Deadwood Dick Library (v. 1) (1899 03 15)

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ts fe 3 Swe top Jy i One ES SULLIVAN SS Sera ®opy right IST 1884, by ‘Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y.,as second. e 21a88 matter. Mar. 15, 1899, 4 M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, Rosy eet , "0, 1k Iesued Mi cele, (James Sullivan, Proprietor,) ‘50 2 gents: 'Vol, I. =4 March 15, 1899. 379 Pearl Street, New Yo or k. $2.50 a Year ree J | THE PRINCE OF THE ROAD: la, Or, The Black Rider of the Black Hills. BY a ad L. WHEELER. ‘Ha ha ha isn’t that rich, now? Ha! hatha! arrest Deadwood Vick if you can!”

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gly EDWARD L. WHEELER'S DEADWOOD DICK, JR., NOVELS IN THE HALF-DIME LIBRARY. Price 5 Cents per Copy. 443 Deadwood Dick, Jr.; or, The Crimson Crescent Sign. Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Diek, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, 44s 453 459 465 471 476 481 491 496 500 508 515 522 529 534 539 544 Deadwood Dick, 549 Deadwood Dick, 554 Deadwood Dick, 561 Deadwood. Dick, 567 Deadwood Dick. 572 Deadwood Dick, 578 Deadwood.Dick, 584 Deadwood Dick, 590 Deadwood Dick, 595 Deadwood Dick, 600 Deadwood Dick, “606 Deadwood Dick, 612 Deadwood Dick, 618 Deadwood Dick, 624 Deadwood Dick, 680 Deadwood Dick, 636 Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, 648 Continent. 654 glers. 660 Deadwood Dick, 666 Deadwood Dick, 672 Deadwood Dick, 678 Deadwood Dick, 684° Deadwood Dick, 690 Deadwood Dick, 695 Deadwood Dick, 700 Deadwood Dick, 704 Deadwood Dick, 710 Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Jr's, Defiance. Jr.’s, Full Hand. Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, Jr.’s, Corral. Jr.'s, Dog Detective. Jr., in Deadwood. Jr.’s, Compact. Jr.’s, Inheritance. Jr.'s, Diggings. Jr.’s, Deliverance. Jr.’s, Protege. Jr.'s, Three. i Jr.'s, Danger Ducks. Jr.'s, Death Hunt, © Jr., in Texas, Jr., the Wild West Viaoeq. Jr, on His Mettle. Jr., in Gotham. Jr., in Boston. Jr., in Philadelphia. Jr., in Chicago, Jr., Afloat. Jr., in Denver. Jr.’s, Decree. Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin. Jr., at Coney Island. Jr.’s, Leadville Lay. Jr., in Detroit. Jr., in Cincinnati. Jr., in Nevada. Jr., in No Man’s Land. Jr., After the Queer. Jr., in Buffalo. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Across the Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smug- Jr.’s, Insurance Case. Jr., Back in the Mines. Jr., in Durango. Jr.’s, Discovery. Jr.'s, Dazzle. Jr.’s, Dollars. Jr., at Danger Divide, Jr.’s, Drop. Jr., at Jack-Pot. Jr., at San Francisco. ¥ Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, 752 Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, i} Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Diek, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, Deadwood Dick, 898 Deadwood Dick, 904 Deadwood Dick, 910 Deadwood Dick, 916 Deadwood Dick, 928 Deadwood -Dick, 934 Deadwood Dick, 940 Deadwood Dick, 946 Deadwood Dick, 951 Deadwood Dick, 957 Deadwood Dick, 965 Deadwood Dick, 971 Deadwood Dick, 977 Deadwood Dick, 980 Deadwood Dick, 992 Deadwood Dick, 998 Deadwood Dick, 1005 Deadwood Dick, 1011 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dutch Pard. 1018 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Big Four. Jr.’s, Still Hunt. Jr.’s, Dominoes. Jr.'s, Disguise. Jr’s, Double Deal. Jr.’s, Death-Wateh. Jr.'s, Doublet: Jr.’s, Death-Blow. { Jr.'s, Desperate Strait. Jr.’s, Lone Hand. Jr.'s, Defeat. Jr.'s, Resurrection. Jr.’s, Dark Days. Jr., Defied. Jr.’s, Double Device. Jr.’s, Desperate Venture. Jr.’s, Diamond Dice. Jr.’s, Royal Flush. Jr.'s, Heac-Off. Jr.’s, Rival. Jr,’s, Boon. Jr.’s, Scoop. AT.CR ETOKY. Jr.’s, Clutch. Jr,’s, High Horse. Jr., at Devil’s Gulch. Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustl2- Jr.’s, Bombshell. Jr., in Mexico, Jr.’s, Decoy Duck. Jr., in Siiver Pocket. Jr.'s, Dead-Sure Game. Jr.’s, Double Drive. Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. Jr., at Tip-Top. ; Jr.’s, Double-Decker. Jr., at Dollarville. Jr., at Flush Flats. Jr.’s, Shake-Up. Jr.’s, Dowble Drop. Jr.’s, Right Bower. Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. Jr.’s, Gold Dust. Jr.'s, Oath, —* Jr.’s, Death-Doom. +f Jr.’s, Best Card. ; Jr,, at Gold Dust. cis Jr.'s, Big Play. - Jr., Branded. Tor sale by all newsdealers or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, 5c. per copy, by the publish ers, M. J. VERS & CO., 379 Peart Street, New Yor Crry.

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WON, \, poy Mein are Copyright 1877-1894, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter, Mar. 15, 1899: if M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, 2) No ] Issued Weekly. (James Sullivan, Proprietor.) ren 5 Gat Vol, 1. +0 (3 Marehvis, 1899. 379 Pearl Street, New York. se ha ; DEADWOOD DICK, °c ue mcr mia crtue Bach tite BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. VOmchAte ha #2 ea Ty \ tne eee eT Mig yarnncersunany gy Wee =< '' 2 Wee ZA 0.000 in, /

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} | Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, oe Deadwood Dick, THE PRINCE OF THE ROAD; OR, : The Black Rider of the Black Hills, — BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF ‘ROSEBUD ROB” NOVELS, ‘‘ SIERRA SAM” NOVELS, ETC., ETC. CHAPTER I, FEARLESS FRANK TO THE RESCUE. Qn the plains, midway between Cheyenne and the Black Hills, a train had halted for a noonday feed. Nota railway train, mind you, but a line of those white-covered vehicles drawn by strong-limbed mules, which are most prop- “erly 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 hand- some, and yet you weuld have been puzzled to tell what it was, for his countenance was strik- ingly handsome, and surely no form in the crowd was more noticeable for its grace, sym- metry, and proportionate development. It would have taken a scholar to study out the secret, f * 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 the hue of araven’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 man- hood, and, even though a youth in years, was one that could command respect, if not admira- tion, wheresoever he might choose to go. One remarkable item about his personal ap- pearance, apt to strike the beholder as being exceedingly strange and eccentric, was his cos- tume—buckskin throughout, and that dyed to the brightest scarlet hue, : On being asked the cause of this odd freak of dress, when he had joined the train a few miles Se Cheyenne, the youth had Jaughingly ‘replied: E Why, you see, it is to attract bufflers, if we should meet any, out on the plains *twixt this and tho Hills.” He gave his name as Fearless Frank, and said he was pinto for the Hills; that if the party in uestion would furnish him a place among them, e would extend to them his assistance as a hunter, guide, or whatever, until the destina- tion 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 rege * 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; humpbacked, 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 ani revolvers, He hobbled about with a heavy erutch constantly under his left arm, and was certainly a pi tiable sight to behold. He too had joined the caravan after it had qnitted Cheyenne, his advent taking place about an hour subsequent to that of Fearless Frank. His name he asserted was Nix—Geoffrey Wals- ‘ingham 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, pres enti or future. : The train was under the command of an iras- cible old ange ar who had served out bis ap- prenticeship in the Kansas border war, and whose name was Charity Joe, which, consider ing his avaricious disposition, was the wrong handle on the wrong man. Charity was tho least of all old Joe’s redeeming characteristics, charity was the very thing he did uot recog- nize, yet some wag had facetiously branded hina Charity Joe, and the appellation had clung te him ever since. He was well advanced in years, yet, withal, a good trailer and an expert guide, as the suecess of bis many late expeditions inte - the Black Hills had evidenced, Those who had heard of Joe’s skill as a guids {ntrusted 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 big acquaintance with various bands of Indians, mt ce were the chief cause of annoyance on tht xip. f 2 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 chuck ling over his usual good-luck: ; “T tell ye what, fellers, we’ve hed a fa’r sort uy a shake, so fur, an’ no mistake "bout it, Barrin’ thar ain’t no Sittin’ Bulls lyin’ in wait ter us behead yander, in ther mount’s, ’m of fher candid opinion we'll get through wi’out — a serapin’ a ha’r,” “‘T hope so,” said Fearless Frank, rolling ovet on the grass and gazing at the guide, thougbt- fully, ‘‘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 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 uy the’r rumpus, more or less—con ae ‘Take ; Sider’bly less of more than more 0’ less. | passel uv thern barbaritics an’ shet ‘ema up inter

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Deadwood Dick, the Se pe ® prison for three or thirteen yeers, an’ ye’d see w’at an impression et’d make, now, Thar’d be siveral less massacrees a week, an’ ye wouldn't see a rufyan onc’t a month. W’y, gentlefel- lows, 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 Feariess 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, end so forth, and so forth!” ‘Exactly. Every one 0’ ’em’s a danged de- scendant o’ ther old Satan, hisself.” . “Layin’ aside ther Injun subjeck,” said Charity Joe, Song into the roasted venison, ‘“T move thet we take up a silent debate on ther rie eters uv a deer’s hind legs; so heer goes He cut out a huge slice with his bowie, sprin- kled 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 the were full as ticks, the order was given to hitc up, which was speedily done, and the caravan was soon in motion, toiling along tike a diminu- tive serpent across the plain. The afternoon was a mild, sunny one in early autumn, with a refreshing breeze terfumed with the delicate scent of the 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 pov chased of Charity Joe, The remainder of the company rode in the wagons or “hoofed it,” as best suited their mood—walking sometimes being prefer- able to the rumbling and jolting of the heavy vehicles. i Steadily along through the afternoon sunlight the train wended its way, the teamsters alter- nately singing and cursing their mules, as they jogged along. Searless Frank and the ‘“‘ Gener- al” rode several bundred yards in advance, both id ce 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 hearingyby the stiff northerly wind. - Pears to me as how them sound sorter hu- man like,” said the old guide, trotting along beside the young man’s horse, ashe 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 oa the cries sounded but a little way off. “They are human cries!” exclaimed Fearlass Brank, excitedly, “and come from some one t i = Prince of the Road. a in distress. Boys, we must investigate this matter!” “You can pater all ye want,” grunted Charity Joe, ‘but I hain’t a-goin’ ter stop ther train till dusk, squawk or no squawk. Ijedge we won't get inter ther Hills any too soon, as it ar!” “ ““You’re an old fool!” retorted Frank, con temptuously. ‘I wouldn’t be as mean as you for all the gold in the Black Hills country, as nothin’ about that in California and Colo- rado. He turned his horse’s head toward the north, and rode away, followed, to the wonder of all, ky the ‘‘ General.” ‘fa! ba!” laughed Charity Joe, grimly, ‘1 wish you success.” “You needn’t; I do nos want any of your wishes. “lm 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 Fear- less Frank, : ‘More or less!” chimed in the general—‘ con- sider’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 strange companion turned their attention to the cries that had been the means of separating them from the train. They bad ceased now, eltogettier) and the two men were ata 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 gi’ out ontirely, a-thin’-*¥ as no one war a-comin’ ter her resky !” “She, you say?” 3 ‘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—con- sider’bly more of less ’n less of more—that she will respond !” Fearless Frank laughed, and Ee hie hands into a trumpet he gave vent to aloud, ear- splitting “‘ helJo!” that made the prairies ring. “Great. whale uv Joner!” gasp the ‘General,’ holding his hands toward the region of his organs 0 hearing, “Holy Mother o’ Mercy! don’t do et ag’in, b’yee—don’ do et; io smasbed my tinpanum all inter flinders! q 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 ¢ f it was now much fainter. Evidently whoever -wasin distress, was weakening rapidly. the cries would be inaudible. , “Tt’s straight: ahead!” exclaimed Fearless Frank, at last. ‘Come along, an see what the matter is!” ‘ : level, sandy plain, and Fearless Frank and bis ~ they had first heard, only — we'll soon ~ He put the spurs to bis spirited animal, end irs j

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Deadwood Dick, the Princa of the Road, 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 halted, with a vicious nip back at the offending riaer’s legs, and refused to budge an inch, Qnu—on dashed the fearless youth, mounted on pis noble steed, his eyes bent forward, in a sharp scrutiny of the plain ahead, his mind filled with wonder that the cries were now growin wore’ distinct, and yet not a first glimpse coul 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 panes into one of those re- markable freaks of nature—the blind canal, or, in other words, a channel valley washed out by heavy rains, These the tourist will set CEE epevauter in the regions contiguous to the Blac ills, Below him yawned an abrupt channel, a score or more of feét 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 haye 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 pitas was in the thicket below seemed more than probable, and he immediately resolyed 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 pre- cipitated headlong into the valley. Fortunately he received no serious injuries, and in a mo- ment 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.” Gilancing up to the brink above to see that his horse was standing quietly, he parted the shrub- bery, 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 ina 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, of per- haps seventeen summers, whom, at a glanee, one might surmise was remarkably pretty. She was ee to the waist, and upon her snow-white back were numerous welts from which. trickled diminutive rivulets of crimson. ° Her head was drooped against the stake to which she was bound, and she was evidently _insensible, With acry 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 fect at the portly leader satisfied Frank as to { identity. .If'was the Aend incarnate—Bit- ting Bull) | : i 1 He \ + + CHAPTER II. DEADWOOD DICK, THE ROAD-AGENT. *§©3500 Reward: For the apprehension an@ arrest of a notorious young desperado who hails te the name of Deadwood Dick. His present where abouts are somewhat contiguous to the Black Hills, For further information, and so forth, apply imme diately to HuGH VANSEVERE, “ At Metropolitan Saloon, Deadwood City.” Thus read a notice posted up against a big pe tree, three miles above Custer City, on the anks of French creek, It was a large placard tacked up in plain view of all passers-by, wha 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 had been for the greater part undeveloped, but now, what a change! In Deadwood dis. tricts 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 end saloons are literally crammed at all hours; dance-houses and can-can dens exist; hundreds of eager, ex- pectant, and hopeful miners are working iu 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 dozer miles in length, though some enterprising indi vidual has paired off a couple more infant cities above Deadwood proper, named respectively Elizabeth City and Ten Strike. The quartz for< mation in these Belek borhoods is something ex- traordinary, and from late reports, under vigor ous and earnest development are yielding be yond the most sanguine expectation, 5 The placer mines west of Camp Crook arg being opened to very satisfactory results, and, in fact, from Custer City in the south, to Dead wood in the north, all is the scene of abundant enthusiasm and excitement, A horseman riding north through Custet 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 ta the foot of the tree in question, and ran his eyes over the few irregularly-written line traced upon the notice, a He was a youth of an age somewhere betweer ~ sixteen and twenty, trim and compactly buil with a preponderance of muscular developmen 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 posi- tion 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. eee: : His form was clothed in a tight-fitting habit. of buck-skin, which was colored a jetty black, and presented a striking contrast to ake one sees as # garment in the wiid far West. A s x

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weadwood Vier, the Prince of the Road. —— this was not ull, either. A broad black hat was | while; then the impatient pawing of his horse douched down over his eyes; he wore a thick Slack vail over the upper portion of his face, through the eye-holes of which there gleamed a pair of orbs of piercing intensity, and bis hands, arge and knotted, were hidden in a pair of kid loves of a light color, : The ‘‘ Black Rider” he might have been just- gy termed, for his thoroughbred steed was as plack as coal, but we bave 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 pla- card posted upon the tree in one of the loneliest portions of Custer’s gulch. s Above and on either side rose to a stupendous hight the tree-fringed mountains in all their majestic grandeur. - In front and bebind, running nearly north end south, lay the deep, dark chasm—a rift be- tween mighty walls—Custer’s gulch. And over all began to hover the cloak of night, for the sun had already imparted its dy- ing kiss on the mountain craters, and below the gloom was thickening with ra id strides. Slowly, over and over, Deadwood Dick, out- inw, road-agent, and outcast, read the notice, and then a wild sardonic laugh, burst from be- neath his mask—a terrible, blood-curdling laugh, that made even the powerful animal he bestrode start. and bps up its ears. ‘Hive bundred dollars reward for the appre- hension and arrest of a notorious young desper- ado who hails to the name of Deadwood Dick! Ha! ha! ha! isn’t that rich, now? Ha! ha! ha! wrrest Deadwood Dick! Why, ’pon my word it i8 a sight for sore eyes. J was not aware that I had attained such a desperate notoriety as that docament implies, They will make me out a murderer before they get through, I expect. Can’t let me alone—everiastingly they must be punching after me, as if I was some obnoxious pestilence on the face of the earth. Never mind, though—let them 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'ma 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 ont of this Mr. Hugh Vansevere, who- ever be may be. Hat 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 av act so uninteresting to the party in question, Hugh Vansevere; let me see—I don’t think I’ve got that registered in my collec- tion of appellatives. Perbaps he isa new tool in the employ of the old mechanic.” Darker and tbigker grew the night shadows, The after-harvest moon rose up toa sufficient powerful light ; down into the silent gulch; like an image carved out of the night the horse and rider hight tq send a silvery bolt of stood before the placard, motionless, silent. The head of Deadwood Dick was bent, and he ooh gt A 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 ba into the rough, uneven stage-road, and gallope: off up the gujch. “} will go and see what this Hugh Vansevere looks like!” he said, applying the spurs to his horse. ‘Ill be dashed if I want him to be so numerous with my name, especially with five hundred dollars aftixed thereto, as a reward.” _ Midnight. Camp Crook, nestling down in one of the wildest gulch pockets of the Black Hills region —basking and sleeping fn 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 eee out in a wild mountain song, and up through the very heart of the diminutive city, where the gold-fever bas dropped a few sanguine so\ils, dash a cavalcade of masked horsemen, attired in the picturesque garb of the mountaineer, aud mounted on ani- mals 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 ono dare raise a hard against, in sin- gle combat—Deadwood Dick, Road-Agent Prince, and the one person whose name is in every body’s mouth, Straight on through the s{tgle 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 the ~ windows and loopboles 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 dash along merrily up the gulch, the ringing. of iron-shod hoofs beating astrange tattoo 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 heaa- _ quarters of the Black Hills population, at mid- night, twenty-four hours subsequent to therush 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 gab ina sene keep open all night, and stores do not close until a late hour, was buried ina deep reverie. A reverie that | one, two, and three o’clock in the morning the engrossed his whole “attention for a long, long | streets present as lively an appearance as at any ¥ ; -% at At 45 es

