Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 630 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

. _—_—_—_- ee + ‘d — a 4 ee oo sounds at all. Deadwood Dick Jr. i es “Tow will we approach Thornton's?” asked Dick, as they rode into the settle- ment. ‘‘On the north. It’s a big house, and the north side is the least used,” replied Oaks. ‘*T reckon we'd better kerlect some help, and surround the shebang,” the Annihilator suggested. aks laughed. * “You don’t know Thornton,” he said. ‘Tf he’s got the girl, he’s bought up every tough inthe town. If we were to try any funny business, we’d very likely run into a hornets’ nest.” ; ‘* Just my idea,” added Dick. ‘‘ We must gain entrance with as much caution as pos- sible.” ‘* Well, steer ahead!” On they went, but, when within a hun- dred yards of the Thornton dwelling, they halted. ** We'll leave our horses here,” said Oaks, ‘‘Tt won’t do to ride too close.” They accordingly cismounted. The rear of Thornton’s dwelling was as dark as doom, ‘*] reckon we're all right,” decided Oaks. ‘You wait here until I reconnoiter.”’ He went around to the front of the house, and soon returned. ‘‘Thornton’s up yet, late as itis. There’s a light burning, and we shall have to wait, unless we decide to storm the castle.” ‘No use waiting,” Dick replied; ‘‘ we're all armed, and can fight. Il take the lead. This‘time we'll have the girl, or Thornton dies!” In the rear of the house were three win- dows and a door. One of the windows was not fastened. Dick carefully raised it, and propped it up with a stick. Two minutes later all were inside, the room proving to be the kitchen. From this led three doors, as was ascer- tained by the light of a match. One led to the cellar, another toward the front of the house, and another to the rear door. - ‘‘ What’s the racket now?” asked Old Alva. **Go for Thornton in the front room where the light is.” ‘* Second the motion,” said Avalanche. They advanced to the door leading to the front. A glance through the key-hole disclosed alight in the next room, but that was all; there were no sounds of voices—in fact, no CHAPTER XX. THE TRAGEDY OF THE COUP. ‘(SHALL we bu’st in the door?’ queried _ Alva. ‘‘ Bu’'st it is!” responded Dick. All threw their weight at once against the slender barrier and it flew open suddenly, precepitating all into the room. What a sight met their gaze. _ ; Everything was in disorder as if a terrific fight had taken place. Chairs were crushed, the table was overturned and the front win- dow shattered. The lamp on the mantel shed but a dim oe over all but enough to show the scene of havoc. And more; for Dick’s quick eye caught the sight of blood on the doors trail of it leading out into the hall. At once following this, he almost stumbled upon a man’s rors lying at full length there. Quick! boy! bring the lamp!” he called u Oaks was at hand, in a minute, with a light, and there lay the Gladiator, seeming dead, yet bleeding from knife wounds ina half-dozen places. ; — he was not dead, for his pulse beat ain 0 the detective. ce ee ee eee ‘*Here, Alva, your flask! A few drops of liquor. The old man, with all the tenderness of a woman, took the head in his lap, while Dick poured a few drops of liquor down his throat. In a little while Golconda opened his eyes, and tried to arise but was helpless and inani- mate from exhaustion. ‘Do you recognize us?” ‘* Yes,”’ was the whispered answer. ‘*Don’t try to talk much,” enjoined Dick, ‘‘ but say yes or no to my questions, Did you find Thornton here?” ‘* Yes.” ‘* Were there others with him?” ‘* Yes, three.” ae they have the Singing Bird?” “Xe.” Jin a she brought from old Heep’s?” w eons “You fought them all?” 7 yea. =, fe a burst in through the front window?” ‘é “es,” Ls wane the Singing Bird in the room?” sé Tes,”” ‘‘ Was she bound?” ‘Only her hands,” ‘Where is she?” ‘She escaped.” ‘* During the fight?” meh So. Dick turned to speak to Jim Oaks, but Jim was not there. He had placed the lam on a near at hand chair and had vanished, completely, evidently having left the house, for he did not respond to the detective’s culls, Golconda fixed his eyes appealingly on va. ‘‘What is it, pard?” asked the old man, bending low, to catch the faint whisper. ‘* Oaks—gone—to—rescue—sister. Tell— Dick—go—to—to her dug-out—quick!” and with that he lapsed into total unconscious- ness again. , Old Avalanche was greatly excited, ‘*Quick, boyee!” he cried to Dick. ‘‘ Off for the gal’s house! Golconda’s dead gone again, but said before he fainted to follow Jim. You'll be wanted there—great ham- bone, yes! Wished I could go, but I must stay hyer with ther brave boyee. He mustn’t die—not if the old man kin help it, an’ I guess he kin,” Dick needed no other prompting. Out of the front door he bounded, away