Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 802 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diamond Dice, to parley further, As he did so there was an- other crash against the door. ' Herantotbe rear window and looked out. ‘There all was darkness, and not a sound was to be heard below. The whole crowd appeared to be in the front, Hastening down the stairs again, Dick hur- riedly consulted with the others, and their plan was soon laid, Gagging the prisoners, they slipped out from the place by the rear door, taking the prisoners with them. CHAPTER XVI. ROUNDING UP TH& HORDE, IN giving the rascals in the saloon free license at the bar, Deadwood Dick had done a wise thing, though it had not resulted in just the manner he had had in view at the time of doing so. The men were getting crazy drunk as fast as they could, and were so oecupied with their drinking and their ehouts of defiance to their brethren without, that they did not notice this retreat by the rear door on the part of the detec- ‘tives and their prisoners, Once out from the saloon, Dick kept well in ‘the shadows and away from the street, making his way up the gulch with all haste, On coming out, the prisoners bad refused to walk, evidently thinking that by this means they would delay their captors and bring about their discovery, but there were enough of the yi Sa to carry them, and that was done, bey had not gone far when they were met by a perty coming from the oppasite direction, ‘There were three men and a woman, and Dick challenged them at ounce, ** Coke—Hardy?” he spoke, Se Yes,” was the response, ** with the pris- ner. ‘* All right, but turn withus. We have had to desert the saloon,” The prisoner was a woman, being none otber than Eva Armstrong, the supposed daughter of the manager. The others turned, and all made haste to get to the cottage that had been occupied by Arm- strong, where they disposed of the prisoners for the time being, ‘‘ We have not won the case yet, by a good deal, remarked Dick. ‘‘No, but we have won a good deal of it,” Mason made play upon his words, ‘‘ We have got the men, and we know where the money is d. ‘¢ And they have got us, like rats in a trap or they would have, had they a competent leader,” Dick rejoined, ‘Not with you in command, Deadwood Dick.” ‘¢ You may see me outdone, this time,” ** No fear of it.” , ** 1 only wish we had a Gatlin’ gun,” cried the mayor. ‘We'd wade in an’ mow’em down, Ter think that I have been boss over sech a pizen gang! I knowed they was bad, but I mever dreamed they was ez bad as this,” There was a good deal of debate, then, in which it was decided to remain there till morn- ing, unless disturbed. he weapons that had been taken from the men at the saloon had been rendered ‘useless, so, even though the men opposed them again, weapons would be fewer. As Dick had said, they were still in a desper- ate situation, and one that might have been ren- dered desperate indeed, had the borde of ruffians had a leader to direct their movements intelli- gently. For bours the uproar at the saloon was kept up, but at last it died out, and finally the camp became still, It lacked then but an hour or two of dayligfit. “The rum has done it,” said Dick, ‘We must take them early, if we take them at all!” ** And we'll do it,” declared Mason; and the mayor and the others agreed in that, Hardy and Cooley were the only ones who could resume the disguises they had worn before, all the others having been now exposed, They were out first of all, before daylight but not a great deal ahead of Dick, Mason, an the others. é Kodak Kate, now in another disguise, was close by Dick’s side, She was attired now as a handsome young sport, a disguise which was as perfect as the one she had laid aside, . Dranken mén were found lying everywhere about the camp, and every one was relieved of his weapons as soon as discovered, and the wea- Si ya as promptly thrown away or made When morning dawned, not more than a quar- ter of the population of the camp was astir. Up the street from the direction of the gulch came the Irish tinker, at an early hour, singing as merrily as a lark: ** Oh-ho, whin Oi’m at a wake, A ruction Oi make, Oi am boss av dhe ranch or Oi’m nothing at all; Oi take me best gurrel, And a-dancin’ we whirl, ? And dhe spalpeen dhat gets in me way takes a fall! Oh-ho, wid whisky galore, No less and no more, Me loife is contint when dhey lave me alone; But *tis me deloight, To get in a foight, And dhen wid a shtic< Oi’m a terror, ochone!”’ At the same time, down the street from the op- posite direction came Pompey Sunflower, the camp’s colored barber, his face expanded into a broad smile of good will for everybody. ‘‘ Hallo, naygur!” greeted the young Irish- man, as they met. ‘‘Dhe top av dhe marning to ye. Tho smile on Pompey’s face bad vanished in- stantly, and turning upon the tinker in a rage, he hotly demanded: ‘“Who yo’ call niggur, hey? yo’ low-down, good-for-nothing |” ‘‘Phwat are ye, dhen? Ye are no blonde, dbat Oi’ll be bound,” ¥ I's a gentleman ob color, sab; dhat’s what I am, ‘‘Oi agree wid ye, begorra! It’s a fast-black brunette ye are,” ‘* Took heah, yo’ low-down pot-tinker! I hab yo’ to know yo’ can’t ’sult me! Yo’ take dat back, or Vll kyarve ye, an’ kyarve ye deep. I has a razor right heah in my boot,” ‘‘ Bezob, ye had better have a care how ye are talkin’, naygur, or Oj’ll take me iron and be af- ther breakin’ dhe pate av ye wid it,” ‘Yo’ call me nigger ’gain! I’s gwine to cut ye, now, and cut ye deep!” With that warning, Pompey reached toward his boot to get his weapon, when the tinker, dropping his kit and furnace, sprung upon him, And then at it they went, tooth and nail, so to say; each shouting and yelling ina way that was calculated to