Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 770 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

to you. Deudwood Dick gives up defeated this time.” He had taken a seat while speaking thus to himself, and was still gazing at the missive in _— . i his hand. Suddenly he gave a start, looking “-more closely. The words in the last line ‘any terms whatever,’ had claimed his atten- tion, being underscured, At almost the samo “whonent the ending words of the second line ove struck his attention and he coupled the ipavo fragments, ™ “What bave [ discovered here?’ dimeclf, he asked ‘This reads ‘Do not make any terms whatever.’ 1s there a double meaning to this qeite ?- it certainly is written in a strange style '}Tor Kate, and the wording is pecular for her, $6 much so that I was beginning to think it a forgery. Let mesee aboutit. ‘ Do not hesitate longer, but make every effort to find me, no matter what the threats are. Do not make any terms whatever.’ ” Dick was upon his feet in an instant, greatly * excited, for him, | ‘*Kate! My brave, bonny Kate!” he ex- .f claimed under his breath, ‘‘She has taken this means to communicate with me secretiv, doing if under the very eyes of her captor. Reading every other line of her note, this is what it tells | me. But, ought I to obsy? I fear the worst. Yet, she urges me to make no terms, and she | must know whether she isin imminent peril or What ought I | not. What shall I do about it? do— : A knock at the door interrupted bim. Opening it, he found there his host, the land- jord of the Silver Bugle, with a letter in hand. , ‘For me?” Dick asked at once. ) “VYes; and I opine it’s from that Red Roy ,cuss. Anyhow, et came mighty near to puttin’ ,out my eyes when it was flung at me by some- ‘ody cut on ther peeazzy about a minnit ago,” Dick had already taken the missive, opened tt, and was reading it. It was as follows: .6) DEADWOOD Dick :— » Ou the ledge above the camp at midnight. Come “entirely alone, and mention to no one vhe time and , lace. Your last and only chance. ‘From You Know WuHomM.” ** What is et?’ the landlord asked, ‘Is et what ye was expectin’ from that bad man, ther | Oregon Outlaw?” : “ Yes, itis from him,” Dick answered. ‘ Do } ! ~ not say anything to anybody, and I will meet him at the time and place he names. I have plenty of time, I see. It is all right, and much i lized to you. ! sing his host out, with that, Dick sat down | again to ponder over the situation, What | should he do—what ought he todo? He would keep the appointment, of course; but, regarding “terms with the outlaw— He could not decide. | If Kate were only free— That was tbe sticking point, She was not free, but in the power of a foe who had already shown the strength of his hand. If be made terms with this man, his power would be forever broken, unless he broke his word, That he * would not do, On the other hand, if he refused e iw frms, Kate’s life might pay the forfeit, It was te to choose, for the life of his wife rose above . yey other consideration; but, then, her words “4t rioging in his ears—‘‘Do not make any ‘terms whatever.” | Finally his decision was made, A grim, bard Hook settled upon his face, and to himself he aid: | “No, I will make noterms, We are both of one mind, God help me if I err; God protect my wife from harm! It shall be war, war to the bitter end, between me and these infernal scoundrels!” Lighting a cigar, he went down and out with- out going through the bar-room, and walked leisurely away up the gulch. No one followed him, as he took care to note, and presently he came to the ledge trail that led to the shelf above the camp, and taking that, began the | ascent, ae Finally he drew near his destination, and look- ony ing at bis watch by the light of his cigar, found ; 7 that it was about miduight, the time appointed, ; f Throwing away his weed, now about finished, +3 drew bis trusty revolvers, and with them in | hand, pressed on and stepped out upon the broad fhelf where he expected to meet his foe. ~ The moon, again just in sight as on the pre- vious night, sent its light down through the pass that led back from the bluff, and there, stand- ‘ng full in the light, clad in his peculiar cos- ‘ame of red, was Red Roy. He was alone, or a eemed to be, and was standing with bis arms ded_acro-s his breast, He did not move : ey appeared, but after a moment of si- : 5 : ® 4 ed M ~ ‘ r ‘ " A y ‘pil be, AY Md t’ * : ‘ a, a ‘ ¢ ve teal Deadwood ** Well, Deadwood Dick, I see you are true to the appointment. You are no coward, for you have come alone to a place