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diff --git a/14902-8.txt b/14902-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a54b359 --- /dev/null +++ b/14902-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4990 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Deadwood Dick, The Prince of the Road +by Edward L. Wheeler + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Deadwood Dick, The Prince of the Road + or, The Black Rider of the Black Hills + +Author: Edward L. Wheeler + +Release Date: February 4, 2005 [EBook #14902] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DEADWOOD DICK *** + + + + +Produced by David Starner, Jeannie Howse and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net). + + + + + + +[Illustration] + +BEADLE'S HALF DIME LIBRARY + +1877, BEADLE AND ADAMS. + +Vol. I. Single BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, Price, No. 1 + Number. No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 cents + + + + +=Deadwood Dick,= THE PRINCE OF THE ROAD; +OR, +THE BLACK RIDER of the BLACK HILLS. + +BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +FEARLESS FRANK TO THE RESCUE. + + +On the plains, midway between Cheyenne and the Black Hills, a train +had halted for a noonday feed. Not a railway train, mind you, but a +line of those white-covered vehicles drawn by strong-limbed mules, +which are most properly styled "prairie schooners." + +There were four wagons of this type, and they had been drawn in a +circle about a camp-fire, over which was roasting a savory haunch of +venison. Around the camp-fire were grouped half a score of men, all +rough, bearded, and grizzled, with one exception. This being a youth +whose age one could have safely put at twenty, so perfectly developed +of physique and intelligent of facial appearance was he. There was +something about him that was not handsome, and yet you would have been +puzzled to tell what it was, for his countenance was strikingly +handsome, and surely no form in the crowd was more noticeable for its +grace, symmetry, and proportionate development. It would have taken a +scholar to have studied out the secret. + +He was of about medium stature, and as straight and square-shouldered +as an athlete. His complexion was nut-brown, from long exposure to the +sun; hair of hue of the raven's wing, and hanging in long, straight +strands adown his back; eyes black and piercing as an eagle's; +features well molded, with a firm, resolute mouth and prominent chin. +He was an interesting specimen of young, healthy manhood, and, even +though a youth in years, was one that could command respect, if not +admiration, wheresoever he might choose to go. + +One remarkable item about his personal appearance, apt to strike the +beholder as being exceedingly strange and eccentric, was his +costume--buck-skin throughout, and that dyed to the brightest scarlet +hue. + +On being asked the cause of his odd freak of dress, when he had joined +the train a few miles out from Cheyenne, the youth had laughingly +replied: + +"Why, you see, it is to attract bufflers, if we should meet any, out +on the plains 'twixt this and the Hills." + +He gave his name as Fearless Frank, and said he was aiming for the +Hills; that if the party in question would furnish him a place among +them, he would extend to them his assistance as a hunter, guide, or +whatever, until the destination was reached. + +Seeing that he was well armed, and judging from external appearances +that he would prove a valuable accessory, the miners were nothing loth +in accepting his services. + +Of the others grouped about the camp-fire only one is specially +noticeable, for, as Mark Twain remarks, "the average of gold-diggers +look alike." This person was a little, deformed old man; hump-backed, +bow-legged, and white-haired, with cross eyes, a large mouth, a big +head, set upon a slim, crane-like neck; blue eyes, and an immense +brown beard, that flowed downward half-way to the belt about his +waist, which contained a small arsenal of knives and revolvers. He +hobbled about with a heavy crutch constantly under his left arm, and +was certainly a pitiable sight to behold. + +He too had joined the caravan after it had quitted Cheyenne, his +advent taking place about an hour subsequent to that of Fearless +Frank. His name he asserted was Nix--Geoffrey Walsingham Nix--and +where he came from, and what he sought in the Black Hills, was simply +a matter of conjecture among the miners, as he refused to talk on the +subject of his past, present or future. + +The train was under the command of an irascible old plainsman who had +served out his apprenticeship in the Kansas border war, and whose name +was Charity Joe, which, considering his avaricious disposition, was +the wrong handle on the wrong man. Charity was the least of all old +Joe's redeeming characteristics; charity was the very thing he did not +recognize, yet some wag had facetiously branded him Charity Joe, and +the appellation had clung to him ever since. He was well advanced in +years, yet withal a good trailer and an expert guide, as the success +of his many late expeditions into the Black Hills had evidenced. + +Those who had heard of Joe's skill as a guide, intrusted themselves in +his care, for, while the stages were stopped more or less on each +trip, Charity Joe's train invariably went through all safe and sound. +This was partly owing to his acquaintance with various bands of +Indians, who were the chief cause of annoyance on the trip. + +So far we see the train toward the land of gold, without their having +seen sight or sound of hostile red-skins, and Charity is just +chuckling over his usual good luck: + +"I tell ye what, fellers, we've hed a fa'r sort uv a shake, so fur, +an' no mistake 'bout it. Barrin' thar ain't no Sittin' Bulls layin' in +wait fer us, behead yander, in ther mounts, I'm of ther candid opinion +we'll get through wi'out scrapin' a ha'r." + +"I hope so," said Fearless Frank, rolling over on the grass and gazing +at the guide, thoughtfully, "but I doubt it. It seems to me that one +hears of more butchering, lately, than there was a month ago--all on +account of the influx of ruffianly characters into the Black Hills!" + +"Not all owing to that, chippy," interposed "General" Nix, as he had +immediately been christened by the miners--"not all owing to that. +Thar's them gol danged copper-colored guests uv ther government--they're +kickin' up three pints uv the'r rumpus, more or less--consider'bly less +of more than more o' less. Take a passel uv them barbarities an' shet +'em up inter a prison for three or thirteen yeers, an' ye'd see w'at +an impression et'd make, now. Thar'd be siveral less massycrees a week, +an' ye wouldn't see a rufyan onc't a month. W'y, gentlefellows, thar'd +nevyar been a ruffian, ef et hedn't been fer ther cussed Injun tribe--not +_one!_ Ther infarnal critters ar' ther instignators uv more deviltry +nor a cat wi' nine tails." + +"Yes, we will admit that the reds are not of saintly origin," said +Fearless Frank, with a quiet smile. "In fact I know of several who are +far from being angels, myself. There is old Sitting Bull, for +instance, and Lone Lion, Rain-in-the-Face, and Horse-with-the-Red-Eye, +and so forth, and so forth!" + +"Exactly. Every one o' 'em's a danged descendant o' ther old Satan, +hisself." + +[Illustration: Ha! ha! ha! isn't that rich, now? Ha! ha! ha! arrest +Deadwood Dick if you can!] + +"Layin' aside ther Injun subjeck," said Charity Joe, forking into the +roasted venison, "I move thet we take up a silent debate on ther +pecooliarities uv a deer's hind legs; so heer goes!" + +He cut out a huge slice with his bowie, sprinkled it over with salt, +and began to devour it by very large mouthfuls. All hands proceeded to +follow his example, and the noonday meal was dispatched in silence. +After each man had fully satisfied his appetite and the mules and +Fearless Frank's horse had grazed until they were full as ticks, the +order was given to hitch up, which was speedily done, and the caravan +was soon in motion, toiling along like a diminutive serpent across the +plain. + +The afternoon was a mild, sunny one in early autumn, with a refreshing +breeze perfumed with the delicate scent of after-harvest flowers +wafting down from the cool regions of the Northwest, where lay the new +El Dorado--the land of gold. + +Fearless Frank bestrode a noble bay steed of fire and nerve, while old +General Nix rode an extra mule that he had purchased of Charity Joe. +The remainder of the company rode in the wagons or "hoofed it," as +best suited their mood--walking sometimes being preferable to the +rumbling and jolting of the heavy vehicles. + +Steadily along through the afternoon sunlight the train wended its +way, the teamsters alternately singing and cursing their mules, as +they jogged along. Fearless Frank and the "General" rode several +hundred yards in advance, both apparently engrossed in deepest +thought, for neither spoke until, toward the close of the afternoon, +Charity Joe called their attention to a series of low, faint cries +brought down upon their hearing by the stiff northerly wind. + +"'Pears to me as how them sound sorter human like," said the old +guide, trotting along beside the young man's horse, as he made known +the discovery. "Jes' listen, now, an' see if ye ain't uv ther same +opinion!" + +The youth did listen, and at the same time swept the plain with his +eagle eyes, in search of the object from which the cries emanated. But +nothing of animal life was visible in any direction beyond the train, +and more was the mystery, since the cries sounded but a little way +off. + +"They _are_ human cries!" exclaimed Fearless Frank, excitedly, "and +come from some one in distress. Boys, we must investigate this +matter." + +"You can investigate all ye want," grunted Charity Joe, "but I hain't +a-goin' ter stop ther train till dusk, squawk or no squawk. I jedge we +won't get inter their Hills any too soon, as it ar'." + +"You're an old fool!" retorted Frank, contemptuously. "I wouldn't be +as mean as you for all the gold in the Black Hills country, say +nothin' about that in California and Colorado." + +He turned his horse's head toward the north, and rode away, followed, +to the wonder of all, by the "General." + +"Ha! ha!" laughed Charity Joe, grimly, "I wish you success." + +"You needn't; I do not want any of your wishes. I'm going to search +for the person who makes them cries, an' ef you don't want to wait, +why go to the deuce with your old train!" + +"There ye err," shouted the guide: "I'm goin' ter Deadwood, instead uv +ter the deuce." + +"_Maybe_ you will go to Deadwood, and then, again, maybe ye won't," +answered back Fearless Frank. + +"More or less!" chimed in the general--"consider'bly more of less than +less of more. Look out thet ther allies uv Sittin' Bull don't git ther +_dead wood_ on ye." + +On marched the train--steadily on over the level, sandy plain, and +Fearless Frank and his strange companion turned their attention to the +cries that had been the means of separating them from the train. They +had ceased now, altogether, and the two men were at a loss what to do. + +"Guv a whoop, like a Government Injun," suggested "General" Nix; "an' +thet'll let ther critter know thet we be friends a-comin'. Par'ps +she'm g'in out ontirely, a-thinkin' as no one war a-comin' ter her +resky!" + +"She, you say?" + +"Yas, she; fer I calkylate 'twern't no _he_ as made them squawks. Sing +out like a bellerin' bull, now, an' et ar' more or less +likely--consider'bly more of less 'n less of more--that she will +respond!" + +Fearless Frank laughed, and forming his hands into a trumpet he gave +vent to a loud, ear-splitting "hello!" that made the prairies ring. + +"Great whale uv Joner!" gasped the "General," holding his hands toward +the region of his organs of hearing. "Holy Mother o' Mercy! don't do +et ag'in, b'yee--don' do et; ye've smashed my tinpanum all inter +flinders! Good heaven! ye hev got a bugle wus nor enny steam tooter +frum heer tew Lowell." + +"Hark!" said the youth, bending forward in a listening attitude. + +The next instant silence prevailed, and the twain anxiously listened. +Wafted down across the plain came in faint piteous accents the +repetition of the cry they had first heard, only it was now much +fainter. Evidently whoever was in distress, was weakening rapidly. +Soon the cries would be inaudible. + +"It's straight ahead!" exclaimed Fearless Frank, at last. "Come along, +and we'll soon see what the matter is!" + +He put the spurs to his spirited animal, and the next instant was +dashing wildly off over the sunlit plain. 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. + +On--on--on; then suddenly he reins his steed back upon its haunches, +just in time to avert a frightful plunge into one of those remarkable +freaks of nature--the blind canal, or, in other words, a channel +valley washed out by heavy rains. These the tourist will frequently +encounter in the regions contiguous to the Black Hills. + +Below him yawned an abrupt channel, a score or more of feet in depth, +at the bottom of which was a dense chaparral thicket. The little +valley thus nestled in the earth was about forty rods in width, and +one would never have dreamed it existed, unless they chanced to ride +to the brink, above. + +Fearless Frank took in the situation at a glance, and not hearing the +cries, he rightly conjectured that the one in distress had again +become exhausted. That that person was in the thicket below seemed +more than probable, and he immediately resolved to descend in search. +Slipping from his saddle, he stepped forward to the very edge of the +precipice and looked over. The next second the ground crumbled beneath +his feet, and he was precipitated headlong into the valley. +Fortunately he received no serious injuries, and in a moment was on +his feet again, all right. + +"A miss is as good as a mile," he muttered, brushing the dirt from his +clothing. "Now, then, we will find out the secret of the racket in +this thicket." + +Glancing up to the brink above to see that his horse was standing +quietly, he parted the shrubbery, and entered the thicket. + +It required considerable pushing and tugging to get through the dense +undergrowth, but at last his efforts were rewarded, and he stood in a +small break or glade. + +Stood there, to behold a sight that made the blood boil in his veins. +Securely bound with her face toward a stake, was a young girl--a +maiden of perhaps seventeen summers, whom, at a single glance, one +might surmise was remarkably pretty. + +She was stripped to the waist, and upon her snow-white back were +numerous welts from which trickled diminutive rivulets of crimson. Her +head was dropped against the stake to which she was bound, and she was +evidently insensible. + +With a cry of astonishment and indignation Fearless Frank leaped +forward to sever her bonds, when like so many grim phantoms there +filed out of the chaparral, and circled around him, a score of +hideously painted savages. One glance at the portly leader satisfied +Frank as to his identity. It was the fiend incarnate--Sitting Bull! + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +DEADWOOD DICK, THE ROAD-AGENT. + + + "=$500 Reward:= For the apprehension and arrest of a + notorious young desperado who hails to the name of Deadwood + Dick. His present whereabouts are somewhat contiguous to the + Black Hills. For further information, and so forth, apply + immediately to + + HUGH VANSEVERE, + + "At Metropolitan Saloon, Deadwood City." + +Thus read a notice posted up against a big pine tree, three miles +above Custer City, on the banks of French creek. It was a large +placard tacked up in plain view of all passers-by who took the route +north through Custer gulch in order to reach the infant city of the +Northwest--Deadwood. + +Deadwood! the scene of the most astonishing bustle and activity, this +year (1877.) The place where men are literally made rich and poor in +one day and night. Prior to 1877 the Black Hills have been for a +greater part undeveloped, but now, what a change! In Deadwood +districts every foot of available ground has been "claimed" and staked +out; the population has increased from fifteen to more than +twenty-five hundred souls. + +The streets are swarming with constantly arriving new-comers; the +stores and saloons are literally crammed at all hours; dance-houses +and can-can dens exist; hundreds of eager, expectant, and hopeful +miners are working in the mines, and the harvest reaped by them is not +at all discouraging. All along the gulch are strung a profusion of +cabins, tents and shanties, making Deadwood in reality a town of a +dozen miles in length, though some enterprising individual has paired +off a couple more infant cities above Deadwood proper, named +respectively Elizabeth City and Ten Strike. The quartz formation in +these neighborhoods is something extraordinary, and from late reports, +under vigorous and earnest development are yielding beyond the most +sanguine expectation. + +The placer mines west of Camp Crook are being opened to very +satisfactory results, and, in fact, from Custer City in the south, to +Deadwood in the north, all is the scene of abundant enthusiasm and +excitement. + +A horseman riding north through Custer gulch, noticed the placard so +prominently posted for public inspection, and with a low whistle, +expressive of astonishment, wheeled his horse out of the stage road, +and rode over to the foot of the tree in question, and ran his eyes +over the few irregularly-written lines traced upon the notice. + +He was a youth of an age somewhere between sixteen and twenty, trim +and compactly built, with a preponderance of muscular development and +animal spirits; broad and deep of chest, with square, iron-cast +shoulders; limbs small yet like bars of steel, and with a grace of +position in the saddle rarely equaled; he made a fine picture for an +artist's brush or a poet's pen. + +Only one thing marred the captivating beauty of the picture. + +His form was clothed in a tight-fitting habit of buck-skin, which was +colored a jetty black, and presented a striking contrast to anything +one sees as a garment in the wild far West. And this was not all, +either. A broad black hat was slouched down over his eyes; he wore a +thick black vail over the upper portion of his face, through the +eye-holes of which there gleamed a pair of orbs of piercing intensity, +and his hands, large and knotted, were hidden in a pair of kid gloves +of a light color. + +The "Black Rider" he might have been justly termed, for his +thoroughbred steed was as black as coal, but we have not seen fit to +call him such--his name is Deadwood Dick, and let that suffice for the +present. + +It was just at the edge of evening that he stopped before, and +proceeded to read, the placard posted upon the tree in one of the +loneliest portions of Custer's gulch. + +Above and on either side rose to a stupendous hight the tree-fringed +mountains in all their majestic grandeur. + +In front and behind, running nearly north and south, lay the deep, +dark chasm--a rift between mighty walls--Custer's gulch. + +And over all began to hover the cloak of night, for the sun had +already imparted its dying kiss on the mountain craters, and below, +the gloom was thickening with rapid strides. + +Slowly, over and over, Deadwood Dick, outlaw, road-agent and outcast, +read the notice, and then a wild sardonic laugh burst from beneath his +mask--a terrible, blood-curdling laugh, that made even the powerful +animal he bestrode start and prick up its ears. + +"Five hundred dollars reward for the apprehension and arrest of a +notorious young desperado who hails to the name of Deadwood Dick! Ha! +ha! ha! isn't that rich, now? Ha! ha! ha! _arrest_ Deadwood Dick! Why, +'pon my word it is a sight for sore eyes. I was not aware that I had +attained such a desperate notoriety as that document implies. They +will make me out a murderer before they get through, I expect. Can't +let me alone--everlastingly they must be punching after me, as if I +was some obnoxious pestilence on the face of the earth. Never mind, +though--let 'em keep on! 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. Maybe I don't +know who foots the bill in this reward business; oh, no; maybe I can't +ride down to Deadwood and frighten three kind o' ideas out of this Mr. +Hugh Vansevere, whoever he may be. Ha! ha! the fool that h'isted that +notice didn't _know_ Deadwood Dick, or he would never have placed his +life in jeopardy by performing an act so uninteresting to the party in +question. Hugh Vansevere; let me see--I don't think I've got that +registered in my collection of appellatives. Perhaps he is a new tool +in the employ of the old mechanic." + +Darker and thicker grew the night shadows. The after-harvest moon rose +up to a sufficient hight to send a silvery bolt of powerful light down +into the silent gulch; like an image carved out of the night the horse +and rider stood before the placard, motionless, silent. + +The head of Deadwood Dick was bent, and he was buried in a deep +reverie. A reverie that engrossed his whole attention for a long, long +while; then the impatient pawing of his horse aroused him, and he sat +once more erect in his saddle. + +A last time his eyes wandered over the notice on the tree--a last time +his terrible laugh made the mountains ring, and he guided his horse +back into the rough, uneven stage-road, and galloped off up the gulch. + +"I will go and see what this Hugh Vansevere looks like!" he said, +applying the spurs to his horse. "I'll be dashed if I want him to be +so numerous with my name, especially with five hundred dollars affixed +thereto, as a reward." + + * * * * * + +Midnight. + +Camp Crook, nestling down in one of the wildest gulch pockets of the +Black Hills region--basking and sleeping in the flood of moonlight +that emanates from the glowing ball up afar in heaven's blue vault, is +suddenly and rudely aroused from her dreams. + +There is a wild clatter of hoofs, a chorus of strange and varied +voices swelling out in a wild mountain song, and up through the very +heart of the diminutive city, where the gold-fever has dropped a few +sanguine souls, dash a cavalcade of masked horsemen, attired in the +picturesque garb of the mountaineer, and mounted on animals of +superior speed and endurance. + +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. + +Straight on through the single northerly street of the infant village +ride the dauntless band, making weirdly beautiful music with their +rollicking song, some of the voices being cultivated, and clear as the +clarion note. + +A few miners, wakened from their repose, jump out of bed, come to the +door, and stare at the receding cavalcade in a dazed sort of way. +Others, thinking that the noise is all resulting from an Indian +attack, seize rifles or revolvers, as the case may be, and blaze away +out of windows and loopholes at whatever may be in the way to receive +their bullets. + +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! + +Not dead, nor even sleeping, is this headquarters of the Black Hills +population at midnight, twenty-four hours subsequent to the rush of +the daring road-agents through Camp Crook. + +Deadwood is just as lively and hilarious a place during the interval +between sunset and sunrise as during the day. Saloons, dance-houses, +and gambling dens keep open all night, and stores do not close until a +late hour. At one, two and three o'clock in the morning the streets +present as lively an appearance as at any period earlier in the +evening. Fighting, shooting, stabbing and hideous swearing are +features of the night; singing, drinking, dancing and gambling +another. + +Nightly the majority of the miners come in from such claims as are +within a radius of from six to ten miles, and seldom is it that they +go away without their "load." To be sure, there are some men in +Deadwood who do not drink, but they are so few and scattering as to +seem almost entirely a nonentity. + +It was midnight, and Deadwood lay basking in a flood of mellow +moonlight that cast long shadows from the pine forest on the peaks, +and glinted upon the rapid, muddy waters of Whitewood creek, which +rumbles noisily by the infant metropolis on its wild journey toward +the south. + +All the saloons and dance-houses are in full blast; shouts and maudlin +yells rend the air. In front of one insignificant board, +"ten-by-twenty," an old wretch is singing out lustily: + +"Right this way ye cum, pilgrims, ter ther great Black Hills Thee'ter; +only costs ye four bits ter go in an' see ther tender sex, already +a-kickin' in their striped stockin's; only four bits, recollect, ter +see ther greatest show on earth, so heer's yer straight chance!" + +But, why the use of yelling? Already the shanty is packed, and judging +from the thundering screeches and clapping of hands, the entertainment +is such as suits the depraved tastes of the ruffianly "bums" who have +paid their "four bits," and gone in. + +But look! + +Madly out of Deadwood gulch, the abode of thousands of lurking +shadows, dashes a horseman. + +Straight through the main street of the noisy metropolis he spurs, +with hat off, and hair blowing backward in a jetty cloud. + +On, on, followed by the eyes of scores curious to know the meaning of +his haste--on, and at last he halts in front of a large board shanty, +over whose doorway is the illuminated canvas sign: "Metropolitan +Saloon, by Tom Young." + +Evidently his approach is heard, for instantly out of the +"Metropolitan" there swarms a crowd of miners, gamblers and bummers to +see "what the row is." + +"Is there a man among you, gentlemen, who bears the name of Hugh +Vansevere?" asks the rider, who from his midnight dress we may judge +is no other than Deadwood Dick. + +"That is my handle, pilgrim!" and a tall, rough-looking customer of +the Minnesotian order steps forward. "What mought yer lay be ag'in +me?" + +"A _sure_ lay!" hisses the masked road-agent, sternly. "You are +advertising for one Deadwood Dick, and he has come to pay you his +respects!" + +The next instant there is a flash, a pistol report, a fall and a +groan, the clattering of iron-shod hoofs; and then, ere anyone +scarcely dreams of it, _Deadwood Dick is gone!_ + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +THE "CATTYMOUNT"--A QUARREL AND ITS RESULTS. + + +The "Metropolitan" saloon in Deadwood, one week subsequent to the +events last narrated, was the scene of a larger "jamboree" than for +many weeks before. + +It was Saturday night, and up from the mines of Gold Run, Bobtail, +Poor Man's Pocket, and Spearfish, and down from the Deadwood in +miniature, Crook City, poured a swarm of rugged, grisly gold-diggers, +the blear-eyed, used-up-looking "pilgrim," and the inevitable wary +sharp, ever on the alert for a new buck to fleece. + +The "Metropolitan" was then, as now, the headquarters of the Black +Hills metropolis for arriving trains and stages, and as a natural +consequence received a goodly share of the public patronage. + +A well-stocked bar of liquors in Deadwood was _non est_ yet the saloon +in question boasted the best to be had. Every bar has its clerk at a +pair of tiny scales, and he is ever kept more than busy weighing out +the shining dust that the toiling miner has obtained by the sweat of +his brow. And if the deft-fingered clerk cannot put six ounces of dust +in his own pouch of a night, it clearly shows that he is not long in +the business. + +Saturday night! + +The saloon is full to overflowing--full of brawny rough, and grisly +men; full of ribald songs and maudlin curses; full of foul +atmospheres, impregnated with the fumes of vile whisky, and worse +tobacco, and full of sights and scenes, exciting and repulsive. + +As we enter and work our way toward the center of the apartment, our +attention is attracted by a coarse, brutal "tough," evidently just +fresh in from the diggings; who, mounted on the summit of an empty +whisky cask, is exhorting in rough language, and in the tones of a +bellowing bull, to an audience of admiring miners assembled at his +feet, which, by the way, are not of the most diminutive pattern +imaginable. We will listen: + +"Feller coots and liquidarians, behold before ye a real descendant uv +Cain and Abel. Ye'll reckolect, ef ye've ever bin ter camp-meetin', +that Abel got knocked out o' time by his cuzzin Cain, an becawse Abel +war misproperly named, and warn't _able_ when the crysis arriv ter +defen' himsel' in an able manner. + +"Hed he bin 'heeled' wi' a shipment uv Black Hills sixes, thet would +hev _enabled_ him to distinguish hisself fer superyer ability. Now, as +I sed before, I'm a lineal descendant uv ther notorious Ain and Cable, +and I've lit down hyar among ye ter explain a few p'ints 'bout true +blessedness and true cussedness. + +"Oh! brethern, I tell ye I'm a snorter, I am, when I git a-goin'--a +wild screechin' cattymount, right down frum ther sublime spheres up +Starkey--ar' a regular epizootic uv religyun, sent down frum clouddum +and scattered permiscously ter ther forty winds uv ther earth." + +We pass the "cattymount," and presently come to a table at which a +young and handsome "pilgrim," and a ferret-eyed sharp are engaged at +cards. The first mentioned is a tall, robust fellow, somewhere in the +neighborhood of twenty-three years of age, with clear-cut features, +dark lustrous eyes, and teeth of pearly whiteness. His hair is long +and curling, and a soft brown mustache, waxed at the ends, is almost +perfection itself. + +Evidently he is of quick temperament, for he handles the cards with a +swift, nervous dexterity that surprises even the professional sharp +himself, who is a black, swarthy-looking customer, with "villain" +plainly written in every lineament of his countenance; his eyes, hair, +and a tremendous mustache that he occasionally strokes, are of a jetty +black; did you ever notice it?--dark hair and complexion predominate +among the gambling fraternity. + +Perhaps this is owing to the condition of the souls of some of these +characters. + +The professional sharp in our case was no exception to the rule. He +was attired in the hight of fashion, and the diamond cluster, +inevitably to be found there, was on his shirt front; a jewel of +wonderful size and brilliancy. + +"Ah! curse the luck!" exclaimed the sharp, slapping down the cards; +"you have won again, pilgrim, and I am five hundred out. By the gods, +your luck is something astonishing!" + +"_Luck!_" laughed the other, coolly: "well, no. I do not call it luck, +for I never have luck. We'll call it chance!" + +"Just as you say," growled the gambler, bringing forth a new pack. +"Chance and luck are then twin companions. Will you continue longer, +Mr.----" + +"Redburn," finished the pilgrim. + +"Ah! yes--Mr. Redburn, will you continue?" + +"I will play as long as there is anything to play for," again finished +Mr. R., twisting the waxed ends of his mustache calmly. "Maybe you +have got your fill, eh?" + +"No; I'll play all night to win back what I have lost." + +A youth, attired in buck-skin, and apparently a couple of years +younger than Redburn, came sauntering along at this juncture, and +seeing an unoccupied chair at one end of the table (for Redburn and +the gambler sat at the sides, facing each other), he took possession +of it forthwith. + +"Hello!" and the sharp swore roundly. "Who told _you_ to mix in your +lip, pilgrim?" + +"Nobody, as I know of. Thought I'd squat right here, and watch your +_sleeves_!" was the significant retort, and the youth laid a cocked +six-shooter on the table in front of him. + +"Go on, gentlemen; don't let me be the means of spoiling your fun." + +The gambler uttered a curse, and dealt out the pasteboards. + +The youth was watching him intently, with his sharp black eyes. + +He was of medium hight, straight as an arrow, and clad in a +loose-fitting costume. A broad sombrero was set jauntily upon the left +side of his head, the hair of which had been cut close down to the +scalp. His face--a pleasant, handsome, youthful face--was devoid of +hirsute covering, he having evidently been recently handled by the +barber. + +The game between Mr. Redburn and the gambler progressed; the eyes of +he whom we have just described were on the card sharp constantly. + +The cards went down on the table in vigorous slaps, and at last, Mr. +Pilgrim Redburn raked in the stakes. + +"Thunder 'n' Moses!" ejaculated the sharp, pulling out his watch--an +elegant affair, of pure gold, and studded with diamonds--and laying it +forcibly down upon the table. + +"There! what will you plank on that!" + +Redburn took up the time-piece, turned it over and over in his hands, +opened and shut it, gave a glance at the works, and then handed it +over to the youth, whom he instinctively felt was his friend. Redburn +had come from the East to dig gold, and therefore was a stranger in +Deadwood. + +"What is its money value?" he asked, familiarizing his tone. "Good, I +suppose." + +"Yes, perfectly good, and cheap at two hundred," was the unhesitating +reply. "Do you lack funds, stranger?" + +"Oh! no. I am three hundred ahead of this cuss yet, and--" + +"You'd better quit where you are!" said the other, decisively. "You'll +lose the next round, mark my word." + +"Ha! ha!" laughed Redburn, who had begun to show symptoms of +recklessness. "I'll take my chances. Here, you gamin, I'll cover the +watch with two hundred dollars." + +Without more ado the stakes were planked, the cards dealt, and the +game began. + +The youth, whom we will call Ned Harris, was not idle. + +He took the revolvers from the table, changed his position so that his +face was just in the opposite direction of what it had been, and +commenced to pare his finger nails. The fingers were as white and soft +as any girl's. In his hand he also held a strangely-angled little box, +the sides of which were mirror-glass. Looking at his finger-nails he +also looked into the mirror, which gave a complete view of the +card-sharp, as he sat at the table. + +Swiftly progressed the game, and no one could fail to see how it was +going by watching the cunning light in the gambler's eye. At last the +game-card went down, and next instant, after the sharp had raked in +his stakes, a cocked revolver in either hand of Ned Harris covered the +hearts of the two players. + +"Hello!" gasped Redburn, quailing under the gaze of a cold steel +tube--"what's the row, now?" + +"Draw your revolver!" commanded Harris, sternly, having an eye on the +card-sharp at the same time, "Come! don't be all night about it!" + +Redburn obeyed; he had no other choice. + +"Cock it and cover your man!" + +"Who do you mean?" + +"The cuss under my left-hand aim." + +Again the "pilgrim" felt that he could not afford to do otherwise than +obey. + +So he took "squint" at the gambler's left breast after which Harris +withdrew the siege of his left weapon, although he still covered the +young Easterner, the same. Quietly he moved around to where the +card-sharp sat, white and trembling. + +"Gentlemen!" he yelled, in a clear, ringing voice, "will some of you +step this way a moment?" + +A crowd gathered around in a moment: then the youth resumed: + +"Feller-citizens, all of you know how to play cards, no doubt. What is +the penalty of cheating, out here in the Hills?" + +For a few seconds the room was wrapt in silence; then a chorus of +voices gave answer, using a single word: + +"Death!" + +"Exactly," said Harris, calmly. "When a sharp hides cards in Chinaman +fashion up his sleeve, I reckon that's what you call cheatin', don't +you?" + +"That's the size of it," assented each bystander, grimly. + +Ned Harris pressed his pistol-muzzle against the gambler's forehead, +inserted his fingers in each of the capacious sleeves, and a moment +later laid several high cards upon the table. + +A murmur of incredulity went through the crowd of spectators. Even +"pilgrim" Redburn was astonished. + +After removing the cards, Ned Harris turned and leveled his revolver +at the head of the young man from the East. + +"Your name?" he said, briefly, "is--" + +"Harry Redburn." + +"Very well. Harry Redburn, that gambler under cover of your pistol is +guilty of a crime, punishable in the Black Hills by death. As you are +his victim--or, rather, were to be--it only remains for you to aim +straight and rid your country of an A No. 1 dead-beat and swindler!" + +"Oh! no!" gasped Redburn, horrified at the thought of taking the life +of a fellow-creature--"I cannot, I cannot!" + +"You _can!_" said Harris, sternly; "go on--_you must salt that +card-sharp, or I'll certainly salt you!_" + +A deathlike silence followed. + +"_One!_" said Harris, after a moment. + +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?" + +Another silence; only the low breathing of the spectators could be +heard. + +"_Three!_" + +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. + +At the table Harry Redburn still sat, as motionless as a statue, the +revolver still held in his hand, his face white, his eyes staring. + +There he remained, the center of general attraction, with a hundred +pair of blazing eyes leveled at him from every side. + +"Come!" said Ned Harris, in a low tone, tapping him on the +shoulder--"come, pardner; let's git out of this, for times will be +brisk soon. You've wounded one of the biggest card-devils in the +Hills, and he'll be rearin' pretty quick. Look! d'ye see that feller +comin' yonder, who was preachin' from on top of the barrel, a bit ago? +Well, that is Catamount Cass, an' he's a pard of Chet Diamond, the +feller you salted, an' them fellers behind him are his gang. Come! +follow me, Henry, and I'll nose our way out of here." + +Redburn signified his readiness, and with a cocked six-shooter in +either hand Ned Harris led the way. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +SAD ANITA--THE MINE LOCATER--TROUBLE + + +Straight toward the door of the saloon he marched, the muzzles of the +grim sixes clearing a path to him; for Ned Harris had become +notorious in Deadwood for his coolness, courage and audacity. It had +been said of him that he would "just es lief shute a man as ter look +at 'im," and perhaps the speaker was not far from right. + +Anyway, he led off through the savage-faced audience with a composure +that was remarkable, and, strange to say, not a hand was raised to +stop him until he came face to face with Catamount Cass and his gang; +here was where the youth had expected molestation and hindrance, if +anywhere. + +Catamount Cass was a rough, illiterate "tough" of the mountain +species, and possessed more brute courage than the general run of his +type of men, and a bull-dog determination that made him all the more +dangerous as an enemy. + +Harry Redburn kept close at Ned Harris' heels, a cocked "six" in +either hand ready for any emergency. + +It took but a few moments before the two parties met, the "Cattymount" +throwing out his foot to block the path. + +"Hello!" roared the "tough," folding his huge knotty arms across his +partially bared breast; "ho! ho! whoa up thar, pilgrims! Don' ye go +ter bein' so fast. Fo'kes harn't so much in a hurry now-'days as they +uster war. Ter be sure ther Lord manyfactered this futstool in seven +days; sum times I think he did, an' then, ag'in, my geological ijees +convince me he didn't." + +"What has that to do with us?" demanded Ned, sternly. "I opine ye'd +better spread, some of you, if you don't want me to run a canyon +through your midst. Preach to some other pilgrim than me; I'm in a +hurry!" + +"Haw! haw! Yas, I obsarve ye be; but if ye're my meat, an' I think +prob'ble ye be, I ain't a-goin' fer ter let yer off so nice and easy. +P'arps ye kin tell who fired the popgun, a minnit ago, w'at basted my +ole pard?" + +"I shall not take trouble to tell!" replied Ned, fingering the trigger +of his left six uneasily. "Ef you want to know who salted Chet +Diamond, the worst blackleg, trickster and card-player in Dakota, all +you've got to do is to go and ask him!" + +"Hold!" cried Harry Redburn, stepping out from behind Harris; "I'll +hide behind no man's shoulder. _I_ salted the gambler--if you call +shooting salting--and I'm not afraid to repeat the action by salting a +dozen more just of his particular style." + +Ned Harris was surprised. + +He had set Redburn down as a faint-hearted, dubious-couraged +counter-jumper from the East; he saw now that there was something of +him, after all. + +"Come on, young man!" and the young miner stepped forward a pace; "are +you with me?" + +"To the ears!" replied Harris, grimly. + +The next instant the twain leaped forward and broke the barrier, and +mid the crack of pistol-shots and shouts of rage, they cleared the +saloon. Once outside, Ned Harris led the way. + +"Come along!" he said, dodging along the shadowy side of the street; +"we'll have to scratch gravel, for them up-range 'toughs' will follow +us, I reckon. They're a game gang, and 'hain't the most desirable kind +of enemies one could wish for. I'll take you over to my coop, and you +can lay low there until this jamboree blows over. You'll have to +promise me one thing, however, ere I can admit you as a member of my +household." + +"Certainly. What is it?" and Harry Redburn redoubled his efforts in +order to keep alongside his swift-footed guide. + +"Promise me that you will divulge nothing, no matter what you may see +or hear. Also that, should you fall in love with one who is a member +of my family, you will forbear and not speak of love to her." + +"It is a woman, then?" + +"Yes--a young lady." + +"I will promise;--how can I afford to do otherwise, under the existing +circumstances. But, tell me, why did you force me to shoot that +gambler?" + +"He was a rascal, and cheated you." + +"I know; but I did not want his life; I am averse to bloodshed." + +"So I perceived, and that made me all the more determined you should +salivate him. You'll find before you're in the Hills long that it +won't do to take lip or lead from any one. A green pilgrim is the +first to get salted; I illustrated how to serve 'em!" + +Redburn's eyes sparkled. He was just beginning to see into the +different phases of this wild exciting life. + +"Good!" he exclaimed, warmly. "I have much to thank you for. Did I +kill that card-sharp?" + +"No; you simply perforated him in the right side. This way." + +They had been running straight up the main street. Now they turned a +corner and darted down one that was dark and deserted. + +A moment later a trim boyish figure stepped before them, from out of +the shadow of a new frame building; a hand of creamy whiteness was +laid upon the arm of Ned Harris. + +"This way, pilgrims," said a low musical voice, and at the same +instant a gust of wind lifted the jaunty sombrero from the speaker's +head, revealing a most wonderful wealth of long glossy hair; "the +'toughs' are after you, and you cannot find a better place to coop +than in here." The soft hand drew Ned Harris inside the building, +which was finished, but unoccupied, and Redburn followed, nothing loth +to get into a place of safety. So far, Deadwood had not impressed him +favorably as being the most peaceable city within the scope of a +continent. + +Into an inner room of the building they went, and the door was closed +behind them. The apartment was small and smelled of green lumber. A +table and a few chairs comprised the furniture; a dark lantern burned +suspended from the ceiling by a wire. Redburn eyed the strange youth +as he and Harris were handed seats. + +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. + +"You can remain here till you think it will be safe to again venture +forth, gentlemen," and a smile--evidently a stranger there--broke out +about the speaker's lips. "Good-evening!" "Good-evening!" nodded +Harris, with a quizzical stare. The next moment the youth was gone. + +"Who was that chap?" asked Redburn, not a little bewildered. + +"That?--why that's Calamity Jane!" + +"Calamity Jane? _What_ a name." + +"Yes, she's an odd one. Can ride like the wind, shoot like a +sharp-shooter, and swear like a trooper. Is here, there and +everywhere, seemingly all at one time. Owns this coop and two or three +other lots in Deadwood; a herding ranch at Laramie, an interest in a +paying placer claim near Elizabeth City, and the Lord only knows how +much more." + +"But it is not a _woman_?" + +"Reckon 'tain't nothin' else." + +"God forbid that a child of mine should ever become so debased and--" + +"Hold! there are yet a few redeeming qualities about her. She was +_ruined_--" and here a shade dark as a thunder-cloud passed over Ned +Harris' face--"and set adrift upon the world, homeless and friendless; +yet she has bravely fought her way through the storm, without asking +anybody's assistance. True, she may not now have a heart; that was +trampled upon, years ago, but her character has not suffered blemish +since the day a foul wretch stole away her honor!" + +"What is her real name?" + +"I do not know; few in Deadwood do. It is said, however, that she +comes of a Virginia City, Nevada, family of respectability and +intelligence." + +At this juncture there was a great hubbub outside, and instinctively +the twain drew their revolvers, expecting that Catamount Cass and his +toughs had discovered their retreat, and were about to make an attack. +But soon the gang were beard to tramp away, making the night hideous +with their hoarse yells. + +"They'll pay a visit to every shanty in Deadwood," said Harris, with a +grim smile, "and if they don't find us, which they won't, they'll +h'ist more than a barrel of bug-juice over their defeat. Come, let's +be going." + +They left the building and once more emerged onto the darkened street, +Ned taking the lead. + +"Follow me, now," he said, tightening his belt, "and we'll get home +before sunrise, after all." + +He struck out up the gulch, or, rather, down it, for his course lay +southward. Redburn followed, and in fifteen minutes the lights of +Deadwood--magic city of the wilderness--were left behind. Harris led +the way along the rugged mountain stage-road, that, after leaving +Deadwood on its way to Camp Crook and Custer City in the south, runs +alternately through deep, dark canyons and gorges, with an ease and +rapidity that showed him to be well acquainted with the route. About +three miles below Deadwood he struck a trail through a transverse +canyon running north-west, through which flowed a small stream, known +as Brown's creek. The bottom was level and smooth, and a brisk walk of +a half-hour brought them to where a horse was tied to an alder +sapling. + +"You mount and ride on ahead until you come to the end of the canyon," +said Harris, untying the horse. "I will follow on after you, and be +there almost as soon as you." + +Redburn would have offered some objections, but the other motioned for +him to mount and be off, so he concluded it best to obey. + +The animal was a fiery one, and soon carried him out of sight of Ned, +whom he left standing in the yellow moonlight. Sooner than he expected +the gorge came to an abrupt termination in the face of a stupendous +wall of rock, and nothing remained to do but wait for young Harris. + +He soon came, trotting leisurely up, only a trifle flushed in +countenance. + +"This way!" he said, and seizing the animal by the bit he led horse +and rider into a black, gaping fissure in one side of the canyon, that +had hitherto escaped Redburn's notice. It was a large, narrow, +subterranean passage, barely large enough to admit the horse and +rider. Redburn soon was forced to dismount and bring up the rear. + +"How far do we journey in this shape?" he demanded, after what seemed +to him a long while. + +"No further," replied Ned, and the next instant they emerged into a +small, circular pocket in the midst of the mountains--one of those +beauteous flower-strewn valleys which are often found in the Black +Hills. + +This "pocket," as