Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 792 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

_ - - .- = 10 = ‘Et don’t seem possible he could git up and how] like they say,” one fellow observed. ‘‘ He seems as mild as milk an’ water,” ‘* Tigers bave soft paws when they hold their nails in,” anotber reminded, ‘‘ I reckon detec- tives ar’ built much on ther same plan. This feller’s paws seem soft as silk, though.” ‘* You ar’ right.” ‘* What do you think about et, stranger?” This to Mr, Balaam, as they were all strolling back in the direction of the botel. “‘It doesn’t interest me wonderfully much,” was the response, ‘‘ What I say is, give the young mana chance, I believe in giving every- y a chance. But, temperance must now claim my sole attention,” So, for the time being, the matter ended. When they reached the hotel the detective had taken a seat on the piazza, where he ap- ared as uncoucerned as though he had no usiness on hand, The mayor bad not returned to the hotel, but had stopped ayain at the office of the despoiled banker, where he found the father and daughter alone, the fair girl still endeavoring to reconcile him to his loss. Hancroft closed the door as he entered. ** This is really too bad, Weeds,” he said, “* but still it might be worse, You and your daughter have each other yet.” ‘Just what | tell him,” cried Tessie. ‘‘ And what need we care for the money? I have outh and health, and ho has my love and help, hat more does either of us need, I should like to know?” ‘* Sbe don’t understand, she don’t understand,” sighed Timothy, ‘Money is the only thing worth living forin this world. If you have got money you have got all the rest.” ‘You think too much of money, papa,” the girl chided, ‘* Now that it is gone we will let it o and think more of each other. That will be tter, you know it will. No more worry, so long as we have plenty to eat and a little to wear. That’s all the very richest of them can have anyway.” “That is so,” agreed Mr. Hancroft. ‘ But, my friends, let me suggest a way out of all this trouble,” ‘* What is it?” asked Timothy. ‘*] have spoken of it before, but now I feel that | may speak of it again and with more show of success. Miss Tessie, you know that I love ou for I have told you so,” ** And I have told you that I could not help it if you did,” answered the girl, provokingly,. ‘*'You have told me you could not love me in return, but that is all right. Ido not look for it right away, You are young, and the love will come fast enough when you come to know me better.” ‘*T don’t believe it, Mr. Hancroft. I! have tried to love, lots and lots of times, but I have never got any further than papa bere, whom I love dearly, I don’t believe I'll ever love any- body else, I know what you are going to say next, but it’s no use, My answer is no,” Hancroft had before asked for her hand in marriage, ascan be gnessed, and the answer had been the same then. The girl knew what to look for now, | ‘You do not know all I am going to say,” declared Hancroft, ‘Let me talk to your father for a moment now,” ** Tf you want to,” ‘‘AndIdo, Timothy Weeds?” ** ‘Yes, sir.” ‘Tf you will induce this heartless daughter of yours to marry me, I will make good to you every dollar you have lost by this robbery, sir.” Mr. Weeds roused up eagerly. ‘*Haven’t I tried it?’ he declared, ‘ When you offered before I talked with her about it, ut she said she didn’t love you, and that settled it. I’m willin’ she should do it, but she won’t,” ‘* And what bas love todo with it, so long as there is love enough on one side? I love ber enough for both of us, Now, Tessie, see here,” ‘* What is it?” ** Do you really love your father?” ‘“‘ Of course I do, sir, If I loved you half as well I’d marry you quick,” **Then, if you love him, will you not make him happy? You can make him doubly happy if you will only marry me.” ‘But, you wouldn’t be happy, and I’m gure 1 wouldn’t, sir.” . ‘IT not be happy! Id be the happiest man ou ever heard of, And after a little you would happy too,” “It is no use, Mr. Hancroft, I remember the. advice my mother gave me when she died, and ‘ty What ** And what was her advice?” ‘* Not to marry unless I loved truly and well, no matter if I never married at all.” ‘Then, Tessie, see here: It is about time you made up your mind to love me, for Iam cer- tainly going to marry you one of these days. Don’t shy off, now, for I mean it.” ~ May you will,” **Oh! 1 know « will, for you will scon come to love me a little, lam sure, And now, Timothy, to you: As soon as Tessie will marry me I’}l make good your loss, 80 do the best you can for me with the heartless little witch. know you are willing, and it ouly rests witb our little lady.” ‘You might look further and fure worse, Tessie, girl,” said Timothy, in an argumentative way. ‘IT sup so, papa, but I don’t love Mr. Hancroft, and that settles the whole business for the Frveetth I wish I did, tor your sake,” ** Well, well, take your time to think it over,” said Hancroft, turning toward thedoor, ‘ But, Tessie, don’t let anybody else get in, ahead of me. Remember, I have the first bid.” ** Not much danger, sir,” ‘**[ don’t know; there are good-louking stran- gers about camp. By the way, don’t go and set your cap for that detective of mine, for he is a married man. I merely mention this by the way. - Mentioned it by the way, did be? It was second only in importance to the proposition he had made, and was one of the chief reasons for bis having dropped in as he had done, And, as he made known the fact that Dead- wood Dick was a man of family, he watched to’ see what the effect would be. What he saw angered him nota little, The irl’s face grew pale for one single second, when he next moment it was burning red, and she turned away to hide her confusion, **Curse the luck!” the man growled, as he left the room, _ ‘‘ Here she has been proof against everything and everybody all along, only to have her foolish little heart waken at the sight of that fellow’s good-looking face. Lucky for him he is married, for if he was.1’t—” A grim look finished it, He went to the hotel, where he found his de- tective on the piazza taking things & very easy Manner. ‘* Well, I