Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 898 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

a ~ ~ = s —., A 10 some seconds no, other voice was heard. Then, suddenly came the reaction, and the crowd roared the words: ‘‘ Revenge! Revenge!” ‘“ Yas,” thundered Sam Claffinger, ‘‘ let us find ther cuss what done a deed like that, an’ see what we'll do wi’ him!’ ‘‘This must be searched out,” cried Mc- Knight, white to the lips and almost as un- nerved as the mine-manager, himself. ‘‘ The guilty one must be found, and then we'll show how Hardscrabble will deal with him.” ** And searched out he will be, too, I swear it” crfed Henry Keefer, ‘‘Ill run him to earth if it takes me a lifetime to do the work!” ‘My child dead?” moaned: the stricken father, ‘My Clarataken from me? No, no, it cannot be, for only yesterday I saw her in life and health. My God, woman, deny it, and tell me it is not true!” “Oh, sir, if I only could! If 1 only could!” Clara was not up when her father left the house, but he had thought nothing of that. Occasionally she slept later than usual; so her nonappearance on this morning caused him no alarm, and the blow had come like a lightning bolt out of a clear sky. ‘* Brace up, sir!” spoke Deadwood Dick, kindly. ‘‘ Forget nothing.” The last words in whisper. ‘* But, sir, my child—” ~ ‘‘ Tt is terrible, but you must bear up. Woman, are you sure of this?” He turned to the housekeeper. ‘‘ Yes, yes: did I not see the dear girl on her bed, white as death, and the blood stain- ing her garments and the bed? Do not ask me that.” ‘* You spoke to her?” ‘* Heavens! I screamed!” ‘And you felt of her heart? you examin- ed?” ‘* No, no; I just run here as fast as ever I could, and that is all I could do.” ‘‘Come, Mr. Van Bascomb! let us go to the house,” communded Dick. ‘* Do not de- spair from what you have heard.” ‘* You think she may be alive?” ‘1 dare not hold out that hope to you, sir. But, be brave.” Then aloud: ‘‘Men of Hardscrabble, I am hardly the one to accompany this gentleman, as I am a stranger, and if some nearer friend will re- lieve me—” ‘*No, no; you are all right,” was the shout. (ur a ‘*Well, if you say so, so be it. Now, sir, _ Can you stand, do you think?” | ith an effort Mr. Van Bascomb recovered himself, and saying simply *‘Come,” went a, 19 toward the cottage. cknight, Keefer, and others, went with him, while the whole crowd surged behind. Deadwood Dick kept near McKnight, as if passing upon his credit, V4 ‘There was a loud murmur in the throng, as they advanced, but the nearer they came to the cottage the more subdued the voices became, of these rough men, as for the most part they were. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Drive. _ —_—_—_—-- — + -— + -___.. - mediately after. ‘‘ Haste for the doctor, some one! Some one bring water! Some one come here—you, sir—you will do!” He caught sight of Dick, who entered promptly. ‘Tf I can do anything, command me,” Dick said aloud. ‘‘ And, meantime, I'll cast my eye around here,” in much lower tone. This he did, sweeping the room with his keen, never missing eyes. ‘* Ha!’ and with the exclamation he sprung and picked up something from the floor. Every other man who had been near the door had hastened to obey the first two com- mands, so Dick was unobserved. ““What did you say?” asked the mine- manager, chafing his child's arm. ‘*I have found a clue, sir. Say nothing, but leave the solving of this mystery to me,” “What have you found?” ‘* Dare not show you now.” Steps were coming, and water was brought immediately. This was dashed into the faee of the un- conscious girl, and Dick ventured near. He had not shared the fond father’s hope that she still lived, but on looking close he found that it was so, She was breathing. Efforts were madle to restore her, pendin the arrival ofthe doctor, and Deadwood’ Dick’s touch was as gentle as a woman’s as he examined the wound, having asked per- mission. ‘*Do you think she will live?” asked Van Bascomb, 4% ».— ‘*She will live,” answered Dick. ‘‘ This wound is not fatal. The knife has struck no Vital part.” Just then the girl opened her eyes, and Dick stepped promptly back, as did also the others, leaving her father alone to meet the gaze. =; He motioned the rest from the room. Now that his daughter was conscious, this was a sacred place not to be profaned by the presence of strangers, | '** Papa!” was the feeble exclamation, ‘*Olara!” the response, ‘‘ Thank God you will live, my child.” , ‘* Have I been sick, papa? What has hap- pened? Heavens! now I remember the dark form in the night.” ‘* Then you saw your assassin?” ** T saw some one, and then | felt a shock. What was it, papa? What— Good heavens, this blood!” a ~ ** You were stabbed, my child, by some one. Cuan you not tell me who it was? Can you not describe the wretch, so that we can arrest him?” ‘** No, no. darkened room, that was all, At that moment the door opened and the one doctor of the camp hastened in, together with the