Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 815 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

Broadway Billy’s Bank Rac eee ee eee ket, 15 pleasure that I learn she loves Vance Willey, a prince among men. ‘To you, my_ wife, and you, my daughter, what canI say? If you can forgive me, do so, You are aware, Grace, that Spencer Withertorn loves you. You cannot make a better choice of a worthy man. Marry him. For you, my wife, my love bas never dimmed, and my decep- tion with you has ever been a burden upon my soul, I bave hated myself for it, and more than once have I seriously contemplated endiog it in suicide. Forgive me if you can find it in your heart todo so, You can never know how I have suffered. I bave no more to say, nor strength tosayitifIl bad. I am dying. My fortune I have willed to you and Grace cutting Horace off with a dollar, for I have seen the evil of bis way. The Stiverson fortune will go to Florence of course. This woman can claim none of it, for she was never the wife of Gaffner Stiverson. I would recommend her to the continued com- anionship of Beaumont Robiston, I have not n altogether blind to their clandestine schemes,” Mr. Shyrock paused again, as if to rest, but with a sudden sigh he expired. The end of his double life had come. For several minutes the room was silent, save for the sobbing of Mrs, Shyrock and ber daugh- ter, and Florence Stiverson, The latter was the first to speak, Stepping forward to Mrs, Shyrock and her daughter, and placing an arm around each neck, she said with deep feeling: **My mother, my sister, let us forgive him. His burden was a heavy one, and many a time I have seen him in agony and tears when he thought no one saw him, Let us forgive him.” And so they did. Clasped in one another’s arms, their tears commingled, and in that mo- ment the past was buried and the future opened for them anew, The rivalry between the two irls was ended at the same time, and their em- race done, each turned and gave her hand to the man who loved her most. _ To mention all that was said and done is now impossible, for space will not allow, The guilty ones were led away by the detectives, and were finally sent to the fate they justly deserved. Vance Willey and Florence Stiverson, and Spencer Witberton and Grace Shyrock, were eventually married, and all are as bappy as the average of those who launch upon the matri- monial sea, Broadway Billy and his Beagles were given much preise for the manner in which they had worked out the case is so briefatime. When Billy and the superintendent opened the notes they had sealed in each other’s presence, it was found that both papers were worded exactly the same—‘‘ Hickman Shyrock and Gaffner Stiverson one man.” It had so turned out, Billy and the boys are still in the harness, ready for anything that may turn up, and it will be our pleasure, at no distant day, to tell of their further doings. THE END, Deadwood Dick, dr.s, Rival: OLD GIDEON’S WIPE-OUT. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ DEADWOOD DICK” NOVELS, ETO, OPENING SCENE, DEADWOOD DICK DOWNED. ‘* HANDS up, Deadwood Dick!” Eingiog the order, startling the command, prompt the compliance! A horseman, medium in size but broad of shoulder and strong of limb, suddenly confront- ed by half a dozen armed men, The rider was a young man, seemingly not over thirty years of age, with dark hair and mustache and keen, piercing, magnetic black eyes; and having brought his horse to a stop he ' coolly asked: ** Well, what’s wanted?” “You ar’ wanted, Deadwood what’s wanted,” he was promptly have come to ther end of how ye will be at the end —the noose end,” Dick, that’s told, ‘* You yer rope now—or any- of et in Jess ‘pn an hour a eee ee Eee SS ON sn ea The lone horseman smiled, spite of his danger- ous situation. ‘* You have made a mistake this time, gentle- men,” hedeclared. ‘*‘ My name is not Deadwood Dick.” ‘** Bah! go tell that ar’ to the buzzards, won’t yer? Don’t ye s’pose we know ye well enough?” ‘* But,” and the borseman spoke seriously, *‘ I tell you [am not he. For once in your life, my man, you have made a mistake, “That don’t go down, You can’t git off wi’ that kind o’ yarn,” “Tt is the truth,” ‘** An’ I tell ye I know better. I haven’t gone cross-eyed sence I seen ye last time, an’ I guess Vd orter know ye. Dusky Dickis waitin’ fur ye, and thar will bea choker party when we take yein, Ha! ba! ha!” ‘* Dusky Dick, the Dark Dread? You would not give me into his hands? By all that you hold dear I entreat you to let me go, and I will reward you greatly. 