Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 822 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

—_ ——— _ —— an — = > pe a 7 -<~s >» a : -_~- =e , a a * — =a _ pe eas = all a = See ae -_—- + = ee =, o, oad pen te sae 3 “ry — om oe — — 6.9 —- =. ~~ — ad ¥ “= > “ : — a _ ; ° - ing a revolver at the couple and the mayor ordering their hands up. That order was promptly obeyed by the disguised sport, the other following his example, . CHAPTER XY. UNMASKING AND SURPRISES. Tue two fellows were in a tight fix, truly. But, though the disguised Slippery Sport obeyed, he was quick to demand an explana: tion. ‘‘ What is ther meanin’ of this hyer?” he cried. ‘‘ I'ma stranger here, and I know of no reason why ye should ’rest me. What cloes et mean?” “Just what I want to know!” stormed Blackwall... ‘‘ Seems to me you are carrying things with a pretty high hand, Sir Mayor. What is the reason for this outrage, sir, I demand ?”’ “It is not necessary for me to explain,” the mayor quietly made answer. ‘It will be shown in good time.” ‘And why is it not necessary? we nave theright to know now why we are put—”’ “Each of you know well enough why he is arrested, sir.” ‘You are a liar—” ‘‘Great hambone of eppydemmick de- moralizashuns!” broke in Old Avalanche. ‘*Ye had better be keerful how ye sling yer pet names ‘round hyer! Wehey got ye dead ter rights, and that’s enough.” ‘* But, there must be some mistake,’’ Black- wall urged. ‘‘ There is no reason why you 77 I think Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Boom, ee ere ee eee _— The lawyer bowed profoundly, and said: “Thank you, gentlemen; thank you, thank you!” and he tried to wave the crowd to silence. ‘‘ But, you are mistaken, for I am not Deadwood Dick.” ‘*Not Deadwood Dick?’ ‘“Oh! you git out, now, wi’ that ‘Et’s too late in ther day ter say that now!” ‘* But, gentlemen, it is so. Why will you persist in saying 1 am Deadwood Dick when I tell you Iam not—” | ‘“That’s too thin! Three cheers more fer Deadwood Richard, ther Royal Prince of Pistol Pocket—that was! ¥ Every man of ye let ’er whoop, now!” And this time the crowd fairly let itself loose. ‘‘ Mistaken! mistaken!” the seedy lawyer firmly insisted. ‘‘ Listen to reason, I beg of you. You force an honor upon me that I have no right to, my friends. Oh! that this man Deadwood might appear!” At that the crowd laughed and whooped anew, thinking it only a raye piece of acting on the part of their worshiped hero. ‘*No, no,” Mr. Burr still insisted, ‘‘I am not he; I am here simply as a_ witness against this prisoner; nothing more. He is the man who shot at me last night, mistak- ing me, as you do, for Deadwood Dick.”’ The crowd quieted as he spoke, and being able to be heard he repeated what he had said, adding: “Yes, he is the man, people of Bristol City; Isaw him and tried to dodge, but his bullet was too quick for me, though no doubt 9? as men of sound sense and good judgment to say whether I can be guilty of this thing. What proof does he bring for what he says? Why not arrest him and put him on trial for the crime? I charge him with the attempt to kill Deadwood Dick!” ‘“What object could J possibly have in killing Deadwood Dick?” the sport asked in his cool way. ‘‘ Why, revenge because he found you out and irened you locked up, that is what, Clear yourself of it if you can; 1 charge hes with—” Oapuee “Hold!” the sport ordered. ‘‘ You kh, gone about far enough. Citizens, you shall judge whether I could possibly have any object in taking the life of Deadwood Dick. What think ye?” With a quick motion, while speaking, he removed further disguise, and to the amaze- ment of all there stay, ¢)°4"th the Redoubtable Richard himself—Deti: or, The Dick, Junior! The cheering that Atanediately followed was for some moments almost deafening, This was a denouement indeed! Men fell