Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 700 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

— oe re ee Oe ewe Fe * - = oe ote —_ + - tm r \ Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. TS men who were to follow the stage, for the pur- pose of protecting the shipment of bullion. Pilbrooke and Appleby were soon seen coming from the direction of the mine, and when they reached the piazza, Pilbrooke turned and ad- dressed the horsemen, ‘* My good men,” he spoke, “a reward of five thousand dollars is now offered to the man who will capture this road-agent and deliver him over to thelaw. And I will give an additional reward of five hundred dollars for every one of his men you can bring back witb you, dead or alive. You are expected to protect the stage to its destination, and if it is held up, make sure of your game.” The horsemen gave a shout, declaring that they would do their best. ‘And now,” added Appleby, ‘be off. Keep just far enough in the rear {of the stage to be out of sight, in the canyon, but not so far that you cannot render prompt help if you are needed.” Another shout, and the horsemen wheeled and dashed off in the direction the stage had taken, ‘‘There,” said Pilbrooke, as they disappearad from sight, “if your road-agents can overcome them, [ll give it up.” ‘“‘T don’t know how it will be,” responded Appleby, “‘ but you know I[ have tried the same thing before, and my men got the worst of it, You saw the trouble we had in getting the men to undertake it.” The Detective Prince, much as he wished to take a hand in the matter, decided that the time for him to act had not yet come. He believed that a little delay would put him in possession of some facts that he had ‘not so far got hold of. There was some deep game being played in this town of Satan’s Spring, he was fully persuaded, After the setting out of the horsemen, Apple- by and Pilbrooke returned to the mine office, The crowd melted away, in a little time, and the Plaza looked deserted. There were only a few persons about the hotel, and included with ae were Deadwood Dick and Hubert Wat- yns. The latter drew a chair up near to Dick’s, sat down, and observed: ‘** So, you stopped over too, eh?” ‘“- Yes,” Dick made answer. ‘Thought I'd spend a day or so here,” : ‘“With business in view, I presume? Don’t know of anything else that would keep a man here.” ‘* No, just for the fun of it,” Dick corrected. “From what yousay, though, 1 readily infer that you are here on business,” ‘‘Well, er—yes, on business, of course. By the way, I notice that our lady passenger of yes- terday did not go on this morning. Presume yo is a stranger to you as-she is to everybody else?’ ‘*Entirely so,” Dick assured, ‘‘ But, by the way, Mr. Watkyns, do you mind telling me where we have met before? You have the ad- vantage of me toa certain extent, I believe.” ‘* And in what way, allow me to ask?” ‘Did you not just address me as Deadwood Dick?” Dick was playing for points. He bad been studying the man’s voice while he was talking, and believed he recognized it asone of the voices he had heard in the room under his on the previous evening. Watkyns looked at him in surprise that was undisguised. And Dick could ees that he was studying hard to come at an immediate solution of some knotty problem that had presented 1t- self to his mind, Dick had a two-fold object in view. First, ha wanted to find out if his surmise was correct, that Watkyns was one of the men he had heard talking; and next, if he was, he wanted to let him know positively that he was Deadwood Dick. Thisinformation, coming direct from him, would lead them to show their hand, he thought, ‘“T—[ think you must be mistaken, sir,” Watkyns denied, ‘I certainly did not utter that name. In truth, ldo not remember ever to have beard it before.” “It is very strange, then,” said Dick, “I was sure the names fell from your lips, But, it is of small matter. We willletitdrop.” | And now Dick was about sure that the name had come from Watkyns’s lips, that is, on the previous evening; the man’s manner now seemed to prove a. “Ic certainly is strange,” Watkyns agreed. “Tf I did speak the name, it was without know- ing it,and that seems impossible, Why, are you known by that name, Mr. Bristol?’ beast” I am familiarly called Deadwood c . , There was no mistaking the light of exulta- tion that flashed in Watkyns’s eyes and burned there for a second. They talked on, but Dick held toa general conversation, giving out nothing and by the same token, gaining but little of importance from bis man, Half an hour, or maybe a little longer, was passed in this manner, when their attention was suddenly drawn to some horsemen who were coming into the gulch at a run. They came from the direction in which the stage had set out, andasecond glance proved them to be the men who had followed to protect the shipment of bullion, CHAPTER IX, DICK SPEAKS OUT. “ WHAT means this?” cried Watkyns. ‘Tt looks like hasty retreat,” Dick suggested, “Can it be that they have already met the roac-agents?” ‘Tt looks that way, and if I am any judge, they have got badly worsted.” The horsemen came on, and as they drew near it was seen that there were only ten of them. There had been twelve at the setting out. Did it signify that two of their number had met their fate at the bands of the agents? By the time the horsemen reached the hotel, there was quite a little knot of men there to re- ceive them, and others were hastening to the | spot from every direction, ‘‘What is ther trouble, Bakers?” called out. the landlord. Bakers was the name of the man who was at the head of the little company. ‘¢Trouble enough,” he grated, as he drew his horse toa stop. ‘* Whar’s old Appleby?” he de- manded, in the same breath. ‘“ He’s over at ther mine,” he was told, ‘‘No,” said Baldy Benson, ‘‘ thar he cornes, now.” Appleby was coming, in haste, and Pilbrooke was at his heels, ‘‘What’s the matter—what’s the matter?’ the mive manager cried out, as he came puffing up. ‘We got ther wu’st of et, that’s all,” Bakers explained. *¢ What!” cried Pilbrooke, ‘‘ you met the rob- bers so soon!” ‘* Yas, jest so soon,” was the assurance, ‘‘ and two good men hev bit ther dust.” ‘* Where did you meet them?” asked Appleby. ‘* Jest this side of Big Bow Bend.” ** As close by as that?” **’You bet.” “« And did they gét away with the gold?” ‘* We opine they did, We didn’t git fur enough ahead ter find out,” ‘*Tell us all about it,” the manager ordered. ‘*This is worse than I looked for,” he added, aside to Pilbrooke, ‘* T should say so,” Pilbrooke agreed, ‘‘ I had no idea of defeat, with such a force, This isa serious matter, and the governor has got to take action in it,” ‘‘ Yer see,” Bakers proceeded, ‘‘ we was ridin’ along, with our ears open fer a call from ther stage at any minnit, when of a suddent we found our way blocke.l by four men with rifles at their shoulders. They had ther drop on us in ther wu’st kind of way, and thar we was, Couldn't do a thing. Two of ther boyees did reach fer their sane, but bless ye they was out of their saddles dead afore they had ’em out of their belts. We was ordered ter put up our hands, which we did, and then they turned us face about and started us fer home.” ‘You are a pack of miserable cowards!” cried Pilbrooke, hotly, ‘‘ Why didn’t you ride right over the dogs?” ‘You don’t understand, Pilbrooke,” suid Appleby, ‘‘ The ‘drop’ means everything, in a case of this sort, and our men had no show.” ‘*And here’s another shipment of gold that robber has gathered in, eh? I won’t stand it! I came out here to si this thing toa stop, and ’m going todoit! Ten thousand dollars for the capture of this Captain Death, dead or alive!” ‘‘ Fifty thousand won’t bring him any sooner than five,” said Appleby. ‘‘ He hav got our men afraid of him, and is bound to carry things his own way,” “He is, is he! [ll show him! Ill have out the troops, but what this nest of vipers shall be broken up and wiped out! I didn’t sink a quarter of a million of dollars in this mine to be robbed of my returns, Teri thousand dollars, men of Satan’s Spring, for the capture of this’ outlaw!” It was a big offer, but all who heard it, nearly, shook their heads, as if to signify that they bad no desire to attempt earning it, Deadwood Dick was a quiet looker-on, smok- away with apparent unconcern, n fact, though, he was studyihg the matter, and paying close attention to everything that was being said. He had an idea in mind that he felt sure was not far from the truth, and be was resolved to put it to the test, when the time was ripe. For the present he wanted to let matters goon as they were. He wanted the ofbers to show their hands a little furtber, so that he might be sure of his ground, Some further talk with the horsemen was had, when Appleby dismissed them, and some of them rode back into the canyon for the purpose of bringing in the bodies of their dead companions, When they returned there was another man with them—the one who had gone with the stage in charge of the bullion. His story was called for with eager demand, “Bt ar’ short and sweet, but right to the p’int,” be prefaced it. ‘* We war spinnin’ right erlong, when of a mighty suddent, right at Big Bow, we got ther order ter elevate our flippers. We h’isted, you bet, Et ar’ half dark thar, ye know, and in ther shadders stood Captain Death, with bis grinnin’ jaws and gleamin’ ribs, and he had a six fullin both bands. He warned us that it would be sure death ter try ter draw a lead distributor on him, and then told us ter ante out the box o’ bullion, double socn, and we anted. There was no help fer et, ye see. Et war that or die, and none of us felt ready ter pass in our chips jest yet.” ‘“ And did he hold you up all alone?” inquired Appleby. ‘** Yas, all alone. him,” ‘“ And you put out that box of bullion to bim without any show of resisting!” ‘Bet yer lifes We was called, and we kem Ay asn’t no help fer et, not even a little it. | - ‘* Well, what did he do then?” : “Why, soon’s we had fired out ther box 0’ bullion, he told us ter goon. He had us kivered, e see, all ther time, and we obeyed as meek as eetle lambs.” ‘‘ And didn’t you call for the men who were behind you?’ asked Mr. Pilbrooke. ‘‘Never oncet thought about ’em,” was the answer. Pilbrooke looked the disgust he felt, ‘‘ A brave trapsaction, all the way he commented. ‘‘Ef I havo sheard right,” retorted the mes- senger, ‘‘ you passed out your wealth to ther agents last night without much of a kick.” Pilbrooke remembered that with chagrin, and had no more to say. “And so you got out and came back, eh?” ob- served Applet ‘“‘ Jest as you see, sir. Had nothin’ ter take me on, after ther boodle war gone, 80 when we'd gone on a leetle ways 1 got out and hoofed it this way.” “Well, lost again,” cried Appleby: with a sigh as of resignation to the fate. ‘‘1 don’t see what we are going to do about it, Pilbrooke.” ‘‘- You don’t, eh!” cried that irate gentleman. ‘“11] have to show you, then. I am going to send a call to the governor for help to rid the country of this outlaw band,” ‘‘That seems to be about the only thing that. can be done,” Appleby agreed. “Yes, and it ought to have been done long ago, too,” Pilbrooke was thoroughly angered, now, and raked tke deck with his biggest guns, So to say. Appleby felt the force of the shot, too, and turned abruptly and went off in the direction of the office, a dark look on bis face. Pilbrooke looked after bim, but did not follow. Instead, he began to pace the piazza, keeping it up till the crowd had gone away, wben be drop- ped into a chair near Deadwood Dick. “What do you think about this whole pro- ceeding?’ he demanded, bluntly. “T begin to think that I would like to have a quiet talk with you,” was the low-toned re- sponse, Pilbrooke looked at him quickly, what he meant. And that was the question he put. ° ” ‘“T mean just what I. said,” Dick assured, I want to havea little talk with you. “Well, then, fire right ahead and haveit,” the invitation. ie Drake’ ene chair justa little nearer, andI will,” said Dick. Pilbrooke did ip Nary other galoot with through As wondering so, and Dick went on, — a ¥ ; . 7" > sate fe ar | 900! conr c (Efe) A ae A® 5...