Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 764 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

(Sey 6 *“* And you evaded an answer. ou?” *“* Well, I am of the opinion that this camp has reason to fear Deadwood Dick,” ‘** That is plain, right on the faceofit. That is why they would have hanged us, They have some reason to fear him.” “Evident enough. What do you say if we join bands and sift the thing as far as we can, and learn what sort of villainy is at work here, anyhow. It might pay.” ‘**T am with you in that, or anything that offers a little excitement. Since they accuse us of being Deadwood Dick, we may as well have the game as the name, as the saying has it.” They shook bands uponit. A little time later the crowd went off toward the Howler, when Dick aud his unknown ally sought the dining- emi where an early supper was ready for them, What think CHAPTER VI. DICK’S PLAN MISCARRIES. WHILE Deadwood Dick and Carlo Waterstone had joined issues for the occasion, they did not seem to get much of a huld upon each other’s confidence, Dick certainly did not tell the other who he was, and he doubted very much whether Wa- terstone had told him a straight story concern- ing himself. One seemed to be as cautious as the other. After supper they sat on the piazza of the Bang-up and smoked till night came on, and while they hail talked during all that time, neither was yet able to form much of an idea concerning the other’s true character and busi- ness, About the only thing they did fully un- understand was that each mighi depend on the other in case of need, Finally they left the hotel and sauntered up ’ in the direction of the Howler Saloon. The camp was now lighted up, and the busi- ness of the night was begun. Entering the saloon, the first face to catch their sight was the double face of the camp’s worthy mayor. He was standing at the bar with his back to- ward the door, and was the man the nearest to them as they stepped within, It would bave been easy for him to conceal his disfigured occiput by simply pulling his hat down behind, but he did not do it, He wore bis hat about as high up behind as he did in front. Perbaps the double face had served him so well on one cecasion that he had faitn that it might answer the same purpose again. An exclamation by some one in the crowd, when the two stepped in, caused the mayor to turn immediately and face them. A = Hello!” he exclaimed, ‘“‘hyar you aire, ey? a Here we are,” Dick responded, ‘And ye seem ter be as chummy as two pards of long standin’, too,” was the comment, ‘* Circumstances threw us together and made us have a sort of fellow feeling for sach other, as it were,” explained Waterstone. ‘A feller feelin’, hey? Feller feelin’ is good, You want to carry yerselves mighty straight | hyar in this camp, bowsever, or you may find a feller feelin’ fer his gun.” ““Thank you for the warning,” said Dick, “We don’t expect to run counter to any of the rules and regulations of your camp, mayor, so do not be uneasy. That is to say, I do not. I speak only for myself.” *“*And I can assure you of the same on my part,” Waterstone hastened to add, Just then there came upon their ears a some- thing that was like unto a commingled bellow, roar and howl, A big, rough, shock-headed giant of a fellow came pushing his way from the rear of tbe saloon, where was a partition shutting off an- other room, In that partition, to describe it in a moment, was a double green door, closed but not secured, aud over it in plain letters was the name of the gambler queen whom Dick had met that day in the woods— “NUGGET NELL,” But, to tell of the big bullwhacker, On he came, flourishing his arms wildly and bellowing loudly, though at first his intention was not quite plain. If not so at first, he soon made it plain, for, as + he came nearer, be thrust bis long arms up and out, spread bis legs wide apart, and shouted in a terrible voice: | ; ‘“*Hyar’s ther chanca fer Bleezer Googin ter exercise his muscle! Two strangers tergether, and two makes a pair, b’goshtum! Tney