to wondering, now, how it was they had been unable ‘to recognize him be fore. The whole crowd was for him now, to a man almost. He had nobly won! ‘‘Well, friends, you see me in proper per- gon, now,” he spoke, as soon as he could be heard. ‘‘Mr. Burr told you the truth, but you would not believe him, and when he was shot I allowed that incident to work in my favor. “T took advantage of your mistake in a way you can now understand well enough without my explaining it in detail. I have ’ been among you in a triple, disguise, as it were, and everything has been working well to my advantage in carrying out my plans in this case. Are you now ready for my story ?” Needless question, as the eager shout at- tested. | “‘Well, this man,” pointing to the gambler sport, ‘‘isone Burk Dorris, a fellow whom I sent to prison some years ago, and who, coming out, has tried to take revenge upon me for the punishment he justly received. ‘“We both came here on the same day, as you will remember, and I overheard him taking his oath up .there on the hill, and when he had gone on I registered a vow to oppose him and cast my weight on Dead- wood Dick’s side. I was coming here in disguise for a purpose needless to mention now. 2 ‘‘You have seen the outcome. His plan has failed utterly, and he is again in the hands of the law, or soon will be, and it is not likely to go easy with him. He will probably go back where he came from and spend another delightful term asa guest of | the State. He was at the bottom of all the trouble here, with Jackson Stonecut and Brownlow Jugg as his helpers.” To say that the prisoners were utterly dis- concerted, but feebly expresses the state of mind into which the disclosure had thrown them. ae And for the citizens generally—they could | but stare and listen while Dick addressed them. | ‘‘This other prisoner, Lucius Blackwall,” Dick continued, ‘‘came here with a sinister purpose in his heart, and he, Dorris, and He is the man, and although he did not is intention me. kill me it was no fault of his, to kill was good enough.” ‘‘It is false!” the gambler sport cried. did not not fire the shot at all. take.” ‘It is the truth,” insisted the seedy lawyer. ‘‘ You took me to be Deadwood Dick, the same mistake so many have made, and you meant to put me out of the way. You will perhaps find further proof forth- coming before we are done.”’ ‘Bring it forth, then. I defy you to do it. My word is probably worth as much as yours, and, you are not dead anyhow. ring forth your proof, and let us have it settled. Whether you are Deadwood Dick or not, you shall see this thing through, now that it has been started.” ‘‘It will be seen to the end,” spoke the mayor, | ‘* And then, if the proof does not stand, look out for me,” the prisoner warned them. ‘‘ And the proof cannot stand, for I was in bed when the shooting was done.” The mayor ordered silence, and the next witness called was Soapy Sam, the Slippery Sport. Dis call created excitement anew, and men looked this way and that, eager to see him respond, for it was a mystery what had become of him. A moment more, and then rose up the prisoner, Johnson Green, and one of the policemen freeing his hands he removed his disguise, and, lo! it was Soapstone ‘Sam the mapDery Sport! i murmur of applause ran through the crowd. ‘‘Gentlemen,” he spoke, calmly, ‘this mah make?” ‘You will learn that at your hearin afternoon,” the mayor briefly responded. Ata signal from him, then, the prisoners were taken away. These arrests caused the greatest excite- ment in the camp, as can be imagined. ‘The pray matter was forgotten in the face of all this. The uprising against the rights of Dead- wood Dick was now without a leader, and its backbone had been broken. ‘The tide was now setting the other way, many re- turning to the side of right. It was now understood that