Edward L. Wheeler

“ Alice Terry had grown pale, too. She saw that friend and protector and the stranger were enemies,—that this meeting though purely accidental was not to end without trouble. Her lips grew set, her eyes flashed, and she reined her horse closer to that of the Scarlet Boy.
Ned Harris let a faint smile, of contempt and pity combined, come into relief on his lips, as he saw this action. Better ten male enemies than one female, he thought; but, then, women must not stand in the way, now. No! nothing must block the path intervening between enmity and vengeance. ”

“ Not only was Dick doing that, but he was running the risk of his own life by so doing. He was making it an even toss between right and wrong, between law and outlaw, between justice and iniquity.
Captain Joaquin stopped and faced around.
"Are you ready?" he coolly asked.
"One moment," said Dick.
"What is it?"
"I do not want to take any advantage of you, nor do I mean to allow you to take any advantage of me if I can help it."
"That is right."
"We must have a signal to fire by, and it must be one that neither of us can mistake." ”

“ He watched her with an expression of fondness in his eyes; he admired her every gesture and action; he saw something new to admire in her, each moment he was in her society.
When the evening meal was cleared away, he took down the guitar, and sung several ballads, the old "General" accompanying him with his rich deep bass, and Alice with her clear birdlike alto; and the sweet melody of the trio's voices called forth round after round of rapturous applause from the road-agents camped upon the slope, and from the Utes who were lounging here and there among the flower-beds of the valley. ”

“ FRITZ TO THE FRONT. CHAPTER I MADGE.
One bright, hot August morning a cheap excursion was advertised to leave South Street wharf, Philadelphia, for Atlantic City—that lively little city by the sea, which is so fast growing in size and popularity as to rival the more noted of the Atlantic coast summer resorts. A cheap excursion which is within the means of the working class is ever a success, and this one was no exception; it gave the masses a chance to escape from the overheated city for a small sum, and they grasped at it eagerly. ”

“ It was Susana.
With a suppressed cry she ran to the tree with all speed, and with a single sweep of a keen knife severed the rope.
Deadwood Dick dropped to the ground heavily, all limp and apparently lifeless, and the young woman was at his side instantly, her eager fingers at work at the noose.
It was quickly loosened and removed.
"He must not die, he shall not die!" she cried to herself. "I will save him for his revenge. You accused me of loving him, Captain Joaquin, wrongly accused me, but I will love him now, love him with my whole heart, for you have made me hate you—hate you!" ”

“ But of the lot, Deadwood Dick was the only one bold enough to approach the cabin, he came sauntering along and halted on the threshold, nodding to the occupants of the little apartment with a nonchalance which was not assumed.
"Good-evening!" he said, tipping his sombrero, but taking care not to let the mask slip from his face. "I hope mine is not an intrusion. Hearing music, I was loth to stay away, for I am a great lover of music;—it is the one passion that appeals to my better nature." ”

“ Come! the handcuffs!"
"If it is your intention to kill me, I may as well die right here as anywhere; if you intend to give me a chance for my life, all right."
"Don't shoot here!" called out a timid passenger.
"It would be a good thing to do a little of it for your especial benefit," Dick declared ironically.
"No, don't resist, but go with 'em peaceably," the passenger urged. "It is better that one should make a sacrifice than that all should come to grief," he argued.
Dick and Captain Joaquin laughed.
"I intend to give you a show," said the latter. "Come, there is no time to fool away!" ”

“ Leadville's angered delegate gazed after him a moment, with unutterable contempt—then turned to Fritz:
"Poor fool. He's no sand, or he'd not cut and run, after calling a man a liar. Up in Leadville [23] things are supremely different, but here alas! is a lack of back-bone. I say, young fellow, have you ever cherished dreams of becoming rich?—a man of millions, as it were?"
"Vel, I don'd know but I haff some off dose anxiety to get rich, vonce in a vile," Fritz admitted.
"Well, sir, I can tell you just how you can do it the easiest, if you will stroll upon the beach with me." ”

“ But the road-agents only pause a moment in their song to send back a wild, sarcastic laugh; then they resume it, and merrily dash along up the gulch, the ringing of iron-shod hoofs beating a strange tatoo to the sound of the music.
Sleepily the miners crawl back to their respective couches; the moon smiles down on mother earth, and nature once more fans itself to sleep with the breath of a fragrant breeze.
Deadwood—magic city of the West! ”

“ I will gather my men around me once more, and nothing shall stop my career."
Of a sudden light flashed upon the scene, and a woman stood before him—Susana—with a leveled revolver!
"I will not bear the blame that does not belong to me," she said, her voice firm, but her face pale. "There was a time when I could, and would, have followed you to death, but you blasted my love by your cruel suspicions. You wrongly accused me, and you would not show mercy where mercy was deserved. You turned my love to hate, and now I am your most bitter foe."
"Ha! ha! ha!" the outlaw laughed. ”

