Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 940 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

; ‘ : Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Shake-up. “Well, back to the mine,’ ordered Dick. ‘“‘ We may be needed there before we know it. for I believe these fellows are deeper than we gave them credit for in the first place.” He led the way, and when they came in Sight of the mine stockade they were just in time to see Tulip Tilly enter with the nan she had rescued. They hastened up the slope, and were s06n within the grounds. Dick hurried to where Harding was ly- ing on the ground, with the doctor bend- ing over him. “Is he dead?” Dick asked. ‘No, I think he is coming around,” was the reply. “J am glad to hear it. He has passed through enough to kill the average man.” “He would be dead only for this brave young woman.’ “Pshaw! no!” Tulip Tilly spoke up. “If E had not rescued him this gentleman would,” indicating Dick. | 3 You opened the way for us, with that Shot of yours,” said Dick, ‘ 'T he eredit all belongs to you. You are one of the bray- est women it has ever been my pleasure to know.” “Flattery, sir, flattery. I will hear no more of it. By the way, who can tell me Where I can find Jim Trivet?’ Dick looked at her questioningly. ‘Has any ole seen him?’ he asked of the crowd. “ Not this mornin’,”’ some one spoke up. And it seemed that no one had seen him. ? What do you want with him, if I may ask?’ inquired Dick. “I have discov ered something of in- terest to him.” “Indeed. Then I woud like to talk with you in private for a moment, for I can pos: sibly direct you where to look for Trivet.”’ “T'm your Tulip,” was the cheery re- joinder, ' She walked off with Dick, and they en- gaged in conversation for some little time. When finally they rejoined the men, who, for the most sea were assembled near the stockade gate, Dick made in- quiry: ‘* Has anybody seen Dan Buck yet?” They evidently had not thought of him recently, for all looked about in much sur- prise. i Why, no,” one Man made answer. ‘Te ain’t been seen sence he went out of here some while ago, when the lady thar’ went after him. Don’t she know whar’ he is and what keeps him?’ ‘‘T have reason to suspect that he has turned traitor to your cause, my friend.” “Gone back on us?” sé Yes. 39 “Pf he has we'll fix him ef we git him.” “Has Mr. Harding come to?” “Yes; he is in the office.”’ i Where is the doctor?” ‘He igs there with him.” “ All right; I will pay hima visit. Whom Will you have to take command in my absence ?”’ * Ther gal.” “Tulin Tilly!” ** She's ther stuff!” . “All right, she will do it, I doubt not, I will leave you in her hands, and you can safely trust her, I think.” “You bet we kin, and will, too.” “And I know that such men are to be relied on anywhere,” spoke Tilly. They gave her a cheer, while Dick went _ Off in the direction of the mine office. Tulip Tilly mounted to the rude plat- form from which Harding had been so _ cruelly jerked with the lasso, as we have set forth, and took a survey of the scene “e in, the direction of the camp. “They are ~ he the place!” she snd- - aenly petit en —~ « « a ~ -. . o — Se ‘startli vy NN y ; “ ny 79 bp be. wr a +. ; ye 45 oe my) Vin a hat whe D Mota! I a : ? SAAN e oes Ae ? ee Ws: >," 5 t é A, p Laren Pp “a e . .s , q C- | 5 J 2 «le uJ der 4 > t > — ——_—_— — —— me “ Yas, a threatened they would do! that,’ said one man. “It is a pity to allow them to carry out such a hateful scheme.” “ Don’t see how we can help it, lady.’ “WwW you follow me if I lead you in the charge against them? I think we can drive | them, je of the gulch!” “It will cost you your life, “Never mind my life, if you are willing to take some of the risk with me. They deserve the worst we Gan give them.” gal.”’ ‘We'll do et, if you say so, gal; you bet. But et won't do ter leave this place onguarded, so we can’t all go. We must leave enough men behind to hold the gates if they make an attack while we aire out.” -¥eCR, course. we -will attend to that, of Make ready!” CHAPTER XVI. DEADWOOD DICK DROPPED. In the mean time Deadwood Dick had reached and entered the office. There he found Harding stretched out on a lounge, with the doctor still busy around him. The manager was now ¢onscious, but very weak. He motioned Dick to take a seat, and smiled faintly as he realized his weakness after the rough handling he had experienced. ‘How are you now?” Diek asked. “Better,” the response. ‘The doctor says he will pull me out.” “Yes, he is out of danger, but if he had had about thirty seconds more of it [ could have done nothing for him.” “And they tell me I owe my rescue to that girl in male attire,’ the mine man- ager remarked. ‘Tell me about it all, will you, sir? Tell me what she did.” Dick complied, telling the whole adven- ture, ‘*She is a brave woman,” Harding said, when he had heard all, “TIT want to make’ her further acquaintance when I get on my pins again. Not your wife, is she, sir? I hope not.”’ “No, she is merely a friend,” answered Dick. “She is a pard worth having, how- ever,’ rf 248 had something to say to me?” “Yes, that is what brought me here.”’ Say its” “You fully trusted that man Buck! oi “7 did.” “Tt looks as if he has played you false.” “ How is that? What has he done? Has he gone over to Gibbs’ side?’ ‘No; but he has relieved Gibbs of that paper he held, and has set out to find the box of money,” “he deuce he has!’ “Yes, he has. My pard followed him, but he gave her the slip somehow, and she could not get sight of him again. There is one thing we can do, and only one, and it will mean a risk.’ ‘* Name it.” | “We must go out and capture the camp d make prisoners of all who will noi | join us, and then blockade Devil’s Gulch.” _“ And so capture Buck.” “Tf he has not got away by this time.” “Well, we will doit. I am sorry that I am so weak, for I would like to take -part—” At that instant a wild yell broke on their ears. pees it was so near at hand that it was ng, and so great in volume that it bespoke a wb number of men. “What is that?” erted Harding. “Tl soon know,” answered Dick, leap- ing to the door. He was out in an instant, and what he beheld filled him with alarm and anger. The gates of the stockade were wae. + ta ae) B pas a Pt ed racy Le eel : open, and into the grounds was pouring: the horde from the camp. Dick looked to see where Tulip Tilly and her men were, but Gould not see the m, save about a dozen men who had been forced back from the gates and who were seeking cover. At the head of the horde was Riggle. “We'll see which dog will come out on top in this hyer ruction, I reckon!” he was. shouting.’ “Come this way, boys, and we'll have the rightful mayor of this camp at Jiberty in about two wags of a dog's tail! We aire the people yet, you bet, and we'll show ’em!” “ Hold!” ordered Deadwood Dick, coy- ering the men with a brace of revolvers. “Stop, or I fire!’ “Fire and be hanged to yout”? Riggle jumped and dodged as he saic it, but when Dick’s weapons spoke the man bit the dust. But Dick could not oppose them all, and a shower of builets eame flying in his di- rection instantly, several of which took ef- fect, and he dropped to the ground as if dead. Another fellow had taken Riggle’s place immediately, and he led the mob on in the direction of the mine tunnel where Gibbs was a prisoner, The guardsmen there wisely got out of the way. In they rushed, and out they came, car: rying Gibbs on their shoulders and yelling like Indians, Dick was meanwhile crawling to the office, where the doctor opened the door for him and helped him in, asking him at once how hard he was hit, to which Dick replied by a sign. The doctor turned the key in the lock and proceeded forthwith to examine nim, Stanching the blood of each wound as he found it. . ‘* How is it?” Dick asked. “You had a close eall that time.” rh Yes, I know I had; but I got in a good ic “You took a big risk.’ “l have disposed of the brains that was back of the other side, howéver, and the rest of the victory ought to be easy now.” “I hope it will be. But they have res- cued Welcher.” * And I wish I had escaped getting this, so that I might take further part in this ruction.” “Be thankful that you escaped with your life. I shall have to put you on the shelf here with Harding, and you - wilh have to keep quiet,” There was no help for it, ‘and Dick had to content himself and make the best of a bad situation. Meantime, not only had the rascals res- cued their mayor, but they had taken possession of the mine as well, and were pe themselves hoarse over their viz- ory. The firing of some of the buildings in the camp had ‘been n a ruse only. | And it had worked successfully. There came a rap at the door of the office, and the doctor asked who was there. It proved to be one of the guardsmen who had been watching over the prisoner, and with him were all the men who had been left in the grounds when Tulip Tilly led the others out. The door was opened, and they came in. “ What is going to be done, boss?” the foremost of them asked. “We must regain possession immediate- ly, somehow,” answered Harding... “How did it ever happen?” ‘Let us not stop to question that,” said Deadwood Dick. ‘up, doctor,” ‘he urged, ‘and I will drag myself out and take a hand farther.” 13 “Hurry and patch me in the Paes ist |