Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 544 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

_ moved the ba 4 10 never believed in the thing, nor had he had any | ‘Oh! she'll find it, in a horn!” he said, ‘‘ You ; future moisture of my gullet, to make hay while cag, with such matters. ut, now, it seemed to be a verity that the | use of her eyes, no matter whether she did it by | power of mind over mind, or not. Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild We | ** She’s a remarkably gifted woman. After a few more experiments of this sort, | mit that?” she announced that to any person who so | oa & at * bog Ye ger ites ie Sons ip a © ? > ei ‘. ) <3) Y % ot : ‘ ‘ " oh ‘ yf) Soe” a ye * 7 “7 4 st Vidoegq. y? can bet your life she’s a good ’un, but she will | the sun shines. And here's for the hay!” hustle one while before she finds her eagle | mademoiselle could see and read, without the | again!” ‘**[’m not so sure about that,” Vidoceq replied. ouw’li ad- **Ob! yes. desired, she would tell them the.r name and | know where I put that coin?” age, without first having seen them. Of course there were ready applicants for this | ‘* You might ask the same in reference to her other wonderful feats. Ll tell you what Pll do: test, and by the dozen, too, but in each instance, | Pll bet you the best box of cigars the town Ma’in’selle satisfied them by telling them what | affords that she finds the coin she gave you!” was their name, the exact time of their birth, and their age to an bour.* Among perhaps the last of Mlle.’s victims, if so they might be called, was Vidoeq. ** You know her, then?’ ‘*No more than do you.” ‘‘ Very well. Ill take the bet. By the way, itisn’t often two of our cratt meet wader so But, how in the world is she to | i | When there seemed a sort of lull in the series | peculiar circumstances, so I propose we shake | of questions, Vidocg spoke up. | bands. My name is Spence Sargent, and of . ** Ma’m’selle,” be said, in a tone of voice | course, thanks to the mademuiselle, L know wholly different from that used when previous- | yours, which makes further introduction un- ly addressing her, *‘ can you tell me my name?” She hesitated a moment, before answering. ** Yes!” she finally answered. “Very well. What is it?” “The name you bear at present is Valentine | Vidocq. name,’ “Oh! it ism’t, eh? Well, since you appear to be so confident perhaps you can tell me what my real name is?” ‘**Oh! yes, without a doubt!” she replied, and he fancied he detected a spice of triumph im her tone. ‘*‘Your name is Bristol—Richard Bristol—but “i are perhaps better known through the ern Territories, as Deadwood Dick, Jun- ior Then, turning quickly to the audience, she added; 1 ‘ ‘That, ladies and gentlemen, will conclude the second portion of my performance. The next, and to you no doubt the most mystifying, will be the coin act. Behold! I bold between my thumb and forefinger, a twenty-dollar gold piece—a genuine coin, all right enough, and not That, however, is different from any other, except that there is a | fair, private mark upon it by which I can distinguish it from another, This coin, I will pass into the hands of some reputable gentleman, here upon the platform, being blindfolded at the time, the same as now, is to pass into the hotel, and secrete the piece anywhere he may choose, so long as it is not locked up, or otherwise beyond my reach, Upon his return I will enter the hotel, unblind- fulded, and find the coin, returning it to the man who hid it. This will prove that I can read tae human mind as well as though it were the open page of a book. Now, then, who will oblige me by holding the coin?” **{ will,” spoke up & man who bitherto had re- mained a silent but interested spectatcr, ** Ah! thanks!” Leonora said. ‘* Your voice has an houest ring, and I will trust you, al- though you are a detective. Here is the golg- iece. 5 The man accepted the proffered coin, but his face rather comically portrayed how great was his surprise. ‘** Detective!” he echoed. ‘*‘Who’s a detec- tive?” : ‘* You are,” Leonora replied good-naturedly. **T can even tell you your own name, but will refrain from doing so, as you may wish to re- main incog. You have the coin now. Please make some mark upon it, so you will recognize it when you seeitagain. Then, go hide it some- where