Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 700 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

6.0yo ‘ ; - _ ~ oe : Beads of perspiration started out upon the prisoner’s forehead, showing the great fear he experienced, ‘That is just the size of it,” Captain Death assured. ‘* You have five minutes te sottle up your earthly matters, and then off you go,” “ But, you—you will not killme! Yor must | not—you dare not!” Captain Death laughed. wr We have just killed a better man than you,” he informed. ‘You have just killed a man!” he gasped, Who was he?” . “ Your friend, Deadwood Dick.” ** My God' You don’t mean ft!” “Oh, but it?s so. Westood him up and shot him, and now he’s lending bimself as food for fishes down there in the underground river.’ ‘‘Oh! this is horrible, horrible! You must not kill me, men, you must not, you must not, I have a family East who will look for my re turn, and— But, you do not mean it, you can not mean it!” ‘You will find out that we do,” was the grim assurance, ‘Come, you are wasting your time If you have a prayer to offer, you had better be getting at it.” “Oh! this is horriblehorrible! Would you shoot me down like a dog?’ ‘No, we'll shoot you like a man,” ‘Oh! spare me, spare me! Spare me for the sake of the loved ones at home who will be expecting my return! Iam not ready to die, I can’t die yet.” **But you will have to, ** And why must I die? Because you are against us,” “Tl not oppose you any more, if you will let me go.” ** You lie.” ‘* No, no, 1 swear it”? r ‘Too thin, governor, and we Can’t believe it. You have offered ten thousand dollars for our capture, and have threatened to bring the soldiers against us, so we think it is about time just the same.” . we got rid of you.” ‘But I will take all that back, Spare my life, and I will get away from here in all haste, and never retarn,” ** Oh, that is a poor promise, that is. Once let you off, and let you get back to a place of safety, and you would forget all about it, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. Pilbrooke sunk back on the floor almost ex- hausted, and the guard resumed his post, But what of Deadwood Dick? Was he cold in death? or had he escaped# When the rifles pointed at him, he gave up all hope; he believed that his last minute on earth was at hand, and shut his eyes, Then began the cvunt, “Two,” be heard, and with the word came a thought, There was not asecond to lose, and the thought was followed by instant action, He remembered the chasm that yawned at his feet, and the fear he had had, on seeing it, that the coffin might fall over into it, Now that very fate was welcomed! Toremain there a second longer, meant certain death. A fall into the fissure might mean death none the less certain, Or the one hand was absolute certainty; on the other was the hope that, by miraculous chance, there might be an escape, That chance he welcomed, and acted, With the thought, he threw his weight sudden- ly to the left, and over toppled the coffin, just as the rifles cracked, The coffin struck the edge of the abyss, then bounded off into space, and he felt himself going down, down, ; Suddenly the foot of the coffin struck the rocks with force, and the casket burst open, The next instant there was a splash, and Dead- wood Dick found himself struggling iu water, with the remains of the coffin on topof him He had escaped death, so far, and had come through with whole limbs! Deadwood Dick was not a devout person by any means, but was a believer in God, and in this instance he saw the band of Providence in his timely deliverance, Catching hold of the side pieces of the coffin, he used them to support his weight in the water, and listened, He heard nothing, save the noise of the water, and was soon carried away from the place, here he was being carried to, he could not guess, but he felt comparatively safe, He knew he could not encounter worse dan- gers than those through which he had just In this manner something like half an hour 1L nd made his appearance again