Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 916 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

on, Immediately, 2 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker, ——— eee eee onous roar, and occasionally the camp did some ‘‘ roaring ” on its own account. The name of the camp was the same as that of the river, as is the case in mauy in- stances throughout the land. The camp had borrowed the appellation for want of some. thing better, and it had been found to an- swer the purpose, It was, at the time of our story, one of the most important hydraulic mining-camps in all Nevada. The product was silver. The falls of Roaring River were nearly a thousand feet in sheer descent, and from the level above an enormous pressure of water was obtained, by means of heavy iron con- duits. There was a large population, and the town had many of the conveniences of a place many times its actual size. There were several stores, a big hotel, a bank, an Express Office, a newspaper, a school and two churches; and there were saloons almost without limit, The hotel mentioned was the ‘‘ Lullaby Roost,” so-called because it stood close to the falls, the noise of which drowned aimost every Other sound and made sleeping an easy thing. Perhaps the most popular place in the whole camp, of an evening, was the bar- room of Lullaby Roost. It was the largest single room in the whole camp. Elegantly fitted up, it furnished space for dancing and for gambling, providing music for the former and everything necessary for the .atter. The camp had electric lights, the power being obtained from the falls at no expense, and by night the saloon of the Lullaby Roost was a blaze of light. The front of the room was almost all glass, and the rear was one expanse of mirrors, To this room attention is invited. The business of the evening was going at full blast, and everybody was tryiug to get all the enjoyment possible out of the fleet- ing hour. | | Above every other sound was the heavy, dull roar of the falls, but this was a constant monotone, and when ears were once actus- tomed to it other sounds could be distingyish.- ed when the senses were alert. Of a sudden, ejaculations were heard. Men and women looking in the direction whence, they came, beheld a sight that startled them to say the least. There, about in the center of the’ well- lighted room, suspended in mid-air by means invisible, was a coffin of regulation size and orthodox shape; somber, mysterious. ‘* What ther mischief d’ye make o’ that?” demanded the mayor of the young city, Anthony Pitts by name, better known as ‘* Mad Anthony,” ‘‘Durn me ef I know what ter make of et, Mad Anthony,” somebody responded, in tone of alarm. ‘« It is some trick, that’s what it is,” cried Joseph Mainard, the proprietor of the Lullaby Roost. ‘‘ Don’t you see; it is only a shadow!” ! 5 : True enough; now that they looked more closely they could discern objects through the heavy, pall-like spot, but this only served to add to the mystery and to the terror of the superstitious, Mad Anthony, the mayor, tall, broad and full-bearded, with hat set back upon his forehead and left hand thrust into the pocket of his jacket, where he usually carried it, strode forward and thrust his right arm into the shadowed space, while the crowd looked and beige from the shadow-coftin itself, was heard a groan, and even the face of the iron-nerved mayor paled What did it mean? A crowd quickly pressed around, all eager ee Mainard were the only ones who had ven- tured to go very close to the mysterious shadow. Many a person in the crowd rubbed bis eyes, or hers, to make sure of being wide awake, and that the shadow-coffin was no illusion. But, that was needless, for the object was too plainly visible to all to admit of any mistake. There it was, us we have described it. ‘“Wull, I ber durn!” cried the mayor, withdrawing his arm into the light and step- ping back a pace. . ‘This joke has been carried far enough, Mr, Joker,” spoke loudly the proprietor of the place. ‘‘A pretty good trick, we have to admit; but, enough of it, if you please!” This brought forth another groan from the shadowy shape. Both the mayor and Mainard fell back an- other step, looking at each other, and the crowd widened the space around the shadow- coffin perceptibly. The saloon of the Lullaby Roost had never witnessed anything like this. The room be- came so still that nothing was heard save the steady roar of the falls. The electric lights seemed to make everything ghostly. All eyes were upon the coffin, and not more than half a minute had elapsed since it was first discovered. Even while they looked, a change seemed to take place. , Certain outlines of the coffin appeareé to grow darker, while others assumed a lighter aspect. Then, suddenly, exclamations broke from the lips of all, asthe form of a body took shape within in the dark