Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 934 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

ey et ee ee - Ny RN em em am | — Se ee ee te - - >" : —— “ays “ee "7 - —— “6 ’ . . . . 7", . : end ” ' , . Pe 7 yer yr ou ~ —_ -~ > ° * *, =e - _- a Pd 7 : SS — a ee Oe > 7 ‘ : 5 - s « on oe i oe ee Fi Tes |. 7a *“No; I said we suspect that he did it, that was all.” “Well, that is enough. I will find out, and when I do, let him look well to him- self.”’ With that, she left the room. Dick and his pard looked at each other. “Here is a mess,” inferred . Dick, “What's to be done?” * And all because 1 would not heed what you asked of me.” * What was that?’ “Not to tell her of the discovery.” “* Well, you had pledged your word, and you did not want to break it. Your ex- cuse was valid. My own move was bad.” “What move?” “Thinking that I ecéuld bring her and you together for the one common purpose of revenge. That was not to be thought of, and I should have given it more weight before acting.” : “Tt is all done now.” “Or undone. Weill, let us drop it. We still hold the secret, and, even if she does confront Brandson, she can prove noth- ing, and she will probably keep still as to how she gor her information.” “Why will she do that?” * Because Brurdson loves you, as you have told me, and you would be able to secure the better chance for revenge.” “Ha! You have given me a thought. Can we not play that card?” ** How ?”’ “Let me meet him, as if by accident, pretend to know nothing of the death of Barefield, and appear as if my love had cooled. That may lead him to confide something that will entrap him!” “Not likely that it will, but it is a card to hold in reserve. We are approaching a climax of some sort.” “T agree with you.” - “The fact that all are here together, is suggestive. Now, I must go and make the acquaintance of this man, and when I have done that, one step will have been gained.” “And what am I to do meantime?” “Avoid him, and keep your eye upon your rival as much as possible, to see what she is doing.”’ ‘Very well; I understand. There must be no failure, Mr. Bristol, no matter what arises. I trust to you to bring about my time of v engeance, and then I will do my part.” Dick left the hotel, and bent his steps. in the direction of the Odeon. His mind was busy, for he now had a most delicate game to play, and it de- manded his utmost tact. Of course, his duty was to bring the guilty ones to justice, and he must use these two women to that end, yet let them think they were each having it her own way. He would avenge the dead man who had so touchingly appealed to him, but by means of the law only. But, could he thwart the faithful woman who had taken oath that the guilty wretch should die by her hand? And, could he keep the rivals from doing anything rash before the crime could be brought home to the fellow? With these things in mind, he did not notice the approach of a man. CHAPTER XII. DICK GAINS A POINT The man was Stuttering Samson. Dick did not observe him till he came face to face with him in front of the Odeon. Then he nected that quite a crowd had followed the bully, and understood at once that the trouble with him was going fo be renewed, * S_-s—s—say,”” Samson began to stut- ter, “I have g—g~—g—got to d—d—d—d—’ “If you have got see thins to say to me, sing it,” exclaimed Dick, impatiently. “J hate to be stuttered at in that fashion.” “Well, I don’t blame you for that, for I wouldn’t like it myseif, 1 know. Here is your ten dollars; I have got to lick you, or take a lickin’ myself, and as I don’t want to do that, you have got to be the | sufferer!”’ “ Mainard told you that?’ “That’s what he did; rol, rido!” “Well, keep the ten dollars, for it will be worth that much to you, at any rate, to get twice whipped the same day. “What do you mean? ding— dido!” To save time he sang * You said Mainard could whip you, did you not?” “That is just what is the matter with Hanner; to—ra—loo—ra—loo—day, to—ra —Joo—ra—loo!” He was musical, and, starting a bar, he had to carry out the measure with mean- ingless W ords, if he had nothing further to say. Ww ell, I know well enough that I can do the same,’ avyerrfed Dick, ‘‘and so you are in for a-double dose, you see. Now, if you will take a little sound advice, Ll am willing to give it.” “Well, w—w—w—what is it?” “You will admit that two good things are better than one, I suppose. 45 *“C—c—c—c—certainly.”’ “And one bad thing is not as bad as two bad things, by the same standard. You had better take one whipping, and omit the other,” “Tt d—d—lon’t k—k—k—k—ketch on.’ “The tiouble is, you seem to catch ae the time, when you talk. What I mean is this: If you go back to Mainard and re- de—rol, de— a—long— port that you can’t whip me, then you will | but if you are fool- Do get but one w hipping, ish about it—” “i TE SL you! you mean to say that I can't do it?’ “That is my impression, decidedly.” “Well, I'll have to take that impression out of you, by the jumpin’ too—ra—loo ra—loo—ra—loo—ra—laddy —oh!” “T see you are bound to have it, my friend, but I warn you once again that you are running up against the Simon Pure article when you run up against me, and I am. peculiar in more ways than one, too.”’ ° * And: you will find that I’m peculiar, too; sing—a—hey day, ding—a—dong—3— daddy?’’ “You will sing Are you ready?” “I’m waiting, my darling, for thee!” “Well, I won't keep thee waiting; wade right in and set your machine to running.” “You just bet your life I will do that, and you'll find it runs much better than my tongue; whang, dang, dey, de—deydo!” The crowd was laughing and hooting and enjoy ing the fun immensely. Dick was keeping an eye out everywhere in his usual manner, and saw the stranger come from the Odeon, with the others who came pouring out to see the sport. He ha-ia chance for a good look at the stranger before the exercises commenced. Another man seemed to be in company with him—a tall, dark fellow, who had a nervous manner and restless gaze. This was about all Dick had time to ob- serve before Stuttering Samson was com- ing for him, but he had made mental photo- ‘aphs of their faces and would know them at sight. “ M—m—m—mind Samson. “T'll try to. cure you of stuttering? doinethine else, shortly. your What will you give me to | " Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Flush Flats. 9 eye!” stuttered : RTS LE LE LT ETS w—w—w—w—world, clear d—d—d—down t— t—~to m—m—m—my sh—sh—sh—sh—sh— sbirt.”’ He had to stop out of range long enough to stutter that out, for he could not do anything else when he had stuttering to | do, and the fight had to wait for bim to finish. “ Well, I will knock it half out of you,” assured the man in velvet, “and your employ er can finish the job when he takes you in hand, if he is a man of his word.” “ S—s*-s—s—s—Say ?’ “Well?” “WK —k—k—-k—_k—_k—_k—can you k—K-«=- k—-9x—_k—k—cure it?’ “Well, I don’t know. I once cured & man from looking cross-eyed, and perhaps I can cure you.’ “How was that? ri—too—ri—laddy! Eager to hear, he saved time by singing “Why, he took a notion to go for me, about as you are doing, only under differ- ent circumstances, and nothing I could do would make him desist. And, by the way, I had rather fight with a woman than with a cross-eyed man; that is one of my pecu- liarities; you can never tell Where he is going to strike. I paid no attention to the way he seemed to be looking, for I knew it wasn’t safe, but I watched his big fists, and when they began to play, I struck out and tapped him on the forehead. When he came to his eyes were as straight ag yours.’ The crowd roared, and Stuttering Sam- son had to laugh with them. “Why, you are not so unfortunate, after all,”’ cried Dick, jocosely. “You can laugh without stuttering as well as sing; you have not much to complain about, my friend.” This seemed to exasperate the fellow in- stantly, since the laugh turned against his misfortune. Without stopping to do any more stutter- ing, or even to sing, he made a dask for- ward, as if seeking a-similar cure for his affliction. He got it—the dose—without any waste of time, whether effective or not, and away he went, end over end, until he was stopped by some of the bystanders, who laid him tenderly on the und. Dick had given him one of his peculiar straight shoulder hits. “That was about the hardest crack I ever witnessed,” cried out the fellow in the light suit. ‘“ Why, hello, Harrison!’ eried Dick, ad- vanecing quickly snd holding out his hand. “What in creation has brought you away out in this part of the— Blazes! I guess T have made a mistake.” He stopped suddenly, on coming nearer, and stared at tre man. “Yes, you have made a mistake,” said the stranger, “for my name is not Harri- son, and never was: but, all the same, I would like to shake hands with you.’ “Well, here you'are, then! I fever saw two men look more alike, ‘at first sight. I see a difference now.’ “My name is Simon Peters,” continued Dick. “They call me the Peculiar, because I am a little peculiar in some of my ways.’ * And that tap on the head was one of the wavs.” “Well, yes; that is one of my peculiari- ties.”’ “Do you think you have cured him of his feast 9 *“T hone I have not kitle? him.” “No; he beins to peep.” Ht | hope IT have cured him of his desire to monkev with me, anvhow. But, by the wiv. introdnes yourself,” Dick’s manner was hearty, and the two men took to him. q9? “My name is Hardy Blaker. My frien ? Everything I’ve g—g—g—g—got in the here is Mr. John Ormsted.” « - _ Pe ay ee i ie ?