Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 858 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

oF e ~e te —oT oe Og TT oy age ener ~—— 99+ ge eter? + og . ; a So : t »4% = . Je ‘ ode . : ra . - “+ e® 4 7 . : ; racy “ h : a _ : é * - _ Dick recalled the name of the young wo- man to whom this man had sent by him his ' supposed last message, Etta Elmertine. ‘‘Ts Etta Elmertine similarly deformed?” he asked. ‘“ Yes, yes,” the answer almost gasped. ‘Her left ear?” ‘* Yes.” Dick was silent, giving the man time to recover bimself, | ‘* But, it cannot be; I cannot—I will not believe it,” Clavering repeated. ‘‘ It is out of reason, Etta Elmertine is an angel, while Bad Bess— Pshaw! it is out of reason,”’ ‘* Yes, it must be a mere coincidence,” ob- served Dick, ‘‘since this lady’s name is Elmertine.” ” Clavering’s face darkened at once, and he hung his head. ‘Tf it 7 her name,” he spoke, as if to himself, ‘* Then there is some doubt about that?” ‘* Etta does not know who her parents were.” ‘‘That is strange, though such cases are not rare.” “Then why strange?” ‘*She must be well known here, and some one would be sure to know something about her life.” ‘** Her life is as spotless and blameless as that of an angel, almost. She has, been reared by people in no humble station, and isa lady.” “How came she with them?” ‘‘She was adopted into the family at an early age,” : ‘*From whom was she taken?” **She does not know.” , | ‘* What is the name of this family ?” ‘* Harding.” ‘“They know.all about her, certainly.” _. **No; they tell her they know nothing whatever, and she has to believe it.” ‘But, that does not make it so. You can depend on it they do know all about her, or at least pesca! about her,” ‘**Then [am satisfied she is not the child of Bad Bess,” ‘‘They would have had nothing to do with her, had she been, It is a mere coin- cidence, as you have said. It was folly for ‘qe to give the matter a moment’s thought; ‘id yet—” pou Lhe circumstances compelled it, Now, ‘i s{ this deformed ear, how is it shaped - and sk : 2 ners just behind the regular ear, which ds: pert, nied be ect and in its proper place, and it hardly Covered with her hair so that itis se Mpynoticeable.” lined e description is the same. I am in- ' child 0° believe this young woman is the ne anc David Daws, the dead man before Bess.” Of his first wife, the woman Bad ‘6 ae “W God” _ «hat more do you know about her?” - ¢hNothing whatever. I love her, and the aught that—” ) She cannot help anything, Mr. Claver- _. ing. If she is what you describe her to be, _ ghe is still worthy of your love.” — But, the thought” it Tt may be wrong, It must be proven, you know. And even ifso, and you come to mas it, positively, you need never tell her =—<that would be the last thing you would think of doing.” ks"! * _ . * Let us not talkabout it further, TI can- not bear it.” | | | | © Allright: we’ll drop it,” . Pai yr” OS SN Let’s take a drink!” | | ___ It was Poll Parrot who suggested this, and xis creme tate had to laugh. | | * We hev got biz to ’tend to, Poll, an’ et ae Cerro’ pay to booze till we git et done,” re- ies 22 CONOR ROU. 2 Lele 7 Ue ar pat tees Ni eel “Sal You bet! Polly patos tan red!” ; shisha yes] | d off, ! th | eet sinl 3," dealt LOW _ your e head twisted off, ‘these men. 0 . i’ von) (i aS Stee, . nt ‘ J ff > : ? ‘ - w4 ; ‘, r 5 /' At - itn > - nae te -« - ; . OE ; v 4 “° “’ ° - Y . ° . - < a Y ry ves os * Ne ir vi 4 P 4 f \ { , 7 7, > dee BE eh «hx. ? 1 tk aoe ‘ ; e a) e Bee ‘| fF . Ph , 4, ‘A oe %, f - s Fe os eae poe ae 2 {4 , J . e 4 ‘ = Pn Vee At ewe, ." ry . / C : q. : * seg Fah, es ats ‘" b ; A hs Gt Osha Cie aa ef > “ a Visg - Ra-! fs » ee 4? ’ anes 5) * > RED : - 7 4 . A : f tens aie . at + , ; } yy AF ohh ~ ms c] wal j \. t ee ~ \. + me “it > ; Ar 7 AE Wa "he ure . x ’ : ‘ : : . - — aaah a = ’ i i ss - ay 2 . Ls) at ’ aad 1) eo . ; . ‘ ¢ : a. a; a oy a . , ~ . * ) Aone an) “yea 1 ont bs | 7 d 4 1 ME EN eo 8 Pi ON ey WE a 5 At renp SO) OT ahh hye ie ecg Mec PON Mere Mier cs y st so. SE Ace 7 -f Lee pipe . ae id Sheet» oa Wt. RA DY, - es , ie po. WS toh ye ts : The mata a Ww SMG ive 78 “1 'F. “Pip t 3 ~~ 26 ES car, + 4 ie ae —~ > al Fo “ Wis = ag Ay i es : 3 v7 — t- hy hd Aye” ae oe .