Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 770 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

Sr: “aS . pd —% a. * = . o es. * — £ ° ee ’ 4 < oie x one > Fe rete —— =, + es - ae Jor (* Sone om te = a | a4 » r —. eee SS - _ > > » + a ~~ ~ « tie di te a ee ae © ~ %. ° Jamey am pee - reo ~ EG RISE “ » x = 7 es > ss La yttore: ye 14 way to tears, to the surprise of the negress to whom she was fettered, for up to this time she bad been stoically calm and apparently indifferent to everything. Naturally the negress asked what was the matter, when Kate told her she could hold out no longer, that she must be al- lowed to go; that she was ready to accept any terms and conditions that might be offered, And she ended by demanding that Red Roy be sent for. Accordingly the cord was pulled, the cord that communicated with some other part of the cavern, and presently the negress Martha cumein, She, too, was surprised at the change, but took it all as a matter of course when it was maie known to her that the prisoner was eager to gain ber liberty at any sacrifice, and promising to have the master there as soon as possible she went back to her domain, It was a considerable time before Red Roy put in his appearance. When he came he iron- ically expressed bis sympatby for his fair pris- oner, hoping he could do something for her, and declaring bis sorrow at findiug her weeping. He could not stand tears, and if there was anything he could do she had only tocommand him. He was her willing servant. ** Alll ask is my freedom,” Kate tearfully de- clared. ‘* And that I am eager to restore to you,” the outlaw made response, ‘“‘It only depends on thatstubborn busband of yours.” ‘*1f I could only communicate with him once more,” Kate cried. ‘If you would only let me urge him to accept your terms for my sake, | am sure he would do so,” ‘Well, perbaps you are right,” was the thoughtful response. ‘‘He bas already asked avother interview, which I have promised, and I think he is about ready to give in. You may write to him.” **Oh! thank you! Please free my hand and lL will do so in all baste,” The handcuff was removed, and Kate took her seat at the table with eager and auxious haste, As hastily she took paper and envelope from the drawer in the table where she knew they were kept, and was about to write when the out- law stopped her. ‘*One moment first, if you please,” he re- quested, ‘Let me look at that paper and en- velope. I do not trust you altogether, and I do not mean to allow you a chance to play mea trick,” **'You need not fear me now,” Kate declared, **Take them and search them, and then read every word as I write. Howcould I hope to de- ceive you?” He examined the paper and envelope care- fully, and gave them back, when she immedi- ately began her note, It took her but a few moments to dash it off, and when done it read thus: ** DIOK:— ** Do not hesitate longer. but make any terms you can with Red Roy. Your every effort to find me, no matter how great, will result in failure. You know what the threats are. Do not make any delay, but for my sake accept any terms whatever. KATE.”’ Her hand had trembled, and the writing was large and straggling, looking different in the original from what it does in print, Every line was full. Red Roy took it, read it carefully, and put it in the envelope himself and sealed it, after which he gave it back to the writer for her to direct, remarking that he did not mean to allow ber any chance to trick him if be could help it. Kate took the missive and directed it, after which she was again handcuffed to the negress, and the outlaw, with the note in his possession, took his leave, Meanwhile, in another chamber of the cavern, one that was far Jess splendid in its appoint- ments than this red apartment, was another rixoner. it was no other than Gregory May- am, How he had come there we will not pause now to conjecture, but there he was, true enough, and securely bound, There was a sullen look upon his face, and an expression of grim deter- mination about his mouth, He was, however, helpless in the power of the outlaw. hen Red Roy went from the apartment where Kodak Kate was, he proceeded to this other where Maybam was confined. He had on his red hat and mask, but was clad rs areamee in the gown we have mentioned be- ore. ‘* Well, Sir Gregory Mayham, how do you find