Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 294 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

andy. A, | a. * @e A! s * ” ’ . | Knife and I am willing. "5 Aww some The sudden springing of a bear into the trail bad turned two horses about, and one, frighten- ed almost to death, had dashed back, carrying a fair young girl whose fingers had closed with a death-grasp upon a bunch of mane, Perhaps the horseman in the starlit trail thought of this while he occupied his saddle as immovable as a statue; he had plenty of time to recall the accident, his own return to Dead- wood in time to confront Colonel Sandbanks with a beautiful girl in his arms, ‘‘ Denver is a long way off,” he murmured, **T have sworn to restore the girl to her mo- ther and I must doit. We will be followed by the Deadwood wolves and they might as well be met first as last. We might as well fight it out here where I havetheadvantage, Paradise Paul declared that it should be war to the I told Alice that I would wait an hour for them here, If they do not come, we will go on to Denver.” The Denver sport had not been brought to bay, but he knew that the game had not yet been played to its close, and it was for the Deadwood toughbs that he waited on the trail. He was still the handsome sport with the | waxed mustache and glossy bair; he had dis- earded his kids; that was all the change he had made in his dress since his first coming to Dead- wood, His hour bad nearly expired when his eyes brightened and his lips parted suddenly: “Tney’re coming at last!” he said. ‘ Now, my Deadwood heroes, for the last tussle!’ is keen ears had caugbt a sound which the echo lands of Dakota, precedes istance the gallop of a borse. ae a It gave him ample time for pirperation, but a that he did not need; he was already prepared. The last tussle! After that he could proceed to Denver, be could take Captain Paul’s ward to the arms of ber mother, he could witness the joyful re- ihren ion and read bis reward in the widow’s tears. ne ad Broadcloth Burt ever thought for a mo- rhe ment of a different reward? By aha If he was a wife-hunter as. the Mormon amoo fit spider had been, be had never breathed a word of it to Alice. ee Chivalrous to the core, the man from Denver ez saw only the waiting woman there and had _~—sbeard the story of a lost child with an inward aL resolve to search her out and bring her home, ‘Pe He had discévered by accident that the belle of Deadwood was the right one, and from that discovery his oath to rescue was dated, ht, Nothing bad daunted the Denverite. : The pages of our story have told how he in- vaded Deadwood, how he met its desperate band, how, on more than one occasion, he faced them all, how he twice rescued Timothy Ten- ‘7ree & wives from the noose in order that one who bad suffered at his hands might avenge her wrongs, ‘ha oh and how he had triumphed at last, and was on Pos, the way back with the missing one. “t No reward of gold bad prompted this cool : man—nothing, save the story of one who had iad waited many years for her child. | And as Broadcloth Burt sat on the Denver ; Bt trail and leaned toward Deadwood, listening, be tous have renewed bis adventures, his hunts for epee <5, Alice, bis narrow escapes, his fights for her. ach >. eee | He knew that the sounds which had saluted his ears were those of the desperadoes he had faced before, and he even waited for them with a smile. Where was Alice? Not far away, you may depend, reader, and ready to continue the flight at bis command. PEK. ‘There must be twenty, all.that the Mormon £4 spared,” ejaculated Broadcloth Burt. ‘‘ They’d a get up a picnic if they got to Denver, and they- ss pg mad enough to ride plump into the city. _. lowever, I'll surprise ’em within the next five “3 minutes. They are not looking for me byer.” On, on came the Deadwood toughs, filling the ss ‘trail from side to side, and in no manner at- tempting to break the noise Of their pursuit. Stalwart fellows they were, in their dark shirts and swarthy skins, and every one splen- didly mounted, They looked neither to the right nor to the deft, but took it for granted that those they : wanted were not likely to be found this side of - _ Denver, and while their horses were fresh, they vt as well pusb on till dawn. ll at once there rung out a cry—a single word—that halted the whole band as if they of pas had “noweh oy against a wall of stone. pre's ‘** Stand!” ibe { Throughout the band was heard the cocking of revolvers as the borses were forced back up- rg he -on their haunches. cif gh ‘ye got the drop on you, wolves of