Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 957 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

~- > ll "FF nt St ee eee ee ee ee 0 - piece of fatty wood, which had evidently - served her the same purpose on former oceasions. This she lighted, and in a min- ute or so they could see their surround- ings. Deep below them yawned a huge chasm. The steps led downward around one side of this until lost in the blackness below. Overhead was a ragged vault, in nature’s own handiwork, slopmg away as far as the eye could reach—with the light the torch afforded. Down these steps Dick was conducted, until they terminated upon a hard floor of rock. This sloped upward gradually, and proceeding up that slope for some distance, they came finally to where the floor and roof almost met. “This is the place,” the woman said, in alow voice. “We are under the old tem- ple. Here is the door, and this is the way it is_opened, by turning this knob of stone half around in this direction. And here I will leave you. If you fail, it must not be known that I aided you; failure means your death.” That forenoon, in Devil’s Delight, Tony Bly eame forth from his shanty in style. He was ‘washed and combed and trimmed, his clothes were patched and brushed, both his feet were geared alike, and he had somewhere procured a semi- hew hat. By chance, or otherwise, Merry Mike was the first one to discover him in this metamorphosed condition, and he imme- diately called the attention of others to the matter. Ina few moments Tony had quite 2 crowd of admirers standing around gaz- ing at him, “ Begorra, ain’t he foine?” eried Mike, “Fe is stoopenjus, you bet!” another agreed. “Mebby he is goin’ ter git married to Injun Inez to-day,’ yet another re- marked. This last raised a howl of laughter, for, as elsewhere hinted, that had been one of the standing jokes of the camp for many a day. y Where is the mayor?” asked the Kee- leyized camp bum. “I must see him; I must see all of the boys together before I take my denarture. This day I leave you for aye,” “Not goin’ away!” exclaimed several at on Ye : before I go I “Yes, going away, but before I go want to pve yon weed treat all around that ‘will keep my memory green for a while, at any rate. But, the caliph, the noble ca- zique; where is he? The treat will not be Poa without our illustrious sover- e gn!” “How do ye expict to trate?” asked Merry Mike. “Sure, Dick Kelly would not trate ye to a glass ay wather out av his wash-bucket,” | ‘Maybe not, but he will treat the boys for this,” and the ex-bum drew a handful of gold from his pocket, “By dhe powers!” cried Mike. “Do yez see thot, me b’ys? Begorra, he has made a lick somewheres, sure as ye liye!” _ “Call up your friends,” ordered Tony, soberly. “This is my last treat, and it will mark the last dollar of mine that shall ever go over a bar. Pass the word, ind let every man in the camp partake!’ “Gee-whiz!” cried out Little Billy, who ‘Was one of the crowd, “but you do look killin’, T | mom ’s Sight, or she may change her mind _ and take you, after all! Come, Mike, let’s _ Whoop et up fer Tony, and bring every- ‘! You had better keep out of body out!” a “ Agreed, me b’y!” . And so they did, one going in one direc- tion and the other in the ite, Whoop- ing in a way to test the strength of their Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. © —_- As a result, everybody was out in short order to learn what all the noise was about, and as soon as they heard the pro- clamation all who felt inclined to accept the invitation flocked in the direction of the Hang-up. Meantime, Tony Bly had gone thither, and was making known his good inten- tions to the proprietor. * Oi thought ye had reformed, Tony,” said Kelly, before he heard all. ‘Not for myself, but for my friends,” explained Tony, “ Yis, but who.is to put up—” Tony displayed his wealth, and that was sufficient, and the first contingent of the thirsty townsmen having ranged them- selves, the vile stuff was dealt out to them. Tony handed over a sum sufficient to pay the bill, and more, and the men took their turns and changed places rapidly, some of them repeating when chance of- fered, and in the course of the next quar- ter hour there was hardly a man in the camp but had drunk Tony’s health. It had been next to impossible to observe who had not partaken, but among those who had not were Merry Mike, Tony him- self, and some others, and Little Billy, of course. | So much for the treat. but there was something to follow. In the course of the next hour men could be found asleep anywhere and everywhere around the camp. They were dropping here and there like flies that had been partaking of the pois- onous decoctions sometimes set for them, and where they dropped there they re- mained. Nor did they awaken easily. By noon Tony Bly, Merry Mike, Little Billy and the others walked through the camp and did not see a dozen persons who were awake. And behind it all was the “fine Italian hand” of