within the hotel.” The detective, if such he was, obeyed her di- rections, and rising, entered the hotel, He was gone some five minutes, when he re- turned and said: “‘There! I have hidden the coin, and 1’ll bet my head you can’t find it!” ‘Td advise you to kee retorted, dryly. auctioned off to the highest bidder every day.” She then waved her hand to the audience, re- ge, and passed into the hotel. Something strange to relate, no one attempted to follow her, and the man whom she had called a detective, chuckled empha as she dis- apes: and nudged the man to his right, who chanced to be Vidocq. your bead,” Leonora ‘‘Heads like yours are not *The reader may, and perhaps naturally, too, construe the foregoing statement to be absolutely preposterous, because it comes from ‘a novel.” r au'hor that the thing can be done, as when ina > ion city. a “so-called” mind-reader, who had never seen him before or been seen by him, told 7 his name. P npeoe of birth, time of h to a day, and names of his parents, THE AUTHOR. ce to say it has been demonstrated to the. necessary.” ‘Right you are. So you are a detective?” ‘* Yes. But, [ll swear 1 don’t believe that woman knows my name!” ‘* Don’t stake high money on that. Why, how not your real | should she size me up when the only name I have | been known under, while here, is Vidocq?” ‘*Dunno,. Can’t sav as for that!” ‘* That woman certainly takes your time, ek?” ‘Well, yes, rath-r!” At this juncture Mlle, Leonora reappeared upon the platform, ‘*Ha! ha!” Spence Bargeut said, gleefully, as she approached, ‘‘ You didn’t find the coin, so easily, did you?” ‘Oh! yes! no trouble about that. now!” Anda, reaching quickly forward, she lifted the detective’s hat, and the coin roiled off his totally bald cranium, upon the floor! _ This was the signal for a combined roar of laughter and applause, while Sargent looked considerably crestfallen and uncomfortable, | ‘* Say, look here!” he ejaculated, picking up the gold-piece, and examining it, ‘‘that ain’t Some one told you where it was,” ‘* Did any one see you place it under your hat, sir?’ Leonora asked, ‘* Certainly not!” vt Then, who could haye told me where it Here it is, ‘The party who receives the coin | was? That settled it. Sargent had no more to say. So he returned the coin to its owner, who, af- ter making an obeisance to the crowd, tripped down the piazza steps and hurried away, fol- lowed by around of applause from the specta- tors. . CHAPTER XII. THE DWARF DOUBLE-BLUFFED, THE reader will remember of an appointed meeting between Charles Covington, and the dwarf, Hero Hicks, at noon of the day which witnessed the events we have last chronicled, At this interview, Covington was to make known whether or not he would yield up the ten thousand dollars, said by Hicks to be demanded by Stella Sloat de Brown, from her husband, yyy ear de Brown, alias Covington, bout the middle of the forenoon, of this same day, after regaling himself with Sockdolager’s best “‘ red-eye,” Hicks betook his way from one of the.lowest saloons in the town toward the tent of Mile. Leonora, ‘*Tt’s a great scheme,” he mused, as he plodded aloug—‘'a scheme not only for monetary gain, but for vengeance, Ah! Reginald, you, know little the man you are dealing with! You seem to forget, that, years ago, wben you cast me into prison, to shield yourself of a crime, and to aid you in getting the family wealth, you made your own, ill-shaped brother a lifelong enemy! ‘‘ But you did, and the blood that burned bit- ter in these veins, then, burns a thousandfold more bitter now. True, I have been your veriest slave, since then, but it was only that my blow might be the keenest felt when I was ready to strike! The time 1s gradnally drawing near, when I will be ready for this blow. Sar- gent is here; Vidocq and old Sloat are here, and Stella is here, not to mention myself. Ah! what a combination—five to one! And s») strange, too. Here hated enemies have been living within a stone’s throw of each other, without the slightest suspicion of each other’s identity! ‘* Oh, well, so much the better for me. I can- not complain. As long as [ make my le, I’m the winnin’ hoss! Of course I don’t want to rob Stella, and ain’t goin’ to, ’cause after 1 get my divvy, my beloved brother's ownings will out plentifully for the woman and the kid. n | So it behooves me, as regards myself and the ; a / tl ey, h Mo ke P ‘ —-— . Petits he) bon res ‘ ., ’ th aes | .