Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 776 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

A ee ee $$ __—___—__——__—__———} Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Resurrection. 1S ‘‘‘You have been sent to me for information concerning Red Roy,” the queen greeted bim. ‘* Yes,” he answered. ‘‘ Well, I will disclose the secret to you, so that you can act with the mayor when he is ready to make the attempt to take him, But, do not mention it to him till he speaks about it to you.” ‘* understand.” In brief, then, but very direct and clearly, the Gypsy queen disclosed the seéret of the cavern within the great basalt butte. ‘‘ Mention this to no one, you understand,” was the Gypsy queen’s finalcommand. ‘ And above all, do not let it reach the ears of the Queen of Hearts, But, I know you are tobe trusted,” ‘* Yes, you may trust me,” ‘Very good. The mayor will come to you when I have told bim,” So, the detective took his leave, pondering over what be had heard, and returned to bis place on the piazza, He had not been long there when Icicle Isaac joined him, ‘* Well, what is the result of your visit to the seer?” the man of ice asked. ‘*Then you have had your eye on me, eh? Well, I have learned mel but am pledged not to disclose it.” ** What good will it do you, then?” “The same is to be told tothe mayor, and then he will come to me about it, after which I suppose it will be no secret among the trusted ones,” ‘* What is it concerning?” ‘*T will tell you that much, anyhow, It con- cerns Red Roy. That woman knows his hiding- place, and is going to put a plan in motion to have him caged.” The man ot ice started up, something unusual for him to start; but he settled down again at once. ** No, no,” he said to himself; “* I can wait, I cau wait,” “You can wait for what?” his companion ‘** 1 can wait for the plan to be arranged and carried forward, 1 must, however, see the mayor alone, and there he comes now,” he man from Frozen Flats was about to leave the piazza to go forward to meet the mayor, when he saw the Gypsy queen glide forth from her tent and go out to intercept him. He saw the mayor stop to hear what the wo- man had to say, and after a moment saw him follow her to her tent and enter. **Too late,” be said to himself, ‘‘ for now she will post him, But, no matter, for I can prob- ably add to his information. This night will show a climax to things here, or I miss my guess,” He sat down and talked with Mr. Filburn while he waited for the mayor to come out of the tent, Let us follow the mayor. Stopped, as shown, by the woman, he follow- ed her into her tent with a great deal of wonder. What of importance could she bave to tell him’ That was what he asked himself. But he was soon to learn what it was, ‘‘ Mayor Grimm,” the woman gaid, once they were within, ‘ I have, as I said, a very impor- tant matter to disclose to you. Before I do so, I must plecge you to one thing,” ‘*Durn et, gal,” the mayor exclaimed, roughly yet not unkindly, ‘‘ I don’t know about that ’ar. ’m mayor of this byer burg, and et won't do fer me ter pledge anything onless I know about what’s goin’ ter come of et,” ‘Well, chen, wait till I tell you more, I kncw the great excitement that prevails bere: I ‘mow the great desire you have to get at the mystery which surrounds the outlaw, Rad Roy; and, more, I know his secret and want to im- part it to you in order that you may capture the rascal,” ‘Great storm-king! Gal, ye don’t mean et!” ‘“‘T do mean it; I speak only the truth. I am going to put the matter into your hands, and all ask or require is your promise that you will not reveal it to two persons whom [ will name.” ‘‘Name’em, then, Name ’em, gal, an’ by ther livin’ Jupiter, I guess I kin give ye my word on’t, She spoke the names, ‘Great storm-king a-screamin’!” the mayor — *“Ye don’t mean et—ye can’t mean et, ga ‘“‘T do mean it. This secret must be kep from those two, otherwise I will not tell you, but will choose some other who will promise me, “Then, by ther livin’ Jupiter, ye needn’t look cr rrr LT LLL LLL LL LLL LE no furder, gal. I won’t speak et, not fer a mine o’ gold. ou put me onter this thing, and ef we don’t make things howl hyer, I’m a liar.” “Very well, Mr. Grimm, 1 take you at your word, Remember, the success of the venture may depend on your prudence. And, too, be more guarded in your tove while we are talking. Now, to begin with, within this big basalt bluff here, from which your camp takes its name, is a cavern—” ** Onpossible!” ‘‘it is so, There is a cavern, with passage- ways from top to bottom, and in that cavern is the outlaw’s retreat, He hasit furnished, and there he hides when it is necessary for him to hide, There he keeps his disguises, and there, too, I have no doubt, is stored his ill-got trea- sure, This is no dream; I know what I am talking about.” ‘* But, gal, how did ye come ter know all this?” ‘You forget that I am a Gypsy queen, I know many things, This being something of vital importance, and knowing how interested you are, | made up my mini to tell you, even at the risk of my life, ou must know, sir, that if Red Roy finds out what I have made known he will kill me, But, let me contiaue, Up above your camp, on the rocky shelf at the top of the bluff, is an opening into the cavern of which only Red Roy knows the secret.” ‘““Storm-king! Then that ’ar was ther way Deadwood Dick’s wife disappeared, was et?” ‘Exactly. Red Roy made her a prisoner there, and disappeared with her into his secret retreat before her husband came in sight, 1 have heard all about that case, and know just how it was, But, there is another way of en- trance to this cavern, and it is through the Pal- ace Saloon right bere in your camp—” The mayor sprung up and opened his mouth to give vent to a mighty roar, but the woman was up as quickly, and her shapely band promptiy closed the gape in his hairy visage, ‘* Hush!” she hissed, ‘‘ Remember, everything depends on your prudence!” ** Darn et, gal, et was lucky ye caught et afore et came out,” the mayor said, ina low tone, ‘I was goin’ ter beller wuss’n ary bull, Do yemean ter say et ar’ so, that ther Palace Saloon covers ther way to that ’ar cavern? Then ye must be right jn s’pectin’ Queen o’ Hearts, too,” ‘*T have no doubt about her, sir. You will fiad itall asI have told you, when the time comes for you to strike your blow. It was in that cavern that the wife of Deadwood Dick was imprisoned, and there is probably a prisoner there now, the young man, Mayham, or Thorn- ton, who disappeared from here so suddenly — the time Deadwood Dick turned up miss- ng. ‘Hal! thar’s ther p’int; what ab- ut Dead wood Dick? Do you know whether he is alive or dead? You seem ter know a iittle of every- thing.” ‘*T am not sure on that point, sir. Last night I believed him dead, but now I have a doubt in favor of his being alive, though it is one I dare not express yet,” **'Wull, wull, you beat ther darnation, you do, gal! What.more hev ye got ter tell me?’ ‘*T have an idea how you should set at work to capture this rasca),” ‘* Let’s have et, let’s have et, by all means,” ‘* Well, since there is a doubt about the person 1 have named, and one which he might prove in his favor, the only way to take the fellow is to catch him in his den, so to call it, If there at all, it will be about midnight, or say un hour after the saloon closes for the night.” **T see, I see.” ‘Well, you must station a force up on the bluff, ready to intercept him if he comes out that way. Then, at a time agreed upon, you must break into the saloon in force, push right through to the rear, and there, somewhere, you will find a door and passage leading down into the passage that leads to the cavern, Failure must not be thought of, for to fail the first time would be to lose your man, He would not wait for you to make the second effort, knowing that his secret was a secret no longer.” ‘**] see, I sce; and, by ther great storm-king, be kin bet yer boots that I’m goin’ ter make ome how! around hyer now!” The queen had to smile at his earnestness. ** But, you must be careful, Mr. Grimm,” she cautioned yet again, ‘‘ You must not let it be known by vour manner that you know anything of this, Everything now depends on you. have only one thing more to say, and that is, that I intend to be ono of your party to-night when you make your attack, There, there, do not say no, for I mean it, That is all, except one word further of caution, If that prisoner is in the cavern yet, and alive, we must rescue him before Red Roy can kill him, as he may do if allowed the chance.” CHAPTER XV. THE FALSE PLAN AND THE TRUE, WHEN, finally, Mayor Grimm took leave of the Gypsy queen, his mind was in a whirl, It seemed more like a dream than a revelation of truth. How could the woman possibly have come by the knowledge she bad? Could it be possible that it was true? Was there not some mistake about it? He bent his steps in the direction of the hotel, his head bowed in a. brown study. He had not gone far when a yoice greeted him, and looking up he found Icicle Isaac Larring his way. ‘‘T have been waiting for you, mayor,” the man of ice said. ‘“‘I want to havea talk with ou.” ‘“Wull, hyer [ am,” was the response. ‘What is yer say? I hev got my head full.” ‘“‘Let’s walk out this way, and I will tell u.”’ They turned in the direction of the mine office, and walked away slowly. And, as they walked, the man from Frozen Flats unfolded a plan that filled the worthy mayor even more with surprise than had the revelation made by the Gypsy. Their talk was a long ove, the mayor telling: what had been disclosed to him by the Gypsy queen, and their plans of operation were fully laid out, they taking the mine manager into their confidence and hs pledging his hearty co- operation, The three left the mine office together and returned to the center of the camp, where the mayor stopped at the Silver Bugle to talk with Mr, Filburn while the colonel and Icicle Isaac weut on to the saloon, where they found Hand- some Harry, whom they at once invited into their confidence, ‘* We are going to bring this thing to a head, Stacey,” said Colonel Mossler, ‘*Tt’s about time it was done,” Harry agreed, ‘* but how are you going to do it? That is the question,” ‘‘We have got to Jay a trap for the fellow,” said Icicle Isaac, ‘‘ We must decoy him, and be ready to take him when he takes the bait.” ‘‘ Hasier said than done, I am afraid. How are you going to go about it?’ ‘* You know he robbed the stage of the money sent here to pay off the mine men, and the men have, consequently, not been paid,” sé Yes.” ‘Well, how do you think it would work for it to be known that a special messenger was to ‘set out from here to get another supply, going as a single traveler with no protection. Don’t you think Red Roy would lie in wait for him on his return?” ‘*He might, that’s so.” ‘‘ Well, bave men in hiding at various points along the way, the places where the rascal would be most likely to hold the messenger up, and bave them ready to pounce upon him when be shows himself, Don’t you think that would work ?” ‘Yes, if might; but I would not want to be the messenger.” ‘**T should not mind taking that part myself. scant I have some protection against bis bul- ets. **True; but now that he knows ite are protect~ ed, as he must, be would most li let where you are not covered, and you would be done for,” “But, I should be in disguise, of course, and unless he.is mighty watchful he woald not kncw who I am. Seems to me, if the thing is worked right, the plan would work and be a success,” ‘*You would not bring the money, though’ that would be only a blind,” ‘“Not so. Tbe money has got to be bad, and I would engage to bring it. By that means, if he had a spy watching, Le would be all the more apt to take the bait.” ‘“ Well, I believe it might work, that’s so. But it will have to be carried out with care.” ‘Ob! certainly,” agreed the colonel. ‘“ The word will be passed around on the quiet amon the men, and we kuow by experience tbat will be as good as telling Red Roy all about it.” “He certainly has means of getting his in- formation, though he did get left in the matéer of the bullion, I can’t get over it, Icicle Isaac, that you did not let meaccompany you om GOMIERDOOK ely send a bul- .