Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 940 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

y. er ons what to doin case they never showed ‘“ ‘up-which they had little hope of doing, | * for the Injuns wur’ all around them and | Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Shake- And Dick knew that still the others believed him, even though they did not dare speak out. It was evident to Dick that Welcher ruled with an iron hand here, and that no one dared to oppose his despotic sway; so the prisoner well understood that he had fallen into bad hands in a bad place; that he was in one of the tightest danger- spots of his adventurous career. “You leave this room,” the mayor or- dered, bringing his gun to bear upon Trivet. ‘‘ You have made trouble before— in fact, are always making it, and I will give you just ten seconds to get your shadew off these walls.” Trivet went, without any retort—as he well knew was the wiser. course. “T guess that about settles all doubts,” observed Welcher, with a chuckle, looking at Dick. ‘‘The crowd says you are Doc Dalton.” “Well, if that is the case, let us sup- pose that Iam. What is wanted of Doc Dalton? If T can fill the bill it may be a good service rendered to the real Dalton.” “ See!” cried the mayor. ‘‘ He owns up to it!” “ Nothing of the kind! Iam not Dalton, but, taking your word for it that I am, what is required? Show down your hand.” CHAPTER IV. CAGED IN THE COOLER. The denizens of Reilley had never seen a cooler man, There he was, with a rope as good as around his neck, according to the way things seemed to be shaping, and yet he was calm—almost unconcerned. But, though a prisoner and helpless for the time being, Dick knew that he had at least two friends somewhere around—his girl pard and the man Trivet, who had been forced to leave the room. “So you want to know what is wanted, do you?” said Welcher. “That is the burden of my lament, Mr. Mayor,” replied Dick. “ Well, since you are pretending that you do not know, I will tell you the little story.” | “Tam all ears, as the jackass said when the horse asked him why he hadn't any mane, Reel it off, and I will try to freeze fast to the main particulars as they waft along.” This provoked a the mayor scowled. “Yoars ago,” related Welcher, “your fath- er and mine, Job Weleher and Thomas Dal- ton, were partners here in a mine, the Blue Wasp, which was the richest in all this section, and to-day is paying royal re turns to the rascals who pretend to own dee “That sounds good. Maybe I am Doc Dalton. We'll see after a while.” That was said so dryly that all had to louelt | light laugh, at which “ You have as good as confessed that you are,” growled Welcher. “Well, the In- juns got troublesome, and our dads had. to dust out with what they bad and aban- don the claim for a time. But they had oF put in enough work to hold it, and they had the mine claim recorded all right. They turned their gold into money, put that in a box and cached it away in Devy- il's Guleh, making a map so that any one could find it if they got the worst of it with the Injuns.” ‘**l am after you.” - , “Well, that map they divided between “them, and each sent his half to a son at Ry pon, yourself and myself, with instruc- mnighty bad jest at that time. And they ' proof enough that they wenf under. — ae — Se whieh was Well, never did show up, either, | you and I set out to find that box of | Sess ¢ a rr eee ees money when we came to age, and one night you robbed me of my half of the paper that was to find it, and you gaye me the slip, but 1 got bere on the ground first and I have staved you off ever since.” “Any more?’ asked Dick. ‘That is pretty good, so far.” ‘Well, yes, there is morg. You have got to fork over those papers or swing high, just as you prefer. There is no fool. ing now. This mine is worth an untold fortune, and is being worked, while I am being robbed daily. If I can only secure that box I shall find in it the papers that will prove me the rightful owner, and my friends here will see that the property is put in my possession. That is the long and the short of it. Now, I demand those papers, or to know where they are. But, I suppose that pard of yours has them, and as soon as we get her we shall get hold of the right end of the string. No doubt she will bide them, and there will be a deuce of a time getting at them; but we'll have ’em if we haye to burn you at the stake.” The man had proved that he could use fairly good language when he chose to do so, As he ceased speaking the rougher class in the room gave a cheer. “Well, you wind up with a warm re mark. But, where is my share in this thing to come in, if Iam Doe Dalton, as you say? In that case, half of the con- cern must belong to me.” ! “Not a foot of it, curse you! You for- feited it when you stole my half of the