely find words ade- quate to express what L have suffered, both men- tally and physicaliy. I know you will despise, abhor me, but [ cannot help it!” ‘* Par from it, Sylvan. | have all along be- lieved you to be the victim of circumstances over which you had no control, and now I know it; and realizing how you have suffered and martyred yourself, my respect for you has only increased,” ‘*Oh! bless you for those words!” she said, in a husky tone, while tears glistened in her eyes, ‘“*T never knew what it was to have a true friend before, except in you and old Paro, I[ feel so happy!” ‘*T hope far greater happiness may be in store for you in the future,” Dick said, gently press- ing her handsin his, ‘* For 1 swear that, ere a month passes over our heads, this yoke that binds you to Henry Hastings shall be rent asunder ! ‘* Ay, more: you shall be vindicated of all blame for the death of Paro Patch, and stand forth before the world a free and innocent woman!” then, will Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt be at an end!” ‘*O! thank you! thank you, sir! If it were only in my power to repay you for your kind- ness!’ “Speak not of payment now. At another time, under different circumstances, I may claim my reward!” Dick replied, drawing her quickly to him, and imprinting a kiss upon her forehead. ‘‘ But you have not told me what They conversed a short time longer, then Syl- van went belgw decks, one of the happiest women on the great ship Gallant. hs Pee 2 ee me for flaring up, the way I did, yester- ay. ‘Of course I will. I knew you would think better of it, when you had time to consider, Now, [ll tell you my plans: I have had a talk already, with Hastings, and I am satisfied he does not recognize me in this disguise, nor sus- pect wholam, Iam aware that he is fond of gambling, and before this boat touches at Mel- bourne, | propose to win away every dollar the villain has, so that, when he arrives in port, he will be penniless, with starvation staring him in the face. It will then be impossible for him to escape from the city, and, as a result, | shall corner him, and at the pistol’s point, demand from him the paper exonerating Sylvan from all guilt, with the proviso that, if he makes a clean, confession, according to my directions, 1 will forego my threat upon his life, and cease to pur- sue him. I think he will jump at the opportun- ity. After 1 am through with him, you cam have your chance!” ‘* Very well! That suits me,” Jolly assented, ‘fand you can bet I shall be very near at hand, too, when you are through with him!” Thus the two young men once more were on amicable terms, It was bard on to noon when Hastings came on deck, He was dim-eyed, and haggard, and looked as though he had had a tough time of it, ‘** Thanks!” ee it. ‘* You look @ little blue this fine morning,” Dick continued, ‘‘Had a touch of seasick- ness?” : ‘‘No, I haven’t, though more’s the wonder, for ’'m not at home on the water. These sea voyages are confoundedly monotonous, when there’s nothing to amuse one’s self with, except to sit and stare at the everlasting waste of waters. Would you believeit, | mace a canvas. of the whole gents’ cabin, and couldn’t scare up “Capital idea,” Dick decided, “ Have you cards? ‘* T have that.” ; i) 5 from my memory. I saw the result of my folly, ‘* Well, get them, while I order wine, and join aa and realized the awful position I was placed in, CHAPTER XIT, me in my state-room, where things will be quiet. Mee os: and that my only salvation was to fly, and seek ‘©, MAN OVERBOARD!” 1 dislike playing in public.” el oe concealment among strangers. I did not seem THE next day, was a duplicate of the preced- “So do I.” to realize, though, that such a course would fasten the evidence all the stronger against me. ‘**T had managed to save up a few dollars, and with this to aid me, I fled to San Diego, where I rocured a situation at housework. It was not ong, however, ere I was found by Henry Hast- ings, who came, armed with papers containing offers of five hundred dollars for my capture, and also a personal description of me. Of course, I was nearly crazed by this, and Hast- ings pretended to manifest great sympathy for me, and after making brags of all the riches he ssessed, declared his love for