* , ~ a? . is i 7 — % ‘7 o . rs te , : \" is Sih lth 2S: - i* . ‘ ¥ oe ~ ~ — en —— © a | Tag “« , ed : a pai A ot Ss Mh oT ie : ~~ 3 ‘ a ; , it . . i to ‘ ' Me ’ as se ‘ , e 3 , ai 4 ’ ; ae i « * + - — ¥ u . i * oe 7a y U et aS 4 Sie oY ‘ \ 7 « . “ 4 » é r* , . * - al Fe ly ied | Mea wer or f ab. > trae *: a 7 |. et, . oo a 4 PH u >,” \ %\ | ; \ + a CF a ry LE TLS By tuis time he had arrived in the vicinity of « Leonora’s tent. Tie ,door of the tent was closed, and appar- ently no one was at home, ** The close,” the misshapen muttered; ‘* but they're in thar, allthe same. I allow I can’t get in by the door, ’cause most likely it is locked. Let me see!” He scratched his bushy head reflectively for a moment, and then, stealing softly forward, lay down close beside the canvas. For some time he listened attentively, but failed to catch the sound of a human voice within. He next drew his knife and cut a small slit in the canvas, through which he could gain a view of the interior. ‘Aha! there’s two compartments, eh?” he muttered; ‘‘and the one nearest me is urfoccu- pied, Well, I reckon V’ll take pussession of it and await developments.” So he suited the action to the word by lifting the bottom of the canvas, and crawled under it into the tent. va Once inside, he comfortably seated himself upon one of the chairs and waited, co He could hear voices beyond the partition, and presumed it would be but a short time ere he would receive a visit from the mademoi- selle, And he was not mistaken. Within five minutes she made her appear- ance, | He had his revolver in readiness, and instant- ly covered her, while she uttered a startled cry of alarm, ‘¢ Silence!” he said, sternly. ‘‘ Come and sit down. l have something of great importance to say to you concerning yourself!” ‘“Who are you? How dare you, sir, intrude upon my premises?’ Leonora gasped, ‘*Obey me!” Hicks commanded, ‘** lam your friend, as you will find out if vou but act sensi- bly. Come and sit down, If you don’t, Pm just the opposite. I want to tell you of Regi- nald de Brown!” : Leonora started perceptibly at mention of the name; then, after a slight hesitation, came for- ward and sat down, but not within reach of the repulsive visitor, __ n ‘* [ don’t know you, sir, or what you mean!” she said. ‘ If you have any business with me, please explain it at once!” ‘It. is true you may potknow me, Mrs, Estelle Sloat de Brown, but, that makes no particular difference. I know you, and your whole his- tory. You are the wife of Reginald de Brown, who, unfortunately, has the honor of being my own brother. Your father is Silas Sloat, of keep themselves housed up mighty - Perkins’s Corners, Vermont, and is now in Sock- dolager, looking for you!” ' 4: or Sears of that fact, sir. What of it?” ‘‘A great deal! Are you aware that your husband is looking for you too, with the inten- tion of killing you?” ‘Tam not.” , ‘‘ Well, such is the case. He has become en- aged to a rich heiress, but cannot legally marry fer until you are out of the way. He dares not apply for a divorce, because there are officers scouring the country for him, to arrest him on the charge of murder and robbery, to say_noth- ing of forgery. Therefore it is necessary that be should find you, and put you and the kid out of the way!” ‘‘ And, I suppose he hired you to do the job, ” ‘‘Not by any means! On the contrary, al- though I have accompanied him in bis search, I am secretly bis enemy, and bave long been so, Of course I have had to stand by him, as a way © gittin’ my grub, but now he and I bave had a kick, and I allow the future outlook fer pro- vender aire purty darned slim. That’s why I come to you.” nothing for you?” aa tt “ Ohi he Nie have. If you ain’t got the fod- der good and bands you’ve got the wherewithal what will buy fodder!” , ‘So you think to extort money from me, co you, you contemptible wretch!” sternly. ‘‘There’s no extort about it, I’m starvin’, and I must soy money. Youre. a0 loads of it, and it’s only fair you divvy up ‘Certainly not. You are foolish to think I am so silly. Youhave no claim upon me, what- ever!” | | ‘‘ Indeed? Why do youcome to me? [ have - nora cried, “ain't, eh? Well, you shall seo! 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