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6 riod earlier in the evening. Fighting, shoot- ing, stabbing and hideous swearing are some of the features of the night; singing, drinking, dancing and gambling are others. 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 withouttheir ‘‘load.” ‘To be sure, there are some men in Daadwood who do not drink, , but they are so few and scattering as to seem almost entirely-a nonentiby. Tf was midnight, and Deadwood lay basking ‘in’ a flood of yellow moonlight that cast long shadows from the pine forests on the peaks, and linted upon the rapid, muddy waters of hitewood 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 rand theair, In front of one insignificant board, “ ten-by-twen- ty,” an old wretch is singing out lustily: ‘“Right this way ye cum, pilgrims, ter ther Breas Black Hills Thee’ter; only costs ye four its ter go in an’ see ther tender sex, already a- kickin’ in their striped stockin’s; only four bits, wecollect, 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 thuan- dering screeches and clapping of hands, the en- tertainment 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 Dsadwood gulch, the abode of many lurking shadows, dashes a horseman, Straight through the main streeé of the noisy metropolis he spurs, with bat off, and hair blow- ing backward in a jatty cloud. On, on, followed by the eyes of scores curi- ous 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.” vidently his approach is heard, for instant- ly out of the “ Metropolitan” thera swarms a erowd of miners, gamblers and bummers fo see * what the row is,’ ‘Ts 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, =. | “'Paat is my handle, pilgrim!” and a tail, - rough-looking customer of the Minnesotian or- der steps forward, “ What mought yer lay we agin’? me?” * A sure lay!” hisses the masked road-agent, sternly. ‘*You are advertising for one Dead- wood Dick, and he has come to pay you his respects,” The next instant there isa flash, a pistol re- » port, a fall and a groan, the clattering of iron- shod hoofs; and then, ere any one scarcely dreanas of it, Deadwood Dick is gone! CHAPTER IIT. THE ‘‘OATTYMOUNT”—A QUARREL, AND ITS aes RESULTS... Tux ‘“ Metropolitan” saloon in Deadwood, one bite subsequent to the events last narrated. - Sacks eet _whiteness. His hair is long and curling, Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. was the seane 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 rug- ged, 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, f 5 The ‘‘ Metropolitan” was then, as now, the head quarters of the Black Hills metropolis for arriving trains and stages, and as a natural con- ‘sequence 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 ata 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 toe 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! 3 : i The saloon is full to overflowing—full of brawny, rough and grisly men; full of ribaid songs and maudlin curses; full of. foul atmos, pheres, impregnated with the fumes of vile whisky and worse tobacco, and full of sights and scenes exciting and repulsive, ie As we enter and work our way toward the ceuter of the apartment, our attention is at- tracted by a coarse, brutal ‘ tough,” evidently just fresh in from the diggings, who, mounted on the summit of an empty whisky cask, is ex- borting 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 imagin- able, We will listen: : ; “Feller -coots and liquidarians, behold before ye a lineal descendant uv Cain and Abel. ye'll reckolect, ef ye’ve ever bin ter camp-meet- in’, that Abel got knocked out’ o’ time by his cuzzin Cain, all becawsa Abel war misproperly named, and warn’t able when the crysis arriv ter defen’ himsel’ in an able manner, ti “ Hed he bin ‘ heeled? wi’ a shipment uv Black Hills sixes, thet would hev enabled hira to dis- tinguish hisself fer superyer ability. Now, as I sed before, ’m a lineal descendant uy ther notorious Ain and Cable, and I’ve Jit 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 sereechin’ catty- mount, right down frum ther sublithe spheres up Starkey—ar’a regular epizootic uv religyun, senf down frum clouddum and seattered per- miscously ter ther ‘forty winds uy tber earth.” — ; : Boe ah We pass the ‘“cattymouht,” 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 fea-— tures, dark lustrous eyes, and teeth of Leese sy and@ —

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* Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. wft brown mustache, waxed at the ends, is almost perfection itself, Evidently he is of quick temperament, for he bandles the cards with a swift, nervous dex- terity that ‘surprises even the professional sharp himself, who isa black, swarthy-looking ~ eustomer, with “ villain” plainly written in every lineament of bis countenance; his eyes, hair, and a tremendous mustache that he’ oc- casionaliy strokes, are of a jetty black; did you ever notice it?+—dark hair and complexion pre-_ dominate among the gambling fraternity. Perhaps this is owing to the Gondition of the souls of some of these characters, The professional sharp in our case was no ex- ception to the rule. He was attired in the hight of fashion, and the diamond cluster, inevitably to be found there, was on bis shirt-front; a jewel of wonderful size and brilliancy, “ Ah! curse the luck!” exclaimed the sharp, pede ee the cards; “ you have won nw rim, and T am five hundred out. By the Lat your fide | is something astonishing!” ati NS !” Jaughed the otber, coolly; ‘‘ well, no. I do not call it luck, for I never have luck. We'll call if chance!” “Just as you say,” owls the gambler, bringing forth a new pack. ‘ Chance and Juck are then twin , companions. Will you continue longer, Mr.—’ : Redbarn, ” finished the pilgrim. “Ah! yes—Mr, Redburn, will you continue?” «cy will, play as long as there is anything to play for,” again finished Mr. R. » twistin Bs waxed ends of his mustache ralanly, you haye got your fill, eh?” ‘No; Tl play all night to~wvin back what I have lost.” A youth, attired in buckskin, and apparently. a couple of years younger haa Redburn, came sauntering along at this juncture, and seeing an - unoccupied chair at on? end of the table (for Redburn and the gamble? sat at the sides, fac- a each other), he took possession of it forth- with fe Hello!” and the sharp cee roundly. * Who told you to mix in your lip, im?” ‘Nobody, as I know of, Thonght a squat right here, and watch your sleeves!” was the significant retort, aud the youth laid a cocked six-shooter on tha table in front of him. - Goon, geritleaien; don’t let me be the me‘ins of spoiling your fun.” ‘Whe gambler vshered a curse, and dealt cnt the vasteboards. The-youth was watching him intently. He was of medium hight, straight as an ar- row, 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 sealp. His face—a pleasant, handsome, youthful face—was devoid of hirsute covering, ie having evidently been recently handled by the barber. The zame between Mr, Redburn and the gam- bler progressed; the eyes of him whom te have we descrived were on the eard-sharp constant- Firne nezar want down on the table in ae slaps, rue. ot fest Me, Pilgrim J Redburn raked in : me, soaker, : > ____ Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Roady = ‘Thunder "n’ Moses!” W ievies Ghlaca, wea: Ga aie Gee er eae the sharp, ar pulling out his watch—an elegant affair, of pure gold, and studded with diamonds—and la: laying t forcibly 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. i gave a glance at the works, and then handed i over to the youth, whom hhe instinctively felt was his friend. Redburn had come from the East to dig g gold, and therefore was a stranger in Deadwo ; “What is tts mone; value?” he asked, famil-.—— aoe I suppose?” ‘ z ‘jarizing his tone. i Yes, perfectly good , and cheap at two hun- dred,” was the un esitating reply. ‘‘Do you lack ‘funds, stranger?” : “Oh! no. Iam three hundred ahead of this” euss yet, and—"* - You'd better quit where you are!” said tine otlier,” decisively. ‘‘ You'll lose the next round, mark my word.” “Ha! ha!” laughed Redburn, who had begun to show symptoms of recklessness. ‘Til take my chances. Here, you ganin, Tll-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 bis face was just in the op- posite direction of what it had been, and com- meneed to pare his finger-nails. The fingers were-as white and softas any girl’s. In his hand he also held a strangely-angled little box,’ the sides of which were mirror-glass. Looking at bis 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 oing by watching’ the cunning light in the gambler’s eye. At last the game-card went down, and the next instani,. after the sharp had raked in bis stakes, a cocked revolver in either hand of Ned Haris: zs covered the hearts of the two players. - Hello!” gasped Redburn, quailing under the — a gare of the cold steel tube—‘* what's the row, now?" ‘Draw your revolver!” commanded Harris, — sternly, having an eye on the card- pee same time. ‘ Comie, don’t be all night about it!” Redburn obeyed; he bad no other choice, ree it and cover your man.” | ho do you mean?” : “Phe cuss under my left-hand aim.” Gen 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 Kasterner the same. Quietly he inoved © around to where the card- “sharp sat, white and — pet) aan “Gentlemen!” he yelled, in a clear, ringing voice, ‘‘ will sone of you step this way, a mo ment?” a A crowd gathered. around in a moment; then tna youth resumed: ee iunecoeraec ie all ‘of you know how to play 4° at the —

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cards, no doubt. What is the penalty of cheat- ing, out here in the Hills?” or a few seconds the room was wrapt in _ silence; then a chorus of voices gave answer, using a single word: “ Death! “Pxaetly,” 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,” asserted each bystand- er, 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 trowd of spectators, Even “ pilgrim” Redburn was astonished, i « After removing the cards, Ned Harris turned and leveled his revolver at the head of the young nian from the East. : “Your name,” he-said, briefly, “is—” - “Harry Redburn,” Z “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 bis victim—or, rather, were to he—it only remains for you to aim straight and rid your country of an A No, I dead-beat and ‘“‘Oh! no!” gasped Redburn, horrified at the thought of taking the life of a fellow-creature, **T cannot, I cannut!” : “You can!” said Harris, sternly; go on— you must salt that card sharp, or I'V, certainly salt you |” : A doathlike 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 be accustomed to the desperate character of the population of the Hills, Should he shoot the tricky wretch before bim, he knew he should be alwayscalling himself a murderer. On the contrary, in the na- tural laws of Deadwood, such a murder would he classed justice. . “ Two P” said Ned Harris, drawing his pistol- “Come, pilgrim, ~ swindler.” bammer back to a full cock. 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 end 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, bis face white, his eyes staring. There he remained, the center of general at- Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. Come!” said Ned Harris, ina 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 thet 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! eae me, Henry, and Ill nose our way out of ere. : Redburn signified his ‘readiness, and with a cocked six-shooter in either hand, Ned i led the way. CHAPTER IV. SAD ANITA—THE MINE-LOCATER—TROUBLE. STRAIGHT toward the foer of the saloon he marched, the muzzles of the grim sixes clearing a path for him; for Ned Harris had become no- torious in Deadwood for his coolness, conrage and audacity. It had been said of him that he would ‘‘ just es lief shute a man as ter look at ce and perhaps the speaker was not far from right, i ‘ "Anyway, he led off through the savage-faced audience with a composure that was remark. able, and, strange to say, not a hand was raised to stop him until he came face to face with Cat- amount Cass and his gang; here was wksre the youth had expected molestation and hindrance, ifanywhere. » Catamount Cass was a rough, illiterate “tough” of the mountain species, and Gl 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’s heels, a cocked ‘‘six” in either hand ready for aM emergency. t took but a few moments before the two arties met, the ‘‘ Cattymount” throwing out is foot to block the path. “* Hello!” roared the ‘‘ tough,” folding his buge knotty arms across his partially bared breast; ‘hot ho! whoa up thar, pilgrims! Don’t ye go ter bein’so fast. Fo’ks harn’t so much in a hurry now~days as they uster war. Ter be sure ther Lord manyfactered this futstool in seven days; sumtimes 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 can- yon 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’ 1 think prob’bly ye be, I ain’t a-goin’ fer ter let yer off so nice an’ easy. Parps ye kin tell me who fired the popgun, a minnit ago, w’at basted my ole pard?’ *T shall not take trouble to tell!” replied Ned, fingering the trigger of his left six uneasily, “Ee you want to know who salted Chet Dia- mond, ths worst blackleg, trickster and card- player in Dakota, all you’ve got to do is to go and ask him!” traction, with a huudred pair of blaging eyes| | ‘‘ Hold!” cried Harry Redburn, stepping out e behin no man’s feveled at bim from every side, from behind Harris; ‘Til hid i bapa ies :.

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, « Booulder, J salted the gambler—if yon call shooting salting—and I’m not afraid to Mawes the action by salting a dozen more just of his particular styie.” Ned Harris was surprised, in here.” The soft hand drew Ned Harris in- side the building, which was finished, but un- occupied, and Redburn followed, nosping loth to get into a place of safety. So far, Deadwood had not impressed He had set Redburn down as a faint-hearted, | most peaceable city within the scope of a cov- Gubious-couraged counter-jumper from the | tinent, = Hast; he saw now that there was something of bim, after all. Into an inger room of the building they. went, and the door was closed behind them. The _ Come on, young man!” and the young | apartment was small’and smelled of green miner stepped forward a pace, ‘are you with } lumber. A table and a few chairs comprised me?” ‘““ To the ears!” replied Harris, grimly. the furniture; a dark lantern burned suspended from the ceiling by a wire. Redburn eyed the The next instant the twain leaped forward | strange youth as he and Hsrris were handed and broke the barrier, and mid the crack of | seats, pistol-shots and shouts of rage, they cleared the saloon, Once outside, Ned Harris led the way. *~ ; Of medium hight and symmetrically built; dressed in a carefully-tanned costume of buek- “Come along!” he said, dodging along the | skin, the vest being fringed with the fur of the shadowy side of the street; ‘we'll have to scratch gravel, for them up-range ‘ toughs’ will follow us, [reckon. They’re a game gang, and j tops reaching to the knees; mink; wearing a qounty Spanish sombrero; boots on the dainty feet of patent leather, with a face slightly sun- hain’t the most desirable kind of enemies one} burned, yet showing the traces of beauty that eould wish for. I'll take you over to my coop, even excessive dissipation could not obliterate; and you can lay low there until this jamboree | eyes black and piercing; mouth firm, resolute, blows over. You'll have to thing, however, ere I can admit you as a mem ber of my household.” : “Certainly. What is it?’ and Harry Red- burn 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. that, should you fall in Jove with one who isa romise me one | and devoid of sensual expression; hair of raven color and of remarkable Jength;—such was the pos of the youth as beheld by Redburn and arris. “You can remain here till you think it will be safe to again venture forth, penblomen:— and a smile—evidently a stranger there—broke our about the speaker’s lips. ‘* Good-evening!” ““Good-evening!” nodded Harris, with a quiy member of my family, you will forbear and not | zical stare, The next moment the youth was speuk of love to her.” {It is a woman, then?” “Yes—a young lady.” > “JT will promise;—how can I afford to do ptherwise, under the existing circumstances. But, tell me, why did you force me to stioot that gambler?” ‘Je was a rascal, and cheated you.” gone, “Who was that chap?” asked Redburn, nota little bewildered. “That?—why that’s Calamity Jane!” “Calamity Jane? £a name,” “Yes, she’s an odd one. Can ride like the wind, shoot like a sharp-shooter, and swear like atrooper. Is here, there and every where, seem- “TY know; but I did not want his life; I am | ingly all at one time. Owns this coop and two 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 | knows how much more.” it wou’t do to take lip or lead from any one, A green pilgrim is the first to get salted: I illus- ate to serve ee fl a urn’s eyes sparkled. He was just begin- ning to see into the different phases ee wild exciting life. . . Good!” he exclaimed, warmly. “I have much to thank youfor, Did I kill that card- sharp?” ‘Nos you simply perforated him in the right ide, This way.” : They bad been runnin street. Now they turned a corner and darted down one that was dark and deserted. A moment Jater a trim boyish figure stepped | her honor!” before them, from out of the shadow of a new frame building; a hand of creamy whiteness (vas laid upon the arm of Ned ris. “This way, pilgrims,” said a low musical voice, and at f lifted the jaunty sombrero from the speaker's glossy hair; “the ‘toughs’ are after you, lon. ; rate you cannot find a better place to coop than | his tong 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 ‘But it is not a woman?” “ Reckon ’tain’t nothin’ else.” “God forbid that a cbild.of mine should ever become so debased and—” 25; “Hold! there are yet a few redeeming quali- ties about her. She was ruined ”— and here a shade dark as.a thunder-cloud passed over Ned Harris’s face—‘‘ and set adrift upon the world, homeless and endless; yet she has bravely fought her way through the storm, without asking anybody’s assistance. ears ago, but her character has not suffered lemish since the day a foul wretch stole away ‘What is her real name?” : **T do not know; few in Deadwood do. It fs said, however, that she comes of a Virginia City, Nevada, family of respectability and im- 6 same Instant a gust of wind | telligerce.” : me At this juncture there was a great hubbuh head, revealing a most wonderful wealth of | outside, ’ ech thie the), Oniaesonit” Cota bis: tenein tea. ng a $2 oun ‘ and and instinctively the twain drew their ‘ him favorably as being the | é True, she may straight up the main | not now have a heart; that was trampled upo