say a Deadwood Dick, J _----,_—_——————— — ee ace can’t beat a pair, nobow, but right hyar’s ther ace what kin beat this pair, and don’t ye forgit et! Whoop!” hen he bellowed, shook his head like a mad buffalo, and advanced, ‘*Ef ye vally yer lives, strangers,” warned the mayor, ‘‘ ye bad better git right out o’ byar and dust back to ther hote],” ‘** Don’t let ’em do et,” cried the bullwhacker, **Don’t rob me of ther only good chance fer a leetle fun I have had in six months, Come right up, ye rascals, and see me stand ye on top of yer heads afore ye kin wink, D’ye hear me yaup? Whoop!” ** Are you talking to me?” agked Dick. ‘**That’s what I am, bubby,” was tbe retort. ** And you are spoiling for fight?” ‘*Sp’ilin’! Darn et, 1 am wuss’n sp’ilta’ready. Which one of you two is et they say is Dead- wood Dick?” ‘*T bappen to be the last one who had the honor to be suspected of being that gentleman,” was Dick’s composed reply. ‘*Then you are the hairpin I am lookin’ fer, b’goshtum! I have heard tell a good deal about you, me hearty, and I’ve allus wanted ter have a go at ye.” ‘** But, ’m not Deadwood Dick,” Dick declared. ** Not Deadwood Dick?” ‘* No; it was alla mistake, here,” ‘Was et a mistake, Double-face? Was et?” the fellow demanded, ‘*We wasn’t able ter prove et, if that’s what ye mean,” was the mayor’s reply. ‘*Couldn’t prove et, hey? I’m glad ter hear that. I want ter have a go with bim, jest fer fun, Sonny, |’m goin’ ter spank ye!” Dead wood Dick thought he smelled a rat. It had been made plain that the general character of Deadwood Dick was not unknown here at Corduroy Crossing. Was not this a dodge to get him into a fight to prove his prowess? If he was able to floor this big bluffer, would it not be further proof that he was Deadwood Dick? ‘* You don’t mean to say you are going to jump me, do you?” Dick asked, with a little showiog of alarm, *‘Jump ye! Bless yer innercent heart, et bas allus been my desire ter take a fall ont of Dead- wood Dick, and if you’re ther man, why—” ‘* But I tell you I am not—” ‘Thar seems ter be a doubt, an’asIm jest dyin’ ter lick somebody I’m goin’ ter take ther bennyfit of ther doubt. Come right out byar, now, and git chawed.” Dick knew he could whip this whacker. He had met dozens just like bim, but, if he wanted to give weight to the impression that he was not Deadwood Dick, it would not do to show his ability as an athlete. ‘* But, my good man,” he protested, ‘*I have no quarrel with you, and it is as plain as day that you can whipme, You are bigger than [ am every way,” ‘*No matter; [I’m goin’ ter do et jest ther same. If Ido you up easy, I'll then tackle both of yeatoncet. Whoop! I’m in fer fun an’ I’m goin’ ter have et, too! No holdin’ Bleezer Goo- gin when be gits his war-paint on.’ ‘*T told ye ye had better git,” the mayor warned again, | ‘* No; I’m not built that way,” averred Dick. “Tm not exactly a coward, even if I am sure of a whipping.” ‘‘Then ye owns up that I kin do it, do ye?” cried the bullwhacker. ‘‘ That robs et of half ther fun, right at oncet, I don’t like ter go in on a sartain thing,” ‘* It will be a certain thing, sir, if size gées for anything. Come, now, let me stand treat, and so callit square, I don’t want to fight, and am vo fighter, anybow, Come, what do you say?” ‘Nary, sir, nary! I’m on ther rampage fer blud, and I must bave et! Pot up yer bands an’ do ther best ye kin, [’m comin’ fer ye now, and I’m goin’ ter land ye on yer back ther very fu’st crack, Whoop! Clear ther track, now!” and veep a wild flourish of his arms, then, in be sailed, Dick could have floored him with a single blow, as he well knew; but it would not do, He let the fellow come close to bim, parried one or two of the blows aimed at his face, and then let one strike him on the shoulder with considerable force, Over Dick went, on his back, and came almost turning a complete somerset backward, while the crowd jeered and hooted wildly, inviting him to get up and get the rest of it, and so on, Waterstone looked at Dick with something akin