Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 904 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

ae ** You can do it yourself, if you want to,” was the reply. ‘‘ Not a desirable office.” “ You are right it isn’t, and rather than force it upon any one else I will undertake the unpleasant task. Now, then, one at a time,”’ He stepped forward, and the work began. The men seemed perfectly willing, and stepped up promptly, but nothing was dis- covered. The Chinaman was the last, that is to say, the last save the Five-Spot Sport, and he stepped upas promptly as the rest. This ee Sy gm ASD Ment PCO =e , a * » aes ee - = — cy \ “Eh did not, however, include the men who had tes been robbed. 5 Nothing was foundin the pockets of the % rut Chinee that did not belong to him, and he was cleared. ‘Now, stranger, itis your turn,” said _ Sul ae) se > « . ars” <—_ — “As well now as any time,” said Dick, ‘*but I am not the last, let me call atten- tion,” ‘‘ Not the last! What do you mean?” ‘Mean what I say. You have not yet shown up, neither has Mr. Terrell, nor Mr. ee Hurston, nor Mr. Bergman—’” . Vela ‘Well, confound yourimpudence! As if we would rob ourselves—’’ ‘Oras if I would rob you! Youcan con- found my impudence all you want to, but if Oe I submit to this indignity you have got to do } the same. Do you understand that, my i friend?” ‘‘That’s right, that’s right!” cried men in _ the crowd. | ‘‘Well, if, you say so, boys,” agreed Clancy. ‘‘ But, let me call your attention to the fact that the sport was the first man that i squealed.” ae ‘There was no squealing about it,” the ' --« Deuce-Trey denied. “ee ** You were the first to raise an objection.” And it was a just one.” — _ ~The sport was searched, and nothing was _ ~ found-supon him that any one could lay a. Claim to. . ) a ‘* Well, are you satisfied?” he asked. | No, 1 am not, for one,’’ Clancy protest- ed, promptly. Bek. - Neither am J,” added Terrell. ‘‘ Hadn't _* hea bag and strap last night?” _ ~~ ~+Whe sport bad brought such a thing with _ him, true enough, and it was now in the _ __. kitchen where he had bunked. ee ‘* He certainly had,” cried Clancy. ‘‘ Where _ ‘is that article, stranger? We may as well _ go the whole hog, while we are about it.” _ , “ That appears to be your nature,” retort- ed the sport. “ You will tind the bag where % ea I bunked.” _ ** §tep in there and see if you can find it, will you, Terrell?” . That worthy complied, and soon reap- eared with the bag in hand, giving it over _ to the searcher. Ha! it is locked,” Clancy announced. — ** Will you open it, sir?” . aay “ Certainly,” said the sport, ____ He had only a few toilet articles and some _ eartridges in it, and had no gbjection to ex- posing its contents. _. Unlocking it, he handed it back again to the gambler, without opening it, saying as *« a oe ~ = Sy pisos -- ; =. ; a» : é 4 ‘es “a hae re on : 2 Axe ¥, I’m not the thief.” are only making a thorough— Ha! ewe Opening the bag, he uttered these excla- mations as his eyes fell upon the contents, and he pulled the bag open wide and exposed it to the view of all. ae ‘There, to the amazement of every behold- Ri. er, were REFERS watches, a pocketbook, and Other articles, : _ * As fine a bluff as I ever saw!” exclaimed _ the gauibler, ‘‘ He thought by his show of __-willingness to open this bag that we would Ate orego examini . it, but he got sadly left. Boys, there is the thief!” A : .' : as “* 4 1 a7 ; 48) if =¥ ra? : ’ d A, + ay th» . wt . je iene igre? > ar sa 1 ae gis > Bi j 4 ’ v ay > ’ +i. ‘ Ah, ‘7 Lena Py . - * ben a‘ ~* e ‘ So | - Lay “TJ hope you will be satisfied presently, Deadwood Dick, J r’s, Trade-Mark. ‘You are a liar, sir,” said the sport, cool- ly. ‘* This has been a put-up