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_ perhaps fifty acres, wal rugged mountains as steep, and steeper, in 16 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, were about to make an attack. But soon the gang were heard fo tramp away, making the night hideous with their hoarse yells. ‘They’ ll pay a visit to every shanty in Dead- wood,” said Harris, with a grim smile, ‘and if they don’t find us, which they won’t, they'll b’ist more than a barrel of bug-juice over their defeat, Come, let’s be going.” They left the building and once more emerge onto the darkened street, Ned taking the lead, “Follow me, now,” be said, tighteniug his ef ‘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 fol- lowed, and in fifteen minutes the lights of Dead- wood—magic city of the wilderness—were left behind, Harris led the way along the rugged mountain stage-road, that, after leaving Dead- wood on its way to Camp Crook and Custer City in the south, runs alternately through deep, dark canyons and fares, with an ease and rapidity that showed him to be well ac- quainted with the route. About three miles _ below Deadwood he struck a trail through a transverse canyon running northwest, through which flowed a small stream, known as Brown’s tresk, 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 ex- cted the gorge came to an abrupt termination in the faca of a stupendous wall df rock and nothing remained to do but wait for young Harris. : .He soon came, trotting leisurely up, only a trifle flashed in countenance. This way!’ he said, and seizing the animal by the bit be 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 in- stant they emerged into a small, circular pocket in the midst of the mountains—one of those ~ peauteous flower-strewn valleys which are often’ found in the Black Hills, “This “pocket,” as ey ae pas Reh ot ed in on every side by some places, than a house-roof. On the western side Brown’s creek had its source, and leaped gs merrily down from ledge to ledge into the valley, across which it flowed, sinking into the earth on the eastern side, only to bubble wp again im the canyon with renewed strength. } The valley was one vast, indiscriminate bed of wild, fragrant flowers, whose volume of per- fume was almost sickening when first greeting the nostrils. Every color and variety imagin- able 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 to- ward 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, ar riving at the cabin in due time. The door was opel; a young woman, swee ve sad-faced, was seated upon the steps, fas' asleep, Redburn gave an involuntary ery of incre- dulity and- admiration as his eyes rested upon the picture—upon the pure, sweet face, sur- rounded by a wealth of golden, glossy hair, and the sylph-like form, so perfect in every contour. out a charge of silence from Harris made him mute, The young man knelt by the side of the sleep- ing girl and imprinted a kiss upon the fresh, unpolluted lips, which caused the sleeping beau- ty 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 —ob, 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 Redburn. A moment she gazed at him asin a sort of fascination; then, with a low cry, began to re- treat, growing deathly pale. Ned ; Harris stepped quickly forward and supported her on bis arm. : “Be calm, Anita,” he said, in a gentle, reas- suring tone. “‘ This is a young gentleman whom I bave brought here to our home for a few days until it will be safe for him to be seen in Dead- wood, Mr. Redburn, I make you acquainted with Anita.” A courteous bow from Redburn, a slight in- clination of Anita’s head, and the introduction was made. A moment later the three entered the cabin, a model of neatness and primitive — luxury. ety “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 mys eh?” ; “Indeed! I have not been to bed at ali,” re- plied the girl, a weary smile wreathing ber lips, ‘I was nervous, and feared something was go- ing to happen, so I staid up.” ee “Your old plea—the presentiment, of coming fete 1, I suppose,” and the youth laughed gay. y- 77 your opinion of it, Redb arn? : “T should say not. & think this little moun. tain retreat is without equal,” replied Harry, with enthusiasm. ‘The Only wonder ig, bow -¢ “But you need not fear, No one will in. vade our little paradise, vignt away, Whatis —

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, Cert ae mee ever stumble into such a delightful ace “Of that_I will perhaps tell you, another time,” said Harris, musingly. Day soon dawned over the mountains, and the eurly morning sunlight fell with charming effect into the little ‘ pocket,” with its count- Jess thousands of odorous flowers, and the nee 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 ona cultivated patch, contiguous to the cabin. Both Harris and his guest did ample justice | to the meal, for they had neither eaten any- thing si ce 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; T vill return in a week at the furthest;—perbaps in a day or two.” He took down his rifle and belt from the wall, buckled on the latter, and half an hour leter 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 through- out the Black Hills.) All efforts to engage Anita in conversation proved truitless. On the following day both were considerably astunished to perceive that there was a stranger in their Paradise;—a bow-legged, hump-backed, risly little old fellow, who walked with a staff. He approached the cabin, and Redburn went out to find out 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 Wal- singhom Nix, Esquire, geological surveyor an’ tine-locater. Vve located more nor forty thousan’ mines in my day, more or less—giner- ally 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!” “Humpb! vo gold here,” replied Redburn, who had already learned from study and expe- rience how to guess a fat strike, ‘It’s out of the channel.” “ No} et’s right in-the channel.” “Well, ’l not dispute you, Hew did you get into the valley?” yi : “ Throt.vh ther pass,” and the General chuck- Jed approvingly. ‘‘See’d a feller kim down ther canyon, yesterday, so I nosed about ter find whar he kim from, that’s how f got here; ‘sides, I hed a dream about this place.” ; 4 Indeed!” Redburn was puzzled how to act "ander the circumstances, Just then there eame wd _—is your friend, now, and will be as long as (he _ ©The pale-face girl is the last survivor of 8 a piercing seream from the direction of the eabin. : 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. FRARLESS FRANK stepped back aghast, as'he saw the inhuman chief of the Sioux—the eruel,— grim-faced warrior, Sitting Bull: shrunk back,. © and laid his hand upon the butt of a revolver. aL ‘ “Ha! he articulated, ‘is that you, chicf — “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. . “T 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 cuny _ ning could conceive, For shame, chief, that’ you should ever assent to such an act—lower yoursels' 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 bis painted — hand flew toward the pistols in his belt. But. the Soe aee. second he seemed to change his intention; his hand went out toward the youth in greeting: “he Scarlet Boy is right,” he said, with as much graveness as a’ red-skin can conceive, “Sitting Bull listens to his words as’ he woulda” to those ofa brotber, Scarlet Boy isnostranger in the land of the Sioux; he is the friend of the great chief and his warriors. Once when the storm-gods were af 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 Sit- ~ ting Bull. he shock of the band of the Great” Spirit did not escape me; for hours I lay like ~ one slain in battle. My warriors were in con — sternation; they ran, hither and thither in affrigbt, 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.* : eye ce. “From that hour Sitting Bull was your friend — red-men exist ase tribe.” i : “Thank you, chief;’ and Wearless Frank grasped the Indian’s hand and wrungiit warm- ly. “I believe you mean all you say. But f am surprised to find you engaged at such work © as this. war only on warriors—not on women.” An ugly frown darkened the savage’s face—a frown wherein was depicted a number of slum- bering passions. : =i i have been told that Sitting Bu pads FA foe.” < f ae :

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- _ Ob! sir, what ean £ de, more than to thank you Ie 4 Deadwood Dick, the Prisca of the Road. train that the warriors of Sitting Bull attacked in Red Osnyon. Sitting Bull lost many war- riors; yon pale squaw shot down full a halt- acore before she could be captured; she belongs to the warriors of Sitting Bull, and not to the great chief himself.”. “Yet you have the pow-r 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. “ Wha‘ will the Scarlet Boy do with the fair maiden cf his tribe?” “ Bear her to a place of safety, chief, and eare for ber until I can find her friends—prob:- ably she has friends in the East.” “Tt 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 he Sioux chieftain, a word from the latter to the grim painted warriors, and the next in- stant the glade was cleared of the savages. Fearless Frank then bastened 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 balf-nude form the gar- ments 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 com- plexion, with pink-tinged cheeks, she made a very pretty pee 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 con- tinued 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 sup- ported her to asitting posture. ‘(Tam a friend, and your cruel captors have vamosed. Lucky - Icame along just as I did, or it’s likely they’d have killed you.” — “Ob! sir, how can J ever thank you for rescuing me from those merciless fiends!” and the maiden gave himagratefulglance. ‘ They “whipped me, terribly !”’ % ; “T know, lady—all because you defended your- - self in Red Canyon.” ‘IT 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. “Fad it not been for you, sir, no one but our God knows what would have been my fate. “sequence, you know.” a thousand times, to repay you for the great service you have rendered me?” ‘Nothing, lady; nothing that I think of at present, Wasit not my duty, while I had tho power, tc free you from the hands of those bar- barians? 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?” “Thad no friends, sir, save.a lady whose ar uaintance I made on the journey out from heyenne, As to my name—you can call me Miss Terry.” “Mystery!” in blank amazement. “VYes;” 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! gookt — joke. JT shall call you the latter. Have you friends or relatives Hast? “No. Peame West to meet my father, who is somewhere in the Black Hills.” ‘ “Do you know at what place?” - “T do not.” “1 fear if will be a hard matiter to find him, then.. The Hills now havea floating population of about twenty-five thousand’ souls. ‘Your fa- ther 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 n-- cessary,” she said, “although I have not seen him for years.” She failed to mention how many, or what bapa she would recognize bim by, Was e blind, deaf or dumb? Fearless Frank glanced around him, and saw that a path rugged and steep led up to the prairie above, ei? “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. ** Deadwoo.’ is my destination. I can deviate from my course, however, if it will accommo- date you.” ‘ “Oh! no; you must not inconvenience your- self on my account. Tam of little or no con- he leaned upon bis 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 northwest a cloud of dust rose -heayenward, and he rightly conjectured that it hid from view the chieftain, Sitting Bull, and . bis warriors. f His thoughts reverting to bis companion, General” Nix, and the train of Charity J i he glanced toward where he had last seen” them, 7 _ Neither were to be seen, now. , Probably Nix had rejoined the train, and it was out of eye- shob behind a swell in the plains. . “Were you looking for some one?” Alice asked, looking into her reseuer’s face. ; “Ves, T was with a train when I first heard your cries; I left the boys, and came to in- 1 guess they bave gone on without vestigate, me.”

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“ Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 1 ‘‘ 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 ber to mount. The sun was touching the lips of the horizon with a golden kiss; more time than Frank lee supposed had elapsed since he left the rain, Far off toward the east shadows were hug- ging close behind the last lingering rays of sun- ight; 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. . he 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 ani- mal, he said, would arouse him; he was keen of esi and quick to detect danger—meaning the orse. : The Hy aa passed away without incident; as early as four o’clock—when it is daylight on the plains—Fearless Frank was astir. He found the rivulet flowing from the spring to abound with trout, and caught and dressed some for the morning meal. fice 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 peas least, so thought Fearless rank, “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 enjoy- able 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 wasin parts fre- quented by both red and. white savages, and it would do harm to keep on one’s guard. ‘They traveled all day and reached Sage creek at sunset. z fis : Here they remained over night, taking an _ early start on the succeeding morning, =. That day they made good progress, in cof-se- quence of Prantd purchase of hae at Bb go creek from some friendly Crow Indians, and darkness overtook them at the mouth of Rea Canyon, where they went into caine 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 ths torture-ground, camped with a miner’s family. As yet no cabins or shanties had been er bere, canvas tents serving in the stead; today there are between fifty and a hundred wooden structures, Alice was charmed with the wild grandeur of the mountain scenery—with the countless acrea ,of blossoms and flowering shrubs, with the ro. mantic and picturesque surroundings in gener- al, and was very empbatic in her ore One day of rest was taken at Rapid creek; then the twain pushed on, and when night again overtook them, they rode into the bust- ling, noisy, homely metropolis—Deadwood, magic city of the Northwest. CHAPTER VI. ONLY A SNAKE—LOCATING A MINE. Harry RepDBuRN hurried off toward the cabin, which was some stepsaway. In Anita’s scream there were both terror and affright. ~ Walsingham Nix, the hump-backe legged explorer and prospector hobbled after him, using his staff for snpport. He had heard the scream, but years’ experl- ence among the “gals” taught him thata femi- nine shriek rerely, if ever, meant anything. Redburn arrived at the cabin ina few flying bounds, and leaped into the kitchen. There, crcuched upon the floor in one corner, all in a little heap, pale, trembling 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 Ani- ta, leaving a faint trail of crimson in its wake; bow- . yet the young girl’s face was blanched with” fear, - “You screamed at that?’ demanded Redburn, pointing to the coiling nN ‘‘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, won- deringly. 5 el Fry, et a rap across the spinal column, w’en I kim into the valley,” said General Nix, a # Yess thrusting bis head in at a dvor, a ludicrous grin ~ elongating his grisly features. ‘‘’T'war a-goin’ ter guv mea less—consider’bly lees of more than more of less —so I jest: salivated it across ther back, ker- whagk! Anita screamed again as she saw the General, — he was sorough andhomely. « | ‘“Who are you?’ she managed to articulate, as Redburn assisted her to rise from the floor. “What are invited?” ea There was a degree of sp pea in her tone that Redburo did not dream she pos you doing here, where you were not ee] Pe or so uv et’s tongue, more or

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a4 The ** General ” rubbed the end of his nose, ehuckled audibly, then laughed outright. Z “J opine this ar’ a free country, ain’t it, marm, more or less? W’en a feller kerflum- muxes rite down onter » payin’ streek, I oping he’s goin’ ter roost thar till he gits reddy to vamoose, ain’t hes” eae “But, sir, my brother was the first to dis- cover 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 hey seen him an’ heerd beeps about him, Letters uv his name spell Ned Harris, not?” si “Yes, sir; but how can you know him? Few do, in Deadwood.” “Nevyer mind thet, my puss, Ole Walsing- ham Nix do kno’a few things yet, ef he a’ a hard old nut fer w’ich thar is not cra’kin’,? ~) Anita looked at Redburn doubtfully. *¢ Brother would be very angry if be werz éo return and find this man here, Wue+t would you advise?” F “YT amof the opinion that he will have to vacate,” replied Harry ssa ‘* Nie cum-a-rouse!” disagreed the old pros- pector. ‘‘I’m hyar, 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 Jess 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.” “xactly!” the ‘‘ General” confidently an- nounced, ; “What good can come of your remaining ’ here?” demeznded Anita. “Sit down, marm, sit down, an’ Pll perceed ter divest myself uv w’at little infermation Pve got stored up in my noddle, Yesee, mum, my name’s Walsingham Nix, at yer sarvice—Wal- singbam bein’ my great-great-grandad’s frontis- piece, while Nix war ther hind-wheeler, like nor w’at a he-mule ar’ w’en hitched ter a schooner. Ther Nix family war a great one, bet yer false teeth; originated about ther time Joner swal- tered the whale down nigh Long Branch, and ve bin handed down frum time to time till ye behold in me ther Jast survivin’ pilgrim from ther ancestral block. Thar was one remarka- ble pecooliarity about ther Nix family, frum root ter sfump, an’ thet war, they war nevyer known ter refuse a gift or an advantageous of- fer; in this respeck they bore a striking resem- blance ter the immortal G’orge Washington— @orge war innercent; he ked neyer tell a lie, So war our family: they never hed it in their hearts to say Niw to an offer uv a good feed or a decoction 0’ brandy. “Tt war a disease—-a hereditary affection uv ther bull combined system. The terrible mala- ' dy attacked me w’en £ waran infant prodigy, * A faet, Deadwoou Dick, the Prince of the Road. — an’ l’ve neyyer yit see’d thet time w’en I e’u’d resist the temptation an’ coldly say ‘nix? wena brotber 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 0’ people, more or less—gin- erally more uv less than less uv more—an’ tharfore I nevyer feel it my duty, as a Christ- yun, ter set a bad example w’ich others may foller.” Redburn glanced toward Anita, a quizzical expression upon his genial face, *T fail to see how that hasany reference astc the cause of Phat stay among us,” he observed. araused at the quaint lingo of the Aig i oatige ke ‘Sart’in not, sarin not! I had just begun ter git thar. L’veonly bin gi’in’ ye a geological ijee uv ther Nix family’s formation; I’li 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 ram- bling ‘‘ 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 war snoozin’ I dreampt «bout 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. . 5 ‘Next mornin’, bright an’ early, I shouldered pick, shuvyel an’ pan, an’ went for thet identi- cal spring. To-day thet pocket, havin’ been traced into a rich vein, is payin’ as big or bigger nor any claim on Spring creek.’* Both Redburn and Anita were unconsciously becoming interested. “And do you think there is gold here, in thi flower-strewn pocket-valley?” “T don’t think it—I know it. Ihed a dreenm et warhayrin big quantities, soI h'isted my . carcass this direction. Ter-nite I’ll hev ernuthes nighthoss, an’ thet’ll tell me precisely where ther strike ar’.” Redburn drummed a tattoo on the arm of the lounge with 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 to diskiver this place; ye orter hev yer say about it.” ** Well, then, perhaps we can come to a bar- gain, You can state your prices for locating and opening up this mine, and we. will con- sider.” “Wal, leb mesee, Wf the mine proves ter be ekal ter the one thet 1 located on Spring creek, Vil rake ina third fer my share uv the divys. Ef *tain’t good’s I expect, I'll take a quarter. Redburn turned to Anita. ea 5 Ste “From what: little Spiers have had, think itisa fair offer. hat is your view of the matter, and do you believe your brother will be satisfied?” j ; ‘Ohi yes, sir. It will surprise and please him to return and find his Paradise has beom turned into a gold mine.”

