Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 822 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

"1 Shp ~ = Fs = =e ye rd, me 7s o* 42 ~ Deadwood Dick, J rs, Boom, winning cards into my hand, and let me play them out for you the same as Captain Jack was to have done.” ‘* Do you know what his plan was?” ‘** Not in full,” ‘* Why did he not tell you?” ‘‘He was going to do so, after the play at the Monte Carlo, but. we were nabbed there, ‘Why, he was to have helped me capture the girl, there would have been a sham mur riage, I would have made her my wife in solid fact, and she would have accepted her fate.” “*And you couldn’t get her?” ‘“ As I told you, she took alarm,” ‘*And you didn’t find her.” ‘* Johnson Green,” the answer. “ All right.” By the time they reached the street it seemed as though the whole camp was out, as perhaps it was, except the women and children. ‘‘ What's the trouble?’ Blackwall demand- ed as you know.” ‘Exactly. I went to her house, with my ‘‘Deadwood Dick has been killed.” ‘* Well, are you wihing to take the risks | helper, Jugg, but she was not in the house. * Who killed him?’ he was taking?” That is what I have come here to do, sir.” “They were not slight ones.” ‘Of course, I reserve the right to change the plans a little according to my own judg- ment.” ; ‘‘T can't deny you that privilege. But, what about getting Captain Jack out of the jug?” » ‘That is to be done, when we get control of the camp.” “Well, I'll tell you what the plan was, You see, Stonecut was not the leader of the revolt.’ ‘*T know that.”’ ‘** Did he tell you who was?” i a sah Lester, the gambler sport?” ‘‘ Exactly. He was the instigator and prime mover in it.” ‘*And he was to help youif you would help them. Now [ begin to grasp the situa- tion.” ‘That was it. Iam here for the purpose of making Claudia Steyger my wife, by any means, and they were to helpme. For that help, I was to aid them in working the peo- ple up to this mutiny.” Rs Well, have you succeeded in getting the girl?” : ** No; for that cursed performance at the saloon pu* her on her guard, and she gave me the slip.”’ “That need not trouble you, however, sir, for we can lay some trap to get her into our hands. At the same time we will plan to get the best of Deadwood Dick and relieve him of some of his superfluous wealth. The thing can be done.” CHAPTER XIII. DEADWOOD DICK DOWNED. THE response the rascally Blackwall made Sport his hand. , “It seems to strike you favorably,” the sport observed. ‘“That has the true ring to it,’ Blackwall declared. ‘‘ l now know that Stonecut was not mistaken in you, and that I can trust ou.” ‘‘T don't ask you to do that, however. Wait till the thing is done, and then I'll try and stand whatever you may have to say about me, Now, let us, lay our plans of action,” : ‘“To do that, we must talk about both sides, and see just how the two plans can be worked together, 1 must get eontrol of that girl,’ ~' «Tt ‘seems to be a case of love in dead earnest.” ‘‘ [It is a case of business.” ‘* Well, all the more reason why you should have her, then.” “You are right. both of us. And, if you want to, it may be larger for you than it could have been be- fore,” | ‘ How is that?” ‘‘Count Captain Jack out of it.” ‘That wouldn’t be hardly a fair deal, though.” | — “What of it? He can’t help himself, and, if you will pledge yourself to aid me all you can, I won't stand in the way of your dump- ing him.’” “TJ do all Tecan for you, but I don’t think Vl go back on Stonecut. I'll think about ‘that part of it What was the plan for the There is profit here for Theu we found out where she was.,”’ ‘* Where?” ‘In Deadwood Dick’s house and under his care.” ‘“Whew! The dog is dead for this trip, then, Youcan’t get her to-night, out of his hands,”’ ‘““T know it. What can I do?” ‘Well, now, I havea plan to suggest.” ‘* What is it?” ‘We'll let this thing rest very quietly for a day or two till the alarm is over.” ‘And what then?” “The girl will be less cautious, and there will be an opportunity to nab her.” ‘Yes, that’s so; but, meanwhile, what about the other scheme?’: ‘It will be the same with that. To-night the camp is under arms, and it would make i bloody fight to try to take the place by force.” ‘* Yes, there is sense in that.” ‘Then, too, it will giveus a chance to get a blow at Deadwood Dick personally, you see,” ‘Provided he does not get in his blow first.’ ‘‘T am willing to take the chances of that, if you are.”’ ‘Anything, so long as I get hold of that girl, nd, I must do so before she is married to that upstart Stempler.” ‘*To-morrow will afford us plenty of time to plan that.” ‘*And plenty of time for them to marry, too,” “We can see to it that they do not have the opportunity, somehow.” ‘*They think it was Soapstone Sam, the Slippery Sport.” “Get out! He is in jail!’ ‘* No; he has ‘scaped out of there.” ‘What's up?’ another voice demanded, just behind them. ‘ This was Hyde Lester, the gambler sport, who had just come out, finishlng his dressing as he came. - Soapstone Sam stumbled and fell against something and fell against the gambler, but offered immediate apology for his awkward- ness as soon as he recovered his balance. /“TLook out where you are going next time,” the gambler growled. ‘* Accident, I assure you,” the disguised sport craved pardon The gambler gave him a dark look, and pressed toward the middle of the crowd where the body lay. ‘Is the report true?” he demanded, as he reached the front. ‘‘ Is it Deadwood Dick?” ‘‘It is the lawyer, Barrington Burr,” was the reply some one gave. “But he and Deadwood Dick are one and the same?” 1 ~ “Tor Jerusha! I believe they ar’, I be- lieve they ar’!” wailed Old Avalanche. ‘This is ther saddest blow that ever struck this hyer old hulk sence ther day when ther first Dicky went under.’’ ‘‘ Make room,” cried the mayor, as he rose from an examination of the body. ‘‘I find he is not dead. Make way, and let us get bim home.”’ ‘“Then et 7g Deadwood Dick?” ‘*]T cannot be sure yet.”’ Billy Bucket now pushed tothe front with ‘ We might get hold of Stempier and put | force, and catching the mayor by the arm, him out of our way for a time,and so be doubly sure of it.” » ‘Too late for that to-night, and daylight will give little opportunity. The excitement of the camp will probably stand in the way of their marrying at present.” While they were talking a pistol-shot was heard in the street. Instantly, before they had time to question what it meant, the whole street was in an uproar. The protecting forces had been on the alert, and at the first alarm they were out and ready for action. But, they found. no foe to oppose them. Putting out the light, Blackwall and his guest sprung to the window. In front of the hotel a great crowd was quickly gathering, and under the glare of the electric Jights everything was re- vealed. There in the center of the crowd, on the ground, lay the body of a man. “Who is et?’ they heard the voice of Old Avalanche demanding. ‘* Deadwood Dick,” was the answer from some one near the spot where the body lay. ‘“What! Great hambone o’ horrificatin’ multitudinashuns! ou don’t mean ter say my Dicky boy, has been killed, do ye? Who was ther cuss'what done et? Only let Carleton broke in. ‘‘ Let me through to the front.” And then the shouts became confusing ‘‘ Shall we go down?” asked Blackwall. ‘‘ May as well,’ the sport assented. He hastily put on his disguise, and they went down, ~ ‘What is your’name?” Blackwall asked, whispered something to him? The mayor nodded, and called to those around to help him carry the body. While they were taking the wonnded man up, Billy drew Old Avalanche aside and whispered also to him, and for a brief second the face of the old scout was a puzzle. At the same time Johnny Smile was run. ning in the direction of Deadwood Dick’s cottage. He reached there, and was the first to break the sad news. That excitement prevailed need not be said, 7 Johnny told his story in almost whispers to those most interested, and waited there for the coming of the crowd. | In due time they came, bearing the body on a shutter, and it was carried into the house tenderly and taken in charge by the. members of the household afd the guests: who were there, A doctor had been summoned, and he was on hand. When the door had been closed, the crowd - remained in the street in something of awed silence. They wanted to learn the truth. Finally Mayor Carleton, Old Avalanche, and others came out. | ‘‘ What is et?" one man called. ‘*Ts he dead?” another. ‘“Was et Deadwood Dick?” ‘* The doctor says the wound is dangerous, _ and that he may die,” was the answer the mayor gave. ‘° Yes, it is Deadwood Dick.” “Yas, ther noble Richard!” cried Ava- lanche. ‘‘If thar is man’s blood in yer veins, citizens; yer will show et at this hyer time. Great hambone! ef Deadwood Dicky dies thar will be a good many of ye go ‘by ' | to that was to reach out and give the Slippery | me tome ‘*Make’ way there!” the voice of Mayor | , . ’ y, < ; | night?’ as they descended to the street. hungry to bed, and well ye know et! Thar t , ‘ ee: 4 4 ‘ 4 -* . : pt: ’ yay. ¢ ae e i- Ai — ‘ee ye ee! 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