paper, but I have got a guard over the box so that you cannot get hold of that. I could not find it without the paper, and I was determined that you should not find it with the papers.” ~ “And that was what led to the attack you made on me and my pard to-night?” “Exactly. Got word that you’ were prowling in Devil’s Gulch, and we went for you. And that is the: main reason why 1] know you are Doe’Dalton. Now, what re ply do you make to the charge?” * You want it now?” ‘ “Right here and now.” — “T thought maybe you would wait til my trial came off.” | “Curse you! It will depend on how civil you are’ whether this isn’t your trial for good and all.” * You seem to be a particularly bad man to deal with, my friend. You are inelined to have it all your own way, it seems. But, as you want my answer, without waiting for a caucus, here you have it: “In the first place, I am not Doe Dal ton. In the next place, I have never seen the paper to whieh you refer. In the third place, I look upon you as being probably as great a rascal, or greater, than you would make Dalton out to be—” “Curse you! Take—’ : “Ben, what yer thinkin’ "bout?" The mayor had jerked up his gun at Dick as he spoke, and only for the inter- ference of a third party, Dick would have got the bullet. ) : A rough-looking fellow had knocked the weapon up, dnd the bullet went splinter- ing through the side of the building over the heads, of the crowd. . Deadwood Dick had not even winked, that any ‘one could notice, and all the toughs of that tough crowd looked upon him as a wonder, | “What are you thinking about, Dan Buck?” Welcher snarled, turning upon the man as if about to shoot him down for interfering. ‘‘ What business had you to chip in?” up. “Tf he has got a secret that you want, you are goin’ about et in a poor way to get it, that is all.” “Well, you are right; that’s so. Thank this man for your life, Doc Dalton. You don’t owe it to me, I can tell you that.” “T am quite aware of it. You would have shot down a perfectly innocent man in cold blood. That seems to be your Style.” ’ “An innocent man, indeed! Vl show you when I get hold of that pard of yours. She'll own up to the truth or fare worse; you can bet on that!” ‘You will get the truth out of her, you cin depend on that,’ Dick answered. “That is to say, if you get her at all, which I doubt.” “Further proof that you are the man [I take you to be,” cried the mayor, “I leave it to the men of this camp if I don’t make a pretty good case against you in all [ have charged.” “That's what you do,’.some fellow shouted. — ‘“Come, let’s take a drink,” suggested Happy Harkins. “ Who says treat?’ “It is about my treat, I guess,” spoke up Deadwood Dick. ‘ You will find a lit- de bird right here in my left vest pocket, my man; take it and make it fly, with the regards of yours truly, Felix Fox, the all-around sport.” Happy Harkins was at his side in three strides, : “T am yours to command, sir,” he de ~ . <n Se a tL le Ay, a a - ae eee clared, and before any one could haye interfered he had the coin. ‘Come right along, galoots!”’ he sang,out. “What did you do that for?’ demanded | Welcher, irately. “To shut his mouth,” answered Dick. But, of course, it was to gain the good- | will of the bum and others that the ob- — servant detective had volunteered to treat. It would “pay,” he judged. “Well, Iam goin’ to shut you up in the cooler for the rest of this night, and in. -—~ the morning, when we have got that My pard of yours, you will get another hear- ing, which will decide your fate. If you : don’t come down with that paper, you — will swing as high as the fabled goose!” A portion of the crowd cheered, and the mayor ordered the prisoner to be taken — to the calaboose. i This was done and Dick soon found | himself in a strong prison, with hands, still tied behind his back in such a way | aye it was not likely he would get them = — ee, | To use a Westernism, he had been ‘tumped” in the worst manner. CHAPTER V. - / RUMOR OF A RUCTION. It was some hours after Deadwood | Dick had been incarcerated in the camp “cooler”, before Hank Riggle and his men returned. Indeed, Reifley was beginning to grow quiet for the night, but the mayor was up the and waiting to receive the other prisoner, | for he had not a doubt but that the woman would be found. He was in the Hog Pen Saloon when his men came in. ) ‘“ Well, where is she?” he demanded, the moment Hank showed himself. : “That is what I would like to know,” was the response. “She wasn’t to be yo found amywheres.” Peas fi be Then, y . y the howling coyotes, you | didn’t look well!” eried Welcher, angrily. | “Tye a notion to put a bullet into you, | for playing me false, as I believe you have» done! You had no business not to find her!”’. | FO ee tan “You are too mighty hasty on the shoot, : | sometimes, mayor, and you have made Me a