Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 957 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

+ Yes.”’ “Very good. It is your turn.” Dick had put two questions in one, it will be seen. “it is the question already asked,” said the hag, who was keen to a degree. “Yes, he knows who the man is, of ' course,” said Dick. ‘He is known here as ' Franklin Hughes, but his real name is Furniss. He is posing here as a mine “owner.” *“ Wrong, wrong!” ““ What's that?’ ““I say he is wrong, Not that Hughes “may not have done something to him in the past, but not the thing to which I refer.” “Then to whom do you refer, and to what thing do you refer?” “IT speak of a fellow called Sonora Sam —curse him!—and the wrong he did was the stealing of Bamford’s child ten years ago.” Dick gave a start, which made no differ- ence, it being dark. * Well, it is your turn to put a guestion,” ‘he said, speaking as calmly as if he had ‘Jearned. nothing of importance. “Ts that the business that brought you here?” ae Yea,’ ~ “T thought so,”’ chuckled the crone. “*Now, who is this man, Sonora Sam, and where is he to be found?” Dick again put two questions in one. “ He is a cut-throat, and belongs to the Flock of Forty. I have no doubt he is with them here to-night, for this camp is in reality their headquarters.” “T am well aware of that part of it,” said Dick. “Mayor Garrat’s little horse- play at the Hang-up Hotel did not close ‘my eye any, I knew that the camp and the cut-throats were as one.” ‘And you were a brave man to dare to enter their stronghold.” “How much are you willing to tell me concerning this matter between Sonora Sam and Bamford?” Dick asked. “The whole, naw.” “Do you do this out of regard for Bam- ford or out of revenge against Sonora Sam for som¢thing he has done?’ “Well, it is both. Sonora Sam has not ‘used me right, and I am going to pay him back for it, though I would like to set the matter right, anyhow. But if I tell you the story it will steal time from you.” *T have all the time there is.” “You must escape.” “ Half an hour can make little difference, and if you are to aid me, We must have a “perfect understanding before I go away.” “Yes, yes; that isso. Bamford must not lose his life, for that would please Sonora * Sam all too well. I will cheat him of his revenge at last, though Heaven knows he thas had sufficient. " At that moment there was a stir in the other room, and Tony mud as OF. his snor- ing, Wwas, the sound as of some one mov ay in the dark. lence Daddw ood Dick was unarmed, save with the weapons with which nature had kind- ly endowed him, but eyen these were for- midable enough. come, but it soon became evident that the person moving about was Tony Bly him- self, and presently, after a moment of si- ence, he was heard to mutter: — “ Ah! there’s to your health, Dick Kelly, and that finishes the bottle. The best the phantom coffin. will come - have or | omne , other disturbance that at your stock. ‘ ‘Fient ‘for your meanness!” TV es you The trio in the shed observed strict sl. Dick stood ready for whatever might treat I have had in a dog’s age. I hope SN me Dead wood Dick felt the old crone shak- ing with suppressed laughter, as they listened, but of course did not know then what it was about. She had “doctored” the remainder of the stuff in the bottle while awaiting the return of Little Billy. That by the way. ‘The snoring was soon resumed, and after an earnest talk with the old hag and little Billy, Deadwood Dick secured weapons and stole out of the sleeping camp. CHAPTER XIV, TONY BLY’S HOT DOSE. By daylight the storm had. cleared. The wind had abated, and there was a balmy freshness in the mountain air that was delightful. That is to say—delightful to those who were in condition to enjoy it. There were some who were not in that condition, and notably among those was Tony Bly. About daybreak he came tumbling out of his Shanty with something akin to a roar. He was half doubled up with the most in- tense pain and burning he had eyer experienced in his life, the result of the dose Injun Inez had given him on the sly in the manner shown. Many blessings come to us in disguise. This was a blessing to the old camp bum, though it would have been an impossibility to convince him of it just then. The tracks leading from the shanty from which Deadwood Dick had made his es- cape were still visible, and had they not been disturbed could have been traced straight to Tony’s domicile. It would have been the hardest thing in the world for Tony to have convinced the mayor of the camp and the good citizens generally that he had had nothing to do with the escape of the prisoner. As it came out, he was not called on for any such defense, * Ka-whoop!” he bellowed, as he tum- bled out of his slab palace. “Oh! my inner man, my inner man! A doctor! a