* S 1s oT * °. 2 = pa 4 & -s 4 5 ae ‘ ers. =| 9, sama “ie 1 tis + Fie % ‘i Pee ee 4 wh de a? hae @y ede ie oe ~ fF Fg Toy teal ae ok ne GE SMey 2 er GRO Se IPOS >'\ Mae eee CMe Le be Mae Oh. Sep be ry rt es 40 rere See o ye < - ; Pre. oe < 3 . md . ee i> a ee — "he ' - = “ ~~ } 7” » ’ ' . . : x ; v4 F — ——- - . A q Ths 4 7 7 me ater (oe Re arn I a a i i Oe ee eo | es aie es Mie ae -— a : . * : = “~~ ———— ee rrr eS ae ea - > - a “— all ‘ mm i CF me r aE oe SE )p = 0 ee ane ~, : wae me - ore ~ . ef ye don’t mind out,” Pete gave fair warn- ing. **How do zou feel by this time, Mr. Clav- ering?” asked Dick. ‘‘T am beginning to feel all right again. I am ready for my share of whatever is to come, now.” ‘Then we will make an effort to get out of here.” ‘‘ What about the body?” asked Pete. ‘* We'll have to leave it here. Let’s carry it back here and lay it along the wall where the tunnel is broader.” There was a place, a little way back, and the body was taken there and laid close to the wall, as suggested, and that done, the three, each with a candle, set forth to explore the tunnel, When they came to the spot where Dick had encountered Pete Parrot. some time be- fore, they found a door blecked their way. It was closed, and not only so, but securely fastened. ‘* How about this?” asked Dick. ‘* Kick’er down!” suggested Pete. ‘* Yes, but how is it that it is fastened on the other side, when the way of coming down into this place was through that square room?” ‘* That’s a*poser, by hornets!’ “Tt points to one conclusion, tomy mind.” ** An’ what aire that?” ‘*There must be another way out, some- where here, since both this and the other route fasten on the outside.” _ “That looks reasonable,” agreed Claver- ing. i And as this is the end of the tunnel, we have missed it, somewhere on the way. We must go back, making a close search as we a ‘‘ While the candles last, too,” reminded ete. ‘Oh! they are good for an hour yet,” said Dick. ‘‘ Then, there are & couple more back there by the shaft, you know. Come on.” ** Hark!” All listened, “TY thought I heard steps and voices,” said Clavering, who had given the warning. In a moment more such sounds were heard, unmistakably. Men were coming down wooden steps in the direction of the door where the three es- caping prisoners stood, “Out with the lights!’ whispered Dead- wood Dick. They were out in the same breath, ‘‘And make for the shaft,” he added, ‘* Make not a sound!” He led the way, as swiftly as possible, the others following, and they had not gone far when they heard the door open. Several lights were seen, and the door was heard to close. Dick, Pete and Clavering, pushed on, si- lently as possible, toward the shaft, but stop- ped when they came to the place where the tunnel slightly widened, and where they had left the body of David Daws, ‘‘It won’t do to get too near the shaft,” warned Dick, ‘‘If they charged us we would be forced over,” ‘* An’ bein’ onarmed, we are in a doosed bad fix,” declared Pete Parrot. ‘‘ We have the weapons Nature gave us, though,” spoke Clavering, ‘‘I am not afraid to trust to those to some extent.” ‘Neither are Pete and I, if it comes to a pinch, but they would stand little chance. against bullets, you know, Here we are, though, and we have got to face the music.’ ‘> Sh! Not a word more.” _ So cautioned Pete, and all were silent. The men were coming toward them, and counting the lights they found they were seven in number. ean \ Dick Bristol was thinking rapidly, caleu- lating all the chances and at the same time speculating goncerning the destination of OO Snr —- - ewe ee rs egeetegtigntins lange ea eae ~<a rar ss c 40 - Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-H ew ‘ a — pi a ol i ee ole Hustle, | | He did not believe their intention was to enter the shaft, for, if they were the same men who had left him in the square room above, they knew the rope had been left in that room, No, he decided, they were not going to tbe shaft; and he was right. They presently stopped, before they cam near enough to discover the three men in hiding. ‘‘ Here we are,” spoke the leader, and his voice was recognized as that of the ehief of © the Masks. ‘Yes, here we are,” echoed another, ‘¢Wonder how our Victim found his bath when he got down into it?” ‘‘Ha, ha, ha! He is all right, you bet! - never knowed what was the matter with im.” ‘‘Well, open the door: we don’t want to stand here.” The watchers saw one of the masked band reach high up at one side of the tunnel, and a door was heard to open. A rope, which they had not observed, had been pulled, and a door directly overhead thus opened; and not only so, but the same machinery let down a set of steps by which to ascend. | vate The men passed up, one by one, till all had disappeared, when the door was closed as be- fore and the tunnel was in darkness. To this time Pete Parrot had been hold- ing Poll’s bill tight shut, so the bird could not speak or squawk. He now let go his hold, and Polly imme- diately exclaimed: | “Oh, good Lord! Polly is a goner!” ‘Guess we all thought that same, Polly!’ observed Pete, in a whisper. ‘‘There may be a chance to get out, now,” said Dick. ‘‘ Let’s find out about it without delay.” | Pisirieen : ‘‘ And if not, we must surprise these fel- lows and fight them when they return,” pro- posed Clavering. ‘‘ Wemay be able to over- come them that way.” ‘You are right; it’s our only chance, un- less perhaps we could escape through this door we now know about.” “That ain't ter be thought of,” declared. Pete. ‘Why not?” ‘‘Tf they had any other way, et ain’t like- ly they would come down through this hyer hole, aire et?” ‘ Well, that’s so.” ee ‘But, what ar’ they doin’ up thar?” ‘‘Something they are afraid of havin made known, you may depend on that.” They lighted their candles anew, and once more made their way along the tunnel to the door which had barred their progress be- fore. Lie It was now opened. | ‘‘Ha! so far so tone. ‘“‘N the attempt ” | “You bet!” chipped in Poll. P ‘Suppose we lock the door and trap them, suggested Clavering. helt ae © & good idea!” exclaimed Dick. — | - They had come out into something of room, so to call it, though it was only @n Un- derground excavation. — The door was set in heavy | and on that side was a heavy swinging bay which was pivoted in the center 204, whe ar ere caught under ® big iron hook at each; en | found unlocked, and was easily ood,” cried Dick, in a low ie! * 4 This was turned into position, and the doo? 7 was fast! f a oh “There, we are safe from ’em 1 that direction, by hornets!’ cried Pete PatTot, ex- ultingly. — er | a Already they had surveyed the place te | were in, and a flight of steps on the Oppos side, leading to a trap, above, showed them. ow we'll get out of here or die in — timber-Work,. Ay - « = o * ee * ; ad ‘e , : ‘. : the way out, ¢# it Wy : id : Li , fl, % ‘ : z 1.~ * ety 4 . wm r) “a ? ? a ; . yp taf + er ee a 3) - ‘2 Feet “a tod af o*% i > — os oT pe » a / a4 re \ IS $e * . ¥ t é fe } . a we ~ <: a 41 eS : + af Tor SRT a Tips - > vs 4's tn * ions 7 nT aa s J} +e tt : S r rena st mitt ath 5, ; nal a kia tg aay J a reirh* vr. = Ad st" >: fies “4 a) io. un ela, ee } Sark he Ws «fat ae oy " les AINE Sante oes 7 > re HA o ee aa: 5 ; ae aks hey, i pe A = Cy e ) Sait = Ay ver a 2 “g- oy 7+.’ s el Se Ce ’ = ale a 5 aes ; “= Scomicbooks.com ~ in ¢ be — a wo |