yourself?” he greeted. ‘*Who are you?’ was the demand, ‘‘ Why oO ane Deadwood Dick. Jr.’s, Defeat. ad ———— = = —_ —— have I been brought to this hole? I demand my release at once,” ‘‘Not hardly,” the outlaw said, lightly. ‘I have not brought you here fora joke, I think Sir Gregory Maybam can afford to buy his liberty.” ‘‘ You scoundrel!” the captive cried. ‘‘ Do you mean to say you are going to hold me here for ransom? y name is Walt Thornton, and I have nothing tu pay with if J would.” **Ob, that is a good story; but I know better, you see, You are Gregory Maybam, and you have just succeeded to the estate and title in England. You have got to come down band- somely, however, before you will ever be per- mitted to enjoy it, This is grim business, I as- sure you,” ‘* You will find it grim business, if I ever get a chance to pay you for this,” was the fierce re- tort. ‘“‘I demand to be set at liberty imme- diately, and if you do uot free me you will regret it.’ ‘‘Do not excite yourself,” was the calm and cool advice. “It is not good for the health to excite yourself, you know, Be quiet, now, Sir Gregory, and I will name the conditions of your ransom. When you are ready to.pay me five thousand pounds out of your princely estate, then you may have some hope for your liberty, and uot till then.” ‘* Scoundrel! I have not five thousand dimes to my name, Even were I the person you say | am, I could not handle any money of that estate till I had gone to England and proved my claim, so you are fooling yourself doubly. You will never get anything out of me, so do your worst, I think you will let me go when you find there is nothing to be gained by holding me.” ‘* We'll see about that, Sir Gregory. No use for you to deny who you are, for | am positive on that head, you see. Perbaps when the days of your confinement begin to lengthen into weeks, and weeks into months, you will think better of it, and be ready to make some effort to buy your liberty. I tiink you will, anyhow, and on that belief I am going to hold fast to you, Think it over. You won’t be allowed to starve here, but you woun’t fare very sumptuously either, Ta-ta.” With that, and without waiting to hear the fierce remarks that were burled after him by his enraged prisoner, the outlaw left the chamber and made his way off in the direction of the outer air. Shortly after that, the masked woman who had saved Red Rovy’s life paid a visit to the red apartment where Kodak Kate was, and greeting ber about as Red Roy himself bad greeted, demanded: ‘Well, do you think that husband of yours will have the good sense to heed the warning of Red Roy, and do as you bave asked him to do?” ‘‘T have never had cause to doubt the good sense of Deadwood Dick, Madam Outlaw,” was Kate’s response, ‘‘and I do not think I need doubt it now. As to his doing what I have asked, I can only say I hope he will.” ‘*T hope so, too, for it is unpleasant to have to hold you here, and of course it will be slightly disagreeable to have to kill you. Then, too, think what a shock it will be to your husband to receive your bead on a shovel, or in some similar fashion.” ‘‘1f it ever comes to that,” cried Kate, show- ing much spirit, ‘‘ 1 warn you for yourown good that you had better kill Deadwood Dick in the same hour. If you do not, the earth will not be large enough to hide you from his vengeance, I mean not you alone, but you, Red Roy, and all the rest of his birelings and worse,” The masked woman laughed scornfully, and after another taunting remark, to which a cut- ting response was given, she witbdrew, Soon after she joined Red Roy in yet another apartment of the strange secret cavern. ‘ Well, what do you think?” the outlaw asked. ‘‘T hardly know what to think,” was the an- swer, ‘*She is as defiant as ever, just now.” ‘That is because of her spite against you for saving me from her bullet, no doubt. Ido not think there can be any trick about the note.” ‘* Well, perhaps not, and you ought to know, since you saw her write it and you sealed it yourself, You say you remember neariy word for word what it contained? Tell me again,” ‘* Why, she tells him not to hesitate longer, but to make whatever terms he can with me, That his every effort to find her, no matter what it is, must be a failure. Reminds him of my tbreats, and urges him not to delay, but for her sake to accept any