Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 904 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

a ee Ke 7 - * * » ee : . s <<: 2 —— . - ji 25 . Y = 2 Xr > ie, eo! ee ee € a oS i * - = Pe _ - te el od - — 2 cs — 1 A = z a » & . —@ —_- Sage -. en ie wa 7 a's = ‘= = — b! q _ ex ~ ‘r= im s. » css ---- —~ “Am I not under obligation to you?” ‘That has nothing to do with it. ou do it?” “*T will.” ‘*Good enough. Now, do you know any- ling about the mystery of Delia Doug- is?” The mine-owner looked at him keenly. “Candidly,” he then said, ‘f I know noth- ig about it. It is a strange coincidence lat the person sbould look so much like my aughter, though,’’ “If the resemblance was only slight, it ould not call for remark, for that frequent- ‘happens; but any one who has ever seen elia Douglas or her likeness would he illing to swear that your daughter is she,” **I cannot understand it. I will swear, if ecessary, that the young lady you have just en ig my daughter,” ** That is all [ can ask.” ‘* Are you interested in the matter, sir?” Well, yes, knowing Douglas, since you ave told me his child is missing and he is 2arching for her.” ‘‘IT hope you can clear the mystery up, en, for lam considerably interested in it ryself, now that it has been shown that Tank Douglas was not crazy, as I had good 2ason to suppose. It is not likely that both ou and he would be afflicted in the same anner.” Will CHAPTER Xy. FIRE-EATER FLiP’S TURNOVER. Drapwoop Dick, Jr., spent a pleasant ‘ne at the Bergman cottage. He liked Bergman, the more he came to now him, and as for the daughter, he liked ir even more. Of course, he did not make known to her @written promise he héld. He was not € man to make the father’s weakness known sthe child. It was enough that he held ae paper. Holding it, he could keep Clancy at bay, t thought he could, until such time as mat- srs could be righted. Finally he took leave and returned to the cktail. here everything was in high feather, rybody had had dinner, the fire was burn- merrily, and all were happy all around. he appearance of the Five-Spot Sport is hailed with delight, and as they had just ‘en having some fun with the two store- epers, Deuce-Trey had to be told all about Grudge and Higgins, by the way, hud been leased, but were not allowed to resume ‘arge of their store, They had been promised that a just and ae account would be kept. With this they had to be satisfied. They were & sheepish pair, now, after the ‘and failure they had made in the attempt rob their fellow towizismen, and had but tle to say concerning that matter to any e, They had come into the Cocktail a little aile before the Five-Spot Sport’s return, id had called for drinks, It, had happened at Williams was out, and the Chinaman, oin Shang, was in his place behind the bar, he eyes of the Celestial twinkled immediate- ‘“‘ Fifty centee all alound,” he said to iem. They protested since they had made a fail- re of their *‘ dollar a pound ” experiment. Protestation was wuseless, however; the thinee stuck to his figure, supported by 10se in the room, and as the fellows wanted ie drinks they had come for they had to put p the price, Chin Shang was still behind the bar, and vhen Dick had listened to this story, recited 'y Ben Banty, he stepped to the bar and poke to Douglas in a low tone. ‘ Well, I have seen the girl,” he said, ** What do you think?” a a Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. 13: — ee rr — “ [| could swear that she is the original of | hyer is sick, an’ I was a brute ter fergit him the picture.” ‘And so she istoo. Jcannot tell what to make of it. Whatdo you think is the mys tery?” ther way I did last night, but I’m goin’ to try an’ make up fer et by better ’tention to him now.” ‘‘That’s a good resolve, What's the ‘*'The mystery is, that there are two girls, | trouble, sir?” to the sick man. sir, This oneis not your child; of that Iam | certain, | watched the Bergmans closely, and there is no sham aboutthem, You were on the wrong trail.”’ ‘<1 will never believe it,” ** You'll have to.” ‘‘'Then you feel certain there are two?” ‘‘ Positively. But it isall a mystery, and no clue to it thus far,” ‘* And so you are going to leave it for me to work outalone, if I can? I hoped much for your help.” ‘“T have not said that T giveitup. I will try to get at the mystery for you, if I can get hold of aclue to work on. 1’]] investigate further when opportunity offers.” ‘* All right; do so. for you.” “What is it?” ‘*You know Fire-eater Flip, the fellow who cared for your horse?” ‘* Certainly,” ‘He isa bad man, and a desperate fellow when aroused. He wouldn’t stop a bit short of crime, if it suited his purpose, I imagine. In fact, I know.” ** Well?” ‘He is looking for you, and 1 thought I would put you on your guard against him, for 1 saw him talking with ‘Terrell not lon ago, <A short time after, he told me quietly to tell you he wanted to see you.” ‘‘ All