Beadle's Dime Library No. 395 — page 31: what you’re looking at

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

ie ol * ah 4 % ‘ ra =" . a di 7 ¥ # vs - " - - _ x Ss » « 4 : « 4 } >. ~ * (7 f ‘ ‘th. 1 gn a ; . ' . : * < . * Aim, the Duke of Derringers. “Tt is a lie!” cried Rufus Cramp, frantically, only to be choked down and gagged by his cap- tors. ‘“T felt—I still feel—that I was simply fight- ing for my own,” resumed Marcia, after one scornful glance toward the craven. ‘‘ Your father cheated my father out of his all, adding it to his own great store. It was a robbery | even more daring than this fight of ours for the | Wellspring millions, in all save the risk of life. There the coward drop showed itself! Romulus Wellspring was careful to hide beneath the cloak of the law, while none the less a thief, rob- ber, and, in the end, a murderer! For my father was murdered! Murdered by his twin- brother,,even as my mother was murdered be- fore him, by the same fratricidal hand!” ‘“Aunt Honor—take me away!” sobbed Por- tia, shrinking from those blazing eyes, from those terrible words. ‘* And you are the heiress to all these millions? You—poor, pitiful, weak, trembling creature!” cried Marcia, her voice full of scorn. ‘“‘ Bah! it was hardly worth while to plot against such a sawdust doll!” She turned away from the trembling girl, facing Rufus Cramp. of contempt before, it expressed the utmost loathing now. , And if her voice was full | ’ ‘* You first whispered this wild plot to me, Ru- | fus Cramp, in the days when I was fool enough to imagine that I could learn to love you as you prayed and pleaded that I might. You told me what sweet revenge I might have on the branch of the family that had so utterly ruined us. You were so proud of the daring scheme, claiming all the credit for it as long as all seem- ed to go well, only to break down the instant matters took a turn for the worse. ‘‘T don’t say this to reproach you with the ruin which, more than any one thing else, your cowardice has brought upon us all. I am will- ing to pay the full penalty for defeat, knowing that I will suffer in common with the man love, the man whom I have loved from the day of our first meeting! ‘**l want to fairly open your eyes, to show you how thoroughly you have been befooled, Rufus Cramp! For a full year I have been a wife—and this is my darling husband!” spring- ing to the side of Kyte Darley, and clasping him about the neck with her white arms, reck- lessly, almost fiercely pressing kisses upon his lips and face, Rufus Cramp turned purple with suffocating rage. He could see it all,now! Truly he was being punished, for, as much as lay in thenature of one so weak and craven, he had loved Marcia Wellspring, and had fondly counted on spend- ing many a long Pal in her arms, when once their desperate Fight for Five Millions was won. Marcia turned to the officer in command and said earnestly: ‘* Kyte Darley is my husband, sir, and before yoo separate us, there are a few words I would ike to speak to him, in at least partial privacy. Have I your permission?” The man hesitated. He knew Kyte Darley .by reputation as an exceedingly bold and slip- pery customer. He had seen and heard quite enough to convince him that in Marcia, the gambler had a true and fitting mate. A faint smile of scorn curled the lips of the wife as she read this hesitation aright. ‘*'You mistake, my dear sir. I do not ask for complete privacy. I will be content to speak under your eyes, but I simply ask that you eae men to step back a pace or two. If it will assist you in making up mind, I swear that neither Kyte nor myself will try to run away!” ’ -Stung more by her looks of contempt and de- rision than her words, the sign was made, and the officers fell back. Marcia seemed to instantly lose sight and thought of them all, having eyes and care for none save her husband. Their lips met in a long, clinging pressure. Love shone unvailed from black and brown eyes. Not a word was uttered, that any of the watchers could hear “a ‘eee . ere was a smothered report, and K - ley fell to the floor without a cry or A Po bullet driven through his brain! ; Even as they both fell, Marcia flung aside the derringer, with which she had placed her loved one beyond all human arrest, and drawing a long, slender dagger, pressed it home to her own heart, the weight of her body helping her hand as she pressed close to the bosom of her dead husband. And with her lips touching his, her spirit fled. It was simple truth, or nearly a week after Rufus Cramp and Kyte Darley left St. Louis on their dastardly mission, Romulus Wellspring kept hovering on the verge of death, but then he took a sudden oh died ther aegis a oat a little to their e consulti icians that he wedi resoeer ing physicians declared Silas Cramp was driven to desperation by this ib el unexpected peril. He had just received word that Rufus had started on the Superb with reached them, both were dead and beyond all t ee, ie | Portia, and knew that even the telegraph could Edward L. Wheeler’s not catch him in time to prevent his playing another card in their dangerous game. And so, feeling that it was the only way out of the tangle, he attempted to poison the sick man, but so clumsily that he was caught in the act. Broken down by those long weeks of plotting, confronted by his own deadly potion, the old man confessed all, even to the slightest detail of their cunning schemings. Without the loss of a moment, warrants were sworn out for the arrest of Rufus Cramp and Kyte Darley. A swift steamer was bought out- right by the millionaire, and he himself was carried on board her despite the arguments of | his dismayed physicians, | 20 He roundly cursed them for opi “+ yea aeg | Defiance. will, swearing that as soon as he could get be- ty at Ry yond reach of their potions and quack nostrums, | 28. Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise, he would be himself again. Anc in this the end 35. Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval; or, The justified his : redictions, though it was anxiety | Brotherhood of Death. for bis beloved ch 1d that helped him to fight | back the demon of sickness. And it was this | 42. The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s anxiety that kept the good steamer racing down | Bonanza. the river at vetiidan speed day and night, never! ,, > Ses slackening until the pilots declared that they | 49. Omaha Oll; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. recognized the Superb grounded on a bar. And, 75, Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of then—the old man gave way and was forced to Flood Bar. see his officers leave the boat without him. | : What followed. we ian seen. | %3. Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, : the Heroine of Whoop-Up. Marcia Darley had made sure work of it with | both pistol and knife, and when the officers . Corduroy Chariie; or, The Last Act of Dead- wood Dick. Beadle’s Half-Dime Library. 1. Deadwood Dick; or, The Black Rider of the Black Hills. . The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s ~] ~§ Deadwood Dick Novels — 4 4 mortal law. They were borne ashore and buried in the | 100. Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Me wilderness, a wooden slab marking the spot, for Stroke for Liberty. 3 eral sp Ampeg should any such become 104. Deadwood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of s There was no longer thought of continuing the | the Double Cross. ne trip to St. Louis, for Romtlus Wellspring de- | 109. Deadwood Dick as Detective. | clared that he had gained all he wished, and ; ,, “- ng? wh i that he would hasten at once to Fairview to re- | 121, ae oe Sys ee ie Sport; or, The As cruit with his child and Aunt Honor. | seapenagl raises Bo ct > ra ‘* Do what_you please, just so you don’t ask me | 129, Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of eyes I sete Pi i don’t please!” he Gorgon’s Gulch. ps told the officers. ‘Take young Cramp back and | _. , , stretch his neck in company with that of his | 158. Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home _ father, if Ae yt I i turn over my hand Base ay to save either of them. won't turn it over to | : : salle Tt is abe them. I’m done with the nasty affair, I | i”, eg of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick's Bigiss Fa tell you! | ae site And thusithadtobe. <A five-fold millionaire, | 156. Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The — shalt wipes Abo was er aged one whom they | Picked Party. =o could grasp by the nape of the neck.and force to , ‘ ; sau prosecute. He had bought the boat. He was | 195. Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivalsof = master of the situation, and plainly resolved to | the Road. to the grave. | Silas Cramp was kept in jail for some months, | but Romulus Wellspring doggedly declined to | rosecute, and in the end he was turned loose, to | ive a wretchedly miserable life for several | years, dying finally, uncared for, going to the grave unwept, unhonored. Gypsy Jack from Jimtown. Grim Gulch. . Gold-Dust Dick. . Deadwood Dick’s Divide; or, The Spirit of Swamp Lake. a Chief Martin Tullar, his men and his prisoner, Ocean to Ocean. all took passage for New Orleans on the boat | owned by the millionaire, ' | Portia was the means of this, and it was | through her eloquent description of all she owed | the Duke of Derringers that Romulus Well- spring interfered with such good success that, be- | fore the levee was reached, Martin Tullar had destroyed his papers and shaken hands with the — Brick of Oregon. . Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir in the Diggings. . te . Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal; or, The Gold Phantom Flats. tbe . Deadwood Dick’s Ducats; or, Rainy Days — 7 ae wy . 5 i 5 ” ry ae * * fm eo . _ oy . Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand; OF i ~ ‘, . Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail; or, From #, % r entleman sport, swearing that he’d rather lose 351. Deadwood Dick Sentenced; or, The Terrib] oes pie, oficial oad than ho prosecute sone since it | Vendetta. eee ad all come about through his noble efforts to tw ' ay, save such a lovely lady from her bitter enemies, | 262. Deadwood Dick's Claim; or, The Fairy Face Avd— of Faro Flats. - But why dilate? Even a millionaire is but | ee ; ho mortal, and Romulus Wellspring lived only for 405. Deadwood Dick in Dead City. er >, his daughter now. And Portia never sought to 410. Deadwood Dick’s Diamonds; or, The Mys- Ree deny the words she uttered when Duke Barrin- | tery of Joan Porter. ae ger was put in irons through his manly defense of her life. 421. The millionaire only exacted one condition— Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A Cute > ¥ r. . he that his future son-in-law should sign a pledge . ke never again to play cards for money. < . Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained This was promptly done, and before the year Hand. le pnd a bea ellspring became Mrs. Marm Deadwood Dick, Jr.; or, The Sign of jhe As next-of-kin, the little property left by Mar- Crimson Crescent. MS he cia Wellspring descended to Romulus Wellspring, and he cau her remains to be removed from the spot where first buried, with those of her hus- band, and had them reinterred beside those of her father, mother and the rest of the ay: Every dollar was spent in erecting a stately monument over them, and then their very mem- ory was banished from his life. he millionaire lived to see his grandchildren growing up about him, and to know that the one-time ‘* Duke of Derringers” was a thorough- ly reformed gambler, a model husband, a lov g father, a most agreeable son-in-law, and a mod business man in whose hands he might safely leave the Wellspring Millions without fear. THE END. \ A ' ~/ v ; ‘ _— . * * li» > P Defiance. ee ee ee Dick Jr’s Full Hand. 2 six cents each. cboo com Si, . Nickel-Plate Ned; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s 7 + a 98 William street, New York, ‘ < < + oF . Sunflower Sam, of Shasta; or, Deadwood . Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick bere Jr’s Big Round-up. Ca The above are for sale by all newsdealers, | five cents a copy, or sent by mail on receipt of BEADLE AND ADAMS, PGBLISHERS, remain master. (201. The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood 3 Rufus ee was removed to ae —_ ie | Dick’s Ward. . 4 or up-river, but it was written that he should , Ar | never come to trial for his part in the Fight for 70°- Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jat Five Millions. Erysipelas set in, and his lacer- | Jane’s Last Adventure. 2 ated cheek was finally the means of sending him | 947 . Sugar Coated Sam; or, The Black Gownsof es +