Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 802 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Pine ' : m ‘ 10 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diamond Dice, that duty had been performed tbe crowd set about taking on appropriate jags of jig-water. Lawyer Bungle was going from place to place about the camp, like a tireless bloodhound, try- ing to ferret out the murderer, but so far with- out much success, By this time nearly everybody was making fun of his efforts, for he had shown himself a thoroughly incompetent shyster. The [risb tinker, the Dutch peddler, and the colored barber, were plying their trades in peace. , The bummer, Mr. Kolt, was idling his time away basking in the sun, On the piazza of the hotel, toward the close of the day, the mayor, with a group around him, was holding forth again concerning the murder. ‘“‘{ tell ye what,” he observed, “if that ’ar Deadwood Dick isin town, as that feller said last night, I wish he’d show himself an take charge of this hyer case and make somethin’ out of et.” ** What do you imagine his business here can be?” questioned White George. ‘**That’s what gits me, pard, Thar ain’t no- thin’ ter draw him hyer, that I know of, onless et was the other murder,” ‘“‘If be is here, he must bein disguise,” said Bob Keeler. ‘* And it’s pretty certain we have none of that sort in town,” spoke up Manager Armstrong. ‘‘Are ye right sure, Keeler, that Hokley badn’t no enemy?’ The mayor had asked the same thing at jeast a dozen times before, ‘“‘T am sure he had none,” was the auswer. ‘*That is, as sure as [ can be, and I don’t think he had many secrets from me.” ‘Then et’s mighty queer who killed him. Men don’t kill other men like that without some powerful reason ter back et up. What that reason was in this case is more than I kin cipher out, At that moment Lawyer Bungle came out from the hall. ‘*Gentlemen,” he said, ‘* see here,” All looked, and in the lawyer’s hand was seen a long, broad knife. ** Thunder!” ejaculated Old Hink, the propri- etor, ‘‘That’s our kitchen carver, Mr. Bungle.” “I know it is, sir,” was the important an- swer. ‘‘It is also the weapon with which that man was killed Jast night,” Everybody looked amazed. ‘*How do ye know et was?’ demanded the mayor, ‘* Because it is the only weapon in the camp as wide as the wound in the dead man’s breast.” ‘** That is slim proof,” said Mr, Armstrong. ‘It might be, alone,” was the lawyer's very important rejoinder. ‘‘I happen to have now the knowledge of a motive for the deed.” ‘* Ha! what was it?’ ) ** Who done et?” **The motive, gentlemen of the jur—I mean simple gentlemen—er—a—that is, gentlemen simply; the motive was, revenge, and the mur- derer is the cook of this establishment, one Ned Nooks,” . The lawyer swelled up importantly as be made the charge, and looked around for some one to challenge bis position, ‘* Ned Nooks!” cried the mayor, ** My cook!” chimed the landlord. ** Absurd,” sneered Mr, Armstrong. ** But, [have the motive—tbe motive, gentle- men of—er—sim—that is, gentlemen; I have a reasonable motive for the crime, anii Ned Nooks isthe men. I have solved the mystery; 1 claim the rewards.” | **See here,” cried Keeler, anything, spit it out.” 7 “if 1 know anything! I tell you I havea clear case, gen—that is, a clear case, Hokley had insulted Nooks, and Nooks had vowed to fix him, He has done it, and here is the weapon he did it with.” \ He brandished the knife, **You’re a fool!” cried Keeler, ‘ Hokley never ivusulted Nooks, and Nooks is not the sort of fellow to do a deed like this, anyhow.” “Of course he ain’t,” agreed the mayor, ** He wouldn’t harm a cat; would he, Hink?”’ ‘‘ No, ner balf a cat; not even a quarter,” ‘* Wrong, ali wrong,” persisted the lawyer, Shaking his heal, ‘I will lay my case before ou, when your calm judgment must decide it. esterday pera Mr. Hokley found fault with his meat, e called Nooks, and in the presence of all told him he was not worthy the peadcr to blow him up, or words to that effect. ooks responded tbat Hokley was hard to please, and retreated to his domain muttering “Tf you know rr threats, All this I learned, and upon going to the kitchen to interview Nooks, ft espied this knife. You see the blade is just the width of the wound, Ergo; Nooks is the man!” ** Waal, you darn foo)!” exploded the mayor. **'You howling idiot!” cried Keeler, ‘* Hal ba! ba!” laughed Armstrong. ‘‘ That is the richest I ever beard,” ‘* You don’t agree with me!” queried the law- yer, greatly amazed, ‘‘ Don’t you see the evi- dence is perfect?” ‘*] see an infernal jassack,” retorted the mayor, ‘and that’s yourself, Why, Nooks wouldn’t kill a baby, let alone a full-grown man, He don’t even kill ther bugs in ther kitchen,” “ ‘* Call him here,” suggested White George. The landlord went to bring the suspected man to the front, Presently he returned, followed by a lean, lanky youth, one who did not seem to have spirit enough to speak for his dinner. ‘See hyer, Nooks,” the mayor turned upon him, ‘* did you kill Ike Hokley?” The poor fellow almost fainted then and there, He turned ghastly white, his knees gimbled un- der him, and be had to grab the railing for sup- ort. a N—n—n—no!” he gasped. ‘‘ Ha!” cried the Jawyer. See his paleness! See him tremble! Sir, didn’t you kill Isaac Hokley with this knife?” ‘¢ [—I—didn’t do it, I didn’t do it,” the fellow declared. ‘+I wouldn’t do a thing like that; I couldn’t doit.” | ‘**O’ course ye didn’t,” the mayor said, much to his relief, ‘‘ Lawyer, you ar’ no good. ‘t’Low me ter pint out one little diffikilty in ther way o’ your theory, will ye?” ** Yes, sir; if you can.” ‘* Wal, do ye obsarve ther length of this hyer knife? Ef it had been used, and ther blow struck as bard as we know poor Hokley was struck, wouldn’t it ’a’ gone clean through him, and more?” Mr, Bungle hadn’t thought of that, evidently. ‘¢ Possibly it might,” he admitted, ‘‘ but—” ‘‘No but about et, You ar’ a howlin’ idiot, Nooks, go back to yer kitchen an’ take yer bread-slicer with ye. Lawyer, git out o’ my sight. Those around laughed, and the lawyer went off, muttering to himself. He had succeeded in making an/’ass of bimself, which, had they known it, had been his object from the first. Now little attention would be paid to him and his movements, By night a good portion of the camp was pretty thoroughly drunk, and the whole place was in an uproar. Supper was over, the stage had arrived with- out anything of importance attending, and now there was nothing to be done but. for the rabble to get up some excitement on their own account, Little had been seen of Fearless Fan during the day. The excitement of the forenoon had made it impossible, or nearly so, for her to exercise the privilege the mayor bad granted her, And, too, little had been seen of the man whom she had’so thoroughly subdued on the previous evening, He was around now, how- ever, and was one of the leaders with the drunk- en rabble, About the usual hour White George opened his game in thé Sarcophagus, The former proprietor, Sportive Sport, was on hand, and was one of the first to take his seat, As he did so, he deposited two bags of gold coin upon the table in front of hin, emptying out a part of the contents of one, remarking: ‘*Now, it is either make or break with me, What is the limit of your game, Mr. Dealer?” ‘* Five million dollars,” was the quiet answer, Sportive Sport was seen to start, and others looked at the cool dealer intently. “You can’t mean it,” the ex-proprietor gasped, ‘*If not, I would not have said so,” the cool sport declared, ‘** Then, by hash, you av’ Deadwood Dick!” So cried a voice, and Wild Ward, balf drunk or more, pusbed his way to the front, ** You here again?” demanded the sport, ‘*'Yas, ’'m byer again,” was the retort, ‘* an’ I’m byer on business this time, too, you ret!” He reached for a weavon, but before be could draw it the sport bad him covered with bis own. And, not only so, but Fearless Fan, just bebind him, placed the nose of a cold tube behind his ear. ** Go slow,” the young wonan said softly. ‘He had better,” warned the sport. ‘ You seem bent upon protecting me, lady. I can only thank you.’ ‘*T do so because I know you are mistaken for another,” was the answer, _“* Yer lie!” cried the baffled rascal, ‘‘ Ye ar*® in cahoots! He is Deadwood Dick an’ you ar® his wife!” The crowd seemed to awaken to the truth, ‘*That’s et,” cried one man, ‘‘ Haven’t we heard about that darin’ wife pard of his?” ‘*See here, White George,” demanded the mayor, ‘is this hyer so, or ain’tet? What's ther use of bein’ in disguise in a friendly camp?” ‘“*T have told you, gentlemen, that I am not Deadwood Dick,” was the reply. ‘‘Ican do no more than that, Besides, this lady bas said so, and she has told you she is acquainted with Deadwood Dick.” ‘*Wull, what ar’ ye goin’ ter do wi’ me?” growled the prisoner, ‘‘ Ye had better make cold meat of me while ye kin, fer I’m on ther war- path now, ferfair, I know ye, and I’m goin’ ter settle my ’count with ye, ef I git half a show ter do et, you bet!” CHAPTER AIL. SOME PASSING EVENTS, THAT the crowd looked upon White George as Deadwood Dick, there was now no denying, The mention of Fearless Fan as his wife seemed to have settled that opinion in the minds of all, for wherever the fame of Deadwood Dick was known, in that country, his wife shared it, ‘Nevertheless, you do not know me,” the sport urged, ‘‘for Iam not Deadwood Dick. As to what we will do with you, I think the mayor can take care of you. Mayor, I look to you for protection from this crazy fellow, since you have assured me that Iam ina friendly camp,” ‘* An’ ye shall have et, too!” the maver cried. ‘* Boys, jest take this byer galoot an’ tie bim up some’rs, I'll have et known th: t J am mayor of this burg, an’ that [ won’t have ne sech work goim’ on ef I know et. Away with him!” ‘‘Tet me fight him!” cried the prisoner. ‘‘T.et me stand up to him, man to man, an’ see ef [can’t drop him. LEt’s his life or mine, fer this kentry ain’t big nuff ter bold us both,” ‘* You are crazy drunk,” said the sport, ‘I wish the genuine Deadwood Dick would show himself and give you what you are itebing for.” ‘‘Then you come out an’do et, fer you ay’ ther man,” ‘T declare again that I am not.” Three or four men had now laid hold upor Wild Ward, at the mayor’s bidding, and he was hustled out of the saloon in short order, ‘‘That settles. him,” the mayor observed, ‘* Now, let this byer game begin, fer 1 am anxious ter see ther ’citement.” ‘* Very well, sir, you shall see it, if there is any to be seen,” the sport made reply. There was but one point of attraction in the saloon, now, The game commenced, and Sportive Sport was the only player. No one else entered with him, His first stake was one of five hundred dollars, playing the glittering gold coins in lieu of chips. He was pale, but his hands were steady, ' The cards were drawn, and the player lost. We will not follow step by step the progress of the game. The final result is all we care for. For two hours or thereabouts it progressed, and at the end of that time all of Sportive Sport’s gold bad passed over to the keeping of White George. And it was no small sum, “Tuck is against you,” the dealer quietly remarked, ‘* Yes, by Harry, so it is,” was the gnarl in re- sponse. ‘* But, I am not done yet, all the same,” ‘* You bave more capital, then?’ ‘If I haven’t I know where to get it. back in two minutes.” He rose and went out, and in less time than he had named he .was back again with two more bags of the precious coins, He resumed his seat, and the play began anew, The ex-prorrietor was cool, but bis face was red, the veins standing out vpon bis fcrehead showing thst he was in a rage of suppressed passion. As before, be lost steadily, While the play was going on this time, and while the whole camp, almost, was looking on with intense interest, two men without were 1n earnest conversation, standing in the shadow at the side of the saloon, T’ll be boo nannies eee