Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 770 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

be that be had come to this camp of Basalt Butte, and hence my coming after him. While I am about it, do you know anythiug of such a per- son?” ‘“‘ Have never heard that name here, to my knowledge,” declared Handsome Harry. ‘‘ No, ner me, uther,” the mayor subjoined. ‘* Well,” continued Dick, ** you see how harm- Jess my errand is, and how needless it would be for foes to go to such harsh measures to turn me back, They have probably bad their labor for their pains, Forty-eight bours grace is given me, and in that time 1 can probably do my bnsi- ness and be ready to depart. But, I must have my wife to take with me, or there will be war. Deadwood Dick can be threatened, that is noth- ing; but to turn him, that is another matter altogether. 1t begins to dawn upon me that peas there is something bere that will bear looking into a little.” ‘* from the tone of the note, though, it will be at the peril of your wife to do so,” reminded tbe sport, ‘True enough; but, as no assurance is given that my wife will be restored tome if I do go away, you can bet your dollars I am not goipg without ber.” Just then a womau of queenly bearing came down the long room toward them, and at sight of her Dick asked: ‘Tell me, who is that?” ‘*‘ That?’ said the sport, leisurely curning bis head to look, ‘*Tbat is Queen of Hearts, who runs this place.” ‘*Ohb, that is it, eb? The Palaceis managed by a woman, then? She bas been out of town, I take it, and just returned, is taking a survey of her paluce,” Stacey looked at Dick sbarply, his steely eyes seemingly trying to read bim through! ‘What are you trying to get at?” be asked, Dick saw there was something wrong, and did not reveal what he might bave disclosed. He had noted something in particular about this woman, and believed at first herecognized her, He was not sure yet that he hadn’t, ** Why, merely a remark, seeing the close sur- vey she is taking of everything and everybody,” Dick passed it off, easily. ‘‘ She isa bandsome, dusbing woman, to jadge at first blush.” ** Oh, that is all,” the sport as easily accepted, **[ thought you were going to say you had seen the Queen abroad lately. She bas not been away from bere in several months, so far as I am aware, and I am bere nearly every night. Ha! there is a youngster who is stuck on her.” But, for Dick’s suspicion, He remembered the vailed woman who bad come by the stage, und whose face be had seen in part at the table Her lips and chin were identical with these of this Queen of Hearts, At first be bad fvlt sure it was the same person, This woman bad a beauty that was almost dazzling, and if there was only one man ip the room who was ‘stuck” on her, Dick regarded it as wonderful, He Jooked where the sport indicated, and saw a rather good-looking young man in the act of lifting bis bat and bowing to the woman, She gars him asmile of recognition as ske passed 1m, She came on, and as she neared the table where the mayor, the sport and Dick were seated, she inclined her head in reeognition of the sport, the mayor, or both, Stacey partly rose, ** Queen of Hearts,” be said, ‘if you will take the trouble to step bere I wil] introduce a gen- tleman of whom you must have beard.” The woman came up witb a smile and easy grace, her brilliant eyes fixed upon Deadwood ick, ‘* Whom is it I am to bave the honor of greet: ing?’ she asked, ‘*Let meintroduce Mr. Richard Bristol, who is better known as Deadwood Dick, Junior,” said Stacey. ‘ Mr. Bristol, | present you to the proprietress of this saloon, Queen of Hearts,” Dick rose and acknowledged the introduction with bis usual grace. ** Indeed!” the woman exclaimed, ‘Is it pos- sible my place is honored by the presence of Dead wood Dick? Allow me to welcome you to Basalt Butte, sir. I am glad 1 can welcome you as a friend, for 1 bave beard so much about you that I should dread to have you for a foe,” She bad extended ber hand while speaking, and Dick bad touched it with a light momentary grasp. ‘** Have we not met before, madani?” he asked, For an instant she looked as if a startled ex- ae would come to her face, but a smile nished it instantly, *“ Not to my knowledge, sir,” sbe answered. —— eee ee C—O OO lO Oe Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defeat. 