Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 534 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ee - ee eee been assigned them, in order to make some necessary preparations for their trip to San Francisco, and while so engaged, Dick chanced ‘to slip his hand into the side-pocket of his coat, when to his unutterable surprise, he found that it contained a letter, which proved to be sealed, and directed to himself! How came it there? That was. certainly a mystery, for Dick was ositive if was not there a couple of hours be- ore. ‘Well, this beats my time,” he muttered. ‘* Have you been playing a joke on me, Jolly?” ‘*Nary a joke,” Jolly assured. ‘‘ I didn’t put the letter in your vocket, and don’t know who did. Open it.” Deadwood Dick did so, and uttered an excla- mation of astonishment, as he read tae follow- ing: ‘*Hools that you are, cep on, and you will come to an untimely ending of your career, as I predicted * BLACKTHORN,’” ‘* The deuce! that chap is then, indeed, on our trail,” Dick exclaimed. ‘‘ Unknown to us, he must be constantly near us, watching for a chance to strike us the fatal blow.” ‘* But who 7s Blackthorn?” growled Jolly. “You know just as much about it as I do,” Dick confessed. ‘‘ For my part, I haven’t the least idea who he is, except that he is most like- ly some villain detailed by Hastings to watch and fellow us, until the right chance comes to put us out of the way. We must keep a sharper outlook for the fellow, and nail him, if we catch him dogging us.” About ten minutes later there came a knock upon the door, upon opening which, Dick found the landlord standing outside. ' “S’cuse me, sir,” the host said, rather apolo- getically, ‘‘ but thar’s a man down-stairs who wants to see ye.” ‘‘4 man to see me?” echoed Dick, his name?” ‘*PDunno, sir. He didn’t say. An odd-lokin’ old jigger, tho’, who said he wanted to see Deadwood Dick. I told him there wasn’t no sech party bere, but he argued there was, and said you sometimes signed yourself Richard Bristol, Then IL recognized who yer was, an’ come up to tell you.” ‘Tl bet it’s my old side partner, Old Ava- lanche,” Dick said, addressing Jolly. ‘' He has a great habit of turning up when and where least expected. Come, we will go down and see if it is the old terror.” They accordingly hurried down-stairs, the Jandlord bringing up the rear. As they emerged from the stairway into the office, they suddenly found themselves surround- ed by a dozen ruffians, all of whom grasped cocked revolvers, which were leveled at the two man-hunters. ‘Throw up your hands, or we'll riddle ye!” came the authoritative command, and seeing no way out of the dilemma, as resistance was plain- ly useless, Dick and Jolly obeyed. Their feet were then quickly bound, and their wrists pinioned behind their backs, and they ‘What is were prisoners, as neatly captured as any one | y could wish, Dick made no resistance, nor uttered an protestation whatever, until he was bound, when he turned fiercely upon the leader of the gang, who was the burly ruffian, Ginger Grean, and consequently the rival cf Bill Booze! ~ CHAPTER VI. ( LYNCHED! ‘* Now, sir!” Dick cried, sternly, ‘‘ 1 want to know the cause of this outrage—why you have mad»? us prisoners, when we have done nothing whatever. to merit such an act?” *“‘Oh! ye hain’t done nothin’, hey?” roared Green, with asnort. “* Waal, now, we ruther opine ye have, me pair of bucks, an’ you’ve got ter take the consequences, I’m Ginger Green, ther constable o’ this heer town, ef ye want to know it, an’ you kin betl don’t lef no bloody @rimes go unpunished around this precinct!” ‘* Bloody crimes?’ echoed Deadwood Dick. “What do you mean? [ don’t comprehend!” ** Ye don’t, hey? Waal, we do. Ye'r’ a pair o’ murderers an’ robbers, an’ ther speerit o' Johnny Sykes calls fer vengeance. Judge Lynch never showed his virtues on this town before; but, by the eternal, he shali have an airing to-night?’ ‘* What do you mean, sir, by charging us with being robbers and murderers?” Dick demanded, fiercely, “Cause ye aire!” vociferated Green. “ Ye went to ther depot an’ murdered Johnny Sykes, the station-agent, an’ robbed the place of what —e— koe ‘2 ~s — tet ¥ money there was, An’ now, we’re goin’ ter in- vite ye toa lynch picnic, Eh, boys?” “ Ay! ay!” came the stentorian answer. ‘This is false—infernally false!” cried Dick, his anger at boiling point. ‘‘ Neither myself nor companion has any knowledge of the crime you mention, nor are wein the least guilty of any wrong-doing, since coming to this camp, In the name of the law, sir, I demand that we be released at once!” ; ‘** {n ther name o’ ther law, hey?” ‘* Yes, in the name of the law! lama United States detective, and this accusation on your part is both preposterous, and a gross insult!” ‘*Can’t help what you say; ye can’t close my eye up, fer a cent. One of ye killed Johnny Sykes, an’ we’re goin’ ter lynch the both o’ ye, in order ter hit the right party. ’Tain’t no use 0’ yer tryin’ ter lie out o’ ther job, fer et won’t help yer casea whit. Johnny Sykes lays over in the station, wi’ his throat cut from ear ter ear, an’ one oO’ you two cusses did ther job, I see’d ye when ye come ter town, an’ at once sot down on yeras pesky bad characters. Sez I ter ther boys, ‘ Pll keep my eyes on them fellers an’ see what deviltry they’re up to.’ Andso I did. ‘*T see’d you two cusses go ter th depot, but didn’t ’spect ye war up to murder, an’ didn’t know nothin’ about the crime till a bit ago, when a feller come and told me that he had seen ye commit ther crime, and all about et!” ‘*This is alla diabolical lie, and a plot to get rid of us!” Dick cried, by this time fairly fren- | zied with rage. ‘'Show methe man «ho makes this infamous charge, that I may mark him down in my memory, for if I ever get free, oh! but wowt Il make him suffer for this accursed falsehood!” ‘* You'll never git free—needn’t trouble your- self about that, in the least!” Ginger declared, grimly, ‘* Heer’s the feller that see’d yer com- mit ther crime. Hedidn’t dare tell of it at first, for fear he would be suspected, but finally con- cluded to make a clean breast of it, and betray you into the hands of justice!” As the constable finished speaking, a man stepped forward. He wasa medium-sized in- dividual, fairly well dressed, and wore a sweep- ing black beard, and long, shaggy hair of the same hue. Little of his face could be seen, except around the eyes, for a slouch hat was pulled down over his forehead. There was much about his general appearance that was sinister and suspicious to Dick’s keen apprebension. He stared coolly at Deadwood Dick with his a? é . ms fd oe ‘a ; f o "4 1% . . i > r 4 . * ' - ; c » Sen tg ee ee ee = or age > oe ore SS RT ee em ee a ty r ™~ . * 7 . * . * z = > of . Py : ¥i°S ue aot e ¢ ywils 7¥ 4 be | . ‘ =, . ae . > ; . : - . * * = - ° ‘Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. 3 EES RR TT ST SETS NR OSES AEE ME SAREE AO SS ce aan taper we FN ee Soe | rc em a Se ee ee | _ + * **T do mean to say just that,” the alleged wit- ness to the crime answered. ‘* Without perjur- ing myself, [can solemnly swear that you are the man I saw bending over the prostrate man with the reeking knife in your grasp, while your companion is the same person who was rifling the safe.” ‘What a hellish lie!” Dick exclaimed. ‘* Your name, liar, that I may never forget you!” ‘Well, if you want to keep me fresh in your memory, my name is Harry Shydam,” the man replied, ‘Then hear me swear, Harry Suydam, alias Satan, that, just so sure as I ever get free, Vl have your lifein payment for this wrong you have done me! Do you hear?” **T hear,” Suydam smiled, ** but your threat is of no account, for you’re going to pay the penalty of your crime ere this night passes, or you can call me a liar!” ‘That remains to be seen!” Dick retorted, grimly. “‘Il am a Government officer, and if any harm comes to me, the people of this town will wish they had never been born! Another thing, sir, let me tell you: I am not the least deceived in you. It was you who murdered the station-ugent, in order to get me into trouble, and you are the sneaking cur who has been sending me threatening messages, under the name of Blackthorn, on are a murderer, and the cringing tool of the King of Rascals, Henry Hastings!” Suydam started, but wetered a harsh, <liscord- ant laugh. ‘*Oh! well!” he said, “it don’t matter who I am, so far asyouare concerned. Isaw you com- mit the murder, and if these people whose pris- oner you are, don’t make a move, pretty soon, to string you up, I'll take the liberty of shooting you, myself!” ‘No ye don’t!” spoke up Ginger Green, “* We're goin’ ter conduct this heer funeral our- selves, an’ don’t