1 will take you with me and give you double what you can hope to gain by serving this devil in human guise,” “‘Hal ba! ha! Snow ther white feather, do ye? I thort ye would, ef ever we got our claws on ye. Nary alet go fer you, Deadwood Dick, till we let ye go atther endof arope, Ther captain has been expectin’ you, sooner or later, and has been ready and waitin’ to receive ye, Keep yerself quiet, now, or you'll have ter be taken to him dead.” The leader of the half-dozen had given a sig- nal, and his companions had flung themselves upon the horseman and were binding him hands and feet. ‘* But I tell you this isa mistake!” the prisoner protested, struggling to free himself, “I am not Deadwood Dick! Free me, and give me a chance to prove who and what I am!” ‘* Nary a free, me nobvle Richard, We'll hang ye first, and then try yer case after that, and cf we find ye innercent we'll draw up reserlushuns of regret, or somethin’ of that sort. Bring him on, pards, and we’ll hand him over to ther cap- tain fer him ter deal with.” Their work accomplished, they moved for- ward, one of their number running on ahead as though to carry the good news in advance, eal Dick, if it was he, wasin a desperate strait, ** Hyer they come! Hyer they come!” So cried the crowd, and the guardsmen, witb their prisoner, were seen approaching, They shouted and hurrahed wildly then until the party came pear, when those who claimed to have seen Deadwood Dick before cried out: ‘*That’s him, captuin! Don’t need but one look at that face, ter know et! He is ther cuss! Rooster Rube has made no mistake! You are in ther fix of yer life this time, boy!” The prisoner, pale, but determined, faced the angry crowd without flinching in tho least, ** Deadwood Dick, I am glad for this oppor- tunity of making your acquaintance,” greeted Dusky Dick, with mock politeness, ‘*T can’t say that I’m proud to make yours,” was the stern retort, ‘“‘ But I desire to set you right on one point—I am not Deadwood Dick! 1 have no desire to rob that gentleman of any honors that are rightfully bis,’ The crowd laughed loudly at that, **No, I suppose not,” rejoined the chief, as it happens, you are positively recognized by at least half a dozen men here, so your story don’t go down. Andif there could possibly be a mistake if wouldn’t help you any, for we'd give you the benefit of the doubt and hang you anyhow,” ‘He can bet his life we would!—beggin’ your pardon, cap’n, fer stickin’ in my lip,” cried Gideon Gripes, ‘Thar’s war to ther knife ‘tween usand you, Deader-than-wood Richard, mnt hialey war will be ended right hyer, you et. ‘You needn’t beg pardon of me for talking that way, pard,” the brigand chief waived. ‘* But, I tell you you do mistake,” urged the prisoner, ‘* Search me, if you will, and see if you find anything on me to prove what you charge,” ‘‘ What’s ther use?” cried Rooster Rube, ** We wouldn’t expect ter find yecomin’ byer with yer name branded on ye,” ‘That's what’s ther matter!” cried another of the crowd, ‘ Et ain’t no.use.” ‘What is your name, then, since you deny Ss gaa as Deadwood Dick?’ asked the read.,. ! ‘* My name is Philip Philli ”? “ Philip Phillips ties like fin,” cried Rooster Rube. *‘*Confound it, what is ther use o’ your hoidiz'’ out when so many of us knows ye?” ** What ar’ ye going to do with him, though, Captain Dick?” inquired old Gideon, “* A new idee has jest popped inter my mind, the reason Iask. Do ye really nrean ter yank him?” “Certainly I