Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 822 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

Le el P= yo“ re ~s o 7. $e F. 2 ga ~ * 5 =i —_ = ° ae » PRL” ty) ie be | SS mm. . > ] a es 10 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Boom. a Bis: When the men had been safely lodged in | and I want to get your promise that you will | thing is safe. Hambone o’ misery! what = | the ‘‘calaboose,” and an extra guard had been posted, Mayor Carleton returned to his office, some of the others with him. “Thar, by ther great hambone!” cried Old Avalanche, ‘‘so fur so good, anyhow! I'll bet ther fellers don’t git out of thar.” ‘* And the power of the outbreak is just so much weakened,” assumed the mayor, ‘* The police are all on duty, and ready for work at a moment’s notice,” reported Joe any ‘*Yas, and ther men of ther mines are all armed, and a signal will fetch ’em out ina body in jest one minute,” the old scout added. ‘* Et seems ter me we have ther best hand,” “It is to be hoped we have,” the mayor remarked. ‘‘ There will be no sleep for any of us this night.” “You ar’ right.” ‘But, [think Vl put out the lights here, and we'll remain on guard in the dark.” ‘A mighty good idea,” cried Billy Bucket. ‘*T don’t believe some of these crazy ones would stop any short of murder,”, ‘“And we want to get in the first fire, when it comes to a fight,” Johnny Smile de. clared, ‘‘ 1 was in the last scrimmage of this kind we had, and that was a bloodless vic- tory, almost. Wish I could doctor their guns again for ’em.” ‘‘ Not likely that you will get the chance this time, Johnny,” remarked Garry. ‘‘ This is a different case, you know,” ‘* Yes, and it will be the last case of the kind, you can bet. If Deadwood Dick wins this time he will put the iron heel on ‘em: and if he loses, that will be the last of Bristol City.” ‘*Great hambone, yes!” cried the old scout, *' It will be either make or break with the noble Richard this time, you bet. But, he'll win, I feel et in my bones he will. He is layin’ low fer tall game, he is, and you bet he’ll make a big haul ’fore he is done.” ‘*] think you are right, old man,” said the mayor. | ‘Lor’ Jerusha! I know lam right. When cantankerous contammerashuns! but you will see ther blue smoke a-rollin’ up from ther field o’ battle ‘fore long, I’m bettin ! Give Dicky half a show, and he’ll come out protect her.” ‘Who is the lady?” ‘‘ Miss Steyger.” ‘*Me!” exclaimed that young lady, ‘Then you are Miss Stey ger?” * Yes.” ‘* Beware of Lucius Blackwall; he means you nothing but ill!” ‘‘As Ican well believe. I thank you for your kindness in warning me as you have done.” ‘‘Then you had already learned of what I said at the performance?” ‘‘ Yes, Mr. Stempler came to me at once, and together we have come to the mayor for protection. ”’ ‘“And you will give it, sir, of course?” to Carleton. ‘‘Yes, I have promised it, miss. The young lady is going to my house to stay to- night.” ‘‘ Tam glad of that; but, even there may be danger for her. This night, sir, I fear, is to bea night of horrors. _ Upon yow rests the responsibility of taking care of your people!” CHAPTER XI. THE SLIPPERY SPORT SLIPS. Wut. they were talking, something came crashing through one of the windows. The women gave vent to slight screams, while the men looked in the direction where some object had fallen to the floor with an echo of the first crash. There, on the opposite side of the room, laya shattered bottle, and out of it had come a sheet of paper, its own forced having caused it to unroll when freed from the con- fines of the bottle. ‘* Another warning,” observed the mayor, and at once he stepped forward to take it up. They needn't send no more,” cried Old Avalanche. ‘' We ar warned enough, and they kin jest bet that we ar’ ready fer ’em., Great old pestifferous an’ tarrantulated ham- Daisy Darcey laughed merrily at the old man’s quaint remarks. ‘*Whata droll old fellow you are!” she exclaimed. would become of us ef Little Dicky wur to git tooken?” ‘‘T have already taken steps against that,” answered the mayor, ‘‘ Five picked menare guarding the house.” “Bully fer you!” cried the old scout, ‘* Dicky won't forget that, I bet.” ‘‘ But we'd better carry out his other di- rections suggested Garry. “Sure,” cried Billy Bucket. ‘‘ Let’s get the women there soon’s wecan. What say?’ ‘“That is what Wants to be done,” sup- ported Johnny Smile. ‘‘ Better let your wife and little ones go there, too, mayor. Have ’em all in one place.” ‘“T agree with you. Will you «wo ladies go there?” turning to Miss Stey ger and Daisy Darcy. ‘“Tf you will have me I shall be only too glad to go, sir,” the latter hastened to say. ‘*T am afraid at the hotel, I freely admit.” ‘And you know without asking that Z will go,” said Claudia, No further time was lost, then. The mayor explained his plans in full, as he had them in mind, and the lights were “put out. That having been done, the women were taken from the building by the rear way, aud in a little time all were safe in Dead- wood Dick’s cottage, including the mayor's family. The night was a dark one, but the electric lights served to dispel the shadows from the main streets, at least. The police, in double force, were doing their duty, and from general appearances it did not seem likely that anything out of the usual would happen that night. That was not to be depended upon, how- ever, | Gradually the lights were put out, and finally the camp was, to all intents and pur- poses, as far as could be seen, asleep. That it was not asleep, however, need not | be assured. : Men of both parties were armed and ready Deadwood Dicky puts his shoulder to ther | bone what gorged ther gullick of Joner an’ | for fight at a moments notice, and it needed , wheel you kin jest bet on't thet somethin’ | caused a rupture of his diarframm! won't we | only some unusual alarm to bring them out r has got to come! Rampagin’ yarthquakes of | wake ’em up, though!’ in force, . : The mayor’s office was dark, and the front door was locked, but the rear way was open, and by that way a dark shadow occasionally entered the building, as a spy came in to re- Ll - =< _~ ee > et ie on top.” “Yas, and ’ma good deal more turrible | port. | 7 Just then the door opened, and a man and | than I’m droll, too, you bet!” the old scout | (Within were the mayor, Joe Garry, Old vie woman entered quickly, : declared. ‘‘ But, I’m nothin’ now ter what | A¥alanche and others, though each of these went out more or less, In turn. OY ay Billy Bucket and Johnny Smile, however, were the principal detectives of the emer- gency. , Finally aman entered the office in haste. . It was one of the mayor's addes. “The deuce is to pay, now,” he hastily I used ter be—hambone, no! Time was, when, with Prudence Cordeliar, my muel, and Florence Night-in-a gale, my goat, could ’a’ tooken this hyer hull diffikilty in hand myself, and jest everlastin’ly slewd ther—” , ‘‘ From Deadwood Dick again!” exclaimed sai? They were Huber Stempler and Claudia Steyger, as a glance served to show, and they were pale and excited. ‘* Weigho!” exclaimed the mayor. ‘* What means this visit?” | “‘It means that I have brought Miss Stey- ger to you for protection this night, sir,” * . A > - ~ — ey,“ -. any ~~ Be answered Stempler. the mayor, interrupting. + reported. . A ae ‘* Protection? “What!” cried Avalanche. ‘‘Frum ther} ‘‘What is it?” demanded the mayor, ran, a ie Yes,” noble Richard? Then let us hear what he | eagerly. ' Re fav “Yes, indeed, for I dare not temain in my | has ter say this time. Lor’ Jerushe! but I} ‘‘ Soapstone Sam has escaped from jail.” x; aaa house till morning,” the girl spoke up for | wish m icky boy would come out and ‘Escaped! How?” ty Ae ae herself. & make himself’ knowed to us! This hyer| ‘‘That is what we would like to know. = = = | weed ‘‘But, your father is there, is he not?” | state o’ suspense is killin' me by slow de- | Heis simply gone, and that is allthereisto =) | oe asked Carleton. grees, Hambone, yes! It ’minds me of ther | it.” Hees > ete Ys 2. ‘* No; he is one of the armed men on duty | time ther Injuns got me— But that ’ar will ‘‘Pshaw! You do not meantotellmethat = *) — ae to-night, sir.” \ | keep. What does he say, mayor?” he has got away and no one knows howit = =| oe | “Ha! so he is, Well, you may go to my The mayor thereupon read the message happened, I hope. That is nonsense, ” a 13 apy i ra _house, Miss Steyger. Take her there, Huber; | aloud, but in a low tone. That is ict it, all the same, Si ht ae ag: Teqae she will be safe there.” | ; | It ran as follows. “Who made the discovery ? | Bike ie The door opened again, at that moment, | ,, | ‘¢The jailer and the chief of the guards.” = Sais d another man and woman entered the | 59MA¥0R AND Men:— | | #'Te]] ll know about it. If this = | an snap pias lah x ‘Be careful and watch. The danger maybe very | , Cit US all you » SS So ae whe voffiee, . great, or it may be only slight; can’t foresee the | is so, then the fellow is well named the ne ea Shc These were the Darcys. events of an hour, Take the women to my house, | Slippery Sport ” peer us! Ane 3 Tea 8 a ““You are the mayor, sir?” Henry Darcy on etre bay: Roo rtest Raggett ae oy ‘You ar’ right he is! But, that’s about — SE See 5 ts. asked, Sap | vurt me, if they think of it Burn this at once, so it | all thar is to tell, I guess. They went Mm © 0) ee 4 . sé ” a“) oy pen i tote & . r . aon ne ‘Se Oe Yes, sir,” Carleton answered. cannot fall into other 1S. » | to see that the prisoners were all right, and et o Well, my sister would have me bring her | PRALWOOD DICK; J. they found the sport’s cell empty and bim = =) eesti hOVv OU”? <5 | | * reat sulphurious smokes o° perdishun- | gone.” pet Nel Ft 0a IE eee ats “What can I do for you, miss?” _ ary purgatorium'” cried Old Avalanche, in|‘ And you don’t know how he got out?” 9) tod alee ‘‘At my performang¢e to-night, sir, 1 was | greatest excitement. ‘‘ Thats somethin’ none “*No one kin tell, for the doors was alk ee ie i impressed more than I ever was before, ‘The | of us thought of fer a mimute! I think wed | found locked.” | Pe es Ses a aah _ danger to a certain lady of this camp is great | better hustle ter git thar and see that every- “Why, man, this is a nightmare you — wee SRG Ma Sees : ; ¢ \ , . ‘ wa ey aki By" e. 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