terms,” ‘‘T do not see how there can be anythin secret in such a note as that. And, even i there is, what matter? It cannot be more than Ee a word. Yes, deliver it, is my advice, for it may have the effect to make Dick all the more ready to come to your terms, if be has not fully made up bis mind co do so already. Don’t you agree?” ‘‘That was my idea from the first, till you suggested that there must be some secret com munication in this missive. Yes, 1 think wi now, and that for all time, for 1 know he wi keep his word, once itis pledged. The po of that terror of the West will be forever brok 4, and then, with Whipple out of the way, all w. be clear for our wor':.” ‘‘ Yes, when one other has been remover Then we can make Gregory Maybam give up h golden pelf, and carry out all our other scheme I tell you, Red Roy, we area pair of roya- rogues whose names are vet goipg to become a terror to this wild land. Ha, ha, ha!” Both laughed, and soon after passed out, What if Deadwood Dick could have been near, ~ . . are on tho way to getting rid of Deadwood Dick ¢ 4 “ 4 to have overheard all this, spoken as it wasin their natural voices, CHAPTER XVI. WAR TO THE TEETH. MEANWHILE, Deadwood Dick, at the hotel, was chafing avd fretting like an imprisoned tiger, waiting anxiously for the summons from the outlaw that was to call bim toa second in- terview, He had not spent the afternoon idly, but had been vainly trying to get some trace of the outlaw and his allies there at thecamp. He did not believe the man Whipple, vow in the jail, was Red Roy, though he might be one of his tools. He had, however, some suspicion against Queen of Hearts, the bandsome pro- prietor of the Palace Saloon, Still, he had beer, unable to fetch any proof against her, As ye be had not made known this suspicion to am one. The evening was advancing, and he w pacing the floor of the bar-room, having be talking with Mayor Grim, Harry Stacey, a others, but they having now left him, wt there came a call for him tocome into the ludie room where Miss Parson desired to see Min again. Dick went in, and found the woman in rather some excitement. ‘‘ What is it?’ Dick asked. ‘‘ Mr. Mayham bas vt been to see me yet, and [ begin to feel anxious about bim, Have you seen him lately?” It suddenly came to Dick’s mind that he had not seen him at all since his interview with him at the Palace that morning. So taken up w- bis own troubles, be bad given no further thought to bim, ‘‘No, I bave not seen him,” he answered. ‘* Since you remind me of bim, I bave not seer him at all since this morning. I will make some inquiries about him, if you desire, I will do so, anyhow, for [am concerned about him, 1 will return shortly and let you know,” Glad to have something to divert his. thoughts for a time, Dick went out, making his first call at the Palace Saloon, “There nothing bad beer learned of the young’ man and no one could ! found who bad seen bim that afternoon, Ant it was the same elsewhere, He was not to be found. > wy After a pretty thorough search/Dick had vo return and report. The young woman was almost overcome, Had she known of the good fortune that bad come to her lover, possibly <a might have believed be had proved false to her: but knowing notbing of it yet, shé bad no groun for that suspicion, Perhaps she would not hay entertained it, anyhow, ¥ ‘Tt is the work of my sister,” she cried almost fiercely. ‘She is at the bottomofit, Shesust have learned that I am here, and by some méans has removed him. But let her take care, for she will goad me beyond what I can bear!” Dick talked with ber a few minutes, and after — that retired to his room, | When he entered, almost the first thing to catch bis eyes was a letter on the stand near the window, : Springing forward he caught it up, thinking it must be from the outlaw, but a single glance at the superscription showed him it was from Kate. With impatient haste he tore it open and read its contents, noting at the same time thenervt.. , style in which it was written. It fired him still more with impatience for the interview, a ‘“Yes,” be said to himself, ‘‘ I will sacri everything to rescue vou, Kate, I will whatever terms be offers, and fool no lo ~~ about it. I should have done so last nigh” © could never forgive myself, should harm ~~ books.com rq + . Ss 7 “ a = . | b | & a ‘ . a? { ~ vi ‘ “ad c