want no furin’ interference. Boys, two or three v’ ye go an’ build a bonfire near the big oak tree, so as to light up the scene, an’ some one else get a couple o’ lariats long enough an’ strong enough for the purpose they’re to be used for!” Several of the crowd hurried away, after which the others regaled themselves at the bar, keeping a good watch that the prisoners did not escape, which it was impossible for them to do, as their feet were too tightly bound together to prevent their walking, ‘‘ Well! things look mighty dangerous!” Jolly concluded. ‘‘ Do you suppose they really mean to hang us?” ‘‘That is their intention, without a doubt!” peoning little eyes, his arms folded across his | Dick responded; * but, don’t give up, in despair. r east. . ‘* So you’re the wretch who has lied to these people, in accusing me and my companions of a crime we never had a hand in, are you?” Dick demanded. ‘*lam the man who, by mere accident, saw you, sir, individually, commit a cold-blooded murder,” was the cool reply. 3 a false! You area diabolical liar, curse ou i ‘* Nothing of the sort. I know nothing of you, nor would I have any object in preferring a false charge against you.” ‘*Of course not,” chimed in Ginger Green, ‘* Tell the boys here how ye come to witness the murder.” -- ‘* Well, there’s not much to tell. I came u the railroad afoot from Powell to-day, and ha just reached the end of your depot, when my at- tention was attracted by loud and angry words cn the inside, followed by a sound like some heavy object falling on the floor, Suspecting all was not right, I stole to a window, and peer- ed in, and at what I saw 1 was |! terally horror- struck, for, lying upon the floor, in a pool of blood, wasa young man, with his throat cut, while, bending over him, was another young man, grasping an ugly-looking knife, from which the blood was dripping. A third man was rifling the safe of money and papers. ‘*IT was so horrified at what I saw, that I slunk away, and secreted myself in a clump of bushes, hans I could think the matter over without bein At first I did not know what to do, the camp, and was afraid if I made known the seen. tragedy, the crime would be laid tome. It took knew I was a total stranger in a great deal of deliberation before I finally came to the conclusion to make a clean breast of the matter to the constable.” ‘* And do you dare, sir, to state that either I or my companion were in any way connected with the murder?” Dick demanded, endeavoring to burst asunder the cords that bound his wrists : together. opes Booze Bill will come to our aid when he learns what is going on. If not, why our chances are slim. lve faced death more times than ten, and always escaped, and I can’t believe my luck has deserted me yet. However, if worst comes to worst, why we can do no less than die game!” ** Right you are, cue,” Jolly assured, In five minutes a man entered the hotel with two lassoes, and one end of cach of these was made into a slipping noose, and shirred about the prisoners’ necks, The other men svon came in and announced that the bonfire was started. ‘Hurrah! Then all’s in readiness for the exe- cution —ther first neck-tie party ever held in Yucca! Come! carry ther prisoners to the tree, boyees, an’ all as wants to shall have a pull ab the rope!” cried Green. The men gave a cheer, at this, and the pris- ones were seized bodily, and carried from the hotel. : Not far away stood a big oak tree, with wide- reading branches, near which a benfire blazed brightly, lighting up that part of the settle- ment, . To this tree the prisoners were borne, and once more stood upon their feet. — | The disengaged ends of the lariats were then tossed over a strong limb, and when they fell on d by a dozen pairs of I have I too have hopes of a res- the other side, were seize hands, and drawn taut. - All was thus in readiness for the execution, ‘* Now, then, ye murderin’ villains, I allow ye begin to comprehend what sort of a predica- ment yer heartless crime bas fetched ye to!” Ginger Green said, confronting the : ‘‘Hev ye got anything to say, before ye’r” launched into eternity?” ‘“‘ Nothing, except that we are innocent of the: crime we are charged. with!” Dick replied, njust double. ‘‘and if we are lynched, a most unju: ying curse murder is on your heads, and our) will follow you through life!” risoners, —