job on me,” ‘‘ Ha! ha! ha!” laughed Terrell. ‘* Worse and worse,” ‘‘I say it has been a put-up job,” Dick repeated. I would stoop to the stealing of these petty articles, after my fine winnings of last night, to say nothing about the risk? I was well enough heeled when I came here, and only a fool would take such a risk.” ‘* Is this more bluffing?” demanded Clancy, ‘‘ Here is the proof, right before our eyes, boys. You were witnesses to the fact that this bag was locked, and that he had to open it, and yet he claims it was a put-up job, as he calls it. Only fools will take any stock in such’a tale as that.” ‘* And let me call your attention to the fact, citizens, that these two fellows are my foes, after the events of last night, and that this is just such a scheme as men of their caliber would be likely to attempt. I came here alone, boys, without friend or backing, but I give you my word that I am innocent of this contemptible act,” ‘‘And you know me for a square man, boys,” iterated Clancy, | ‘‘What is more,” cried Terrell, ‘‘I am strongly convinced, cilizens of Whoop-up, that this fellow is the thief advertised for on that poster over there on the wall, The description tallies to a T, and I’m willin to bet a dollar to ten that this so-calle Deuce-Trey is Howard Smithy, the bank robber—the runaway cashier!”’ ‘‘Have you any proof to support that?” asked the sport. “The proof is on the face of it; you an- swer the description.” | ‘‘By the way, so might you, if vou hada mustache on your lip. How long have you been here, anyhow, Mr. Terrell?” The fellow started, his face paled just enough to be noticed, and he might have hesitated in his reply had he been given the chance, but Clancy spoke piaerny: “See that?” he demanded. ‘ Don’t that look like the effort of a guilty man to squirm out of a tight place? Iam of the same opin- ion as Terrell, that this fellow is no other than Smithy!” ‘ ‘* Well, what are you going to do about it?” demanded the sport. Dick hud recognized that a climax was at hand, and that these two fellows were about to reach for their guns, so he produced his own and covered them as he uttered the words. EE vr or CHAPTER XIII. THE SPORT SCORES THE POINT. Ir was a question to the point. What were they going to do about it, in- deed! It did not look asif they would do much of anything, just then. ‘‘Isn’t that further proof?’’ eae Clancy. ‘* What reason has he to draw his guns and stand on the defensive, if, he is in- seat Innocent men don’t act that way, oys.” ees ‘Innocent and guilty alike have to defend themselves against such curs as you,” |re- torted Dick. ‘‘ You were on the point of drawing your own pops, and I thought 1 would get there first, that was all. Now, then, what do you intend to do about it? ‘‘That’s what’s ther matter,” cried Ben Banty. ‘‘-You bettee!” echoed the Chinee, ‘‘That,is for the crowd to. say,” spoke up Terrell. ‘‘I have called your attention to the fact that this fellow answers the descrip- tion of Smithy, boys; now, what will you do about it? He ought to be arrested, on the double charge, and made to prove him- se hg ‘‘Tam innocent until you can prove me guilty,” retorted the Five-Spot Sport. ‘*And what more proof do you ask than ¥ ‘ Te Fe “ th ; 4 ve Aes 1? 