5 ** Where do you think you bave seen me? Per- nope J can suon settle the doubt in your mind,” ick gave a slight sbrug of the shoulders, ‘‘ Impossible tosay, now,” he declared. ** lam going and coming all the time, and it is impossi- ble to retain all the faces] meet. May as well let if pass as unsaid. I suppose you know all about my great loss, and the unaccountable dis- appearance,” ‘*Yes; everybody knows it, You bave my sympatby, sir, and if I can aid you in any man- ner whatever, you have only to command me, Perhaps you may think of some part which I can play, when you begin your search in earnest —for I bave already heard the rumor that she is not dead—” ‘*Great storm-king!” suddenly broke out the mayor, and he brought his buge fist down upon the table with acrasb, ‘ Take me out and club me ter death fer a blamed old ringboned and spavined jackass! Why didn’t I think of et afore? I hev et now, an’ l’m bettin’ on et. Deadwood Dick, yer enemy is Red Roy, ther outlaw !” CHAPTER V, DICK LEARNS ABOUT THE OREGON OUTLAW, DEADWOOD Dick looked at the mayor ina questioning way. Here was a candidate for prison of whom he had never heard, and be was eager to learn more. Handsome Harry, too, looked at Mr. Grimm for a moment, and then at Dick, and bis eyes and tbose of the detective met. The Queen of Hearts looked from one to another of the trio, ber smile still upon her lips, The mayor, with fist still clinched, was egg oe Dick, as if only waiting to be questioned. The pause was Only momentary, when Dick in- quired: ‘* And who is this Red Roy of whom you speak, Mayor Grimm? I believe I have never heard of the gentleman before,” ‘* Who is Red Roy? He’s ther durndest thief that ever sot foot in these parts, that’s who he is. But, be hasn’t been seen in some time, and I s’pose that’s ther reason I didn’t think of bim afore.” ‘* That must be it,” decided Handsome Harry. ‘It never occurred to me, either, and 1 guess no one else thought of bim in connection witb this mystery. How came you to think of bim new, mayor? It seemed to strike you all of a sudden,” ‘“Durn me ef I know,” was the response, ‘Et popped inter my bead jest then, and I spoke right out in meetin’, so ter say. What do ye think of ther idee, Queen o’ Hearts? You are a clever one at gittin’ at facts, What’s yer opine on this byer question?” ‘*]t may be as you think,” was the smiling response, ‘‘ but, who can say? As Mr, Bristol has never beard of him, suppose you tell him all about the fellow, and let him judge for him- self. You will excuse me?” With that, and a bow to all, she passed on down the room, Dick looked after ber a moment, then turned bis attention to the mayor, ready to hear bis story. ‘* Et ain’t much ter tell,” the mayor said at once, ‘Ther few facts kin be summed up in short meter, as ther poicks say, This Red Roy is said ter be from Oregon way, and bas been called ther Oregcn Outlaw, He is a outlaw sure enough, no doubtin’ that p’int, Never heerd of bim, hey? ‘*Never,” answered Dick, ‘‘He can’t have made much of a reputation yet, or my attention would bave been called to himere this, But, go on witb your story,” ‘**T don’t know ebout that part of et, but if be goes on as he commenced ‘reund hyer be will make et fast enough, you bet. But, it’s three months sence be was seen byer, and that’s why be was sort of outo’ mind, He isa feller dressed all in red, even to bis shirt and boots, and he’s a darin’ cuss, afeerd of nothin’, He made bis first *pearance byer one pay-day, and ridin’ up to ther mine office, stepped in, collared ther boodle, went out and mounted his boss and was off, and ther boys pitchin’ lead at bim fer all they was wortb,” : ‘* A cool customer, then, I should say.” ‘*No name fer him, Ther next thing he did was ter stop ther extra stage one day, when it bad ther biggest shipment aboard that bad been made from hyer—bullion, I mean; and darn me ef he didn’t dump ther bull lot of et and send ther stage on empty. What he done with et nobody knows, but et disappeared, and so did he, and he hasn’t been seen ’round hyer sence. As I said, that was about three months ago, so