Deadwood Dick Library (v. 4) (1900 01 31)

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wpyright 1881-1888, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York. N. Y., as second class matter. Mar’. 15, 1899. hs M. J. TVERS & CO., Publishers, a No 47 Issued VW eekly. (James Sullivan, Proprietor,) oe 2 ae Vol. lV, 4 f Jan. 31, 1900. 379 Pearl Street. New York. OU Ley. a i} : Na eth ; ing AK ina SS) oa Le .ce HE OLD MAN ME1' COMMODORE BURT FACE TO FACE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELLA UNION, AND SHOOK HIS EIST IN THE LATTER’S FACE, AFTER WHICH HE HOBBLED ON. $$"

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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. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr’s, Defiance. 453 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Full Hand. 459 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Big Round-Up. 465 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Racket at Claim 10. 471 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Corral. 476 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dog Detective. 481 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Deadwood. 491 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Compact. 496 Deadwood lick, Jr.’s, Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diggings. 508 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Deliverance. 515 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Protege. 522 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Three. 529 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Danger Ducks. 534 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Death Hunt. 5389 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Texas. 544 Deadwood Dick, Jr., the Wild West Vidocq. 549 Deadwood Dick, Jr , on His Mettle. 554 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Gotham. 561 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Boston. 567 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia. 572 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Chicago. 578 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Afloat. 584 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Denver. 590 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decree. 595 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Basin. 600 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Coney Island. 606 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Leadville Lay. 612 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Detroit. 618 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Cincinnati. 624 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Nevada. 680 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land. 636 Deadwood Dick, Jr., After the Queer. 642 Deadwood Dick, Jr,, in Buffalo. 648 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Chase Across the Continent. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Among the Smug- glers. Deadwood Dick, 654 660 666 672 678 684. 690 695 700 704. 710 Jr.'s, Insurance Case. Deadwood Dick, Jr., Back in the Mines. Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Durango, Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Discovery, Deadwood Dick, Jr.*s, Dazzle. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dollars. Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Danger Divide. Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. Deadwood Dick, Jr.. at Jack-Pot. Deadwood Dick, Jr., at San Francisco. For sale by all newsdealers or sent, postpaid, on receipt of price, 5c. per copy, by the publish-— 716 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Still Hunt. 722 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dominoes. 728 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Disguise. , 734 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Deal. 740 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Watch. 747 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Doublet. 752 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Blow. 758 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Strait, 764 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Lone Hand. 770 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Defeat. 776 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Resurrection, 782 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Dark Days. 787 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Defied. 792 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Device. 797 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Venture. 802 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Diamond Dice. 807 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Royal Flush. 812 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Mead-Off. 816 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Rival. 822 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Boom. 828 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Scoop. 834 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Proxy. 840 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Clutch. 845 Deadwood Dick, Jr,’s, High Horse. 852 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Devil’s Gulch. 858 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Hole Hustle. 863 Deadwood Dick. Jr.°s, Bombshell. 870 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Mexico. 76 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Decoy Duck. 882 Deadwood Dick, Jr., in Siiver Pocket. 891 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dead-Sure Game. 898 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Double Drive. 904 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Trade-Mark. 910 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Tip-Top. 916 Deadwood Dick, Jr.°s, Double-Decker. 928 Deadwood Dick, Jr , at Dollarvilie. 934 Deadwood Dick, Jr , at Flush Flats. 940 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Shake-Up. 946 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Double Drop. 951 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Right Bower. 957 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Ten-Strike. 965 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Gold Dust. 971 Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Oath. 977 Deadwood Dick, Jr.°s, Death. Doom. 980 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Best Card. 992 Deadwood Dick, Jr., at Gold Dust. 998 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Big Play. 1005 Deadwood Dick, Jr., Branded. 1011 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Dutch Pard. 1018 Deadwood Dick, Jr.'s, Big Four. ers, M. J. IVERS & CO., 379 Pear. Street, New York Crry.

