Deadwood Dick

“ 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." ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ At their head, looking weird and wonderful in his suit of black, rides he whom all have heard of—he whom some have seen, and he whom no one dare raise a hand against, in single combat—Deadwood Dick, Road-Agent Prince, and the one person whose name is in everybody's mouth. ”

“ The four horses were quietly reined in, and when the others were out of hearing, their noses were turned back up the canyon in the direction of Deadwood.
"This will be an unhealthy job for us!" said one of the brothers, "should we ever meet Dick again."
"Fear him not!" replied Alexander Filmore, with an oath. "If he ever crosses your path shoot him down like a dog, and I'll give you a thousand dollars for the work. The sooner he dies the better I'll be suited."
He spoke in a tone of strongest hate—deepest rancor. ”

“ 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?" ”

“ Every minute I stay here I am one minute nearer prison doors."
[Pg 6]
CHAPTER VI. CACHING THE TREASURE.
Deadwood Dick had to laugh.
There was something about the situation that struck him as being ridiculous.
Why should he be talking terms and conditions to a man already in his power, and that man an outlaw? It was needless, and yet—Well, Deadwood Dick had his moods.
He was willing to give the fellow, rascal though he was, the benefit of a doubt, and now that his word had been given he would not recall it. That was not Deadwood Dick's way. What he said, that had to stand ”

“ 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. ”

“ 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. ”

“ About a month later, one day when Calamity Jane was watering her horse at the stream, two miles above Deadwood, the road-agent chief rode out of the chaparral and joined her.
He was still masked, well armed, and looking every inch a Prince of the Road.
"Jennie," he said, reining in his steed, "I am lonely and want a companion to keep me company through life. You have no one but yourself; our spirits and general temperament agree. Will you marry me and become my queen?"
"No!" said the girl, haughtily, sternly. "I have had all the man I care for. We can be friends, Dick; more we can never be!" ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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. ”

“ As you may have guessed already, we are a band of road-agents, whose field of action we have lately confined to the Black Hills country. I have the honor of being the leader, and you have doubtless heard of me—Deadwood Dick, the 'Road-Agent Prince,' as the Pioneer persists in terming me. Just at present, things are rather sultry in the immediate vicinity of Deadwood, so far as we are concerned, and we sought this locality to escape a small army of the Deadwood military, who have been nosing around after us for the past week. ”

“ Seeing that nothing could be accomplished through aids, my enemies have at last come out to superintend my butchery in person; and but for the timely interference of Calamity Jane and Justin McKenzie, a short time since, I should have ere this been numbered with the dead. Now, I am inclined to be merciful to only those who have been merciful to me; therefore, I have decided that Alexander and Clarence Filmore shall pay the penalty of hanging, for their attempted crimes. Boys, string 'em up!"
So saying, Deadwood Dick stepped without the cabin, and closed the door behind him. ”

“ Accordingly, a rush was made upon the stage, and the two outside passengers. Down they were hauled, head over heels, and quickly secured by strong cords about the wrists and ankles.
This done, Deadwood Dick turned to Bill McGucken, who had ventured to clamber to the seat of the coach.
"Drive on, you cowardly lout—drive on. We've done with you for the present. But, remember, not a word of this to the population of Deadwood, if you intend to ever make another trip over this route. Now, go!" ”

“ 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." ”

“ 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." ”

“ Let them just continue their hounding game, and see which comes up on top when the bag's shook. If more than one of 'em don't get their fingers burned when they snatch Deadwood Dick bald-headed, why I'm a Spring creek sucker, that's all. ”

“ On your word that you would give me a fair show, I placed these handcuffs on my wrists, as you see."
"Yes, and I have not tried them yet, as I promised to do, by the way. Here, Jim, just see if this fellow's irons are safe."
One of the men rode forward and tried them.
"He can't git out of them 'ar things, cap'n," he reported.
"All right. It seems you put them on to stay, Deadwood Dick. You have the key to them, of course."
"In my vest pocket."
"All right. Just relieve him of it, Jim."
"You bet, boss! We don't want him springin' no tricks on us, hey?" ”

“ Only a stageful uv passengers, this trip."
"Bah! you are getting poor. Get down from off the box, there!"
The driver trembled, and hesitated.
"Get down!" again commanded the road-agent, leveling his revolver, "before I drop you."
In terror McGucken made haste to scramble to the ground, where he stood with his teeth chattering and knees knocking together in a manner pitiable to see. "Ha, ha, ha!" That wild laugh of Deadwood Dick's made the welkin ring out a weird chorus. "Bill McGucken, you should join the regular army, you are so brave. Ha, ha, ha!" ”

“ Redburn grew very pale, but not paler was he than the card-sharp just opposite. Redburn was no coward; neither was he accustomed to the desperate character of the population of the Hills. Should he shoot the tricky wretch before him, he knew he should be always calling himself a murderer. On the contrary, in the natural laws of Deadwood, such a murder would be classed justice.
"Two!" said Ned Harris, drawing his pistol-hammer back to full cock. "Come, pilgrim, are you going to shoot?" ”

“ Robber Dick was accordingly supported to a sitting posture, and the blood that flowed freely from his wound was stanched. In the operation his mask became loosened and slipped to the ground, but so quickly did he snatch it up and replace it, that no one caught even a glimpse of his face.
In the meantime Clarence Filmore had discharged every load in his two six-shooters into the air. He had an object in doing this; he thought that the reports of fire-arms would reach Deadwood (which was only a short mile distant, around the bend) , and arouse the military, who would come to his rescue. ”

“ Perhaps you remember this horseshoe. Perhaps you—"
Captain Joaquin uttered a scream.
"You do not mean to brand me!"
"An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth," assured Dick.
"Anything but that—anything but that! Shoot me, hang me, but do not brand me!"
"Oh, it will hurt you no worse than it hurt me," averred Bristol, with a laugh. "If life is spared you, it may teach you a lesson of mercy to others. You are to be branded."
The wretch cried, begged to be spared; but all to no purpose. Dick called his men around him and told them the story, and his decision met their hearty approval. ”

“ It's every man for himself."
And only under her guidance was Ned able to escape, and save being tailed and captured with the rest.
About noon of the succeeding day, two persons on horseback were coming along the north gulch leading into Deadwood, at an easy canter. They were the fearless Scarlet Boy, or as he is better known, Fearless Frank, and his lovely protege, Miss Terry. They had been for a morning ride over to a neighboring claim, and were just returning.
Since their arrival in Deadwood the youth had devoted a part of his time in a search for Alice's father, but all to no avail. ”