where your life isin my hands, I see you are armed and ready to do battle again, but it is useless, Put up your weapons, Half a dozen rifles cover your heart at this moment, and a signal from me would send you into eternity before you could liftanarm, So, be sensible, put away your wea- pons, and let us talk.” ‘*Tf you have got me covered as you claim,” said Dick, putting away his weapons, since he had no use for them at once, but yet keeping his hands on them; ‘‘ why do you not make me a prisoner and do away with me? That will re- lieve you of all concern on my account, and will probably be the best way to settle with me. A word to your riflemen, and you will rid your path of Deadwood Dick forever.” ‘*T will tell you why, Dick Bristol. I do not take life unless forced to do so. Lam willing to make terms with you, and allow you to de- part, If you are not so blind as not to see where your interest Jies, you will gladly accept. Now, you wanted an interview with me, what do you want?. Let me hear at once,” ‘* Well, on what terms will you release my wife and restore her to me?” Dick demanded, ‘On the terms I gave you before, and none other.” ‘*Then we cannot come to an agreement. I have some right to demand as well as to be dic- tated to,” ‘* And what is your demand?” ‘* That you release my wife and allow her. to join me here at Basalt Butte. After that I will deal with you further,” ‘* No, sir. You must accept the terms I offer, ornone, Your wife is eager to bave you do so, as you already know, Her safety depends up- on your decision here and now,” ‘Then we cannot agree, and our interview is in vain. I have made up my mind to fight it out, and so give you warning of my intention, If you have me under rifle cover, as you claim, it is in your power to dispose of me at once, You had better do so.” **No; you are no coward, and I am no mur- derer—at least not in that way. If your de- cision is fixed, return to the camp, and to-mor- row our warfare will begin. You and the ‘vhole camp of Basalt Butte against Red Roy and hisfew, This ends all communication be- tween us. Go!” “If war, why not begin here and now?” de- manded Dick. ** So let it be, if you are in a hurry to die. My rifles can speak quickly enough.” ** Then bid them speak!” cried Dick, defiantly. He had sprung forward a few paces with the quickness of thought. ‘* You must either take my life, Red Roy, or I make you my prisoner.” Weapons drawn, he stood facing the outlaw. You are mad!” Red Roy exclaimed. “ Your life is in my hands, and if you insist I shall have to take it. Think twice before you act, Bristol. A signal from me, and you are riddled with bul- lets. Will you bave it?” ‘*A bold bluff, but it won’t work,” retorted Dick. ‘‘If you had rifles covering me as you claim, that signal would now have been given, and I would be dead at your feet. Square your- self, now, and defend yourself if you can, It is war, and war to the very teeth!” With his words, Dick dashed upon the man in red, whose weapon spoke quickly, the bullet just grazing Dick’s face, and Dick’s revolver making response in the same second, but with- out apparent effect. The next instant the two men were in deadly embrace, swaying this way and that, each struggling with all bis might to gain the mastery over the other, CHAPTER XVII. MARKS DICK’S DEFEAT A FEW moments of this terrible business suf- ficed to prove to Dick that bis foe had no help at “hand, and that he had rightly guessed his story about the rifles bad been only a bluff. This being so, Dick bent all his strength to overcome the mau, but he found he had an antagonist who was quite equal to his best efforts, Red Roy was a powerful man, and while he could not overcome Dick, neither could Dick overpower him, It looked as though it would turn out a case of endurance, unless one or the other re- sorted toa weapon, This last Dick did not de- sire to do, and his attention had to be given to prevent the outlaw from doing it. The fight was hard, fierce, desperate, and no knowing how it might bave ended had it re- mained a struggle between these two alone, But, it did not. Presently the outlaw seemed to gain a momentary udvantage, and Dick was Dick, Jr.’s, Defeat. LL LLL LLL LLL LLL CC ll TT: tet. Ct ttt ttt ttt aaa one ee CS EEE el 15 ——— — 2 ee —_ --- — carried backward against the rocky wall with considerable force. There was a momentary pause, and the next instant the rock gave way, and both tumbled through, still locked in deadly embrace. There was a muffled thud imme- diately following, as the rock door swung shut, and they were in