Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 816 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Rival. he got ther wu’st of et.” “What!” ‘* Not dead!” ‘* Ye ain’t killed ‘im!” ‘Keep yer shirts on, now, boys, keep yer shirts on, and don’t git excited about et. He ain’t killed, ner even hurt.” ‘‘Then where is he?” ‘‘Taid on ther shelf, as I said. Do ye < know what he was goin’ ter do wi’ you ; Ps lads?” ag NO.” Bey “Why, he meant ter give ye ther shake.” a5 Fy ‘‘ What do ye mean by that ’ar, old man? iyi : What was he goin’ ter do?” Yea he “Why, he meant ter gobble that quarter Ce i milliGn, when et kem hyer, light out, an’ i i ‘ then leave you ter stand et.” Ba a ‘“ Was he goin’ ter do that?” oh ieee | ‘*'That’s what he was.” “eae ‘| Then whar is he?” demanded one man. ANN ‘“We hev been talkin’ over ther way he done oe et up fer poor Freckles, an’ we hev about Sis Rs made up our minds ter take things in our own hands hyer.” Os “Ye had?” fo ** Mas; we had.” ‘“Then I’m yer man fer a new dea!?” ‘What ye mean?” f mai ee ‘“‘T mean that I’m with ye, and we'll go fer | ‘that quarter million and make a fair and ere square divide all around when we git et.” "re ‘“Hooray! That's what we'll do!” | “*Rah fer Gideon! _ Gideon’s band!” ‘‘Ha! ha!’ ha! Yas, that’s what’s ther matter, fer Gideon is ther best man any- how.” | “You bet he is.” ‘‘He’ll be honest with ye, anyhow,” the old fellow declared, ‘‘an’ he’ll give ye what ye deserve, every time.” ‘* Hooray ! e'll all belong ter Gideon’s band, an’ we’ll jest git up an’ whoop ’er up fer all we're worth, you bet! You ar’ ther new captain, old man; you ar’ the new cap- tain.” . “All right, boys, I’m willin’ to take et, but thar’s one man of ye that has got ter sur- render ter me.”’ ‘* An’ who’s that one, old man?” For answer, Gideon whipped out a revol- ver and pointed it at one of the men, the one who had planned with Dusky Dick to play him false. ‘‘ Thar he is,” he cried. ‘‘ He plotted wi’ Dusky Dick ter hand me and my family over to ther law and git ther reward that’s on our heads, and I ruther reckon we'll be | doin’ ther right thing ter take keer he don’t ~ doet. Hey, boys?” We'll all belong ter CHAPTER XIV. SPREADING THE NET. ‘‘Wnrat’s ther matter?” the prisoner de- manded, pale as death. Wits: ‘* You know well enough what's ther mat- ter,” Gideon, declared. ‘‘ You know what you and Dusky Dick had in mind ter do.” ‘No, I don't, nuther; you ar’ away off.” “Well, mebby I am, but you ar’ my pris- ,» oner all ther same. Keep them ’ar hands | _ right up, now, while I talk a minute. This ' _ galoot, pards, is a traitor to us all, ther same as Dusky Dick himself.” ‘‘Hang him!” was shouted. **No, we won't do that,” said Gideon, ae “but we'll take care of him so’s he can’t do any harm. He was goin’ ter help Dusky ' s Dick sell me out to ther Téxas officers and : ea |). git ther reward, and then they was goin’ ter _ skip out with all ther boodle and leave ye in Tipo |) ey him! Hang him!” mn _ “We'll hang him an’ Dusky Dick to- ft — “No, nothin’ of ther kind, but we'll take }. keer of ‘em that they don’t git out of our ‘ ‘ss, ‘ ° . ’ 7 + yer Xt ig 3 i "> Mr ok “ ‘ i est sr ‘. »* did ther old woman and that poor feller, and Ee ‘fellers has been wi’out fer a long time an’ nnn Ss ’ S* interrupted, ‘‘ you shut hands ter do us hurt, and we'll see to gettin’ , that quarter million out 0’ Deadwood Dick; | and, when we hev divided thall all around, | share an’ share alike, we'll scatter and git | out, fer et’s goin’ ter be too hot hyer ther first we know.” ‘““That’s so.” ‘Yas, that’s what we'll do. 3 | ‘Well, boys, hev ye got anything ter | drink in this hyer camp? I haven't seen a drop sense I have been hyer.” “No, thar ain’t a drop in ther Garden, cap’n.”’ ‘* We hev made hogs of ourselves, and now | we're in a famine on ’count 0’ that.” ‘* Jest what I thort meself. Wull, I want ye to drink to my good health, seein’ that ye ev made me yer cap’n.”’ ‘“Reckon we'll *have ter drink water, then.” ‘“Nary. That won’t do. I hev got some- thin’ along wi’ me, in some of my traps in ther cabin, and I'll fetch it out. Thar ain't much, but as I don’t drink meself et will go around, I guess.”’ ‘“* You don’t drink?” : ‘“No, fer ther reason that I’m ’flicted wi’ a sort 0’ dainty stummick and can’t stand et. But, that don’t need ter interfere wi’ you, so I'll send and git ther nectar and let ye have a taste. Et won't go fur, so ye must be content wi’ a small dose. Hyer, Jim Gripes, go to ther cabin an’ git that jimmy- john.” One of the old man’s sons set forth at once upon the errand. They talked on until his return, and the old fellow rose in favor among the men<dvery minute. When Jim came back he had the’demijohn in hand. A cheer greeted him, and the gang of Seige: quickly ranged themselves at the yar. / Gideon’s sons were among the others, and Gideon himself took the demijohn and stepped behind the bar to deal out the ‘‘ dew of hell” to