Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 916 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

. ‘ * + e Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker. “ You keep house, then?” rumpus over in the Lullaby awhile ago?” he ‘‘T am not mayor of your town, sir.” . ‘* Yes,” asked. “And if I were, that man would be ‘*] am told you are a widower?” ‘I’m not the man,” answered Dick. freed,” . “That is true. Il have a trusty house- ‘* But, they say your are, and if so, I want ‘* You, then, hold him innocent?” y keeper, however.” to scrape acquaintance with you, that is ‘‘ Te must be, until he is proven guilty.” i ‘* And what said she?” all.” , “Well, I know nothing about it. You ‘« She said that Charlie had left the house ‘“ And whom have I the honor of address- | want me to find out the slayer of Joseph ; about an hour after I left, saying he was | ing?” Mainard.” ae r going to the office tosee papa,” : ‘* William Tramwell, owner of the Prince ‘* Exactly, sir.” | ai i The man was nearly overcome while he | mine.” ‘ Well, I'll undertake it, but I don’t prom:- Het told about it, proof of the strong affection he “Glad to know you, Mr. Tramwell, but | ise to succeed. By the way, you are ownr there is a mistake in identity on your part.” | of one of these mines that arein battly array = / had for his boy. ‘‘No ‘mistake at all!” some fellow sung | against cach other, I believe.” iy, ‘* Was he in the habit of going anywhere lines recorded. and I mean to hold it.” ‘Well, what do you know. about the ‘Well, of course, ] know nothing about matter?” 7 ‘No more than others who were there, | it, but it looks to me as if. that line of Blon- Mr. Tramwell. . itis alla mystery tome, as 1 | dow's would naturally run straight across, “Yes, if l have got it straight. ' You in- 9)? ‘ | else?” lout. ‘* He is the galoot!” ‘Yes and almost owner of both of them.” ‘* Only to school and home again.” | Dick looked to find the man, but he was ‘* How is that?” 1a ; ‘THe had been cautionee about the falls?” | not to be seen. ‘‘My line runs pretty well up into Blon.- “a ‘No child is allowed near the falls. Be-;} ‘‘ That's complimentary, to be called a | dows supposed possession, ” ~ sides, he was afraid of the water.” . galoot,” he said, laughing. ‘‘ Yes, ] have heard something about it. : “That seems to dispose of that, then.” -**Are you not Center fire the Self-cocker, | This scems to be a decidedly lively little ‘*T feel sure that was not his fate,” so-called?” demanded Tramwell. : camp.” * And you have no clue, other than what ‘Yes, that’s my handy name, sir.” ‘lt isa roarer, you bet! Blandow ran up you have mentioned?” “Then why are you trying to deny it?” against the wrong man when he ran up ‘7 am afraid that is all I can suggest.” | ‘You asked me if I was the man who | against me, and he'll find it out so, too, be- “This scems to be a town of mystery. | kicked wp the fiiss in Lullaby, and J said I | fore I get done with him, he can bet his You have heard about the affais atthe Lull- | was not; but, you have got my name all | whiskers!’ aby Saloon?” right.” | «<Then you are in the right, I take it.” ‘* Something about it.” “Then it wasn't you, eh?” ‘*T mean to fight it out, right or wrong. ‘Strange thing.” ‘Tt was not.” I stuked a claim where there were no other tend to take hold of that, too “T do. Were you well acquainted with Mainard?” “© Yes.” suppose it is to you.” making a square, and if I were he I would “Ever know anything to his discredit?” ‘* And it is a mystery to me, sure enough. | certainly defend it.” ; ‘‘No more than the average mortal has} I hear that you have cNpressed a determina- * You would?” Be, scored against him, sir.” | tion to sift the matter, if you can.” “You bet!” 3 ‘Well, it is plain that he had a foe, and | ‘“ Well, Lhave seid that I would lke to ‘Tt would be no use.” ‘Maybe not, but 1 would do it just the same,” “And what if you were in my placc? What would you co in that case?” ‘You want'u square answer, of course?” ‘** Certainly.” get at the mystery.” ‘*Come this way, and let’s have a chat.” ‘‘ Agreeable to me, Sir,’’ Tramwell led the way down the room till he found a place where they could take seats. © When seated, he said: “Now, I don’t know much about you, but if you are anything of a detective L want you to go into this thing to win,” “1 don't lay claim to much distinction in that line, sir.”’ ‘‘No matter; maybe youare some good at it.” ‘* Remains to be seen,” one who desired his life—and has taken | it.” | ‘* No disputiig that.” « And the question is, who was that foe? You have never heard him speak of having a particular enemy ?” 