doctor! My kingdom for a doctor—if I had a king- dom ‘to offer! I have been poisoned! Ka- whoop! Kka-whoop! Wake up, ye sleepers, and do something for a dying man!, Come out here, I implore of you, and put out the fire that is raging within me! Oh! oh! What shall I do, what shall I do? Hell were a bed of roses Compared to this! Fire! fire! fire!” | So he whooped, While he ran around and around his shanty, holding himself in the middle with both arms, ever and anon leaning against the building and groaning dismally when an extra hard spasm over- came him. His last ery brought the citizens out of their wigwams and wickiups, to use the terms, in both dress and undress. They looked for the fire, but it was not to be seen. As fast as they discovered where the commotion was, one after another they ran toward Tony’s shanty from’every di- rection. By the time thirty or forty had reached the scene, Tony was rolling on the ground by the rear door of his shanty, moaning and groaning, and his cries at times were startling. wh i inner man! oh! my inner man!” he fing “Won't somebody give me some- g to put out the fire? Will you see me er, and not lift a finger to aid me? Bring a doctor, bring a doctor! horse doctor, if there is no other! something for my relief!” “Oh! most noble khan, - ‘Mustrious ea- liph!”’ the sufferer wailed, ‘I am all on fire within, all on fire within! This is the end This is what the fiery coffin: * Begorra, it is more loike it was a thrick —the end! foretold!”’ Bring a. Do “What’s the matter with you?” de-- manded the mayor. : to get a dhrink fur nothing out av some av us fur sympathy wid ye,” declared Dick Kelly. “Ay it is, don’t Vink dhat ye can work dhe racket on us, fur ye can’t do it fur wan eint, begob! Ye are too well known, Tony Bly.” * Oh, oh!’ yelled the sufferer. “My vi- tals are being consumed within me! Will no one take pity on me and do something? I have been poisoned—poisoned! Oh! that I were this moment back in the dear old college, where they would pump me out! Why will ye remain deaf to my appeal? Can y ou Rot see for yourself how I am suf- fering? " “It does look like the real thing,” said the mayor. “Av hew asn ‘t always up to such thricks fur a dbhrink,” the Hang-up. “Take my word! take my word only this once!’ cried Bly. And in his agony he scrambled up and took another turn or two around his shanty, acting like a crazy man. Merry Mike just then came up. " Begorra, look at dhe way he is sweat- in’!” he exclaimed. “He could never do dhat fur fun.” “That is what I claim now,” agreed the mayor. “Dick, we'll have to do some- thing for the poor devil, or see him die. W ell have him explain it after he gets better.” ‘Don’t delay! don't delay!” cried Tony. “Give me something to cool my stomach, I care not what it is! Water! water! Let me try water! For the love of Heaven, pour me full of water and see if that will not quench the raging flames that deyour -o me!’ “ Begorra, dhat settles it!’ exclaimed Kelly. ‘tHe would never ask fur wather ay he was shammin’! Come along wi'’d ye, Tony, and Oi'll give ye somethin’ dhat is betther nor wather. Oi would be dhe last man to give in to yure foolin’, and, by dhe same token, dhe last wan to refuse ye whin ye really nade it. Come along to me hotel.” Tony waited not to be asked again, nor did he wait to be eonducted. He led the van, running as fast as he could in his handicapped condition, past the shanty from which Deadwood Dick had escaped and on to the hotel, and, the crowd fol- lowing him, all the previous tracks were obliterated, and thus, as said, his suffering was a blessing in disguise, for no suspicion. fell upon him when eventually the dis- covery was made that the prisoner was gone. Reaching the hotel, Tony rushed in, Kel- ly having left the door open on coming out,.and he made a leap for the shelf be- hind the bar, taking the first bottle he came to. “Help yureself,” said Kelly, who was right at his heels. “Av it is playing ye are, ye have done it foine enough to de- serve a trate.” — ‘As if I would be doing this for fun!” gasped the victim. Jerking the stopper out of the ‘hottle, he threw back his head and fairly poured the stuff down his throat, but in the next sec- ond he gyve voice to a frightful shriek and ran for the open door. And so he continued, shriek after shriek, as he bounded away in the direction of the creek, and the moment he Teached the | water he plunged in as if he intended to commit suicide to end his misery. But, no, he only lay there and drank his fill. The water had the desired effect. It cooled the bering and in the course of about ten minutes Tony Bly came up out of. the creek, pale, weak, but cured forever of his craving for dri rink. , Verily, he had been twice bl A quiet but amused observer | reminded the proprietor of . Bi an — ee a nr’ ~