them, : “This hyer jimmy-john ain’t full,” he cried, as he shook it. ‘‘I thort it was full, to ther top. I'll bet ther old woman has been at et, and ef I find she has I'll give her per- ticklar fits, you bet.” Only one glass could be found, the others having been disposed of as targets for pistol practice when the bar went dry. ‘“‘ See hyer, you boys,” Gideon said to his sons, ‘‘ you jest drop out of this hyer till we see ef thar’s enough ter go around. Ef thar is, then you will come in fer a drop, and ef thar ain't ye won't.” His ‘‘boys” drew back from the bar in obedience, and the stuff was poured. i From man to man Gideon passed along, giving each one about an equal quantity, and at the last man the supply gave out. oe that Gideon’s sons began to com- ain. “ Ye didn’t do that fair, dad,” said one. ‘“What’s ther reason I didn’t, I want ter know?” was demanded. | ‘Ye gev ’em too much all around.” ‘‘Never you mind me lads. These hyer . they had ter have whether you got a drop or not. And thar’s more of ’em out on guard that’s got ter have a dose, too.” Said one man: ‘* Et looks like a dry chance fer ‘em, now, ca n. 9 . fe No, I’ve got a little more of ther stuff at, | ther cabin, ef that old woman ain’t drunk et all up, an’ ef she has—” At that moment the better half bounded into the place with a whoop. “See hyer, you Gid Gripes!” she cried. | ‘What d’ye mean by sendin’ and takin’ that | ‘ar likker out of ther cabin, when—’ ‘Look hyer, now, old woman,” Gideon our head and git right back whar ye kem from. Ef ye don't, | | | SS sess ls-llstleetes-esetlsttest S ‘ternity, ‘fore ye try ter out, Singer,” suggested 13 Ill Varn ye alesson ye won't forget .n a. hurry.” : ‘‘Gid Gripes, do ye know who you ar” talkin’ to?” | “Yas, I reckon I do, old woman; I’m talk- in’ at you, straight. What have you been doin’ pokin’ your nose inter this jimmy-john—” ‘“‘T won’t stand that from you, Gid Gripes, I won't stand that ’ar from you! I want you ter know that you and me’s one, and what's. yourn is mine; and by ther great old—’ ‘* Get out!’ yelled Gideon, and lifting the empty demi-john he threw it at her with force, barely missing her head, and she turned and ran. “*T’ll Varn her what she'll stand!” Gideon . ‘‘T don’t let no woman talk back to. . cried. me in that fashion, you bet. And you, Jim, you run and git that jimmy-john before she: downs ther hull thing fer spite.” The son obeyed promptly ‘Now, boys,” the new captain said fur- ther, ‘‘I want ye to go out and take yer places on guard, and let t’other fellers come inand git a taste. You kin tell ‘em what's: happened, and tell ’em we have made a new deal and ar’ goin’ ter have honest govern ment hyer or none.” ‘* All right, cap’n, what you say is law. And you bet they'll be hyer on a tall run, when we tell ‘em thar’s somethin’ ter tickle their throats with.” So, the men divided themselves in two» companies and went out to take their*places: on guard. ' Gideon had cautioned them, too, to be ex-- tra vigilant, declaring his belief that Dead: wood Dick had help near at hand, and that. unless every precaution was ‘taken a surprise> might be sprung upon the camp. ; It was not a great while before the relieved. — guardsmen came running in, all out of. breath. ‘‘ Whar is et?” they panted. ‘Right hyer, boys, right hyer,”’ answered’ Gideon. ‘* Come up and take et, fer et’s like. salvation—free ter all.” The men took their portions of the yile: stuff eagerly, and when all had drank, then Gideon told them of the change that had been made, and the reasons for it. : They all greeted their new leader with a hearty cheer. As by that time it was getting late, Gideom proposed that they should seek their bunks,, and ina little while the whole camp was: asleep. | The guardsmen who were watching over’ — Deadwood Dick and the other prisoner had’ not been forgotten, by the way, but some of the liquor had been‘sent out to them while: the outside guardsmen were waited for, Next morning the sun was high before the: camp began to stir. Gideon and his band—his family—had beem up for some time, however, and had done: some important work. The old man and two of his sons had gone: aati Ay brought in the prisoner—the brigand. chief. He had been self. The men were a sleepy -lookin ~ placed in a cabin’ by him- \ | lot, when they came forth, and they looked at one an-~ other in an almost foolish manner. ‘* What in ther doose has struck us?” ques-- tioned Injun Jack. ‘‘I never slept as tate as: this in my life afore, and I feel now as if I hadn’t had half enough.” ‘'Th-th th-thet is'j-j-j-j-jest wh-wh-what’s ther m-m-m-mat-matter wi’ m-m-m-me,” stut- . tered Stuttering Steve. ‘‘I f-f-f-feel lili like a f-f-f-f—" ~ “*Yes, and ye look like a fool, too,” inter- rupted Rooster Rube. ‘ “DP d-d-d-dang et! I wasn’t g-g-g-9-goin’ ter s-s-s-s-say f-f-f-f—” , ; ‘Ye had better wait till ye git over inter: t that word clear: d Mike, And at that there was a laugh. : . ~~ _ a