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. ‘“All right, then, we will go ahead and get things in shape. We will have to get tools, ee before we can accomplish much of any- ing. ‘My brother hasa miner’s outfit here,” said Anita. “That will save you a trip to Dead- wood 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 chi ing rock among the rugged foothills, then ‘‘ feeling in the bed of the creek. But nota sign of a thing like gold was to be found, and when night called them to shelter, Redburn was pretty thorgenly convinced that Nix was an enor- mous “fsell,” and that he could eee all the gold they would find in his eye. The * General,” however, was confident of success, and told ENy doubtful yarns of former discoveries and exploits, nita prepared an evening meal that was both tengpting 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 pro- fessional vocalist. The last mournful strains filled the cabin just as the last lingering rays of sunlight disappeared from the mountain top, amd 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 Jater. To his surprise he perceived that her head was bowed upon her arm that lay along the window-ledge—that “he 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 be and Nix_re-entered the sabin and went to bed in a room alloted 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 bis 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 ataring. Without a word the young man leaped from bed, donned his garments, and the old man then ted the way out of the cabin. n that Anita was up and waiting. : “Come!” he said, seizing a hatchet and peeing through the kitchen, Redburn saw | ni stake, “we are about to discover the got2.mine and our fortunes,” with a merry tise ; Then both followed in the wake of the slee 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 ae the ‘*General ” pointed, as be came to a ait. “There! there is the gold—millions of it deep down—twenty or thirty feet—in sand— eee ee dig! pic! DIG! dburn marked the spot by driving the stake in the ground. ; - 1t now only remained to dig in the soil to verity the truth of the old man’s fancy. CHAPTER VIL. DEADWOOD DICK ON THE ROAD, \ RUMBLING nobly through the black eanyon road te Deadwood, at an hour long past midnight, came the stage from Cheyenne, loaded down wit! and full five hours late, on account of a broken shaft, which had to be ee on the road. There were six plurging, snorting horses attached, whom the veteran Jebu on the box, ma: th 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 Bhostyy, moonlight across the eee 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 lan- guage, over the delay and the terrible jolting of the conveyance. ; In addition to those penned up inside, there were two passengers positioned on top, in the rear of the . driver, where they clung tothe trunk railings to keep from being jostled off. « One was an elderly man, tall in stature and notice- ably portly, with a florid countenance, cold y eyes, and hair and beard of brown, freely mixed with silvery threads. He was aoe attired, his costume being of the finest cloth and of the very asa latest cut; boots patent-leathers, and hat gl mirror; diamonds gleamed.and sparkled on his im- maculate 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 — in every particular, save that while one was more than asemi-centenarian in years, the other was bare- ly twenty. The same faultless elegance in dress, the same elaborate display of jewels, and the same haughty, aristocratic bearing produced ip one was ~ mirrored in the other. cs They were father and son. bn “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 “tination, and—” Beaks “Get shot like poor Vansevere did!” sneered the _ other. “I tell you, governor, this is a desperate game you are Piaring The old man smiled, grimly. “Desperate or not, we ae ‘carry it through to ts the end. Vansevere was not the right kind of aman “§ to set after the young scamp.” “How do you mean?” 3355 : ‘*He was too rash—entirely too rash. Deadwood _ Dick is a daring whelp, and Vansevere’s open — will reach our des:

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eifer 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. ‘* Ves; he will be harder to trap than a fox who has lost a foot between jaws of steel. He will be re- vengeful, too!” “Bah! Ifear him not, old asTam. He is but a boy ieee! you remember, and will be easily man- ed? ; te hope so; I don’t want my brains blown out, at least.” The stage rumbled on; the Jehu cursed and lashed mis 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 iu surprise at the noisy pare. Alexander Fillmore (the elder passenger) succeed- ed in sroady ing himself long enough to ignite the end of a cigarin the bow! of nS rea. pipe; then he watched the trees that flit by. Clar- ence, his son, had smoked incessantly since leaving Camp Crook, and now threw away his half-use cheroot, and listened to the sighing of the spectral ines, :: “The girl—what about her?”’ he asked, after some moments had elapsed. < “She will be as much in the way as the boy will.” “She? Well, we'll attend to her after we git him out of the way. He isthe worst obstacle in 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 Jess 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. bi You, must remember that your mother was a wo- man. “‘Was she?” Clarence bit the end of his waxed mustache, and mused over his sire’s startling an- nouncement. ‘* You recollect that I never saw her.”’ “Dye carry poppin’-jays, pilgrims?” demanded Jehu, turning so suddenly upon the two passenge:s . as to frighten them out of their wits. - Ea hae ar’ drivin’ t around him . _ hoofs—it is a mute wonder, * Popping-jays?” echoed Filmore, senior, “Yas —shutin’-irons —rewolvers —patent perfo- ratin’ 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 oh the frequent ee of the cracking lash. The pines grew thicker, and the moonlight Jess often darted its rays down athwart the road. _“Hey!’ yelled a rough voice from within the stage, “‘ w’at d’ye drive so fast fur? Ye've jonced the senses clean out uv @ score 0’ us.” “Go to blazes!’ shouts back Jehu, giving an ex- tra crack to his ie ““Who’n the name o’ John S omnybust, pilgrim?—you or “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 McQneken ean’t drive. ther thra-ter-Deadwood stage as gude as jer average, he’ll suspend bizness, or hire you ter steer in his place.” On, on rumbles the stage, down through a lower grado of the canyon, whe.e no moonlight penetra’ ‘and all is of Stygian’ darkness. ete = e@ two passenyers on top of the stage shiver with dread, and ae old Bin McGucken peers a trifle suspiciously. Ttisa wild spot, with the mountains rising on each side of the road to a stupendous hight, the towering pines moaning their nade eternal requiem; the roar of the great wheels over the hardpan bottom; the _ snorting of the fractious lead-horses; the curses and eracking of Jehu’s whip; the ring of iron-shod place and oo condneive to fear, i ge Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, ae “ Fralt!” “High above all other sounds now wings thia ery, borne toward the arene stage from the im trable space of gloom ahead, brought down in clear, commanding tone wherein there is neither fear nor hesitation, That one word has marvelous effeet. It brings a grip 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 offer to press on when chal- lenged to halt in_a wild, dismal place?) It sends a thrill of lonely horror through the veins of those to whose ears the cry is borne; it causes hands to fi7 to the butts of weapons, and hearts te beat faster, “Halt!” Again the cry rings forth, reverberating: ah pres issimilar echoes up the rugged mhoun- in-side. The horses nioed down; Jehu sits like a carved statue on his box; the silence becomes painful te those within the stage—those who are trembling in a fever of excitement, and peering from the oper 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 gl astly distinctness thut enables the watchers to behold a black horse- rian 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 elick! click! of a seore 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 ig Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road! 5 Mounted upon his midnight steed, and clad in the weird suit of black, he makes an imposing spectacle, as he cores 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 ae ose 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 haek at full cock. “You do well to stop, Bill MeGucken!” the road. agent observes, reining in his steed. ‘‘I expected you hours ago, on time.” “"Pwarn’t my fault, yer honor! replies Jehu, meek as a lamb under the gaze of the other’s pop: gun. “Ye see, we broke a ge this side 0’ Custer ity, an’ that set us behind several p’ints o’ ther co} mpass. a hat have you aboard to-night worth examin: “ Nothin’, yer honor. Only a stageful uv passen- gers, 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 bis revolver, “ before I drop you.” In terror MeGueken made haste to scramble te the ground, where he stood with his teeth chatter- ing and knees knocking with terror in a manner pitiable to see. aay ; “Ha, ha, ha!” That wild mugh of Deadwood Dick's made the welkin ring out a weird chorus, * Bill McGucken, yeu should on 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 = oe river,” said the Prince of the Road culty, ater t aes

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Read. the laugh, * ‘ou to the ngers who grace this rickety” shank and fake nop. a collection. You needn’s cum to me wi’ less’n five hundred, ef ye don’t want me to salt ye!” Bowing humble oheleanos, McGucken took off his hat and made for the stage door. “Gentlemen,” he pleaded, “there is need o' yer dutch.’ out yer dudads right liberal, ef ye’ve en: purtic’lar anticypation an’ desire ter git ter Dead- wood ter-night. Dick the Road-Agent are law an’ gospel heerabouts, I spec’late!”” “Durned a cent ‘ll I fork!” growled one old fellow foud enough to be heard. “ITain’t afeerd o’ all the robber Dicks from here ter Jerusalum.” But when he saw the muzzle of the young road- agent’s revolver gozing in bebe i 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 Pringe 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. Ashe did s0 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 i Ge * Alexander Filmore, you here!’ he ejaculated, his voice betraying his surprise, “Yes,” replied the elder Filmore, coldly—‘*t here to shoot you, you dastardly dog,” ick] raising a p tol, he took rapid and deadly alto, ania CHAPTER VOL NOT YET! . Wir a groan Deadwood Dick fell to the ground, tlood spurting from a wound in his breast. The bullet of the elder Filmore had indeed struck home. ud then were the cries of rage and vengeance, as a score of masked men poured out from the thickets, and surroun the stage. ‘Shoot the accursed nigger!’ cried one, ‘ He’s killed our leader, an’ by all the saints in ther cal- endur hé shall pay tho penalty!’ ; ‘No! no!” yelled another, ‘we'll do no such a thing, He shall swing in mid-air!” “Hey!” cried a third, rising from the side of the rostrate road-agent, ““don’ ye be so fast, boys. Khe 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. 3 ‘ “Better let ther cant’in say what we shall do wi yon vuss 0’ creashun!” suggested one who was ap- parently a leading spirit; ‘it's hés funeral, ain’t it? “Yas, yas, it’s his funeral!” “Then let him do ther undertakin’.” Robber Dick was accordingly supported to.a sit- ting posture, and the blood that flowed freely from Ais 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 bis face. 5 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 re- ports of fire-arms would reach Deadwood (which was only a short mile distant, around che pend) and arouse the military, who would come to hi rescue. y 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 moon- iizht, and their features easily studied. __ “ Alexander Filmore!’’ the gay pe Pea said, terrible depth of meaning in his voice, that the _eowering wretch could but understand, ? ia 1 ees e 4? and face the music, than to employ (vols, as you have done heretofore. I can rH if sree SEES, a rush was made upon the stage and le passengers. Down they were hauled, head ever heels, and quickly secured by strong cords about the wrists and ankles. This done, Deadwood Dick turned to Bill Mec Gucken, 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 oe ese to ever make another trip over this route. ow, go Jehu needed not the second invitation. He never was tardy i- getting out of the way of danger; so he picked ip the reins, gave an extra sharp 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 “rom 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 raysof 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 bar- racks above Deadwood just as a horseman galloped the hill—Major R—-— justin froma carousedown u ae 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 Pome acavalcade of sleepy soldiers swept down t whence had come the pane: Wildly around the abrupt bend they dashed with yells of anticipated victory; then there was a fright- ful collision between the incoming stage and the outgoing cavalry; the shrieks and screams of ho the curses and yolls of wounded men; and a gensead pandemonium ensued. The coach and went roll ig down.a steep embankment.’ Major was_ precipita eve 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. 8. 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 gen- eral torrent of blasphemy and turn it into a channel of boisterous laughter. i No Bee was made in putting things ship-sha; ere morning dawned Deadwood beheld pe an 2 the returned soldiers and wrecked stage with its sul- len passengers within its precincts. 7 Dick and his men rode rene down the canyon, the two prisoners bringing up the rear under the es- cort of two masked gu: ; at that. The elder Filmore, a keen student of character, { wag not long in making out these e gorge toward the place — pascneets, horses, and all was upset, ° ards. Z These guards were brothers and Spanish-Mexicang J fs = ‘) .

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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 willset |' us at liberty.” : The two road-agents exchanged glances, “It’s a bargain,” returned one. ‘‘ Stop your horses and let the others go on.” ‘ ee ; The main party were at this juncture riding swift- -ty down a steep grade. : The four horses were quietly reined In, and when the others were out of hearing their noses were yy back up the canyon in the direction of Dead- wood, “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 anoath. “If he ever crosses your path shoot him down like a dog, and I'll give youa thousand dollars gerbe work, e sooner he dies the better I'll be suited.” He spoke in a tone of strongest hate—deepest ran- cor. CHAPTER IX. AT THE “MEY,” A rew nights subsequent tothe 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. 3 As usual everything around the place and in it is literally * red hot.’”? he bars are constantly crowd- ed, the gaming-tables are never empty, and the floor is so full of surging humanity'that the dance, irre a chief attraction, has necessarily been sus- pended. 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 pesehgers, and from two to a dozen trains arriving ¢ rate Of course Deadwood receives a larger share of all this immigration—nothing is more natural, for the young metropolis of the hills is ze miner’s rendez vuus, being in the conter of “he bost yielding locates. Every person in Deadwood ean’tell you where the _ Met’ is, as it fs gcneral 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 ey a crowd as it Aas ever been our fortune to be« old. “Men from the States—lawyers, doctors, specula- tors, adventurets, pilgrims, and dead-beats; men {rom 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. Joeand 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 buckskin, 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 char- re 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 Be ee pardner!” he said, with a ‘Hight laugh, as he raked in the stakes, | @eur all, eh?” “This tekes Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. “very darned bit!” said the “* Cattymotunt °—for it was he—with an oath. ‘ You’ye peeled me to ther hide, an’ no mistake. Salivated me’way out 0° time, sure’s thar ar’ modesty in a bar-girl’s tongue!" Theyouthlaughed. ‘ Youare notin luck to-night. Maybe your luck will return, if you keep on, Haven't you another V?”’ “Nary another!” ; Bi eA your pard, that got salted the other night?’ ““Who—Chet Diamond? Wal, hee’s around heer. sum ars, but ] can’t borry none off o’ him. No; 1’ve gotter quit straight off.” f “Villend you ten to begin on,” said the youth, and he laid an X in the rufflan’s hands. “There now, go ahead with your funeral. It’s your deal.” The cards were dealt, and the game paged sulting in the favor of the “‘ Cattymount.’? Anothe: and anothor was played, and the tough won every time. Still ‘ne youth kept a 9, quiet smile restin: on his pleasant features, a twinkle in his coal-blac! eye. ‘The youth, dear reader, you have met before. He is not he, but instead. amity Jane. On goes the game, the burly “tough ” winning all the time, his pile of tens steadily increasing in Tent “Ne about Joner an’ the ark; an’ Noar an’ ther whale!’ he cries, = pping. another X onto the pile with great enthusiasm: “I hed a grate, grate muth- er-in-law w’at played koerds wi’ Noar inside o’ thet eyédentical whale’s stummick—played poker wi’ w’alebones fer pokers. They were afterwards land- ed at Plymouth Rock, or sum uther big rock, an’ flu 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 aboutreckonI do. I hev got ther blood o’ Cain and Abel in my veins, boyee, an’ ef I ken’t raise the biggest/kind 0’ Cain, *tain’t because Lain’t able—oh! no, Face anuther, pilgrim Be ‘ “Treckon. How much hev ye got piled up thar in that heap?” “Squar’ re ns tens, my huckleberry, an’ all won ou “Then it’s tho first time you ever won anything fair, Cass Diamond!’ exclaimed a voice close at 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, ees him also, and with an oath, sprung to his feet. a “By - 1 the Celestyals!” he ejaculated, jerking forth a six-shooter—“ by all the roarin’ screechin’, - shrickin’, yowlin’, squawkin’, ring-tailed, flat-futted cattymounts thet ever did ther forest aisles o’ old Alaska traverse! vou here, ye infernal smooth-faced varmint? You heer, arter all ye’ve d:d to ride ther cittyzens o’ Deadwood inter rebellyun, ye leetlo pig- minian deputy uv ther devil? . Hurra! hurra! boys! let ’s string him up ter ther nearest Sapling!” ' “Ha! ba!” laughed Harris, coolly, “ hear the cow- ard 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 pM Gaur oa 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 dex- terity something wonderful. ‘‘What is the mean- ing of all this? Who knocked Cass pian tod doa ad that honor,” coolly remarked Ned Harris, ‘stepping boldly up and Goiteertien the Deadwood

