Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 630 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 Deadwood Dick Jr. in No-Man’s Land. eee eee the daughter, he might get a big slice of | would be necessary; so, seizing his razor, off | came the hirsute in a jiffy, and the change Jackson’s large fortune, when the girl grew up and he married her,” ‘“‘I have known that Thornton has long had agreat desire to get possession of my Singing Bird. Icall her my Singing Bird, because I love her—once loved her as a brother, but since I have found out her parentage, I love her as a lover. I do not know who I am, but I don’t believe 1 am in any way related to Waukesha. There may be Indian blood in my veins, but it’s not all Indian.” ‘* 1 don’t believe it is,” Dick asserted. ‘“That’s neither here, nor there,’ Lane 1n- terposed. ‘‘If we are goiag to find the Singing Bird, it is time we began the search. ae ha is, that we had better work separate- ye **T second the motion!” Dick assented. ‘* Yes, it will be best!” said Golconda. Just then, Dick’s mind reverted to Old Avaianche. “‘T had an old friend in the audience,” he said. ‘‘ I want to see if he still remains. He is very clever in my line.” He darted out into the main tent. Only those whom Golconda had employed still remained; Avalanche had gone with the crowd, This rather surprised Dick, who had ex- pected the Annihilator to sev-k him out: When he returned to the tent, he said: ‘* My friend has gone, but I will find him and put him on the trail!” “Well, IL can’t do much now. I must at- tend to the corpse,’’ Golconda said. ‘‘ You two can go to work at once, however—the sooner the better. My reward offered will hold gocd!” eH : CHAPTER XI. REFLECTION. AccorDINGLy, Dick and Lane left the tent, and separated, Dick going to the hotel, and to the room assigned him, on his ar- rival, Here he took a bath, and a good rub-down, and, having no bruises or wounds to nurse, - he once more felt like himself, again. Then he sat down to think. » How should he go to work, to find the Singing Bird? Wholly unacquainted with the topography of No-Man’s Land, he was not prepared to do any very shrewd detective work. The denizens were different from ordi- nary people, their habits were different, their methods were different, their habita- tions were different, and their hatred impla- cable, Having no redress, so far as their griev- ances were concerned, except by the rifle, revolver or shot-gun, they were not exactly a congenial class of people to meet. Who were the ones to take under surveil- lance? he asked himself. Jim Oaks, of course, for one, and Thomas Thornton, alias Nick Bray, for another. But, who else? Perhaps, John Bailey, or some of the gang at Tim Hale’s might know something about the matter, but this was ~ somewhat doubtful. = Oaks had evidently taken the girl either for himself, or for Thornton, but, for which one of them? That was the question. Which did Oaks care for the most?—the girl or the money which Thornton would give for possession of her? ‘The money, Dick desired. The detective now opened his big trunk, and looked over his large and motley stock of disguises; then surveyed himself in the glass, and then re-examined the stock that had served him in so many different adven- ' Lures, He then gazed in the glass again. . Should he part with his mustache, which was just getting out so as to look like some- thing? Yes, in order to carry out his plans, that “Oh, you know me, then?” “Why not?” Thornton exclaimed. ‘I’m not a fool. I sized you up the minute you first came into my presence. If I am a rogue, as you intimate, then I am smart enough to beat you. I know you are a de- tective, and have been offered a price to put up a job on me. Go ahead and do it, and in his appearance was complete. It was a disguise in itself, Knowing this, and that he had only been | but a few hours in No-Man’s Land, Dick | concluded it non-essential to wear any | beard. | He then arrayed himself in a fine suit of | see what the result will be!” black, patent-leather shoes, and a plug, and, ‘“Do you intend that for a threat?” Dick armed with a gold-headed cane, he sallied | coolly asked. forth, ‘* You can take it as you please,” was the Doc Gray had hitherto been the only man | reply. in Beaver City who was allowed to wear a ‘You deny that you know anything of plug hat; hence, the audacity of Dick’s | Jackson?’ ‘Absolutely nothing!” ‘* You are an unmitigated liar!” Dick re- plied. ‘‘ Bill Jackson is in this camp, as I | believe, and Belle, his daughter, has myste- riously disappeared. Yow are the author of the disappearance.” Thornton stared at him—rather, glared at breaking the rules surprised even the oldest citizen, It was, in their minds, Simon-pure impu- dence; but some of the crowd recognized in that dude, the hero of the arena, and the word passed along the line to let himalone. A man who could ring ten out of ten bull’s- eyes, was not to be trifled with. him. So Dick escaped a bullet through his hat. ‘Well, as far as Bill Jackson is con- Dropping into several resorts to see if he | cerned, or Belle Jackson, or any other Jack- could get a glimpse of Jim Oaks, he made | son, you will have to inquire of some of the for the house of Thoinas Thornton. | members of the Jackson family, for you will ‘‘T may be able to catch a clew,” he said | not find out anything there, that is sure!” to kimself. ‘‘If Thornton is Bray, I am But Dick was not to be bluffed, and per- pretty sure to detect the fact!” sisted: ‘* You know where Singing Bird is, and I want to kaow. It was through your instru- mentality that she was kidnapped, and now I want to know where she is!” ‘You will have to ask some one that knows,” was the response, ‘I know ab- solutely nothing about it. If she was kid- napped, it was by some one else than me. The chances are that she ran away, in order to escape becoming your victim!” * Oh!” and Dick smiled, sarcastically. ‘That is a nice idea, Mr. Bray, but, it won't work. ing Bird is, I'll find her, and I'll make this town so hot for you that you will wish you had never seen it!” “Bah! 1 don’t fear you,” was the taunt- ing reply. ‘*‘ You may be a gladiator, and all that, but I stand in no fear of you. If you ain't very careful, ll have you fired bodily out of town, with tar and feathers in the bargain.” ‘‘It will be you who gets fired,” Dick re- plied, grimly. ‘‘It may be that you do not know where Bill Jackson is, but I am cer- CHAPTER XII. BEARDING THE LION. When Dick arrived at Thornton’s resi- / dence, and rapped at the door, a woman ser- vant answered his summons, ‘‘Ig Mr. Thornton in?” Dick asked, ‘‘or John Bailey?” ‘Mr. Thornton is in. living here.” ‘* Well, [ want to see Mr. Thornton.” “ Wait,” said the servant, ‘‘ who shall I tell Mr. Thornton wishes to see him?” **A gentleman.” ‘From where shall I tell him you come?” ‘Simply say that an acquaintance wants to see him.” The servant closed the door abruptly in his face, and Dick had to remain fully ten min- utes before he got an answer. At last the servant appeared. ‘‘Mr. Thornton will see you,” she said, stiffly. ‘‘ Come in, sir!’ Dick entered, and was conducted along the hall, to a back parlor, and bidden to take a seat, ‘Thornton will be in directly,” she said, even more stiffly than before, The room was rather nicely furnished, the most conspicuous piece of furniture being | the safe. Thomas Thornton entered directly, and regarding the caller steadfastly for a mo- ment, abruptly said: ‘* Well, sir, Ihave not the honor of your acquaintance—what do you want?” ‘‘T asked to see Mr. Thornton,” Dick re- sponded, warmly, ‘‘but should have said icholas Bray, as I believe you are. Will ou inform me where Mr. Bill Jackson ives?” ‘* Bill Jackson? There’s no such man here in Beaver City that I know of, and I never heard of Nicholas Bray!’ “Nor ever heard of Mr. Jackson, I sup- pose?” ‘7 know nothing of that person.” ‘*Would you like to have Bill Jackson produced before you, and let Aim declare who you are, and what you have done?” ‘Not the least objection in the world,” was the retort. ‘‘As you have the Singing Bird, maybe ou will consent to have her present at the interview ?” Thornton laughed at this, ** You havea nerve,” he declared. “ What do you suppose I know of the whereabouts of Ahetng Bird? You won her—you should know where she is.”’ John Bailey is not will give you just two hours to decide whether you will tell me or not. belongs to me, by the terms of the contest, and I intend to have her. lain the Navajo. I also mean to see the man whom like a horse-thief, on account of Old Rocks, You will find him an interesting person to deal with. With this prospect before you, don’t you think it and tell me where Singing Bird ‘s?” ‘You will have to excuse me,” with de- fiant irony. Dick eyed the man a moment, in silence, His effrontery was sublime. His face was as mild and serene as that of a country dea- con. Dick arose. ** Very well, Mr. Bray,” he said. ‘‘I will bid you good-by—but only for a short period. You will see and hear from me later.” He then left the house, feeling not entirely satisfied with the result of his interview, for he really had gained nothing, more thana conviction, stronger than ever, that Thorn- ton knew of, and was concerned in the ab- duction of the Singing Bird. The next thing was to hunt up the habi- | tation of the Singing Bird, for Dick had un- | If you don’t tell me where the Sing- . tain you do know where his daughteris. I The girl Further, I mean — to help Bill Jackson recover what your vil- | robbed him of, through the agency of © _ you employed to kill Old Rocks, strung up : i ‘‘ Having accomplished this much I drop : out, and you can have a turn with Golconda, | would be advisable to throw up the sponge « * , » a es