they are called, consisted of perhaps fifty acres, +walled in on every side by rugged mountains as steep, and steeper, in +some places, than a house-roof. On the western side Brown's creek had +its source, and leaped merrily down from ledge to ledge into the +valley, across which it flowed, sinking into the earth on the eastern +side, only to bubble up again, in the canyon, with renewed strength. + +The valley was one vast, indiscriminate bed of wild, fragrant flowers, +whose volume of perfume was almost sickening when first greeting the +nostrils. Every color and variety imaginable was here, all in the most +perfect bloom. In the center of the valley stood a log-cabin, +overgrown with clinging vines. There was a light in the window, and +Harris pointed toward it, as, with young Redburn, he emerged from the +fissure. + +"There's my coop, pilgrim. There you will be safe for a time, at +least." He unsaddled the horse and set it free to graze. + +Then they set off down across the slope, arriving at the cabin in due +time. + +The door was open; a young woman, sweet, yet sad-faced, was seated +upon the steps, fast asleep. + +Redburn gave an involuntary cry of incredulity and admiration as his +eyes rested upon the picture--upon the pure, sweet face, surrounded by +a wealth of golden, glossy hair, and the sylph-like form, so perfect +in every contour. But a charge of silence from Harris, made him mute. + +The young man knelt by the side of the sleeping girl and imprinted a +kiss upon the fresh, unpolluted lips, which caused the sleeping beauty +to smile in her dreams. + +A moment later, however, she opened her eyes and sprung to her feet +with a startled scream. + +"Oh, Ned!" she gasped, trembling, as she saw him, "how you frightened +me. I had a dream--oh, such a sweet dream! and I thought _he_ came and +kissed--" + +Suddenly did she stop as, for the first time, her penetrating blue +eyes rested upon Harry Blackburn. + +A moment she gazed at him as in a sort of fascination; then, with a +low cry, began to retreat, growing deathly pale. Ned Harris stepped +quickly forward and supported her on his arm. + +"Be calm, Anita," he said, in a gentle, reassuring tone. "This is a +young gentleman whom I have brought here to our home for a few days +until it will be safe for him to be seen in Deadwood. Mr. Redburn, I +make you acquainted with Anita." + +A courteous bow from Redburn, a slight inclination of Anita's head, +and the introduction was made. A moment later the three entered the +cabin, a model of neatness and primitive luxury. + +"How is it that you are up so early, dear?" young Harris asked, as he +unbuckled his belt and hung it upon a peg in the wall. "You are rarely +as spry, eh?" + +"Indeed! I have not been to bed at all," replied the girl, a weary +smile wreathing her lips. "I was nervous, and feared something was +going to happen, so I staid up." + +"Your old plea--the presentiment of coming danger, I suppose," and the +youth laughed, gayly. "But you need not fear. No one will invade our +little Paradise, right away. What is your opinion of it, Redburn?" + +"I should say not. I think this little mountain retreat is without +equal," replied Harry, with enthusiasm. "The only wonder is, how did +you ever stumble into such a delightful place." + +"Of that I will perhaps tell you, another time," said Harris, +musingly. + +Day soon dawned over the mountains, and the early morning sunlight +fell with charming effect into the little "pocket," with its countless +thousands of odorous flowers, and the little ivy-clad cabin nestling +down among them all. + +Sweet, sad-faced Anita prepared a sumptuous morning repast out of +antelope-steak and the eggs of wild birds, with dainty side dishes of +late summer berries, and a large luscious melon which had been grown +on a cultivated patch, contiguous to the cabin. + +Both Harris and his guest did ample justice to the meal, for they had +neither eaten anything since the preceding noon. When they had +finished, Ned arose from the table, saying: "Pardner, I shall leave +you here for a few days, during which time I shall probably be mostly +away on business. Make yourself at home and see that Anita is properly +protected; I will return in a week at the furthest;--perhaps in a day +or two." + +He took down his rifle and belt from the wall, buckled on the latter, +and half an hour later left the "pocket." That was a day of days to +Harry Redburn. He rambled about the picturesque little valley, romped +on the luxuriant grass and gathered wild flowers, alternately. At +night he sat in the cabin door and listened to the cries of the night +birds and the incessant hooting of the mountain owls (which by the +way, are very abundant throughout the Black Hills.) + +All efforts to engage Anita in conversation proved fruitless. + +On the following day both were considerably astonished to perceive +that there was a stranger in their Paradise;--a bow-legged, +hump-backed, grisly little old fellow, who walked with a staff. He +approached the cabin, and Redburn went out to find who he was. + +"Gude-mornin'!" nodded General Nix, (for it was he) with a grin. "I +jes' kim over inter this deestrict ter prospect fer gold. Don' seem +ter recognize yer unkle, eh? boy; I'm Nix Walsingham Nix, Esquire, +geological surveyor an' mine-locater. I've located more nor forty +thousan' mines in my day, more or less--ginerally a consider'ble more +of less than less of more. I perdict frum ther geological formation o' +this nest an' a dream I hed last night, thet thar's sum uv ther +biggest veins right in this yere valley as ye'll find in ther Hills!" + +"Humph! no gold here," replied Redburn, who had already learned from +study and experience how to guess a fat strike. "It is out of the +channel." + +"No; et's right in the channel." + +"Well, I'll not dispute you. How did you get into the valley?" + +"Through ther pass," and the General chuckled approvingly. "See'd a +feller kim down ther canyon, yesterday, so I nosed about ter find +whar he kim from, that's how I got here; 'sides, I hed a dream about +this place." + +"Indeed!" Redburn was puzzled how to act under the circumstances. Just +then there came a piercing scream from the direction of the cabin. + +What could it mean? Was Nix an enemy, and was some one else of his +gang attacking Anita? + +Certainly she _was_ in trouble! + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +SITTING BULL--THE FAIR CAPTIVE. + + +Fearless Frank stepped back aghast, as he saw the inhuman chief of the +Sioux--the cruel, grim-faced warrior, Sitting Bull; shrunk back, and +laid his hand upon the butt of a revolver. + +"Ha!" he articulated, "is that you, chief? You, and at such work as +this?" there was stern reproach in the youth's tone, and certain it is +that the Sioux warrior heard the words spoken. + +"My friend, Scarlet Boy, is keen with the tongue," he said, frowning. +"Let him put shackles upon it, before it leaps over the bounds of +reason." + +"I see no reason why I should not speak in behalf of yon suffering +girl!" retorted the youth, fearlessly, "on whom you have been +inflicting one of the most inhuman tortures Indian cunning could +conceive. For shame, chief, that you should ever assent to such an +act--lower yourself to the grade of a dog by such a dastard deed. For +shame, I say!" + +Instantly the form of the great warrior straightened up like an arrow, +and his painted hand flew toward the pistols in his belt. + +But the succeeding second he seemed to change his intention; his hand +went out toward the youth in greeting: + +"The Scarlet Boy is right," he said, with as much graveness as a +red-skin can conceive. "Sitting Bull listens to his words as he would +to those of a brother. Scarlet Boy is no stranger in the land of the +Sioux; he is the friend of the great chief and his warriors. Once when +the storm-gods were at war over the pine forests and picture rocks of +the Hills; when the Great Spirit was sending fiery messengers down in +vivid streaks from the skies, the Big Chief cast a thunderbolt in +playfulness at the feet of Sitting Bull. The shock of the hand of the +Great Spirit did not escape me; for hours I lay like one slain in +battle. My warriors were in consternation; they ran hither and thither +in affright, calling on the Manitou to preserve their chief. You came, +Scarlet Boy, in the midst of all the panic;--came, and though then but +a stripling, you applied simple remedies that restored Sitting Bull to +the arms of his warriors.[A] + +"From that hour Sitting Bull was your friend--is your friend, now, and +will be as long as the red-men exist as a tribe." + +"Thank you, chief;" and Fearless Frank grasped the Indian's hand and +wrung it warmly. "I believe you mean all you say. But I am surprised +to find you engaged at such work as this. I have been told that +Sitting Bull made war only on warriors--not on women." + +An ugly frown darkened the savage's face--a frown wherein was depicted +a number of slumbering passions. + +"The pale-face girl is the last survivor of a train that the warriors +of Sitting Bull attacked in Red Canyon. Sitting Bull lost many +warriors; yon pale squaw shot down full a half-score before she could +be captured; she belongs to the warriors of Sitting Bull, and not to +the great chief himself." + +"Yet you have the power to free her--to yield her up to me. Consider, +chief; are you not enough my friend that you can afford to give me the +pale-face girl? Surely, she has been tortured sufficiently to satisfy +your braves' thirst for vengeance." + +Sitting Bull was silent. + +"What will the Scarlet Boy do with the fair maiden of his tribe?" + +"Bear her to a place of safety, chief, and care for her until I can +find her friends--probably she has friends in the East." + +"It shall be as he says. Sitting Bull will withdraw his braves and +Scarlet Boy can have the red-man's prize." + +A friendly hand-shake between the youth and the Sioux chieftain, a +word from the latter to the grim painted warriors, and the next +instant the glade was cleared of the savages. + +Fearless Frank then hastened to approach the insensible captive, and, +with a couple sweeps of his knife, cut the bonds that held her to the +torture-stake. Gently he laid her on the grass, and arranged about her +half-nude form the garments Sitting Bull's warriors had torn off, and +soon he had the satisfaction of seeing her once more clothed properly. +It still remained for him to restore her to consciousness, and this +promised to be no easy task, for she was in a dead swoon. She was even +more beautiful of face and figure than one would have imagined at a +first glance. Of a delicate blonde complexion, with pink-tinged +cheeks, she made a very pretty picture, her face framed as it was in a +wild disheveled cloud of auburn hair. + +A hatful of cold water from a neighboring spring dashed into her +upturned face; a continued chafing of the pure white soft hands; then +there was a convulsive twitching of the features, a low moan, and the +eyes opened and darted a glance of affright into the face of the +Scarlet Boy. + +"Fear not, miss;" and the youth gently supported her to a sitting +posture. "I am a friend, and your cruel captors have vamosed. Lucky I +came along just as I did, or it's likely they'd have killed you." + +"Oh! sir, how can I ever thank you for rescuing me from those +merciless fiends!" and the maiden gave him a grateful glance. "They +whipped me, terribly!" + +"I know, lady--all because you defended yourself in Red Canyon." + +"I suppose so: but how did you find out so much, and, also, effect my +release from the savages?" + +Fearless Frank leaned up against the tree which had been used as the +torture-stake, and related what is already known to the reader. + +When he had finished, the rescued captive seized his hand between both +her own, and thanked him warmly. + +"Had it not been for you, sir, no one but our God knows what would +have been my fate. Oh! sir, what can I do, more than to thank you a +thousand times, to repay you for the great service you have rendered +me?" + +"Nothing, lady; nothing that I think of at present. Was it not my +duty, while I had the power, to free you from the hands of those +barbarians? Certainly it was, and I deserve no thanks. But tell me, +what is your name, and were your friends all killed in the train from +which you were taken?" + +"I had no friends, sir, save a lady whose acquaintance I made on the +journey out from Cheyenne. As to my name--you can call me Miss Terry." + +"Mystery!" in blank amazement. + +"Yes;" with a gay laugh--"Mystery, if you choose. My name is Alice +Terry." + +"Oh!" and the youth began to brighten. "Miss Terry, to be sure; +Mystery! ha! ha! good joke. I shall call you the latter. Have you +friends and relatives East?" + +"No. I came West to meet my father, who is somewhere in the Black +Hills." + +"Do you know at what place?" + +"I do not." + +"I fear it will be a hard matter to find him, then. The Hills now have +a floating population of about twenty-five thousand souls. Your father +would be one to find out of that lot." + +A faint smile came over the girl's face. "I should know papa among +fifty thousand, if necessary;" she said, "although I have not seen him +for years." + +She failed to mention how many, or what peculiarities she would +recognize him by. Was he blind, deaf or dumb? + +Fearless Frank glanced around him, and saw that a path rugged and +steep led up to the prairie above. + +"Come," he said, offering his arm, "we will get up to the plains and +go." + +"Where to?" asked Miss Terry, rising with an effort. The welts across +her back were swollen and painful. + +"Deadwood is my destination. I can deviate my course, however, if it +will accommodate you." + +"Oh! no; you must not inconvenience yourself on my account. I am of +little or no consequence, you know." + +She leaned upon his arm, and they ascended the path to the plain +above. + +Frank's horse was grazing near by where the scarlet youth had taken +his unceremonious tumble. + +Off to the north-west a cloud of dust rose heavenward, and he rightly +conjectured that it hid from view the chieftain, Sitting Bull, and his +warriors. + +His thoughts reverting to his companion, "General" Nix, and the train +of Charity Joe, he glanced toward where he had last seen them. + +Neither were to be seen, now. Probably Nix had rejoined the train, and +it was out of eye-shot behind a swell in the plains. + +"Were you looking for some one?" Alice asked, looking into her +rescuer's face. + +"Yes, I was with a train when I first heard your cries; I left the +boys, and came to investigate. I guess they have gone on without me." + +"How mean of them! Will we have to make the journey to the Hills +alone?" + +"Yes, unless we should providentially fall in with a train or be +overtaken by a stage." + +"Are you not afraid?" + +"My cognomen is Fearless Frank, lady; you can draw conclusions from +that." + +He went and caught the horse, arranged a blanket in the saddle so that +she could ride side-fashion, and assisted her to mount. + +The sun was touching the lips of the horizon with a golden kiss; more +time than Frank had supposed' had elapsed since he left the train. + +Far off toward the east shadows were hugging close behind the last +lingering rays of sunlight; a couple of coyotes were sneaking into +view a few rods away; birds were winging homeward; a perfume-laden +breeze swept down from the Black Hills, and fanned the pink cheeks of +Alice Terry into a vivid glow. + +"We cannot go far," said Frank, thoughtfully, "before darkness will +overtake us. Perhaps we had better remain in the canal, here, where +there is both grass and water. In the morning we will take a fresh +start." + +The plan was adopted; they camped in the break, or "canal," near where +Alice had been tortured. + +Out of his saddle-bags Frank brought forth crackers, biscuit and dried +venison; these, with clear sparkling water from the spring in the +chaparral, made a meal good enough for anybody. + +The night was warm; no fire was needed. + +A blanket spread on the grass served as a resting-place for Alice; the +strange youth in scarlet lay with his head resting against the side of +his horse. The least movement of the animal, he said, would arouse +him; he was keen of scent and quick to detect danger--meaning the +horse. + +The night passed away without incident; as early as four o'clock--when +it is daylight on the plains--Fearless Frank was astir. + +Be found the rivulet flowing from the spring to abound with trout, and +caught and dressed the morning meal. + +Alice was awake by the time breakfast was ready. She bathed her face +and hands in the stream, combed her long auburn hair through her +fingers, and looked sweeter than on the previous night--at least, so +thought Fearless Frank. + +"The day promises to be delightful, does it not?" she remarked, as she +seated herself to partake of the repast. + +"Exactly. Autumn months are ever enjoyable in the West." + +The meal dispatched, no delay was made in leaving the place. + +Fearless Frank strode along beside his horse and its fair rider, +chatting pleasantly, and at the same time making a close observation +of his surroundings. He knew he was in parts frequented by both red +and white savages, and it would do no harm to keep on one's guard. + +They traveled all day and reached Sage creek at sunset. + +Here they remained over night, taking an early start on the succeeding +morning. + +That day they made good progress, in consequence of Frank's purchase +of a horse at Sage creek from some friendly Crow Indians, and darkness +overtook them at the mouth of Red Canyon, where they went into camp. + +By steady pushing they reached Rapid creek the next night, for no halt +was made at Custer City, and for the first time since leaving the +torture-ground, camped with a miner's family. As yet no cabins or +shanties had been erected here, canvas tents serving in the stead; +to-day there are between fifty and a hundred wooden structures. + +Alice was charmed with the wild grandeur of the mountain scenery--with +the countless acres of blossoms and flowering shrubs--with the +romantic and picturesque surroundings in general, and was very +emphatic in her praises. + +One day of rest was taken at Rapid Creek; then the twain pushed on, +and when night again overtook them, they rode into the bustling, +noisy, homely metropolis--Deadwood, magic city of the North-west. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +ONLY A SNAKE--LOCATING A MINE. + + +Harry Redburn hurried off toward the cabin, which was some steps away. +In Anita's scream there were both terror and affright. + +Walsingham Nix, the hump-backed, bow-legged explorer and prospecter +hobbled after him, using his staff for support. + +He had heard the scream, but years' experience among the "gals" taught +him that a feminine shriek rarely, if ever, meant anything. + +Redburn arrived at the cabin in a few flying bounds, and leaped into +the kitchen. + +There, crouched upon the floor in one corner, all in a little heap, +pale, tumbling and terrified, was Anita. Before her, squirming along +over the sand-scrubbed floor, evidently disabled by a blow, was an +enormous black-snake. + +It was creeping away instead of toward Anita, leaving a faint trail of +crimson in its wake; yet the young girl's face was blanched with fear. + +"You screamed at that?" demanded Redburn, pointing to the coiling +serpent. + +"Ugh! yes; it is horrible." + +"But, it is harmless. See: some one has given it a blow across the +back, and it is disabled for harm." + +Anita looked up into his handsome face, wonderingly. + +"I guv et a rap across the spinal column, when I kim into the valley," +said General Nix, thrusting his head in at the door, a ludicrous grin +elongating his grisly features. "'Twar a-goin' ter guv me a yard or so +uv et's tongue, more or less--consider'bly less of more than more of +less--so I jest salivated it across ther back, kerwhack!" + +Anita screamed again as she saw the General, he was so rough and +homely. + +"Who are you?" she managed to articulate as Redburn assisted her to +rise from the floor. "What are you doing here, where you were not +invited?" + +There was a degree of haughtiness in her tone that Redburn did not +dream she possessed. + +The "General" rubbed the end of his nose, chuckled audibly, then +laughed, outright. + +"I opine this ar' a free country, ain't it, marm, more or less? When a +feller kerflummuxes rite down onter a payin' streek I opine he's goin' +ter roost that till he gits reddy to vamoose, ain't he?" + +"But, sir, my brother was the first to discover this spot and build us +a home here, and he claims that all belongs to him." + +"He do? more or less--consider'bly less of more than more uv less, eh? +Yas, I kno' yer brother--leastways hev seen him an' heerd heeps about +him. Letters uv his name spell Ned Harris, not?" + +"Yes, sir; but how can you know him? Few do, in Deadwood." + +"Nevyer mind that, my puss. Ole Walsingham Nix do kno' a few things +yet, ef he ar' a hard old nut fer w'ich thar is not cra'kin'." + +Anita looked at Redburn, doubtfully. + +"Brother would be very angry if he were to return and find this man +here, what would you advise?" + +"I am of the opinion that he will have to vacate," replied Harry, +decidedly. + +"_Nix_ cum-a-rouse!" disagreed the old prospecter. "I'm hayr, an' +thar's no yearthly use o' denyin _that_. Barrin' ye ar' a right +peart-lookin' kid, stranger, allow me ter speculate thet it would take +a dozen, more or less--consider'bly less uv more than more o' +less--ter put me out." + +Redburn laughed heartily. The old fellow's bravado amused him. Anita +however, was silent; she put dependence in her protector to arrange +matters satisfactorily. + +"That savors strongly of rebellion," Redburn observed, sitting down +upon a lounge that stood hard by. "Besides, you have an advantage; I +would not attack you; you are old and unfitted for combat; deformed +and unable to do battle." + +"Exactly!" the "General" confidently announced. + +"What good can come of your remaining here?" demanded Anita. + +"Sit down, marm, sit down, an I'll perceed ter divest myself uv w'at +little information I've got stored up in my noddle. Ye see, mum, my +name's Walsingham Nix, at yer sarvice--Walsingham bein' my great, +great grandad's fronticepiece, while Nix war ther hind-wheeler, like +nor w'at a he-mule ar' w'en hitched ter a 'schooner.' Ther Nix family +were a great one, bet yer false teeth; originated about ther time +Joner swallered the whale, down nigh Long Branch, and 've bin handed +down frum time ter time till ye behold in me ther last surrivin' +pilgrim frum ther ancestral block. Thar was one remarkable +pecooliarity about ther Nix family, frum root ter stump, an' ther war, +they war nevyer known ter refuse a gift or an advantageous offer; in +this respeck they bore a striking resemblance ter the immortell G'orge +Washington. G'orge war innercent; he ked never tell a lie. So war our +family; they never hed it in their hearts to say _Nix_ to an offer uv +a good feed or a decoction o' brandy. + +"It war a disease--a hereditary affection uv ther hull combined +system. The terrible malady attacked me w'en I war an infant prodigy, +an' I've nevyer yit see'd thet time when I c'u'd resist the temptation +an' coldly say 'nix' w'en a brother pilgrim volunteered ter make a +liberal dispensation uv grub, terbarker, or bug-juice. Nix ar' a word +thet causes sorrer an' suffering ter scores 'n' scores o' people, more +or less--generally more uv less than less o' more--an' tharfore I +nevyer feel it my duty, as a Christyun, ter set a bad example w'ich +others may foller." + +Redburn glanced toward Anita, a quizzical expression upon his genial +face. + +"I fail to see how that has any reference as to the cause of your stay +among us," he observed, amused at the quaint lingo of the prospector. + +"Sart'in not, sart'in not! I had just begun ter git thar. I've only +bin gi'in' ye a geological ijee uv ther Nix family's formation; I'll +now perceed to illustrate more clearly, thr'u' veins an' channels +hitherto unexplored, endin' up wi' a reg'lar hoss-car proposal." + +Then the old fellow proceeded with a rambling "yarn," giving more +guesses than actual information and continued on in this strain: + +"So thar _war_ gold. I went ter work an' swallered a pill o' opium, +w'ich made me sleep, an' while I whar snoozin' I dreampt about ther +perzact place whar thet gold war secreted. It war in a little pocket +beneath the bed of a spring frum which flowed a little creeklet. + +"Next mornin', bright an' early, I shouldered pick, shuvyel an' pan, +an' went for thet identical spring. To-day thet pocket, havin' been +traced into a rich vein, is payin' as big or bigger nor any claim on +Spring creek."