1s ; ale Sa fra ‘ a 4 =a) Lad A ; : ’ fA RR I Re + ‘*Does it stand to reason, that |. said Deuce-Trey. this?’ demanded Clancy, exposing again the k ‘+ Pe 7 . ra é a - ¥ a ee é ; “ : > ‘Vn gf @ , i “ee + tee ‘ . ; Ww eel Bea lal Mae contents of the bag. ‘‘Isn’t this your watch, | Mr, Bergman?” ‘It certainly is,” ‘And yours, Mr. Hurston?” sé Yes » “Take what belongs to you, gentlemen,” ‘«T certainly cannot claim the articles, and I have no knowledge how they came in my bag, although I have a. strong suspicion.” ‘« Allee samee me too,” put in Chin Shang. ‘‘What is your suspicion?” sullenly de- manded Clancy. “That you and this fellow Terrell did it, — out of revenge. ‘That is the pull,” ‘¢ Ha! ha! ba! Well, that is about the weakest thing yet. Why, we were robbed ourselves!” ‘That makes no difference; that is all the stronger against you. I was not robbed, and if guilty it would have been to my interest, to pretend that I had been. I am not done with you yet.” ‘‘ What do you mean?” ‘Just what I say. You have put alk these honest feliows to the shame of being searched, myself included, and now I am going to search you!” The fellows paled, both of them, ‘‘We won't submit to it,” cried Terrell, in- dignantly. “Oh, yes you will!” assured the sport. “Tf you don’t I’ll be under the painful necessity of putting my trade-mark on you, and that won’t be good for your health.” ‘‘But, what will you search us for? The things have been found, and that in your possession, You can't get out of that.” ‘‘T’ll show you without loss of time, Chin Shang, you just go throug their pockets. and see what they have got in the way of keys, will you?” ‘* You bettee!” and the Chinee sprung to- the task immediately, Dick holding a gun under the nose of each man while it was be. ing done, : Each man had a ring of keys, Clancy only a few, but Terrell quite a large number of all sorts and sizes, and the Chinee held them up to view. ‘Good enough!” said the sport. ‘* Now, just sce if there is one in the lot that will fit the bag.” The Celestial grinned and set about the task. . He was only a minute io finding a key that opened the bag as well as if it had been. made for it, ‘‘ Ha! allee samee me findee him!” he cried. ‘*‘ Now, who stealee watchee?” | ‘“‘That’s the question,” responded . the sport. \ ‘* Now, men of Whoop-up, if there is any difference here, I think the favor is. on my side. These fellows had every op- portunity to, put up a job like this, and I. charge them with having done it. Which are you going to believe?” | ‘We deny it,” Clancy fired back, ‘We had no chance to do anything of the sort, and we are not men of that stamp, anyhow. It is only a coincidence that Terrell hap- pened to bave a key that fits the bag, in a. bunch of s0 many. this man off it is none of our business; we have shown him up for what he is, and can _ do no more.” * And you will have to take care that you ee don’t get shown up, in turn,” warned Dick, “You are welcome to. do that; we have nothing to conceal.” ‘Maybe not.” “Well, Mr. Hurston, asked the sport. , ‘Why, it seems to of letting it drop.” . ‘‘ What. sny the citizens?” ‘* Let ’er drop!” was the shout, white, sport,.every time, and they will have~ ted 7 -, § . ‘ e * . é ” — ,, . ‘| é ‘ a ; y: : Te : By ( ' : | pel Lah | ; ' ’ ’ "Fi 4 ’ ' MS . i* ' | wh be ery \, ' AE ., ’ ‘ 4 i) |} 4 ae \ “y .¥ ry ¥ pad ‘ 7 > eer | ? * re / : » a Pell .. od I = Oh \ , Ae gt fh fat ” Me rr ” 7.7 7 i i ie Ad eee A d y |e MA a” : * is) “Fl ; m : yA, Lo? Sat e he ‘ he” eT Ned r bid ' : > , H J at f : hint If youare going to let — what shall it be?” stand a case without. | proof positive, either way, and Iam in favor r ae u) a P ES” Maa’ bares (eV, As. 4 ee f oy }. ACTS ye (se, ocx’¥e . Bol om <a “ee . : ‘ \ WL oa ee ». Fi ‘d * “\* Tu) ae At ye wid >, ‘s 7 : 4 Pioks 4 ‘ UP) f J , 4 J, ae ¢ Ps to make out a stronger case ’n that, fore We: ~ ih go back on ye! <Ain’t that so, boys?” L La 2 4 ot ks f kd se , + . wh. ts “Hod fiat - Fa a. , aa” A) . 4 ; Nor bo vy ‘ee ri el ® 7 , r - 4 ., 4 s ; “ me) TG LAAs, “ea We Ls hy hee Ie WA ts aL vert pat at ee es eA esi ge ‘yy r v BaF) oan 3 oat :> j i, | a a \ | Wy rd ae . —i3s. ww % = « tae 5 >» 8, - Law ‘® ae. * tes =.=