Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 816 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Reyes Ave de eae: “wr pea i: = + > 4 4 * ; ; : * 4 , * 1 7 Baa ’ f 2 \ A + . it j « as a ‘ ys ite 275, a - , ee f 1 . . ¥ , ‘ ‘ a ‘the Deadwood Dick, Jr’s, Rival. a er a a j » ) a a i” ie" ¢ oe i om 9 gr 9 **Most assuredly.” ‘‘And you intend ter share that quarter million with all yer own band?” | needed the coming of the morning to see them set out upon their mission. It was during the evening that Dusky ‘Well, yes; that is, they’ll get some of | Dick had a private taik with one of his men, = § rec the one who has been mentioned as Injun * Now look hyer, cap’n, what’s ther mat- | Jack. ter wi’ our gettin’ that boodle and givin’ all ther rest of ’em ther grand shake?” Dusky Dick looked at the old man search- ingly. “Are you in earnest?” . “Yes, sir.” “* And you would desert your band?” “Wull, I would do et at first that way, but they could j’ine me when they could cut loose from ther rest hyer, some time.” ‘* And you would help me get away, with all of it?” ‘* Sure.” ‘“Then that isa bargain. Let it»be under- stood that we'll work it that way. There would no longer be any safety for “me here, after killing Deadwood Dick, and Id have | to seek safety in flight.” “Tm yerman, But, what's my share ter be?” * What do you want?” “Bt ain't ferme ter say, cap’n, fer Tam here as a sort o’ beggar anyhow, fer my own safety. What would ye give me?” ‘“*? would be willing to give you a quarter of the quarter.” “That’s jest what I’d ’a’ asked of ye, cap’n,” ‘““Then we are both satisfied. You help me, Gideon, and I'll prove true to you, and | we'll both come out of this thing better off by | Iam not blind to one ; jest wind her up short. a good many dollars, thing.” ‘* And what’s that?” ““That I have about reached the end of my rope here.” ‘*Wull, that’s ther fact, when Deadwood Dick has got after ye, for he allus makes or breaks.” too. ' tellin’ ye. The brigand chief had a room of his own over the saloon, and their conversation was had there. “T have called you here for a little private chat, Jack,” the chief opened. “All right, cap’n, you will find willin’.? ‘*T have a plan in mind that I want you to help me to carry out.” ‘You never found me wantin’ yet, did re?” Ne No.” “Then I reckon ye won't find me wantin’ this hyer time.” ‘‘T know I can depend on you. Now, I want to ask you, what do you think of this man Gideon and his band?” ‘“T think they are a gang of holy terrors, cap’n, that’s what I think of ’em; and the old man seems to bea man of hoss sense, ’» me ‘Yes, that’s all so.” ‘And the old woman, his wife, sheis a rip-snorter with that tongue of hers, I’m But, the men shut her up when she gets ter ragin’ too high; and they kin all do et, too, even to ther youngsters.” ‘T’ve noticed that.” “They let her go it till they see she is goin’ ter begin ter swear—that’s what. I s’pose is comin’ next, anyhow, and then they I seen ther feller they call Pete take her by ther neck an’ run her into ther cabin in a hurry jest now,” ‘Well, all that is nothing to us, of course, Do you think we want these people here ‘with us?” ‘Don’t see but what they ar’ all right.” ‘‘T don’t question that, but you know the “ Pity Red Roy didn’tdo him up, upthere | more we have the less the shares pf you in the north country.” “What was that?” **Never heard? Then Ill tell you about it, for [have read of it. He came mighty near doing it, but that man has the lives ofa cat,” Thereupon, their scheme having been laid, the brigand chief gave Gideon the story of | Deadwood Dick’s campaign against the famous outlaw Red Roy,* with which he was well informed. The remainder of that day passed quietly. The prisoners were well guarded, and care was taken that they should get no chance for escape. On the following morning, it had been ar- | ranged, the your picked men were to set out for Bristol City, bearing the letter from Deadwood Dick to his manager there. The letter, by the way, had heen written ' during the afternoon, the chief going to the ————e men.” _ Yas, that’s so.” . “ And we know tnese folks are wanted bad out in Texas.” ‘‘T guess I begin ter see what’s in yer mind, cap’n. Wal, you kin count on me fer et.” ‘Yes, I was sure I could, but it may be that you do not understand just what lam coming at, for I have not told you all of it ”” s ‘* Let us.have ther hull of et, then.” “You know all about tlie plan to get a quarter of a million dollars out of Deadwood Dick.” | ‘¢ Yes,” “Well, this fellow Gideon has struck me for a plumb quarter of that.” ‘Ther goose he has! Wal, I guess ther rest of us will have somethin’ ter say about that, won’t we? I think we will, ef I know cabin where Dick was confined, taking paper jneself.” and pen with him, and he did not take his | eyes off the prisoner while he wrote. When he had done, too, he removed the — pen and ink, so