[B] + +Both Redburn and Anita were unconsciously becoming interested. + +"And do you think there is gold here, in this flower-strewn +pocket-valley?" + +"I don't think it--I know it. I hed a dreem et war hayr in big +quantities, so I h'isted my carcass this direction. Ter-nite I'll hev +ernuther nighthoss, an' thet'll tell me precisely where ther strike +ar'." + +Redburn drummed a tattoo on the arm of the lounge his fingers; he was +reflecting on what he had heard. + +"You are willing to make terms, I suppose," he said, after a while, +glancing at Anita to see if he was right. "You are aware, I believe, +that we still hold possession above any one else." + +"True enuff. Ye war first ter diskiver this place ye orter hev yer say +about it." + +"Well, then, perhaps we can come to a bargain. You can state your +prices for locating and opening up this mine, and we will consider." + +"Wal, let me see. Ef the mine proves to be ekal ter the one thet I +located on Spring creek, I'll take in a third fer my share uv the +divys. Ef 'tain't good's I expect, I'll take a quarter." + +Redburn turned to Anita. + +"From what little experience I have had, I think it is a fair offer. +What is your view of the matter and do you believe your brother will +be satisfied?" + +"Oh! yes, sir. It will surprise and please him, to return and find his +Paradise has been turned into a gold-mine." + +"All right; then, we will go ahead and get things to shape. We will +have to get tools, though, before we can accomplish much of anything." + +"My brother has a miner's outfit here," said Anita. "That will save +you a trip to Deadwood, for the present." + +And so it was all satisfactorily arranged. During the remainder of the +day the old "General" and Redburn wandered about through the +flower-meadows of the pocket, here and there examining a little soil +now chipping rock among the rugged foothills, then "feeling" in the +bed of the creek. But, not a sign of anything like gold was to be +found, and when night called them to shelter, Redburn was pretty +thoroughly convinced that Nix was an enormous "sell," and that he +could put all the gold they would find in his eye. The "General," +however, was confident of success, and told many doubtful yarns of +former discoveries and exploits. + +Anita prepared an evening meal that was both tempting and sumptuous, +and all satisfied their appetites after which Harry took down the +guitar, suspended from the wall, tuned it up, and sung in a clear +mellow voice a number of ballads, to which the "General," much to the +surprise of both Redburn and Anita, lent a rich deep bass--a voice of +superior culture. + +The closing piece was a weird melody--the lament of a heart that was +broken, love-blasted--and was rendered in a style worthy of a +professional vocalist. The last mournful strains filled the cabin just +as the last lingering rays of sunlight disappeared from the mountain +top, and shadows came creeping down the rugged walls of rock to +concentrate in the Flower Pocket, as Anita had named her valley home. +Redburn rose from his seat at the window, and reached the instrument +to its accustomed shelf, darting a glance toward sad Anita, a moment +later. To his surprise he perceived that her head was bowed upon her +arm that lay along the window-ledge--that she was weeping, softly, to +herself. + +Acting the gentlemanly part, the young miner motioned for Nix to +follow him, and they both retired to the outside of the cabin to +lounge on the grass and smoke, and thus Anita was left alone with her +grief and such troubles as were the causes thereof. + +Certain it was that she had a secret, but what it was Redburn could +not guess. + +About ten o'clock he and Nix re-entered the cabin and went to bed in a +room allotted to them, off from the little parlor. Both went to sleep +at once, and it was well along toward morning when Redburn was aroused +by being rudely shaken by "General" Nix, who was up and dressed, and +held a torch in his hand. + +"Come! come!" he said in a husky whisper, and a glance convinced Harry +that he was still asleep, although his eyes were wide open and +staring. + +Without a word the young man leaped from bed, donned his garments, and +the old man then led the way out of the cabin. + +In passing through the kitchen, Redburn saw that Anita was up and +waiting. + +"Come!" he said, seizing a hatchet and stake, "we are about to +discover the gold-mine, and our fortunes;" with a merry laugh. + +Then both followed in the wake of the sleep walker, and were led to +near the center of the valley, which was but a few steps in the rear +of the cabin. Here was a bed of sand washed there from an overflow of +the stream, and at this the "General" pointed, as he came to a halt. + +"There! _there_ is the gold--millions of it deep down--twenty or +thirty feet--in sand--easy to get! dig! DIG! DIG!" + +Redburn marked the spot by driving the stake in the ground. + +It now only remained to dig in the soil to verify the truth of the old +man's fancy. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote A: A fact.] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DEADWOOD DICK ON THE ROAD. + + +Rumbling noisily through the black canyon road to Deadwood, at an hour +long past midnight, came the stage from Cheyenne, loaded down with +passengers, and full five hours late, on account of a broken shaft, +which had to be replaced on the road. There were six plunging, +snarling horses attached, whom the veteran Jehu on the box, managed +with the skill of a circusman, and all the time the crack! snap! of +his long-lashed gad made the night resound as like so many pistol +reports. + +The road was through a wild tortuous canyon, fringed with tall +spectral pines, which occasionally admitted a bar of ghostly moonlight +across the rough road over which the stage tore with wild +recklessness. + +Inside, the vehicle was crammed full to its utmost capacity, and +therefrom emanated the strong fumes of whisky and tobacco smoke, and +stronger language, over the delay and the terrible jolting of the +conveyance. + +In addition to those penned up inside, there were two passengers +positioned on top, to the rear of the driver, where they clung to the +trunk railings to keep from being jostled off. + +One was an elderly man, tall in stature and noticeably portly, with a +florid countenance, cold gray eyes, and hair and beard of brown, +freely mixed with silvery threads. He was elegantly attired, his +costume being of the finest cloth and of the very latest cut: boots +patent leathers, and hat glossy as a mirror; diamonds gleamed and +sparkled on his immaculate shirt-bosom, on his fingers and from the +seal of a heavy gold chain across his vest front. + +The other personage was a counterpart of the first to every +particular, save that while one was more than a semi-centenarian to +years, the other was barely twenty. The same faultless elegance in +dress, the same elaborate display of jewels, and the same haughty, +aristocratic bearing produced in one was mirrored to the other. + +They were father and son. + +"Confound such a road!" growled the younger man, as the stage bounced +him about like a rubber ball. "For my part I wish I had remained at +home, instead of coming out into this outlandish region. It is +perfectly awful." + +"Y-y-y-e-s!" chattered the elder between the jolts and jerks--"it is +not what it should be, that's true. But have patience; ere long we +will reach our destination, and--" + +"Get shot like poor Vansevere did!" sneered the other. "I tell you, +governor, this is a desperate game you are playing." + +The old man smiled, grimly. + +"Desperate or not, we must carry it through to the end. Vansevere was +not the right kind of a man to set after the young scamp." + +"How do you mean?" + +"He was too rash--entirely too rash. Deadwood Dick is a daring whelp, +and Vansevere's open offer of a reward for his apprehension only put +the young tiger on his guard, and he will be more wary and watchful in +the future." + +This in a positive tone. + +"Yes; he will be harder to trap than a fox who has lost a foot between +jaws of steel. He will be revengeful, too!" + +"Bah! I fear him not, old as I am. He is but a boy in years, you +remember, and will be easily managed." + +"I hope so; I don't want my brains blown out, at least." + +The stage rumbled on; the Jehu cursed and lashed his horses; the +canyon grew deeper, narrower and darker, the grade slightly +descending. + +The moon seemed resting on the summit of a peak, hundreds of feet +above, and staring down in surprise at the noisy stage. + +Alexander Filmore (the elder passenger) succeeded in steadying himself +long enough to ignite the end of a cigar to the bowl of Jehu's grimy +pipe; then he watched the trees that flitted by. Clarence, his son, +had smoked incessantly since leaving Camp Crook, and now threw away +his half-used cheroot, and listened to the sighing of the spectral +pines. + +"The girl--what about her?" he asked, after some moments had elapsed. + +"She will be as much to the way as the boy will." + +"She? Well, we'll attend to her after we git him out of the way. He is +the worst obstacle to our path, at present. Maybe when you see the +girl you will take a fancy to her." + +"Pish! I want no petticoats clinging to me--much less an ignorant +backwoods clodhopper. She is probably a fit mate for an Indian chief." + +"You are too rough on the tender sex, boy," and the elder Filmore gave +vent to a disconnected laugh. "You must remember that your mother was +a woman." + +"Was she?" Clarence bit the end of his waxed mustache, and mused over +his sire's startling announcement. "_You_ recollect that I never saw +her." + +"D'ye carry poppin'-jays, pilgrims?" demanded Jehu, turning so +suddenly upon the two passengers as to frighten them out of their +wits. + +"Popping-jays?" echoed Filmore, senior. + +"Yas--shutin'-irons--rewolvers--patent perforatin' masheens." + +"Yes, we are armed, if that is what you mean." + +On dashed the stage through the echoing canyon--on plunged the +snorting horses, excited to greater efforts by the frequent +application of the cracking lash. The pines grew thicker, and the +moonlight less often darted its rays down athwart the road. + +"Hey!" yelled a rough voice from within the stage "w'at d'ye drive so +fast fer? Ye've jonced the senses clean out uv a score o' us." + +"Go to blazes!" shouts back Jehu, giving an extra crack to his whip. +"Who'n the name o' John Rodgers ar' drivin' this omnybust, +pilgrim?--you or I?" + +"You'll floor a hoss ef ye don' mind sharp!" + +"Who'n thunder wants ye to pay fer et, ef I do?" rings back, +tauntingly. "Reckon w'en Bill McGucken can't drive ther +thru-ter-Deadwood stage as gude as ther average, he'll suspend +bizness, or hire _you_ ter steer to his place." + +On, on rumbles the stage, down through a lower grade of the canyon, +where no moonlight penetrates, and all is of Stygian darkness. + +The two passengers on top of the stage shiver with dread, and even old +Bill McGucken peers around him, a trifle suspiciously. + +It is a wild spot, with the mountains rising on each side of the road +to a stupendous hight, the towering pines moaning their sad, eternal +requiem; the roar of the great wheels over the hardpan bottom; the +snorting of the fractious lead-horses; the curses and the cracking of +Jehu's whip; the ring of iron-shod hoofs--it is a place and moment +conducive to fear, mute wonder, admiration. + +"_Halt!_" + +High above all other sounds now rings this cry, borne toward the +advancing stage from the impenetrable space of gloom ahead, brought +down in clear commanding tone whereto there is neither fear nor +hesitation. + +That one word has marvelous effect. It brings a gripe of iron into the +hands of Jehu, and he jerks his snorting steeds back upon their +haunches; it is instrumental in stopping the stage. (Who ever knew a +Black Hills driver to offer to press on when challenged to halt to a +wild dismal place?) + +It sends a thrill of lonely horror through the vein of those to whose +ears the cry is borne; it causes hands to fly to the butts of weapons, +and hearts to beat faster. + +"Halt!" Again the cry rings forth, reverberating in a hundred +dissimilar echoes up the rugged mountain side. + +The horses quiet down: Jehu sits like a carved statue on his box; the +silence becomes painful to those within the stage--those who are +trembling in a fever of excitement, and peering from the open windows +with revolvers cocked for instant use. + +The moon suddenly thrusts her golden head over the pinnacle of a hoary +peak a thousand feet above and lights up the gorge with a ghastly +distinctness that enables the watchers to behold a black horseman +blocking the path a few rods ahead. + +"Silence! Listen!" Two words this time, in the same clear, commanding +voice. A pause of a moment, then the stillness is broken by the +ominous click! click! of a score of rifles; this alone announces that +the stage is "covered." + +Then the lone horseman rides leisurely down toward the stage, and Jehu +recognizes him. It is Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road! + +Mounted upon his midnight steed, and clad in his weird suit of black, +he makes an imposing spectacle, as he comes fearlessly up. Well may +he be bold and fearless, for no one dares to raise a hand against him, +when the glistening barrels of twelve rifles protruding from each +thicket that fringes the road threaten those within and without the +stage. + +Close up to the side of the coach rides the daring young outlaw, his +piercing orbs peering out from the eye-holes in his black mask, one +hand clasping the bridle-reins the other a nickel-plated seven-shooter +drawn back at full cock. + +"You do well to stop, Bill McGucken!" the road-agent, observes, +reining in his steed. "I expected you hours ago, on time." + +"Twarn't my fault, yer honor!" replies Jehu, meek as a lamb under the +gaze of the other's popgun. "Ye see, we broke a pole this side o' +Custer City, an' that set us behind several p'ints o' ther compass." + +"What have you aboard to-night worth examining!" + +"Nothin', yer honor. 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!" + +And the laugh was taken up by the road-knights, concealed in the +thicket, and swelled into a wild, boisterous shout. + +Poor McGucken trembled in his boots in abject terror, while those +inside the coach were pretty well scared. + +"Driver!" said the Prince of the Road, coolly, after the laugh, "go +you to the passengers who grace this rickety shebang and take up a +collection. You needn't cum to me wi' less'n five hundred ef ye don't +want me to salt ye!" + +Bowing humble obeisance, McGucken took off his hat, and made for the +stage door. + +"Gentlemen!" he plead, "there is need o' yer dutchin' out yer dudads +right liberal ef ye've enny purtic'lar anticypation an' desire ter git +ter Deadwood ter-night. Dick, the Road-Agent, are law an' gospel +heerabouts, I spec'late!" + +"Durned a cent'll I fork!" growled one old fellow, loud enough to be +heard. "I ain't afeerd o' all the robber Dicks from here ter +Jerusalum." + +But when he saw the muzzle of the young road-agent's revolver gazing +in through the window, he suddenly changed his mind, and laid a +plethoric pocketbook into McGucken's already well-filled hat. + +The time occupied in making the collection was short, and in a few +moments the Jehu handed up his battered "plug" to the Prince of the +Road for inspection. + +Coolly Deadwood Dick went over the treasure, as if it were all +rightfully his own; then he chucked hat and all into one of his +saddle-bags, after which he turned his attention toward the stage. As +he did so he saw for the first time the two passengers on top, and as +he gazed at them a gleam of fire shot into his eyes and his hands +nervously griped at his weapon. + +"Alexander Filmore, you here!" he ejaculated, his voice betraying his +surprise. + +"Yes," replied the elder Filmore, coldly--"here to shoot you, you +dastardly dog," and quickly raising a pistol, he took rapid and deadly +aim, and fired. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote B: A fact.] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +NOT YET! + + +With a groan Deadwood Dick fell to the ground, blood spurting from a +wound in his breast. The bullet of the elder Filmore had indeed struck +home. + +Loud then were the cries of rage and vengeance, as a score of masked +men poured out from the thickets, and surrounded the stage. + +"Shoot the accursed nigger!" cried one. "He's killed our leader, an' +by all the saints in ther calendur he shall pay the penalty!" + +"No! no!" yelled another, "well do no such a thing. He shall swing in +mid-air!" + +"Hey!" cried a third, rising from the side of the prostrate +load-agent, "don' ye be so fast, boys. The capt'in still lives. He is +not seriously wounded even!" + +A loud huzza went up from the score of throats, that caused a thousand +echoing reverberations along the mountain side. + +"Better let ther capt'in say what we shall do wi' yon cuss o' +creashun!" suggested one who was apparently a leading spirit; "it's +_his_ funeral, ain't it?" + +"Yas, yas, it's his funeral!" + +"Then let him do ther undertakin'." + +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. + +Dick's wound dressed, he stood once more upon his feet, and glared up +at the two men on the box. They were plainly revealed in the ghostly +moonlight, and their features easily studied. + +"Alexander Filmore!" the young road-agent said, a terrible depth of +meaning in his voice, that the cowering wretch could but understand. + +"Alexander Filmore, you have at last come out and shown your true +colors. What a treacherous, double-dyed villain you are! Better so; +better that you should take the matter into your own hands and face +the music, than to employ _tools_, as you have done heretofore. I can +fight a dozen enemies face to face better than one or two lurking in +the bushes." + +The elder Filmore uttered a savage curse. + +"You triumph _now!_" he growled, biting his nether lip in vexation; +"but it will not always be thus." + +"Eh? think not? I think I shall have to _adopt_ you for awhile. Boys, +haul down the two, and bind them securely." + +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!" + +Jehu needed not the second invitation. He never was tardy in getting +out of the way of danger: so he picked up the reins, gave an extra +hard crack of the long whip, and away rolled the jolting stage through +the black canyon, disappearing a moment later around the bend, beyond +which lay Deadwood--magic city of the wilderness. + +Then, out from the thicket the road-agents led their horses; the two +prisoners were secured in the saddles in front of two brawny outlaws, +and without delay the cavalcade moved down the gorge, weirdly +illuminated by the mellow rays of the soaring moon. + + * * * * * + +Clarence Filmore had hoped that the report of his pistol-shots would +reach Deadwood. If so, his wishes were fulfilled. The reports reached +the barracks above Deadwood just as a horseman galloped up the +hill--Major R----, just in from a carouse down at the "Met." + +"Halloo!" he shouted, loudly. "To horse! there is trouble in the +gorge. The Sioux, under Sitting Bull, are upon us!" + +As the major's word was law at the barracks, in very short order the +garrison was aroused, and headed by the major in person, a cavalcade +of sleepy soldiers swept down the gorge toward the place whence had +come the firing. + +Wildly around the abrupt bend they dashed with yells of anticipated +victory: then there was a frightful collision between the incoming +stage and the outgoing cavalry; the shrieks and screams of horses, the +curses and yells of wounded men; and a general pandemonium ensued. + +The coach, passengers, horses and all was upset, and went rolling down +a steep embankment. + +Major R---- was precipitated headlong over the embankment, and in his +downward flight probably saw more than one soaring comet. He struck +head-first in a muddy run, and a sorrier-looking officer of the U.S.A. +was never before seen in the Black Hills as he emerged from his bath, +than the major. His ridiculous appearance went so far as to stay the +general torrent of blasphemy and turn it into a channel of boisterous +laughter. + +No delay was made in putting things ship-shape again, and ere morning +dawned Deadwood beheld the returned soldiers and wrecked stage with +its sullen passengers within its precincts. + +Dick and his men rode rapidly down the canyon, the two prisoners +bringing up the rear under the escort of two masked guards. + +These guards were brothers and Spanish-Mexicans at that. + +The elder Filmore, a keen student of character, was not long in making +out these Spaniards' true character, nor did their greedy glances +toward his and his son's diamonds escape him. + +"We want to get free!" he at last whispered, when none of those ahead +were glancing back. "You will each receive a cool five hundred apiece +if you will set us at liberty." + +The two road-agents exchanged glances. + +"It's a bargain!" returned one. "Stop your horses, and let the others +go on!" + +The main party were at this juncture riding swiftly down a steep +grade. + +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. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +AT THE "MET." + + +A few nights subsequent to the events related in our last chapter, it +becomes our duty to again visit the notorious "Metropolitan" saloon of +Deadwood, to see what is going on there. + +As usual everything around the place and in it is literally "red hot." +The bars are constantly crowded, the gaming-tables are never empty, +and the floor is so full of surging humanity that the dance, formerly +a chief attraction, has necessarily been suspended. + +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. + +Every person in Deadwood can tell you where the "Met" is, as it is +general head-quarters. + +We mount the mud-splashed steps and disappear behind the screen that +stands in front of the door. Then the merry clink of glasses, snatches +of ribald song, and loud curses from the polluted lips of some wretch +who has lost heavily at the gaming-table, reach our hearing, while our +gaze wanders over as motley a crowd as it has ever been our fortune to +behold. + +Men from the States--lawyers, doctors, speculators, adventurers, +pilgrims, and dead-beats; men from the western side of the Missouri; +grisly miners from Colorado; hunters and trappers from Idaho and +Wyoming; card sharps from Denver and Fr'isco; pickpockets from St. Joe +and bummers from Omaha--all are here, each one a part of a strange and +on the whole a very undesirable community. + +Although the dance has been suspended, that does not necessitate the +discharge of the brazen-faced girls, and they may yet be seen here +with the rest mingling freely among the crowd. + +Seated at a table in a somewhat retired corner, were two persons +engaged at cards. One was a beardless youth attired in buck-skin, and +armed with knife and pistols; the other a big, burly tough from the +upper chain--grisly, bloated and repulsive. He, too, was nothing short +of a walking arsenal, and it was plain to see that he was a desperate +character. + +The game was poker. The youth had won three straight games and now +laid down the cards that ended the fourth in his favor. + +"You're flaxed ag'in, pardner!" he said, with a light laugh, as he +raked in the stakes. "This takes your all, eh?" + +"Every darned bit!" said the "Cattymount"--for it was he--with an +oath. "You've peeled me to ther hide, an' no mistake. Salivated me' +way out o' time, sure's thar ar' modesty in a bar-girl's tongue!" + +The youth laughed. "You are not in luck to-night. Maybe your luck will +return, if you keep on. Haven't you another V?" + +"Nary another!" + +"Where's your pard, that got salted the other night?" + +"Who--Chet Diamond? Wal, hee's around heer, sum'ars, but I can't borry +none off o' him. No; I've gotter quit straight off." + +"I'll lend you ten to begin on," said the youth, and he laid an X in +the ruffian's hands. "There, now, go ahead with your funeral. It's +your deal." + +The cards were dealt, and the game played, resulting in the favor of +the "Cattymount." Another and another was played, and the tough won +every time. Still the youth kept on, a quiet smile resting on his +pleasant features, a twinkle in his coal-black eye. The youth, dear +reader, you have met before. + +_He_ is not he, but instead--Calamity Jane. On goes the game, the +burly "tough" winning all the time, his pile of tens steadily +increasing in hight. + +"Talk about Joner an' the ark, an' Noar an' ther whale!" he cries, +slapping another X onto the pile with great enthusiasm; "I hed a +grate, grate muther-in-law w'at played keerds wi' Noar inside o' thet +eyedentical whale's stummick--played poker wi' w'alebones fer pokers. +They were afterward landed at Plymouth rock, or sum uther big rock, +an' fit together, side by side, in the rebellyuns." + +"Indeed!"--with an amused laugh--"then you must have descended from a +long line of respected ancestors." + +"Auntsisters? Wa'al, I jest about reckon I do. I hev got ther blood o' +Cain and Abel in my veins, boyee, an' ef I ken't raise the biggest +kind o' Cain tain't because I ain't _able_--oh! no. Pace anuther +pilgrim?" + +"I reckon. How much have ye got piled up thar in that heap!" + +"Squar' ninety tens, my huckleberry, an' all won fa'r, you bet." + +"Then it's the first time you ever won anything fair, Cass Diamond!" +exclaimed a voice close hand, and the two players looked up to see Ned +Harris standing near by, with his hands clasped across his breast. + +Calamity Jane nodded, indifferently. She had seen the young miner on +several occasions; once she had been rendered an invaluable service +when he rescued her from a brawl in which a dozen toughs had attacked +her. + +"Cattymount" Cass, brother of Chet Diamond, the Deadwood card-king, +recognized him also, and with an oath, sprung to his feet. + +"By all the Celestyals!" he ejaculated, jerking forth a +six-shooter--"by all the roarin', screechin, shriekin', yowlin', +squawkin,' ring-tailed, flat-futted cattymounts thet ever did ther +forest aisles o' old Alaska traverse! _you_ here, ye infernal +smooth-faced varmint? _You_ heer, arter all ye've did to ride ther +cittyzens o' Deadwood inter rebellyun, ye leetle pigminian deputy uv +ther devil? Hurra! hurra! boys; let's string him up ter ther nearest +sapling!" + +"Hal ha!" laughed Harris, coolly, "hear the coward squeal for his +pard's assistance. Dassen't stand on his own leather fer fear of +gettin' salted fer all he's worth." + +"You're a liar!" roared the "Cattymount" spreading himself about +promiscuously, but the two words had scarcely left his lips when a +blow from the fist of Ned Harris reached him under the left eye, and +he went sprawling on the ground in a heap. + +"Here! here!" roared a stranger, rushing in upon the scene, and +hurling the crowd aside with a dexterity something wonderful. "What is +the meaning of all this? Who knocked Cass Diamond down?" + +"I had that honor!" coolly remarked Ned Harris, stepping boldly up and +confronting the Deadwood card-king, for it was the notorious Chet +Diamond who had asked the question. "I smacked him in the gob, Chet +Diamond, for calling me a liar, and am ready to accommodate a few +more, if there are any who wish to prefer the same charge!" + +"Bully, Ned! and here's what will back you!" cried Calamity Jane, +leaping to the miner's side, a cocked six in either white, shapely +hand; "so sail in, pilgrims!" + +Diamond cowered back, and swore furiously. The wound in his breast was +yet sore and rankling, and he knew he owed it to the cool and +calculating young miner whose name was an omen of terror among toe +"toughs" of Deadwood. + +"Come on, you black-hearted ace thief!" shouted Calamity Jane, +thrusting the muzzle of one of her plated revolvers forcibly under the +gambler's prominent nose--"come on! slide in if you are after squar' +up-an'-down fun. We'll greet you, best we know how, an' not charge you +anything, either. See! I've got a couple full hands o' sixes--every +one's a trump! Ain't ye got no aces hid up yer sleeves?" + +The card sharp still cursed furiously, and backed away. He dare not +reach for a weapon lest the dare-devil girl or young Harris (who now +held a cocked pill-box in each hand),-"should salt him on a full lay." + +"Ha! ha! ha!" and the laugh of Calamity rung wildly through the great +saloon--"Ha! ha! ha! here's a go! Who wants to buy a cupped-winged +sharp?" + +"Sold out right cheap!" added Ned, facetiously. "Clear the track and +we'll take him out and boost him to a limb." + +At this juncture some half a dozen of the gambler's gang came rushing +up, headed by Catamount Cass, who had recovered from the effects of +the blow from Harris' fist. + +"At them! at 'em!" roared the "screechin' cattymount frum up nor'." +"Rip, dig an' gouge 'em. Ho! ho! we'll see now who'll swing, _we_ +will! We'll l'arn who'll display his agility in mid-air, we will. At +'em, b'yees, at 'em. We'll hang 'em like they do hoss-thieves down at +Cheyenne!" + +Then followed a pitched battle in the bar-room of the "Metropolitan" +saloon, such as probably never occurred there before, and never has +since. + +Revolvers flashed on every hand, knives clashed in deadly conflict; +yells, wild, savage, and awful made a perfect pandemonium, to which +was added a second edition in the shape of oaths, curses, and groans. +Crack! whiz! bang! the bullets flew about like hailstones, and men +fell to the reeking floor each terrible moment. + +The two friends were not alone in the affray. + +No sooner had Catamount Cass and his gang of "toughs" showed fight, +than a company of miners sprung to Harris' side, and showed their +willingness to fight it out on the square line. + +Therefore, once the first shot was fired, it needed not a word to +pitch the battle. + +Fiercely waged the contest--now hand to hand--loud rose the savage +yells on the still night air. + +One by one men fell on either side, their life-blood crimsoning the +floor, their dying groans unheeded in the fearful melee. + +Still unharmed, and fighting among the first, we see Ned Harris and +his remarkable companion, Calamity Jane; both are black, and scarcely +recognizable in the cloud of smoke that fills the bar-room. Harris is +wounded in a dozen places and weak from loss of blood; yet he stands +up bravely and fights mechanically. + +Calamity Jane if she is wounded shows it not, but faces the music with +as little apparent fear as any of those around her. + +On wages the battle, even as furiously as in its beginning; the last +shot has been fired; it is now knife to knife, and face to face. + +Full as many of one side as the other have fallen, and lay strewn +about under foot, unthought of, uncared for in the excitement of the +desperate moment. Gallons of blood have made the floor slippery and +reeking, so that it is difficult to retain one's footing. + +At the head of the ruffians the Diamond brothers[C] still hold sway, +fighting like madmen in their endeavors to win a victory. They cannot +do less, for to back off in this critical moment means sure death to +the weakening party. + +But hark! what are these sounds? + +The thunder of hoofs is heard outside; the rattle of musketry and +sabers, and the next instant a company of soldiery, headed by Major +R----, ride straight up into the saloon, firing right and left. + +"Come!" cried Calamity Jane, grasping Harris by the arm, and pulling +him toward a side door, "it's time for us to slope now. 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. None of the +citizens of Deadwood or its surroundings had ever heard of such a +person as Captain Walter Terry. + +The young couple had become fast friends from their association, and +Alice was improving in looks every day she stayed in the mountains. + +"I feel hungry," observed Frank, as they rode along. "This life in the +hills gives me a keen appetite. How is it with you, lady?" + +"The same as with you, I guess. But look! Yonder comes a horseman +toward us!" + +It was even so. A horseman was galloping up the gulch--no other than +our young friend, Ned Harris. + +As the two parties approach, the faces of each of the youths grow +deadly pale; there comes into their eyes an ominous glitter; their +hands each clasp the butt of a revolver, and they gradually draw rein. + +That they are enemies of old--that the fire of rancor burns in their +hearts, and that this meeting is unexpected, is plain to see. + +Now, that they have met, probably for the first time in months or +years, it remains not to be doubted but a settlement must come between +them--that their hate must result in satisfaction, whether in blood or +not. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +THE DUEL AND ITS RESULT. + + +Belligerent were the glances exchanged between the two, as they sat +there facing each other, each with a hand closed over the butt of a +pistol; each as motionless as a carved statue. + +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. + +Harris was, if anything, the coolest of the three; but, after all, why +should he not be? He had spent several years in society that seemed +callous to fear,--that knew not what it was to be a Christian; where +the utmost coolness was necessary to the preservation of life; where +bravery was all and education a dead letter. Fearless Frank, too, had +seen all phases of rough western life, probably, but his temperament +was more nervous and excitable, his passions tenfold harder to +restrain. Still, he managed to exercise a cool exterior now, that +equaled that of his opposite--his hated enemy. Mystery, as Frank +habitually called the girl, did not offer to conceal her feelings. 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. + +Harris was wonderfully calm and at ease; only a gray pallor on his +handsome face and a menacing fire in his piercing eyes told that he +was in the least agitated. + +"Justin McKenzie!" + +Sternly rung out the words on the clear mountain air. Ned Harris had +spoken, and the grayish pallor deepened on his countenance while the +fire of rancor burned with stronger gleam in his eagle eye. + +The effect on the scarlet youth was scarcely noticeable, more than +that the lips grew more rigid and compressed, and the right hand +clutched the pistol-butt more tightly. But no answer to the other's +summons. + +"Justin McKenzie!" again said the young miner, calmly, "do you +recognize me?" + +The Scarlet Boy bows his head slowly, his eyes watchful lest the other +shall catch the drop on him. + +"Justin McKenzie, you _do_ recognize me, even after the elapse of two +long weary years, during which I have sought for you faithfully, but +failed to find you until this hour. We have at last met, and the time +for settlement between you and me, Justin McKenzie, has arrived. Here +in this out-of-the-way gorge, we will settle the grudge I hold against +you--we will see who shall live and who shall die!" + +Alice Terry uttered a terrified cry. + +"Oh! no! no! you must not fight--you _must_ not. It is bad--oh! so +awful wicked!" + +"Excuse me, lady, but you will have no voice in this matter;" and the +miner's tone grew a trifle more severe. "Knew you the bitter wrong +done me by this young devil with the smooth face and oily tongue--if +you knew what a righteous cause I have to defend, you would say 'let +the battle proceed.' I am not one to thirst for the blood of my +fellow-men, but I _am_ one that is ever ready to raise my hand and +strike in the defense of women!" + +Alice Terry secretly admired the stalwart young miner for this gallant +speech. + +Fearless Frank, his face paler than before, an expression of remorse +combined with anguish about his countenance, and moisture standing in +either eye, assumed his quasi-erect attitude as he answered: + +"Edward Harris, if you will listen, I will say all I have to say in a +very few words. You hate me because of a wrong I did you and yours, +and you want my life for the forfeit. I shall not hinder you longer to +your purpose. For two long years you have trailed and tracked me with +the determination of a bloodhound, and I have evaded you, not that I +was at all afraid of you, but because I did not wish to make you a +murderer. I have come across your path at last; here let us settle, as +you have said. See! I fold my arms across my breast. Take out your +pistol, aim steadily, and fire twice at my breast. I have heard enough +concerning your skill as a marksman to feel confident that you can +kill me in two shots!" + +Ned Harris flushed, angrily. He was surprised at the cool indifference +and recklessness of the youth; he was angered that McKenzie should +think _him_ mean enough to take such a preposterous advantage. + +"You are a fool!" he sneered, biting his lip with vexation. "Do you +calculate I am a _murderer_?" + +"I have no proof that you are or that you are _not_!" replied Fearless +Frank, controlling his temper by a master effort. "You remember I have +not kept a watch upon your actions." + +"Be that as it may, I would be an accursed dog to take advantage of +your insulting proposal. You must fight me the same as I shall fight +you!" + +"No, Ned Harris, I will do nothing of the kind. It is I who have +wronged you and yours; you must take the offensive; I will play a +silent hand." + +"You refuse to fight me?" + +"I _do_ refuse to fight you, but do _not_ refuse to give you +satisfaction for what wrong you have suffered. Take my life, if you +choose; it is yours. Take it, or forever after this consider our debt +of hatred canceled, and let us be--" + +"Friends? Never, Justin McKenzie, _never_! You forget the stain dyed +by your hand that will never washout!" + +"No! no! God knows I do not forget!" and the youth's voice was hoarse +with anguish. "Could it be undone, I would gladly undo the deed. But, +tell me, Harris about _her_. Does she still live?" + +"_Live_? We-l-l, yes, if you can call staying living. Life is but a +blank; better she had died ere she ever met you!" + +"You speak truly; better she had died ere she met me." + +Unconsciously the two had ridden closer to each other; had they +forgotten themselves in recalling the past? + +"She lives--may live on her lonely life for years to come," Harris +resumed, thoughtfully, "but her life will be merely endurance." + +"Will you tell me where--where I can go in secret and take but one +look at her? If you will do this, I will agree to meet you and give +you your chance for satis--" + +"No!" thundered Harris, growing suddenly furious, "_no_! a thousand +times! I'd sooner see her in the burning depths of the bottomless pit +than have you get within a hundred miles of her with your +contaminating presence. She is safely hidden away, and that forever, +from the companionship of our sex. So let her be till death claims +her!" + +"You are too hard on her!" + +"And not hard enough on you, base villain that your are! Who is this +young lady you have to your company--another of your victims?" + +"Hold! Edward Harris; enough of your vile insinuations. This lady is +one whom I rescued from Sitting Bull, the Sioux, and I am helping her +to hunt a father who she says is somewhere in the Black Hills. Your +language should at least be respectful!" + +The rebuke stung young Harris to the quick, but he reined in his +passion to a moment, and doffed his hat. + +"Pardon me; miss, pardon me. It was ungentlemanly for me to speak as I +did, but I was surprised at seeing one of your sex in company with +this accomplished scamp, Justin McKenzie." + +"My presence with him is, as he said, for the purpose of finding my +father. He rescued me from the Indians, and has volunteered his +services, for which I am very thankful. 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. + +"You are a liar and a dastard!" he cried, fiercely. "Come on if you +wish satisfaction, and I'll give it to you!" + +"I am ready, always, sir. I challenged you first; you have the +choice!" retorted Ned, as cool as ever, while his enemy was all +trembling with excitement. + +"Pistols, at fifty yards; to be fired until one or the other is dead!" +was the prompt decision. + +"Good! Young lady, you will necessarily have to act as second for both +of us. If I drop, leave my body where I fall, and it will be picked up +by friends. If he falls, I will ride on to Deadwood, and send you out +help to carry him in." + +Without delay the distance was guessed at, and each of the young men +rode to position. Miss Terry, the beautiful second, took her place at +one side of the gulch, midway between the antagonists, and when all +was to readiness she counted: + +"One!" + +The right hands of the two youths were raised on a level, and the +gleaming barrel of a pistol shone from each. + +"Two!" + +There was a sharp click! click! as the hammers of the weapons were +pulled back at full cock. Each click meant danger or death. + +Harris was very white; so was Fearless Frank, but not so much so as +the young woman who was to give the signal. + +"Three! _Fire!_" cried Alice, quickly; then, there was a flash, the +report of two pistols, and Ned Harris fell to the ground without a +groan. + +McKenzie ran to his side, and bent over him. + +"Poor fellow!" he murmured, rising, a few moments later--"poor Ned. +_He is dead!_" + +It was Harris' request to be left where he fell. Accordingly he was +laid on the grass by the roadside, his horse tethered near by, and +then, accompanied by Alice, Justin McKenzie set out to Deadwood. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote C: Living characters] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +THE POCKET GULCH MINES--INVADERS OF THEM. + + +We see fit to change the scene once more back to the pocket gulch--the +home of the sweet, sad-faced Anita. The date is one month later--one +long, eventful month since Justin McKenzie shot down Ned Harris under +the noonday sun, a short distance above Deadwood. + +Returning to the Flower Pocket by the route to the rugged transverse +gulch, and thence through the gaping fissure, we find before us a +scene--not of slumbering beauty, but of active industry and labor, +such as was not here when we last looked into the flower-strewn +paradise of the Hills. + +The flowers are for the most part still intact, though occasionally +you will come across a spot where the hand of man hath blighted their +growth. + +Where stood the little vine-wreathed cabin now may be seen a larger +and more commodious log structure, which is but a continuation of the +original. + +A busy scene greets our gaze all around. Men are hurrying here and +there through the valley--men not of the pale-face race, but of the +red race; men, clad only to the waist, with remarkable muscular +developments, and fleetness of foot. + +Over the little creek which dashes far adown from pine-dressed +mountain peaks, and trails its shining waters through the flowering +land, is built another structure--of logs, strongly and carefully +erected, and thatched by a master hand with bark and grass. From the +roof projects a small smoke-stack, from which emanates a steady cloud +of smoke, curling lazily upward toward heaven's blue vault, and inside +is heard the grinding, crushing rumble of ponderous machinery, and we +rightly conjecture that it is a crusher in full operation. Across from +the northern side of the gulch comes a steady string of mules in line, +each pulling behind him a jack-sled (or, what is better known to the +general reader as a stone-boat) heavily laden with huge quartz rocks. +These are dumped in front of one of the large doorways of the crusher, +and the "empties" return mechanically and disappear within a gaping +fissure in the very mountain side--a sort of tunnel, which the hand of +man, aided by that great and stronger arm--powder--has burrowed and +blasted out. + +All this is under the Immediate management of the swarthy-skinned +red-men, whose faces declare them to be a remnant of the once great +Ute tribe--now utilized to a better occupation than in the dark and +bloody days of the past. + +Near the crusher building is a large, stoutly-constructed windlass, +worked by mule power, and every few moments there comes up to the +surface from the depths of a shaft, a bucketful of rock and sand, +which is dumped into a push-car, and from thence transferred to the +line of sluice-boxes in the stream, where more half-clothed Utes are +busily engaged in sifting golden particles from the rich sand. + +What a transformation is all this since we left the Flower Pocket a +little over a month ago! Now, everywhere within those majestic +mountain-locked walls is bustle and excitement; then, the valley was +sleeping away the calm, perfume-laden autumnal days, unconscious of +the mines of wealth lying nestling in its bosom, and content and happy +in its quietude and the adornments of nature's beauties. + +Now, shouts, ringing halloos, angry curses at the obstinate mules, the +rumbling of ponderous machinery, the clink of picks and reports of +frequent blasts, the deadened sound of escaping steam, the barking of +dogs, the whining of horses--all these sounds are now to be heard. + +Then, the valley was peacefully at rest; the birds chimed in their +exquisite music to the Æolian harp-like music of the breeze through +the branches of the mountain pines; the waters pouring adown from the +stupendous peaks created an everlasting song of love and constancy; +bees and humming-birds drank delicious draughts from the blushing lips +of a million nodding flowers; the sun was more hazy and +drowsy-looking; everything had an appearance of ethereal peace and +happiness. + +But, like a drama on the stage, a grand transformation had taken +place; a beautiful dream had been changed into stern reality; quietude +and slumber had fled at the bold approach of bustling industry and +life. And all this transformation is due to whom? + +The noonday sun shone down on all the busy scene with a glance of +warmth and affection, and particularly did its rays center about two +men, who, standing on the southern side of the valley, up in among the +rugged foothills, were watching the living panorama with the keenest +interest. + +They were Harry Redburn and the queer old hump-backed, bow-legged +little locator, "General" Walsingham Nix. + +Redburn was now looking nearly as rough, unkempt and grizzled as any +veteran miner, and for a bet, he actually had not waxed the ends of +his fine mustache for over a week. But there was more of a healthy +glow upon his face, a robustness about his form, and a light of +satisfaction in his eye which told that the rough miner's life agreed +with him exceedingly well. + +The old "General" was all dirt, life and animation, and as full of his +eccentricities as ever. He was a character seldom met with--ever full +of a quaint humor and sociability, but never known to get mad, no +matter how great the provocation might be. + +His chance strike upon the spot where lay the gold of Flower Pocket +imbedded--if it could be called a chance, considering his dream--was +the prelude to the opening up of one of the richest mining districts +south of Deadwood. + +We left them after Harry had driven a stake to mark the place which +the somnambulist had pointed out as indicating the concealed mine. + +On the succeeding day the two men set to work, and dug long and +desperately to uncover the treasure, and after three days of incessant +toil they were rewarded with success. A rich vein of gold, or, rather, +a deposit of the valuable metal was found, it being formed in a deep, +natural pocket and mixed alternately with sand and rock. + +During the remaining four days of that week the two lucky miners took +out enough gold to evidence their supposition that they had struck one +of the richest fields in all the Black Hills country. Indeed, it +seemed that there was no end to the depth of sand in the shaft, and as +long as the sand held out the gold was likely to. + +When, just in the flush of their early triumph, the old humpback was +visited by another somnambulistic fit, and this time he discovered +gold down in the northern mountain side, and prophesied that the +quartz rock which could be mined therefrom would more than repay the +cost and trouble of opening up the vein and of transporting machinery +to the gulch. + +We need not go into detail of what followed; suffice it to say that +immediate arrangements were made and executed toward developing this +as yet unknown territory. + +While Redburn set to work with two Ute Indians (transported to the +gulch from Deadwood, under oath of secrecy by the "General") to blast +into the mountain-side, and get at the gold-bearing quartz, the old +locater in person set out for Cheyenne on the secret mission of +procuring a portable crusher, boiler and engine, and such other +implements as would be needed, and getting them safely into the gulch +unknown to the roving population of the Hills country. And most +wonderful to relate, he succeeded. + +Two weeks after his departure, he returned with the machinery and two +score of Ute Indians, whom he had sworn into his service, for, as a +Ute rarely breaks his word, they were likely to prove valuable +accessories to the plans of our two friends. Redburn had in the +meantime blasted in until he came upon the quartz rock. Here he had to +stop until the arrival of the machinery. He however busied himself in +enlarging the cabin and building a curb to the shaft, which occupied +his time until at last the "General" and his army returned.