total darkness, Then it was that Red Rvoy called for help, sending out one loud signal cry, while at the same time be con- tinued the fierce life-and-death struggle, Deadwood Dick fongbt with all the fury be could command, but having to guard against a weapon in the hands of his foe, be could do little more than act on the defensive. No word was spoken, but the labored breathing of both was hard and fierce, as they struggled this way and that in the darkness on the rock floor of: the cavern passage, Soon steps were heard, and presently a ligbt was seen, rapidly growing brighter, and in a moment more another masked man lent his as- sistance to Red Roy, and Dick was soon over- powered, “My cursé on you!” Red Roy panted, as he and bis timely ally beld Dick to the floor, ** You would not accept your life when it was offered you, now you have forfeited it altogether. You will never see the light of day again, and the world will never be the wiser concerning what became of you. You have at last found your match, and more, and may reflect upon the adage thatit isalong lane that bas no turn, The trapper has been trapped at last,” ** Make sure of my death while you have the chance,” grated Dick. “Tf by any means 1 es- cape, the world will nothold you. It isnot wide enough vor deep enough to bide you from my vengeance,” ‘* You will not escape, be sure of that, Noth- ing but your death can now avail, and that will be swift and sure,” They rested a moment, Red Roy and his ally; then, taking Dick up, one holding bis hands and the other his feet, they bore bim along down the passage to the point where the inky chasm yawnec, Dick instinctively realized what bis fate was to be. He struggled, but in vain, the odds being against him; and he was presently swung over the edge and sent down, down, and still down, to the Stygian depths of a boit»mless pit, THE END. Beaile's Half-Dime Library. BY CHARLES MORRIS. 118 Will Somers, the Boy Detective. Phil Hardy, the Boss Boy. Picay une Petet or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective, Detective Dick; or, The Hero in Rags, Ilandsaome liarry, the Bootblack Detective, 147 Will Wildtire, the Thoroughbred. 152 Black Beas, Wil) Wildfire’s Racer. 157 Mike Merry the Harbor Police Boy. 162 Will Wildfire in the W ooda. 165 Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. 170 A Trump Card; or, W1ll Wildfire Wins and Loses, 174 Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. 179 Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, 188 The Hidden Handy; or, Wi!! Wildfire’s Revenge. 187 Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers. 189 Bob Rockett: or, Driven to the Wall. 196 Shadowed: or, Bob Kockett’s Fight for Life. 206 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner: or, The Black Sheep of the Flock. 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 235 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two ** Bloods”; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashawaty: or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sharps: or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-HMound;: or, The Young Thoronghored. 805 Dashaway, of Daketay; or, A Western Lad in Quaker City, 824 Ralph Keady, the Hote! Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective, 858 The Reporter-Detective; or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, 867 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry, the Leveler; or, The Bloods of the Boulevard. 408 Firetly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Loat Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier. 428 Fred Fiver, the Reporter Detective. 482 Invincible Logan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy Brick, the Jolly Vaganond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodge; or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. | 601 Boots, the Boy Fireman: or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, 566 The Secret *ervice Boy Detective. 596 Jimmy the Kid; or, A Lamb Among Wolves. 627 ‘Tom Bruce of Arkananat or, The Wolfin the Fold, 655 Plucky Paul, the Rey Speculator. 667 Rob and Sam, the Daisy Detectives. 709 The Curbstone Detective: or, Harry Hale’s Big Beat. T5T Detective Frank’s Sweep-stakes. BY ARTHUR C. GRISSOM. 440 Little Foxfoot, the Gold Bowie Kid. 558 The Sure-Shot Parda. 621 Truthful James, the “Pecooliar’” Man. A New teaune Every Tuesday. The Half-Dime Library is for sale by ati newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mall on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York.