suppose yon have been thinking it ver,” he spoke, on coming up. He hel himself to a chair, ‘* Yes, I bave been giving it a little thought,” was the response, ** Well, what’s the result?” ** Nothing,” ‘*Confound it, but you are enough to exas- perate a saint! Do you mean to say you have- n’t a single idea or a single point to work on?” ‘*That’s about the way it stands, sir. I sup- pose we'll go out there and take a Jook at that lake as soon as we have breakfasted, eb? Break- fast must be about ready now,” ‘* Yes, we'll go out there, if you think it will do any good. The others went, but it amounted to nothing,” ‘* Their going does not answer for me. I must see a thing with my own eyes to understand it aright. Ha! bere is the breakfast gong. Let’s attend to that pleasant duty,” The boarders filed in, among them Barnabas Balaam, He got to the tdble with a skip and a jump, and "pan sure of a place where he had command of the array of dishes in every direction, ‘*Never get left, is my motto,” he declared. ‘“*T bave bad experience in this line, and I have found it’s first come best served, ’most always, so I’m generally with the first. Anchor your- selves, gentlemen,” He was again opposite Mayor Hancroft and his companion, the detective, and paid attention to wha rf said, now and again putting in a word himself, He was a character, this same Balaam, and some there were who were ready to agree with Tom-tom in the remark he had made about the mule in the stable being Balaam, CHAPTER XII. * AN AMAZING CONFESSION, “Verily, verily, verily!” exclaimed Barnabas, when he ap upon the piazza after break- fast was over. ‘‘ If I hadn’t been born a tem- erance soldier I do believe I should turn detec- ve, ‘“* Ha! ba! baw!” the laugh which greeted that, could you do as a detective. You'd I’m going to follow it to the letter, for [ could make a better stove-blacker’s helper.” trust her in everything.” : : ety, ° ; ‘ / . ; sch Wiaiaia aAN ahted Lo a ies Maybe I would, but after stening to the Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Device. | convereation I bave just beard between your mayor and Deadwoou Dick, I am all on fire to see that wonderful lake that « man don’t drown in, If they don’t forbid, I believe I'll accom- pany them there,” A gvod many of the crowd were of the same intention, so nothing was raised against that. ‘* But,” said'ovue man, *‘ what about the tem- perance lecture? Ther cause will suffer while you’re gone, ye know,” ‘I know, I know, but I'll fight all the harder to make up for it when I come back. Ob! I must see that wonderful Jake, you know, for nothing delights me so much as water — water first, last, and all the time!” - Tbe matter bad been talked over at length at the table, as may be understood trom thir. It was a puzzle to understand how the outlaw, leaping into the Jake as be was said to bave done, and not reappearing, came out alive. And, as or Hancroft and the detective talked these things over at length, the curiosity of all bearers was aroused, and no wonder Barnabas Balaam desired to accompany them out to the wonderful sheet. When they appeared upon the piazza he promptly accosted them. ‘* IT say, gentlemen,” said he, ‘* would you like to make the heart of a poor man glad?” ‘‘How can we do that?’ queried the detec- tive, ** [’)] tell you, sir. You are going out to that lake, and after all I bave beard said of it I am filled to the chin with curiosity to see it, too. Will you allow me to go along with you on my mule Spavins?” “ Why, you are welcome to go, as far as I am concerned,” was the assurance, ‘‘] have no objections,” ‘** May heaven bless thee, and ra | the cause of temperence never wane!” cried the gladdened Balaam. ‘* What has this got to do with temperance?” asked the mayor. ‘‘ It has to do with me, sir, and I have to do. with temperance,” was the explanation offered. The mayor ordered borses for himself and the. detective, and Balaam saw to getting out his. mule, while many others busied themselves in making ready for the little excursion, Finally they were ready and set forth. The mayor and the detective rode ahead, Barnabas Balaam following on his mule, and the others coming on after him. It was a rugged trail, a part of the way, but finally they reached their destination all in good order, and there was the lake spread out at their feet as they halted upon a ledge from which the outlaw was said to have leaped. This ledge was a dozen or fifteen feet above the water, and represented wbat may be termed a promontory, a high cape, and it projected to a point near what would have been the middle of the lake had it been round, \ ‘* There,” said the mayor, pointing, ‘‘ s where the fellow disappeared, as near as 1 can locate,” ‘* Yas, that’s about ther spot,” others support- ed, ‘* You say he dived in?” “Straight in.” ** And was seen no more.” “Not asign of him, though the men waited here half an hour or more,” Mr. Bristol bad dismounted and stepped to the edge to look over. He saw the face of the cliff was a sheer desce 't, and the whole line of the lake’s coast was visible from this point, ‘“‘Tt is very strange,” he had to confess, **So everybody agrees,” was the response from the mayor. The detective walked along the edge of the cliff, taking a critical survey of everything, The others had remained mounted, looking from where they sat, most of them looking only at the detective to note his every movement, Barnabas Balaam, seated on his mule in a stolid way, looked around at everything but ap- parently without the least idea of trying to solve the mystery which had brought them there. Finally the detective returned to the horse, shaking his head. , **Do you give it un?” inquired the mayor, ‘‘ Yes, for the present, I do,” was the answer. ‘* It gets ahead of me completely, sir.” ‘¢ Humph 1”? . ‘‘Tt would get ahead of any one,” declared Mr. Balaam, ‘If that man jumped in there in the manner you say, he isin there yet, That is the long and the short of tie whole mystery, gentlemen.” ** Not so,” corrected the mayor, “‘ for he bas been seen many times since, and bas been up to some of his old evil tricks,” e: ““Can’t help it, sir, he is in the lake yet, ©) )- — a V »