Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 858 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

a a way, as it is now,” Dick answered, 4 rh as Parkins hi them up With a round turn,-after }' * .. @while.’ | proceeded to read aloud, evidently not in- tending that Dick should get hold of them. There were the marriage-certificate, of David Daws' to Bessie Gannon, and some other papers, one being a written confession made by Bad Bess herself, which, however was unsigned, ‘* Now, there, what do you think?” the woman asked, exultingly, as she proceeded to fold the papers up again, ‘*T think you have everything your own eA think you can bleed Harding to death, if you want to,” ‘“T know Ican. I’m sure of it. ~ go back an’ tell him so.” She had now folded all the papers, and had tied them in one packet, ‘Yes, I'll do that, and J’ll take these with me, too,” and Dick made a sudden grab and got possession of the documents. ‘‘ Now, you are my prisoner for a fact, old gal!” The woman leaped up, with a scream, and fairly danced in her rage, ““Give ‘em back to me!” ** Give ’em back to me! T’ll tear out of yer head if ye don’t!” ‘‘Keep cool a moment!” urged Dick, 4 ** You can’t have the papers, and if you are going to make a fuss you will get some tt thing you don’t want. Something of your xecord is known, my fine lady, and you will get put where the dogs won’t bite you, I warn you.” . ‘‘Give me them papers, cuss ye! Give “em to me! or I'll tear out yer heart! D’ye hear what l say? Give me—” Deadwood Dick saw a change come sud- denly over the woman’s face. She stopped short, gave a gasp, and reel- ed, falling to the floor, and was as motionless as though dead. x He had already put the cket, and stepping to the or help, which was quick to arrive, and the ‘woman was found to be dead indeed. She had long been troubled with heart disease, and the excitement had been. too much for her. xlbag | , Dick explained, and went away, and that secret was forever buried! “3 You can she cried. your eyes apers in his fe oor he called He got back to the house a few minutes after the arrival there of Clavering, with @ 86s the young lady, and delivered the papers to . Mr. Harding, who burned them all except 2) the marriage-certificate. Spending as little time there as possible, _ Dick and Clavering retraced their way to _ @Olavering’shome. ~— | There they were apprised of what had taken place. | * [ don’t understand it,’ said Dick. ; ‘“Nor do I, either,” declared Clavering. **Tt has been the work of chance, I do not doubt.” “Et was a mighty slim chance they would ’a’ had ef they had laid a hand on me, an’ don’t ye doubt et,” cried Pete Parrot. “‘T only wish I was able ter be out on ther trail with ye!” ‘* Ton’t you worry,” said Dick, ‘We'll ie Be . Phey held a consultation, and while they | 4, Were about it Sheriff Raleigh came in. | 4. Clavering,” he announeed, “you are my ey aaa Ralet ‘! ay Ae‘ Your prisoner, elgh? What for? fT What is the charge?” | ) **¥ou are charged with haying killed the | ‘man, Towser Terrel.” : | brs RaSh Clavering laughed. za 7 |) “ What ridiculous foolishness is this?” he | demanded, ‘‘You do not mean what you oie Say, Raleigh; you are joking.” peas Bete fu _ » “Never was more in earnest in my life, « Ch e is i" vat ‘ aw ad the | » = i ph) wo ee von ste ¢ “And who are these me Vvering. Two men swear they saw you | Terrel, and consequently there is nothing me to do but arrest, you on the charge.” n?” . 4 i - AJ . 5 a My € p . A . . : s iy 4 F ¢ - or az ous «4 : i a6 i t+ ea oe hey ot ' a RET Cg oh RST EC kp “ = ~ ts ‘t= a< : : , * | 3 ” ‘ z > _ : Af ‘ a + oh y ¥ / f - ™ Teh we " - Gand , “*, oe) 4 4 At "* We n * eal ra , mee TEINS . -ta ® RY ’ ‘ +i , em a2 f see DPS Seis Yee Lt ED ie a a eee te 4 = > = ee ee SO COO" a A a . .s 7 -s made till the > 4, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustle. aie tata oe They were named, ‘*T wo of Namara’s chums, eh?” ‘Ts that so?” cried Deadwood Dick. get i Race ‘Then I think I see through the whole scheme. It is a plot to put you out of the way, so Namara could have a clear field to the hand of Miss Elmertine.” ‘Yes, but he thought he had me out of the way, when he threw me down into that old shaft, If thts murder was his plot, would he have taken the trouble he did to lure me into that trap?” ‘‘Hfe has made this up since he discovered your escape.” ‘‘What is all this you are talking about?” demanded the wondering sheriff, The story was told him, in as few'words as possible, and he listened to it in greatest amazement. ‘By heavens, young man,” he cried, ad- dressing Dick, ‘‘you have bared one of the biggest secrets ever known around here! You have unearthed the band of out- laws known as Satan’s Seven!” ‘‘T can’t swear how many they are,” said Dick, ‘‘ but I can vouch that they are sons of Satan, every one of them.” . ‘‘ And we must capture them,” ‘That’s what | intend to do, sir. OR ‘‘ Yes, and alone, if necessary.” ‘‘Tt won’t be necessary. Ill back you with a score of men,”’ ‘Good fer you!” cried Pete Parrot,’ ‘* You back my Mosey, and see ef he don’t fix ’em,” A lengthy consultation was held, at the end of which the sheriff and a deputy left the house, taking with them Henry Claver- ing, a prisoner. But, this was only a blind, to iull the suspicions of Satan’s Seven. —_—_—_ CHAPTER XIII CONCLUSION. THE snare was set with care and