Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 858 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

44 — to his feet, a revolver in each hand, and glared at them like a bandit at bay. “What d’ye want hyer?” he demanded, ‘« Sheriff,” and Namara pointed his finger at Pete, ‘‘ that is the man you want and no mistake. He, and not Clavering, is the murderer,” ‘You're a liar,” yelled Pete. ‘‘I ain’t done no murder, and don’t know nothin’ about none, I kem about as close to et myself, last night, as I want to.” ‘‘ And killed your man in the fight,” said | the sheriff, ‘No, 1 didn’t, either. Keep your dis- tance, or by the horned hornets of the Sting- town if I don’t bore somebody!” “Do you know this man, Namara?” the sheriff asked. ‘“Tsaw him last night, in the Horn of Plenty, and his partner had a fight there with Towser Terrel.” ‘*Who is his pard?” ‘A young fellow, called Mose.” ‘Where is he now, sir?” to Pete. ‘‘ He has gone out, that’s whar. feller Towser been killed?” ‘¢ Yous, he was found dead on the street this morning, with a knife-cut in his back.” - Well, I don’t know nothin’ about et, that’s flat.” a ‘¢ Where did you get hurt, then?” ‘In ascrimmage, but that’s all I kin tell now, till my pard is ready to let out the hull story.” | : “$ K lie on the face of it,” sneered Namara. “‘ Sheriff, we had better arrest this fellow and lock him up.” ‘‘ Don’t ye try et on,” warned Pete. ‘‘T'll ‘wing some of ye, ef ye do, that’s all.” He had the advantage of them, and they Has that knew it. ‘* Consider yourself under arrest, sir, even ‘if you are armed and holding the fort,” said the sheriff. ‘‘I will put men to guard this house. I am the sheriff of the county,” ‘‘The sheriff, aire ye? Well, then, let ‘me tell ye that ye hev ther durndest lot of dirty cut-throats in this hyer town of any ae Teverlitinto. LIonly ’scaped wi’ my life by ther skin of my teeth last night, after bein’ pitched into a shaft that is some- ‘whar under ther place,” ‘‘He’s out of his head,” suggested Na- mara. ~*T ain’t so fur out that I hev furgot your voice, anyhow!” Pete’s sharp eyes looked squarely into those of Namara, and the latter felt their ‘power, | | | . ‘Tt is plain that you are out of your head, all the same,” the rascal urged. ** Come on, sheriff, since we can do nothing now. We’ll find Clavering, and maybe the fellow who was with this man.” ‘‘'Yas, you'll find ’em, sooner or later, you kin bet,” cried Pete. The four men backed out of the room, and went down-stairs, leaving Pete Parrot in full possession. | _ When did this fellow come into the house?” the sheriff asked of the servant, Mr. Clavering brought himin last night, | _ gir,” the answer, — | ) ‘‘ Was there any one else with him?” _ A young man.” _ But they are now out?” hay bos bier whentaeg Duet _ ** Do you know when they wil n?” a No, sir.” Pelt & F r. » Several further questions were asked, and the sheriff and Namara took their leave, ~‘ What do you think?” Namara asked, “I think the fellow killed Towser, it seems plain enough; but, he will get. off all right, f it was a fight, for Towser was a bad fellow and no use to this town that, I know of.” ie set CURA AT DAS CHL DAT DS was murder - pha fe : : Ves ‘ —_—_—_——— CT OOOO + CF Ch _-.:CdhsM"_ + > -OVvVvO°’'O"""_—-——-— >-—_,100V0OBO eee a ee | say?” 7 Fr he oh a ee ti ee op o> ot "m= << as oper ow ree ; . Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustle, Just then the sheriff was met by a couple of men, who appeared to be laboring under considerable excitement. ‘“What’s up?” he quickly demanded. ‘‘We know who killed Towser, now, sir.” “Who?” ‘Tt was Henry Clavering. ‘ Ha! how do you come to know this?” “Two men have come to the front and ” Who has been killed, anyhow? | taken oath that they saw him do it.” ‘The deuce! What do these witnesses “They swear they saw Clavering steal up behind Towser and stab him, and as they were not armed, they did not dare to give the alarm. So the fellows thought they would wait till morning, when they would tell just what they had seen,” ‘* Who are these men?” Their names were mentioned. » “Why, Namara, you know these men well,” the sheriff remarked. ‘I have often seen them in your company, or you in theirs.” ‘‘ Yes, that’s true, and all the more reason, now, why I am ready to believe them. I never knew either of them to give a false report of anything, and it isn’t at all likely they would make such an accusation as this unless they were sure,” “That is the way it looks. I must find Clavering as soon as I can, and learn his side of the story. My own private opinion is that Clavering did notdo the deed, but that these men are lying, with some object in view.” ‘* You don’t think so!” ‘‘Yes; I don’t think anythingelse. We'll soon see what we shall see, and the truth is bound to come out on top,” Still talking, they went offin the direction of the sheriff's office. ~~ CHAPTER XII. | GETTING THINGS UNTANGLED. | In the mean time Deadwood Dick and Henry Clavering had not been idle. | They had gone only a short distance in company when they decided that they had business in two directions. The woman, Moll Miggs, had to be looked after, and it was perhaps better that Claver- ing should find Etta Elmertine alone rather than have a third person present, if possible. Clavering knew where to look for her, or thought he did, | Being desperate, would she not go to the home of Noel Namara, who had long been seeking her hand, and, in sheer desperation, cast her lot with his?” With all haste he went straight to Namara’s house, and knocked, ss Namara, he was told, was out, | ‘Then I must see at once the lady who is waiting for him to return,” said Clavering. ‘I have something important to tell her.” — That was the way he put it, and his ruse was successful. He was admitted, and being shown into the sitting-room, there, pale an desperate, sat Etta Elmertine, waiting, Etta!” he cried, as she leaped to her feet, ‘ Back!