Deadwood Dick’s injury was not serious, and that he would be on hand at the trial that afternoon, Before the time set for the hearing the street in front of the Grand Pacific was black with people. Work had been suspended, and the whole population of the city was assembled, Mh roomy platform, used on public occa- sions, had been brought out and set up, and around it surged the crowd. All were eager to see the prisoners brought to trial. Finally they were announced as coming, and room was made for them to reach the platform. The officers had them well under guard, and the mayor and others mounting the plat- form with them, the preliminary trial was tarts opened. — this ce I It is a mis- “— - : . a do “7 . a Te “4 ~~ -_ m* ~ - = * . %s = ‘ ce ate taet. tour - ~F, pa ee na te = ——— ee — ee Tt ~ ni ~ NO as th ar ake fe a : — <~<Cn 3m ‘ee 4. <3 hs _ - " on > 4 x .s San & - - C45 «it == ~~ — ~ + ~ ,o a é = << = . - * ° £< ee —_ wall F AP os i rive im ao = -_ ae = ~ * ore t ret > ot - = . # 4 - - nnd 4g J IP yt oa < - > ‘ae = : é A 2 > ~ A « ~~ ~ ar. Lo »o “ : Py 2 : ®t - _ 7 < > e Suet: aw ~ = : . v _— ~~ > *, - — TT. ." 4 . Pe =. a I “seF Fier a Se : - oS Ae > ~<— > Se ek ~ al = - ee AP Seer >? . PP - “a * ~ ~£> te 6 ~ ee -* te 7 —_— ~~ « ~ . = Fe ’ 2» =" ee’ * - 4 . a. ~ — a: » Sl a a a _— —_ + - a -" —_ co: = ee aes Se de Lester was the first prisoner called. He stood up, and the charge was made against him, to which he pleaded not guilty, demanding the proofs. | _ The first witness called to appear against him was Barrington Burr. . Up from the side of the platform rose the seedy lawyer, dropping an old overcoat which he had assumed as a disguise. | His head was bandaged, but otherwise he seemed to be as good as ever. be: A murmur of excitement ran through the crowd at sight of him, and some one pro-. posed three cheers for Deadwood Dick. ~The cheers were given with a hearty will, for it was now well understood that this seedy lawyer and Deadwood Dick were one, - and the Bed oy were glad to know he had not _ been seriously hurt, i coe airs ne . =~" rye St a * & bad x ~~ - Pa - * a > = - => See sm 49 7 > ae 4 ¢ 2: nse % oe es 2) P~i «- —. ~ should arrest me. What is the charge you | my moving saved my life, for it only stunned < FS? ors - a aa * —_ » bo = - > . =" te "= - > certainly 78 guilty of the crime with which | | he is charged. Isuspected him, with good | others, worked together to help along their — reason, at the time of the shooting, and as| schemes mutually. Blackwall came \into — he came out of the hotel I purposely fell possession of knowledge that Miss Claudia — rs x Pies es 3 =, <ne$ > a 2 es te * “j * en against him and in so doing removed his re- | Steyger had fallen heir to a considerable volver from his pocket without his knowing | fortune, and he wanted it.” wr it. One of the chambers was empty, and ‘Hang him!” some onesung oub. the weapon was still warm.” “Tt would serve him right, to hang him a “That is a lie!’ the prisoner shouted. ‘‘It'| little,” Dick agreed. me sd mies a is more likely that it was you, Soapstone ‘Then let’s do et! And, we'll makea job Sam, who tried sto kill him, supposing him about et, you canebet to be Deadwood Dick! This is a put-up | 3 : piers job, men of Bristol City, and I call upon you = = «* oe _ it IS se « . * tad ‘F .. aes i i +” oe i a : 7 * * ~~ ae . ? << = af. a ‘ ; ; >. 2» ne | “ar ” ie ” a a: = —_ -*s ~ ~ ot a a + "> ‘o> . — - _ -_ it : . of et while we are m4? . , on’t.” | ees ‘ ” Tyg Aa nor | No, no!” the prisoner cried in alarm. = 4° . ay: u ; y sie MW : A : , lg tif wo" : f ye “2 i 4 ee? ‘- ee eM STH SL RE BR tere wg 7 be © "i 7 My " ‘ 1» + a ote ne , fh » y reo uv ie We") & w. “h ta? pen : aT ery: i nee i +} ih Bs 1 yi at * Enid yy Mis Ne pa DOO APA Re DRE LIT oe Ws, ere DN i~ | > = * «a ~ 4 at ; = : oS ARAL ne Sg ee —