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, _ sag a 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 bs owed it to the cool and calculating young miner whose name was an omen of terror among the ‘ 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 atrump! Ain’t ye got no aces hid up yer sleeves?” The card sharp still cursed furiously, and backed away. He dare not reach fora 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.” “Hal ha! ha!” and the Jaugh of Calamity rung wildly through the great saloon—‘‘ha! ha! ha! here’s a go! Who wants to buy a clipped-winged r sharp?” told 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 gam- bler’s gang came rushin up, headed by Catamount Cass, who had recovered from the effects of the blow from Harris's fist. * At them! at em!” roared the “screechin’ catty- mount frum up nor’,” ‘Rip, dig an’ gouge ’em, Ho! bo} we'll see now who'll swing. we willl! We'll Yarn 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 ans.. Crack! whiz! bang! the bullets flew about ike 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 ea grit of miners ‘sprung to Harris’s 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— and lond rose the savage yells on the still night air. Ono by one men fell on. either side, their life-blood crimsoning the floor, their dying groans unheeded-in _ the fearful molee. > Still unharmed, and fighting among the first, we see Ned Harris and his remarkable companion, Ca- lamity Jane; both are black, and scarcely recogniz- able in the cloud of smoke that fills the bar-room. Harris wounded in a dozen places and weak from joss 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 asany of those around her. ¢ ’ \ On wages the battle, even as furiously as in its he- pings the last shot has been fired; it isnow knife 0 knife, and face to face. ’ Full as many of one side as the other have failen, : _ and lay strewn about under foot, unthought of, un. eared for in the excitement of the desperate moment, | _“\Living characters, = 19 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* still hold sway, senitos, like madmen in their endear vors 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 those sounds? The thunder of hoofs is heard outside; the rattle of musketry andsabers, and the next instant a com: pany of soldiery, headed by Major R——, ride straight up into the saloon, firing right and left. “Come!” ered Calamity Jane, grasping Harris by the arm, and pulling him toward a side door, ‘ it’s ont for us to slope now.) It's every man for him- se And only under her guidance was Ned able to es+ cape; and save being iilled and captured with the rest, . About noon of the stloceeding day, two personson horseback were ccovaing along the north guich lead- ~ ing into Deadwood, ~t an easy canter. They were the fearless Scarlet Boy, or as he is better known, Fearless Frank, and his lovely protevee, Miss Terry, They had been for a morning ride over toa neigh- boring claim, and were just returning. Since their arrival in Deadwood the youth had de- voted 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 Dsante Se “T feel Tne observed Frank, as they rode along.“ This life in the hills gives me a keen appe- tite. How is it-with you, lady?” $ : “The same as <rith you, I guess, But look! Yon- der comes a horseman toward us!” ; Tt was even so, A horseman was galloping, up the gulch—no other than our young friend, Ned Harris, As the two partics apprcach, the faces ofeach of the youths . ow deadly pale; there comes into their eyes an ominous glitter; their hands each clasp the butt of « revolver, and the gradually draw rein, 4 That they are.enemies of old—that the fire of ran- ~ cor burnsin their hearts, and that this meeting isun- — expeoted, is plain to see. Te _Now, that thoy have met, probably for the first — time in months or ears, it remains not to be doubt-) ed butea settlement must come between them—that © their hate must result in satisfaction, whetherin blood or not. “ CHAPTER X. mes a the two, as' they sat there facing each other, each i motionlos: as a carved statuo. a4 he ehene nes oe then, women must not stand inthe he not be? He mes O) tion of life; where bravery was —

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20 - Deadwood Dick, the dead letter. Fearless Frank, too, had seen all phases of rough western life, probably, but his tem- perament was more nervous and excitable, his pas- sions tenfold harder to restrain. Still, he managed to exercise a cool exterior now that equaled that of his pee hated enemy. Mystery, as Fronk 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 piaht have driven another man than him into a re- reat. 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 clinched two rows of teeth, tightly, flercely; while every nerve in the youth’s y dy was drawn to its utmost tension, Harris was wonder/ully calm and at ease; only a ‘ay pallor on his handsome face and a menacing re 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 ran- cor burned with stronger gleam in his eagle eye The effect on the scarle yous was scareely no- ticeable, 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. Herein this out-of-the-way gorge, we will settle the grudge I hold ott you— we will see who shall live and who shall die!” : Alice Terry uttered a terrified 2H “Oh! no! no! you must not fig Tt is bad—oh! so awful wicked!” ; * Excuse me, lady, but you will have no yoice in this matter;” and the miner’s tone grew a trifle more savere. ‘Knew you the bitter wrong done me - this young devil with the smooth face and _ oily tongue—if you knew what a aeuont cause [ 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 an strike in the defense of women!”’ Alice aetty pects admired, the stalwart young miner for this gallant speech. Fearless Prank, his face paler than before, an ex- : pressor of remorse combined with anguish about is countenanc>, and moisture standing in either eye,assumed his quasi-erect attitude as he answered: \ “Edward Harris, if you will listen, I -vill say all I have to say ina very few words, You hate me be- ~ cause of a wrong I did you and yours, and you want my life forthe forfeit. I shall not hinder you longer in your purpose. For two long years you have trailed and tracked me with the determination of a bloodhound, and I have eva Jed‘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 A at last; here let us settle, as you have said, See! Ifold my arms across my breast. Take out oor pistol, aim steadily, and fire twice at my breast. have heard enough concerning your skillas a marksman to feel confident that you can kill me in two shots!” e ‘Ned Harris flushed, angrily. We was surprised at the cool indifference and recilessness of the youth; he was angered that McKenzie should think hem mean enough to take such a prepos a advan- ° —you must not. is, ‘ yo fn Fae Prince of the Road. ese en “You are a fool!” he sneered, biting bis lip with. yexation. “ Doyou calculate I am a murderer ?” “T have no proof that you are or that you aré not/ replied Fearless Frank, controlling his tempex . yy a master effort. ‘‘ You remember I have not kept a watch ion your actions,” Be that as it pe 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. I¢ is I who have wronged you and yours; ioe must take the offensive; I will play a silent hand.” 5 ““You refuse to fight me?” “I do refuse to fight you, but do not refuse to give we satisfaction for what wrong you have suffered, ‘ake my life, if you choose; itis yours. Take it, or forever after this consider our debt of hatred can< celed, and let us be—” ‘Friends? Never, Justin McKenzie, never! You forget the stain dyed by your hand that will never wash out!” “No! no! God knows I do not forget!” and the outh’s voice was hoarse with anguish.’ ‘Could it e undone, 1 would pad undo the deed. But, teil me, Harris, about her. Does she still live?” “ Tive? We-l-l, yes. if you can call staying living. Life is but a blank; better she had died ere she ever met you!” st You speak truly; better she had died ere she met e. Unconsciously the two had ridden closer to each nee, ee they forgotten themselves in recalling © pas - “She lives—may live on her lonely life for years te come,” Harris resumed, thoughtfully, “but her life will be merely endurance.” : ** Will you tell me where—where I can f° 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—” E ‘““Nol” thundered Harris, prowing sudde: furi- ous, “no! a thousand times! I’d sooner seé her in the burning depths of the bottomless fa than have you get within a hundred miles of her with your contaminating presence. Sheis 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!” “ Aad not hard enough on you, base villain that youare! Who is this young lady you have in your company—another of your victims?” ; “Hold! Edward Harris; enough of your vile in- sinuations. This lady isone whom I rescued from Sitting Bull, the Sioux, and I am helping her to hunt a father, who, she says;-is somewhere ia the Black Hills. Your language should at least be respectful.” The rebuke stung young Harris to the quick, but oe in his passion in a moment, and doff his hat, : i “Pardon me, miss, — me. It was ungentle- manly for me to speak as I did, but I was surprised at er one of your sex in company with this ac- commplla ed scamp, Justin McKenzie.” “My presence with him is, as he said, for the pur- ose of finding my father, He rescued me from the dians, 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 hereto: fore concerns me not, as you must know.” “ He is always that—smooth-tongued, until he ha¢ lured his victim to ruin!” retorted Ned, Siar, “ Beware of him, lady, for he isa rattlesnake in thé isguise of a brizht-winged butterfly!" _ earless Frank grew livid at this last thrust. For bearanceisa virtue, sometimes, but not always. Th his case the Scarlet Boy felt that he could bear thé taunts of the miner no longer. * You are a liar and a dastard!” he cried fierce} - Come on if you wish satisfaction, and I'll give it am ready alw*"~. cir, I challenged you first; wate ™ me! “yg + bth

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 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 necessa: have to act as second for both of us. If I drop, leave my body where I fal’, 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 sach of the young men rode to position. Miss Terry, - the beautiful second, took her place at one side o: the guich, midway between the antagonists, and hors all was in readiness she counted: “One! The right hands of the two youths were raised on a level, andthe gleaming barrel of a pistol shone from each, “Tivo! There was a sharp click! click! as the hammers of the weapons were pulled back at full cock, Each click meant danger orsdeath. : Harris was very white; so was Fearless Frank, but not so much so asthe young woman who was to give the signal. : ‘Three! Fira!” cried Alice, quickly; then there was a flash, the report of two pistols, and Ned Har- ris fell to the ground without a groan. McKenzie ran to his side, and bent over him, “Poor fellow!” he murmured, rising, a few mo- ments later—poor Ned. He és dead !” It was Harris’s glory to be left' where he fell. Accordingly he was laid on the grass by the road- side, his horse tethered_near by, and then, aceom- panied by Alice, Justin McKenzie set out to Dead- wood. . — CHAPTER XI. THE POCKET GULCH MINES—INVADERS OF THEM, Wr see fit to change the scene’once more back to the pocket gulech—the home of the sweet, sad-faced Anita, The date is one month later—one long, event- ful 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 forthe 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 wee. which is but a continuation “of the origi- nal. r] A busy scene greets our gaze allaround. 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 flevelopments, 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 Jazily upward toward heaven’s blue vault, and inside is heard the grinding, crushing rumble of ponderous machinery, and we rightly conjectvre that it is a erusher in full operation, Across from the northern side of the gulch comes # cteady string of mules in line, each pulling behind nim a jack-sled (or, what is better known to the general reader as a stone-boat) heavily laden with huge oe rocks. These aro dumped in front of one of the large doorways of the _evusher, and the “empttes” return nteckanically t beter et ‘i J > 3 of _ out. as indfeating the concealed mine. 2 sae rather, a deyosit of fe valuable metal was found, if ; ee ai and disappear within a gaping fissure in.the very mountain-side—a sort of einer 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 IE Lan Boer ae red-men, whose faces declare th 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 ee : bu ding is a_large, stontly-con- Near the crush structed win worked by mule Papube and every few moments there comes up to the surface from, the depths of a shaft, a buckétful of rock and sand, which is duny into a push-car, and from thence transferred to the line of slnice-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 lefy the Flower Pocket a little over a month ago! Now, everywhere within those majestic mountain-locked walls is bustle and excitement; then, the valley wag sleeping away the calm, perfume-laden autumnal days, unconscious of the mines of wealth lying nest-” in its posom, 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 machin- ery, 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 olian eee like music of the breeze through the branches of the mountain pines; the waters pouring adown from the papendony peaks created an everlasting song of love and constancy; bees and humming-birds drank deli: cious draughts from the blushing lips of a milion nodding flowers; the sun was more hazy and drowsy looking; everything had an appearance of etherea peace and happiness. ; But, like a drama on the stage, a a transfor © mation had taken place; a beautiful ream had bee changed into stern reality; quietude and slumbe’ had fled at the bold approach of bustling industr on ates And all this transformation is due fh whom : The noonday sun shone down on all the busy scene — with a glance of warmth and affeotion, and pay i larly did its rays center about two men, who, stan ing on the southern side of the valley. up in amon, — the rugged foothills, were watching the living panc. — rama with the keenest interest. They were Harry Redburn andthe queer old hum backed, bow-legged little locater, “General W. ‘singham Nix. dburn was now looking nearly as a ge uw kempt and grizzled asany veteran miner, an for fact, he actually had not waxed the ends of his fi » mustache for over a week. But there was more ol ¥ healthy glow upon his face, a robustness about: his form, and alight of satisfaction in his eye which told that the rough miner’s life agreed with him ex- ceedingly well. 7 “The old ‘General’ was all dirt, life and animation, — and as full of his,eccentricities as ever. He was a. character seldom inet with—ever full of a quaint hu- mor and sociability, but never’ known to get mad- no matter how great the proyacsion mig. t be. 4 His chance strike upon the spot where lay the gold of Flower Pocket i dded—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 — On the succeeding day the two men se to work, and aug long and desperately to uncover the treas- ure, and after three days of incessant toil they were rewarded with success. A rich vein of gold, or

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22 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 Hp need that they had struck one of the richest fields in all the|Black Hill’s 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. en, just in the flush of their early triumph, the old humpback was visited by another somnambulis- tic fit, and this time he discovered ee deep 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 open- ing ae ae vein and of transporting machinery to e gulch. We need not go into detail of what followed; suf- fice 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 pach unknown to the roving population of the ills 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 rarel breaks his word, they were likely to prove valuable accessories to the plans of ourtwo friends, Redburn had in the meantime, blasted in until he came upon the quartzrock. Here he had to stop until the arri- val of the machinery. He however busied himself in enlarging the cabin and building a curb to the shaft, which occupied his time until at lash the “General” and his army returned, Now, we see these two successful’ men standin and gazing at the result of their joint labors, eac financially happy; each growing rich as the day rolls away. - The miners are in a promnencas condition, and very ining moves off with that ease and order that speaks of shrewd management and constant atten- tion 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 Sa feller eu'd expect, considerin’ things, more or less! Therefore, it will be seen by those who have any knowledge whatever of gold mining that, after pay- ing 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 Llike ter see ’em at last. The shaft ll more’n pay expenses if she holds her head *bove water, as [ opine she: will, an’ w’at ar’ squeezed out uv the guartz ar’ cleer *Intment fer us.’ “True; the shaft is more than paying off the bands,” 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. M “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 thou- pe do lars clear of all, to be divided between three us. ¥ 7) s erngher is said to have been the first intro- - duced into the Black Hills, iene more numersome, | less 0’ m10re—an' ef we hain’t got ter hon a = Beadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. *“Tixactly. Now, that’s w’at I call fair to mid dling. Of course thar’ll be more or less expense, heerafter, but et’ll be a consider’ble less.o’ more thaw more o’ less. Another munth ‘ll tell a larger finan- shell tale, I opine.” x “Right again, unless something happens more than wé think for now. If we get through another month, however, without being nosed out, why we may consider ourselves all-fired lucky.” *“Jes’ sol Jes’ so! but we'll hev ter take our chances. One natteral advantage, we kin shuta *eng as fast as a come—” “Ho!” Redburn sts Sie suddenly, leaping te his feet; ‘they say the devil’s couriers are ever around when you are talking of them, Look! in« vaders pape \ He pointed toward thé 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 em, No sooner did the “* General” clap his eyes on the 2 than he uttered a cry of astonishment, mingled . joy. “It’s thet scarlet ae VYearless Frank!’ he an- nounced, hopping about like a pig on a hot griddle, “wat I war tellin’ ye about; the same cuss w’at de- sarted Charity Joe’s train, ter look ter sum critter w’at war sereechim’ fer help. I went wi’ the lad fer a ways, but my jackass harpened to be more or less indispositioned—consider*bly more 0’ less than less 0’ more—an’ so I made up my mind not ter continny on his route. Ther last I see’d 0’ the lad he disap- peared over sum kind 0’ a pee and calkylatin’ as how he war done fer, I rej’ined Charity Joseph, an’ kim on.” , “He has a female in his company’ said Redburn, watching the new-comer keenly. “Yas, ‘peer to me he has, an’ et’s more or less likely that et’s the same critter he went to resky w'eu 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 0° 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 war ter guv him a job, or talk reeson’ble ter him, thet he’d consent to do the squar’ thing by us.’ Redburn frowned. * fell have to remain for a certain time, whether he wants to or not,” he muttered, more GES than usual. It looked to him as if this was to be the sig- nalof 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 ¥rank 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 glanee and we recognize Deadwood Dick, Prince of the Road, and his band of road-agents!”’ — CHAPTER XIL MARKING TERMS ALL AROUND, Op General Nix was the first to discover the new invasion. : a “Gorra’mighty!” he ejaculated, flourishing his staff about excitedly, ‘‘d’ye mind them same w’at’s tuk et inter the’r heads to invade our sancty sanc- torum, up eee Howly saints frum ther cullen der! = "e shall be built up inter an entire city *bwixt this an’ sunset, ef ther populatin’ sech beeum enny Thar's a full fifty of them sharks, more or less—consider’bly more 0’ ee hand

