Beadle's Half Dime Library, Vol. XIV, No. 351 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

oa ll **So? Why some one is tickling your feet!” Instantly the giant beagn to wriggle and kick, while her with laughter, until the tears xolled down his cheeks. = Stop! stop!” he yelled. ‘Oh! cracky—oh ‘¢ Will you tell me the word?” Dick demand- ed, smiling. **'Yes! yes. Stop! stop!” “There! now you feel all right, don’t you?” ‘< Yes. ” “Then what is the word?” “Tt is ‘Old-Hundred.’” ‘‘ Look out! are you lying to me?” s Nol no! I hope you may cut my throat, if I am. ‘‘Very well. You lie still. Soaker, bind bis hands!” The giant remained quiet until bound; then ata wave of Dick’s hand, he came out of the Spell. ‘‘ You see [I obtained the word!” Dick said, as the big man began to struggle and swear. “Yo lie!” he roared. ‘* What was it?” **Old-Hundred? ” A baffled oath from the ruffian convinced Dick that he was in possession of the correct word. He then turned to Soaker and O’Gall. ‘* You two fellows remain here, and guard the giant. You shall be well paid forit. There ds little danger that the search will extend to this point. If it does, why, scoot. Can I de- pend on you?” ‘* We aire yours truly,” Soaker said gracious- ly. ‘'Hurry back, tho’, fer we're anxious to start on the year’s jamboree,” “All right,” and turning, the deliverer and Cathie took their departure. wee CHAPTER XVIIL THE MESSENGER, Dick and Cathie went directly to the cabin, ‘m the mountain pocket, and there took place a foytal meeting, between the general and his ong lost daughter, and as well, between the two sisters. The general, of course, took a father’s delight in forgiving Catbie—or Bijou, that being her real name—for considering that she was so ter- ribly in earnest, in believing herself a Parri- more; he was proud of her *‘ blooded ” spirit, as he termed it. Allowing them time for the first fond greet- ings, Deadwood Dick then said: ‘It will now be necessary for you to leave this place, and seek one that is far safer,” and the related what he had learned from Sis Soaker. core general looked surprised and apprehen- sive. . His sore hip, was by no means healed, yet, and the prospect to him, looked anything but pleasant. ** Where shall we go? Whatcan we do? If i were well, and it were not for my daughters, matters would not look so bad!” ‘ ‘‘One of your daughters will be no incum- brance to you!” Cathie spoke up, ‘f shall ac- company Deadwood Dick until with the death of Pierre Parrimore the vendetta is ended.” ‘‘Everythiug can be satisfactorily arranged, I think,” Dick said. ‘“ By starting at once, we can reach Top-Knot camp, ten miles away, in time to catch the stage, which will take you to St. Julien. There you will be safe to remain until we join you.” ‘* But how will I be able to travel?’ the gen- eral asked, dubious! “‘That.can be easily arranged,” Dick replied. *T have a horse, not far away, and can fix you out so comfortably, that you will not mind the (2 ale As for the rest of us, we can walk. ou all remain here, now, until I return with the horse.” He left the cabin, and hurried away out of the pocket at a rapid gait. Cathie watched him from the doorway of the cabin until he had disappeared, with an anxious ‘expression, . ‘What is it, that tells me he is going into great danger?’ she murmured, “If he does not soon return I shall go in search of him.” As for Deadwood Dick, be little anticipated any danger, and strode briskly along, without exercising the usual caution that marked his movements, In the course of a quarter of an hour be reached a small glade, surrounded by chaparral, and here a fine-looking horse was contentedly grazing. Drawing saddle and other trappivgs from un- | Miss Stafford, and you can complete your busi- der a ledge, Dick quickly equipped the animal, and was about to mount him, when the omi- nous click! click! of several weapons, caused him fo look quickly around, There, standing not ten paces away, and coy- ering him with the aim of six revolvers, were the identical three men he had left on the 1 a ig cy O’Gall, and Some Pump- ins ‘* Hol ho!” the giant roared in great glee. ‘*'Who hes got ther drap, now, me noble duke? How der yer feel about this time o’ P. M.” Dick’s face flushed with anger. ‘*What does this mean?’ he demanded, ad- dressing Soaker. ‘I left you to guard -this ed atid brute, and here you’ve turned trai- r ’ ‘* Bet yer boots we hev!” Soaker answered, unblushingly. ‘' We ain’t no eejotts, ef we do put away a fair ‘lowance o’ tanglefut!” ‘* Nayther we aire!” coincided O'Gall, ‘You see,” continued Soaker, ‘‘our friend heer, suggested ye were a fat mutton, an’ bein’ as ye treated us skinny, ef we'd jine issues with him, thar’d be fun ahead, an’ money, too. So, heer we aire, an’ you aire our prisoner, and the Staffords will be, too, afore long!” ‘*'You’re not sure I am your prisoner, yet,” Dick replied. ‘‘ Besides, what have I done to you, to merit this treachery ?”’ “Hey? Listen to that, will ye? Didn't” ye ive us seven thousan’—no, eight thousan’ dol- ars, to git drunk on, an’ warn’t it all counter- feit? Oh! thar’s nothin’ slouchy about us. Ye’r’ our prisoner, an’ arter we git ther Staf- fords, we'll make a dicker fer good cash, wi’ Pierre Parrimore, an’ the Nowhere Vigilantes. So, ef you value your own skin, surrender! We've got the drap on ye, and we mean biz- ee You bet we do!” assented Some Pump- ns. ** Av coourse we do!” chimed in the great and only Gilderoy O’Gall. ‘* What if I refuse to surrender?” Dick de- manded, with a view to Hore Sy) the parley —for his quick gaze bad detected something, a gave him hope that help was near at hand. Behind the ruffians was a gigantic bowlder, and Dick bad seen something very decidedly like a man’s head, beyond it. ‘* What’ll we do, ef ye don’t surrender?” re- peated Some Pumpkins. ‘‘ Why, we’ll fill ye so full o’ phumbago that ye can’t navigate, an’ then hang ye up by the heels to bleed, while we go an’ fetch the Vigilantes down upon ye—you hear me! Spit ’er out!