Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 770 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

+ NT oe ——*te 4 —E — _ some one in the crowd called attention to the fact that somebody was looking over the ledge. ** Somethin’ hits me as ruther queer,” remark- ed the mayor, when the last exchange of words with the man on the cliff bad been made. “We know ther woman didn’t come down, and ef she ain’t up thar, whar is she?” ‘‘ That’s ther question,” agreed the man near- est him. ‘‘ Et looks funny, ter say ther most about et.” ‘“Mebby thar has been sort o’ dark work goin’ on up thar?’ the mayor gave hint. **Mebby that ’ar stranger knows more than he p’tends he does? But, we'll see when he gits byar. He’s got narve, anyhow, ef he is goin’ ter come around ther Fiddle-bow Pass, and don’t ye forgit et.” ‘ That was what the stranger was going to do, ‘as they found out,sfor presently they could see . ire as be threaded his way along the dangerous * Jedge. By this time nearly the whole population of the camp was in the street, choking it in the vicinity of the dead horse, A great deal of talking was done, while they waited for the arrival of the stranger. Preseotly he was seen coming down the gulch ata flying pace, and when he entered the street thecrowd fell back and made room for bim to approach the Palace, His horse was admired by one and all, and the dead one,it was seen, bad been nearly its match, The rider, as they saw him, was a man of perhaps thirty, witb a sad, slightly pale face, and dark, magnetic eyes, When he drew rein, at the place where the dead horse lay, be cried: ‘*Have you found her yet, men? Have you fooked everywhere? She certainly did come over the ledge, for she is not up there,” ‘Young man,” said the mayor, stepping out from the rest, ‘‘don’t you s’pose we know what we ar’ talkin’ about down hyar? I seen ther aoe fall, and I kin swear that nobody fell witb im, ‘** You say you saw it fall, sir?” ** Yes, I seen et fall.” ‘‘[ suppose you mean you saw it when it’ struck the ground.” ‘Ye spose too much, young man, I seen et when et kem over ther butte, and [ tell ye no- body kem with et.” ‘‘Then where in beaven’s name is my wife? Men of Basalt Butte, I call upon you to help me find her.” Mr. Grimm was seratching his bead, ‘* Stranger,” he drawled, “this hyar bas a queer look about ef, You say ther woman ain’t up thar, and we know she didn’t come down hyar. Do ye want us ter believe that she melt- ed off into ther air?” ‘* Her disappearance is certainly as mysterious as though she bad,” was the young man’s re- sponse. ‘‘In spite of what you say, I am sure she must have come over with the horse, Have you looked all around, to see if you could find the body? Don’t you think she may have struck some building?” This gave the crowd a new idea, and a bun- dred men set about searching at once for a mau- gled body; but not the mayor. ‘See hyar,” be cried. “My name is Archi- bald Grimm, and I am mayor of this byar camp of Basalt Butte. I bate ter have a man tell me that I don’t know what I’m talkin’ about.” * But, there is a chance fora mistake, surely, sir.’ ‘* Nary achance for ary mistake. I heerda yell, ther hoss’s yell, I mean; and I looked right up. Thar was ther hoss, comin’ right down at me like a twenty-ton bowlder, and no- thin’ ner nobody else war comin’,” ‘IT do not doubt your word sir, But, did you not jump, to get out of the way? And in doing so, might you not have missed sight of the rider, if she came over the ledge a moment after the horse? She certainly did come over, for she is not up there, and there 1s no other possible ex- planation.” **You say right, in one p’int,” agreed the mayor. ‘tl did dodge out of ther way, and might have missed sight of ther woman ef she kem over durin’ that second or two; but in ther natur’ of things in gen’ral everything falls straight, and ef she fell over that ledge she'd strike hyer in ther street in spite of all creation and your argymints ter boot,” here was no questioning this, and the stranger was for the moment silent. “And that’s why I say this hyar thing has a queer look about et,” the mayor went on, “Ther woman didn’t come over byar, and you say she ain’t up thar. Thar is only one other - ’ ‘ Ka F ya a Ee " “pp ———— + t thing she could ’a’ done, and that