housekeeper. ' Meanwhile Deadwood Dick had left the house immediately on bis exit from the room, I only saw a dark form in the ” and gone in the direction of the camp center, as if having no business there, stranger that e was. , ‘He entered the Cosmopolitan. It was early morning, as will be remem- Reaching the cottage, Mr. Van Bascomb | bered, and this was the dullest hour for the ran up the steps and entered in haste. The others, or as many as felt privileged to do so, followed close at his heels, and | manager on duty. among these Dick, still with McKnight, ‘*Guess I won’t be noticed in the excite- ment,” he observed. : ‘‘Maybe not,” was the response, briefly. At the same time McKnight , keen look, which Dick did not lose, dlthough at loss for its meaning. | At the door of the room the others stopped, while the father entered. | His sob was heard. a *) On the bed Jay his daughter, apparently dead, with blood upon her breast and upon the snowy coverings, fs Th ara _ No, no, she is not dead!” was heard im- } | ¥ “a ’ z > u 5 it Cee , 7 4 's J | L , i 4 ; a4 i 4 i? ra ‘ “s 3 . » Y, qt I; A . Phe taF, 1 f .. ¢ rei Ipib i ra saloon. ‘‘ What's matter up there?” asked the ‘‘ Did the men strike af- ter all? But, what are they doing over there by the cottage?” 7 ‘* Haven’t you heard?” asked Dick. - ‘‘ Heard nothin’. Fact is I have been gave him a/ more’n half asleep in my chair here for an hour . ae been murdered—” ‘¢ Murdered! Clara Van Bascomb?” sé Yes, N ; oe . ‘Great heavens! this cannot be true!” It was another voice that so exclaimed, ‘and the speaker was Sparkler Sal, who en- tered at that moment by a rear door, ; \ , ae = rhe ae : is . - | : i ty Wt. ‘ %, Hie" Hin! Lek ee sy Pens : ay we wall \" -* os PN) ie ; ; 1 ee y Tak ee ie i wag ay ‘ 4 ) hy, the mine-manager’s daughter has | AN ARREST FOR THE MURDER. SHORT as the time had been, these were probably the only ones in the camp who ha@ not heard of it already. On the part of the manager of the place, it was owing to the fact that he had been sound asleep in his chair, instead of only half asieep as he declared. While for The Sparkler, let us take her own explanation. | Deadwood Dick turned upon her instant- ly, taking @ good look at her in one swift. survey. She was pale, and her eyes had a wild CHAPTER XII. ake ¥ look in them that showed excitement, which~ «. might have been occasioned by this news. or something else; Dick could not deter- mine. ‘It is only too true, madam,” Dick as-~ sured, ‘That Clara Van Bascomb is dead?’ ‘*Not dead; she is still alive; but an at-- tempt was made upon her life.” ‘¢ The wretch! whoever it might have been! Have they any suspicion who it was did the deed ?”’ ‘‘T believe they swered. | “ And to whom does it point?” “That I,cannot tell you, madam,” have a clue,” was an- She had advanced to tke bar, where she called for a soda, It is getting so that one cannot sleep in this camp after the breakfast hour, scarce- ly,” she complained, ‘*That shouting awhile ago wakened me, and there was no further rest for me. I had to‘get Up or suffer a headache.” . ‘‘T find it a lively town,” remarked Dick, carelessly. ; . ‘‘ By the way,” after emptying; her glass, ‘‘you are ready to admit that you made a mistake regarding my cheating last night?” ‘‘T did not prove tt against you,” Dick. evaded. ; ‘Norcould you. I'll take it as a favorif you will make public apology to me when chance offers.” “Tl think about that. That is asking a, good deal, madam, and since.I did not have the chance to examine your card-box, how can I know that I was mistaken?” ‘Then you will not apologize?” ‘I do not say so.” | ‘No, you say Qothing “‘ Anyhow, , that is all Dick. ‘The camp has got something else to think about now.” | She turned from him and took a seat. There was no thought of work, and ‘the street was thronged with idle men, ? . Some of these came into the saloon, but in. for the most part they stood around groups, talking. Presently Mayor McKnight came in, ‘Give me pen and paper, Tim,” he de- | manded of the man at the bar. ‘‘ This mys- tery has got to be solved, and effect a reward will have.” The things were provided, and he hastily — wrote a notice in a bold hand. In the center of the street was a high post, ; where such things were usually put up, and on this post the notice was placed. — It rea thus: REWARD. Five Hunprep DoLLARS REwARD for the forgotten,” urged “4 ’ +) . * + XQ / I'll see what ue arrest of the person who last night attempted to murder Clara Van Bascomb. | Jas, McKnien?, Mayor. The crowd surged eagerly around this | notice to read it, and there was a constant — buzz of comment. Said one man: ‘* Ef I could % darn cent, you bet!’ , And that appeared to be the’ general ~ A055 find him I wouldn’t charge _ sentiment, | ; Pw ', “ ’ 14 ey - - ‘ : : ieee 2 f "| kh, - h f hy 7 ty ‘Z 4; xe ake Fu * ? ty. 4 4s ¢ * ; ‘+ fo " ‘: 4 ‘ ts? a . - a et 4 : ee i x : ‘ a q ame - ~ ; wi , a> é See Shae pen aey SOL OVO} Gey mae = , . Praag SO | * 4 —»- > , eee & » a”