[D] + +Now, we see these two successful men standing and gazing at the result +of their joint labors, each financially happy; each growing rich as +the day rolls away. + +The miners are in a prosperous condition, and everything moves off +with that ease and order that speaks of shrewd management and constant +attention to business. + +The gold taken from the shaft is much finer than that extracted from +the quartz. + +The quartz yielded about eighteen dollars to the ton, which the +"General" declared to be as well as "a feller c'u'd expect, +considerin' things, more or less!" + +Therefore, it will be seen by those who have any knowledge whatever of +gold mining that, after paying off the expenses, our friends were not +doing so badly, after all. + +"Yes, yes!" the "General" was remarking, as he gazed at the string of +mules that alternately issued from and re-entered the fissure on the +opposite side of the valley; "yes, yes, boyee, things ar' workin' as I +like ter see 'em at last. The shaft'll more'n pay expenses if she +holds her head 'bove water, as I opine she will, an' w'at ar' squeezed +out uv the quartz ar' cleer 'intment fer us." + +"True; the shaft is more than paying off the hands," replied Redburn, +seating himself upon a bowlder, and staring vacantly at the dense +column of smoke ejected from the smoke-stack in the roof of the +crusher building. + +"I was looking up accounts last evening, and after deducting what you +paid for the machinery, and what wages are due the Utes, we have about +a thousand dollars clear of all, to be divided between three of us." + +"Exactly. Now, that's w'at I call fair to middling. Of course thar'll +be more or less expense, heerafter, but et'll be a consider'ble less +o' more than more o' less. Another munth'll tell a larger finanshell +tale, I opine" + +"Right again, unless something happens more than we think for now. If +we get through another month, however, without being nosed out, why we +may consider ourselves all-fired lucky." + +"Jes' so! Jes' so! but we'll hev ter take our chances. One natteral +advantage, we kin shute 'em as fast as they come--" + +"Ho!" Redburn interrupted, suddenly, leaping to his feet; "they say +the devil's couriers are ever around when you are talking of them. +Look! invaders already." + +He pointed toward the east, where the passage led out of the valley +into the gorge beyond. + +Out of this passage two persons on horseback had just issued, and now +they came to a halt, evidently surprised at the scene which lay spread +out before them. + +No sooner did the "General" clap his eyes on the pair than he uttered +a cry of astonishment, mingled with joy. + +"It's thet scarlet chap, Fearless Frank!" he announced, hopping about +like a pig on a hot griddle "w'at I war tellin' ye about; the same +cuss w'at desarted Charity Joe's train, ter look fer sum critter w'at +war screechin' fer help. I went wi' the lad fer a ways, but my jackass +harpened to be more or less indispositioned--consider'bly more o' less +than less o' more--an' so I made up my mind not ter continny his +route. Ther last I see'd o' the lad he disappeared over sum kind o' a +precypice, an' calkylatin' as how he war done fer, I rej'ined Charity +Joseph, ar' kim on." + +"He has a female in his company!" said Redburn, watching the new-comer +keenly. + +"Yas, peers to me he has, an' et's more or less likely that et's the +same critter he went to resky w'en he left Charity Joe's train!" + +"What about him? We do not want him here; to let him return to +Deadwood after what he has seen would be certain death to our +interests." + +"Yas, thar's more or less truth in them words o' yours, +b'yee--consider'bly more o' less than less o' more. He ken't go back +now, nohow we kin fix et. He's a right peart sort o' a kid, an' I +think ef we was ter guv him a job, or talk reeson'ble ter him, thet +he'd consent to do the squar' thing by us." + +Redburn frowned. + +"He'll have to remain for a certain time, whether he wants to or not," +he muttered, more savage than usual. It looked to him as if this was +to be the signal of a general invasion. "Come! let's go and see what +we can do." + +They left the foothills, clambered down into the valley and worked +their way toward where Fearless Frank and his companion sat in +waiting. + +As they did so, headed by a figure in black, who wore a mask as did +all the rest, a band of horsemen rode out of the fissure into the +valley. One glance and we recognize Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, +and his band of road-agents! + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +MAKING TERMS ALL AROUND. + + +Old General Nix was the first to discover the new invasion. + +"Gorra'mighty!" he ejaculated, flourishing his staff about excitedly, +"d'je mind them same w'at's tuk et inter the'r heads to invade our +sancty sanctorum, up yander? Howly saints frum ther cullender! We +shall be built up inter an entire city 'twixt this an' sunset, ef ther +population n' sect becum enny more numersome. Thars a full fifty o' +them sharks, more or less--consider'bly more o' less than less o' +more--an' ef we hain't got ter hold a full hand in order ta clean 'em +out, why, ye can call me a cross-eyed, hair lipped hyeeny, that's +all." + +Redburn uttered an ejaculation as he saw the swarm of invaders that +was perhaps more forcible than polite. + +He did not like the looks of things at all. If Ned Harris were only +here, he thought, he could throw the responsibility all off on his +shoulders. But he was not; neither had he been seen or heard of since +he had quitted the valley over a month ago. Where he was staying all +this time was a problem that no one could solve--no one among our +three friends. + +The "General" had made inquiries in Deadwood, but elicited no +information concerning the young miner. He had dropped entirely out of +the magic city's notice, and might be dead or dying in some foreign +clime, for all they knew. Anita worried and grew sadder each day at +his non-return; it seemed to her that he was in distress, or worse, +perhaps--dead. He had never stayed away so long before, she said, +always returning from his trips every few days. What, then, could now +be the reason of his prolonged absence? + +Redburn foresaw trouble in the intrusion of the road-agents and +Fearless Frank, although he knew not the character or calling of the +former, and he resolved to make one bold stroke in defense of the +mines. + +"Go to the quartz mines as quickly as you can!" he said, addressing +Nix, "and call every man to his arms. Then rally them out here, where +I will be waiting with the remainder of our forces, and we will see +what can be done. If it is to be a fight for our rights, a desperate +fight it shall be." + +The "General" hurried off with as much alacrity as was possible, with +him, toward the quartz mine, while Redburn likewise made haste to +visit the shaft and collect together his handful of men. + +He passed the cabin on the way, and, seeing Anita seated in the +doorway, he came to a momentary halt. + +"You had better go inside and lock the doors and windows behind you," +he said, advisingly. "There are invaders in the gulch, and we must try +and effect a settlement with them; so it is not desirable that they +should see you." + +"You are not going to fight them?" + +"Yes, if they will not come to reasonable terms which I shall name. +Why?" + +"Oh! don't fight. You will get killed." + +"Humph! what of that? Who would care if I were killed?" + +"I would, for one, Mr. Redburn." + +The miner's heart gave a great bound, and he gazed into the pure white +face of the girl, passionately. Was it possible that she had in her +heart anything akin to love, for _him_? Already be had conceived a +passing fancy for her, which might ripen into love, in time. + +"Thanks!" he said, catching up her hand and pressing it to his lips. +"Those words, few as they are, make me happy, Miss Anita. But, stop! I +must away. Go inside, and keep shady until you see me again;" and so +saying he hurried on. + +In ten minutes' time two score of brawny, half-dressed Utes were +rallied in the valley, and Redburn was at their head, accompanied by +the "General." + +"I will now go forward and hold parley," said Harry, as he wrapped a +kerchief about the muzzle of his rifle-barrel. "If you see me fall, +you can calculate that it's about time for you to sling in a chunk of +your lip." + +He had fallen into the habit of talking in an illiterate fashion, +since his association with the "General." + +"All right," assented the old locater; "ef they try ter salt ye, jes' +giv' a squawk, an' we'll cum a-tearin' down ter yer resky at ther rate +o' forty hours a mile, more or less--consider'bly more o' less than +less o' more." + +Redburn buckled his belt a hole tighter, looked to his two revolvers, +and set out on his mission. + +The road-agents had, in the mean time, circled off to the right of the +fissure, and formed into a compact body, where they halted and watched +the rallying of the savages in the valley. + +Fearless Frank and his lovely companion remained where they had first +halted, awaiting developments. They had stumbled into Paradise and +were both surprised and bewildered. + +Redburn approached them first. He was at loss how to open the confab, +but the Scarlet Boy saved him the trouble. + +"I presume I see in you one of the representatives of this concern," +he said, doffing his hat and showing his pearly teeth in a little +smile, as the miner came up. + +"You do," replied Redburn, bowing stiffly. "I am an owner or partner +in this mining enterprise, which, until your sudden advent, has been a +secret to the outside world." + +"I believe you, pilgrim; for, though I am pretty thoroughly acquainted +with the topography of the Black Hills country, I had not the least +idea that such an enterprise existed in this part of the territory." + +"No, I dare say not. But how is it that we are indebted to you for +this intrusion?--for such we feel justified in calling it, under the +existing circumstances." + +"I did not intend to intrude, sir, nor do I now. In riding through the +mountains we accidentally stumbled into the fissure passage that leads +to this gulch, and as there was nothing to hinder us, we came on +through." + +"True; I should have posted a strong guard in the pass. You have a +female companion, I perceive; not your wife?" + +"Oh, no! nor my sister, either. This is Miss Terry--an estimable young +lady, who has come to the Black Hills in search of her father. Your +name is--" + +"Redburn--Harry Redburn; and yours, I am told, is Fearless Frank." + +"Yes, that is the title I sail under. But how do you know aught of +me?" + +"I was told your name by a partner of mine. Now, then, concerning the +present matter; what do you propose to do?" + +"To do? Why, turn back, I suppose; I see nothing else to do." + +Redburn leaned on his rifle and considered. + +"Do you belong to that other crowd?" + +"No, indeed;" Frank's face flushed, half angrily. "I thank my stars I +am not quite so low down as that, yet. Do you know them? That's +Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, and his band of outlaws!" + +"What--is it possible? The same gang whom the _Pioneer_ is making such +a splurge over, every week." + +"The same. That fellow clad in black is Deadwood Dick, the leader." + +"Humph! He in black; you in scarlet. Two contrasting colors." + +"That is so. I had not thought of it before. But no significance is +attached thereto." + +"Perhaps not. Have you the least idea what brought them here?" + +"The road-agents? I reckon I do. The military has been chasing them +for the last two days. Probably they have come here for protection." + +"Maybe so; or for plunder. Give me your decision, and I will go and +see what they want." + +"There is nothing for me to decide more than to take the back track." + +Redburn shook his head, decidedly. + +"You cannot go back!" he said, using positiveness in his argument; +"that is, not for awhile. You'd have all Deadwood down on us in a +jiffy. I'll give you work in the shaft, at three dollars a day. You +can accept that offer, or submit to confinement until I see fit to set +you at liberty." + +"And my companion, here--?" + +"I will place under the charge of Miss Anita for the present, where +she will receive hospitable treatment." + +Fearless Frank started as though he had been struck a violent blow; +his face grew very white; his eyes dilated; he trembled in every +joint. + +"_Anita!_" he gasped--"_Anita!_" + +"I believe that is what I said!" Redburn could not understand the +youth's agitation. He knew that the sister of Ned Harris had a secret; +was this Fearless Frank in any way connected with it, and if so, how? +"Do you know her?" + +"Her other name is--" + +"Harris--Anita Harris, in full. Do you know her, or aught of her?" + +"I--I--I did, once!" was the slow reply. "Where is she; I want to see +her?" + +Redburn took a moment to consider. + +Would it be best to permit a meeting between the two until he should +be able to learn something more definite concerning the secret? If Ned +Harris were here would he sanction such a meeting? No! something told +the young miner that he would not; something warned him that it could +result in no good to allow the scarlet youth an interview with sad, +sweet-faced Anita. + +"You cannot see her!" he at last said, decidedly. "There is a reason +why you two should never meet again, and if you remain in the gulch, +as you will be obliged to, for the present, you must give me your word +of honor that you will not go near yonder cabin." + +Fearless Frank had expected this; therefore he was not surprised. +Neither did Redburn know how close he had shied his stone at the real +truth. + +"I promise," McKenzie said, after a moment's deliberation, "on my +honor, that I will not approach the cabin, providing you will furnish +me my meals and lodgings elsewhere. If Anita comes to me, what then?" + +"I will see that she does not," Redburn answered, positively. +Gradually he was assuming full control of things, in the absence of +Harris, himself. "Miss Terry, you may ride down to yonder cabin, and +tell Anita I sent you. Pilgrim, you can come along with me." + +"No; I will accompany Alice as far as where your forces are +stationed," said Frank, and then they rode down the slope, Redburn +turning toward where the road-agents sat upon their horses in a +compact body, with Deadwood Dick at their head. + +As the miner drew nigh and came to a standstill, the Prince of the +road rode forward to his side. + +"Well--?" he said, interrogatively, his voice heavy yet pleasant; "I +suppose you desire to know what bizness we've got in your cornfield, +eh, stranger?" + +"That's about the dimensions of it, yes," replied Redburn, at once +conceiving a liking for the young road-agent, in whom he thought he +saw a true gentleman, in the disguise of a devil. "I came over to +learn the object you have in view, in invading our little valley, if +you have no objections in telling." + +"Certainly not. 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." + +"Well--?" + +"Well, we happened to see a man and woman come this way, and believing +that it must lead to somewhere or other, we followed, and here we are, +out of the reach of the blue-coats, but, I take it, _in_ the way of a +party of secret miners. Is it not so?" + +"No, not necessarily so, unless you put yourselves in the way. You +wish to remain quartered here for the present?" + +"If not contrary to your wishes, we should like to, yes." + +"I have no objections to offer, providing you will agree to two +points." + +"And what are they, may I ask?" + +"These. That you will camp at the mouth of the passage, and thus keep +out any other intruders that may come; second, that you will keep your +men to this side or the valley, and not interfere with any of our +laborers." + +"To which I eagerly agree. You shall experience no inconvenience from +our presence here; you furnish us a haven of safety from the pursuing +soldiers; we in return will extend you our aid in repelling a host of +fortune-seekers who may any moment come down this way in swarms." + +"Very well; that settles it, then. You keep your promise, and all will +go well." + +The two shook hands: then Redburn turned and strode back to dismiss +his forces, while Dick and his men took up their position at the place +where the fissure opened into the gulch. Here they made preparations +to camp. Redburn, while returning to his men, heard a shout of joy, +and looking up, saw, to his surprise, that the old "General" and Alice +Terry were locked in each other's arms, in a loving embrace. + +FOOTNOTES: + +[Footnote D: This crusher is said to have been the first introduced +into the Black Hills] + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +AT THE CABIN. + + +What did it mean? + +Had the old hump-backed, bow-legged mine-locater gone crazy, or was he +purposely insulting the beautiful maiden? Fearless Frank stood aside, +apparently offering no objections to the hugging, and the Indians did +likewise. + +At least Miss Terry made no serious attempts to free herself from the +"General's" bear-like embrace. + +A few bounds brought Redburn to the spot, panting, breathless, +perspiring. "What is the meaning of this disgraceful scene?" he +demanded, angrily. + +"Disgraceful!" The old "General" set Miss Terry down on her feet, +after giving her a resounding smack, and turned to stare at the young +miner, in astonishment. "Disgraceful! Waal, young man, ter tell the +solid Old Testament truth, more or less--consider'bly less o' more 'n +more o' less--I admire yer cheek, hard an' unblushin' as et ar'. Ye +call my givin' this pretty piece o' feminine gander a squar', fatherly +sort o' a hug, _disgraceful_, do ye? Think et's all out o' ther bounds +o' propriety, do ye?" + +"I look at it in that light, yes," Redburn replied. + +"Haw! haw! haw!" and the General shook his fat sides with immoderate +laughter. "Why, pilgrim-tender-fut, this 'ere hundred an' twenty-six +pounds o' feminine gender b'longs to me--ter yours, truly, Walsingham +Nix--an' I have a parfec' indervidual right ter hug an' kiss her as +much as I please, wi'out brookin' enny interference frum you. Alice, +dear, this ar' Harry Redburn, ginerall sup'intendent o' ther Flower +Pocket gold-mines, an' 'bout as fair specimen as they make, nowadays. +Mr. Redburn, I'll formally present you to Miss Alice Terry, _my +darter!_" + +Redburn colored, and was not a little disconcerted on account of his +blunder; but he rallied in a moment, and acknowledged the introduction +with becoming grace and dignity. + +"You must excuse my interference," he said, earnestly. "I saw the old +'General' here taking liberties that no stranger should take, and +knowing nothing of the relationship existing between you, I was +naturally inclined to think that he was either drunk or crazy; +therefore I deemed it necessary to investigate. No offense, I hope." + +"Of course not." and Alice smiled one of her sweetest smiles. "You did +perfectly right and are deserving of no censure, whatever." + +After a few moments of desultory conversation, Redburn took the +"General" to one side, and spoke on the subject of Fearless Frank and +Anita Harris--of his action in the matter, and so forth. Nix--or +Terry, as the latter was evidently his real name--heartily coincided +with his views, and both agreed that it was best not to let the +Scarlet Boy come within range of Anita, or, at least, not till Ned +Harris should return, when he could do as he chose. + +Accordingly it was decided that Fearless Frank should be set to work +in the quartz mine, that being the furthest from the cabin, and he +could eat and sleep either in the mine or in the crusher building, +whichever he liked best. + +After settling this point the two men rejoined the others, and Frank +was apprised of their decision. He made no remarks upon it, but it was +plain to see that he was anything but satisfied. His wild spirit +yearned for constant freedom. + +The Utes were dismissed and sent back to their work; the "General" +strolled off with McKenzie toward the quartz mine; it devolved upon +Redburn to escort Alice to the cabin, which he did with pleasure, and +gave her an introduction to sweet, sad-faced Anita, who awaited their +coming in the open doorway. + +The two girls greeted each other with warmth; it was apparent that +they would become fast friends when they learned more of each other. + +As for Redburn, he was secretly enamored with the "General's" pretty +daughter; she was beautiful, and evidently accomplished, and her +progenitor was financially well-to-do. What then was lacking to make +her a fitting mate for any man? Redburn pondered deeply on this +subject, as he left the girls together, and went out to see to his +duties in the mines. + +He found Terry and Fearless Frank in the quartz mine, looking at the +swarthy-skinned miners; examining new projected slopes; suggesting +easier methods for working out different lumps of gold-bearing rock. +While the former's knowledge of practical mining was extended, the +latter's was limited. + +"I think thet thar ar' bigger prospects yet, in further," the old +locater was saying. "I ain't much varsed on jeeological an' +toppygraffical formation, myself, ye see; but then, it kinder 'peers +to me thet this quartz vein ar' a-goin' to hold out fer a consider'ble +time yet." + +"Doubtless. More straight digging an' less slopes I should think would +be practicable," McKenzie observed. + +"I don't see it!" said Redburn, joining them. "Sloping and +transversing discovers new veins, while line work soon plays out. I +think things are working in excellent order at present." + +They all made a tour of the mine which had been dug a considerable +distance into the mountain. The quartz was ordinarily productive, and +being rather loosely thrown together was blasted down without any +extra trouble. After a short consultation, Redburn and the "General" +concluded to place Frank over the Utes as superintendent and +mine-boss, as they saw that he was not used to digging, blasting or +any of the rough work connected with the mine, although he was +clear-headed and inventive. + +When tendered the position it was gratefully accepted by him, he +expressing it his intention to work for the interest of his employers +as long as he should stay in the gulch. + +Night at last fell over the Flower Pocket gold-mines, and work ceased. + +The Utes procured their own food--mainly consisting of fish from the +little creek and deer and mountain birds that could be brought down at +almost any hour from the neighboring crags--and slept in the open air. +Redburn had McKenzie a comfortable bed made in the crusher-house, and +sent him out a meal fit for a prince. + +As yet, Anita knew nothing of the scarlet youth's identity;--scarcely +knew, in fact, that he was in the valley. + +At the cabin, the evening meal was dispatched with a general +expression of cheerfulness about the board. Anita seemed less downcast +than usual, and the vivacious Alice made life and merriment for all. +She was witty where wit was proper, and sensible in an unusual degree. + +Redburn was infatuated with her. 