Beadle's Half Dime Library, Vol. XIV, No. 351 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

B Weed masquerade?’ the general echoed, with gptart. ‘‘Whbatdo you mean?” >). L, mean,” replied Deadwood Dick, coolly hat the guard announced the Governor, I surally expected to see him.” “Indeed! Am I not the Governor?” 8 You are not! I happen to know the Gov- nor, by sight, and while you in some respects ar a resemblance to him I can readily detect +@ counterfeit,” , General Stafford laughed, ‘Well, you’re a sharp one,” he confessed. In truth, I hardly expected to pass muster be- fore your sharp inspection. am General Daniel Stafford. I am playing off Governor, however, at a prison risk, and that, too, in your interest—or, more appropriately, in onr mutual interests!” **Indeed? How does this happen?” *‘T shall explain. You are a daring fellow, even if you have your faults, and the sentence upon your head is an unjust one,” ‘* How do you know that?” “It is merely a personal opinion. I suppose you know that preparations have been made to Hang you, to-day?” ‘*T am 80 aware, sir.” ‘““Have you had any hopes of escaping the nalty?” ‘None. I have given up all hope, of again posthiog the air of freedom!” ‘Have you no hope of aid from your band, } -2 to be quartered somewhere in the neighbor- ig mountains?” “None. I doubtif they even know I amin S-ouble, or they would have been to my rescue, ‘e this. When | left them they did not expect 2, back for two weeks.” ar Then your prospects would indeed be 4 but for me,” a. But for you?” “‘ Exactly. Sofar asI now know, I am the - ly person who can, or, at least, will save you rom the gallows,” ‘“*T yet fail to understand what you are driy- ing at. If you will make things plainer, I may be able to a more freely.” J Well, ar On conditions, I presume?” $ ‘* Well, yes; but they are such as you will aot be apt to reject.” _' “That depends, Go on,” ‘With pleasure. I have an enemy who seeks my life, and I in turn seek his, for reasons which I will explain. Did you ever hear of a man in this section of tbe country, by the name of Pierre Parrimore?” Dick started. ‘** Pierre Parrimore?”” he ejaculated. ‘ Well, I should say so! He is a member of my present band!” ‘‘By Heaven, then it is lucky we have met! Sir, believe me or not, that man is a cames incarnate—a combination of all that is evil ‘“‘T am prepared for your assertion,” Dick re- dlied. ‘‘I have never regarded the man any too favorably, and I fancy he discovered it, for he took no pains to conceal a strong dislike for me.” ; _.‘ Well, a long generation ago, there lived upon adjoining plantations, in the South, two proud and honorable old families, named re- ‘pectively Stafford and Parrimore. Each house o0as of blue blood, and possessed great wealth, in addition to the value of their planta- ‘lons, P “For years, the two families had been on terms of sociability and friendship; but at last a rupture occurred, over some trivial affair, and the result was, a duel, then so much in vogue, among the Southern gentlemen. Both the heads of the respective families were mor- tally weunded—my father, and the father of the present Pierre Parrimore. ‘Upon theit deathbeds, they each exacted came here to save you from the promises from their children that the vendetta’ should be continued. ‘‘At tbat time there were three brothers in each family, | being the youngest of the Staf- tora Wel had not passed ell,a year had no after my fa- ther’s death, ere the eldest son of each faynily lay cold in death. Within the next three years the second oldest succumbed to this terrible feud. I alone remained to avenge those who had gon- before, upon the sole remaining repre- Sentutive of the Parrimores—tbis Pierre. He s00n left the State. +. I gave chase, taking my young wife with me. ears passed, but Pierre Parrimore and I were not destined to meet, although frequent reports advised me that we were not far apart, and 5 Sentenced. Deadwood Dick a ————— ———— — - = were each awaiting a favorable chance to end the feud forever. ‘In the mean time, my wife bad borne me three as lovely children as the Southern sun ever looked down upon. They were named Stella, Ned, and Bijou; Stella being the eldest, Ned next, and Bijou next, and there being about a year’s difference in their respective ages. By the time Bijou was ten, Ned eleven, and Stella twelve, which, by the way, was seven years ago, I had taught and trained them with great care, so that they were experts in the use of the pistol, and even my wife was nearly as much of an adept as myself. ‘** Well, one day, I got a letter from Chatta- nooga, purporting to be from an old friend, stat- ing that Pierre Parrimore was there, and had developed into considerable of a sporting man, Instantly my blood boiled for vengeance, and I set out for Chattanooga, accompanied by my eldest daughter, who was ever my companion in travel. On my arrival there, I called upon my friend, aud learned that he had never writ- ten me—the letter was Srey | ‘* Fearing the worst, [ immediately telegrapb- ed home, and learned that my wife had been found dead at home—evident 5, killed after a aver struggle, while Ned and Bijou were miss- ng. ‘That was seven years ago last night, andal- though I have reso to every possible means to obtain tidings of Pierre Parrimore, or py children, if they be living, 1 never havesu - ed. But, last night, for the first time in many years, I saw the face of my foe!” CHAPTER V. DEADWOOD DICK’S PROMISE, GENERAL STAFFORD’S recital had been given with great earnestness, and his hearer listened with undisguised interest. **-You say you saw Pierre Parrimore’s face last night!” repeated Deadwood Dick. ‘‘ Where was the fellow, at the time?” . ‘We were coming into Nowhere, upon the stage, when I peered out of the window, to see just where we were. My astonishment knew no bounds, when I beheld another human face pressed to the outside of the window-pane, and that face Pierre Parrimore’s!” ‘You are sure?” ‘**Positive. He was standing on the step of the vebicle and glaring in at me.” ‘* Describe the face.” ‘It was swarthy, and one of those malignant- ly evil faces which