Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 544 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

> - > = ——— So age EO eT ae y : — . - * a * am beginning.to form a pretty fair sized idea that he ain’t far away from Sockdolager!”’ eided that it would ~ , ' “Mam’selle, why did you not acknowledge vour identity to your father, when he and [ YVisited your vent in regard to the claim?” ‘ My identity? My father?’ ‘* Exactly! Itis useless for you to feign sur- “prise, for you were once Stella Sloat, before you ran away with De Brown, and you are still good, honest old Silas Sloat’s daughter. The old man has come all the way from the home- stead to find and take home his child. We came here to test you, in our search, but, al- though your actions did not altogether deceive me, you completely deceived Uncle Si, for he said after we left you: ‘ No, no, sir! that’s not my child—Stella would be no sech a woman 0’ stone as that. Our Stella war a kind-hearted gal, an’d’ye s’pose she could sit thar an’ hear ber old father tell about the old farm, an’ of Betsy, an’sech things—sit thar an’ never flinch? No, sir! our girl would jest blubber right out, she would!’ And all I could say could not change his opinion!” Dick paused here. Leonora’s face was buried in her handker- chief, and she was weeping. ‘‘Oh! I’ve done a wicked, wicked thing!—I see it, now,” she sobbed—‘‘ now, when it 1s too late. He will never forgive me now!” ‘* Certainly he will. It would make him ten years younger to clasp you to his breast. I can assure youof that. But, tell me the cause of your strange action, when we visited you?” ‘“Well, as I see I am unmasked, I will ex- plain. It nearly killed me to pass through that ordeal. I expected his coming, because I saw him at the concert-hall, and so [ steeled myself for the occasion. When | saw him first, I knew he had come to take me home, and felt glad of it. But, when I came to consider how the peo- ple would talk and act, my heart grew sick within me, They would say: she ran away and lived in high style for awhile; then her hus- band left her, and now she’s come home with her child, to live on the old folks, ‘No! said I, I can never stand the mortifi- cation of the talk there will be, and so I will steel my heart against affection and live on this miserable existence until death, ‘‘ Besides false pride, I bad another thing to keep me away from home. When De Brown left me and my babe, in the dead of winter, at the mercy of the world, a pauper, I swore if God was kind enough to keep me through, until I could find him, I'd have my revenge, There’ isa warrant out for his arrest for murder, | I was to have received it yesterday, from the un- fortunate detective. who was murdered, but, nothing of the cocument could be found. With this, I intended to set outin search of De Brown, aud when I found him to make him give up every penny of his wealth or send him to the scaffold. Now, I shall have to!wait until [ can get a new warrant from San Francisco,” ‘You will not hava to send to ’Frisco, I hold the original warrant in my possession, ancl if you wish, [ will assist you to find De Brown. Ab! no; he isn’t around there. If he had bern, I should bave seen and recognized him!” ‘Not necessarily so. He could, and most likely would, travel under a disguise and a— hark!” + During the foregoing conversation, there had been no sounds of alarm, outside the cave, but the air was now filled with wild cries of defeat and shouts of protanity, these presently being supplemented by the clatter of horses’ feet. Dick crept out to reconnoiter, and on his re- turn, reported that the ruffians were riding away toward Sockdolager, at breakneck speed. ‘A consultation was then hel , and it was de- 1 not be advisable to return to Sockdolager until under the cover of night- During the day they chatted tozether of each other’s eventful experiences, and, among other things, Dick spoke of Uncle 8i’s mysterious dis- appearance, but assured Leonora that be would surely find him, unless the world had opened - up and swallowed him. Leonora also concluded to wear her mask, for a while yet, at least. About dusk, after Dick had donned a rough disguise, which CHAPTER XVI. PROOFS. WHEN they reached town, Leonora ‘got little Fern at a house where she had left her, and then | mother. and