Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 916 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

a & > tM. ed ® ea . wht . “41, > an ¥ : Rios eo we * £ ey ie * aa ~ dee Yn, >» Gal. of * tet ci ‘ e ¢ ra hal j > em He knew Deadwood Dick by reputation, | aipainat my husband’s business, and they ay igs . * “>! ron, eee and that was enough. ‘* You may trust me, sir,” Dick assured. * Yes, 1 know, but how far? Supposesus- picion should point to my mother as the slayer of Mainard, what then?” ‘“Good heavens!” the woman exclaimed. “* Tmpossible!” ‘*Not at all impossible,” said her son. ““Somebody killed him. and you have now said enough to connect yourself with his affairs,” ‘* But, sir,’”’ appealing to Deadwood Dick, ‘‘ you could never suspect me of such a deed ag that, could you? Sesides, I have not been out of my store all the evening, so Il am clear.” “You are not guilty, madam, and are not likely to be suspected,” Dick assured her. ‘* Suppose she is,’ spoke the son. ‘In that case, I will, make it ny business to establish her innocence.” ‘You may trust my friend fully,” Klein again urged. ‘*‘ You cannot find anabler de- fender, the world over, than he.” “Then pray tell me the story,” Dick re- quested. ‘“It goes a long way back,” said the wo man, ‘‘ but I suppose you want it from the beginning?” es Yes LP ‘Charles Bachert and Joseph Mainard were rivals for my hand—” ‘*TIa! that is a good starting-point,” Dick had to interrupt. ‘‘ But, pardon me for breaking in upon you, madam.” ‘‘ Certainly, sir. I loved Charles, but I did not like Mainard at all, and I gave him to understand it so, even though Charles was poor and he was rich. I married Charles Bacbert,”’ . ‘1 follow you, madam,” * Well, Mainard vowed that he would be revenged upon me, and that I should some day repent having spurned his love, to re- peat his own words, I had a dread of bim for atime, but it wore away and I[ thought no more about him or bis threais. ‘Our boy was born, and we removed toa Western town, where for some years we prospered beyond our dreams, and it looked as if we must, in a few years, be able to re- turn to the scenes of our early days, in- dependent for the rest of our lives. But, a shadow was upon our pathway, and the tide, so to say, turned against us all at once and we went down and down.” ‘‘ Bad luck met my husband at every turn, and it seemed as if some evil influence must be at work against him, but we could not «detect where it was.” ‘It was hard, certainly.” ‘“And yet, the worst was still to come, One day my husband was missing, and I was almost crazed with concern for him, He had grown despondent, and I feared that he had taken his life.” ‘* Was that the case?” ‘Give me time and 1 will tell you all. I cannot help these breaks.” ’ ¢ ‘‘ Certainly.” ‘You see, sir, Charles bad a suspicion that some enemy was at work against him, and he had taken a terrible oath that he would find him out and bring him to ac- count,” **T see.” ‘* And so it was that I could not fix upon anything concerning his fate. Sometimes I thouzht that he had killed himself; then again I would think that he had found his foe and had gotten the worst of the encoun- ter. Be that as it might, I never saw him again.” | | ‘* And that is all?” “That is allof that. I gathered together the little I could, and started anew, alone and unaided, save for the little help Charlie could give me. ‘About that time, or soon after, two strangers came into the place, having c!aims _—_—_—$—$—$ a a } he closed and took it all, beginning in the same line themselves. ‘““Those two men were, as I speedily learned, Joseph Mainard and William Tram. well, and then a suspicion dawned upon me. I went boldly to Mainard and faced him, ac- cusing him of some knowledge of my hus- band, and of having ruined him in business for the sake of the revenge he had threat- ened,” ‘“ What was the effect?” ‘Why, he showed greatest surprise at seeing me, saying he had no idea it was my husband he had bought out, He had for gotten the name, he said. He wanted to lend me assistance, but | refused, I bad no proof against him, so could do nothing, and so I had to sit by and see him amass wealth out of my husband's business, while ] mourned my husband, not knowing his fate, “ At length a letter was discovered, in my husbvand’s handwriting, telling me that it vas his intention to take his life, and that | should not mourn for him. It was impos sible, the letter said, for him to begin life again, with everything against him, and he would not be a burden in my way if I could better myself by his death, so he would in that mannerset mefree. Hesaid he thought [T had made a mistake in marrying him, any- how.” ‘And what did you think of that?’ “| denounced it at once as a forgery. It was not like my husband at all.” ‘But, you said that it was in his hand- wriling.” “Yes, so I thought. his,” ! ‘““And you have said that he had grown despondent.”’ ‘* Yes, yes, so he had.” “And it is possible that his mind gave way.” | ‘“*T have thought of that, but I never be- lieved it,” ‘Then what was your suspicion?” “That the letter was a forgery, and that Joseph Mainard wrote it.” ‘What made you think that? Had you anything further than mere suspicion to back it up?” ‘The fact that as soon as, or pretty soon after, he learned of the letter, which could be taken as proof that Charles was dead, he began to sue for my hand, but I made him the same answer as at first.” ‘And you have never heard of your hus- band in‘all that time?’ ‘* Never.” . ** Which was proof that he was dead.” ‘*[ have long looked upon him as dead. Of course he must be dead.” Why?’ ‘Have I not seen his ghost?” ‘‘] take that as more in the way of proof that he is living.” ; The woman smiled sadly, ‘No, no,” she said. ‘‘If living, he would have come to me. While I do not believe that he tilled himself, I do believe that he was murdered,” ‘* And that Mainard killed him.” ‘*He and Tramwell.” ‘““There is room for suspicion, now, ma- dam.” . ‘Tf it could only be proven.” | ‘Can you tell me more?” “That is all.” ‘* But, how came you here?” “Yes, I will tell you that. I could not prosper at the old place; something seemed to be at work against me, so 7 pulled up and came to this new camp. But, Mainard fol- lowed me, and fivally Tramwell came, too,” “And with what result?” ‘* With the result that, secretly, I have been persecuted, by some one, but I could never get proof against anybody. Mainard has It was very like | persisted in his attentions, but I spurned —— ¥ ™ a, ' od = I Re 6 eee * al = 4 os oe | Es 5, Ade . @:* i , y PY Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker. Th him, and my boy has never been able to pros- per. I have laid it alltotheaccount of those rascals,” CHAPTER XyV. THE SELF-COCKER SPORT NABBED, Dick and Klein remained for some time. Much more was said, but the foregoing chapter contains all the points of interest in the woman's story, Enjoining upon her the necessity of silence until they could investigate a little, the two sports finally took leave and passed out upon the strect. The evening was now about spent. ‘‘ That was a strange matter,” remarked Klein. ‘““A deucedly strange matter,” declared Dick. ‘* What do you make of it?” ‘ T agree with the woman.” ‘That Mainard was the foe with whom ber husband had to deal, eh?” ‘* Exactly.” ‘* Yes, that is certainly the way it looks. But, it is my opivion that Bachertisin the land among the living.” ‘1 cannot belp thinking so.” | ‘And that his was the hand that settled | Mainard.” | Yes.” Both were thoughtful. ce ** Well, where to?” asked Dick. ‘‘Tam inelined to spend the night at the Royal, attack.” ‘*TIt will be grim old fun. for somebody.” “Yes, Lagree with you in that,” assented I want to see the fun if there is an Klein. ‘‘ Why, have you anything else on hand?” ‘«T would like to visit the Prince.” ‘** Hal” 4 “ Why not?” . ‘You would run a risk.” ‘‘Tam used to that, 1 can assure you.” ‘* But, what isto be gained?” ‘‘T want to look for that lost boy.” ‘*And you think he is there?” ‘I believe Tramwell. knows where he is, anyhow.” They had stopped while they talked, and were speaking in low tones. | It was on a corner of two streets, where the shadows lay thick around, one of the electric lights being missing, Of a sudden a full score of men leaped i upon them, | Klein was sent to the ground with a blow that rendered him insensible, and the gang laid hold upon the Self-cocker Sport. Dick did not have time to draw hisvguns, so sudden had been the attack, but he made it interesting for his captors just the same, ‘and four or five of them were toppled over before he was overcome. The odds was too great. He recognized in his mdst obstinate an tagonist the fellow known as Bullion Bull- whack. ‘Wull, bow aire ye now?” that worthy hissed in his ear, as soon as they had him down upon his back. ‘‘ What is yer opine of things in general?” It was impossible for Dick to reply, for hands were at his throat and also over his mouth, and the knee of Bullion Bullwhack was pressing hard upon his chest, He was in a tight place. | , ‘‘ How’n thunder d’ye think he is goin’ ter speak?” another demanded. ‘‘ Don’t kill him; ther boss said take keer—” ‘* You shut yer head, cussed fool!” « But, enough has been let fall to apprise Dick that these fellows were not acting alone, but that there was a head to their doings. Dick had ceased to struggle, for he feared for his life if he resisted further, and it was altogether useless. In a few’ mcments he was gagged and bound, | It had all happened so quickly that no . \ hy bath « : > ” ° a?" m4 » 5 oe ve “tf 17) é. » ’ oy. ee “We oe! 7 . fT * od Fa ete ae * sedis. « "Se * + \ ; < is , { rT. ii » 4 . ~ + — ad } as al b . aT = ~ ba - - : ’ q ° "eas : y A < ° com