7 . ‘“T never bave. In fact. he was rather close about his affairs.” “There is reason to believe that it was g matter of revenge, for some wrong the man had done inthe past, But, all that will have to be sified. I will now take leave, Mr. Blondow. Carry on the work, and meantime I’ll scout around a little.” ‘* {t shall be pushed with all haste, rest as- / ‘Well, then, I would not be in your place. In staking a claim, 1 would not have passed those corner stakes of Blondow'’s, even though there was no line across the end,” ‘Yon wouldn’t?” , : ‘*T wouldn't.” -**Then you politely tell me that you think he is right and I am wrong.” ae sured.” ‘Tf you can show me the slayer of Joseph ‘That is the way I look at it. You would . a So they parted. Mainard, I will give a thousand dollars,” not have placed your claim in that shape, a t Fa | “Whew!” had it not been for a certain rich ledge, ‘“*T fnean it.” would you?” . CHAPTER IX. “| presume you do, sir.” ‘‘T admit that, certainly, Iran my lines to take in all I could, where other lines did not already stand,” | ‘‘Disregarding the fact that Blondow’s line ought to be there, even if it was not.” “See here, Mr. Center-fire, are you fight- ing for him?” “And you will try for it?” “T will,” ‘You see, Mainard was my friend, and I want to uvenge him,” “Have you any suspicion who killed him?’ | ; ‘‘No; itis alla blank to me.” ‘¢] would be on that side, if either.” ‘What do you think about the arrest that | ‘“Well, you are mighty cool about it, tell- has been made?’ ng me so to my face, anyhow. What will <f) CENTER-FIRE AND TRAMWELL. ‘" Wuen Center-fire, the Self-cocker, got : back into the town prone he founda change in the appearance of the Lullaby Roost, Nearly all the lights were out, and the most brilliant spot in the camp had become sudden- ly the dullest, out of respect for the dead f proprietor, y Just across the street from the Lullaby Saloon, was another called the Rouse-up ey in contradistinction, which was some- thing ef a rival to the former, bat not so cle- gant. With the Lullaby in darkness, however, the Rouse up loomed up resplendent, - Center-fire entered this resort. He bad learned, by the way, that this was — ., + the headquarters of Tramwell's bad lot, and, gle in fact, of Tramwell himself. The place was thronged, for many who had been forced out of the Lullaby thus early in the evening, had come here to finish the night's amusement, for the death of one citi- / zen was little check upon the populace. Dick was recognized the morment he enter ed the door, ‘There is not- much to hold that old crank | be your price to join issues with me in this upon, seems to me, He must be set free,” | thin e" | ‘Tle will have to be, if nothing more ‘Mr, Tramwell, you can’t buy me at any than mere suspicion can be brought to bear | price. When I go into a thing of this kind, ‘aguinst him, But, the point taken was a | it is on the side of the right, every time, and good one.” I have told you that I believe you to be in ‘*T admit it, sir.” the wrong.” ‘““And if it can be shown that he had a confederate here, that will make it look bad for hits.” ‘* You are aware that you are looked upon with suspicion?” ‘Yes, [am aware of the fact.” “And you resisted arrest, when it was attempted.” “Well, you can bet 1 did. Iam not putting myself in the hands of a mad mob, if I know it,” xX —_—_—_——— CHAPTER X., | «ae WHAT SCHEME THIS? | oa A DARK look came into Tramwell’s face. He looked steadily at the Self-cocker Sport for some moments before he spoke again, ‘See here; are you on the other side?” he. | then demanded, sot gee Se “You have heard all I have tosay on i t ms‘! Exclamations greeted him, “That was one point that looked bad for ae “Here he is!” was one thing that reached | you, for there was uo danger, no more | that head,” answered Dick. ** Let us drop | ‘ his ears, than there has been for the fellow who was | it and turn to something else.” ea PS _ “ Yes, here I am, citizens, as large as life, | arrested. And he-declares he is innocent, ‘* What else?” | Pa ol and still a-kicking,” he cheerily responded, | too.” | “ You wanted me to aid you in finding the 9 A man stepped forward toward him. ‘*T have no proof to the contrary,” murderer of Joseph Mainard.” “2 “You are the sport who kicked up the | **Then is it right to hold him?” “If L cannot have yow with meallaround, — ia ‘ | Vie) ; Pak ry yy ary ' Ci Bey a *! » a "3 hes ; ff. f he He “7 px