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Back! I say! Do not touch me, for [ am_ not worthy. I know all, Henry Clavering.” ‘No, you do not know ad, dear Etta,” and Clavering advanced steadily and took hold of her shoulders, lovingly, looking in her “What you heard ‘was the. basest lie ever uttered by.man or woman,” _ pretty eyes. ‘ ‘*Oh! if it could only be proven!” she gasp- “Tt is proven, dearest! Truth and false- hood have come to ligNt at the same time. . I have Ke ned who you reallyare. Yourtrue name 1s 1); ws, and ou are the child of an honorable man of Virginia City, Nevada.” - “Then—then it was not true, what the ‘ woman declared?” “Qan you for a moment think it true, my i es Phra ff 2 § ¢ * | P * . ¢ Nee « - . ry Pete abe i ,? ei t; , x4 : ost: es ore F , er ad * arrest you.” ed, her heart fluttering, and her breath com- | ing and going rapidly. +) “You mean that?” / ’ , : . ’ A ' - ’ t y ‘ + : » . i ‘ :% f linda 3 - * “\ R . ty an x Pe -< 5 +r c a hte > ’ aS ory os * > - iw hai Ly ’ heh Wd Clb Wt uM Dias tee of ls a Ne ha 4 OD 2 7 vf ¥ : a ‘ . + Re choy, ‘> ae * vas i es : - > , P| > " pet? Come, as quickly as you can, and I'll take you home. What desperate thing would you have done?” ‘Oh! I do not know; I was crazed.” _** Well, thank Heaven J have found you in time tosave you. Youhavea half-sister who is eager to receive you with open arms, And the Hardings—they will be wild with grief until they see you safe again. Even had it been su bad, they would still have stood by you, for they love you as their own child.” The young woman was in tears, and lean- ing upon the arm of her lover, left the house with him. The truth was kept from her, on her re-. turn home, and she was received with open arms, ' With the Hardings, there was no room for reproach, even had they been inclined. eadwood Dick had meanwhile been look- ing after Miggs. She had given her place of residence to Mr, Harding, and Dick getting the directions = je from him, had no trouble in finding the wo- . ° : man. Moll recognized him at, sight, and demand- ed to know what he wanted. | Dick first of all displayed arevolver, know. - . ing he had a she tiger to deal with, and then | said: ‘*Moll Miggs, you are my prisoner,” ‘* Yer prisoner!” a. ‘¢ Just so.” ‘‘ What fer?” 3 ‘‘ Just now, for attempting to blackmail Mr. Harding.” a Bs ‘Ha, ha, ha!” the wretched creature | laughed, ‘‘ There isno blackmail about ‘hat, a my dear.” | a ni ‘That is the charge, and unless you can disprove it you are likely to suffer.” | ‘‘Oh, but I can proveit, notonlybymy -,- own knowledge but by letters and papers f°"~ hold, as he will find out if he don’t come ie down as I told him,” | ae ‘Well, see here,” in a tone more confi- = = — dential: ‘‘ I am here to see just what proof , ‘Na have got. It wouldnt do for Mr: arding to come himself, you know, If it is td gt then you will have him, as you say and I shall step aside.” neh Nome ‘‘Oh! I know I have got him, and that’s . 4 enough.” was ‘* What do you know?” hei as “That this gal, Etty, was the childofmy crony, Bad Bess.” aie Rr ‘‘ Are you sure of it?” ple oh aa “Why, Lknow it! She told me so her- self; an’ then I have got the papers,asI say. Oh! there ain’t no mistake, young — is | re va “* man,” oP er sar ‘But, the Hardings can prove who their child is!” ! Bee ‘By that double left ear? Ha, ha, hal = She combs her hair go it ain’t seen, but it is there jest the same. Won't it be nice, when I pint her out to all the gals in town, and say: There goes the child of Bad Bess!” ‘Oh! he wouldn’t let you do that; he“ 7 will give you every dollar he is worth, : rather than have it known, And, if these — papers are what you claim, you have a hold on him he cannot shake off. Solet me see =}! them, If they are straight, of course cant =) “«Then it wag a bluff?” peste dig | Yes; I thought I could scare you” = ‘‘Ha, ha! I guess youhavefoundidont — scare, young man.” eS. **Not worth ac sure thing, maybe. you,” : can be of some use to ae ‘“Well, Llike to be on the winning side, = = 5 Dick had put away his revolver, now, = = | and appeared to be friendly toward this vile § woman’s interests in the matter. ee iil ee ea he got upand left the room,and in&® = 9 - few minutes returned with some papers in her hand, which she opened herself and = i ¥. J t a * * of ¥ . . “ @« a _ ys ’ “SS “Gs “4 “a? oe el , ." tei Fi hg ’ ay’ Vy ag 4 ee: 4 > “ 3 » 2% * -%,* % , mt 4 Vea" 7 nicbooks: