Edward L. Wheeler

“ 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." ”

“ 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!" ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ There was a howl instantly.
"And I can do it before you can get up to a level where you can get a shot at me," said Dick. "All you will find will be a little heap of ashes for your trouble."
"You do not dare!" howled the Red Rover. "You would not have the nerve to destroy such a fortune!" ”

“ I am not rash enough to try any trick with you, Deadwood Dick. I am too eager to accept the one chance in a thousand that you hold out to me. What I was going to say—suppose we both get disabled, what of the money in that event? Some one who has no right to it will come along and gather it in. ”

“ Leave my office."
"You fail to recognize me, Captain Joaquin? Then I must show you a proof of identity that you cannot fail to recognize. Behold!"
Deadwood Dick tore open his shirt and exposed the brand of a horseshoe.
There it was, never to be effaced, the brand of a horseshoe that had seared itself into the living flesh.
The man at the desk started to rise, but could not do so; he was like one partly paralyzed and partly bereft of reason. He could only stare.
"Well, I see you recognize me now," said Dick.
"I deny it," was the gasped response. "You are a crazy man. You are a lunatic. ”

“ Dick, already kneeling, was taken at a disadvantage, and he was shoved headlong over the ledge.
Even as he felt himself going, the thought came to him to protect his head with the bag of money, and so he did, holding it tight to his head and drawing himself into as much of a ball as possible, for there was not the least use in his trying to save himself the fall down the rugged side of the cliff. And so he fell, over and over, landing at the feet of Captain Joaquin. ”

“ I thought so," the Red Rover sneered. "A woman's heart is as fickle as the weather. This fellow's make-believe [Pg 12] chivalry has stolen your affection from me—"
"No! no! no! Great heavens! how you wrong me!"
"Ha! ha! Then what is the matter with killing him, since he is my mortal foe, and it must be his life or mine sooner or later?"
"But, your honor, Joaquin, your honor," she reminded him. "He gave you your life, or a chance for it, and you pledged your word that you would do the same—"
"Bah! Choose between us, Susana." ”

“ 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?" ”

“ Tie up his head for him, Susana, and we'll go home."
The young woman tore a handkerchief and made a temporary bandage, which she wound around Dick's head, covering the wound, and secured with pins.
"There, that will do until we get to the cabin," she said. "When we get there I will tie it up better and make it more comfortable for you. While we are foes, yet I can do that for you in mercy."
"You have not told me who shot me," said Dick.
The young woman flushed.
"Nor do we intend to," said Captain Joaquin. "Be satisfied that you are alive, and ask no questions." ”

“ I shall not kick. Better that I should surrender than that any one should get hurt, I suppose."
"Some one would get hurt if you didn't surrender, that is a certainty," Captain Joaquin declared.
The passengers were pale, and no one offered to defend the gallant Richard of the Lion Heart.
"Well, here I am."
Dick was as cool as Captain Joaquin himself, and stood awaiting the pleasure of that notorious outlaw.
"Do you happen to have a pair of handcuffs with you?"
"Yes, a couple of pairs."
"One will answer the purpose. Let's have 'em, and one of my men will see how they will fit you." ”

“ Dick put it into his pocket, Captain Joaquin doing the same with his copy, and they were ready.
"Now for business," said the Red Rover.
"Yes, now to oblige you," said Dick. "Where is the fight to take place?"
"Just down there where the straight stretch of gulch lies, where we can have a clear and fair range, with nothing in the way."
"I prefer to go out to the gulch from which this one branches," said Dick. "I take it that one is traveled, while this one is seldom entered save by you yourself."
"What's your reason for that?"
"We want our bodies to be found, if we both get hit hard." ”

“ Captain Joaquin led the way down from the little peak, Dick following close behind him, and through the first gulch mentioned out to the one Dick had preferred.
"This will do," said Dick. "I do not want to have too far to walk back to get the treasure. Here are your weapons," laying them on the ground as he spoke; "take them and back off the required distance, and we will begin to perforate each other. The man who strikes the ticker first, wins. Remember what I told you about the first shot." ”

“ The men responded, reassured by the word of their leader, as well as by his own intrepid example, and followed the Red Rover up the steep ascent with their torches.
"Hold!"
Deadwood Dick so ordered.
They stopped and looked up, as men in their position naturally would do.
"You will advance another step at your peril," Dick warned them. "I am safe from your bullets, but you are in plain open sight there, and it seems a pity to pick you off."
"That be hanged!" cried Captain Joaquin. "You are talking to gain time, that is all. Come on, boys!"
"Do you want this boulder rolled down upon you?" ”

“ Are your weapons in order?"
"Yes; and yours?"
"The same. Place yourself in position."
The outlaw had laid his Winchester on the ground, and with a revolver in each hand, he stood erect, hands at his sides.
Deadwood Dick was already in that position, for the agreement had so far progressed that it seemed useless for him to hold the Red Rover under cover when the end was so near.
"Now," said Dick, "count with me, and by the time we reach six or seven it will sound as one voice. Remember, neither is to lift an arm until ten is heard; then you may shoot just as quick as you can. ”

“ That, by the way, was a name by which the outlaw was fully as well known as by his appellation of Captain Joaquin.
"That express-car is the matter," was the answer. "You can't expect me to risk the lives of my passengers by starting before I see whether it is fit to run or not."
"It will hang together until you get to the next station, if you are careful, and that is all you want. Go ahead!" to the engineer. "If you don't, we will riddle you with bullets and start your train ourselves and run you straight to Satan!" ”

“ He is our foe, Susana, and he must die. The world is not wide enough to hold us and him, after this night's work."
"That's so," shouted the men. "Death to Deadwood Dick!"
"Hang him," said the captain.
Dick was jerked upon his feet roughly, and his hands were speedily tied behind his back.
Mean time the young woman had thrown herself upon her knees before Captain Joaquin, pleading for his life, reminding him of the chance Dick had given him for his.
"Get up, fool!" the Red Rover sternly ordered. "Have you taken leave of your senses? Let him escape, and we are done for. ”

“ No one else ventured to dispute the point, and the fellow Dick had floored got slowly up, nursing an injured eye, and went muttering to a seat and sat down, while Dick paced up and down the car aisle, like a caged tiger. For a leader so intrepid, the defeat was crushing. ”

“ Some word of yours may cost your life without a moment's notice. I am not the man to brook many such insults. I give you warning."
"Neither are you a coward, Red Rover. You would not shoot me down handcuffed as I am." ”

“ For a moment there he lay; then his revolvers cracked, bringing out at least one cry of pain. Again he was on his feet, dashing for the nearest car. Once more he dropped, not because he saw any one aiming at him, but because he knew they had had just time to do so.
Very true guess, for the rifles spoke out, and again he had escaped their bullets.
Upon the instant, another leap carried him to the platform, and for the time being he was safe.
"Curse you for the cowards you are!" he cried, facing his fellow-passengers. ”

“ They had the advantage of him in every way save one only. He held them in momentary check by his threat to destroy the prize they were after, and which, according to their code, belonged to them.
There was another consultation among them.
Then Captain Joaquin called out:
"Deadwood Dick?"
"Well?"
"We have to admit that you have got the best of it at present. We are willing to make terms with you."
"Well, you have heard one of the conditions."
"Yes, but that would be to place still more advantage on your side. We can't afford to arm you against ourselves, you know." ”

“ Neither can I let you go. I would be a fool if I did."
"Well, I have to agree with you, Captain Joaquin. As I said before, there is no use in our trying to fool each other. We are foes to the bitter end, and so be it."
The outlaw gave a nod and a wave of the hand in acquiescence, and which, at the same time, cut the subject short.
A little later he called a halt.
"Here, men," he said, "is the place for us to part company. You know what the programme is."
They answered that they did.
"You, Hurley, I will make my lieutenant in place of Hoxey. ”

“ The messenger had made a good defense, but, after the explosion, which shattered the side door and made a huge rent in the side of the car, it was found that he had been killed by a piece of the flying iron.
"Served him right!" cried Captain Joaquin. "If he had opened the door in the first place we wouldn't 'a' harmed him."
"They will never learn sense," from one of his men.
"He never will; that's certain."
They bounded into the car, a sledge was used to open the safe, and therein was found the treasure they were after. ”

“ The passengers sprang to their feet with a cheer, and it looked as if they were going to get the upper hand.
CHAPTER II. DICK'S FRUITLESS RISK.
Deadwood Dick, Junior!
He it was who had, at the risk of his life, made this break to cheat the train-robbers.
"Follow me, every man of you who has a gun!" he called out to them. "We can do these fellows up in short order, if we go for them in the right manner. Who is with me?"
There was another cheer at that.
"We're with you to a man!" some one shouted. "You lead the way, and see if we ain't." ”

“ At first it did not move, but remembering how the Red Rover had put forth all his strength by surging against it, Dick now did the same, and presently the boulder moved and finally turned over.
Lighting a match, Dick looked into the cavity, and there was the bag of money exactly as it had been deposited.
He had it out in a second, and did not stop to replace the stone.
If he could get away from the top of the peak before discovered, he would have a chance. ”

“ I will make an example of Deadwood Dick that will be a warning to all other detectives to steer clear of Captain Joaquin!"
The horseshoe was handed forward, and the torches were placed together as ordered, and the iron laid upon them. Then, while two of the cutthroats fanned the blaze with their hats, two more threw Dick to the ground and tore open his shirt in front, baring his breast. ”

“ I had forgotten that."
"Still, it is safely cached, and is safer, perhaps, than it would be at the cabin. Come, we'll go to the cabin."
"No one saw you cache it?" asked Susana.
"No one but this fellow."
"And you have got him secure enough. Better leave it where it is."
Captain Joaquin still had his revolver in hand, and having slung his rifle across his back he ordered Deadwood Dick to precede him along the gulch bottom. ”