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. 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." + +He seated himself on the little stone step, and motioned for Redburn +to proceed. + +One of those inside the cabin had been strangely affected at the sight +of Dick, and that person was Anita. She turned deathly pale, her eyes +assumed an expression of affright, and she trembled violently, as she +first saw him. The Prince of the Road, however, if he saw her, noticed +not her agitation; in fact, he took not the second glance at her while +he remained at the cabin. His eyes were almost constantly fastening +upon the lovely face and form of Alice. + +Thinking it best to humor one who might become either a powerful enemy +or an influential friend, Redburn accordingly struck up a lively air, +_a la banjo_, and in exact imitation of a minstrel, rendered "Gwine to +Get a Home, Bymeby." And the thunders of _encore_ that came from the +outside listeners, showed how surely he had touched upon a pleasant +chord. He followed that with several modern serio-comic songs, all of +which were received well and heartily applauded. + +"That recalls memories of good old times," said the road-agent, as he +leaned back against the door-sill, and gazed at the mountains, grand, +majestic, stupendous, and the starlit sky, azure, calm and serene. +"Recalls the days of early boyhood, that were gay, pure, and happy. +Ah! ho!" + +He heaved a deep sign, and his head dropped upon his breast. + +A deathlike silence pervaded the cabin; that one heartfelt sigh +aroused a sensation of pity in each of the four hearts that beat +within the cabin walls. + +That the road-agent was a gentleman in disguise, was not to be +gainsayed; all felt that, despite his outlawed calling, he was +deserving of a place among them, in his better moods. + +As if to accord with his mood, Alice began a sweet birdlike song, full +of tender pathos, and of quieting sympathy. + +It was a quaint Scottish melody,--rich in its honeyed meaning, sweetly +weird and pitiful; wonderfully soothing and nourishing to a weeping +spirit. + +Clear and flute-like the maiden's cultured voice swelled out on the +still night air, and the mountain echoes caught up the strains and +lent a wild peculiar accompaniment. + +Deadwood Dick listened, with his head still bowed, and his hands +clasped about one knee;--listened in a kind of fascination, until the +last reverberations of the song had died out in a wailing echo; then +he sprung abruptly to his feet, drew one hand wearily across the +masked brow; raised his sombrero with a deft movement, and bowed +himself out--out into the night, where the moon and stars looked down +at him, perhaps with more lenience than on some. + +Alice Terry rose from her seat, crossed over to the door, and gazed +after the straight handsome form, until it had mingled with the other +road-agents, who had camped upon the slope. Then she turned about, and +sat down on the couch beside Anita. + +"You are still, dear," she said, stroking the other's long, unconfined +hair. "Are you lonely? If not why don't you say something?" + +"I have nothing to say," replied Anita, a sad, sweet smile playing +over her features. "I have been too much taken up with the music to +think of talking." + +"But, you are seldom talkative." + +"So brother used to tell me. He said I had lost my heart, and tongue." + +Redburn was drumming on the window-casing with his fingers;--a sort of +lonely tattoo it was. + +"You seemed to be much interested in the outlaw. Miss Terry," he +observed, as if by chance the thought had just occurred to him, when, +in reality, he was downright jealous. "Had you two ever met--" + +"Certainly not, sir," and Alice flashed him an inquiring glance. "Why +do you ask?" + +"Oh! for no reason, in particular, only I fancied that song was meant +especially for him." + +Redburn, afterward, would have given a hundred dollars to have +recalled those words, for the haughty, half-indignant look Alice gave +him instantly showed him he was on the wrong track. + +If he wished to court her favor, it must be in a different way, and he +must not again give her a glimpse of his jealous nature. + +"You spoke of a brother," said Alice, turning to Anita. "Does he live +here with you?" + +"Yes, when not away on business. He has now been absent for over a +month." + +"Indeed! Is he as sweet, sad, and silent as yourself?" + +"Oh! no; Ned is unlike me; he is buoyant, cheerful, pleasant." + +"Ned? What is his full name, dear?" + +"Edward Harris." + +Alice grew suddenly pale and speechless, as she remembered the +handsome young miner whom Fearless Frank had slain in the duel, just +outside of Deadwood. This, then, was his sister; and evidently she as +yet knew nothing of his sad fate. + +"Do you know aught concerning Edward Harris?" Redburn asked, seeing +her agitation. Alice considered a moment. + +"I do," she answered, at last. "This Fearless Frank, whom I came here +with, had a duel with a man, just above Deadwood, whose name was +Edward Harris!" + +"My God;--and his fate--?" + +"He was instantly killed, and left lying where he dropped!" + +There was a scream of agony, just here, and a heavy fall. + +Anita had fainted! + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +THE TRANSIENT TRIUMPH. + + +Redburn sprung from his seat, ran over to her side, and raised her +tenderly in his arms. + +"Poor thing!" he murmured, gazing into her pale, still face, "the +shock was too much for her. No wonder she fainted." He laid her on the +couch, and kept off the others who crowded around. + +"Bring cold water!" he ordered, "and I will soon have her out of this +fit." + +Alice hastened to obey, and Anita's face and hands were bathed in the +cooling liquid until she began to show signs of returning +consciousness. + +"You may now give me the particulars of the affair," Redburn said, +rising and closing the door, for a chilly breeze was sweeping into the +cabin. + +Alice proceeded to comply with his request by narrating what had +occurred and, as nearly as possible, what had been said. When she had +concluded, he gazed down for several moments thoughtfully into the +face of Anita. There was much yet that was beyond his powers of +comprehension--a knotty problem for which he saw no immediate +solution. + +"What do you think about it, "General"?" he asked, turning to the +mine-locater. "Have we sufficient evidence to hang this devil in +scarlet?" + +"Hardly, boyee, hardly. 'Peers te me, 'cordin' to ther gal's tell, +thet thar war a fair shake all around, an' as duelin' ar' more or less +ther fashun 'round these parts,--considera'bly more o' less 'n less o' +more--et ain't law-fell ter yank a critter up by ther throat!" + +"I know it is not, according to the customs of this country of the +Black Hills; but, look at it. That fellow, who I am satisfied is a +black-hearted knave, has not only taken the life of poor Harris, but, +very probably, has given his sister her death-blow. The question is: +should he go unpunished in the face of all this evidence?" + +"Yes. Let him go; _I_ will be the one to punish him!" + +It was Anita who spoke. She had partly arisen on the couch; her face +was streaked with water and slightly haggard; her hair blew unconfined +about her neck and shoulders; her eyes blazed with a wild, almost +savage fire. + + * * * * * + +"Let him go!" she repeated, more of fierceness in her voice than +Redburn had ever heard there, before. "He shall not escape my +vengeance. Oh, my poor, poor dead brother!" + +She flung herself back upon the couch, and gave herself up to a wild, +passionate, uncontrollable outburst of tears and sobs--the wailings of +a sorrowing heart. For a long time she continued to weep and sob +violently; then came a lull, during which she fell asleep, from +exhaustion--a deep sleep. Redburn and Alice then carried her into an +adjoining room, where she was left under the latter's skillful care. +Awhile later the cabin was wrapped in silence. + +When morning sunlight next peeped down into the Flower Pocket, it +found everything generally astir. Anita was up and pursuing her +household duties, but she was calm, now, even sadder than before, +making a strange contrast to blithe, gaysome Alice, who flitted about, +here and there, like some bright-winged butterfly surrounded by a halo +of perpetual sunshine. + + * * * * * + +Unknown to any one save themselves, two men were within the valley of +the Flower Pocket gold-mines--there on business, and that business +meant bloodshed. They were secreted in among the foothills on the +western side of the flowering paradise, at a point where they were not +observed, and at the same time were the observers of all that was +going on in front of them. + +How came they here, when the hand of Deadwood Dick guarded the only +accessible entrance there was to the valley? The answer was: they came +secretly through the pass on the night preceding the arrival of the +road-agents, and had been lying in close concealment ever since. + +The one was an elderly man of portly figure, and the other a young, +dandyish fellow, evidently the elder's son, for they resembled each +other in every feature. We make no difficulty to recognizing them as +the same precious pair whom Outlaw Dick captured from the stage, only +to lose them again through the treachery of two of his own band. + +Both looked considerably the worse for wear, and the gaunt, hungry +expression on their features, as the morning sunlight shone down upon +them, declared in a language more adequate than words, that they were +beginning to suffer the first pangs of starvation. + +"We cannot hold out at this rate much longer!" the elder Filmore +cried, as he watched the bustle in the valley below. "I'm as empty as +a collapsed balloon, and what's more, we're in no prospects of +immediate relief." + +Filmore, the younger, groaned aloud in agony of spirit. + +"Curse the Black Hills and all who have been fools enough to inhabit +them, anyhow!" he growled, savagely; "just let me get back in the land +of civilization again, and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll know +enough to stay there." + +"Bah! this little rough experience will do you good. If we only had a +square meal or two and a basket of sherry, I should feel quite at +home. Nothing but a fair prospect of increasing our individual +finances would ever have lured me into this outlandish place. But +money, you know, is the root of all--" + +"Evil!" broke in the other, "and after three months' wild-goose-chase +you are just as destitute of the desired root as you were at first." + +"True, but we have at least discovered one of the shrubs at the bottom +of which grows the root." + +"You refer to Deadwood Dick?" + +"I do. He is here in the valley, and he must never leave it alive. +While we have the chance we must strike the blow that will forever +silence his tongue." + +"Yes; but what about the girl? She will be just as much in the way, if +not a good deal more so." + +"We can manage her all right when the proper time arrives. Dick is our +game, now." + +"He may prove altogether too much game. But, now that we are counting +eggs, how much of the 'lay' is to be mine, when this boy and girl are +finished?" he queried. + +"How much? Well, that depends upon circumstances. The girl _may_ fall +to you." + +"The girl? Bah! I'd rather be excused." + + * * * * * + +The day passed without incident in the mines. The work went steadily +on, the sounds of the crusher making strange music for the mountain +echoes to mock. + +Occasionally the crack of a rifle announced that either a road-agent +or a Ute miner had risked a shot at a mountain sheep, bird, or deer. +Generally their aim was attended with success, though sometimes they +were unable to procure the slaughtered game. + +Redburn, on account of his clear-headedness and business tact, had +full charge of both mines, the "General" working under him in the +shaft, and Fearless Frank in the quartz mine. + +When questioned about his duel with Harris by Redburn, McKenzie had +very little to say; he seemed pained when approached on the subject; +would answer no questions concerning the past; was reserved and at +times singularly haughty. + +During the day Anita and Alice took a stroll through the valley, but +the latter had been warned, and fought shy of the quartz mine; so +there was no encounter between Anita and Fearless Frank. + +Deadwood Dick joined them as they were returning to the cabin, loaded +down with flowers--flowers of almost every color and perfume. + +"This is a beautiful day," he remarked, pulling up a daisy, as he +walked gracefully along. "One rarely sees so many beauties centered in +one little valley like this--beautiful landscape and mountain scenery, +beautiful flowers beneath smiling skies, and lovely women, the chief +center of attraction among all." + +"Indeed!" and Alice gave him a coquettish smile; "you are flattering, +sir road-agent. You, at least, are not beautiful, in that horrible +black suit and villainous mask. You remind me of a picture I have seen +somewhere of the devil in disguise; all that is lacking is the horns, +tail and cloven-foot." + +Dick broke out into a burst of laughter--it was one of those wild, +terrible laughs of his, so peculiar to hear from one who was evidently +young in years. + +Both of the girls were terrified, and would have fled had he not +detained them. + +"Ha, ha!" he said, stepping in front of them, "do not be frightened; +don't go, ladies. That's only the way I express my amusement at +anything." + +"Then, for mercy's sake, don't get amused again," said Alice, +deprecatingly. "Why, dear me, I thought the Old Nick and all his +couriers had pounced down upon us." + +"Well, how do you know but what he has? _I_ may be his Satanic +majesty, or one of his envoys." + +"I hardly think so; you are too much an earthly being for that. Come, +now, take off that detestable mask and let me see what you look like." + +"No, indeed! I would not remove this mask, except on conditions, for +all the gold yon toiling miners are finding, which, I am satisfied, is +no small amount." + +"You spoke of conditions. What are they?" + +"Some time, perhaps, I will tell you, lady, but not now. See! my men +are signaling to me, and I must go. Adieu, ladies;" and in another +moment he had wheeled, and was striding back toward camp. + +In their concealment the two Filmores witnessed this meeting between +Dick and the two girls. + +"So there are females here, eh?" grunted the elder, musingly. "From +observation I should say that Prince Dick was a comparative stranger +here." + +"That is my opinion," groaned Clarence, his thoughts reverting to his +empty stomach. "Did you hear that laugh a moment ago? It was more like +the screech of a lunatic than anything else." + +"Yes; he is a young tiger. There is no doubt of that to my mind." + +"And we shall have to keep on the alert to take him. He came to the +cabin last night. If he does to-night we can mount him!" + +Before night the elder Filmore succeeded in capturing a wild goose +that had strayed down with the stream from somewhere above. This was +killed, dressed and half cooked by a brushwood fire which they +hazarded in a fissure in the hillside whereto they had hidden. This +fowl they almost ravenously devoured, and thus thoroughly satisfied +their appetites. They now felt a great deal better, ready for the work +in hand--of capturing and slaying the dare-devil Deadwood Dick. + +As soon as it was dark they crept, like the prowling wolves they were, +down into the valley, and positioned themselves midway between the +cabin and the road-agent's camp, but several yards apart, with a lasso +held above the grass between them, to serve as a "trip-up." + +The sky had become overcast with dense black clouds, and the gloom to +the valley was quite impenetrable. From their concealment the two +Filmores could hear Redburn, Alice and the "General" singing up at +the cabin, and it told them to be on their guard, as Dick might now +come along at any moment. + +Slowly the minutes dragged by, and both were growing impatient, when +the firm tread of "the Prince" was heard swiftly approaching. Quickly +the lasso was drawn taut. Dick, not dreaming of the trap, came boldly +along, tripped, and went sprawling to the ground. The next instant his +enemies were on him, each with a long murderous knife in hand. + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +TO THE RESCUE! + + +The suddenness of the onslaught prevented Deadwood Dick from raising a +hand to defend himself, and the two strong men piling their combined +weights upon him, had the effect to render him utterly helpless. He +would have yelled to apprise his comrades of his fate, but Alexander +Filmore, ready for the emergency, quickly thrust a cob of wood into +his mouth, and bound it there with strong strings. + +The young road-agent was a prisoner. + +"Hal ha!" leered the elder Filmore, peering down into the masked +face--"ha! ha! my young eaglet; so I have you at last, have I? After +repeated efforts to get you in my power, I have at last been rewarded +with success, eh? Ha! ha! the terrible scourge of the Black Hills lies +here at my feet, mine to do with as I shall see fit." + +"Shall we settle him, and leave him lying here, where his gang can +find him?" interrupted the younger Filmore, who, now that his blood +was up, cared little what he did. "You give him one jab, and I will +guarantee to finish him with the second!" + +"No! no! boy; you are too hasty. Before we silence him, forever, we +must ascertain, if possible, where the girl is." + +"But, he'll never tell us." + +"We have that yet to find out. It is my opinion that we can bring him +to terms, somehow. Take hold, and we will carry him back to our hole +in the hill." + +Deadwood Dick was accordingly seized by the neck and heels, and borne +swiftly and silently toward the western side of the gulch, up among +the foothills, into the rift, where the plotters had lain concealed +since their arrival. Here he was placed upon the ground in a sitting +posture, and his two enemies crouched on either side of him, like +beasts ready to spring upon their prey. + +Below in the valley, the Utes had kindled one solitary fire, and this +with a starlike gleam of light from the cabin window, was the only +sign of life to be seen through the night's black shroud. The trio in +the foothills were evidently quite alone. + +Alexander Filmore broke the silence. + +"Well, my gay Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, I suppose you wish to +have the matter over with, as soon as possible" + +The road-agent nodded. + +"Better let him loose in the jaws," suggested Filmore the younger; "or +how else shall we get from him what we must know? Take out his gag. +I'll hold my six against his pulsometer. If he squawks, I'll silence +him, sure as there is virtue in powder and ball!" + +The elder, after some deliberation, acquiesced, and Dick was placed in +possession of his speaking power, while the muzzle of young Filmore's +revolver pressed against his breast, warned him to silence and +obedience. + +"Now," said the elder Filmore, "just you keep mum. If you try any +trickery, it will only hasten your destruction, which is inevitable!" + +Deadwood Dick gave a little laugh. + +"You talk as if you were going to do something toward making me the +center of funeralistic attraction." + +"You'll find out, soon enough, young man. I have not pursued you so +long, all for nothing, you may rest assured. Your death will be the +only event that can atone for all the trouble you have given me, in +the past." + +"_Is_ that so? Well, you seem to hold all the _trump_ cards, and I +reckon you ought to win, though I can't see into your inordinate +thirst for _diamonds_, when _spades_ will eventually triumph. Had I a +_full hand_ of _clubs_, I am not so sure but what I could _raise_ you, +_knaves_ though you are!" + +"I think not; when kings win, the game is virtually up. We hold +altogether to high cards for you, at present, and _beg_ as you may, we +shall not _pass_ you." + +"Don't be too sure of it. The best trout often slips from the hook, +when you are sanguine that you have at last been immoderately +successful. But, enough of this cheap talk. Go on and say your say, in +as few words as possible, for I am in a hurry." + +Both Filmore, Sr., and Filmore, Jr., laughed at this--it sounded so +ridiculously funny to hear a helpless prisoner talk of being in a +hurry. + +"Business must be pressing!" leered the elder, savagely. "Don't be at +all scared. We'll start you humming along the road to Jordan soon +enough, if that's what you want. First, however, we desire you to +inform us where we can find the girl, as we wish to make a clean +sweep, while we are about it." + +"Do you bathe your face in alum-water?" abruptly asked the road-agent, +staring at his captor, quizzically. "Do you?" + +"Bathe in _alum_-water? Certainly not, sir. Why do you ask?" + +"Because the hardness of you cheek is highly suggestive of the use of +some similar application." + +Alexander Filmore stared at his son a moment, at loss to comprehend; +but, as it began to dawn upon him that he was the butt of a hard hit, +he uttered a frightful curse. + +"My cheek and your character bear a close resemblance, then!" he +retorted, hotly. "Again I ask you, will you tell me where the girl +is?" + +"No! you must take me for an ornery mule, or some other kind of an +animal, if you think I would deliver her into _your_ clutches. No! no! +my scheming knaves, I will not. Kill me if you like, but it will not +accomplish your villainous ends. She has all of the papers, and can +not only put herself forward at the right time, but can have you +arrested for my murder!" + +"Bah! we can find her, as we have found you; so we will not trifle. +Clarence, get ready; and when I count one--two--three--pull the +trigger, and I'll finish him with my knife!" + +"All right; go ahead; I'm ready!" replied the dutiful son. + +Fearless Frank sat upon a bowlder in the mouth of the quartz mine, +listening to the strains of music that floated up to him from the +cabin out in the valley, and puffing moodily away at a grimy old pipe +he had purchased, together with some tobacco, from one of the Utes, +with whom he worked. + +He