outlines, and with cries of terror most of the women fled with fright. ‘‘Enough of this farce!” cried the pro- prietor, loudly. ‘‘Durn me ef I know whether et’s a joke or not,” said the mayor, just loud enough for Mainard to hear. ‘You don’t? I thought you had a harder head than that, Mad Anthony.” ‘*It is mighty spooky, you'll allow.” . Whisperings were going on upon every hand, and any number of fingers were pointed at the coffin, which every moment seemed to grow more and more distinct while they looked upon it. ‘‘Ther place is ha’nted,” one man de- clared, | ‘* That’s what et aire,” another. ** Enough fer me.” ‘* Are you all fools?” cried the proprietor, who did not care to have such a report as that get out. ‘‘ Are you all fools, I say? I tell you it is some trick!” — ‘Then, mebby you will kindly explain what ther trick is.” ‘‘ T will explain something to the miserable trickster, when I find out who he is.” Something more than a minute had now passed, and the shadow object was becoming startling in its distinctness. It was becom- ing a perfect picture in black and white. ‘be coftin outlines were almost like ebony, in hue, while the figure within was white as ivory from head to feet! It was the figure of a man, but there was something over the face so that it could not beseen. Every- thing in the room looked ghostly—ghastly. And even yet the coffin was spectral; ob- jects could be seen through it. ' The mayor and the proprietor were whis- pering together, excitedly, and with every- body else the excitement was reaching a high pitch. : Suddenly, above,every other sound, a voice called out: — py Se None could teli whence it came, but there was no mistaking the word, and the shadow- coffin riveted attention. | The something that was over the face | of the seeming corpse in the coflin was slow- tosee and hear, but the mayor and Joseph | ly drawn aside, and when the dead face was revealed a cry burst from the crowd, a cry of terror. The face was that of Joseph Mainard, cold and white in death. That man reeled backward as if he had re- ceived a blow, pressing one hand to his fore- head while with the other be seemed as if trying to motion the dread object away. ‘* Behold!” Once again, above other sounds, that mys- terious voice called out, but the crowd need- ed no urging. They could not have removed their eyes from the shadow-coftin if they would, nor from the man whose double, or self, seemed actually to be contained therein, They were chained. ‘“My God!” gasped Mainard, clutching at a table for support. ‘‘It was my merited doom,” Came a voice from the shadow-coffin, in deep, sepulchral accents. ‘‘ Behold, the wages of sin!” With a hollow groan, Joseph Mainard fell to the floor, and immediately the shadow- coffin began to fade rapidly away. The spectral aspect began to disappear from the room, and in a few seconds everything was as it had been before, A loud, general sigh of velief broke from the crowd, and the hum and buzz of ex- cited talk began, but it was quickly inter- rupted, for just at that moment 4 stranger entered the place, who, looking around for a second or two, hailed the crowd with a loud, cheery salute; but in the same moment he seemed to realize that something out of the usual was on the tapis, and he advanced to- ward the center of the room, CHAPTER II, CENTER-FIRE, THE STRANGER, THE new-comer was a man worthy of passing notice. ; About thirty years of age, or even younger than that, he was an almost perfect specimen of physical manhood. Good-looking, he had piercing, magnetic black eyes, a black mustache, and his dark hair fell in a rich cluster upon his broad shoulders. He was about the medium in height. e was clad after the manner of the usual Wild West sport. With a handsome negligee silk shirt he wore a splendid tie loosely knotted and held with “*!). pin. « His: « ere, of; splendid fit, and be- came hin» i, , Hi hat was a broad-brim- med felt uf .ne quality, and his feet were in- cased in patent leathers. Every eye was upon him as into the room, ‘‘ What’s up, citizens?” he asked. ‘*Who are you?” demanded Mayor Pitts, gruffly. ‘Why, I am something of asport, coming and going at will,” was the easy rejoinder, ~ “Oh! you aire?” ‘* Yes.” } ‘‘And mebbe you bad something ter do with this business,” : ‘‘You give me credit for more than is due me, sir. The fact is, I do not know what has been going on.” ‘* Well, ther deuce has beento pay, that’s what.” . ae ‘‘ Somebody been getting a pill?” ‘Do you mean ter say that you don’t know nothin’ about et?” ‘“« Must 1 swear to it? he: advanced Is this man dead ?” indicating the proprietor, who still lay on A the floor. : ‘‘ No, he ain’t dead; only fainted.” ‘* Painted?” and the stranger showed some. - ‘H surprise, for Joseph Mainard did not look lik a man given to fainting. “ae ‘* See hyer, what’s your name?” the mayor demanded, eg . : 5 4 ’