—will ye surrender, or no*—fer we'd jest as lief blaze away at you, as not!” ; ae had little doubt but what he spoke the ruth, Before he could give answer however, a man stepped quickly from behind the bowlder, revol- ver in band, and cried: “Throw uy your hands, you wretches, or die in your tracks!” he challenge came so unexpectedly that the trio wheeled about in a rage, uttering oaths that will not r repetition here: an See advantage of the opportunity, Deadwood Dic drew his own weapons, and strode forward. ‘““Yes, my worthies!” he cried. ‘You had better surrender yourselves, I take it. Throw down your weapons and givein peaceably, or you die with your boots on!” Soaker and O’Gall uttered defiant yells, and bounded suddenly away, bent on escape. If they bad calculated to escape, however, they reckoned wrongly, for two pistol-shots rung out, and witb yells of pain both threw up their hands and fell headlong to the ground. Without paying further attention to them Dick turned to the stranger, who still ‘‘ covered ” Some Pumpkins, i “You are St. George Atwood? Dick said, interrogatively— the fellow whom Fakir Fred rescued in Missouri Mag’s saloon?” “Tam; and if I mistake not, you are Fakir Fred.” “Tam. Llittle thought, however, you would ever have a chance to serve me. ou are the man who came from the South as messenger, bearing money to Estella B. Stafford?’ Atwood started, ‘*How do you know?’ he demanded, suspi- ciously. fet 5 “Enough. A scheme-has been on foot to re- lieve you of the money, but fortunately if, is balked. The Stafford family are now under my protection, and your ‘Old-Hundred’ can be flung at me instead of the treacherous wretcb you cover with your weapon. I willconduct you to Fa é » . vs gf i : “sia 4 La Lh A ve ~ ed : ness with ber,” “Which I shall be heartily glad to do,” At- wood declared. ‘The sooner I get out of this country the better pleased I will be. I found out this giant was a villain, as soon as I arrived in Nowhere and met him. Accordingly, after the trouble in the saloon I kept shady and shadowed him, in hopes of thus being able to find the party to whom the fortune belongs. What do you propose to do with the big brute?” All of Atwood’s dudeish mannerisms, except for bis dress, had now disappeared, and he had the bearing of a sensible young fellow. Dick did not answer the question immediately, but surveyed the giant keenly. He was really puzzled as to what disposal was best to make of him. tak ‘* Ye'’d better let me go!” Some Pumpkins sug- gested. ‘‘ The puddin’s in the fire now, anyhow, an’ I can’t do ye any further barm.” ‘**'You’re not to be trusted,” Dick said, ‘TI ages the most sensible thing that we can do will to take you along with us. Let me bind your arms,” Seeing nothing else to do, the giant once more submitted to being made a prisoner; then, Dick leading his borse, the trio set out for the cabin in the pocket, which they reached withcut fur- ther incident. Here St. George Atwood delivered up to Stella a draft for ber fortune, aud the noble- hearted girl expressed her intention of sbar- ing her good luck equally with her father and sister, Preparations were then made to depart for Top-Knot, and the party were soon en route, CHAPTER XIX. AN INFAMOUS SCHEME. Sis SOAKER had not lied when he said that Pierce Parrimore had created a general uprising of the citizens of Nowhere, His recital of General Stefford’s trick to se- cure the liberty of the Prince of the Road caused the people in general great indignation —and, perbaps justly, too, for it certainly was rather a shabby act, on the part of Stafford, toward his friend, the Governor. “a Once he had ignited the first spark of the fire, Pierre Parrimore was not the man to let it die out. He literally added fuel to it, until the flame grew too strong to quell. His proposal to organize parties of men, and send them out in all directions in search of the Sobel and Deadwood Dick, was greeted with earty id ears and when he heralded the news that he, personally, would give five thou- sand dollars apiece for the two fugitives’ heads, the rough men of that even rougher miuing- camp, were set fairly wild, and Parrimore was without doubt the man of the day. Inside of two hours, all work was suspended, in and about the camp, and the citizens, there- of, irrespective of rank or position, were or- ganized and fairly well eanes for the work in hand—the work of bounding down to death, Deadwood Dick and Genera] Stafford. They seemed to regard it as a matter of duty to them- selves» and justice, to seek and kill the two fugitives. hen all was in readiness for a auneny. evacuation of the camp, Parrimore took it upon himself to again become orator of the day. ‘There is one fact, that 1 have suppressed | from you, until this minute,” he announced, “because I wished the movement to get fully under way. I know exactly where the bari 8 hold of Deadwood Dick’s road-agents is located, and propose to have the honor of capturing it, To do this, I sball require ten able-bodied fel- lows, whom I will select to suit myself. More than ten will be unnecessary, and in the way, where ten can do the work we". Now, Dead- wood Dick and General Stafford are not at this stronghold, as [ have learned by personal recon- noissance, but are hiding in the mountains, fear- ing to show themselves, knowing J am on their track, Therefore, after Il select my perty, the other divisions are to sc.ur the country in various directions, in search of the two fugi- tives. Immediately after capturing the main band, I will bring them here, and leaving Black Bird and my men to do guard duty over them, I will join one of your parties, and take active part in the search! Be Ne os _ “You sbould have been a commander in the late rebellion!” complimented Colonel Ezra — Crocker, the owner of the Crocker Mine, “as J perceive you are a born warrior. But, are you