at Satan’ pring. A little after mid-afternoon the landlord of Grand Union received a call from up-stairs. Mrs. Worthington, he was informed, wanted to see him at her room, It had been let out by the lady that she was married, Wondering what she could want. the worthy host put on his best smile and went up to ascer- tain. He knocked at the door and was told to enter,. and going in, found the woman seated in & rocker near a window, ‘*Come in, Mr, Benson,” she invited, ** and sit down, I have something of importance tosay to you,” : Mine host put himself on the edge of a chair just within the door, and said he was at the service of his guest in any manner she might demand, ‘I take if you are an bonest man, Mr, Ben- son,” the woman spoke next, ““Wull, er, yas, I opine I be,” was the nse, he landlord appeared just a little uneasy, however, and wondered greatly what could be coming. ‘ And the guests of your house are under your protection,” the woman went on. “Ter be sure they is!” Baldy exclaimed. ‘“ Ef ary galoot hey said a word ter you thet—” ‘No one bas insulted me,” the lady assured, ; I want to inquire where Mr. Bristol is to- ay The question was direct, and right to the point. The landlord began to fidget a little, and. looked uneasy ‘““A good many hev asked that aire questiom ter-day,” he said. ‘“*f don’t know, e ar gone, an that’s all [kin tell aboutet, I opine he an’ Mr, Pilbrooke went off together.” ‘What! is Mr, Pilbrooke missing, too?” ** That’s what he ar’, ma’m,” ** Have they not been in town to-day?” ** Not a shadder of ’em, ma’m.” * Then there is foul play back of this, and f call upon you to investigate the matter immedi ately. I have done, wrong to put it off so long.” The landlord paled, and looked at the woman wonderingly, We'll make sure of you while we have got | was spent, though it seemed much lon to| ‘* What do you know about et?’ he demanded. d him, and then finally he found that he could dis- ** 1 know too much about it,” was the answer, de Mr. Pilbrooke’s terror was now pitiable, cern objects, ‘{ heard two men in the room next to mine, | Never had’ he been in a position to compare Looking up, he saw the stars shining, and | yesterday, plot to drug Mr, Bristol and dispose: with this. realized that he had come out of the under- | of him.” | ‘* Let me go,” he begged, ‘and I will give you | ground passage, ‘* Thunder!” ejaculated the landlord, spring~ my fortune All Task is my life, I will give | Where he was he had no present means of ing up. - you everything else I possess,” knowing, but he was alive and well. Ane lis face was ashy, and his manner greatly ex~ ‘¢ And how much are you worth?’ touching the bank, after a time, he caught | cited. ‘* A good million and a half.” hold of some bushes and pulled himself out of ‘“* Beg yer pardon,” he immediately added.., “Captain Death, thet aire ‘mount ar’ quite a | the stream, “‘fer thet aire cuss-word, Why didn’t yer tell: ' sum,” one of the four riflemen ventured. Getting upon his feet, then, he raised his hand | me off this sooner?” »! ‘*You are right in saying that,” the captain | and made a vow that, if life was spared him, he ‘* Because, first, 4 did not hear about the mat~ ' agreed, ‘‘ but itis beyond our reach, We could | would let those devils of Satan’s Spring feel the | ter till nearly noon, and then I waited, ho ing” never get it.” strong arm of Deadwood Dick. to hear that Mr. Bristol had returned, ut,. **'Yes you can, yes you can,” Mr, Pilbrooke tell me, who were the men in that room yester- assured, ‘ I will fix it in amy way you sugzest. OHAPTER XIII. day about this hour?” All I ask is my life, and to gain that I will sur ‘ ‘“‘ They was two cusses what hev gone awa render everything else, Only let me live to re- LOOKING FOR A HUSBAND, now,” was the answer to that, “ They went o turn to my family ” THAT day at Satan’s Spring was uneventful, | some time this forenoon, I opine we is too late. ‘*What do you say, men?’ Captain Death That is to say. it was so until mid-afternoon, | ter git ’em now.” » asked, or a little later. ~ “Ob! why did 1 not make itmy business to “Tf we kin make a fat stake out of him,” Of course the sudden disappearance of Dead- | inquire for Mr. Bristol early this morning!” spoke up one, “1 say let him off, I bet hell | wood Dick and Austin Pilbrooke had been ‘* Et would hev been jest ther proper thing te never come hyer again.” noticed before, hev done, na’m,” Baldy assured. ‘‘You are right, | never will,” declared Pil- Many had inquired where the new ‘ chief ” ** And vow it is too late, But, you must have : brooke. f was keeping himself, and Mr. Appleby had made | a search made, and that at once, I hold myself. ‘How much of this wealth can you command | inquiries as to Mr, Pilbrooke several times, responsible, almost, for whatever may have hap- at short notice, in solid cash?” the captain that Baldy benson bad to say was that he ned.” m asked, ite _ | did not know, Mr. Pilbrooke, he informed, had ‘Et shall be done,” Baidy promised, prompt- “A quarter of a million, anyhow,” was the | been found in the hall upstairs, considerably the ly. ‘“* But, kin Llinquire ef Mr, Bristol was a. fi reply 5 worse for wine, and had been put to bed. relation o’ yours?” he asked, eit _ And shall we hold him for that, men?’ Neither he nor Bristol had come down to ‘* He is nothing to me,” wasthe answer, * ii «Bt won’t do no harm ter try et,” suggested breakfast, and when a man was sent up to call | never saw him before yesterday, or rather the 1% one, _ | them, they were not found in their rooms, previous day on the stage, to be exact. Hear- % ““ And ef et don’t come ter time, then we kin} This was all that was known about them, or | ing the plot against him, however, I took occa- — Jn ill bim anyhow,” another added, oa all that any one seemed able to tell. sion to warn him, and he promised mé a service 4. “Weill,” Captain Death decided, “for the Where they had gone, and why, so suddenly, | in return.” | Rat © present you are spared. We will think the mat- were puzzling questions, “Wull, ma’m, I'll do all I kin -to’rds gittin’ ob ter over, and if we think favorably of it we’ll| Said High-hoss Noah: at this hyer thing, but et is ruther late now. 8 let you know,” ' “ They has got skart out, that’s what’s ther | Ef them fellers was his enemies, and they fol- uy The money shall be yours, every cent of it, | matter wi’ Havner. Ther young cuss war afeerd | lered him hyer ter kill him, most likely they aoe just as soon as it can be had,” Pilbrooke eagerly 0’ me, and ther old one didn’t want ter see no | hev done et. I noticed thet they got off in. ft assured, ‘*Only let me off with my life, and | more of this byerkentry, And et ar’ good fer | somethin’ of a hurry, Jl see what kin be Te that is alllask, Ill never show myself here | ther health of ther youngster thet he hev gone, | done.” so d fe ony that you may be sure of.” too. I tells yer I meant ter chaw him all up ** And you'll let me know what you learn?” A ’e will think it over,” the 9 ete ay es ter-day, sure’s he lived!” “Yas, ter be sure.” oh ed, as be drew away. ‘You will be held here, But this brave assertion was hooted at, since With that the landlord took his leave fron» ray’ eT guard, for the present.” Mr. High-hoss had already had ample oppor- | the room, and returued below. a With that he turned and went out of the tunity to do his “ chawing up.” A troubled look was on his face, and as he ra chamber, moi four men with rifles to| Still Mr. Noah went around blowing about | made his way down the stairs he was mutters lb follow. ole what he would doif “thet ar’ fresh rooster” | ing to himself. | SENT: hse ERS game ah eles | Ae ih \ ; at / ae An HPySs 7 Ma Sone iL . ‘ A : AS Y ree ye FF Z “ : . ; , Se * 4 < ‘ i, « ‘ 4 ‘ - é * i ~ 4 a a ; F- " z t ty ee ies fe eS e ¥ . : y . / \ YT fH 4 , * ? v “me” Ps F wee # a , F : ’ \ 6) _ => es { | < Y 2. ™ é a sa > ep ey Hs, + ss? f ‘ ‘ ‘ \ \ \ ‘ ‘ ) : a >) \ | al r ~*~. .. _* 7 d ” Be o* ‘ : P 4 4 A . 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