Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 870 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

Deadwood Dick, Ir., in Mexico. Dick repeated the sound, and they caught the direction whence it came and advanced toward him. When they came to the bushes the sound was repeated yet again, and parting the bushes, there they discovered a prisoner bound and gagged, evidently a Mexican. » Followed then some more choice Spanish expletives. ‘* Who are you?” one demanded. ‘*Fool!” the other, ‘‘ Don’t you see he is gagged?—la boca tapar ada con mordaza !” The first speaker stooped, and with the point of his sword cut the gag away,,. but did not release the prisoner’s hands or feet. ‘* Well, then, answer now,” he ordered, ‘‘T am a Mexican,” Dick answered, ‘*I am Marcos Parroco.” ‘* You lie!” the guard exclaimed, savage- ly ‘' Youare an Americano. You do not know the Spanish tongue, Confess, or here and now you die!” And the fellow pressed his sword against’ Dick’s breast. CHAPTER YV. HARD TO CATCH. A BIG SURPRISE, ‘Deapwoop Drcx’s knowledge of Spanish, at this time, was too limited for him to pass for a Mexican. This he had known before, but hoped that he might pull through, by saying little, clad as he was in Mexican dress, but it was of no use, ‘Well, then, have it your own way,” he said, in plain English. This puzzled his captors, who could not understand a word he said, and so he gained that one point of knowledge respecting them. They would have to take his Spanish for what it was worth. ‘‘ What do you say?” one demanded. ‘aT say you are a gentleman,” Dick made answer, “ What are you going to do with me?” “We are going to lock you up, of course.’ **T can tell you all about the escape of the young woman, and where she was taken.” ** Ha! that is good. ‘Tell us all you can, quickly.” ” « But it will be on condition.” ‘¢ Peste |” “* You free my hands and feet and say you will let me go, and I will tell you about it. What do you say to that?” “ Carrambo ! do you take us for fools?” ‘Oh. no,” « For what then?” «‘Cowards.”’ Cuscarus! but you had better take care!” ‘’You are two against one, and both armed, and you wre afraid to untie my hands and fect.” With a slash with his sword one of the meninstantly cut the cords that held Dick's feet, and ordered him to get up, in which the other helped him. ‘Now my hands,” Dick invited, holding them out, But there, they hesitated, wisely. ' ‘*Whatis the use? We ‘should only have the trouble of binding you again. W e de- mand that you tell us what you know.” “know nothing with my hands tied.” They g vlared at him, then looked at each . other, as if debating what was to be done under the circumstances, Surely, they were 4 ‘| evens of holding bina, even with his hands ‘ a fos But one shook his head i in the negative. y? To the gait aa marae him, ” he cried, ; is | savage fgets » : é a . - ‘ 6 4 " Fi 7 : "! ? 1 . * - 4 " Y gnid Dick. ‘ You may Y recapture her, vin if you are quick,” 1 apy —*¢ Tell us which way she was taken, Md ; . hs a : ee ie: a ond gh. 3) * \ _“ Will you free me if I a ‘* Yes, we swear it.” — ere were fae men, cand aber: took t ve sia: in mat Hess | niet ~ “ : . ak De P' ‘ : i y" oe <i “ . “i. le we So be Oy sie | -* : idee gh. > » ody hy 7 ¢.t3 / e Pagt 2D pr ne: * al é : ney fee - ' ; At ** . t> yeas Wek ib ane - t ag! bY a. at ¥ 7 * sear | i" eo ar Ss J + ure. - 7" : <. - _ i" < ‘ox And Dick pointed correctly. He had an object in this, as we can believe. He knew there must be means of escape there, and hoped to escape that way himself. ‘* Quick, then, and let us see,” cried one of the men, ‘‘Come, you with us, my man,’ to Dick. One of the men ran ahead, while the other, with a hand on Dick’s arm followed, They ran to the corner of the garden, where, by the moonlight, a ladder was seen leaning ugainst the wall, showing how the escape yhad been made, There was some beautiful Spanish swear- ing, then, the guardsmen trying to vie with each other in the choice of oaths, seeming] 4 and for the moment they let goof Dic carelessly. Seeing his chance, Dick made arun for the ladder. It rested upon the wall at a gentle incline, and he thought he could run up it before he could be ‘caught, and his intention was to leap to the eround on the other side, no matter if his hands were bound. Later on ver, but that would not do. desire to dabble in blood, avoided. One charge of that kind was enough, evem though a false one. But he would have to do something, quick, — The fellow’s cries for help had not ceased, and lights and voices were seen and heard in the direction of the house. “Run!” cried Dick, ‘‘If you don’t I'll have to settle you! You are no match for me, and you ought to know it by this time. Run, I tell you, or Pll have to run you. through!” The fact of the business was, Dick found: he had met his match. His words were only a cool bluff. Nevertheless, they had the desired effect, for-the man could not know but he was: speaking the truth, and he began to give: ground, Dick pressed