me, and offered marry me, assuring me he would:protect me _ from the long-reaching arm of the law, ‘* Being only fifteen years old, I naturally re- fused, but when he threatened to give me up to the law, I knew that I had but one choice, and - I consented!” ‘*What? you really married that wretch?” Dick exclaimed. ae ** Yes, I did! It was my only chance to evade the gallows; for in those days, the laws of and that if IT dared to disobey him in the slight- est, he would unhesitatingly hand me over to the hangman. He also told me that it had been ing one, with lovely sunny sky, and a brisk breeze that filled the sails of the Gallant, and caused her to scud along like a thing of life, in- creasing upon the speed furnished by the great engines, Dick was up, during the early morning hours, and after a hearty breakfast, went upon deck. During the forenoon, he sent for Jolly, who, after some delay, made his appearance. ‘Well, what do you want?” he demanded, surlily. “Sit down, and I will tell plied, After Jolly became seated, Dick went on and related his interview with Sylvan, and the story she had told him, concerning her life. ‘*Now, you see!” Dick said, in canclusion, ‘it is necessary that a paper should be forced from Hastings, vindicating Sylvan from all re- sponsibility for Paro’s death, before a blow is struck. Were you to kill Hastings, before this paper can be obtained, the stain of guilt must always necessarily rest upon Sylvan’s name, nor you!” Dick re- ‘Leave that to my ingenuity. Promise to make no attempt upon Hastings’s life and I will eee ee nN eee . . They accordingly went below, and in five minutes were seated at a table in Dick’s state- room, with the cards and plenty of wine at command, for Dick meant that his man should not go thirsty. ‘*Whatshall the game be?” Hastings asked, after he had partaken of a brimming glass of Old Port. . ‘* On, make it something worth while,” Dick re- plied; ‘‘say a hundred dollar ante and thousand dollar limit, that is, if you can stand that much?” | ‘‘Oh! Tean stand twentiv times that much)!” was the reply. ‘‘ It shall be as you propose.” And so the play began. | All the afternoon the two men sat at the table and played, with rane ae luck. At one time Dick was down to his last five bundred dollars; then his luck changed, and he won pot after pot: in succession, When the supper call sounded, he arose from the table, six thousand dollars the winner. i aie a haul!” he remarked. | *Frisco were more unmerciful to crimnals than | can she come into possession of her fortune. ‘* Never mind,” Hastings replied, with stoical i 3 now. Understand?” coolness. ‘I’m not broke yet, by a long shot, % = Well, we were no more than married when Jolly nodded. and you'll find methe gamest man you ever bin ‘I was informed by Hastings that, forever after, ‘“Yes, But, how do you expect to get such a | met. We'll try it over again, and either Pll i I could consider myself his slave and menial, | paper?” break you before we reach Melbourne, or you'll 2 break me.” ‘Allright! That’s a bargain.” ; And after agreeing to a continuation of the 11° Y ig give you then free puvilege of’ avenging your ; a : father’s murder, and will explain to you how I | game, in the evening, the two went to supper. ~ a) propose to do the wind-up of the game!” Sylvan was at the table, but mever once — Ro di ‘Certainly I promise. I have already re- | glanced at the man she loved, nor did Dick more ier --—— - wealth when I should become twenty-one. considered my intention of killing Hastings, | than give her a passing nofice. . Boas ‘* Well, we traveled through the different Ter- | while on board the Gallant, and I hope you will Hastings noticed this fact, and looked puz Ne ~ j \- Fate, ial > 7 - > . ; ea 23 ; . by 7 = oe 4 a) - } . discovered that old Paro’s fortune was in a San _ Francisco bank, together with the last will and + testament, which made me heiress to all his. 2 ee . { ' 7 ij . Y fa ’ . : . . f ‘ 7 ; . , : : 7 . e : . » é : . ' ; 4 ° Ld i . r% y gt A r z_.. =o \ | 4." i ‘ , -#. be ‘ - ‘ * ‘ a d % . * te C3 - Ss r) .¥ et . of >) a I - ) s*) 7 >> d i >» 4 : bee. a. re sets * y “= ‘a - » +h) = *)\ Faas oe ¥ rat, ‘Fa 2 , - ath 9 ae = / gna $ a "% ‘ ne i a4 Ps m Sl <a . “s J } a Uy, > a * ~ Je = — oKs.com i een