very uietly, | Sherift Raleigh oe his deputies aud detec- tives to watch Noel Namara and his as- sociates, without for a moment. allowing Namara to suspect. | : Dick Bristol remained out of sight for the most part during the day, so as not to rouse suspicion or interfere with the sheriff's scheme, but when night came on he was on hand for duty . And so was Clavering, who was released as soon as Namara was known to have gone to his stronghold. : | There were two known entrances to this place, and both had been watched, One of these was through the hotel where Dick and Pete had stopped the night before, and the other *was by way of the storchouse where they had effected their escape from the trap of Satan's Seven, It was latein the evening before Namara and his band had entered these, and when all were finally in, the sheriff moved. The attack was made through the hotel. There arrests were made, so that no one could paver the word to Namara, and that done, the false window in the room where Dick and Pete had lodged was forced, and Dick, Raleigh, and a dozen others descended the stairs, three or four armed with axes. _ When the first door was reached it was found that it could be. opened without usin the axes, so they were enabled to proce without noise to the second. — : This was found secured, and no noise was en armed with the axes were ready to strike all together, when a few into the hidden square room,. __ The attackers did not carry lights, for they | did not want to make targets of themselves, and when they gained entrance to this they found it in darkness. But a number of pistol-shots from the direction of the CEDLOT : proved that their foes were on hand, | me em ee www eee | + eee ee ‘money that had been taken from David aws blows in_ i succession opened the way killed Towser Terrel, for the purpose of fix: One of the sheriff’s men was hit, but was not killed. oee Dick and Raleigh, with their men, returned _ the fire, and groans were heard from the other side, Also was heard the moving of machinery, and soon came the thud of the closing of the trap’in the floor, and all was still save the cursing and groaning of the men who had bean hit. Light was now quickly made. On the floor lay Noal ‘Nasiars wounded, and one of his men the same, but all the others had escaped by means of the secret trap. ; Quick, men, and lend a hand at this lamp,” cried Deadwood Dick. ‘‘We will have those fellows yet.” | ‘* No, by Harry, you won't!” cursed Na- mara, firing a shot at Dick that nearly hit the mark, ‘‘ You can’t open that trap again, curse you!” . Some of the sheriff's men had thrown See o ee upon the man to prevent another shot. retig: “They are dcomed, then,” said Dick, ‘* They are sure of escape, you mean,” the outlaw chief laughed. | “IT say they are doomed,” Dick repeated, ‘That rope is thirty feet short, at least, of reaching the tunnel passage!” | ‘*Great heavens! how do you know it is?” ‘‘ Because I cut it myself, to rescue Henry Clavering out of the bit into which you had- thrown him,” ; ‘* Ha! that is a lie, for how could you cut it and let yourself down after it was cut? That won't go down, young fellow. No, © they will escape and will hunt you down to your death for this night’s work.” ‘* I tell you the truth,” insisted Dick. ‘‘1 cut the rope and dropped to the bottom of Death-Hole, my pard holding cne end of it — at the tunnel. if there is no way of opening — this trap, your men are decmed. Ha! don't you hear them howling now? What did I tell you?” ‘ of True enough; the terrible cries of the men suspended on the rope came plainly to their ears, ae Ket | ‘Great Heavens!” cried the chief of the band. ‘‘ There is no way of opening the trap, for they have secured it, and with — their weight on the rope they can pever un- fasten itin the world!” “Then it is allup with them, know of some way to save them,’ ‘‘And I do not; they are doomed!” So they were, : By this time one of the men was dead, but Namara was only slightly wounded, as was discovered, and the shock baving | assed off, was himself again, almost. But, | € was now a prisoner, Weer Back hae He would reveal nothing of thesccretsof the place, so Dick and the sheriff had to set about learning them without his aid, unless you ? They left the place, and the prisoner hav- Ry ing been Icdged in jail, wentaround to the storehouse entrance, ete ee From there they made their way to the | tunnel, and when they came tothe sbaftall was still. The poor victims had dropped in- to the dismal hole, and there was not a sound — ae The work of searching for the bodies was begun, and successfuly carried out, They were all. recovered. : : Oey sane - Death-Hole was thorou enly searched, and ° much booty was recovered, including the $3 iy » : before his murder. dog Mae, The place was entirely broken up,and thoroughly. destroyed. Mert eben eee One of the dead men proved to be the ie fellow whom Deadwood Dick and Pete Par- rot had come in search of—the robber of whom mention was made in the preceding chapters. | Walled ee NEE lw De - Itcame out that eee “4) e- ‘ Noel Namara himself had te , ' 2) ‘ a! & 4 ye * Te Fos ". et , a, "Eaty ak 4 ~e . m 4 f ( rat * ' { " : . r 1A ~ 7 : » + d - . AE CAS eee wo Po Pa a NH A ; 7 ort. w Vy Sd. ) aes. . * % ° j 5 te , = 7 ’ . 4°" Tp Wr A) fr *y ¢ ad >, ul “ rf vee 7) . " OLN SAP ONtE Teo ioe » ’ e a : n “ ® - . & od y i aor 1