Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 672 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

away, and although Dick called to her to stop, she gave him no attention. _ **Poor girl!” he mused, as he watehed her till she disappeared, ‘‘I can hardly blame her for the revenge she is seeking. There is danger that she will be caught, however, and if she is they will make short work of her in 4 the town, She had better stop now and get one, while she can.” | . e stood silent and thoughtful for some U5) time, but finally mounted again and set out _. on his return to town. , a Only a little distance, however, had he | gone, when he met a surprise. ‘* Hands up, thar!” Such was the startling order, and two men sprung out into the road in front of him. Deadwood Dick was in their hands neatly. The men were Brandon and O’Leary. ‘Up with your hands,” Brandon repeated, ‘for we'll tumble you out of that saddle without any nonsense about it.” ‘‘Dhat’s dhe chune, b’gobs!” echoed O'Leary. ‘‘Up wid ’em, or down comes yer kerkiss, an’ yez hear phwat Oi say?” There was no way out of it, so Dick had to comply. “Anything to be obliging,” he quickly 3 assented. oe ‘*You will oblige us further still, before 4 we are done with you,” declared Ned Bran- | don. ‘‘ You did acute thing in getting out i of our hands, but we have doubled on you | and — game is up.” a ‘ 7 ‘ez kin bet yer loife it is!” chimed in the elt, if “Well, in what way can I oblige you?” dt Dick asked. ne * By turning your horse into this by-path,” | _ returned Brandon, and following my partner, te while I cover you from behind with my rifle.” ** And what will come next?” . “You will learn all in good time, and | You'll find that you didn’t make anything by _-—s- your escape and rescue of that girl.” ‘*And if I decline to go with you, what then?” ‘* We'll leave you here in the road, dead, m3 =6=S—Sséjust as sure as you're born.” feta _. Dick saw that they meant it—that he was _ inadilemma, and the way to get out of it did not appear. > & But, there was nothing for him to do ex- > oe to follow directions, so he allowed O'Leary to take the horse by the head and lead it, while Brandon followed after. Dick hoped that something would occur to give him a chance to draw his revolvers, when he would make music in the air for the fellows in about as short a time as they could think about. In another moment, however, another startling thing happened. There came the report of arifle; then Dick heard a groan and fall behind him. The Irishman looked quickly around, as also did Dick, and they beheld Brandon ly- ing in the dust. n almost the same second the rifle spoke again, and down went O'Leary. Dick was amazed. **T seem to have a friend around here,” he reflected. +‘‘ Who canit be, unless it’s young Nahe Wyndham?” Tm ges tho e was looking in the direction from which ; BR the shots had come, and presently a person | | came in sight, rifle in hand. é & ie yi That person was none other than Calamity Jane, Jr. ) _ _.“ You see me again in life, after all,” she observed, | | ““And you have done me a big favor,” re- Y . y ; |} turned Dick. ‘‘Haye you killed the fel- q ey lows?” . from the hill, | in d to kill, but Brandon was making ready | ‘ : : . ‘ THs : \ . base. any re : > — — <> Poy Pe < he “> 4 sg _ ?, *” * ad > 1 a ~~ oo Dd tai ‘‘That’s what I fired to do. It was their 8 ae life or ypurs, as I well knew. 1 happened to see them, as I looked b and well knowing they meant mischief to __- you, I came back this way on the run. I ree q + od ° - ‘ , . : yo | ep ®t '7 5% oy, es ¥ i J rh \ s o ¥ Pn! ‘ 4 f ie ap oat we I ‘ er. . “~ Ld t. Fa Gat © |! “ay ¥ ~*~ ' | 4 * 7, A a . fed . : ae 4 ~ ~ aad 4 - ie o~ ©, “tr | ‘ oe Py gt tn 34 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Durango. , ac} 13 to kill you. He had stopped, and was in the act of raising his rifle, when I fired. But, once more, farewell, I have business else- where.” - CHAPTER XVI. DEADWOOD DICK’S CLOSE CALL. Dick looked after the girl as before. ‘She is a daring one,” he mused, ‘‘and has good faith in me, knowing the reward that is offered for her, and how easily I could assure her capture.” The girl did not look back, but went stead- ily up the trail, her rifle upon her shoulder. She showed no fear of any one. ‘‘She will be taken yet, before she is ready,” Dick reflected. ‘‘She had better have a care how she keeps to the main roads. Let her be taken, and she will be hanged as surely as 1 see her now. The roughs and toughs of Durango are now fierce for her life.” At that moment a shout broke upon his ears, and he turned in the direction from which it came. There, just coming into sight over a ledge, were half a dozen horsemen, who had caught sight of the gir] outlaw. ‘‘ Thar she be!” he heard their leader yell. ‘*Come on, boyees, and we'll have her, and then we'll finger that prize money!” All urged on their horses, and came down the slope at full gallop. Dick looked in the direction of the hunted young woman just in time to see her give a wave of defiance as she disappeared into the bushes, Dick could not forget the service she had so recently rendered him, and felt in duty bound to return the favor. There was little time to debate the question, had he felt inclined to do so, so he acted immediate- Wheeling his horse, he dashed down to the main trail, and, stopping right in front of the on-coming horsemen, leveled his re- volvers fat them and commanded them to come to a halt—which the astonished pur- suers proceeded to do in all haste. ‘**Hold up here, men, and give an account of yourselves,” Dick ordered. ‘* What be De stoppin’ us fer?” the leader hotly demanded. ‘‘ We’re after that mur- derer, and we almost had her, too.” ‘So I observe,” Dick returned. ‘‘ And what d’ye mean by it?” *‘I’m going to give her ten minutes in which to escape from you.” ““No yer won't, nuther! Ride ther cuss down!’ ‘Move a step at your peril!” warned Dick, Forward, men! grimly. ‘‘Keep up your hands, every one of too. I’m in command, here, just They did not disobey, though they stormed furiously. ‘*Ther cuss is in league with ther gal!” one accused, ‘* Yas, and he’d orter swing with her, too,” echoed another. ‘“Tarnation! Jest look a thar!” cried a third, pointing up the by-path, where the two bodies lay. ‘‘More murder, eh?” roared the leader. ** You'll swing with ther gal fer this, me fine feller,” “Tt does not look like it. at present,” re- sponded Dick, carelessly. ‘‘I seem to hold the best hand at present. Keep up your hands, there, or taste lead.” The party fretted and fumed, and swore viciously, but all to no purpose, for’the re- doubtable Richard held them covered and did not let his eyes wander for a second. ‘“‘Did you kill these men?” the leader de- mere he ; . aia | Sy “‘Tam happy to sa id not,” was the answer Dick made, Me I had a close call from them, ae ah Lt i 7 ; 1 " rz) walk + ! Ll t? | ~ee ah ot a ‘ - A a rr ji 4 we ae Ps ‘1 . however, and only for the girl, | . ‘ _ v Uta a, w ae af : an} Py! ’ + rhe i . 2 oe : ; ¥ 5 would now be where they are. She saved me.” ‘“Ther deuce, yer say!” ‘It’s a fact. They were about to do for me for balking a little game of theirs, when the girl took a hand in it and dropped them. You see, I owe her my life, and | am return- ing the favor by holding you here at bay for a time,” ‘But you'll git inter wuss trouble by it, | see if yer don’t.” ‘‘T’'ll take the chances of that. Keep your hands well up there, or there is danger that you'll get hurt.” | So he held them until the ten minutes were about up, and he was sure that Belle Brennan had placed herself well beyond their reach. ‘*Now,” he said, finally, drawing his horse to one side, ‘‘ride on and if you can find the girl you will be smarter than I take you to be. Be off or the trail will be so cold you'll never pick it up.” There was no more delay. The pursuers urged their horses on, and soon passed out of range, while the detective went on in the di- rection of the town. ‘‘They’ll never find her,” he mused, ‘‘ She is too smart for fellows of their stamp, and she must be well out of danger by this time. | Well, now that 1 have made a treaty with the avenger, I will pay a visit to Wyndham’s den again, and force him to terms. First, though, 1 must make sure that Ethel is safe. I do not feel satisfied on that pdint since Brandon halted me.” He put his horse to good speed, and soon swung into Durango, to make his way imme- diately to the house where he had left Ethel. As he drew near he saw her coming out, and called to her. She looked at him in surprise. ‘* Where are you going to?” he asked, ** Why,” was the answer, ‘‘I was just go- ing to meet you, as your note directed.” ‘**] have sent you no note,” Dick declared. “You have been imposed upon, and would have walked into a trap had I not been just. in time.” ‘‘Is it possible! What an escape I have had! Who was it that sent the note?” ‘*T cannot say, but it is certain that it was: Wyndham or his tools. Two of them will bother you no more, however.” ‘Why, what has become of them? Have: ou put them urder arrest? I hope you ave. That is what-they all deserve, and I’d like to see them get their dues.” ‘‘It is worse than that,” Dick returned. ‘‘ They are dead. But, I must go on. Re- turn into the house, and keep yourself close. I will send you no such notes as the: one you have received, so do not be deceived. again,” . The girl went back into the house, and Dick rode away. Some time later he was at the Wyndham mansion. The Chinaman answered his ring. ‘*Is your employer in?” Dick asked. **No, him not in,” the Celestial replied, ** Where is he?” ‘** Gone out.” , ‘* Fool! I mean, where has he gore to?” ‘* Allee samee don’t know,” the Chinaman returned, sleepily. - Dick pushed past him into the hall, ‘*T’ll take a look around, while he is out, then,” he observed. ‘‘ Have you any objec- tions? If you have it don’t make any differ-— ence, so you needn’t take the trouble to say anything.” he Chinaman looked as if at loss what to do. “Shut the door,” Dick directed; ‘‘and then lead the way to the room where the safe is,” set about obeying the second, He led the way to the door of the middle — room, and threw it open. | “Go right in,” Dick ‘te | - a ot a as nt ae ° . a a) | - ‘ L- # Ce Zz ay - w a We —_ 4 ra y | a So ; 7 eS wb: “ i = The ‘ pig-tail ” obeyed the first order, and __ » " 4 ? , . a ‘ ee | “+ j - * further directed. fv ; ae Owe hes te be ony ete ro 4 a aa ay, re , - -_ i. ? an