him hard, now, as he had to do, for the other fellow was getting up, and he was adding his voice to the cry for help, f it was to be he would find a way of freeing them, he | and men were running from the house. thought. So, he made the attempt. Swift of foot, he reached the ladder almost before the two men realized what his inten- tion was, and started up it. Then, however, they were after him with a rush and a howl, and just as he was near- ing the top, the top of the wall, they reach- The’ foot of Dick's antagonist slipped. Dick took advantage of the accident in- stantly and dealt the fellow a heavy blow on the head with the back of his sword. Down he went, all in a heap, but the other was there to take his place in the same-:in- stant, now armed with a heavy club that. was lon ger than the sword ee had im ed the foot of the ladder and one gave it a } hand. erk, Cluck! plunk! the different weapons met, Dick tried to save himself, but it was no | and secing his chance Dick closed in and. use, toppled and came down with a thump and a | bump. ‘Curse you! that was your trick, was it!” ‘You couldn’t expect me to stay here if I could get away, could you?” ‘You were one of the party yourself, Satan burn you! That’s how you knew the ladder*was here,”’ ‘Oh, no, you mistake; my friends would never have left me bound.” ‘“ Well, we don’t know; come with us.’ Each took an arm, and Dick was led bivete again in the direction of the house, a. pris- oner. But, there was something in his. favor, now, and he meant to make the most of it. his wrists. His hands had been tied behind him, in the usual way, and the cords had got fast | not more than a dozen strides behind him, — 23 i cae on a projecting end of one of the rungs of the ladder as he fell, and it bad come loose. Working his hands. pently, by ‘the time they reached the place where he was to be | imprisoned Dick had his hands free. One man let go, saying he would go to the house and arouse the gobernador. | No sooner the words, tngA Dick's fist took him under the ear. Over he went, like a nine-pin hard struck, | With the same movement Dick broke away. from the other, and leaping to where the first had dropped, picked up his sword, Taking then another leap, he turned and faced guardsman number two, and put up his arm in a way that wa rned the fellow that he probably knew something about the mauly exercise, elp ! Help!’ that worthy bawled lus- fy las ul ah dog, or 1 ay will cut off ‘your head!” . = “Cut away,” cried Dick. | your own at the same time, though.” ‘They came Big clasts with that, and their : swords clashed Click! aackt swish! click! clack! ‘It might have been a splendid sight, ‘toan. _ | observer, Li it; not been so desperately in | camest. Dick could” have settled his antagonist ate nee! ee he. pent We use. | se novos 9 be me q “ Look out for | He staggered, and then over he | struck the man’s fingers He dropped the club instantly with a howk of pain. Dick grabbed him by the back ‘of the: ee prodding the point of his sword in is back, and commanded: “Show me the way out, instantly, or rll ram this clear ony you!” The fellow wilted, instantly, even wi ae help so near at band. ‘““The gate,” he said, |“! Key in my belt. : Dick saw something dangling over the fel- low’s sash, something that looked like a tin check, and he erabbed it. It proved to be a check with a chain at- © tached, at the end of which was a big Dae and armed with this Dick ran for the gate, heels. He reached the gate, but the others were nnd he had no more than gotten the ke into. the lock when he had to turn and defend himself against them all. It was now more dangerous than it had been before, He hfe not give up, however, . Droppirg the sword, he whipped out a brace of five-shooters. ‘* Back!” he ordered.‘ ‘' It will be lead'i ine stead of steel if you don’t!” He had ne > > y. 5 , % His fall had strained the cords that bound | with now four or five men almost at bie oa bs vie a a "2 es a AN shit Wis co & “hes This had the effect to bring them Be a stop, ay and they glared at him wildly. ‘*He’s the murderer,” said one. es And how came he’ Aptet: Surrender, F i At him!” This order was rae by one hirtio wks evi-, ig dently the head of the institution, ‘buts Ma. not promptly obeyed. ) The weapons in Dick’s hands hada acd ae = edly dangerous look. , Ke "Don't rush this, matter,” Dick “i alm: ly. ure Ps ¢ _it a ath ’ 4 ‘Who and what are ad ‘i © “Ho innocent man!” > ow ca scaling the wall, sir,” | : onest men do not ‘scale walls.” uy did it to escape a mob at my | ‘‘ Ha! then you are. tlfe basi eh ay are you Men, take him!” | AY ith ee "No, Lam not the murderer, seoigh Tae the man falsely accused of the dee e ey That sk dee version. of it. We 225 ae igh ule Se ig : tie Aaa ee y iatleh ory rs nh my op ORG Ae git * you here?” — Pet oe AC x2 | . . iy : x y = | ae ™ ‘J = bs - <4 (el { = ‘ —> ~ = as “ . r ¥ = Micboo ~ te DAA “co . Pr ss. Fn “) ° i ¢ ave he = ‘a be A ene, a ie adie . = Les ia” “rr » ry (A TTR, toe means a ‘ ae