that no secret message could | possibly be written. The letter was a straightforward one. It set forth the case exactly as it was, and gave explicit directiots what was to be done. . A quarter of a million dollars was to be sent, in the lightest possible form and least possible bulk, under guastl of twelve good | men, who were to be guided by the bearer. | It had been arranged, further, that one of Gideon's band should go with the four who | were to give themselves up as hostage, to uide them to Bristol City and in turn guide ick’s men back to Bank Garden, and the one selected for that duty was called Sam. Everything was arranged, and it only | —_—_—_ * Haur Dive Lisraries 770, 776, 782, : ‘ ret. Ww » es ee ® : , be fy * 4 ~T A <a » ry 7 *, ‘. hd ake ae ea > . " "oe ke Bl SY ae Se T * That is j ust it, and here is what I want to keep secret for the time being: You know there is a price upon the heads of this man and his family, and after we have made use of them we'll sell them.” , “A good idea!” ‘“ But, keep it as stillas death for the pres- ent.”’ : ‘Oh, sure I'll do that.” “You see, on the sly I'll communicate with the authorities, and somehow arrange a plan for giving them up and raking the re- ward, And that rewayd I'll let you men ' have all to yourselves. | See?” ‘Yes, you bet.” ’ : “Then say nothing about it, and don’t let Gideon suspect that anything is up. We'll get the quarter-million first, and then we'll attend to his case after that. We'll make them all prisoners,and fill our pockets at their expense. own first, Injun Jack, Say nothing, and | may tell you something more after awhile,” ‘ys eee . EM teat tat eee ae We are looking out for our Cann LS ; : 7 c > , “ «t® ‘7 + - y evs ay F ./ . Te ns : ’ ." he * hbarstt! 2 a . “ey ‘ Z ” Phy Spa , 4% J A! Ge Zz dB, : “: ” 3 : . oe” - 777 =| CHAPTER X. ESCAPE AND RECAPTURE. ** K-K-K-Capratn!” Out came the name at last, loud and shrill, after a considerable time spent in pre- liminary cackling. No need to inquire who the caller was, for his tripping tongue told the tale for him. It was Stuttering Stephen, the Sweet Singer of the camp. * K-K-K-Captain!” . So he called again, louder than before, and stuttering Avorse than ever in his hurry to get the word out, ‘What can that fool want?” the brigand chief had exclaimed, at the _first call’ he heard, ‘* Give et up,” answered Injun Jack, It was while this pair were in the room over the saloon. Stuttering Steve was down in the street, and seeing the light.in the window, .had evi- dently judged by that where Dusky Dick was. The chief strode to a window, and lifting it, called out: ‘* Well, what do you want, Singer?” © Th-th-th-th-th-th-th-th—” ‘Sing it, confound you, if you expect’ to get it out to-night!” 2 ‘© T-h-h-h-how k-k-k-k-can a m-m-m-man s--s-s-sing When he’s g-g-g-got t-t-t-to hol- ler?” ‘Why, sing loud, you idiot!” *T d-d-d-didn’t t-t-t-think of t-t-t—” ‘Sing, curse you! or I'll stop your stut- tering tongue for you forever with a bullet!” The threat was enough, the Singer began. to sing his loudest, and.in that way made known what he wanted to inform his chief about. ‘* That—prisoner— has — got—out—some- how, captain, and — we — don’t — know — where— he—is; with —a —ring—ding—did- dy—” ** What prisoner?” thundered Dusky Dick. Ther — one — what — Injun—Jack—and Rifle—Rob—” Dusky Dick waited to hear-no more, but closed the window with a slam and made haste to get out, closely follewed by Injun Jack, both swearing vigorously. - When they reached the street Stuttering Steve had just about finished his song reply to the last question, Another man had come up by that time, ‘ and it was less trouble for him to tell the story. “That feller Brandson has got out, some- how,” he cried, ‘‘and we can’t find him no- where.” ‘““What’s this I hear?” broke in Gideon >» - Gripes, as he came running to the spot from the direction of the cabin where he and his band were stopping, : “That last prisoner has escaped, Gideon,” informed the chief ‘Scatter, them, and find him!” Gideon shouted. . ‘* Nobody knows whar ter look,” one man responded. “Took everywhere,” roared Dusky Dick. “Yas, and we must look out fer Dead- wood Dick, now, with jim out,” suggested Gideon. . “Zounds! Yes, you are right. Men, double the guard around Deadwood Dick's prison at once, and see that no harm comes to him. If you let him be killed, away, goes all hope of that quarter-millioh!” ‘“And look out fer ther gal, too,” cried ‘ Gideon. ‘You know what ther diffikilty is, *tween them fellers, cap’n.” ‘Yes, that’s so. See that the woman is not carried off. A hundred dollars to the man who will capture that fellow—alive, of course.” ‘« | Mev an idee, cap’ny” It was Gideon who offered this. ‘What is it?” . , ‘ Why not put ther gal in my cabin, whar oa =‘ * * l¥ ‘Rte ~ | ' - it ’ ™ ‘ —_ - 4 * ——— P m Tr 7 oe oe sae Bi me ~ * i . * * ~~. _ — —_ — = SS Fd —_ on, - a —_ e