arouse the whole camp, and men came running from every direction, ‘¢ Oi’ll chew ye, begob!” cried the tinker. ‘‘ I's gwine bite yo’ nose off!” yelled the bar- ' er, ‘‘Ojll twist yer neck fur ye, ye thafeara naygur, ye!” Yo’ jes’ mind out, or yo’ get yo’ blame’ ol’ punkun bu’sted!” So their cries were commingled, as they fought hard and furiously, each trying to gain the mas- tery. tt did not take long to draw a crowd, and ina few minutes there was a ring around the com- batants, every man in the camp who was sober enough to get there being in it. This was fun for them, and they were yelling themselves hoarse, urging the two belligerents on to barder work, ‘* Go fer him, Irish! ‘*Do him up, barber!” ‘¢ Solder him, tinker!” ‘*Cut bim, nigger!” It was lively, and they were bound to make it more so, if possible, The crowd did not observe the men who were surrounding them, each with a rifloin bis hands, In fact, the tinker and the barter were making it so lively and interesting that there was little st nt ga for the crowd to take note of anything else, Presently a voice from the outside of the circle shouted: . ‘¢ Cut his Irish throat, Sunflower! Poke your soldering iron down his neck, McGee! You are not half fighting!” The fighters seemed to act upon that suggestion at once, for they pniled apart from each other im ovciately, and while tue tinker sprung for his iron the darky drew a razor from his boot, *¢ Oi’ll fix ye now, begorra!” panted the tinker, “Yes, an’ Ill fix yo’, too,if yo’ come near me!” puffed the barber. The young Irishman flourished bis iron menac- ingly, and the gentleman of color brandished bis nicked razor, Instead of advancing, however, they made the distance between them wider as they moved around, each keeping his eyes upon the other. ** O?ll plunk ye!” ‘1's gwine xyarve ye!” Suddenly, and at the same instant, each made a move as if to spring upon the other, and thea as suddenly both dropped their weapons, turfied, and with yells of fright broke out of the ring in opposite directions and ran, The roar of laughter that went up from the crowd was speedily checked. ‘*Throw up your hands, every man of you!” was the stern order. Tbere they were, like a flock of sheep, sur- rounded by ten or a dozen grim rifles, and Deadwood Dick, mounted upon a box with a brace of revolvers in hand, had given the com- mand, One look was enough, and as one man the crowd obeyed, ‘‘Horm in line!” Dick further ordered, in- stantly, taking advantage of their momentary consternation. ‘¢ This, too, was obeyed. The trick that had trapped them had been a neat one. No sooner in line than the men with the rifles closed in upon them, and every man was uncer cover. Not a hand could be lowered in the whole line without inviting a shot, and the crowd realized how cleverly they had been bunched there and overcome, By this time the Irish tinker and the carky barber had run back again, and they now passed along the line, disarming each man inturn, while Deadwood Dick reminded tho rascals that it would be death for any man to resist, The work was speedily done, and the weapons had been made useless as fast as taken, ‘¢ What ar’ ye goin’ ter do with us?” asked one man, ‘‘T could take you prisoners, and make you suffer for what you have done in opposing officers in the discharge of their duty,” was Dick’s answer. ‘‘ But, lam willing to give you another chance,” ‘‘ What kind of er chance?” asked another fellow. ‘‘ A chance to become orderly and law-abiding citizens,” responded Dick, ‘‘I have made your mayor here a deputy marshal, and he and his assistants are going to enforce his rule in this camp., They are armed, while you are not, and you must obey them, That is the chance for you to redeem yourselves,” ‘But, we ain’t no darn hyenas, Deadwood Dick, ter be treated like this hyer,” yet another growled, ‘Your conduct of last night was not such as to assure me that you are very far different from hyenas,” Dick returned, ‘* You have heard my decision, aud as the present head of this camp, I shall enforce it.” CHAPTER XVII. IN CONCLUSION, Wirn the camp disarmed, the backbone of the uprising was broken, and Deadwood Dick was master of the situation. He then and there addressed the crowd at length, giving them due warning of what to ex- pect if they interfered further with him and his men in their duty, and that done, be bade them disperse, | This they did, sullenly, and Dick and his men, keeping together, returned to the house where the prisoners had been left. Here Detectives Hardy and Cooley laid off their disguises, to put them on no more in the present case. The hiding-place of the stolen gold had al- ready been found. | The work of each of the detectives has not been followed in detail, since lack of space made such a record impossible, Let it suffice to sa that each had done his part, and had done it well. The gold, as Detective Mason had rightly sus- pected, bad been brought to the camp in the machinery intended for the mine, and it had been unpacked and buried under the floor of the stamp-mill, where it still remained, the secret being known only to the few concerned, The robbery had’ been committed by Keeler, the ** New Jesse,” so called; and the men with him—-Bapton, Hokley, and others, The murder of Banton and Hokley was brought home to Keeler in a way that was not to be doubted. lt had been his intention to kill every one of the others, when he would have the wealth to himself, to do with as he pleased. His game had been nipped. The stage that morning was delayed, by order — of Deadwood Dick, and was not allowed to de- part until he had arranged his plans thoroughly. When, finally, it did set out, it had the prisoners aboard, with two of the detectives to Eomicbooks —- ae a, pe a ~<4