Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 840 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

ag 8 chs raat Sao) : * aa ° e 4 ; 4, 49 , voi ae - , ip ° > 2 ey Deadwood Dick, Jr,’s, Clutch. CHAPTER V. WAS IT CRUSHER, AFTER ALL? THE mayor looked at the captive prince of detectives in something of a startled manner. ‘““ What do you mean now?” he demanded, with the suggestion of a choking in his throat. ‘‘ Would you insinuate that J am in league with that rascal?’ ‘““I don’t insinuate anything, unless you want to take it that way. You seem deter- mined that I should die; now you have the sane to show your willingness for’ me to ive.” ‘* But, who has a suspicion that | have had a hand in it?” ite cannot answer for anybody but my- self,” ‘* Well, I want you to understand that you _ are away off the track, sir. I know nothing about Captain Crusher. It was for this I was determined the suspicion agains you should be supported—” ‘“‘ And that, innocent or guilty, must die; yes, | understand the game,” ‘Well, you will be given a trial, now, to answer for the lives of these good men who have fallen by your hand, Dick Bristol, if you are that person.” *‘And who is going to try me? Does your authority as mayor of this hole outrank mine as United States Marshal? If it does, go ahead! There may be something to follow, and something may drop—sudden!” The mayor's ‘ official capacity,” so called, withered. ‘Well, I don’t know but you have the best of it,” headmitted. ‘‘ Let him go, men, but he’ll have to answer for it all the same.” ‘Hold on a minute,” spoke up another voice, The spéaker was a younger man than the mayor, a rather good-looking fellow of thirty or so. ‘* What is it, Wat?” the mayor asked. It was Watson Cooper, whose name has been already mentioned. ‘“Even the President is answerable for murder, Mayor Gibson, and the meanest jus- tice in the land has the power to arrest him. You are in the right in this matter, and J wouldn’t give in an inch, even to a United States Marshal.” ‘*'That’s ther talk!” cried the rough part of the crowd, approvingly, ‘What is it to you?’ sharply and scrutinizingly. ‘‘ Nothing; only one of your victims was a friend of mine; that’s all.” ‘So was Dick Sellera friend of mihe ; who is answerable for Ads death? There are two sides to the matter, as you all will find out to your sorrow!” ‘‘Tt’s on your own head,” the mayor de- clared. ‘Wrong there, Mr. Mayor,” Dick re- minded. ‘‘ Before a shot was fired I warned you that it would rest upon you, and you | said upon my head be it! But, upon your head it is,now. You can’t get out of it, and I shall see the matter through,” ‘If he is what he claims he did not come here in his true character,” Wat Cooper as- | serted now, as if to help the mayor’s cause; ‘‘and we could know nothing about him. Even yet we have not the proof. It is possi- ble for this lady to be mistaken, and his own "3 conga does not count, in a case like . this.’ | “Tam not mistaken, gentlemen,” Elma sto James insisted, promptly and confident- ‘*And that is proof enough upon. which to let the man go,”. put in John Hartz. ‘‘ Mayor, you are in the wrong this time, sure. That is plain to everybody.” | ‘Tam, am 1? Then we'll let it stand that way. L want it known that what I say _ goes, and I don’t take ar from _any - Man when acting in my cial capacity. ~ §So, men, lock him up! I'll be responsible for consequences.” — demanded Dick,, “Ha, ha!” laughed Dick, lightly. ‘‘ Your orders belie your words, Sir Mayor. A moment ago you ordered my release, but when this man Cooper chipped in you flopped over like a.flapjack ona griddle, You are not equal to your official capacity at all; in my opinion you are a humbug ES ‘Your opirion isn’t asked for,” the : mayor snapped, ‘‘ and I’ll show you who is master here!” ‘‘ Away with him,” ordered Cooper, as by authority. “No, we won’t lock him up; we'll hang him and have 1t done with,” cried Boley Bone, forcing his way to the front, one of his jaws badly swollen, the effects of the blow he had received. ‘‘ Lend a hand pards, and we'll show him a trick!” | ** Hold!” ‘ A revolver in the hand of Elma St. James brought the ruffian to a stop. ‘““What d’ye mean, gal?” he demanded, savagely. ‘‘ Take that thing out o’ my face, will ye!” ‘‘] will not! If you value your life, don’t advance another step. This man has befriended me, and as I can render him a service now I’m going to do it, so move at your peril!’ ‘* Dat’s phwat’s dhe matter wid Hannar!” a strong Irish voice supported, and the young woman’s lackey stepped to her side, a brace of revolvers in his grasp. ‘‘ Oi’m dhe b’y ascan make a subject fur an inquist as n’ate as dhe next wan, begorra!” and his face showed a terrible determination beneath its ample smile. . ‘You'll be a subject fer a pine box, if ye sat git out of the way,” was the angry owl. | ‘‘ Dhere will be two av ws, dhen, begob! an’ its Patsy O’Glory who is talkin’ now— 4 mind that, ye spalpeen!” ‘Boys, is this fellow going to escape what he deserves?” Boley cried in rage. ‘“Ar’ boys like Higgin an’ my pard Slikes ter go down unayenged? An’ most of ye has lost a pard, I see by ther count.” ‘* No! no!” the crowd roared, in response. ‘Up with him! We'll hang him, anyhow, mayor or no mayor! At him, pards, and short work of it! If we make a mistake an’ hang a United States Marshal, that ain’t our fault, we didn’t knowit. At him!’ ‘It will be your death if Her pretty lips were tight compressed, and her beautiful eyes glittered in a wa bespeaking ‘‘ business.’’ Revolver in hand, she looked like a defiant queen. | ‘‘Dhat same it will!” echoed Patsy O’Glory. ‘Oi am here as big as a house, phwere me missus chips in, and don’t ye furget dha. Goon,now! If dhere’s bound to be a ruction,, you'll pay de fiddler—every wan ov ye!” ‘‘Great hokus!” screamed Boley. {‘ Ar’ we goin’ to be bluffed by a woman, boys? I reckon not!” All the same, he held back, knowing what was good for him, The hands of the prisoner had been bound, and the rope was yet about his neck, but no one now had hold of the rope. ‘* Cover them,” the woman said to her ser- vant, ‘‘ and drop the first man who makes a ‘move against us. I'll see whether Mr, Bris- tol shall go free or not!” She had drawn a knife while speaking, and turning suddenly, she cut the rope from Dick’s neck, and also the bonds that held his wrists. That done, she slipped a revol- ver into his hand. | “Thanks, lady!” Dick coolly and quietly acknowledged. ‘‘I may some time be able to return the favor. You had better retire out of danger, now, and let me deal with this gatamount, which I feel quite able to do, now that lam once again free and armed. I cannot allow you to risk your life, so please i retire!” : - ‘ Lor ys ou advance,” -| warned the young woman, undauntedly. and look.” ‘Yes, git out of ther way; jest do!” Boley Bone urged, ‘‘ Let ther fun begin over again, an’ we'll see what'll be ther end of et. Git out o’ range, fer we don’t keer to hurt a woman.” ‘No, Pll share your danger, now, till you are safe, sir,” the woman made reply to Dick, ‘‘ Let’s back away from here.” Being on the edge of the crowd, they had the advantage. Dick saw this was his golden opportunity, and raised no further objection but took udvantage of it, The woman was in even less danger than she would be should she leave him and a rapid firing ensue, for it was not likely the men would fire upon her. Her death would be their disgrace. “Well, come on, then!’ Dick assented. ‘“Woe to the man who fires a shot in the direction of this lady!” he added, to the infuriate mob. They backed away, the Irishman with them, in the direction of the hotel. Boley Bone bellowed and brayed loudly, urging upon the crowd not to let the man escape, but, having evidently had enough for one night, the crowd was loth to obey his call. So it was that the trio reached the piazza. of the hotel without a move having been made to hinder them, At the steps, though, the woman turned suddenly and darted into the house, her lackey following her, while Dick at once disappeared around a corner of the building. This was the signal for a wild roar from the mob, and, as one man, they made a. rush, shouting aloud their intention of lynch- ing Dick without parley if they only got. hold of him again. : That, however, they were not destined to. do, that night. Around the hotel they rushed, in a body, letting go a great scattering fire from their revolvers, aimlessly, but the object of their wrath was not to be discovered. A few moments later, when the crowd had come to a stop and were discussing the situa-. tion, there came a shout of defiance from the: Apes in the opposite direction. Back to the street the mob skurried, and there, on horseback, was the man they were- hunting, dashing away from them like the wind! Another shout of defiance, accompanied with the firing of revolvers, and/he was be-. yond the reach of their bullets and the fire: they sent after him was harmless. A mo-~- ment later he had disappeared. : The cheated mob howled its disappoint-. ment. . : ‘Well, what have you got to say now?” demanded the mayor of Sport Hartz, in a. savage way. **T say he’s done a sensible thing in thus. saving his skin,” was the answer. ‘‘Hehas | carried away the impression that Big Nug is. a hard place, lam afraid, and we may ex- pect to hear from him again.” ‘*Do you believe it was Deadwood Dick?’™ ‘‘We have the word of the lady to that. effect, as well as his own statement.” ‘‘She may be mistaken; or, what’s worse, | she may be in the game with him, It is: bard to tell. I think it’s plain-now it was Captain Crusher.” “4 — “T can’t see it.” * aye ‘‘Would Deadwood Dick steal a horse?’ This fellow came here afoot, so far as I know, but he has gone away mounted; and, by the way he dusted down the road I think: | ‘he straddled your own mare.” ‘Dash it! I never thought of that!” ‘You don’t think of everything, then. 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