right; he'll find me here if be comes ‘‘He won't come in, He said he wanted to see you at his cabin. He has a brother there who is sick.” ‘“That’s different. But, I am not afraid of him, and as I have nothing to do at pres- ent I’ll hunt him up, just to kill time. Where is his shanty?” ‘It is past the store. You go right on, and he said he would be on the lookout for you, But, my opinion is that you had bet- ter be wary how you trust him, for he may mean you harm,” ‘‘I don’t believe it. I think I have the good will of that fellow.” ‘All right; but look out for him any- how,” “* Yes, I will do that.” The sport left the saloon and made his way through the tunnel in the direction of the store, The tunnel had by this time been much traveled, and it was easy traveling through it. It was a peculiar experience, but one not by any means new to Deadwood Dick, When he came to the store he noted that there were other tunnels on the right leading further down the gulch, and while he was considering which one he should take a man stepped out from one of them and motioncd him to follow, and Dick recognized the man. ‘* You wanted to see me, Fire-eater?” he asked, when he overtook him, “Yes, but we'll go to my shanty, if you don’t mind.” ‘*Do you mean me fair?” ‘‘T swear I do,” Dick said no more, then, but saw to it that his guns were ready for instant use, Should he need them. Presently the tunnel was nothing more than a hole, the walls of which touched their shoulders as they proceeded, and finally, after a sharp descent, they came to the door ofa shanty. Fire-eater opened it, and they passed in, There was a light and a fire, and on a bunk in a corner lay a sick man. It took but a glance to satisfy Deadwood Dick that no danger menaced him at present, anyhow.” ‘Set ye down,” invited his host, ‘“ Jake in Now, I have a word | | | ‘“] am just out of a fever,” was the answer. ‘‘l’ll mend now, if I eet food and care for a few days,” Dick noted that there was more refinement about this man than there was about Fire- | eater, and that the language he used was of a little higher order, ‘Pil tell ye how et is,” explained Fire- eater. ‘‘ Jake, hyer, has got a pious vein in his make-up; he’s one of them Obristian fel- lers; while as fer me, ther devil has got a holt on me big as a hog,”’ | Dick had to smile, while he remarked that he felt great respect for Jake, ‘* You ain’t one o’ them fellers, too, be. re?” asked. Fire-eater, ‘Well, Lam and I am not; I’m an honest, sincere believer, but there is no open profes- sion about it,” ‘‘No matter; we ain't to ther point. I found Jake nigh about froze an starved out, when I+ got hyer, an’ he was a+prayin’ like a good feller, not so much for himself as fer me— Durn et, he would ’a’ served me right ef he had plugged me full o’ lead,’”” No! no!” the brother protested, “I didn’t say uothin’,” Fire-eater con- tinued, ‘‘ but I went right to work, an’ [had made up my mind ter do ther white thing from that minute. I had been o bard cus- tomer, and everybody knowed et. Now, one thing, 1 knowed who it was that stole them watches Jast night, an’ I was paid ter say nothin’, 1’ll put you onto that, purty soon, after I have told somethin’ else,” ‘It is hardly: necessary,” assured Dick: ‘“‘T know them already.” ‘‘Wull, no matter; I’ll tell ye somethin” that ye don’t know, then. I have been paid! five hundred dollars to put you out of ther way, sport, and I’ve got three hundred of et. in my pocket this minute, What d’ye think o’ that?” “T’m not surprised, except to say that I would never have thought it of you,” Dick. responded, ‘* Hold on, sport! Don’t judge me wrong.. [ would’t ’a’ done it fer five thousand dol- lars. Itook ther offer jest ter serve you,. don’t ye see? If you hadn’t done ther busi- ness fer them ‘ar rascally storekeepers FE reckon me an’ my brother hyer would soon go starved, an’ lain’t ther man to go back ona friend. You used me white from ther- first minute when you got hyer last night, an’ now I'll try an’ square up ther ’count with ye!” CHAPTER XVI. SHAMUS MCCALL PUZZLED. Drapwoop Dick, Junior, gave his hand to the rough fellow, unreservedly. “T am thankful to you, Fire-eater,” he said. ‘‘Maybe you would have been able to carry out your contract, had you been against me,” ‘* We won’t talk about that, pard:” “All right. But, one thing, you won’t be sorry you were with me and not against me, I[imagine, when things come out and you learn who I am. But, enough of that for the present,” ‘‘T don’t keer a durn who ye aire; you ar white, and that is enough fer me,”’ ‘‘What was the plan for my demise?” ‘‘There was a death signal arranged, and when that went off you was ter go off with et. But, et won’t work accordin’ to pro- gramme, now.” ‘And Terrell and Clancy are the rascals who hired you for the job?” ‘** Them’s the birds, pardner.” ‘“‘ They seemed to have confidence in you.” ‘* They thought they had me, don’t ye see. comicboo ‘S.