Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 934 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

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Deadwood Dick advanced to an unoc- cupied table a little out of the way, and drew out chairs. The trio sat down, and Dick gave an or- der for wine and cigars. “Ym glad to meet two such fellows as you seem to be,” he remarked, “being a stranger here myself.” “And we are glad to meet a fellow like you,” declared the one calling himself Hardy Blaker. “ By the way, what is your business, Mr. Peters?’ asked Ormsted. “ Well, a little of anything that prom- ises money. I am not really particular what itis. What's yours?” * About the same.” “Perhaps we can come closer to the point when we get better acquainted. 1 never speak rigkt out to strangers until I have given them a chance to prove up, and I take it that it’s the same with you.” They looked at each other. : "* Well, you are blunt,” averred Blaker. “Yes, I make that a rule; it is one of my peculiarities, I suppose.” “You seem like a good sort of fellow to tie to, anyhow. Where do you hail from?” “YT hardly know where. I have seen nearly the whole country, but have never stopped long enough in one place to call it home. I am a rover, a and simple, is all I can say.’ “You look like a spo Ty am,” ‘A card sharp?” “Well, yes, {nd no; I am handy with the eards.”’ ‘You seem reticent.” “ Well, to speak right out, I am looking for a fortune, and don’t particularly “are how I get it.” | The two men exchanged glances again. “You mean that you have got your eye on one?’ asked Blaker. ‘No, not that. I mean that I would like to have. You see, I am tired of being poor.”’ ‘Ha! ha! That is about the way with every poor man, I believe. We are fellows of a kind, in that respect. Not that we are beggars, but we are not rolling in riches.” “Wecan shake hands then.” The wine had been brought, and they were drinking and smoking socially. Their talk ran on for a long time, and their friendship seemed to grow in strength rapidly. Deadwood Dick, needless to say, was appearing to play into their hands. "9 “Say, are you good at solving secrets? ‘suddenly asked Blaker. “ Well, it is according to what it is,” an- swered Dick. ‘Did you ever try your hand at a diffi- cult enigma?’ asked Ormsted. “There was a time when it took a diffi- was the careless re- “Have you got something of that _ kind on hand?’ Again an exchange of eee: “See here; suppose we talk “business,” “SIntimated ah ee, ; > WR <> —2 § J % wt rt si 9 a Ph i i Pa | they might meet Nobby Nancy.. ever, and they reached ‘the room tf eet ts adventure. * the window, and i vited his omipeneF to Ariendly | and confidential, and aia ser ‘T talk business all the time,’’ asserted Dick. ‘lL am wide open to propositions.” ‘Well, we have got a puzzle to solve, and if you want to’go into it with us we will give you a share of the profits, pro- vided you can be of any use to us. What say 27: ‘Count me in, if there is any real money in prospect.” “There is, and maybe a good round for- tune.” “Then I am your man.” “Good enough; and I’ll tell you thy story just as it is, but first I'll fill my glass again,” Their glasses were all filled anew, and they setUed down to -enjoy their cigars, while Blaker unfolded his tale. “We were down in the City of Mexico,” he began, “when we came across a chap who was pretty well off at the heel, and who seemed in distress in more ways than one, being a stranger in a strange land, and, as he was a fellow countryman, we took pity on him and gave him a boost. “The fellow seemed to want to get fur- ther away from home, and said he had a secret to sell, if we wanted to buy, and he kept at us so much that finally we thought we would investigate and see what there was in it, as he deelared there was a for- tune at stake for the lucky finder, and he said that he alone possessed the key to the hiding-place. ‘Like you, Mr, Peters, we were on the lookout for a fortune, and when he put it in that light we were not long in biting. We heard his story, examined the paper he had. and feeling that it was worth risk- ing the small amount he demanded of us, we paid him the money, took the paper, and parted. He went off to the south, and we struck out for home, and here we are on the ground, to look for the fortune, if there is one.” ‘Maybe it was only a fake,” Dick. “Well, possibly, but the fellow swore that he had good reason to think the for- turfe was there.” “ Had he ever tried to find it? “Yes; but failed.” “And he knew it was in this part of the country ?” “This very place, hood.” “Then Ill tell’ you what I'll do: Give me a sixth of whatever is found, and I will ga in with you and do my best.” * Agreed!” from both. | a All right!’ declared Dick, “it is a bar- gain. When shall we begin the search? I am eager, now that you have taken me in with you. I suppose bis have told me all?” ~ “Ves; you have heard éxebything there is to tell, and now we will show you the paper.” “ Yes, ‘the paper that’s so; I can’t be of much use to you until I see that.” ¥ ‘Ts this a good place to examine it?” “Well, no, I should say not,” said Dick. opined "9 or in this neighbor- ‘There are too many standing around al- | ready. .Secrecy is better now. Why not come to my room at the hotel?’ “ All right, we'll go there.” All three left the place, going up the street to the Fifth Avenue Hotel. Dick felt somewhat of concern lest wy Sterling, seeing them coming, might try shot at Brandson, and was afraid, too, that Neither of these things happened, how- Dick drew the SY ns fe and chairs near be seated. All were sober enough, yet they had enough wine inside to make them very we Deadwood Dick, J ei at “wee dasa | we will give it a careful s that) this, if ever, was his chance to draw them out. Blaker took a paket from his pocket, which he opened carefully. It contained a sheet of paper, on which was drawn a rude map, with marks here and there, and letters and numbers, | ‘Now, there it is, Simon Pure,’ he re- ny marked, “and if you can make head or tail 4 of it you are a Simon Pure, and no mis- | take. We have come here determined to | find it this time or bu'st.” They had been there before, then? But { that, of course, Dick well enough knew. The story of the man in Mexico was all a myth. Diek took well, the paper and studied it CHAPTER XIV. . THE EAYVESDROPPER. “Could you find any of these points?’ Dick musingly asked. ‘** Not a blasted one of ’em!’’ asseverated Blakes. ‘That was the trouble; we couldn’t get the start.” Dick had to smile, to see how neatly the man dropped into the wap. ‘And where have you searched?” Dick further asked. ‘There is no use going | over the same ground twice. Once we ! can get a Sti irting point, the rest ought i to be easy. “Well, we searched all around here, but in a hurry—. Mind, I am speaking for the man we saw in Mexico.” “Certainly; I understand that,’ Dick waived. ; ‘You see, he told us so plainly all about it that it seems as if we had been here ourselves. He named every building + in the place, almost.” “Then it is not long since you saw him?” “ Only~a little while.’ ‘And not long since he was here > is ‘He had just come from here.” i: fxs) “Then his search was recent, of course, and he could give you a good, clear under- ' standing of it.” ‘Just as I said; so real that it seemed. as if we had been here on the ground ourselves. That’s why I spoke the way I did, you see.” f. “Well, we are all pards, now, and you might as well keep right on speaking so, a as far as the fellow gave you any. light. © And..if the search in and near the town has been made, we must branch out and strike new ground.”’ \. “That looks reasonable.” Ee “Tt is the only thing to do When shall we begin?’ * To-morrow should s Say; about it.” “Just what I was going. to propose,” | assured Dick. ‘*‘ That will give me more — time to make a study of this rather enig- _ The eS, matie map, and maybe I can hit upon the key if I take time for it.” Aiea “Mats so.’ Wee he nn “But, I didn’t think; you will not want asta to leave it.in my care. (I desire nothing Pra At that does not look fair, and that would will be time. enough, I no use breaking our necks give me a chance to profit by it.) Nas % you keep it till we meet again.” ee ‘Nonsense!’ ¢ried Ormstead. “We i know that you are all right, Peters, and we trust you. Ne IS * Certainly,” agreed Blaker. “ You keep Ra iB the A eo Me tay shi) o, I won't do it,” Coes: Diek a Lt 7 aa alone in my possession. I won't take the A pi responsibility. But I'll tell you what we ean do; and that will be fair for all. Oe Pe hs a tlipie! Aeky “What is’ that?’ Uy We “Come to my room. again ae mi then. vi will have some wine and cigar ' Aas ,