Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 700 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ees WEE ee ee ae ee ee —e “ ‘ ‘ e : : ar << . ——— . e ' 4 ; : 6 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. Sa at ey “7 :_ Like a conquering hero he had come forth; he went back like a whipped cur. But the one thought of revenge burned in his brutish brain. Deadwood Dick entertd the bar-room, with the intention of soon seeking his room for the night. It was still early, but he was tired, and disgusted with the affair of fisticuffs that had been forced upon him, wanted to get away; so he called for his candle, and made his way up to his room, But, there a surprise awaited him. Resting on two chairs, by the side of the bed, was an open coffin! ' Dick gave a start, steel-nerved as he was, ‘What was the meaning of this? It must be that he had entered the wrong’ room, No, for this was the one his key called for, Stepping for- ward, he looked into thecoffin. It was empty, but in the bottom Jaya card on which was vrint- ed, in big letters, the name— *sDEADWOOD DICK.” CHAPTER VI. VOICES FROM BELOW. . Wuart did it mean? Dick stood and looked at the name in the coffin, trying to think. a Who was there at Satan’s Spring who knew him? He could not imagine, but it was not to be doubted that some one did, In the first place, there was the warning note he had received, and now came this more ter- rible and more significant warning—a coffin ready for his reception! ' But Dick Bristol was worth a dozen dead men et. , Putting down his light ou a table, he took the ecard out of the coffin and looked tosee if it con- tained anything more, There was nothing on it but the name, so he tore 1t up and threw it away as useless, then he gat down to gh the matter a little study. First of ail, some person or persons here knew him. Next, they had no friendship for bim, that was clear. Who could they be? ‘ But, that was a vain question, since he could not guess, “They are too much interested in me by half,” he mused, ‘' When a man finds a coffin provid- ed for himself, then it is about time for bim to inquire who his over-considerate friendsare, A coffin provided for Deadwood Dick, eh? Well, now, I don’t believe I am ready for my wooden overcoat yet. A coffin isa good thing to have when it is wanted bad, butit is never wanted bad till it’s needed, and I don’t feel the need of - one just now ” So he communed with himself, while he turned the affair over in his mind, the question what he should do about it. He was inclined to shove the thing under th: bed, and go to bed, but fur- ther thought led him to change his mind, He left the room and went down to the bar room, where he spoke quietly to the landlord, ‘*Do you make it a rule to supply your guests with coffins, landlord?” he inquired, soberly, Baldy Benson loooked at him in amazement, ‘ No, I opine not,” he answered, ‘* What makes yer ask sich a question es that aire?” ne a booked me for room twenty, didn’t ou : **'Yas, that’s your room,” “Will you please explain, then, why I finda coffiin by the side of the bed, on two chairs?” ‘**You must be crazy!” the landlord ejacu lated, ‘Not a bit of it,” Dick assured. ‘‘ There isa coffiin there as big as life, and if you don’t be lieve it, just come up and see for yourself.” The landlord made up bis mind right away that he wanted to see for himself, so calling a man to take his place tor a tew minutes, he went with Dick up to the room here the coffin was, The coffin was still there, ana Baldy could but fook at it in undisguised astonishmnt. ** Didn’t you ever see it before?” Dick asked. “* Never in my life,” the landlord assured. ‘Well, this is a gol” Dick exclaimed. “TY thought perhaps it was one you had about the house somewhere, and it had been putin here for a joke.” “Never had sich a thing about ther house,” was the assurance. ‘I don’t know what ter make of et.” ‘Neither dol, Is there auybody in the town who makes coffins?” “Not ter'my knowledge ther’ ain’t.” ** How do you bury your dead?” “* We jest roll ’em in a blanket, onless it hap- a ter be a prominent citizen, when we sets r work and makes him a box, We can’t do - mosich job as this hyer, however, I’m stuck,” “Well, don’t say anything about it for the present, and we'll see what comes of it.” ‘‘ All right; jest as you say; but, I’d like ter know ther meanin’ of et, and ef you kin find out I want yer to tell me. won’t have sich busi ness goin’ on in my house ef I know ef,” ‘Good enough; I'll post you, if I learn any- thing that can interest you. Here, let’s shove the thing under the bed.” ‘‘And ain’t yer afraid ter sleep in ther room with et?” Baldy asked. Dick laughed. ‘ Afraid'of a coffin!” he cried. ‘Tt might be a sign of bad Inck, ye know.” ** Which it will be, when I find out who put it here, you bet!” The landlord helped him to put the coffin under the bed, and then went out, and Dick was again alone. Locking the door, and making sure that all was in order about the room, he resumed his chair and lighted a cigar. | His thoughts were busy enough, as he sent rings of smoke vie upward, Was he to be- lieve that the landlord knew nothing about the coffin? If so, by what manner of means had it come into that room? How had it been carried into the house? How had it been produced in so short a time, if it had been brought there especially for his benefit? uzzling questions, all of them, and no satis- fying answers were forthcoming to any of them, ‘‘See here,” Dick suddenly said to himself, rousing up, for he was growing sleepy; ‘“‘ there may be danger in this room for me to-night. I must be prepared for it.. I haye had experience with rooms that had secret doors. I am goin to sleep like a brick, when [ once drop off, and it won’t pay for me to get caught.” He sprung up an@took a turn or two around the room. sc | | His mind was busy the while, trying to invent some means of protection. For a time he considered one thing and an- other, such as tacks on the floor for the feet of any one who might come; or a string around the bed, on chairs, to signal the approach of any person, but finally he came down toanother and more simple plan, He decided to mako a bunk on the floor, at the foot of the bed, putting