Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 684 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

: + ee ee “- += Ge — | LZ one and all, and take itin. You will live long and die happy if youdo, The best play out! ‘“THE THREE CUBAN SISTERS, “INEZ, ELODIE, AND JANTELIA, THE “ QUEENS OF SONG! ** See small bills,’’ So the posters set forth. ihe small bills were not out yet, but were promised, The agent bad to fill in the time and place of the company’s appearing. It was just growing dark when Deadwood Dick and Esmond Earle strolled up the gulch toward the canyon, smoking their cigars and talk- ing about the coming play, and of other things, “TIT have no doubt it will bea very cheap affair,” observed Earle, ‘* but of course it will be well patronized.” ‘‘No doubt about that part of it. But, did you find out anything about the man you thought might be your game?” ‘‘ He registered as Edwin Hargrave,” “That don’t prove anything.” “T know it, but how am I to get at him?” “We must try him together. If he is your man, we can trip bis tongue into a trap in some way or other,” ‘Well, it will do no harm to try it. I wishI bad some good clew to work on, IfI had ever seeu him, it would be different,” * Yes, then you would havea better chance, And the woman, did you learn anything about her? Did you get a look at her face? I did not see her at all after she entered the house. ‘‘Nor did I. She registered as Mrs, Marsh. I guess we shall have nothing to do with her.” ‘* Probably not.” They kept on their walk, till they were final- ly near the head of the canyon, when they stopped. ; ‘*Guess we don’t want to go any further this way,” remarked Dick. ** No,” agreed Earle. ‘* We mightrunagainst asnag in theshape of the Nemesis We don’t want to taste uf one of those silent bullets.” ‘*No, notany. Well, shall we wan¢er back?” ‘‘ May as well sit down herein the ¢ool and finish our cigars.” ‘* Just as you say! Perhaps we shall be favored with a sight of the ghost.” ‘*T don’t look for anything of that sort, but here is the bow}der where 1 sat the evening that A saw it,” They took seats upon the inviting stone, and went on with their talk, and soon had forgotten all about the ghostly mystery. While they were still there, and at the time when their conversation flagged for a moment, they heard other voices, and in the dim light saw two men coming up the trail toward the canyon, ‘**Those fellows must enjoy a dismal walk, if they’re going through the canyon,” remarked Dick, in low tone, ‘* And that’s where thy’re heading for,” said Earle. ‘*Do you know them?” ** Can’t be sure, but think I know one of them. He’s called Red Leary,” ‘ The fellows were now about abreast of where Dick and his companion sat, and were about to enter the canyon, when with exclamations of horror they stopped short. There before them was the ghost, the aveng- —eo oe of Nutmeg! ead wood Dick quickly grasped Earle’s arm, to warn him pot to speak or let their presence be known. But it was not necessary, for Earle had no thought of doing either, The two fellows recoiled in terror, as the ghostly figure raised its right arm and pointed at them. ** Well may you tremble,” came the words, in a hollow, deep yoice, ‘‘ Well may you fall back, for you know that you are doomed. You were trying to get away from me, but you cannot do that. The world is not large enough to hide you from me, Turn back, and prepare for death.” The words ceased, but the ghost figure stood still, the right arm pointing, and with only a moment’s hesitation the two frightened fel- lows wheeled and started for the town on a run, Deadwood Dick bad paid close attention to the voice, but could not find anything in it that suggested Miss Rulford’s, or could Esmond Earle, now, The voice was deeper and stranger than either of them had heard before, ——— It was probably disguised, anyhow. they be- lieved, so that counted for little. Still the ghost remained, and when Red Leary and his companion turned once, and saw it still there, they redoubled their efforts to get away. Then the right arm of the specter fell, and it turned back into the canyon. At that momevt Deadwood Dick sprung up. **One word, Lady Specter!” he cried, The ghost stopyed short and looked back, ** Well?” it queried, “Who and what are you?” Dick demanded, ‘*T recognize your voice,” was the answer ho got, “‘and you ought to know, Jam the Neme- sis of Nutmeg.” ‘Then I call upon you to surrender. You are | covered, and to try to run off will cost you your ns life. What will you do?” A laugb of defiance was the answer, ‘*‘ How would you set about killing a specter?” was the demand, ‘* You talk wildly. Instead, beware how you cross my path, or it may be the worse for you.” ‘*T did not mean what I said,” Dick explained, then, ‘‘ You asked a favor of mo the other night, I carried out your request, In return, will you not disclose your identity to me?” ‘* It is impossible, Iam a ghost, and nothing more, Would you be convinced of this? Then, behold!” The figure in white gave a wild flutter, as though suddenly caught i a strong wind, and was gone, And then back from the darkness of the canyon came the mocking laugh of the Nemesis, CHAPTER XIV. ANOTHER ‘‘ DAZZLE” ARRIVES, DEADWOOD DICK was amazed. He and Karle looked at each other. ‘What do you think-about it?” Earle in- quired, ‘* Hang meifI know what to think, now,” Dick declared. ‘* ]t disappeared right before our very eyes, in a true ghostly way.” ‘There is something mighty peculiar about the whole business, I don’t understand it, Well, we are left, that’s sure,” ‘*1¢ looks that way. Shall we go back to town?” ‘* Yes, let’s go and see what those fellows do,” So they set out, and in due season were again at the hotel, ** Seen anything of Red Leary?” asked Earle, of