had not gone down to the crusher-house for his supper; he did not +feel hungry, and was more contented here, in the mouth of the mine, +where he could command a view of all that was going on in the valley. +With his pipe for a companion he was as happy as he could be, deprived +as he was from association with the others of his color, who had +barred him out in the cold. + +Once or twice during the day, on coming from within, to get a breath +of pure air, he had caught a glimpse of Anita as she flitted about the +cabin engaged at her household duties, and the yearning expression +that unconsciously stole into his dark eyes, spoke of a passion within +his heart, that, though it might be slumbering, was not extinct--was +there all the same, in all its strength and ardor. Had he been granted +the privilege of meeting her, he might have displaced the barrier that +rose between them; but now, nothing remained for him but to toil away +until Redburn should see fit to send him away, back into the world +from which he came. + +Would he want to go, when that time came? Hardly, he thought, as he +sat there and gazed into the quiet vale below him, so beautiful even +in darkness. There was no reason why he should go back again adrift +upon the bustling world. + +He had no relatives--no claims that pointed him to go thither; he was +as free and unfettered as the wildest mountain eagle. He had no one to +say where he should and where he should not go; he liked one place +equally as well as another, providing there was plenty of provender +and work within easy range; he had never thought of settling down, +until now, when he had come to the Flower Pocket valley, and caught a +glimpse of Anita--Anita whom he had not seen for years; on whom he had +brought censure, reproach and-- + +A step among the rocks close at hand startled him from a reverie into +which he had fallen, and caused him to spill the tobacco from his +pipe. + +A slight trim figure stood a few yards away, and he perceived that two +extended hands clasped objects, whose glistening surface suggested +that they were "sixes" or "sevens." + +"Silence!" came in a clear, authoritative voice. "One word more than I +ask you, and I'll blow your brains out. Now, what's your name?" + +"Justin McKenzie's my name. Fearless Frank generally answers me the +purpose of a nom de plume," was the reply. + +"Very good," and the stranger drew near enough for the Scarlet Boy to +perceive that he was clad in buck-skin; well armed; wore a Spanish +sombrero, and hair long, down over the square shoulders. "I'm Calamity +Jane." + +If McKenzie uttered an ejaculation of surprise, it was not to be +wondered at, for he had heard many stories, in Deadwood, concerning +the "dare-devil gal dressed up in men's toggery." + +"Calamity Jane?" he echoed, picking up his pipe. "Where in the world +did _you_ come from, and how did you get here, and what do you want, +and--" + +"One at a time, please. I came from Deadwood with Road-Agent Dick's +party--unknown to them, understand you. That answers two questions. +The third is, I want to be around when there's any fun going on; and +it's lucky I'm here now. I guess Dick has just got layed out by two +fellows in the valley below here, and they've slid off with him over +among the foot-hills yonder. I want you to stub along after me, and +lend the voices of your sixes, if need be. I'm going to set him at +liberty!" + +"I'm at your service," Frank quickly replied. Excitement was one of +his passions; adventure was another. + +"Are you well heeled?" + +"I reckon. Always make it a point to be prepared for wild beasts and +the like, you know." + +"A good idea. Well, if you are ready, we'll slide. I don't want them +toughs to get the drop on Dick if I can help it." + +"Who are they?" + +"Who--the toughs?" + +"Yes; they that took the road-agent" + +"I don't know 'm. Guess they're tender-foots--some former enemies of +his, without doubt. They propose to quiz a secret about some girl out +of him, and then knife him. We'll have to hurry or they'll get their +work in ahead of us." + +They left the mouth of the mine, and skurried down into the valley, +through the dense shroud of gloom. + +Calamity Jane led the way; she was both fleet of foot and cautious. + +Let us look down on the foot-hill camp, and the two Fillmores who are +stationed on either side of their prisoner. + +The younger presses the muzzle of his revolver against Deadwood Dick's +heart; the elder holds a long gleaming knife upheld in his right hand. + +"One!" he counts, savagely. + +"Two!"--after a momentary pause. Another lapse of time, and then-- + +"Hold! gentlemen; that will do!" cries a clear ringing voice; and +Calamity Jane and McKenzie, stepping out of the darkness, with four +gleaming "sixes" in hand, confirm the pleasant assertion! + + + + +CHAPTER XVI. + +THE ROAD-AGENT'S MERCY--CONCLUSION. + + +Nevertheless, the gleaming blade of Alexander Filmore descended, and +was buried in the fleshy part of Deadwood Dick's neck, making a wound, +painful but not necessarily dangerous. + +"You vile varmint," cried Calamity Jane, pulling the hammer of one of +her revolvers back to full cock; "you cursed fool; don't you know that +that only seals yer own miserable fate?" + +She took deliberate aim, but Dick interrupted her. + +"Don't shoot, Jennie!" he gasped, the blood spurting from his wound; +"this ain't none o' your funeral. Give three shrill whistles for my +men, and they'll take care o' these hounds until I'm able to attend to +'em. Take me to the cab--" + +He could not finish the sentence; a sickening stream of blood gushed +from his mouth, and he fell back upon the ground insensible. + +Fearless Frank gave the three shrill whistles, while Calamity Jane +covered the two cowering wretches with her revolvers. + +The distress signal was answered by a yell, and in a few seconds five +road-agents came bounding up. + +"Seize these two cusses, and guard 'em well!" Calamity said, grimly. +"They are a precious pair, and in a few days, no doubt, you'll have +the pleasure of attending their funerals. Your captain is wounded, but +not dangerously, I hope. We will take him to the cabin, where there +are light and skillful hands to dress his wounds. When he wants you, +we will let you know. Be sure and guard these knaves well, now." + +The men growled an assent, and after binding the captives' arms, +hustled them off toward camp, in double quick time, muttering threats +of vengeance. Fearless Frank and Calamity then carefully raised the +stricken road-agent, and bore him to the cabin, where he was laid upon +the couch. Of course, all was now excitement. + +Redburn and Alice set to work to dress the bleeding wound, with Jane +and the "General" looking on to see that nothing was left undone. +Fearless Frank stood apart from the rest, his arms folded across his +breast, a grave, half-doubtful expression upon his handsome, +sun-browned features. + +Anita was not in the room at the time, but she came in a moment later, +and stood gazing about her in wondering surprise. Then, her eyes +rested upon Fearless Frank for the first, and she grew deathly white; +she trembled in every limb; a half-frightened, half-pitiful look came +into her eyes. + +The young man in scarlet was similarly effected. His cheeks blanched; +his lips became firmly compressed; a mastering expression fell from +his dark magnetic orbs. + +There they stood, face to face, a picture of doubt; of indifferent +respect, of opposite strong passions, subdued to control by a heavy +hand. + +None of the others noticed them; they were alone, confronting each +other; trying to read the other's thoughts; the one penitent and +craving forgiveness, the other cold almost to sternness, and yet not +unwilling to forgive and forget. + +Deadwood Dick's wound was quickly and skillfully dressed; it was not +dangerous, but was so exceedingly painful that the pangs soon brought +him back to consciousness. + +The moment he opened his eyes he saw Fearless Frank and +Anita--perceived their position toward each other, and that it would +require only a single word to bridge the chasm between them. A hard +look came into his eyes as they gazed through the holes in the mask, +then he gazed at Alice--sweet piquant Alice--and the hardness melted +like snow before the spring sunshine. + +"Thank God it was no deeper," he said, sitting upright, and rubbing +the tips of his black-glove fingers over the patches that covered the +gash, "Although deucedly bothersome, it is not of much account." + +To the surprise of all he sprung to his feet, and strode to the door. +Here he stopped, and looked around for a few moments, sniffing at the +cool mountain breeze, as a dog would. A single cedar tree stood by the +cabin, its branches, bare and naked, stretching out like huge arms +above the doorway. And it was at these the road-agent gazed, a savage +gleam in his piercing black eyes. + +After a few careful observations, he turned his face within the cabin. + +"Justin McKenzie," he said, gazing at the young man, steadily, "I want +you to do me a service. Go to my camp, and say to my men that I desire +their presence here, together with the two prisoners, and a couple of +stout lariats, with nooses at the end of them. Hurry, now!" + +Fearless Frank started a trifle, for he seemed to recognize the voice; +but the next instant he bowed assent, and left the cabin. When he was +gone, Dick turned to Redburn. + +"Have you a glass of water handy, Cap? This jab in the gullet makes me +somewhat thirsty," he said. + +Redburn nodded, and procured the drink; then a strange silence +pervaded the cabin--a silence that no one seemed willing to break. + +At last the tramp of many feet was heard, and a moment later the +road-agents, with Fearless Frank at their head, reached the doorway, +where they halted. The moment Deadwood Dick came forward, there was a +wild, deafening cheer. + +"Hurra! hurra! Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, still lives. Three +long hearty cheers, lads, and a hummer!" cried Fearless Frank, and +then the mountain echoes reverberated with a thousand discordant yells +of hurrah. + +The young road-agent responded with a nod, and then said: + +"The prisoners; have you them there?" + +"Here they are, Cap!" cried a score of voices, and the two Filmores +were trotted out to the front, with ropes already about their necks. +"Shall we h'ist 'em?" + +"Not jest yet, boys: I have a few words to say, first." + +Then turning half-about in the doorway, Deadwood Dick continued: + +"Ladies and gentlemen, a little tragedy is about to take place here +soon, and it becomes necessary that I should say a few words +explaining what cause I have for hanging these two wretches whom you +see here. + +"Therefore, I will tell you a short story, and you will see that my +cause is just, as we look at these things here in this delectable +country of the Black Hills. To begin with: + +"My name is, to you, _Edward Harris!_" and here the road-agent flung +aside the black mask, revealing the smiling face of the young +card-sharp. "I have another--my family name--but I do not use it, +preferring Harris to it. Anita, yonder; is my sister. + +"Several years ago, when we were children, living in one of the +Eastern States, we were made orphans by the death of our parents, who +were drowned while driving upon a frozen lake in company with my +uncle, Alexander Filmore, and his son, Clarence--those are the parties +yonder, and as God is my judge, I believe they are answerable for the +death of our father and mother. + +"Alexander Filmore was appointed guardian over us, and executor of our +property, which amounted to somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty +thousand dollars, my father having been for years extensively engaged +in speculation, at which he was most always successful. + +"From the day of their death we began to receive the most tyrannical +treatment. We were whipped, kicked about, and kept in a half-starved +condition. Twice when we were in bed, and, as he supposed, asleep, +Alexander Filmore came to us and attempted to assassinate us, but my +watchfulness was a match for his villainy, and we escaped death at his +hands. + +"Finding that this kind of life was unbearable, I appealed to our +neighbors and even to the courts for protection, but my enemy was a +man of great influence, and after many vain attempts, I found that I +could not obtain a hearing; that nothing remained for me to do but to +fight my own way. And I did fight it. + +"Out of my father's safe I purloined a sum of money sufficient to +defray our expenses for a while, and then, taking Anita with me, I +fled from the home of my youth. I came first to Fort Laramie, where I +spent a year in the service of a fur-trader. + +"My guardian, during that year, sent three men out to kill me, but +they had the tables turned on them, and their bones lay bleaching even +now on Laramie plains. + +"During that year my sister met a gay, dashing young ranger, who +hailed to the name of Justin McKenzie, and of course she fell in love +with him. That was natural, as he was handsome, suave and gallant, +and, more than all, reported tolerably well to-do. + +"I made inquiries, and found that there was nothing against his moral +character, so I made no objections to his paying his attentions to +Anita. + +"But one day a great surprise came. + +"On returning from a buffalo-hunt of several days' duration I found my +home deserted, and a letter from Anita stating that she had gone with +McKenzie to Cheyenne to live; they were not married yet, but would be, +soon. + +"That aroused the hellish part of my passionate nature. I believed +that McKenzie was leading her a life of dishonor, and it made my blood +boil to even think of it. Death, I swore, should be his reward for +this infidelity, and mounting my horse I set out in hot haste for +Cheyenne. + +"But I arrived there too late to accomplish my mission of vengeance. + +"I found Anita and took her back to my home, a sad and sorrowing +maiden; McKenzie I could not find; he had heard of my coming, and fled +to escape my avenging hand. But over the head of my weeping sister, I +swore a fearful oath of vengeance, and I have it yet to keep. I +believe there had been some kind of a sham marriage; Anita would never +speak on the subject, so I had to guess at the terrible truth. + +"And there's where you made an accursed mess of the whole affair!" +cried McKenzie, stepping into the cabin, and leading Anita forward, by +the hand. "Before-God and man _I acknowledge Anita Harris to be my +legally wedded wife_. Listen, Edward Harris, and I will explain. That +day that you came to Cheyenne in pursuit of me, I'll acknowledge I +committed an error--one that has caused me much trouble since. The +case was this: + +"I was the nearest of kin to a rich old fur-trader, who proposed to +leave me all his property at his death: but he was a desperate +woman-hater, and bound me to a promise that I would never marry. + +"Tempted by the lust for gold, I yielded, and he drew up a will in my +favor. This was before I met Anita here. + +"When we went to Cheyenne, the old man was lying at the point of +death; so I told Anita that we would not be married for a few days, +until we saw how matters were going to shape. If he died, we would be +married secretly, and she would return to your roof until I could get +possession of my inheritance, when we would go to some other part of +the country to live. If he recovered, I would marry her anyway, and +let the old man go to Tophet with his money-bags. I see now how I was +in the wrong. + +"Well, that very day, before your arrival, the old man himself pounced +down upon us, and cursed me up hill and down, for my treachery, and +forthwith struck me out from his will. I immediately sent for a +chaplain, and was married to Anita. I then went up to see the old man +and find if I could not effect a compromise with him. + +"He told me if I would go with him before Anita and swear that she was +not legally my wife, and that I would never live with her, he would +again alter his will in my favor. + +"Knowing that that would make no difference, so far as the law was +concerned, I sent Anita a note apprising her of what was coming, and +stating that she had best return to you until the old man should die, +when I would come for her. Subsequently I went before her in company +with the old man and swore as I had promised to do, and when I +departed she was weeping bitterly, but I naturally supposed it was +sham grief. A month later, on his death-bed, the old trader showed me +the letter I had sent her, and I realized that not only was my little +game up, but that I had cheated myself out of a love that was true. I +was left entirely out of the will, and ever since I have bitterly +cursed the day that tempted me to try to win gold and love at the same +time. Here, Edward Harris," and the young man drew a packet of papers +from inside his pocket, "are two certificates of my marriage, one for +Anita, and one for myself. You see now, that, although mine has been a +grievous error, no dishonor is coupled with your sister's name." + +Ned Harris took one of the documents and glanced over it, the +expression on his face softening. A moment later he turned and grasped +McKenzie's hand. + +"God bless you, old boy!" he said, huskily. "I am the one who has +erred, and if you have it in your heart to forgive me, try and do so. +I do not expect much quarter in this world, you know. There is Anita; +take her, if she will come to you, and may God shower his eternal +blessings upon you both!" + +McKenzie turned around with open arms, and Anita flew to his embrace +with a low glad cry. There was not a dry eye in the room. + +There was an impatient surging of the crowd outside; Dick saw that his +men were longing for the sport ahead; so he resumed his story: + +"There is not much more to add," he said, after a moment's thought. "I +fled into the Black Hills when the first whispers of gold got afloat, +and chancing upon this valley, I built us a home here, wherein to live +away the rest of our lives. + +"In time I organized the band of men you see around me, and took to +the road. Of this my sister knew nothing. The Hills have been my haunt +ever since, and during all this time yon scheming knaves"--pointing to +the prisoners--"have been constantly sending out men to murder me. The +last tool, Hugh Vansevere by name, boldly posted up reward papers in +the most frequented routes, and he went the same way as his +predecessors. 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. + +Redburn also shut down and curtained the windows, to keep out the +horrible sight and sounds. + +But, for all this, those inside could not help but hear the pleading +cries of the doomed wretches, the tramp of heavy feet, the hushed +babble of voices, and at last the terrible shout of, "Heave 'o! up +they go!" which signaled the commencement of the victims' journey into +mid-air. + +Then there was a long blank pause; not a sound was heard, not a voice +spoke, nor a foot moved. This silence was speedily broken, however, by +two heavy falls, followed almost immediately by the tramp of feet. + +Not till all was again quiet did Redburn venture to open the door and +look out. All was dark and still. + +The road-agents had gone, and left no sign of their work behind. + +When morning dawned, they were seen to have re-camped on the eastern +slope, where the smoke of their camp-fires rose in graceful white +columns through the clear transparent atmosphere. + +During the day Dick met Alice Terry, as she was gathering flowers, a +short distance from the cabin. + +"Alice--Miss Terry," he said, gravely, "I have come to ask you to be +my wife. I love you, and want you for my own darling. Be mine, Alice, +and I will mend my ways, and settle down to an honest, straightforward +life." + +The beautiful girl looked up pityingly. + +"No," she said, shaking her head, her tone kind and respectful, "I +cannot love you, and never can be your wife, Mr. Harris." + +"You love another?" he interrogated. + +She did not answer, but the tell-tale blush that suffused her cheek +did, for her. + +"It is Redburn!" he said, positively. "Very well; give him my +congratulations. See, Alice;" here the young road-agent took the crape +mask from his bosom; "I now resume the wearing of this mask. Your +refusal has decided my future. A merry road-agent I have been, and a +merry road-agent I shall die. Now, good-by forever." + + * * * * * + +On the following morning it was discovered that the road-agents and +their daring leader, together with the no less heroic Calamity Jane, +had left the valley--gone; whither, no one knew. + +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!" + +"Very well, Jennie; I rec'on it is destined that I shall live single. +At any rate, I'll never take a refusal from another woman. Yes, gal, +we'll be friends, if nothing more." + + * * * * * + +There is little more to add. + +We might write at length, but choose a few words to end this o'er true +romance of life in the Black Hills. + +McKenzie and Anita were remarried in Deadwood, and at the same time +Redburn led Alice Terry to the altar, which consummation the "General" +avowed was "more or less of a good thing--consider'bly less o' more +'n' more o' less." + +Through eastern lawyers, a settlement of the Harris affairs was +effected, the whole of the property being turned over to Anita, +thereby placing her and Fearless Frank above want for a lifetime. + +Therefore they gave up their interest in the Flower Pocket mines to +Redburn and the "General." + +Calamity Jane is still in the Hills. + +And grim and uncommunicative, there roams through the country of gold +a youth in black, at the head of a bold lawless gang of road-riders, +who, from his unequaled daring, has won and rightly deserves the +name--Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road. + +THE END. + + * * * * * + +=Edward L. Wheeler's= + +=Deadwood Dick Novels= + +IN + +=Beadle's Half-Dime Library.= + + * * * * * + +1. Deadwood Dick; or, The Black Rider of the Black Hills. + +20. The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick's Defiance. + +28. Buffalo Ben; or, Deadwood Dick in Disguise. + +35. Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval; or, The Brotherhood of Death. + +42. The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick's Bonanza. + +49. Omaha Oll; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. + +75. Deadwood Dick's Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. + +73. Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine of Whoop-Up. + +77. Corduroy Charlie; or, The Last Act of Deadwood Dick. + +100. Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty. + +104. Deadwood Dick's Device; or, The Sign of the Double Cross. + +109. Deadwood Dick as Detective. + +121. Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport; or, The Golden Idol of Mount Rosa. + +129. Deadwood Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gordon's Gulch. + +138. Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick's Home Base. + +149. A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick's Big Strike. + +156. Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. + +195. Deadwood Dick's Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road. + +201. The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Deadwood Dick's Ward. + +205. Deadwood Dick's Doom; or, Calamity-Jane's Last Adventure. + +217. Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand; or, Gypsy Jack from Jimtown. + +221. Sugar Coated Sam; or, The Black Gowns of Grim Gulch. + +The above are for sale by all newsdealers, five cents a copy, or sent +by mail on receipt of six cents each. + +BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, + +98 William street, New York. + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Deadwood Dick, The Prince of the Road +by Edward L. 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