“ Of medium hight and symmetrically built; dressed in a carefully tanned costume of buck-skin, the vest being fringed with the fur of the mink; wearing a jaunty Spanish sombrero; boots on the dainty feet of patent leather, with tops reaching to the knees; a face slightly sun-burned, yet showing the traces of beauty that even excessive dissipation could not obliterate; eyes black and piercing; mouth firm, resolute, and devoid of sensual expression: hair of raven color and of remarkable length;—such was the picture of the youth as beheld by Redburn and Harris. ”

“ Deadwood Dick's foot had suddenly caught the fellow in the middle, and over he went with a grunt terrific.
No sooner had he fallen than the girl was upon him, and her knife was buried in his breast, straight and true, and the cutthroat stiffened out to rise no more.
"There is one less," she said, rising. "I never killed a human before, but I would kill a score rather than be taken back to that man. Thank heaven, we are free yet, Dick. Do you want further proof of my devotion to you? Can you ask it?"
"I did not ask anything more than your word, Susana. You are a pard worth having. ”

“ The influx of "pilgrims" into the Black Hills for the last few days has been something more than wonderful, every stage coming in overcharged with feverish passengers, and from two to a dozen trains arriving daily.
Of course Deadwood receives a larger share of all this immigration—nothing is more natural, for the young metropolis of the hills is the miner's rendezvous, being in the center of the best yielding locates. ”

“ Susana?"
He called out to the young woman.
"I hear you, Joaquin."
"Come here and see how I treat a rival when I catch him."
"No, no! Spare me that, Joaquin, spare me that! He is no rival; it was only of you I thought!"
"Bah! you lie to me. I'll fetch you—ha! ha!"
He made a dash at her, but with another scream she turned and fled from sight.
Captain Joaquin returned laughing, and ordered the hot iron to be laid upon Deadwood Dick's bare breast, and a man brought it from the fire on the end of a rifle barrel.
"Anything to say, Deadwood Dick?" the Red Rover inquired. ”

“ Redburn raised his pistol and fired—blindly and carelessly, not knowing or caring whither went the compulsory death-dealing bullet.
There was a heavy fall, a groan of pain, as the gambler dropped over on the floor; then for the space of a few seconds all was the wildest confusion throughout the mammoth saloon.
Revolvers were in every hand, knives flashed in the glare of the lamplight, curses and threats were in scores of mouths, while some of the vast surging crowd cheered lustily. ”

“ Strange men were in possession of the bank. Each of them had a badge on his breast.
Captain Joaquin looked around him in dismay, and his face turned even more deathly pale than ever, if possible.
The woman was Susana.
She was pale, but her face was determined.
With a quick movement the rascal reached for a pistol, but Deadwood Dick was upon him instantly.
"No you don't," he cried. "Whether you meant to shoot her or yourself, is all the same. Neither life can be spared just yet. Johnson, disarm him."
One of the deputies stepped forward and did so. ”

“ It was but natural that she should side with him to whom she owed her life, and the glances of scorn and indignation she shot at the young miner might have driven another man than him into a retreat.
Fearless Frank made no motion toward speech; he was determined that the young miner should open the quarrel, if a quarrel it was to be. But beneath his firm-set lips were clenched two rows of teeth, tightly, fiercely; while every nerve in the youth's body was drawn to its utmost tension. ”

“ So far, sir, he has acted in a courteous and gentlemanly manner toward me!" said Alice Terry. "What he may have been heretofore concerns me not, as you must know."
"He is always that—smooth-tongued, until he has lured his victim to ruin!" retorted Ned, bitterly. "Beware of him, lady, for he is a rattlesnake in the disguise of a bright-winged butterfly."
Fearless Frank grew livid at this last thrust. Forbearance is virtue, sometimes, but not always. In his case the Scarlet Boy felt that he could bear the taunts of the miner no longer. ”

“ The outlaw laughed harshly.
"Yes, I guess you are, too," he said. "Well, it will be an even chance for your life, I promise you that," he added. "An equal number of white and of black beans will be put into a bag, and you will be required to draw one out. If it be white, you live; black, and you die at midnight."
Dick smiled grimly.
"Suppose I should draw a white one, does that give me my liberty?" ”

“ Bent on emulation, the "General" also used his heels with considerable vim, but alas! what dependence can be placed on a mule? The animal bolted, with a vicious nip back at the offending rider's legs, and refused to budge an inch.
On—on dashed the fearless youth, mounted on his noble steed, his eyes bent forward, in a sharp scrutiny of the plain ahead, his mind filled with wonder that the cries were now growing more distinct and yet not a first glimpse could he obtain of the source whence they emanated. ”