was, ter mel away like arv shadder, which we don’t take no stock in. What have ye got ter say on that bead?” ‘‘T know not what to say,” was the answer. ‘* This suspense is almost maddening. My wife and I were riding along in tbe direction of ths camp, when, suddenly, her horse took fright and shot ahead like a thunderbolt. I tried to follow at once, but mine reared and plunged so that I was not able to urge it forward for the space of half a minute at least, [saw my wife disappear around the bend up there, and follow- ed her as fast as I could. ‘hen IT reached the bend and saw the ledge before me I knew at once the horse had gone over, and supposed of course she had been carried to death along with it, ‘There you have it, straight.” ““I won’t say et ain’t so,” responded the mayor, ‘‘but et is qieer what bekem of ther woman. Me childrun,” to the crowd, “ what ef this byar stranger has put ther woman out of ther way, and come hyar with this story ter tell so as ter clear himself of et? What—” ‘*Stop right where you are!” the stranger ordered, sternly, ‘*‘Only a fool would suggest such a thing as that—” ‘*A fool! Do you call Archibald Grimm a fool? By ther livin’ Jupiter! but I, have a notion ter snatch ye off o’ that ’ar hoss and Varn ye a lesson or two,” ‘“*IT say only a fool would suggest such a thing,” the stranger repeated, ‘I would bave cut off my right band sooner than barm one hair of =) wife’s bead, She was more than life to me, have come here with no lie on my lips, sir, I call upon you and your citizens to help me find my wife, or her body.” ‘** Yes, I reckon we'll do that,” was the growl, “‘and I reckon we'll hold you to answer ther charge if thar is any proof or s’picion that pints your way. What do ye say, me cbhildrun? ‘‘ Ther story is fishy, ter say ther most of et,” one man made answer, ‘* My God!” the stranger cried aloud, with an almost groan, ‘‘is it not enough to lose the light of my life, without being accused of having foully murdered her? I swear to you, men of Basalt Butte, the truthisas I have stated, I will give five bundred dollars to the man who will find my wife, dead or alive, and bring her tome. This mystery must be solved—it shall be solved!” This earnest appea! carried conviction. ‘““ Wull, ye seem ter mean et, anybow,” mut- tered the mayor. ‘* We'll ’vestergate ther mat- ter all we kin, but I don’t see ther way clear ter go ter work, Ef ther woman ain’t up thar, and ain’t down hyar, whar is sbe?” ‘That is the mystery. But, have you looked all around here, men? Do you see nothing of the body any where?” This to the men who had been making the search, and who were now returning and mingling again with the crowd, ‘*Nary a sign of ber,” one answered. ‘‘ We have searched every foot of ther ground, too.” ‘* Where can she be? Heavens! I shall go mad if this is not explained soon. A general search must be made, people of Basalt Butte, and I call upon you to turn outand aid me. Fire hundred dollars to the successful man!” This repeating of the offer aroused the crowd to action, and fully three-fourths of the men offered their services. ‘*[ am a stranger here, as you see,” the youn man went on, *‘ and do not know the ground. want you to go abead and make the search a thorough one, I will pay you for the work, be- sides the r@ward to the successful man. My wife must be found before dark, dead or alive. Do you hear me? She must be found!” Everybody was talking at once, or trying to, and there was almost confusion, but now a cheer was given, and more than half tbe crowd dis- persed to go in quest of tbe mysteriously-missing woman, If she was to be found they meant to find her, and each was eager to be the successful one, in order to secure the libera) reward, ‘* By ther way, stranger,” now remarked the mayor of the camp, ‘‘ we baven’t got yer handle yet. S’pose ye let us know who ye are, what ed business is, and what et was brought ye ere, ‘* Under the circumstanees | will tell you who I am,” was the response, “* My name is Richard Bristol, though I am better known as Deadwood Dick. Junior. You—” ** Deadwood Dick 2” “Yes; Deadwood Dick, Junior, You may have heard of me—1l infer that you bave, Do you now doubt my story, mavor? For once J am baffled. Here is 2 mystery without a single Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defeat. 