to disappointment in his face, ‘Git up byar,” roared the bullwhacker, ‘ Git up and git ther other piece. I have got some Ask your mayor f r.’s, Lone Hand. more left, and ye may as well have ther hull lot at ther same price while ye are about et, Whoop! Come right to time, Sally. Ther band is playin’ now.” Jick got up slowly and shook bis head. ‘“That’s enough,” he declared, ‘‘I know it’s no use,” ‘* Enough! Bless yer innercent heart, soupy, [ ain’t begun ter lick ye yet, 1 ain’t. I must have jest one more crack at ye, jest fer luck,” And with that he advanced, ‘*See here,” suddenly cried Waterstone, step- ing in his way, ‘‘if you want to tackleany- dy, tackleme, That man saved my life this afternoon, and I’m not going to stand by and see you thump him for nothing.” | **Ho-ho!” cried Mr. Googin, stopping sbort and making a terrible face at his new antago- nist; ‘‘you want some of et, do ye? Wull, et makes no difference ter me, long as I git ther fun. Put up yer hands and git ready. I'll give ye a fair show fer yer money, anyhow.” Waterstone faced him, in the right attitude for business, Deadwood Dick did not like this state of af- fairs at all, It was just possible that Water- stone could whip the bravo, and what then? If Dick’s suspicion were true, would the crowd not set up the shout at once that he must be Deadwood Dick, in spite of all? then they would be taken and lynched at once, Perbaps, for Dick was ready to fight in earn- est, if it came to that, and it would be only by overpowering force of numbers that he and Waterstone could be overcome, after they had emptied their weapons, Then the thought, was it worth while to fight at all?” ‘** Are ye ready?” cried the bullwhacker, ' ** All ready,” was the cool response. ‘* Wade in, if you must fight,” The fellow ‘‘ waded,” as invited, and the next he knew he was spinning toward the other end of the room, Had a mule kicked him fairly he could not have been knocked out more promptly, and it was something that made the crowd open their eyes with wonder, Dick wished be could have given his friend the warning tip, but it was too late now, aud what- ever was tocome.of it he must be ready to face the storm aud do the best he could under the cir- cumstances, Whoever this stranger was, he was a man of no mean caliber, as Dick now knew, How would it terminate? The crowd was shouting wildly, and ‘‘ Dead- ee Dick” was heard on more than one man’s ips. | Bleezer Googin + Seige got upon his feet, glared around him in a dizzy way for a second, and then rushed to the attack again. ‘*l’m comin’ fer yer life this byar time,” he bellowed, ‘‘No man kin do that ter Bleezer Googin andlive. Whoop! Speak fer yer ccffin, stranger, quick, Hyar’s death on a pale hoss right on yer track!” - CHAPTER VII. IN A PRETTY TIGHT FIX, Mr, GOOGIN'S oppopent did not seem to be badly frigatened, and Dick had to admire his courage, aud the manner in which he faced his foe. Dick doubted if he could have done any better himself, There the man stood, with arms up in the true fistic style, as cool as a March morning, On came the bullwhacker, regardless of con- sequences, And even a sounding thump on the proboscis did not stop him,so hard was he coming, Waterstone got in yet another, but had to fall back under the rush, and as be did so bis heel caught against something and be went down on his back, with the bowling giant on top of bim and making for bis throat in a desperate way. lt was now Dick’s turn again. ‘*(Come, none of that, you ruffian!” he cried. ‘* Let the man up and fight bim fairly or not at. ? “ Nary a let up!” cried Googin. ‘* ve got him byar, and hyar I mean ter keep him. Ill settle wi’ you when [I’m done wi’ him, too, and don’t ye forget—” ' é Seeing that be was bent vpon choking Water- stone, Lick laid hold upon his collar and jerked him to his feet. | ‘You wouldn’t let up, eh?” he cried, ‘ T)I show you about that!” Mr. Googin made a brave struggle to get hold of Dick and overcome him, but be could not do it. No sooner was Waterstone freed than he was GDOCc im