the landlord, a panes niqeeaan ‘* Jimminy!” mine host exclaimed, ‘* yes,” ‘* Where is he?” ‘* Him an’ Blue-bottle Jake went sailin’ past here a leetle while ago, sayin’ as how they’d seen ther ghost, an’ I reckon they headed straight fer ther Bung Hole.” The ‘‘ Bung Hole ” was the name of a saloon where the worst grade of the town’s denizens usually congregated, ‘* We'll take a walk over there,” said Dick, So they set out, The saloon in question was on the other side of the street, further down. In a few moments they were at its portals,and entered, The two fellows in question were there, both very much heated, and both greatly excited, as they were telling of their adventure, ** And what is yer goin’ ter do about et?” one of their cronies inquired. ‘* We can’t do nothin’ but keep out o’ sight as much as possible,” answered Red Leary. ‘‘ Why don’t yer dust out?” asked another, ‘* Et ain’t no use,” declared Blue-bottle Jake. ‘¢ Et has been tried afore.” _ ‘*Then do you mean to give up, and fall vic- ae as the others have done?” asked Deadwood ick, ‘‘Thar’s nothin’ else we kin do, fer thar’s no use fightin’ ag’in’ a spook. Weis goners, I al- low,” was Jake’s doleful response, ‘*Why don’t you disguise yourseives, and sneak away?’ Dick asked. ‘‘We don’t opine thar’ be any sort o’ use,” replied Red Leary. ‘Ther Nemmysus means biz, an’ that’s all thar is about et.” “Then you had better improve the time that is allowed you,” suggested Earle, ‘* Why don’t you make a confession of your misdeeds?’ asked Dick. ; The two rascals looked at him keenly, ‘“ Who be you, unyhow?” Blue-bottle Jake de- manded. ‘*T am just what I am,” wasthereturn, “ I’m a gentleman of wealth and leisure,” - And mebby you’re into this spook game, od — “'That’s where you are mistaken,” ‘‘Ther pair of ye jest kem up from ther can- you-way, anyhow,” some one in the crowd cried out, ‘‘That’s all right,” said Dick; “‘ we saw the ghost, too. But that don’t make it appear that we had any band in it, Such is not the case. We were simply out for a walk, and nothing more,” ‘‘That’s only your say so.” ‘‘Tf you will step out here and show yourself, Pll make it appear to you that it is so,” Dick promised, The fellow mumbled something, and lapsed into silence, Dick advanced to where Red Leary and Blue- bottle Jake were standing, and began to ques- tion them, in low tones. What he wanred to get at was, to learn what they had done, in the past, to incur the hatred of their enemy, the Nemesis, But he gained nothing. Their mouths were tight sealed on that question, and they would give him no Satisfaction. So finally he gave it up, and he and Earle went back to the hotel. They found Miss Rulford and two other ladies seated on the far end of the piazza, enjoying the evening alr. Stopping there for a moment, they both ob- served that there was nothing about the young woman’s appearance to indicate that she had recently figured in an exciting scene. She was as cool, calm, and pretty as ever. ‘‘Tt is settled that she is not the Nemesis,” remarked Earle, as they went to the bar-room, ‘That is the way it looks,” Dick agreed. He was far from saying that he was satisfied about it, however. Next morning the town had good cause for excitement, and had it to the full. Dead on the street lay Blue-bottle Jake and Red Leary, with bullets through the heart, and on them was pinued the terrible score: 6* XXX XXX AXKXX XT. It need not be said that the town went nearly wild, Where was this matter tostop? The score in- dicated that only two more would be called, but who would those two be? It could be fairly stated that every man trem- bled in bis boots—that is, every one who had any reason to tremble, Said Stephen Barnthal: “This unlawful work must end. What is oing to be done about it, men of Nutmeg? I enve itto you. What is going to be done?” ~ But no one offered to solve the problem for him, ““T’ll add another five thousand to that re- ward, that’s what J’ll do,” the big man of the burgh declared. ‘Ill make it twenty-five thousand dollars to any man who will bring this Nemesis to a halter.” There were few bidders, even at that price— in fact, none, As for Samson Crapps, be was knocked out entirely. When he heard the news he did not venture to leave the house, He told Barnthal privately that he would not be able to draw a full breath till that terrible score had been filled up complete, How the two fellows, Leary and Jake, had been got at, couid not be guessed, for they had declared their intention of spending the night in the rear room of the Bong Hoe and there the proprietor of that den had left them on closing for the night, When found, they vere about half-way be- tween the saloon and the hotel. It was truly a terrible vendetta. The dead men were taken up and buried, and, as one irreverent fellow observed, the cemetery was about the most thriving institution the town could boast, just then. é But all this did not interfere with the work that was being done in tbe building Deadwood Dick had bought, That was being pushed right along, and Eli Hoppole was proving that he was all he claimed to be. “Tl git thar, as Eli generally does,” he told Dick. ‘* You'll see ther work done by night,” “That is what I want,” Dick assured hi yrivately, ‘* You have it done * night, and ay give you a clean hundred dollars for the “I'm yer turnip, top and all,” Mr, Hoppole declared; ‘* Et aire as good as done already, Ef yer show comes ter town ter-night, they kin go on with their preformance, an’ Dick sought out Murry, the advance agent. ‘* When will that company of yours be bere?” - he inquired. : ‘It ought to be here this afternoon, sure,” he was told, ~~ —— ——————O eee Eli says so.” , ee os ae Se — — ~~ oh ook ee ~~ Fy tete se ee ee ee, 2 ~~ oh ook LD ~~ ~~ a ioe a :