age does not particularly affect. The eyes are of the most intense black, and the hair and fierce mustache and beard of the same color. A forehead, over which the hair was combed low, for the purpose of con- cealing a scar; a large, sensual mouth; a* an in fact most repulsive in aspect yet not a ruffian in looks or demeanor.” ‘You have accurately photographed the fel- low I bave known as Pierre Parrimore!” Dead- wood Dick assented. ‘If he is in this camp [ fear all has gone wrong among my own band. The fellow seemed to have considerable in- fluence among the boys, and it occurred to me, several times, that he was trying to transform the party into a desperado gang. Some of my followers would re to go over to him, but there is, among the number, material for an outlaw band, and it may be possible that those who swore to follow me into the Apache coun- try in search of old mines have gone back on me, and Parrimore is now their captain.” “TL hope not, for if so, my battle with him might not prove an easy victory!” “Right you be! The men I selected would be human tigers to battle with. Yet, were I free, and they traitors to me—for our cath of loyalty as a brotherhood, was no idle form, but an all-powerfol one—l’d fight them to the bitter nd! * Well, independent of the other oaths, all “Ae have to do is swear that you will help me unt down Pierre Parrimore; do this and you sball not pay the penalty justice has imposed upon you. Understand, yeu are not to dye your band in the villain’s blood unless J fall. Then, you are to take up the vendetta, and bound Pierre Parrimore to death, the same as though I were your kith and kin; and you are also to make all efforts in your power to learn the fate of my missing children.” ‘Your eldest daughter still lives?” “She does. She will be back here in No- where to-morrow.” ‘‘ And for what vou have outlined, I am to have my freedom?” ‘You are.” “In what manner do you propose to secure my release?’ cay! EL St SS ssl 5 General Stafford exhibited the blank sheet of paper, to the left-hand lower corner of which was attached the sto Sire pe a ‘You comprehend a ; ficantly. “Ah! you Propose to fill outa pardon?” st ‘‘Isn’t that rather a desperate move?” ‘*Perbaps; but I mean to go through with it, be the consequences what they may.’ ‘*But, even if pardoned, 1 should have to fight my way through the mob to get out of the camp. You can safely bet they’d not let me walk away, scot free, without making it warm for me!” ‘ ‘‘Maybe not. I'll have you remanded to jail, under gubernatorial protection, perbaps, until a favorable oppcrtunity offers to get you out. Anyhow, I'll work it somehow. Have I your promise?” ‘You have. The word of Deadwood Dick is as good as bis oath!” ‘Very well. Iacceptitassuch. I will now leave you to await developments, while I work outside. of good cheer, then, and keep a stiff upper lip, even when the clouds may seem the darkest!” ‘No fear about that!” was Dick’s assurance, ‘‘ Had Ino possible show of escaping, I fancy I would not walk to the scaffold with my knees knocking together.” The general left the jail and went leisurely back to the hotel, conscious that he was the target for many pairs of eyes, and also became cognizant of the fact that Deadwood Dick was not wrong in judging that, even though par- doned, he would have to fight his way out of the town. Arriving at the ct House, he found a letter awaiting him, tucked under the door of his room. At the first glance at the su saw that the missive was from Pierre Parrimore. Hastily tearing away the envelope, he pe- rused, with paling countenance, what was writ- ten within. It was as follows; “Dan STAFFORD:— ‘“‘Sir:—Your presence here is no secret to me, and I sup while we are so near together, we might as well end the vendetta. rscription be is mortal foe, ‘Of course, we could meet openly, and mow each other down after the style of our hot-headed fathers: but I'll be frank with you and tell you that I am not such a foolas that. Ob, no! Iam too much inter- an the preservation of my own life to foolishly risk it. “T am aware of the pretty little scheme you've got for my annihilation, and you may be surprised when I inform you thatI shall make no effort to thwart it. I want you to get everything worked up to a point where you are jubilantly sure of achiev- ing a victory—then, with one fell swoop I'll dash your hopes to the earth, and make the end of your ae career one of exquisite agony and torture. “Hound Pierre Parrimore, will ye? You had better never have been born. I hold the flushest winning hand you ever saw, and how I shall gloat over my triumph, when I bring you groveling for mercy at my feet. “Go ahead. Seek Pierre Parrimore, to end the vendetta, until you find bim! I am perfectly con- tent to look on, an amused spectator of your venge- ful antics. I am not really decided whether I shall kill your daughter first, or yourself, Ta, ta. . “Your enius, ‘* PYERRE PARRIMORE.”’ By the time General Stafford had finished the a of this messege his face was deeply hatred gleamed in bis eyes. ‘* Baffle me, will you!” he gritted between his clinched teeth. ‘‘ We'll see about that. With Deadwood Dick #s a ccadjutor I can corquer Satan himself. The next thing to consider, is how am I to manage Dick’s escape from town.’” He paced to and fro, bis brows knitted, and his whole mind centered upon the subject. Every possible plan did he consider—but the cloud did not clear from his bro ¥, proving that the task before bim was ove of great difficulty. Iu the mean time the bour grew nearer and nearer for Deadwood Dick to mount the scaffold across from the Prospect House. The sun never shone brighter, and it would seem that all things favored the execution. CHAPTER VI. RESPITED. By one o’clock, the time set for the execution, the crowd in Nowhere’s one main street was so dense that it was with difficulty any one could ueeze through it. ow the lynch pic-nic had no Jonger such an irresistible fascination for the average ‘‘ galoot,” because it was somewhat of »n everv-dav oe curreace; but a genuine dona | i at (eae a micbooksreom © with anger, and an expression of intense. +