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. m order to clean ’em out, why, ye can call me a pross-eyed, Serpe Te 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 responsibillty 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 ime 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 pa ag out of the magic city’s notice, and mig it 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 bis prolonged absence? H 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 a tee 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 isto 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 Redhurn likewise made haste to visit the shaft and eollect together his handful of men. He ese the cabin on his way, and, seeing Anita eh in the doorway,he came to a momentary t. : “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 ef- fect # 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?” x “Oh! don’t fight. You will get killed.” 5 “‘Humph! what of that? Who would care if I were killed?” ! ‘*T would, for one, Mr. Redburn,” The miner’s heart gave a great bound, and he gazed into the pure white face of the girl, passion- ately. Was it possible that she had in her heart any- thing akin to love for him? Already he had con- ceived 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 the: are, make me happy, Miss Anita. But, stop! ' must away. Go inside, and es shady until you see me again,”’ and so saying he hurried on. y Tn 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.” “T will now go forward and hold parley,” said ENE as he wrapped a kerchief about the muz- zie of his rifle-barrel. “If you see me fall, you can ealeulate that it’s about time for you tosling ina chunk of your lip.” : He had fallen into the habit of talking in an illiter- ate fashion, since his association with the ‘‘ General.” ‘All right,” assented the old locater; “ef they try ter salt ye, jes’ giv’ a pi ooh an’ we'll cum a-tearin’ down ter yer resky at ther rate 0’ forty hours a mile, more or less—consider"bly more 0” less than less 0 more, : Redburn buckled his belt a hole tighter, looked to _ his two yevo! i Ivers, and set ont on his mission. _ Bho rekdeagents had, in the mien tin, clveled off 23 to the right of the fissure, and formed into a corapact body, where they halted and watched the rallying of the savages in the valley. Bearless Frank and his lovely comparion remained where they had first halted, awaiting developments. They had stumbled into Paradise and were both tsur- prised and bewildered. - Redburn epee them first. He was at loss how to open the-confab, but the Scarlet Boy saved him the trouble. ““T presume I see in you one of the representatives of this concern,” he said, do his hat, and shows ing his pearly teeth in a little smile, as the miner came up. ou 0" replied Redburn, bowing stiffly. “Tam an owner orjpartmer in this mining enterprise, which, untii your sudden advent, has been a secret to the Oey melita we ilgrim; for, though I s jeve you. im; for, thou, am pret Sate RE oro with the To poe RinTE ss tte Black Hills country, I had not the least idea that such an enterprise existed in this part of the terri- tory. paces No, I dare say not. But how is it that ~ve are in- debted to you for this intrusion?—for such we feel justified in calling it, ynder the existing circum- stances.” , _.. I did not intend to intrude, sir, nor do I now. In riding through the mountains we accidentally stum- bled into the fissure pa: e that Jeads to this gulch, and as there was nothing to hinder us, we came on “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,” f “Yes, that is the title I sail under, But how do you know aught of me?” “T was told your name by a partner of mine. Now then, concerning the present matter, what do you propose to do?” “Yo 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. “T thank my stars.1am not quite so low_down as thet yet. Do you know them? That’s Deadwood es the Prince of the Road, and his band of out- laws.” . “ 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 Dead- wood Dick, the leader.” “Humph! He in black; you in scarlet. Twocon- trasting colors.” : “That is so. Ihad not thought of if 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. Prob- ably they have come here for protection.’ “Maybe so—or for plunder. Give me sion, and I will go and see what they want.” ; “There is nothing for me to decide more thay to take the back track.” , : Redburn shook his head decidedly, — i * You cannot go back!” he said. using positiveness — in his argument; “that is, nof for a while, You'd have all Deadwood down on us in a jiffy. Vl give — # you work in the shaft at three dollarsa day. You — can accept that offer, or submit to confinement unti) T see fit to set you at liberty.” cater tet. “And my companion here—” ee: __ “T will place under\the charge of Miss Anita fer the present, where she will receive hospitable trex __ our deci-

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24 Fearless Frank started as though he had been Struck a violent blow; his face grew very white; his *yes dilated; he trembled in every joint, “ Anita!” he i—* Anita!” “*T believe that is what I said!” Redburn could aot 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 0, how? “Do you know her?” ‘Her other name is—” “Aarris—Anita Harris, in full. Do youknow her, or aught of her?” “T—I_I did, once!’? was the slow reply, ‘Where (s 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! some- thing told the young miner that he would not; somethin; good to allow the scarlet youth an interview with sid, sweet-faced Anita. “ You cannot see her!” he at last said, decidedly. “There is a reason why you two should never meet ‘ain, and if you remain in the gulch, as you will be obliged to, for the present, you must give me your ware ne 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. “T promise,” McKeruie said, after a moment’s de- liberation, ‘“‘ on’my houor that I will not approach the tabin, providing you will furnish me my meals and lodgings elsewhere. If Anita comes to me, what then?’ “T will see \aat she does not,” Redburn answered positively. Gradually he was assuming full control of things, in the absence of Harris, himself. “ Miss s2erry, you may ride down to yonder cabin, and tell Anita Isent you. Pilgrim, you can come along with ae:" **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 et pleasant; “‘I suppose you desire to know what izness 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 gen- tleman, 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 to telling.” “Certainly not. As you may have guessed al realy, we are a band of road- pane, whose field of action we have lately confined to the Black Hills - country. Ihave the honor of being the leader, and ‘ou have doubtless heard of me—Deadwood Dick, he ‘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 asmall army of the Deadwood military, who i Ma posing around after us forthe past week.” 3 rell_— “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 ane ray of a party of secret miners. Is it snot 80 “No, not necessarily so, unless you put ‘yourselves in the way. You wish to remain quartered here for thepresent?” z ie if not contrary to your wishes, we should like to, yes. g warned him that it could result in no / of his action in the matter, and so Nix—or | ‘ Fe eure ). :. >* 4 Deadwood Dick, ths Prince of the Roads “T 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 of 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 fur nish usa haven of safety from the pursuing soldiers; we in return will extend you our aid in repelling @ 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 glen, Here they made pre: parations tocamp. Redburn, while returning to his men, heard a shout of joy. and aoe i saw, to his surprise, that the old General” and Alice Terry vor locked in each other’s arms in a loving em- TACe, — CHAPTER XUL AT THE CABIN, What did it mean? Had the old hump-backed, bow-legged mine locater gone crazy, or was he Perse insulting the beautiful maiden? Fearless Frank stood aside, ital offering no objections to the hugging, and the Indians did likewise. ; , At least Miss Terry made no serious attempts ta — herself from the “‘General’s” bear-like ew. PACE. A few bounds brought Redburn to the spot, pant- ing, breathless, By ae “What is the meaning of this disgraceful scene?” he demanded, angrily. “ Disgraceful!” The old ‘General’ set 8 .Terry down on her feet, after giving her a resound+ ing 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 0’ more ’n more o’ less—I admire yer cheek, hard an’ tnblushin’ as et ar’. Ye call m: ivin’ this pretty ja o’ feminine gender a squar’, atherly sort o’ a hug disgraceful, do ye? ‘Think et’s all out o’ ther bounds 0’ propriety, do ye?” “T look at it in that light, yes,” Red urn replied, “Haw! haw! haw!” and the General shook his fat sides with immoderate laughter. ‘ Why, pil- grim tender-fut, this ’ere hundred an’ twenty-six Vali 0’ feminine. gender b’longs to me—ter yours ruly, Walsingham Nix—an’ I have a parfec’ inder- vidual 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’intenden' o’ ther Flower Pocket gold-mines, an’ "bout as fair specimen as, they make, nowadays, Mr, Redburn, oo cae present you to Miss Alice Terry, my carter | Redburn colored, and was not a little disconcerted - on account of his blunder; but he rallied in a mo-~ ment, and acknowledged the introduction with be- coming grace and dignity. = : “You must excuse my interference,” he said eaix neatly “*T saw the old ‘General’ here taking liber. ties that no stranger should take, and knowin nothing of the relationship existing between you, was naturally inclined to think that he was either drunk or crazy; therefore I deemed it necessary 62 investigate. No offense, Thope?” 5 “Of course not;” and Alice smiled one of hex sweetest smiles. “You did perfectly right, and are deserving of no censure whatever.” 2 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—

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 25 Terry, as the latter was evidently his real name— heartily coincided with his views, and both agreed that it was best not to Jet 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 Franir should beset to work in the quartz mine, that bei: the furthest jrom the cabin, and he could eat an 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 thathe 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 pleas- ure, 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 wasapparent 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 fiiting 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 magnes. He found Terry and Fearless Frank in the quartz mine looking at the swarthy-skinned miners; exam- ining new projected slopes, suggesting easier meth- ods for working out different lumps of gold-bearing, rock, While the former’s knowledge of practica! mining was extended, the latter’s was limited, “{ think thet thar ar’ bigger prospects yet, in fur-. ther,” the old locuter was saying. “T 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 for a consid- erble time yet.”” “Doubtless. More straight digging an’ less slopes T_ 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 work- ing in excellent order at present.” 2 They ail 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, Red- burn 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 ac- cepted by him, he expressing it his intention to work for the interest of his employers as long as he should ay in the gulch. ight at last fell over the Flower Pocket gold- mines, and work ceased. The Utes procured their own food—mainly consist- ing of fish from the little creek, and deer and moun- tain 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 oreens ;—Searcely knew, in fact, that he was in the alley, At the cabin, the one meal was dispatched with a general expression of cheerfulness about the board. Anita seemed less downeast than usual, and \ 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 some- thing 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 base, and Alice avith her clear, birdlike alto; and the sweet melody of the trio’s voices called forth round round of rapturous applause from the road- ents camped upon the slope, and from the Utes who were lounging here and there among the flower- - beds of the va! seyd But of the lot, Deadwood Dick was the only one bold enough to approach the cabin. He came sauntering along and halted on the thresh. old, nodding to the occupants of the little Spar Hees with a nonchalance which was not assume “Good-evening!” he said, tipping his sombrero, but taking care not to let the send slip trom his. face; ‘‘Thope mine is not an intrusion. Hearin; music, I was loth to stay away,for I ama greai lover of music;—it is the one passion that appeals to my better nature,” . He seated himself on the little stone step, and mo- tioned 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, how- ever, 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 con- stantly fastening upon the lovely face and form of ice. 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 vanjo, and in exact imitation of a minstrel, rendered “Gwine to Geta Home, Bymeby.” And the thun- ders of encore that came from the outside listener showed hcw surely he had touched npon a plearan' chord. He followed that with several modern serio- comic songs, all of which were received well and heartily applauded, “That recalls memories »f 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! hol” — He heaved a deep sigh, and his head dropped upon his breast. ; A deathlike silence Sats 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; ali felt that, despite his out lawed calling, he was deserving of a place among them, in/his better moods. As if to accord with his mood, Alice began a sweet be song, full of tender pathos, and of quieting sympathy. < z Tt wag a quaint Scottish melody—rich in its honey- ed 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 Jenta wild peculiar accompaniment. 5 4 Deadwood Dick listened, with his head still bowed, and his hands clasped about one. knee;—listened ina, kind of fascination, until the last reverberations of 8 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—outinio the —_ . night, where the’moon and stars looked down ef ~ the vivacious Alice made life and merriment for Sb adie perhaps with more lenience than on some eres é Miers

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~ hea 26 Deadwood Dick, thé Prince of the Road, Alice Terry rose from her seat, crossed over to the door, and gazed after the straight handsome form, until it mingled with the other road-agents, who had rs at upon the slope. Thenshe turned about, and sat down ups the couch beside Anita. “You are still, dear,” she said, stroking the other’s long, unconfined hair, “Are you lonely? If not why ses you say something?” . “T have nothing to say,” replied Anita, a sad, sweet smile pla ing over her features. ‘I have so too much taken up with the music to think of talking. “But, you are seldom talkative.” **So brother used to tell me. He said Ihad lost any 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 Pie downright jealous. “Had you two ever met— ** Certainly not, sir,”’ and Alice flashed him an in- quiring glance. ‘*‘ Why do you ask?” E “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 showe him he was on the wrong track, | 2 2 If he wished to court her favor, it must be ina dif- ferent 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.” § ao Is he as sweet, sad, and silent as your- self?” : “Oh! no; Ned is unlike me; he is buoyant, cheer- ful, pleasant,” “Ned! What is his full name, dear?” - “Wdward Harris.” Alice grew suddenly pale and speechless, as she remembered the handsome young miner whom Fear- jess Frank had slain in the duel, just outside of Deadwood. This, then, washis 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 con- sidered a moment. ? “T 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—” 4 “He ey instantly killed, and left lying where he ropped! ee, was a scream of agony just here, and a vy fall. Anita had fainted! bee CHAPTER XIV. THE TRANSIENT TRIUMPH, Repevrn sprung from his seat, ran over to her tide, 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 heron 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 af- fair,” Redburn said, rismg, and closing the door, for a chilly breeze was 1weeping into the cabin. Alice proceeded to comply with his request by narrating what had occurred, and as nearly as ; if S- ‘dble, what had been said. When she had concluded. g 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 suf. ficient eyidence to hang this devil in scarlet?” “Hardly, boyee, hardly. to ther gal’s tell, thet thar war a fair shake all around, an’ as duelin’ ar’ more or less ther fashion *round these parts,—considerably more 0’ less ’n less o’ more—et ain’t law-fell ter yank a critter upby ther throat!” “T know itis not, according to the customs of thig country of the Black Hills; but, look at it. That fellow, who Ll 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?” : wae Let him go; 7 will be the one to punish 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 flerceness in her voice than burn had ever heard there before. “He shall not escape my vengeance. Oh, my poor, poos dead brother!” She flung herself back upon the couch, and gave herself up to a wild, passionate, uncontrollable out- burst of tears and sobs—the wailings of a sorrowin heart. Yor along time she continued to weep an sob violently; then came alull, 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 wrapt in silence, When morning sunlight next peepee down into the Flower Pocket, it found everyt ing generally astit. 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- wines 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 foot- hills 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 paint the arrival of the road-agents, and had been lying cealment 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 inrecognizing them as the same precious pair whom Outlaw Dick ca; tured from the stage only to lose them again throug! 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, de+ *Peers ter me, ’cordin’- n Close con: — ¥ clared in a language more adequate than ee ; that they were beginning to suffer the first. pangs o 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 sre cclapest loon, and what’s more, we’re in no prospec maodiate relief.” bal- of ime —

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road.) —~ Filme spirit. “Curse the Black Hills and allwho_have been fools enough to inhabit them, anyhow!” he growled, savagely; ‘just let me get back in the land of civil- ization again, and you can bet Cll know enough to stay there.’ “Bah! this little rough experience will do you rood. Ifwe only had a square meal or twoand a Basket of sherry, I should feel quite at home, Noth- ing but a fair prospect of increasing our individual finances would ever have lured me into this outland- ish place, But money, you know, is the root of & — “fiyil!? 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 abrubs at the bottom of which grows the root!” “You refer to Deadwood Dick?” “T 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 ezgs, how much of the ‘lay’ is to be mine, when this boy and girl are fin- ished?” he queried, “How much? Well, that depends upon circum: stances. The girl may fall to you.” ; “The girl? Bah! I'd rather be excused.” ; the younger, groaned aloud in agony of your bottom dollar The day passed without incident in the mines. The wo.k wenty steadily on, the sounds of the crusher a kig strange musie 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, edburn, 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, MeKenzie had very little to Say he seemed pained when approached on this subj ¢t; would an- swer 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 beeu 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 return- ‘ing to the cabin, loaded down with flowers—fiowers 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, “vou are flattering, sir ro d-agent, You, at least are not beautiful in that horrible black suit and vil- fainous mask. You remind me of a picture J have seen somewhere of the devil in disguise; all that is iacking is the horns, tail and cloven-foot.”” Dick broke out into a burst of laughter—it was one of those wild, terrible Janghs of his, so liar 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 nt be frightened; don’t go, ladies. That’s only e * ty l express my amusement at bors - Then, for merey’s sake, don’t get amused again,” ‘to get you in my i with « Ve +e ge a : deprecatingly. “ Why, dear me, Tthougn® id Alice. sai the Oid Nick and.all his couriers had- pourced down - upon us,”? “Well, how do you know but what he has? i may be his Satanic majesty, or one of his envoys,” “Thi think so; you are too much an earth! pene for . Come, now, take off that detestable mask and let me see what you look like.” ‘No, indeed! Iwould not remove this mask, ex- cept on conditions, for all the gold yon toiling miners are finding, which, I am satisfied, is no small “ amount,” “You i ec of conditions. Whatarethey?” = “Some time, perhaps, I will tell has lady, but not now. See! my men are signaling te me, and I must go. Adieu, ladies;” and in another moment he had wheeled, and was pring, back toward camp. In their concealment the two Filmores witnessed this meeting between Dick and the two girls. + “So there are females here, eh?” nted the elder, peney “From observation 1 should say that Prince Dick was a comparative stranger here.”* “That is ay opinion,” groaned Clarence, his thoughts reverting to his empty stomach, *‘ Did ycu hear that laugh a moment ago? It was more like the screech of a lunatic than oe else.” “Yes; he is a young tiger. ere is no doubt of that in my mind.” % “And we shall have to keep on the alert to take him, He came to the cabin tags nights Ifthe does to-night we can mount him!” Before mat the elder Filmore succeeded in cap- turing a wild goose that had strayed down with the ‘ded in a fissure in the hillside wherein they had hidden, ‘This fowl they almost ravenously devoured, and thus thoroughly satisfied their pPpe- tites. 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 Cpe ing wolves they were, down into the valley, and posi- tioned 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 asa “trip-up.” The sky had become overcast with dense black clouds, and the gloom in the valley wes quite im- penetrable. From their concealment the two Fil- mores could hear Redburn, Atice 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 ~ rowing impatient, when the firm tread of “the Fanos ‘was heard swiftly approaching. Quickly the lasso was drawn taut. the trap, came beldly along, tripped. and went sprawling to the ground, The next instant his ene- mies were on him, each with a lon nurderous knife in —_— CHAPTER XV 2 T0 THE RESCU ! Tuer suddenness of the onslaught prevented Der¢ wood Dick from raising a hand to defend himsel! and the two strong men piling their combined weig] (+ upon him, had the effect to render him utterly help- Jess. He would have yelled to apprise his comradcs of his fate, but. Alexander Filmore, ready for the emergency, quickly thrust a cob of woo mouth, and bound it there with strong strings, The young road-agent was B pueaet “fa! ha!” leered the elder into the masked face—‘‘ha! ha! my young €aglet; so I have you at last, have 1? After repeated efforts ed wit of the Black H) with su | ha! the terrible as I shall see fit, eh? ~ . Dia, not dreaming of into hs imore, peering: down wer, Lhave at Jast been reward- Ha 3 Is lies here at my feet, mine to Le

