Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 934 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

office. Deadwood Dick, J & at Flush Flats. “Is it you, Jennie?’ she asked. “Yes, Maud.” “And this gentleman?” ““Ts Mr. Peters, a friend of mine.”’ “You need not jintroduce me. I did not come for that. But L want to ask you onee more if—”’ * T told you the solemn truth before, and there is nothing more that I can tell you now. I hope you wiil take my word for 9 “Then there is Something jant I want to ask besides.” “What is it?” . “Tf you find Dory, will you tell me? If I find him, I will tell you.” “Well, I will agree to that, Maud, though you ought to know that it can do you little good. He cared only for me.” ‘And I eared only for him. It will do this much good, that we need not go on looking in yain, after one has found him, dead or alive, and it will be fair to both.” “Well, all right; I will let you know when I have found him. By the way, do you know anything of Eugene Brandson ?” “T do not, and never want to— But, that is not true.” “What is not true?’ “That I never want to know anything of him, for I do. I am looking for him as well as for Dory.” “And what for?’ ‘Simple reason. him, as do you.” ‘‘T need not have asked, had I thought.” “Well, beyond this agreement we re- main bitter foes; for, had it not been for you, I might now have been Dory Bare- field’s happy wife, and I hate you for it!” “T have not ice same feeling against you, Maud, though I will admit that I have little love for you. If that is all you have to say, I will not detain you, for Mr. Peters and I were talking over matters of business. I will bid you good-night!” But the other had turned and was going off, without even so much as that formal “sood-evening!’’ -e_,_----— CHAPTER VI. DICK AT THE BANK. The following forenoon Deadwood Dick entered the bank, stul in his character of Simon Pure, and he noted that the cashier Because I suspect veyed him sharply. when he approached his window. “Ts Mr. Rashton in his office?’ caller asked. “Yes, he is in.” ‘‘T want to see him.” “ What mame, please?” “Simon Teters.”’ The cashier stepped to the door of the private office, where Dick heard him an- nounce the name, without comment. “Show him right in!’’ Dick heard the ‘president order; but he could not see the brightened look that came over his face nor the wink he gaye the cashier, as if to add, “What did I tell you?’ “This way, sir,” and the cashier opened gate in the railing. “Step right in, sir.” Dick, hat in hand, entered the private the Mr. Rashton wheeled in his chair to greet him, and waved his hand to a chair. ‘ “T do not recall your name as one that I have heard before, Mr. Peters. I think you are a stranger to me.’ *“T am here at your bidding, Ub eth “Ah! Then you are—’ “Whom did you expect?” “Well, I have been looking for bedeer wood Dick, Junior.” “*T am the man.” “As I thought, and I told Hurdle sc yesterday, tel. Who is the person with you?” “The other whom you sent for, sir.” —_————_ ET when you drove up to the ho- * Indeed! you here together?” “We are talking too much in the wind yet, Mr. Rashton. I must know more be- fore I confide more.” “You are cautious and conservative, two necessary characteristics for one in your line, I should say. I sent for you in the way of business, as I briefly gave you the hint.” “You said you required my services.” “I do. And I have been eagerly aWait- ing your coming. Why did you not come to me at once?” | *“T wanted to see which way the wind was blowing, sit, before I made myself known to any one, even to you.’ ‘Well, it was all right. But I venture to say that you learned nothing whatever. Come, now, confess that you learned noth- ing.” ' ‘Nothing at all, sir.’ “Tor the reason that nothing is known. We—Hurdle and myself—have been keep- ing our horrible discovery strictly secret, in order io give you every advantage to solve the myscery. “ And Miss James is connected with this mystery, as you term it?’ ‘“She is, indeed!”’ * Well, Ll imagined so, but I told her we had better each see you separately, not know ing Just what you might have to say to eaen ~- think it is better so—far better so. No knowing how the frightful discovery may affect her. 1 sent for her because “we think that she can greatly aid you in clearing up the case.” “Well, what is the case? Let me have your stcry sir.” “Rather, suppose I lead you direct to the discovery, and let you see it as we found it, without ane: previous impres- sion.’ “* Well, that is for you to say, Sir. I am agreeable to anything.” “Then we will go down.” The bank president arose from his seat, motioned Dick to follow, and passed out into the bank proper. “T would have you come with us,” he said to his cashier; “‘but it might not do for you to leave here. We have to be on the alert every moment, Mr. Peters, dur- ing business hours. Robberies are so numerous here in the West.” “Has your bank ever experienced any- thing of that sort?’ “No; and we are anxious that it never shall. This way, please.” He opened a narrow door behind the bank safes, disclosing a slender staircase that led downward. He began the descent, Dick following, and at the bottom the president stopped and took a lantern from a peg, which he proceeded to light. “We will have need of this.” he re- marked, “for we are going still lower, where there is absolutely no light what- ever. oi What! this?” : “Yes; and we did not know it until a short time ago—in fact, just before I sent for you.’ “And it was there that you made what you eall the horrible discovery, eh? I begin to get the drift of the situation a little.” “You guess aright. And, I may as well tell you something of the past history of the building before we proceed further. That will give you the situation just as we found it.” ‘All right, sir.” oe Ps. ed “Some years ago this building was erected—in fact, it was about the first large building the camp had. It was used Still another cellar below | But By what chance came floor, the floor over fhe banking room, was 5 Se — "s private bank. At that time the upper still used for gambling purposes. “ Theiu came the time when Flush Flats was anything but flush in fact; the thing went uncer und the building was closed up. That was something like three years ago. The next year I formed a company and got hold of the Dauphin Mine; the town took on another boom immediately, and I began to look around for the owner of this biclding, 10 buy it. “T coud not tind him, or them—for there were more than cne, and it was not until about a year ago that I did find them, and. then succeeded in buying the property. I took possession immediately, and opened, my bank, with my son-in-law as cashier and head man generally, and we have been doing a rushing business ever since. We came to the conclusion, a few weeks ago, that we must have a vault made, to be up to the times. ‘Examining the floor, we discovered a blind door leading down to a place still lower and going down to explore it, we came across the aorror which I am about to show you.’ “And the discovery of which, as you have told me, you have kept entirely se- eret, sending for me that I might, if pos- sible, help in the solving of what you are pleased to call a profound mystery. All right, lead on, Mr. Rashton, and we'll see what can be made of it.” CHAPTER VIL. THD GRIM DISCOVERY. “Follow me,”’ and Mr. Rashton stepned down from the little landing at the foot of the stairs upon what seemed to be the solid earth. Earth it certainly was, and it was some time before Dick Bristol got the full un- derstanding of the situation and the clever ruse that somebody had been playing. The bank president led the way to the wall at one side, where he stopped and bade Dick look around. Here a hole had been made, flooring of planks was revealed. The earth had been put in to cover the floor, “You see the trick?’ asked the presi- dent. “To hide a crime, this floor was covered six inches deep all over with earth, to make it appear like solid earth.” us - Yes, I see; and a clever trick it was.” es} -: might never have been discovered, or, at any rate, not until the plank floor- ing had rotted away.” “You are right.” “But when we came down here we thought we would examine the nature of the bottom, and did so, which betrayed the trick immediately, and not only that, but more.’” “That is to say, this trap door.” “Precisely. As if guided by Provi- dence, the first thrust of the pick struck this hinge, and when we had scraped away the earth with a shovel, the door was revealed, and we opened it.” The door in question was about three feet square, In one edge was an iron ring, and on the opposite side were a pair of big hinges. While the banker held the light, Dead- wood Dick stooped and laid hold upon the ring and pulled the door up, laying it back and disclosing the hole beneath. There were no steps, but none were needed, for it was only a distance of three or four feet to the bottom, and the presi- and 4 dent let himself in with care not to soil — his clothes. “Come right on, sir,” he said, “but stop short when I give you the word.” “TI am with you,” answered Dick, leap- ; first as a gambling place, and then as a ing lightly down. é 7 Se e . B ‘ jy O25 | Ws leh eet Fi vt - : = te . a ig kt ‘ a “* 4 as kee - Por, ay Ov, yr ee & y | [| | en | | Le) eee : me Poe a