Dead- wood!” followed the command in tones equally roa _ -asstern, ‘‘ You needn’t go on to Denver to find the mau you’re looking for. He is here!” at More than one Deadwooder knew that voice although they had not beard it often. | ‘It is Broadcloth Burt,” passed from lip to lip in whispers. ‘‘We’ve struck the Denver «snag ag’in.” Calmly in the saddle sat the sport with two ss evolv. rs poked forward over his steed’s head, a He could see the men who forced him, for not ot eae amore than ten yards separated them, and he a* tre Vf knew that he held them allat the mercy of his revolvers. ‘‘ We've got to fight it out somewhar,” the Denverite went on. ‘‘I1t’s twenty against one, ta in my experience I’ve seen it thet way be- ore. “So hev we, but never afore you struck Deadwood,” ‘* Ha! then I astonished the mushroom town,” ‘*] should say you did, Denver. But can’t you see thet you’re a fool now? Those shootin’- oxes in yer hands carry but twelve balls an’ thar’s twenty ov us. Twenty ter one under these sarcumstances gives you no hope,” There was logic in the ruffian’s words, but the | man who heard them did not quail. ‘* Well,” he said, ‘‘ what are your terms?” ‘‘ The girl first! She b’longs ter Deadwood,” The Denverite laughed. ‘*T thought you’d say that; but there never was a time when she belonged to Deadwood.” ‘* Mebbe she’s yours, then.” ‘““She is her mother’s!” was the quick re- sponse, +s An’ mother? ‘*T bave!” ‘* What d’yer think of ther chances now?” ‘* They're good.” ** Come, Denver. us will never ride back ter Deadwood one man who will never escort ther blossom inter Denver.” A defiant light had flashed up in the eyes of the Denver sport. ‘‘ Move yer arm an incb, Bart,” whispered a rough in the rear rank to the comrade who sat on the borse ahead of him. ‘The bandbox sport doesn’t see me, an’ ef you'll move yer arm an’ inch )’ll tumble him over his horse’s tail. Thar!” The arm was moved and the Deadwooder low- ered his gleaming eyes to a level with the revol- ver he gripped in his right band. “ You mustn’t miss, Tiger Tom,” said Bart. ‘* Miss that human target? May I never be a Saint ef I fail ter bit ther dandy sport ov Den- ver town.” One man at least among the twenty toughs held his breath, He knew that Broadcloth was being covered by one of the deadliest pistols of the wild north- west, for Tiger Tom was a crack shot. “Tve got the bead, Bart,” came up to the listener’s ears in a significant whisper. ‘‘ Now watch the bandbox tumble.” | With the last word there flashed a blinding | light among the Black Hills tougbs, and the | Denver sport’s lips parted with a cry as he reel. | ed away. “T always hit!” hissed Tiger Tom, ‘ Now, you hev sworn ter take her ter thet Ef yer open on us some ov but thar’s Deadwood pards, ride the devil down!” But the Deadwooders were too surprised at the unexpected shot to act immediately on the command, They saw that Broadcloth Burt had not fallen from his steed. ‘Ride him down! thar may be shoot in him yet!” thundered Tiger Tom. **Sboot-” in him yet? There was. All at once the man from Denver straighten- ed in his saddle; then he leaned toward the bloodthirsty tougbs. — ‘ There’s death in my hands!” he hissed, “I go to Denver with my. prize, despite all the re- volvers in the Black Hills!” He was firing straight into the Deadwood tigers with two revolvers as he hissed the last sentence through clinched teeth, The rapidity. of the death-shots seemed to | throw the whole band into confusion. Men with revolvers uplifted reeled away, shot | through the head, before they could touch the | trigger. | oadcloth Burt shot to kill, and he killed when he shot! Before those slaying pistols the Deadwood pards seemed to forget that they were twenty against one. ‘* That’s all—thanks!” suddenly cried the Den- ver sport, wheeling his steed. ‘* That’s the first lesson. When we meet again, we'll play the game through to the end!” There was the clatter of boofs down the Den- ver trail, and a flying object vanished in the brilliant starlight. ‘‘Here 1 am!” said a man, as he drew rein alongside a young girl who waited for him in the saddle, a mile from the scene of the mad fight of one against twenty. ‘*T heard thank Heaven you have escaped.’ ‘*‘T got away, but they drew blood,” laughed the Denver sport. ‘ A fellow in the rear rabk gave me bis compliments,” ‘* You are wounded, then?” cried the girl. ‘** Half an aunce of lead in my shoulder—my Deadwood keepsake,” was the reply; and lean- ing toward the bead of the girl's steed, Broad- cloth Burt firmly gripped the rein and held it, as they tore on side by side toward distant Denver. “This is running from Deadwood, I don’t like it a bit,” he suddenly said. ‘‘ But I guess Denver is ahead of the game thus far. Ill never t all,” was the answer; ‘““and I be welcome in Deadwood after this.” ; Alice turned and looked into the cool man’s ace. His mustache drooped, there was blood on bis face, but his eyes twinkled merrily over his Jast remarks ind, as her heart throbbed wild- ly hs thou? t him the bravest man that ever ived, And Broadcloth Burt? He returned the look with interest, and for several mnoments they looked at one another, speaking not. CHAPTER XXXVI. DENVER'S VICTORY. SCATTERED right and left bv the rapid shoot- ing of Broadcloth Burt, the Deadwood toughs were not ready to pursue until the oath-bound sport and his companion had put more ‘than a mile between them, ‘*Lettbem goto Denver,” grated the baffled rufians. ‘‘One of these days Deadwood will show op in that town, an’ thar’ll be somebody hurt. Bury the dead an’ ride back ter ther old {9 mn, By the gods! that demon killed when he shot! The truth of the last expression was quite apparent, for there were a number of human forms on the trails, men who would terrorize the Black Hills country no. more. With muttered curses the Deadwooders picked up their fallen comrades, and laid them away behind the huge bowlders that fringed the Den- ver trail at that point; then, with diminished ranks, they turned their horses’ heads toward the north and galloped away. Sooner than they expected they had found the dead-shot from Denver, and he had arrested their progress in a manner which would long be a topic of interest at the Full-Hand and kin- dred placas. Once more the galloping of their steeds awoke the echoes of the waning night as they plied spur in the race to Deadwood, ‘* Hark! listen! they’re comin’ back!” said a man who stood bebind aclump of trees near the trail and looked into a woman’s face, ‘*‘Let them come,” was the fearless freply. ‘*They will have it their own way in Deadwood from, to-night.” ‘* Wouldn’t I like to pour it into them!” You?” ‘Why shouldn't I? Didn’t they tear me from their captain’s throat an’ try to grind me into owder under their boot-heels? Look at my ace. Dll never regain my goad looks, but I’ve got more sense than I bad then.” *In what way?” “Twas a fool for attackin’ Captain Paul in the midst oy Deadwood’s bard crowd, but I was passion blinded, I was lucky to get off with my life. They took a vote with me lyin’ bruised under their feet an’ thar was a majority ov one fer keepin’ me until Paradise Paul re- covered. The rest voted for carvin’ me up thar an’ then. If thet warn’t a close shave, set Colo:.el Sandbanks down for a loon,” Maud the Merciless did not pay much atten- tion to the voluble Sandbanke, but continued to listen to the rough riders galloping over the trail. ‘‘T’'d like to pour it into ’em, I say,” repeated the colonel. ‘*Are you in earnest?’ asked the avenger turning suddenly and looking into the land. lord’s face. sé Try me!” The next moment the Mormon wife extended two revolvers toward him. : “ Here,’ she said, ‘' Glide down to the trail yonder, and take your revenge.” Simon Sandbanks looked at the weapons, then gazed at tbe Mormon and recoiled with a light ejaculation of fear, that brought a gleam of contempt into Maud’s eyes. “Aba! you were joking!” exclaimed the woman, “ You don’t want to burt the Dead- wood toughs. You havealready forgotten their mae kneels. They'll laugh at you in the Ca- sino.’ ‘‘ They shall never do that!” ejaculated Sand- banks, snatching the weapons from Maud’s hands, ‘You think I'm afraid ov the Black Hills ruffians that are ridin’ yonder? By Hea- vens! I'll show them thai they've stepped on the wrong man!” Merciless Maud watched Sandbanks nar- rowly and with great curiosity as he stepped toward the trail itself, a cocked revolver in each hand. Was his old courage which was spasmodic in its actions, actually coming back, or would he sbrink from the attack? He reached the Denver trail, and Merciless Maud saw him lean over the rocks and look southward ashe waited for the Black Hills toughs. ‘* He means it!” exclaimed the Mormon wife. ‘*He means to empty the pistols among the meade gon ravens. They will shoot him to pieces! She heard the very curses of the Dead wooders who swore roundly as they came on, but saw only the dark figure anong the rocks with two death batteries at his command, r | Colonel Sandbanks did not hear ber until she ; ed Cee. t8'« > 5 ws ee - comic ~-se =a a ; | ° , ‘-* a =* kad / : ( 4 b + : iy O 4 * a y | . « _ - = =< ey a » (ie ’T 2 4 - f th 2