in the gloaming of the now early morning, and, in afew moments neared the dug-out, to hear yells, pistol-shots, shrieks. Then, out of the door came a commingled mass of humanity, four men engaged in mortal struggle, writh- ing. striking with fist and knives. ick rushed up to behold Jim Oaks in the rip of three ruffians, who were dealing him eath-strokes, Quick as a flash spoke the detective’s re- volvers—one—two—three! Each shot struck a brain and the three men of Thornton’s gang dropped in their very tracks, ‘In there, pard!” cried Jim, as he tottered and fell. Dick did not await to see to Oaks, but sprung into the room. The Singing Bird was crouched in one cor- ner, still, and seemingly dead. In thecenter of the floor were two men—Thornton on top of the old blind man, his hand on his throat, choking him to death. A blow from Dick’s revolver butt knocked the villain senseless, when he at once snapped a pair of manacles on Thornton’s wrists. At that moment in came a number of men of the town, aroused by the pistol-shots headed by. Jim Lane, the town marshal. ‘‘¢What in Heaven’s name does all this mean?” he demanded, fiercely, confronting Dick with drawn revolver, All the others apparently fierce for revenge, ly. " He has fainted from loss of blood,” said } had drawn their weapons and the detective n No-Man’s Land. 13 he literally hemmed in with leveled pis- tols. ‘‘Tt means,” replied Dick, undauntedly, ‘*that the career of that detestable villain— murderer, thief, counterfeiter and abductor, that he is—is ended, and that you, men of No-Man’s Land, when you know the whole truth, will make short shrift of Thornton and all his gang. thea tried to murder Golconda, they have slain Jim Oaks, they stole that poor girl and run her off to Old Heep’s, they ' blew up the Puerto and so killed both Old Heeps and his wife, and that old man lying: there, who is the real father of Singing Bird, Thornton was just on the point of stranglin to death when I knocked him senseless ind put on the manacles. ‘‘Men of Beaver City! I am a United States detective!” and throwing back his coat. he displayed his badge—‘‘I simply ask you now to see that that scoundrel does not get away, and to help me look after the Singing Bird and her father. They both may be dead but I hope not. If we can save them you shall then hear from their own lips, what wrongs they have suffered at the hands of Thornton, and you yourselves shall decide what shall be his fate. ‘Is that a fair proposition?” ** In course it is!” assented the town mar- shal, and with that, pistols were all replaced in belts, and the now good-natured crowd lent all assistance to Dick and the marshal. to restore the girl and the blind man to con- sciousness. The old man soon came to, but Singing Bird was in a deep swoon. She was unin- jured, bodily, but, overcome with fatigue and fright she had sunk into that condition of suspended animation which rests over the. border land of death _A full hour Dick and his assistant labored and waited; then, with a low sigh, the heart. action was renewed and in a little while she, was conscious again. When the.eves unclosed, Dick was holding her hand and bending over her. At first she was startled and affrighted, but, in a moment, realized that she was in good keeping again. ‘You are with your friends, now, Sing- ing Bird,” said Dick, reassuringly, ‘‘ so be of good heart.” ‘* Yes!” was all she answered, but the look of peace upon her sweet face assured the men that all would be well with her in a lit- tle while. CHAPTER XIX. A SURPRISE PARTY. THORNTON was taken to his own home by the crowd. He had regained his wits and was made to walk. How he anathematized the men around, who, from once having been his tools and admirers, now jeered at. his downfall! Some he roundly cursed— some he pleaded with to be relieved of the manacles; but, following the marshal’s or- ders, ‘‘ to shoot down the first man who at- tempted to set him free,” the ‘‘chief” of Beaver City was held a safe prisoner in hig own house. | The crowd arrived there to find the old An- nihilator still watching beside Golconda. They soon learned from him the whole story of that exciting night’s work, so far as he knew it, and when they, in turn, told him of the tragedy at the dug-out, the old fellow’s. eyes blazed balefully. ‘By the horn of Joshua!” he cried, step- ping up to Thornton, handling his knife, un- easily, ‘‘I’d like to send you to kingdom. come; but, that must be Golconda’s privi- lege, if so be the poor feller ever gets on his. regs again.” ‘he young Gladiator did get on his legs again, but only after weeks of suffering, and long after the miserable wretch, Thornton, had been sent to his doom by the mob of Beaver City, who bewailed the fact, that. | OO} e) Geom (E oe “sS