Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 916 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

*, ‘ oo — ‘ } \ : ’ ‘ ils : - ‘ f : . , ‘ . Siler P . — a * . ra A) ae er: 7 » 4, * Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker. } 7 i Pr sa: + . eum “ . ———— “And what about the missing boy?” he made inquiry. ‘‘ Well, there is nothing about it, only “Yes, you are right. I am half afraid defense, but could carry the war into the they mean to attack me and burn me out be- | camp of the foe, despite numbers against fore morning.” them, that Charlie Blondow has not been seen for “They have a larger force than you?” We have described the camp, with the 7 nearly a month,” ‘* About twice as big.” great falls of Roaring River. bey. ‘* And on what ground has Tramwell been “That is bad. You have a good fence The pressure of water for mining purposes, a suspected ?” here.” a thousand feet in vertical pipe, was, enor- ue | **On the ground that he is the openly ‘* Yes, but it could soun be battered down. | mous, and the wonder was that it had not a f avowed enemy of Colonel Blondow.” We are keeping up a show to hold them in | been thought of before. oag * ‘That appears a good reason, but what | check.” | Many a time had the miners seen the Bs ye could he hope to gain by stealing the child?” ‘‘Mr. Klein has told me about the case. | finger of water, as it came cracking and Bs ‘** Give it up.” You feel sure that you are in the right, I | snapping from the nozzle of the pipe, hold ~q a ‘* How old is the boy?” suppose.” | in abeyance a bowlder of many tons’ weight “ ‘* About ten years.” ‘*I know I am in the right, and I mean | until they could escape from under it. ¥ iF ‘“‘ His mother here?” to fight while I have a leg to stand on, too.” No force of men could stand before it. a a “* Dead.” ‘‘And I must throw my weight with you.” The'men of the ‘‘ Royal” were jubilant y Bd ‘‘T see. Well, I shall try to do what Ican ‘““T had been praying that you would | as soon‘as this plan was made known to ee in that matter.” come.” Shain. "4 ‘And if you succeed you will have the ‘* We will look over the ground to-morrow, A force was set to work immediately, to <q old man’s blessing, if nothing more, for he | and drive them over the line, carry the pipe to the fence, while the re- dotes on the boy.” ‘‘Drive them! Didn’t you just hear me | mainder of the men kept up a show of de- i ‘* Has he no other enemy than Tramwell?” | say that they double us in numbers? I am | fense with their rifies and revolvers, a ‘“* Not that I know of, except Tramwell’s | satisfied to hold my own.” Every man had been cautioned not to let a minions, and they are a hard lot.” ‘* Yes, I said drive them, and that.is what | the secret out. “4 *‘T include them all with Tramwell him. |I mean. We will use a little strategy as an Meantime, Klein had returned to the ' self. Well, we are nearing the scene of | offset to their superior numbers, and I think camp center, and Deadwood Dick and Colo- \ action; can you get me into Blondow’s | we will be able to do them up.” nel Blondow retired to the effice of the domain?” ‘By heavens, Center-fire, if you can do | Royal for a private talk. _ ‘“‘ Yes, I guess so; we'll work around this | that for me I will give you a half interest in ‘Well, you came here to attend to the Bs way.” the mine!” | matter I wrote about, of course,” the colo- = Klein led the way. ‘Ob, no, I’ll serve you for a less reward | nel observed. = ‘* How shall I introduce you?” he asked. than that, sir.” ‘« Yes, sir, Iam here to find your lost bov cr ‘* Privately, by my right name; but if if I ean.” i akg . bee mye then let it be as Center- CHAPTER VIII. “s aT rey grant that you may succeed.” Fy re, the -cocker,’ ‘‘T hope it may be so.” ae ‘‘And you are a self-cocker, too, by the area ons cn ata beh ak ha eres easing “T told you yw oult give the particulars By Lord Harry!” CoLonEL Bionpow gave some directions | upon your coming.” . ‘**T have to be, in my line of work.” to his men. They passed all around to the south of the scene of the fight, for shooting was still go- » ing on in a desultory manner, and finally came out upon a narrow ledge-trail, Here suddenly, they were challenged. ** Halt!” ‘* Here we are, Short,” responded Klein, _ ** Who are ye?” * John Klein, and a man who must see Blonaow at once.” ‘** Thought et was you, Klein; pass right along.” They went forward, and ere long were in- side the mine-inclosure, for Blondow had been obliged to close in his mill, etc. ‘‘ Where is Colonel Blondow?” asked Klein. ‘‘Right out thar at ther front,” answered the man addressed. ** Ts he busy?” “‘ Sounds like ct, don’t et? He is peggin’ lead at Tramwell’s cusses over on t’other Having done that, he, Dick, and Klein re- paired to the main office for a chat, ‘* What opened the fight to-night?” asked Dick. ‘“ Why, some of my men were running ina cart load of provisions, preparing for a siege, when they were discovered and at tacked.”’ ‘* Hal” ‘‘ The rest of my men ran out to their help, and there was a lively time for a little while.” ‘ Anybody get hurt?” “Two of my men got slight wounds; = a pl kuow what the result was on the other side.” ‘‘And you think if they made an attack to-night they would overcome you, in spite of the fence, do you?” ‘*That’s what I fear.” ‘*T have an idea,” ‘“What is it?” “ And still there is little to tell. “he boy 18 simply missing, and I know not where he is 3? a te have accused this man Tramwell?” cé es.” ‘*And what does he say?” ‘Merely sneers, demanding to know what he would want of my brat.” ‘‘And that is the question: what would he want of the child?” “*T give it up.” “Still you think him guilty.” | _ “He would do anything in his power to injure me.” ‘*You have some other reason for think- ¥, ing him the abductor, perhaps.” a ‘“The fact that the boy did not disappear . until after the war opened between us, mainly.” “And you can suspect no one else?” ** No one.” ‘ ’ aie is your heir, after your son?” ac a!” : F ‘* That opens another view ?” “Strange that I did not look far enough for that.” “Then, there is something in it, you side.”’ ‘* Shall we go to the front?” Klein asked. ** Certainly,” answered Dick. | They moved on, and ere long were among me > the defenders behind the ,stockade fence Dick spoke one word, no more. ‘*Great Scott!” cried Blondow. didn’t I think of that?” ‘Because it did not happen to come to you, I suppose, sir.” ah around the mine. ‘“‘Say, rather, that. I hadn't the inventive | think?” Bhi © ‘The mine-owner was soon found. mind for 1t.’ ‘No, there is nothing in it, sir. It was Tae Sa ‘* You, Klein?” he said. ’. ‘“‘ No, the thought did not come to you, | the thought that made me exclaim.” be 3. a ** Yes, and here is a mau to see you, some- | that was all. Have you got a supply of | ‘Then, there is no beir?” / Ad 1m po Not werk sstsa J peg eral per : ‘A hundred of them, sir. <A host of a: ‘a * Not Deadwood Dick, Junior?” ‘Yes, a big lot of it.” cousins, and the like. The property I own i | a ‘The same,” assented Dick. ‘“ And bow sbout the other mine?” would not amount to much, divided among O Rigie Thank God!” them all.” n', ‘* All they have got is in use.” ‘Excellent! After we gave them the idea, they would play the same trick, if pos- sible, you see.” F “But, they can’t doit! By heaven, Dead- - A wine Lod ; 7 EB oe The mine owner caught Dick’s hand and <2 wrung it. ‘‘But, I am here under another name,” announced Dick. ‘Just as well to remain ‘‘'No possibility of any one nearer than ; these cousins?” ie oe ‘*No, they come next.” nae : 3: ‘*Then there does not appear to be much ee tea Nae unknown.” wood Dick, we have got them right where | in that view of it. You have no other enemy ae awe ‘‘ Better, perbaps. What do you call | we want them, no mistake!” - besides this man Tramwell ?” ik | a me: syourself?” ‘**So I think myself. Seta force of men “Not that I am aware of.” | ee “ Well, I have given -my name as Edgar | at work and extend the pipe to the fence, ‘Well, tell me about the disappearance o ea Sagi |b Vandornbrecker, but as nobody is likely to | and carry a supply there to run it further if | your boy.” Be: vu make use of that 1 have adopted a snappy | necessary.” “Tt will be a month in just three days, = ~~ pseudonym besides—” | ; ** Tt shall be done, Nd wie a dandy!” interrupted Klein. . “é< ¢ Great Scott! we'll be | since it happened.” | mo able to finsh them clear out of the gulch, if ‘A long time, but stillhe may be found, = °* + tA ae . ‘hat, is it?’ we get 1 fair shot at them with the water. | if living.” Fn _ “Well, that is something unique, I'll be Everything was changed ima moment, ~ ‘Well, the particulars?” / i bound.” ei: pres? 23, That is to say, the prospects on the side of ‘“T left him at the house one morning, on at "You seem to be having it lively here, | the defenders. | coming here to my office, and that was the Hea Golonel Blondow.” - Now they were not only sure of means of , last seen of him.” , Es : : bd : ined ; . ? ‘ wi Ne 7 ; s* ) 4 7 r . ’ a i: » +f » : ’ 7 “¢ 7, : “ 7 a - . : rh : ‘ ; ‘ : . 4 he % - i. ’ " rs 4 . ‘ l» “7 7 ‘ : +f - - ‘ , ' 4 + % , J U 4 oh ‘ a ». 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