meanmit! What else Vo you think I would do with him? But, what is your idea?” The old man was about to respond, when a woman’s scream was heard, All looked in the direction whence the sound had come, and beheld a woman running toward them, arms outstretched, ‘** Save him!” she cried. him!” — ‘*Thunder!” cried Dusky Dick, and his face grew darker than ever, ‘* How has she managed to escape?” Even as he questioned, a hideous old hag was seen running after the woman, and as she ran she called out loualy to the crowd: ‘*Ketch that she wildcat! Ketch her! Ill bet Pl] scar her purty face fer her, fer the trick she played on me! Don’t let her ‘scape, and don’t let her git no weepon!” On the woman came, apparently seeing noth- ing but the prisoner, and she pushed her way to- ward him till roughly stopped by Dusky Dick. ‘* Here, what means this?” he demanded, ‘Richard! Richard!” the woman — rather girl—cried, “ why did you venture here? They will murijer you!” ‘* My God!” the hae sie? gasped, as if intended to be unheard, ‘* Kate—” But be cut himself short at that, while the crowd broke out with a wild whoop, ‘‘ Ain’t that ther proof?” they yelled. ‘She has called him Richard; what more d’ye want '»’ that? Let’s string him right up, let’s have ther fun right now while we all feel lile et,” ‘*No! no! no\” the young woman cried, wildly ‘Spare him, spare him! Take my life, if you will, but spare him!” ‘*Ob, yes, we are full of that, you bet!” laugh- ed Dusky Dick, detaining her by force. ‘* We prefer beauty to the beast, every time, my little tiger cat, Don’t hurt yourself struggling so,” he young woman, who could not be more than twenty-two years of age, fought like a tiger to free herself, ‘* Let me go, monster!” she cried, ‘t Let me o! If you will kill him, show me the mercy to et me die with him,” The man had tried to force himself to be calm, but impossible. He now tugged at bis bonds till the veins stood out upon his face like ridges raised by the blows of a whip. ‘‘Hree me,” be hissed, ‘and Pll fight the whole of you! Free me, and more than one of you shall bite the dust before you deal death to me, Free me, just long enough to—” ‘* Well, hardly,” drawled the brigand chief, ‘¢ We'll take care of you, and then we’!l see that the lady is well cared for after that, so there will be nothing for you to worry about, Sorry not to oblige you, but it can’t—” ‘‘Curse you! I'll have—” The desperato struggling of the prisoner bad loosened his feet, which had been tied together underneath his horse, and he»slipped over and would have toppled off had it not been for old Gideon, who sprung forward and caught him in his arms, and together they fell to the ground. ‘No, ye don’t!” he cried aloud, the next mo- ment, ‘No, ye don’t, me noble Dicky Dead- wood! Not while Gideon Gripes is around ter take a hand in things, Whar’s that ar’ rope ye ar’ goin’ ter use, cap’n?” With a wild scream, at that, the woman faint- ed, and Dusky Dick gave her into the arms of the old hag, saying: ‘“* Here, Jezebel, take her back: and mind, you do not harm one hair of her head, if you value your withered old life, Bring a rope, boys, and short work shall be made of Deadwood Dick. Bring him to his feet, Gideon, and we'll show you how we do such business here at Bank Gar- en,” For the balance of this latest and most in- tensely interesting Deadwood Dick novel >ee BEADLE’s HALF-Dime Liprary No 816, now ready, and for sale by all vewsdealers at five cents per copy. **Save him! oh! save The Drapwoop Dick Novrers—of which 2 list is here given—ave concededly the most noted and popular stories of Detective, Cityand Wild West life in American literature All ate in print and will be supplied by your Newsdealer. Each story or issue, of course, is complete in itself—forming one episode or case In the Prince of Detectives’ remarkable career a8 enemy of evil-doers and agent of the U., 8, Secret Service in unraveling the mysteries of cases which oaftie the skill of local detectives and officers of the law, books m co