3 clew, and one that strikes home, Where is my brave, bonny Kate?” And the stri-*g man shook—shivered with his suppressed grief, he sts CHAPTER IIL. VAIN SEARCH—MYSTERIOUS MISSIVES—NEW ARRIVALS, FEw places there ure in the Wild West where the name of Deadwood Dick is unknown. It was known here at this camp of Basalt Butte, and the mention of it changed the whole aspect of the situation at once in Dick’s favor. A score and more of men in the crowd bad given voice to the exclamation--‘t Deadwood Dick!” among them the mayor, and that worthy now stepped forward with extended hand, exclaiming further, ‘‘Great storm-king! Is et possible that I see before me ther great and only? By ther livin’ Jupiter, but this byer is good fer sore eyes! Me childrun, gaze upon this gentleman, and be- hold ther greatest detective of ther day, Sir, forgive me fer what | binted at, wull ye?” Dick had accepted the offered band and given it a hearty shake. ‘*Certainly I forgive you,” he responded. ‘‘Overlook my bot words in response, too, I was in no mood to be trifled witb, as you can understand.” “‘Sartainly not; but, ye see how et looked, This hyar is a mystery a darn sight bigger’n ther _ boss that kem over ther ledge.” ‘*And what is going to be done, mayor? Can’t you suggest some explanation of it? W here can she be?” ‘‘l only wish I could tell ye, Deadwood Dick. Like you, I am knocked clean out.” ‘‘ Will you go back with me to the top of the cliff, and take a look at the lay of the land there? You may find something which I have missed.” ‘*Sartain I will, Thar will be a good many abead of us, though, fer ther lads ar’ makin’ off in that direction about as fast as they kin go, But, come on, and we'll amble up thar.” Dismcunting and leaving bis horse in the care of a man connected with the Silver Bugle, Dick set off with the mayor on foot to climb to the ledge once more, to make anotber, and if pos- sible more thorough examination. Needless to .go with them over the ground again. The search was as fruitless as Dick's alone had been, ‘Every inch of the trail was ex- amined, and every possible spot for a mile around was searched, but not a trace of the missing woman could be discovered any where, Finally, completely baffled and discouraged, Dick and the mayor returned to the camp, fol- lowed by the others who bad gone out, At the camp the same story was told, a fruitless quest. A thorough search bad been made under the cliff, but the missing woman could not be found anywhere, nor a sigp of her, Entering the Silver Bugle, Deadwood Dick threw himself upon a chair by a table and bowed bis bead upon bis arms, The redoubtable Richard was almost crushed. Fearless in the face of foes, as intrepid as a lion when in danger, this great loss of a loved and loving wife, together with the awful mystery, was more than be coul’ bear. Night bad come on, supper at the hotel was over, but Dick bad no thought of his own needs, Tired and hungry as he was, be did not know it. There was but one thought in bis mind, and that for bis wife,—for bis brave noble wife, the peer- less Kodak Kate, Even the business that bad brought him to this camp of Basalt Butte was for the time being entirely out of mind. That be had an object in coming there goes without saying. But, what- ever it was, it was as nothing to him compared with this new mystery that occupied his mind, and in which be was so personally concerned, No one disturbed him, and for a long time he remained thus, his brain busy with the great enigma, It was one which he could not solve. It was one to which he could find no key, It was one that baffled him utterly, invincible detective though he was. He was oblivious to his surroundings to all intents and purposes. There was a crowd in the room, but he heeded it not, nor did he once move or stir till finally a shouting without an- nounced the coming of the belated daily stage, When he roused up it was with a start, as though he had actually been entirely out of him- self, so to say, and as be removed his arms from the table, something white, two objects there were, dropped from the board and fell fluttering to the floor, Hastily picking them up, Dick found them to —_ - - 24 se —,« Tad as \ < . _ ~e -_ tT oe Le” i > ded ~ ail ~ a2 ie se ee a _ > he >»