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Se, Deadweosd Dick, the Prince of the Roaa, “Snall we settle him, and leave him tying here, where his gang can find him?” interrupted the younger Filmore, who, now that his blood was up, eared little what he did. ‘You give him one jab, and | will guarantee to finish him with the second!” “No, no, boy; you are too hasty. Before we silenco 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 thar we can bring him to terms, somehow. Take hold, and we will carry him back to our hole in the Deadwood Dick was accordingly seized by the neck and heels, and borne swiftly and silently toward the western side of the gulch, up See 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 soli- tary fire, and this with a starlike gleam of light from the sabin 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 Fil- more the younger; ‘‘or how else shall we get from him what we must know? Take out his gag. Dll hold my six against his I iene If he squawks a ied him, sure as there is virtue in powder and pall!” The elder after some deliberation acquiesced, and ' Dick’was placed in possession of his speaking power, ae the eee Staring at his captor, quiz- while the muzzle of young Filmore’s revolver pressed against his breast, warned him to silence and_obedience. “Now,”’ said the elder Filmore, ‘* ‘oe you keep mum. If you try any trickery, it will only hasten your destruction, which is inevitable!” Deadwood Dick eae a little laugh. ‘*You talk as if you were going to do something souerd making me the center of funeralistic attrac- ion. ; ** 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 ja “Js that so? Well, you seem to hold all the trump- cards, and I reckon you ought to win, though I ean’t see into your inordinate thirst for diamonds. when spades will eventually triumph. Had I a /wl hand of eluths, J am not so sure but what I could raise you, knaves though you are!” “E think not; when kings win, the game is virtu- ally up. We hold altogether too high cards for you at present, and beg as you may, we shall not pass ‘ou.’ “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 heip- less priguner talk of being in a hurry. “Business must be pressing!’? leered the elder, - savagely. ‘* Don’t be at.all scared. We'll start you pica ee alone the road to Jordan soon enough, if that’s what you want. First, however, we desire you co 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?” abrupt- ally, ‘Do you Lm La al “Bathe in dlum-water? Certainly not, sir. Why do you ask?” “Because the hardness of your cheek ia highly sugacenre 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 reseme blance then!” he retorted hotly. ‘Again I ask yor. will-yon tell me where the girl is?” , ; “No; you must take me for an or’nery mule, oF 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 rapes and can not only put herself forward at the ng time, but can,have you arrested for my mur- er! “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 she trigger, and I'll fin- ish him with my knife!” ~ “ 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 Pe e had purchased, together with some tobacco, rom one of the Utes with whom he worked. He had not gone down to the crusher-Louse for his supper; he did not feel hungry, and was more con: tented here in the mouth of the mine where he could command a view of all that was going on in the val- ley. With his pipe for a companion he was as Eenby. 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 within to get a breath of glintpse of Anita as she flitted about the cabin en- gaged at her household duties, and the yearning ex- pression that unconsciously stole into his dark eyes spoke of a passion within his heart that, though it might be shimbering, was not extinct—was there all the same in all its strength and ardor. Had he been ranted the privilege of meeting her, he might have splaced 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. the day, on coming fron1 ure air, he had caught a ts) he want to go, when that time camer Hardly, he thought, as he sat there and gazed into the quiet vale below him, so beautiful even in dark- ness. 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 Scale 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 hina from a reverie into which he had fallen, and caused him to spill the tobacco from his pipe. A slight trim figure stood afew yards.away, and he verceived that two extended hands clasped objects, whose glistening surface suggested that they were ““gixes ” or “sevens.” eT ‘*Silence!” came in a clear, authoritative voice. “One word more than I ask you, and I’ll biow your brains out. Now, what’s your name?” “Justin McKenzie’s my name. Fearless rank All right; go ahead; I’m ready!” replied the generally answers me the purpose of a nom de — 1 plume,” was the reply. 4 By Bente 5 ef

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Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, “Very good,” and the stranger’ drew near enough for the Scarlet Boy to perceive that he was clad in buckskin; well armed; wore a Spanish sombrero, and long hair down over the square shoulders. “I’m Calamity Jane.” It McKenzie'uttered an ejaculation of surprise, if was not to be wondered at, for he had heard many stories, in Deadwood, concerning the ‘ dare-devil gal dressed up in men’s vopgery. _ “Calamity Jano?” he echoed, picking up his pipe. ‘Where in the world aid you come from, and how did au get here, and what do you want, and—” “One ata 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 oing on; and it’s lucky I’m here now. I guess Dick as just got layed out se two fellows in the valley below here, and they’ve slid off with him over among the foothills one I want youto stub along after me, and lend the voices of your sixes, if need be. *#m going to set him at liberty!’ “I'm at your service,” Frank quickly replied. Ex- ce was one of his passions; adventure was an- other. . “Are you well heeled?” _ “YT 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. T 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.” “7 don’t know ’m. Guess they're tender-foots— «eome former enemies of his, without doubt. They propose to quiz a seeret about some girl out of him and then knife him. We'll have to hurry or they’ 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. ao Let us look down on the foothill camp, and the Ge Filmores 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— “ Fold! gentlemen; that will dol’’ cries a clear ringing voice; and Calamity Jane and McKenzie, ste) ping out of the darkness, with four gleaming “stzes in hand, confirm the pleasant assertton! CHAPTER XVI. THE ROAD-AGENT’S MERCY—CONCLUSION, NevertHeiess, 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. 3 “You vile varmint,” cried Calamity Jane, pare thehammer of one of her revolvers back full cock; “ you eursed fool, don’t Pb know that that only seals your 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 toat- tend 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 eoveved the two cowering wretches With her revolvers. : ¢ 3 t ' subdued to control by a heavy 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 wound- ed, but not dangerously, 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 ves 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. i Redburn and Alice set to work to dress the bleed- ing 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 bis 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 amoment later, and sjood gazing ahout her in wondering surprise. Then, her eyes rested upon Fearless Frank for the first, and she grew come white; she tremb‘ed in every limb; a half-frightened, half-pitiful look came into her eyes. The young man in scarlet was similarly affected. His cheeks blanched, his lips became fi1mly com- pressed; a mastering expression fell from his dark inagnetic orbs. ere they stood, face to face, a picture of doubt, of indifferent respect, of Suppete Stkeng passions, and. None of the others noticed them; they were aloue, confronting each other; trying to read the other’s thoughts, the one penitent and eraying forgiveness, the other cold almost to sternness, and yet not un- willing to forgive and forget. Deadwood Dick’s wound was quickly and Spero dressed; it was not dangerous, but was so exceed- ingly painful that the pangs soon brought him back to consciousness. hice 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. hard look came into his eyes as they gazed through the holes jn the mask; then he gazed at Alice—swect, pace Alice—and the hardness melted like snow efore the spring sunshine. “Thank God, it was no deeper,” he said, sens upright, and rubbing the tips of his black-glove' fingers over the patches that covered the “Although deucedly bothersome, it is not. o account.” To the surprise of all, he sprung to his feet, and strode to the door. Here he ae a and ‘ooked around for a few moments, sniffiing at the eoot mountain breeze, as a dog would. A single cedar- tree stood by the cabin, its branches, bare and naked, stretching ont like huge arms above the doorway. And it was at these the road-agent gazed, a savage gleam in his piercing black eyes. ees yes, After a few careful observations, he turned his face within the cabin. “ Justin MeKenzie,” he said, gazing at the young man steadily. “I want you to do me a service, tomy camp, and say to my men that I desire their ‘ presence here, Ca with the two prisoners, an a couple of stout lariats, with nooses at the end o) them. Hurry, now.” : ; Fearless Frank started a trifle, for he seemed te 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? Thia Bie in the gullet makes me somewhat thirsty,” be = much 23 % = $Y

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80 es Redburn nodded, and procured the drink; then a strange silence pervaded the cabin—a silence that no one seemed willing to break, At Jast the tramp of many feet was heard, and a momentlater the road-agents, with Fearless Frank at their head, reached the doorway, where they halted. The moment Deadwood Dick came for- ward, there was.a wild, deafening cheer. “Hurra! hurrat 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 dis- cordant 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 ea already about their necks. ‘‘Shall we hist ‘em?” - ae jest yet, boys; I have a few words to say, rst. Then turning half-about in the doorway, Dead- wood Dick continued: ‘Ladies and gentlemen, a little tragedy is about to take place here soon, and it becomes necessary that Tshould say a few words explaining what cause Thave 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 j ust, as we look at these things here in this delectable country of the Black Hills, To begin with: “My name is, to you, Mdward Harris! and here the road-agent flung aside the black mask, revealing the smiling face of the young card-sharp. “I have ancther—my family name—but I do not use it, pre- terring 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 vhe 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. ‘“Alexand Filmore was appointed guardian over us, and executor of our praeeee which amounted to somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty thousand dollars, my father having been for years extensive] engaged in pescustion: at which he was ’most al- ways 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 attempte to assassinate us, but my watchfulness was a match for his villainy, and we escaped death at his ni ands, “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 influ- ence, and after many vain attempts, I found that I could not obtain a hearing; that nothing remained fant to do but to fight my own way. And I did “Out of my father’s safe IT purloined a sum of Se canon to defray our expenses for a while, and then, taking Anita ‘with me, 1 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 oung ranger, who hailed to the name of Justin Me- : nzie, and of course she fell in love with him. That _ was natural, as he was handsome, suave, and gal- “lant, and, more than all, reported tolerably well- 40-10, ~ ~ ry Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road, ne “T made inquiries, and found that there was nothe ing against his moral character, so I made no objec: tions 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 lét- ter from Anita stating that she had gone with Mc- Kenzie to Cheyenne to live; they were not married yet, but would be soon. li “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 iz hot haste for Cheyenne, : “But I arrived there too late to accomplish my mission of vengeance, i ““T found Anita and took her back to my home, a sad and aeaane t 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 weep- ing sister, I swore a fearful oath of vengeance, and T have it yet to keep. I believe there had been some kind of a sham marriage; Anita would never speak a ane subject, so I had to guess at the terrible rubn, “And there’s where you made an accursed mess of the whole affair!’ cried McKenzie, stepping into the cabin and Jeading Anita forward by the hand, “Before God and man J acknowledge Anita, Harris to be my lequily wedded wife! Listen, Edward Har- ris, and T will explain. That day that you came to Cheyenne in pursuit of me, I'll acknowledge I com- mitted an error—one that has caused me much trouble since, The case was this: ‘‘T was the nearest of kin to 4 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 promise that I would never marry, “Tempted by the lust for gold, I yielded, and he drew up a willin my favor, This was before I met Anita here. “When we went to Cheyenne, the old man waa lying at the point of death; so I told Anita that wa would not be marriedfor a few days, until we saw how matters were going to shape. ir he died, we would be married secretly, and she would return te your roof until I could get possession of my inherit- ance, 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! was in the wrong “Well, that very day, before your arrival, the old man himself pounced down upon us, and cursed me up hilland down for my treachery, and forthwith struck me out of 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 hig will in my favor. “Knowing that that would make no difference, s¢ far as the law was concerned, T sent Anita a note apprising her of what was coming, and stating that she had best rsiurn to you until the old man should die, when I would come for her. Subsequently I weni before her in onan with the old man, and swore as Thad 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 showéd me the letter I had sent her. and 1 realized that not only was my little game up, but that, I had cheated myself out of a love that was true, 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 timé. 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 ‘ gee now, that although mine has been a grievous

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) 8 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 31 earre— error, no dishonor is coupled with your sisters Dane. Ned Harris took one of the documents and glanced over it, the expression on his face softening. A mo- ment Jater be turned and grasped McKenzie’s hand. “God bless you, old boy!’ he said, huskily. “Tam the one who has erred, and if you have it in your heart to forgive me, try and do so, Ido 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 tured around with open arms, Anita flew to his embrace with a low glad ery. There was not a dry eye in the room. . c There was an impatient surging of the crowd out- side; 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 ioe this valley, I built us a home here, wherein to live away the rest of our lives. “Tn 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 constantl, sending out men tomurderme. The last tool, Hug 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 tosuperintend my betebeg it Pane ce and but for the timely interference of ©. iy Jane and Justin McKenzie, a short time since, I should have ere this been numbered with the dead. Now, lam 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 pen- alty of hanging, tor their attempted crimes, Boys, string ’em up !* : So saying, Deadwood Dick stepped without the sabin, and closed the door behind him, Redburn also shut down and curtained the win- dows 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 mp of heavy feet, the hushed babble of voices, and at last the terrible shout of “Heave ’o! up they fo!” which signaled the commencement of the vi tims’ journey into mid-air. : Then there was along 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-agenis 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 gethering flowers a short distance from the cabin, and. “ Alice—Miss Terry,” he gravely, “IT have come to ask you to be my wife, Tové you, and want you for my own pace Be mine, Alice, atid I will mend my nae and settle down to an honest, straightforward life,” The beautiful girl looked up pityingly. ? “ No,” she dai, 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, - “Ttis Redburn!’’ he said positively. ‘' Very well; give him my congratulations. See, Alice; here the oung road-ageyt took the crape mask from his osoms; ‘I now resume the wearing of this mask. Your refusal has decided my future. A merry road-- mis Ihave been, and a merry road-agent T 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 thew. 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, ‘lam lone: Ba want a companion to keep me company through life. You have no one but yo our spirits and general temperament agree. ill you ME earth cee Raateae sternly, 1.1 “No id the ~girl, hai ily, sternly. ave had all the man I care for. “We Men be friends, Dick more we can never be!” “Very well, Jennie; lrec’on itis destined that J _ shall live single. At any rate, Pll never take a re- fusal from another woman. Yes, gal, we'll be friends, if nothing more.” There is little more to add. We might write at length, butiichoose a few words ae this over true romance of life in the Black 8. McKenzie and Anita were remarried in Deadwood, and at the same time Redburn led Alice Terry tothe altar, which consummation the General” ayowed was “more or less of a good thing—consider’bly less o’ more ‘n’ more 0’ less.”” Through eastern lawyers, a settlement ofthe Hav® — ris affairs was effected, the whole cf the property. being turned over to Anita, therely Placing her and ~ Fearless Frank above want for a lifetime, “A Therefore they gave up their intemst in the Flower Pocket mines to Redburn and the “ Gen. ral, Calamity Jane is still m the Hills. pte 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. : from his unequaled daring, has won and right de: serves the name—Deadwood Dick, Prince of thé ers. who,

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EDWARD L. WHEELER’ Ns _ Pjesowoop ick Noveeg, Deadwood Deadwood gers, Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Miner. Deadyrood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Charlie. Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Bill. Deadwood of Gold. Deadwood Deadwaod the Road. Deadwood Jezebel, Deadwood Adventure. In The Half-Dime Library. Dick, the Prince of the Road. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Nevada. Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Dag- | 6380. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land 636 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. Dick in Disguise; or, Buffalo Ben, | 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Buffalo, Dick in His Castle, 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’8, Chase Across the %. Dick's Bonanza; or, The Phantom tinent. G54 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smuggl Dick in Danger; or, Omaha Oll, 660 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Insurance Case, Dick's Eagles, 666 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mints, Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane. | #8 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Durango. Dick’s Last Act; or, Corduroy | 678 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Discovery. 684 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dazzle. Dick in Leadville, 690 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dollars. . Dick’s Device. 695 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, at Danger Divide Dick as_ Detective, 706 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. ‘ Dick’s Double. {| 704 Deadwood Dick, Jy., at Jack-Pot. Dick’s Home Basé, vs, Blonde | 710 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at San Franciseo,’ 4 716 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Still Hunt. Dick’s Big Strike; or, A. Game | 722 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dominoes. 728 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Disguise. Dick of Deadwood. 74 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Deal, Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of | 740 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Deathwatch. 747 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Doublet. Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s | 752 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deathblow. : ‘ 758 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Strait. } Dick's Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s | 764. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Lone Hand. 770° Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Defeat. Deadwood Dick's Dead Deal. 776 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Resurrection. Deadwood Dick’s Death-Plant, 782 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dark Days. Deadwood Dick at Pistolville, . 187 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Defled. ¥ Deadwood Dick’s Divide. 792 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Device. eadwood Dick’s Death Trail- 797 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Venti Deadwood Dick's Deal. 802 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Diamond Dice. + 4 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen. 807 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Royal Flush, | Deadwood Dick's Ducats. 812 Deadwood Dick, , Head-off, Deadwood Dick Sentenced, 816 Deadwood Dick, Rival. Deadwood Dick's Claim. 822 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Boom. Deadwood Dick in ‘Dead City. 828 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Scoop. Deadwood Dick's Diamonds, 884 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Proxy. Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A ‘* Cute | 840 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Clutch, Case."’ 845 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, High Horse, Deadwood Dick's Dust; or, The Chained | 852 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Devil’s Gulch. Hand. ‘ 858 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole HustX," Deadwe Dick, Jr.; or, The Crimson Cres: | 863 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Bombshell. eent Sigis 870 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Mexico. Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Defiance. 876 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decoy Duck. Deadwood Dick, Jr full Hand. 882 Deadweod Dick, Jr., in, Silver Pocket. . Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Big Round-Up. 891 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dead-Sure Game, Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10, 898 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Drive. Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Corral. 904 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. eadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dog Detective 910 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at _Tip-Top. eadwood Dick, Jr., in Deadwood, 4 916 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double-Decker,' Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Compact. _4 928 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Dollarville. peadwood Dick, J , 984 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Mush Flats, eadwood Dick, . 940 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Shake-up. Deadwood Dick, 4946 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Double Drop, Deadwoo? Dick,’ ; 951 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Right Bower, Deadwooa Pick, Jr.'s, ; 957 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Danger Ducks, 965 Deacwood Dick, Jr.'s Gold-Dust. Deadvoad Vick, Jr.’s, Death Hunt. 971, Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Oath. Deadw 0d Dick, Jr., in Texas. a 977 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Death-Doom ’ Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidoeq- 986 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Best Card, Deadwoe’ Dick, Jr., on His Mettle. 992° Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Gold Dust. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham 998 Deadwoed Dick, Jr.'s, Big eae Deadwood Dick, Jr., in_ Boston, 1005 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Branded. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia, 1011. Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dutch Pard. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Laas 715 Deadwood Dick, Jr,’s, Big Four, ol ae bo oat. Deadwood Dick’ Jr,’ in Denver. The above Half-Dime Libraries are For Sate Benny 0s eat Bee Peres ek ede, by ALL NEWSDEALERS, five cents pe eadwo ck, Jr., in Beelzebub’s }. oy CaN renal Deadwood Dick, Jr.. at Coney Island, o4 SOLE. Sy OS ee tk 8 5 ag eae eadwood Dick. Jr’s, Leadville Lav zy if , " ; exdwood Dick, Jr, in’Detrojt, _ Z Y , . Deadweoo? Dick, Jr. in Claginng” Bp: a : 7