ye see it has sort o’ died out o’ mind; but et bits me right in ther gizzard that this same Red Roy is ” at ther bottom of this hyer mystery, though just how is more’n I am goin’ terexplain. Now, thar ye bave ther bull facks of ther case; what do ye think of et?” ‘‘Tiere may be something in it,” Dick said, thoughtfully. ‘‘Itis strange no one thougbt of it before,” mused the sport, “ This, it appears to me, would account for the letter you have received, Mr. Bristo].” ‘‘*What I was just thinking,” agreed Dick, ‘* This outlaw may be around yet, and learning my identity and inferring perbaps that 1 was nig? him, bas meant to nip my game in the ud, ‘*Tt looks reasonable, certainly. What are you going to do about it? How do you think you will take his warning?” ‘‘Et looks ter me as if he bas ye in a bad box,” observed the mayor. ‘* You are rigbt,” agreed Dick. “ He holds the best band. If it is as you now think, and it looks reasonable, be has me at a disavdantage. I will do anything to get my wife out of his power, But, the mystery! How on earth did she disappear from that cisff?” The others shook their heads, gave it up. ‘*T can do nothing,” Dick went on, ‘** but sim- ply await the pleasure of my unknown foe, If e had made it possible for me to respond to his letter, 1 would do so, and try to come to terms with him; as it is] am helpless. His letter is a peculiar one. He certainly knows me and some- thing of my reputation. e holds the strongest possible trump in his band—the life of my wife, e gives me forty-eight hours in which to make inyself scai1ce—as it were, and says I am to re- ceive no furtber warning, bu my wife’s head will pay the forfeit if 1 donot go. He has got me in a bad fix, as the mayor bere bas said,” ‘‘Darn me ef he ain’t, and no mistake,” the mayor agreed. ‘* He don’t give ye no chance ter speak up, either, and dc n’t say whet will become of yer wife anybow, Et ain’t bardly a square deal, by ther livin’ Jupiter et ain’t!” ‘*T suppose you are going to back me, if it comes to a struggie, are you not?’ Dick asked, * Wuill, pow, ye kin bet yer life on't!” cried the mayor. ‘ Me childrun and me’ll jest stand up witb ye till ther bell rings, I shoula cough up a cat or two ef we won't,” ‘‘And you may count upon my help,’ too,” offered the sport, ‘If you get hold of the case in the right shape, and there is anything I can do to belp ycu, you bave only to direct me and it’s done, The mayor bere knucws what sort of fellow l am, and he will tell you I'm always as good as my word,” ‘‘So Pve allus found ye,” the mayor at once testified. ‘“*Were it not for ove thing,” mused Dick, “I would demand a thorough search of every shanty in the camp this hour,” ‘‘By ther great storm king! Say only ther word, Dead wood Dick, and et shell be done right off soon. I’m mayor of this byer city, and my word is law.” ‘*No, 1t need not be done,” Dick decided, “My wife’s assurance that for the present she is safe, is enough, I can wait. Besides, such a proceeding might make her position more dangerous.” ‘“Wull, wull, mebby you aire right. When ye want us ter pitch in, jest say 60, an’ we're ready, The Queen of Hearts had made her way to the end of the recom by this time, and had stopped to speak to fersons here and there, and was pow coming back again toward the rear, ‘“Well, you bave heard the story of Red Roy?” she interrogated, stopping for a moment at the table where Dick sat, resting her hand on the back of his chbuir. ‘*- Yes; and itle-ds me to suspect that possibl he is the foe with whom I have to deal,” Dick answered, ‘You may be right. Itis to be hoped you will down him,if it is so. Where can be bave been keeping himself these three months, I won- der? ‘You say it is three months since he was here?” ‘* About that long, sir.” ‘‘ Strange, then, if he has reappeared just at this time! Ob! thereis much in this to baffle me. I cannot grasp it at all, Silent three months, and yet ready for me when I came bere by chance, without any knowledge whatever of his existence. I give it up.” “It ceriatuly strange,” the woman agreed. ‘‘ But, itis Deadwood Dick with whom he bas to deal, if it is Red Roy, and he will probab find be bas crossed swords with a formida They simply . =" - « ‘< >