a row of chairs,in front of it so that no one could approach without moving them. Hae ‘*That will answer well enough,” he-decided, “ff any one means to take me foul in the night, he will expect to find me in bed, and I'll have one more chancé to meet him on even footing.” | He did not arrange anything until he bad put out his light, however, for he knew that with a light in the room his plans could be discovered if any one were watching. Finally, when he was ready to go to sleep, he put out the light, and having taken careful note of everything about the room before doing so, proceeded at once to arrange his bed as planned fn alittle time the work was done, and laying off only his hat and coat, he got in, pulled the chairs in line, and lay down, When he laid his head on the pillow he heard some one talking, and raised himself up on his elbow to listen. The sound was gone immediately, and think. ing that it might have been some one shouting in the bar-room, he lay down. But the moment his head touched the pillow he heard the voice again, Ouce more he raised up quickly, and as quick ly it ceased. 3 ‘“* Well, what is the meaning of this?’ he asked himself, ‘* What voice is that, and where does it come from?” He listened, but did not hear it, so he lay down again, determined to give the matter no further attention. It could not concern him, anyhow, he reasoned, When his ear came in contact with the pillow, however, there was tle voice, and it sounded so distinctly that Dick fancied he could almost catch some of the words that were spoken, Suddenly, as he listened, an explanation of it all came to his mind. The voice must come from the room below, he reasoned, and by laying his head close to the floor he could hear it, but not otherwise, That being so, he would be enabled to hear all the more clearly if he were to put his ear to the bare floor, discarding the pillow altogether, tbus having nothing between. No sooner thought of than put into practice, Rolling off the buak with head and shoulders, he laid his ear against the floor. Immediately the talking seemed to grow loud- er, though in reality the tones were low, and he caught every word as plainly as though the per- sons had been in that very room, “And you are positively certain that this man is Deadwood Dick the detective, are you?” were the words that he heard uttered, “ Burekal” Dick exclaimed, Hearing his own name mentioned, awakened every faculty, and he was full of interest and resolve to hear all be could. ** Of course I am,” was the answer, “Then you must have some means of know- ing positively. Just tell me what they are, if you will,” ‘* Well, they are simple. Deadwood Dick's name is Richard M. Bristol, and such is the name this man has registered bere, Then, if that were not enough, this Deadwood Dick is a. holy terror at fighting. You saw*how he laid out High-hoss Noah,” ‘Well, two good points, I admit, but not proof positive. Still, proof enough to warrant your deductions. He must be made to get out. of bere, by some means or other.” ‘“‘ Exactly, and that’s what he has been warned todo, If he don’t heed the warning, then force will bave to be used.” There was then a pause, Dick was trying hard to recognize their voices, but failed to do so, “So. Iam not wanted here,” he thought. “I have heard that, before. But, my fine fellows, that is a sure sign that I am.wanted here the worst way. We'll see how this business will come out.” “ But, what plan will we use, if he don’t go?” one of the speakers asked alter a moment, “That is something that will have to be plan- ned,” responded the other, ‘‘ It cannot be ar- ranged at a moment’s notice.” ‘*No, I should imagine not,” thought Dick, and he smiled grimly. CHAPTER VIL DICK HINTS A WARNING, THERE was another pause, then, Dick kept his ear glued to the floor, listening. He considered himself richly in luck that he had stumbled upon this, But, then, had he stumbled upon it? When he recalled the coftin and the cause that had led him to bunk on the floor, he looked upon it as more than mere chance. “There is deep raseality going on here,” he told himself, *‘ and their over-carefulness is just what is going to bring them into trouble. 1 so in nine cases out of ten, too,” And his guess was about as near the truth ag he could have come, Only for their efforts to scare him away, be would now bave been in bed and in all probability fast asleep. | Presently the conversation below was_ re- sumed, ‘‘ | believe they ship bullion again to-morrow,” one remarked, ‘* Have you heard how much?’ ‘ Not in exact figures, but a big sum,” ‘ Do you think it will get through?” “ T doubt it.” / “Owing to Captain Death, eh” “ Yes, owing to Captain Death and band.” ‘ But, I believe Appleby is going to send am armed escort with the stage,” ‘Yes, so he is, now that old Pilbrooke is here.” ‘‘ What does he have to say about it?” ‘¢ He means to put an end to the business if he can.” ; ‘¢ And how does he propose to do it?” ‘ Well, he is going to raise the reward, and he'll give a special offer to-morrow to any man who will kill the road-agent if he appears.” — ‘*Ha! hal ha! How does hee t to killa skeleton, I would like to know? I tell you what itis it this Deadwood Dick could not bring him down, with the shot he let go at him, bullets will never harm him,” | ‘ It looks that way; but, that’s the arrange- ment, nevertheless, 1 tell you old Pilbrooke is on the war-path, Ho has sunk a barrel of money in the Little Joker, and he wants to seesome re- turn for it.” ; ‘And I don’t blame him. But he might as well have remained out Hast, for all the good he I i ns, rs uuk voutresiatt If natives of the soil can’t deal with the road-agent, no use his try~ * And, what is more, if he goes to making him- self too numerous around here, he may find him- self suddenlv out of wind. Captaim Death is a man who will stand no foolishness.” | “Tfa manhe be. You did not add that, £ don’t well see how a being that bas no flesh om —— ~~ a : er me. a ee ; Z - ne }e/, me pa > eel gren > vA ve 8 ‘<* ° ; 7 al | wr A :.¢€ SN Oey 4 *% + ‘r ’ 4 P - i P| *- y a i ‘ iy oo " e\ . / ' ~ ' : : rhs ,. a . , . ; " A uy ‘ Oe : . ; . ) + rita f ’ ‘ » . . to 4 Co oe > Mo ee | Te , 4 re » wt X ee ooks:com: Uf)