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Vest Pocket Size. 64 Pages. MART TOASTS FOR THE. SMART DBT, Sewed Book. Up-to-Date. By Mail, Postpaid, l2c. per Copy. BEST LINE OF HAND BOOKS PUBLISHED. “YIDDISH” YARNS.—A Collection of Hebrew Jokes, Stories, ete. GENTS’ LETTER WRITER.—A Perfect Guide to all kinds of Correspondence, FAMILY PHYSICIAN.—Family Diseases and Their ‘Treatment; Rules of Health, etc. BOOK OF DREAMS.—Their Romance and Mystery, with a Complete Interpretation Dictionary. HOUSEWIFE’S MANUAL.—How to Keep House; How to Dye, Cleanse, ete. . VAUDEVILLE JOKER.—Best Jokes by Eminent Vau- deville Artists. BOOK OF ETIQUETTE.—Society, Visits, Introdue- tions, Dress, Balls, ete. FORTUNE TELLER.—Fortune Telling by Cards, Tea or Coffee Grounds, Eggs; Palmistry, etc. BOOK OF 100 GAMES.—One Hundred Games for Social Parties and Home Amusements. COOK BOOK.—Economieal, Practical, Excellent. LADIES’ LETTER WRITER.—How to Write; ,When to Write; What to Write. RECIPE BOOK:—For the Parlor, Nursery, Sick-room, , Toitet, Kitchen, Larder, ete. BOOK OF BEAUTY.—Beauty of Form, Color, Head, Hair, Complexion, Skin, ete., with chapters on Perfumes, Sosmetics, ete. , BOOK OF VERSES.—Comprising Rhymes, Lines, and Mottoes for Lovers and Friends. “ THE LOVERS’ CASKET.—A Treatise on and Guide to Friendship, Love, Courtship, and Marriage. “GERMAN” JOKER.—‘ Dutch” Jokes and “Gags” by best “‘ Dutch * Teams on the Stage. “HAYSEED™ JOKER.—The Doings of * Our Country Cousins” in a Humorous Way, “TRAMP” JOKER.—Good ‘* Handouts” in this Book for Professional and Amateur Entertainers. “COON » YARNS.—Best Jokes Relating to Our “ Dark- er-Skinned Brothers.” “TRISH * Joker No. 1.—The Wittiness and Whimsicali- ties of ‘‘ Pat’ at His Best. ¥ “VARIETY * JOKER.—Good Things from all the Na- tionalities: ‘‘ Pat,” ‘‘Alphonse,” ‘* Hans,” “* Jona- than,”’ “‘ Moses,” and ‘** Ebenezer.” The above books are bound in handsomely illustrated lithographed covers. Price by mail, postpaid, 12 cents per copy. M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, 379 Pearl Street, New York City. BEADLE’S BOYS’ LIBRARY. PRICE 5 CENTS PER COPY. 1 Dandy Pill’s Doom. By Ol] Coomes.. By A. W. Aiken. 4 Lillie, the Reckless Rider. By Stoddard. 5 Old Grizzly in the Rockies. By Ingraham. 6 Deadwood Dick asa Boy. By E. L. Wheeler. 7 Wild Bill. By Ingraham. 8 The Prairie Ranch. ly J. E. Badger. 9 Roving Joe. By A. H. Post. 10 ''exas Jack. By Ingraham. 11 Charley Skylark, the Sport. By H. B. Stoddard, 12 Brimstone Bill’s Booty. By J, E. Badger, Jr. 13 Roving Ben. By J. J. Marshall. 14 The Ticket-of-Leave’s Trick. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 15 Wide-Awake George. By E. Willett. 16 Wide-Awake Ned. By B. Ringgold. 17 Peter, the Dandy Greenhorn. By Noah Nuff, 18 Adrift on the Prairie. By Oll Coomes. 19 Joe, the Rover Sport. By A. H. Post. 20 Giant Pete and his Pards. By Harbaugh. 21 Yellow Hair. By Ingraham. 22 The Snow-Trail. By Harbaugh. 23 Old Grizzly Adams. By Dr. Powell. 24 Woods and Waters. By Whittaker. 25 A Rolling Stone. By W. R. Byster. 26 Red River Rovers. By ©. D. Clark. 27 Buckskin Sam's Wild Ride. By Ingraham. 83 Kit Carson. 28 The Sword Prince. By F. Whittaker. 28 Snow-Shoe Tom. By T. C. Harbaugh. 30 Paul De Lacy. By C. D. Clark. 31 Round the,Camp-Fire. By J. E, Badger, Jr. 32 Fancy Frank's Drop. x Ingraham. 33 The Boy Crusader. By Capt. F. Whittaker. - 34 The Ghase of the Great White Stag. By C. D. Clark, 35 Old Tar Knuckle. By Ro er Starbuck. 36 The’Dashing Dragoon, By F, Whittaker. 87 Night-Hawk George. By Ingraham. 88 The Boy Exiles of Siberia, By ‘I. C. Harbaugh, * 39 The Young Bear Hunters. By Morris Redwing. 40 New York Bill, the Dodger. By Edward Willett. 41 The Settler's Son. By Edward §. Ellis. 42 Walt Ferguson’s Cruise. By C. D, Clark, 43 Rifle and Revolver. By F. Whittaker. 44 The Lost Boy Whalers. By T’. C. Harbaugt.. 45 Bronco Billy. By Ingraham. 46 Dick, the Stowaway. By Charles Morris. 47 The Colorado Boys. By J. B. Badger, Jr. 48 The Pampas Hunters. By T. C. Harbaugh, 49 Nebraska Charlie. By Ingraham. 50 Jack, Harry, and Tom. By F. Whittaker. 51 ‘om Stone, the Old Sea Dog. By C. D. Clark. 52 The Boy Detectives. By T. C. Harbaugh. 53 ee Country Boy, in New York. By Charles orris. 54 California Joe. By Ingraham. 55 Tip Tressel, the Flatboat Boy. By Edward Willett. 56 The Snow Hunters. By Harry De Forrest. 57 Harry Somers, the Magician. by 8. W. Pearce. 58 Captain Jack in Rocky Roost. By Ingraham. ~ 59 Tim, the Mule Boy of the Mines. By Charles Morris, 60 The Young Trail Hunters. By T. C. Harbaugh. 61 The Tiger Hunters. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 62 Doctor Carver. the Champion Shot. By Ingraham. 63 Black Horse Bill, the Bandit Wrecker, By Roger Starbuck. 64 Young Dick Talbot. By A. W. Aiken,

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THE Deadwood Dick e Library « tatraucts from the New York Evening Sun. TWO REMARKABLE fn only one sense of the word can it be regarded as a sovel statement when the fact is here recorded that litera- ture has given many heroes to the world, and perhaps more than one reader will have to think a moment over this remark before the subtle delicacy of its genial wit strikes home, But it is most essentially a half dime novel statement shat will be news to many when it Is added that litera- eure, if traced from the dimly distant days when Adam was a mere child down to the present day, would show but few heroes that in the eyes of boyhood would be even judged worthy of comparison with the two greatest Reroes known to American literature, or, to promptly re- veal them, Deadwood Dick and Deadwood Dick, Jr.., * * * The modern heroes of fiction for young America, who are now as countless as the sands of the sea, and of whom the Deadwood Dicks are much the most important * * * it is but natural that their * * * should bear Bway the palm of popularity, andsuchas * * * be left far behind In the race, It can be easily believed, therefore, that the two Dicks ‘6 80 firmly engrafted on the tree of popular literature fer boys and young men, that their position is assured * * and that they stand to-day head and shoulders LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-COLORED COVERS. 82 Pages. Issued Every Wednesday. Price 5 Cents. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest! HEROES, above all rivals in the eyes of the public for which they have lived, and for which one of them has died. American boyhood, and that is a tremendous factor im the land, now knows Deadwood Dick, Jr., a good beal bet- ter than it knows its catechism, and millions of young minds absorb the thrilling incidents of his career in hip everlasting warfare against crime and his never-ending solving of impenetrable mysteries. Millions of boys follow his stealthy footsteps as he tracks. his viclous victims to their undoing, and then, when the victims are thoroughly undone, the millions wait hungrily for the next volume, which on every Wednesday appears with the certainty of the Wednesday itself, and a new set. ws AN thrills go thrilling away from Maine to Call- ornia, There are the volumes each so crowded with thrills and heart-tugs that It were madness to hope to do justice to them collectively and rank injustice to discriminate be- tween them, To abandon the Idea of giving a few extracts causes In- finite pain, but if once a start were made in that direc- tion, it would be cruel to The Evening Sun's readers to stop, and it is therefore better not to relate one single adventure, Suffice it to say that the stories are clean and well written, DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol 3 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval Death-Face, the Detective ¥Y The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza 8 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian Omaha Oll, the Maske por; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger J “2 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to Death . MDesixsod Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood ar 18 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the Boaxpshodir 4% Deadwood Dick on Deck: or, Calamity Jane 4@ Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Gulch 16 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 18 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance * Watch-Eye, the Shadow os] Deas wood Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross ps « Canada Chet, the Countétfeiter Chief % Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty : & Deadwood Dick as Detective % Gilt-Kdge Dick f 36 Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker; or, The Secret Twelve %7 Chip, the Girl Sport _ 88 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune Boss Bob, the King of’Bootblacks ee aes Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s uleb $i Bionde Biil; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base ® Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 33 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job ? 84 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 85 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party 86 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective 37 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Scamps of the Sierras 38 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo 89 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Adventure 40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road 41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebeb 42 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp 43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues 44 ee Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator’s ame 45 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme 46 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorade 47 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam’s Claim 48 Dick Drew, the Miner’s Son; or, Apollo Bill, the Road-Agent 49 Sierra Sam, the Detective 50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Deteet- ives 51 Slee —s Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough anc 52 The Girl Sport: or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 53 Denver Toll’s Device; or, The Detective Queen 54 Denver Doll as Detective 55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport 56 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss 57 Deadwood Dick Trapped 58 Subk Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy’e Fortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport 60 Dumb Dick's Pard: or, Eliza Jane, the Gold Miner 61 Deadwood Dick’s Mission 62 Spotter Fritz: or, The Store-Detective’s Decoy 63 pe Detective Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa- ras City 64 Poe Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings M. J. [VERS & CO., Publishers (James Sullivan, Proprietor), 379 Pearl Street, NEW YORK.

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sopyright 1878-1884, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New ¥ ork, N, Y., as second class matter. Mar, 15, 189) vi Saal at Siri Pit BIEL ut oe ‘THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. No. 1 Cleveland, Ohio Vol. I anuint THE PRINCE OF THE ROAD; Or, The Black Rider of the Black Hills, BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. ihe ‘*Ha ha ha isn’t that rich, now? Hal hatha! arrest Deadwood Dick if you can!”

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SS EEnEeeeeemee BEADLE’S FRONTIER SERIES 5c. Per Copy.: > 1. The Shawnee’s Foe. - 50. Harry Hardskull. 2. The Young Mountaineer. ae Madman of the Oconto, 8. Wild Jim. 2. Slim Jim. ) 4, Hawk-Eye, the Hunter. 133 53. Tiger-Eye, : ” 5, The Boy Guide. - The Red Star’‘of the 6. War Tiger of the Modoes | Seminoles. 7. The Red Modocs. . Trapper Joe. "8, Iron Hand. oR The Indian Queen’s *'9. Shadow Bill, the Seout. 7 Revenge. 20. ‘Wapawkaneta, or the 57, Eagle-Eyed Zeke. Rangers of the Oneida. 58. Sear-Cheek, the Wild 41. Davy Crockett’s Hunter, 12. The Forest Avenger. / 18. Old Jack’s Frontier Cabin, 114. On the Deep, 16. Sharp Snout, 16. The Mountain Demon. ‘17%. Wild Tom of Wyoming. 18. The Brave Boy Hunters of Kentucky. 119. The Fearless Ranger. ‘20. The Haunted Trapper. 21, Madman of the Colorado, 22, The Panther Demon. 23. Slashaway, the Fearless, 24, Pine Tree Jack, 25. Indian Jim, 126, Navajo Nick, 27. The Tuscarora’s Vow. 28, Deadwood Dick, Jr. 29. A New York Boy Among the Indians. ‘30. Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal. 31. Hank, the Guide. 32. Deadwood Dick’s Dozen, 33. Squatty Dick, 34, The Hunter’s Secret. 35. The Woman Trapper. 86. The Chief of the Miami. 37, Gunpowder Jim, ‘ 38. Mad Anthony’s Captain. 39, The Ranger Boy’s Career. 40. Old Nick of the Swamp. 41. The Shadow Scout, 42. Lantern-Jawed Bob. 43. The Masked Hunter. 44, Brimstone Jake. 45. The Irish Hunter. 46. Dave Bunker. 47. The Shawnee Witch. 48. Big Brave. 49. Spider-Legs. a BEADLE’S FRONTIER SERIES are always Boy Half-Breed. 59. Red Men of the Woods. 60. Tuscaloosa Sam, 61, The Bully of the Woods. 62. The Trapper’s Bride. 63. Red Rattlesnake, The Pawnee, 64, The Scout of Tippecanoe 5. Old Kit, The Scout. 66. The Boy Scouts. 67, Hiding Tom. 68, Roving Dick, Hunter, 69. Hickory Jack. 70. Mad Mike. 1, Snake-Eye. - 72, Big-Hearted Joe. ~I ou (08.00 00 60 66 60 69 60-13-13 oe The Blazing Arrow. f The Scout of Long Island. . Turkey-Foot. - The Death Rangers. . Bullet Head, The Hunter Scouts. The Indian Spirit. The Twin Trappers. . Lightfoot the Scout. \ Grim _ Dick. . The Wooden-Legged Spy. The Silent Trapper. Ugly Ike. Fire Cloud. ai Hank Jasper. 9. Black Samson. . Billy Bowlegs. The Seout of the Sciota. 91, The Bloody Footprint. . Marksman the Hunter. . The Demon Cruiser. . Hunters and Redskins. . Panther Jack. . Old Zeke. . The Scout of the St. Lawrence, Bloody Brook. 0. Long Bob of Kentucky. 5 6 i The Panther Paleface. 9. in print and for sale by all Newsdeaiers; or will be sent postpaid to any address: Single copies, {5c. ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. ‘GLEVELAND, OHIO

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Deadwood Dick e Library e LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-COLORED COVERS, 82 Pages. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest! For Sample Cover See Other Side. DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road & The Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick's Defiance 8 The Buffalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures 4 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol 5 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval 6 Death-Face, the Detective 7? The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick's Bonanza 8 Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand 9 Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian 10 Omaha Oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger 11 Jim Bee Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to ea 12 Desrwave Dick’s ‘Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood ar 13 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the Sptd oom 15 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane 16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 Rosebud Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the Gulch 18 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance 20 Watch-Bye, the Shadow 21 nar ee Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 23 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty 24 Deadwood Dick as Detective 25 Gilt-Kdged Dick 26 Bonanza, Bill, the Man-Tracker ; or, The Secret Twelve 27 Chip, the Girl Sport 28 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune 29 Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks 80 veevaee Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s ule’ 81 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base 32 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 83 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job 84 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 85 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party 86 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective F 87 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Scamps of the Sierras 88 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo , 89 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Adventure j 40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road 41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebel 42 The Arab Detective; or, Snoozer, the Boy Sharp 43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues 44 Leta Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator’s ame 4 The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme 46 The Jimtown Sport; or, Gypsy Jack in Colorado } 47 The Miner Sport; or, Sugar-Coated Sam’s Claim 48 Dick Drew, the Miner’s Son; or, Apollo Bill, the Road-Agent . 49 Sierra Sam, the Detective 4 50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect ives : 51 Sierra Sam’s Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough anc ; 52 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise ‘ 53 Denver Doll’s Device; or, The Detective Queen = 54 Denver Doll as Detective gits 55 Denver Doll’s Partner; or, Big Buckskin the Sport 66 Denver Doll’s Mine; or, Little Bill’s Big Loss ; 57 Deadwood Dick Trapped 58 Buck Hawk, Detective; or, The Messenger Boy's Fortune 59 Deadwood Dick’s Disguise; or, Wild Walt, the Sport 60 Dumb Dick’s Pard; or, Eliza Jane, the Gold Miner — 61 Deadwood Dick’s Mission 62 Spotter Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Deco: 63 The Detective Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa- Kings : fras City 64 Colorado Charlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle 3 . : :