daughter went.on to their tent, a whil2 Dick, in his rough disguise, which was a _ oe ch Leonora had provided for him, ' _ the two set out for the town. Se : really clever one, ventured onto the main street, It was rather a risky thing to do, for he was at once spotted as a stranger; but, owing to his rough dress, little attention was paid to him. The camp was in a state of commotion, due to the fact that a report had gone out that the author of yesterday’s two tragedies had been found to be Deadwood Dick, who had been captured, but had mysteriously made his escape, Charles Covington had caused several posters to be put out, on which he personally promised to give five hundred dollars for the capture of Deadwood Dick, dead or alive, ‘*Go it lemons!” the wanted man reflected, after reading one of the notices, ‘* bat don’t pull out any of your five-bundred notes till you get me! Donk out I don’t get you before you do me. T’ve got a terrible thinking in my head about you, Mister Covington Charley, and ’m more’n half sure that [m right. It crops out purty evident to me now, that you’re back of that letter-decoy business, because you’re edu- cated, an’ the rest of the gang ain’t. Then, too, if you’re willing to invest five hundred dollars for my capture, dead or alive, you_must want me dead mighty bad. But, why? What crime have I ever committed against you that should make you so much my enemy? None at all. Hence, you must have some hidden purpose in this; or must have some object—somne powerful motive. You must fear me, because I am in your way. If so, why? I know nothing about your affairs. You have known me to be, with- out a doubt, employed by Uncle Si Sloat. Uncle Si bas mysteriously disappeared. You know it. {know it. Uncle Si bad no money with him, or he might have flashed it and dazzled your eyes. In that ease you might have made a move for money. But, may there not be something greater than this? Itmay be—but, let’s see: ah! I have it. It’s a possibility—a bare possibility, that—that a certain Mr. Charles Covington is some one else!” Thus ran the thoughts of the detective. as he sauntered about, and carelessly observed each person he met, The result of what he saw and met is scarcely worth mentioning. In disguise, Dick registered at the Sandy Bar as John Swath, and treated every one in the room, Then, as an idea occurred to hina, be repaired to the tent of Mlle. Leonora, who reeted him with a pleasant welcome, as did ms Fern, who quickly saw through the dis- guise, ‘* Mrs. Covington—” began Dick. ** Mrs, Covington?’. | ‘“* Exactly! I think you are the wife of Charles Covington, of this place!” ‘“ What! the wite of that man? , Never! he came to this place once, and I invited him to leave—w. ich he did!” ses ‘Did you' not discover in this man some re- semblance of your husbanid?” ‘‘ None, whatever?” pr ‘Then do you recognize this face?’ and Dick handed her the photo he had procured from the pocket of the San Francisco detective. One cry, then came the answer: ‘*Tt’s Reginald!” ‘* Just so!” assured Richard. ‘ Now, study it closely, and tell me: Do you not discover in that face something which you can see in the face of this Charles Covington?” Leonora was silent a moment. ‘* No!” she said, tersely. ‘*T can!” the detective assured. ‘‘ But, to ut this case aside, did you ever see a handker- chief like this? : Another cry, as she reached forth, seized, it and held it before her, ‘* Mine! mine!” she cried. ‘‘I gave it to Regi- nald, and did the faney work on it myself. For Heaven’s sake where did you get this?” “ Sure it is yours?” ‘* Yes, very sure, I know it is!” ‘* You gave it to your husband?” “Yes. He bought it, and I fiuished it, and we pledged our oath of constancy upon it, when: we were married !” ‘Then, naturally, though a sinner now, he would not care to part with a token so pre- cious?” | “No, I—I don’t think so,” ‘ ‘‘There is where I think you are right. The man who dropped this is to my mind your bus- band in disguise. Ihave all right now, I think. Your husband is Charles eae aan of this place, Now, will you lead, while I follow?” **'No; you must lead,” _.“ You want his money rather that his incar- ceration and punishment, 1 infer?” Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidocg. i LL —L£~i_iaEC LLL LL = * - o * = -— a A —- : 5 > ? = 2 ae . éj ts a | ’ : a) he is fe > Se q . aie ‘* A hundred thousand times yes. He deserves: to hang, but if he does, I am undone!” ‘Significant enough. Now, write and send: him a note, saying that, through the planets, or some other blamed thing, you have become pos- sessor of a valuable piece of information which he should be desirous of obtaining, and request- ing that he call here at prompt midnight to- night. At the time he calls, come he alone, or with many, I will be behind the adjoining par- tition, Then, unmask yourself, and make your demands! If he refuses, I will be at band. I will now go forth in search of your father.. When I return I will enter, under the canvas,. into the inside compartment. But, don’t you. come near it, nor the child. Both remain here,, while I am gone!” ag CHAPTER XVII. THE END. DEADWOOD DICK then left the tent. + Of course, as he was disguised, no one recog— nized him, but in his wanderings he Are. atanage equipped himself with all he expected to need. n passing across the gulch, In the darkness,, for it had clouded over and there was no moon, he heard a groan, and found the object of suf- fering in the person of Hero Hicks, the dwarf. Lying alongside a pile of brush, he was a piti- ful object to vehold. His head was battered, one arm was hanging limp, and one leg was dis- located, all of which Dick discovered upon ex-- amination. He was still conscious, however, and in reply to Dick’s questions, he said: ‘‘Leave me alone; [ve got to die. But, avenge me. Goto Charles Covington and de- mand the old man who was a prisoner in the cellar. Rescue him. I could not. Take him to Leonora; she is his daughter, Send Covingtom to where he belongs, to Satan. I am his bro- ther, and my name is Hero de Brown, Coving- ton’s real name is Reginald de Brown, and he is. one of the worst rascals ever born, He is a. thief, forger and murderer. He murdered Michael Skeen in San Francisco. Say—ahf hold on—ah! tell Stella to—t—t—for—” The last sentence was never spoken. Hicks was dead before it, could be finished. Two miners came along just then, an’ Dick’ paid them to take the body: to some place of shelter, until it could be. better cured for. He then locked to his revolvers, and made his way to the Covington residence. He remained in the vicinity for a few min- utes; hoping to discover that the proprietor was: not at home, and soon was pleased to observe Covington come forth and start off up the one street, | , Dick then promptly went to the back. door, and forced it open by sheer pressure. Once in- side he explored the house from cellar to garret,. but found not ‘‘ hide or hair ” of Uncle Then, he began a closer exarmination. Entering the pantry, and shoving aside what was in reality a common dresser, an opening was revealed leading to a side cellar, which was reached by descending a steep flight of stairs, walled in on either side by heavy blocks of" stone, ae _ At the foot of these stairs was an iron-slatted door, secured by a padlock. oe Peering through into the innermost recesses of the tomb-like vault, Dick could see nothing ;, but, on calling ‘““Uncle Si!” that individuab came hobbling forward. ‘* By the great Jehosephat, boy, is that you?” he demanded. ‘‘ Fer heving’s sake let me out!” ‘Allright! Keep quiet, pop!” Dick replied, gently. ‘* Pve got a surprise for you, when I get you out of here!” : A s'prise. Sho! ye don’t say! ’Tain’t the gal!’ | ‘* Yes, it’s the gal! ing to instructions!” “On course J will! If Vd only ’a’ done it,. first. 1 wouldu’t be here, now!” ‘Do you know who your friend, Covingtom is?” Dick asked, as he began an attempt to force the lock open. : ‘+ All he told me was that he was a bad man, and if I’d gave him a deed to the old farm, he'd. let me off soon as he gota chance to ‘sell the: farm, but unless I’d do it, here I was to stay until I rotted.” “Well, that njce man, Covington, is your estimable son-in-law!” Dick said, unlocking the- door, ‘‘and if you're a bit spry, PU a a. chance to see him, He will soon in the: power of one less merciful than the law.” It did not them long to get out of the house, gaining: But, you must go accord--: and they made for Leonora’s tent, entrance as Dick had indicated. The old man was fairly boiling over with ex- ™s *. - ———————— ‘ . * ™ © Po To. we « a « —= oe OO ——_—S “se a