Deadwood Dick, Junior! The reader must have guessed that these, too, like Injun Inez, were his allies in the task he had undertaken. CHAPTER XVIII. THE GRAND COUP. “When Sonora Sam and Samuel Hedge-’ worth rode into the Aztec temple, and down past the row of crumbling columns to the inhabited corner, Sonora Sam threw himself from the saddle, saying: “Well, here we are, Mr. Hedgeworth, What do you think of our quarters here in this sacred place of old time? And what do you think your chances would be in trying to take a prisoner away from us by force? You would not stand the ghost of a chance!” . “I am ready to agree with you,” as- sented the young man. “Let me see my father, and I will urge him to make what- ever terms you demand—that is, within the range of the possible. Then release the man whose liberty I have already haste. Would that I had the means to pay down, this moment.” | At eagerifess that was feigned. “Ah! here you are, eh?” exclaimed a masked man, who at that moment ap- peared. “Yes, chieftain,” answered Sonora Sam, saluting. “And here ts the man to see you about his father’s release. The money for the other was put in the tree, as ordered.” “That was right; it has been taken care of. Well, young man, you May come this way, and you will see the fix your father is in. I think you will want to get him out of our hands just as quick as you can do the business. Come on with him, Sam.” _ The chieftain of the band led the way, stepping to where a temporary door had been put up in the place of the door of | stone which had been battered down. Zi k / aA 4% a ’ 7 . ) as ? hi . 4 i> vl \ - eX . o ae he stepped out into the full light. dragon fight with its head eut off? forty, or the most of them. Bind — 4 Pye gen ‘ Opening this, he passed in, the others following. The lighted lamp was hanging suspend- ed from the ceiling of the room, as on the former oceasion, and this, together with what light came in through the open door, served to reveal the situation. There, chained to the wall, were Mr. Hedgeworth and Sigmund Bamford, look- ing sullen and despondent. “ Father!” the young man exclaimed, at the sight. “What terms can you make, Sammy?” the prisoner sadly inquired. “We must agree to the terms named and at once, father,” was the rejoinder. “I thought you would,” said the chief of the band, with a laugh. “I have set the figure; you must arrange to get the money — here as best you ¢an.”’ ‘ Call in your aids,” requested Mr. Hedge- worth, “that everything may be done open and above-board. I will write the order, and you must then appoint a guard for my s0n so that he can make the journey in safety.” “That is business,” assumed the ehief- tain. “‘Wait, I will have them here in a) moment. He stepped out, soon returning with two; others. These, like the leader himself, were masked, but 'masks were no protection against what they found prepared for them. The moment they had passed the door there came a Startling order for them to: throw up their hands, and Mr. Hedge- worth and Mr. Bamford, the prisoners, were free and armed! Not only these, but there were Dead- wood Dick, Mike McTool, Little Billy, Tony Bly, and even Injun Inez, with others, all covering the four men with guns at full cock and ready for grim busi-. ness. The bandits were too surprised to attempt defense. | “What do you think about it now, cut-' throats?” demanded Deadwood Dick, as “If you move a finger, it will be the signal for your death!” . “Dhat’s phwat it will, begob!” echoed Merry Mike. “ Trapped!” cried the chief of the Forty.’ “Bet your life you are!” shouted Little’. Billy. “Just as you deserved to be, too!’ He danced forward and was disarming them, while the others were narrowing the circle, keeping their guns aimed straight at their heads. There was no escape. “Now, remove your masks!” ordered Deadwood Dick. “Or, I can do it for you, if you want me to, necessary, either, since I know you all. Mr. Garrat, we meet again! Franklin Fur- niss and son, how are you? You, Lewis Card, or Sonora Sam, glad to meet you!” Dick’s manner was blithe, but there was the keenest irony in his tone as he bought, and allow me to return with all} thi y said | 8. : ‘ The prisoners could only stare their sain. er. i ‘Curse you!” cried Furniss, the elder. “You have made a bold stroke, but you can never get out of here alive!” | ‘‘ Mistaken, sir,” Dick corrected. “You had the same opinion about our getting in, but you see we are here. We hold the winning hand, you incomparable rascals, and we know how to keep it.” Nites ? The Flock of Forty will deal with you "? 4 ‘ “Ha, ha, ha!” laughed Dick. “Can a Be- sides, we have already taken care of your these carrion, Mike, and we'll escort them to Devil’s Delight.” ' “Oi will dhat same,” cried Mike, spring- ing to obey; ‘‘and sure dhe divil ought to ‘oy rae 7 (ey ' / iy P ‘ p J \ oN daa a * : - ee ha ‘ ce oh. ‘ g : 4s) 4 - . 4 4 ¥ ale a a Wey m = Ph i ‘ . % 4 , , Pov ies ; . P 15— g-« though it is hardly