Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 934 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 —-_ - —— ap was in h's room, with everything arranged for the reception of his visitors, and they were prouptly on hand. ‘* Here we are,” saluted Blaker, as Dick admitted tSem. “And here, am MIL!” greeted Dick. “Hearty welcome to both of you.” “T see you have a spread,” observed “<Ormsted, indicating the table, where wine and cigars were in plenty. ‘As I promised, you remember. When Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Flush Fl He tossed it to Dick, who spread the map out before bim and began to pore over it. ‘* Make yourselves right at home, boys,” he urged. and you can sample the wine while 1 am doing it.” “ We may overload,” intimated Ormsted. “No maiter if you do. There is nothing to be done to-night. I must play light till I have done with this study; then I will I do a thing I like to do it right up brown. . Hang up your hats, boys, and make your- selves at home. We are all one, I hope.” “ Before we begin, I would like to ask the meaning of this?’ said Blaker. P “The meaning of what?’ The man took a folded piece of paper from his pocket, opened it, and.gave it to Dick, who read as follows: “ Strangers—You had better go slow with the acquaintance you have formed. Make sure there is no snag to run up against be- — eee fore you place too much confidence in the “PRIEND.”’ Dick man, “Who the deuce does it mean?” aqjueried, carelessly. “Who can it mean, but yourself?’ “But I am a stranger here, and nobody knows anything to my discredit. I can tell you, however, what we do, before we take another step.” * What is that?’ “Just drop me out of your scheme and go it alone! I don’t want you to feel sus- picious of me, and rather than have it so 1 will stop right where I am and do no more in the matter.”’ “We have not said that we heed this ‘note, have we?” . ‘No matter; it is enough to make you sus- picious, and I don’t want to feel that I am not trusted, so we had better stop short and dissolve partnership.” “We don’t want it that way. We want to go on with you. The more we see of you the better we like you, and we are not going to let this come between us. It is ~underhanded, anyhow.” “That is what itis. Haye you made the acquaintance of any other man here?” “We have become friendly with Main- ard, manager of the Odeon.” “Then this may just as well refer to im.” “ We thought of that.” “ And it is in a woman’~ hand.” “What does that signify?” ‘Hard to tell, but there was some trouble there last night—one of his singers having.a little difficulty with a pard of mine—”’ “You have a pard, then?” “Yes: a girl whom I am befriending. But, all this has nothing to do with our present business. Shall we drop it or warry it‘on?” 2 « “ We'll carry it on, by all means.” “Very well; but I want you to be satis- fied that I am straight, that is all.” “ And we are more than ever satisfied of it now. We wanted to see how you would take it.” . “ And I think the more of you for hav- Ing shown it tome. Now I think we will ‘be able to go ahead without any further hitches. But come, help yourselves to the ‘wine and cigars!” | The listener in the opposite room bit her Tt is evident to the reader she was the one who had sent the note, but what she ‘had to gain does not appear. The men having dispose of their hats, accepted Dick’s invitation and helped themselves to the wine. and all, lighted cigars and settled down for a smoke. : “ Whore is the map?” asked Dick. “Right ‘here.’ and Blaker drew the packet from his pocket. : , P ¥ - - ’ ;* , : ' + oa ‘ > r “ ’ arcs re he 4 es 2 . ‘ . ive i 5 a 1, oO et —_ ' .. “" . a Pr 7 - pie Fi. a Vig s.r esd h, 2) Sum 5 a Cn , 7 ’ - Ys ie ‘ ! a *» 4 a « ‘ - ak. - ‘oe LS Pas * | te - “ 4aw * ' OF ~*~ = ‘ a Shas i: join you.” They talked about one thing and an- other, but nothing of importance to the listener, and finally she gave up listening and left her room. She had heard it decided that Dick should retain the map for the present, which was the point she had desired to gain. Deadwood Dick studied on, pretending- ly, jotting down figures and letters on an- other sheet of paper, and nowsand again would make some remark concerning his progress. Meantime, his companions had begun to ' yawn, and finally both dropped off asleep. oe The wine had done for them! Dick pow arose, with a grim smile, put- ting the map into his pocket. He shook tirst one and then the other of the two meyp, but neither so much as gave a grunt, and he laid them both on the floor. Having done this, he proceeded to exam- ine their pockets, and was well repaid for his trouble, for he found letters and pa- pers which he marked and transferred to his own keeping. He had learned the real names of the two men, and knew that Nobby Nancy had made no mistake in her recognition. One was Eugene Brandson, the one who called himself Hardy Blaker, and the other was a Gus Osburn, as letters and papers fully proved. What part he had played was yet to be seen. : Leaving them there on the floor, Dick went out, locking the door after him, and went down-stairs. In the sitting-room he found Nobby Nan- ey, reading, “Well, what is the result?’ she inquired. “Tt is all right,” answered Dick. “No mistake, and they are both helpless in my room.”’ “ And what will you do now?’ “Nothing, until the town is asleep; then we will remove Brandson to the place where his victim died.” CHAPTER XVII. THE JUST REWARD. Flush Flats was wrapped in slumber. Few lights were to be seen anywhere, and none in the vicinity of the bank and hotel. The town had street lamps, which usu- ally burned all night, but, in the small hours on this night, every lamp in the im- mediate vicinity of the town center was out, as if for some special reason. Such was the case, From the rear of the hotel several forms came forth, carrying a burden. They crossed the street, choosing the deeper shadows for their purpose, and si- lently entered the bank building, closing. the door behind them as noiselessly as it had been opened. | No one had seen them, and the town slept on, innocent of any knowledge of these proceedings. Yet, in perfect silence, and in darkness, they proceeded into the bank proper. Once there, they made their way to the door behind the safes, which one of their number opened, and they descended to the cellar heneath,. | se, < Ae. At the bottom of the steps they laid their burden on the ground. and a light was made. by means of which they all stood revealed. Ws a> * = - . » Aer : 4 ve Y 4 vy, . ts “ Aw? 7 ». 4 - 0 ae - 7 ey ws . q pe wey x Pas Lire tgs re¥ J “SPF - i ji’ M “) mgs i oe” ‘ - J > s fe ag , -§ ¢ B ri set 74 * >» w , pl, “je” ~ * 7. off e f \s : rks FO PR elie MA ie , , © ft at J . : 4 ae i ats. “Tl must make a study of this,- There were Simon Pure, Nobby Nancy, Richard Rashton, and Henry Hurdle, the fifth was the night watchman, while the man on the floor was Harly Blaker. “Had you not better remain here asked Deadwood Dick of his pard. ° ‘*No; [I must go on,” was the response. “Can you stand the horror of it?” “T have nerved myself to stand it. The prospect of revenge sustains me. I will go with you.” “ Very well, then.” When they had rested for a few mo- ments they took up their burden again, and Mr. Rashtonled the way, bearing the light. } . The trap leading to the sub-cellar had been opened, and the bank president dropped down, helped Nobby Nancy after him, and the other three were soon suc- cessful in following with the sleeping murderer. The young woman had looked around, and now stood for some moments with her hands over her face to shut out the heart- rending sight. "9? 7 It required every effort she could bring to bear to prevent a flood of grief that would utterly unnerve her. The man was carried to the iron support in the center of the hole, and the president of the bank produced a chain and lock. The chain, of ample length, was passed around the stanchion, and then around the man’s body, the latter in a close loop so that it would be impossible for him to re- move it, : | And there it was locked. The chain would slip up and down the pillar, of course, and the man was laid on the ground beside the skeleton. “Tt will be a terrible awakening,” ob- served the cashier. “T would never be a party to it, were there even the shadow of a doubt concern- ing his guilt,” declared the president. “Nor would 1 he echoed Deadwood Dick. : “But there is no doubt. I have more than ample proofs. All now required is his con- fession, which we now shall have.” “And we eare little for that,’ observed Nobby Nancy, grimly. “Confession will not mitigate his crime, the monster!” Deadwood Dick understood her terrible intention, if she could be allowed to have her own way in the matter. ‘ “ Shall we leave the light?’ asked Rash- on. “No,” said the girl sport, promptly. ‘Tet him come to in the dark, and then gradually realize the full horror of his position! I demand this, in the name of that awful reminder here at our feet!’ “Tet it be so,” assented Deadsvood Dick, “Tt is no more than justice.” So they turned their backs upon the guilty wretch, and got up out of the hole into the cellar proper above. “How long will he sleep?” asked Rash- ton. “Maybe for hours longer,” opined Dick. | “Then useless for us to wait here.” ‘““We will not wait. We will come to him again, in the morning, when he will probably be ready to make a full confes- sion.” hofat clon» “And then I demand the privilege of visiting him alone, first of all,” said the girl sport. “He will recognize me, and I will show him that it is I who have avenged the death of the man I loved.” - “Well, we can allow you that much sat- isfaction, at least,’ acquiesced Dick. “Tt is all I ask.” , They closed down the trap and made their way up from the cellar, a Now,” said the president to the watch- man, “you will resume your night watch, and if you hear cries from the cellar, pay, no heed to them.”