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M. J. IVERS & CO., Publishers, Issued Weekly. ~ ; Ae Seles « Price 5 Cents, ; Jan. 81, 1900. (James Sullivan, Proprietor,) Vol lV { No. 47. j [linn ({ oe MEO A EELERS |. SBE OLD MAN INET COMMODORE BURT FACE TO FACE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELLA UNION, AND SHOOK Has _ s : : .BIST IN THE LATTOR’S FACE, AFTER WHICH HE HOBBLED ON. p oF £ #9 fore a ee cel er te nN

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0 eee The Miner Sport, _ The Miner Sport; oR, SUGAR-COATED SAMS CLAIM, A BEADWOOD DICK EPISODE. BY EDWARD L. WHEELER, AUTHOR OF “‘ DEADWOOD DICK” NOVELS, ‘t ROSE- ,BUD ROB” NOVELS, ‘BONANZA BILL,” “ GILT-EDGED DICK,” ETOC., ETO, CHAPTER L GRIM GULOH. I po not know that Grim Gulch ever had a name-giver, until the gold fever took to its con- fines a few adventurous spirits, who were willing ! to endure almost any amount of hardship, rather than not to set their grip upon the yellow ti- cles, a pound of which meant quite a handsome sum in money. : The whole Western border was alive with excitement consequent upon the rich carbonate discoveries at Leadville, and the old eager spirit of the 49ers to acquire golden gain was striking- ly exemplified in.tho restiess, heterogeneous 3b who roamed from place to place, wide-awake and eager to dig when there was any show for get- ting profitable pay-dirt. ; noe adventurous chap had expressed a desire one night at a Chiu-Chin hote!,to explore Grim Gulch, with its deep gloomy furrow track through the heart of the mountain wilderness, and that wish had eventually turned a move in that direction, Grim Gulch was silver foand. : That vir‘vally settled the case. The ricuest mineral-bearing section was chris- tened pe town after the lugubrious title of its lck+ Grim Gulch, It wasa destined city of the Ze.vorish, crazy order, so many of which had beep, Eailt and abandoned, except by a few strug- licg; miners who were sometimes content to faser behind, and stand their chances of eking out a miserable and lonely existence, Abandoned or ‘‘ stampeded” towns are not al- ways necessarily unworthy, but whena big drift ae into a miner’s imagination or he is fired by ‘abulous stories in some other locality, you might as well try lassoing a moving locomotive as attempt to stop him, , And so, consequent upon the discovery of the gold, Grim Guich’s existence asa town became an assured fact, for “pilgrims” and ‘‘ tender- prospected, and lo! gold and ' foots,” began tio drop in by degrees, to populate } and get rich. ‘ Of the discoverers, and therefore the founders, there had been four: McDuff, a reticent and sour-tempered Irishnian, Snapp, a Yankee, Hans, a [aitchman, and Sugar-Coated Sam, an»| Americav In the fullest sense of the word. It was he who acted as a sort of captain, mayor, @ president over the other three, until “folks” began to arrive, A sturdy, dashing fellow he was, of fine form and face, and with morose McDuff to “be Snapp allowed he ‘war tew nice ter stan’ ther wear an’ tear of a rough life on ther frontier.” But, despite this pours and maybe a little eit conceit that he was reasonably good: looking, Sugar-Coated Sam was capacitated for command, and was given the say in everything, and his advice was accepted by his three pards, without demur. The site selected for the city was midway u the gulch, from its mouth, ata point where it widened out into a ‘‘ pot” or “ basin” of severa., - acres extent, Here Sugar-Coated Sam had caused lots to ke staked off, allof uniform size and some fifty in number, and had arranged a squatters’-claim article and posted it upon an extemporized bulletin-board for the edification of any callers who should * drop in,” ‘ The document went on to dispense the gra~ tuitous information that they, respectively. Sam’l, McDuff, Hans and Snapp, had settle upon the aforesaid property and taken out pro- prietary articles according to governmental rules and regulations, and therefore, it. behooved would-be settlers in Grim Gulch to either lease or buy of them, as they were sole owners of all desirable lots in the heart of the city. In penal offense punishable with a 82-caliber revolver for any galoot to squat upon the aforesaid lots, without first having obtained the consent of the owners. When everything was arranged, according to their liking, Sugar-Coated Sam set off to the nearest land agency to secure a good title, and in due time returned, first having noised about the news of the rich deposits of the auriferous that were to be found up in Grim Gulch. — For not only had the Miner Sport secured a title to the lots where the future city was to stand, but he had taken care to purchase neigh- boring tracts in the gulch, on either side of the prospective metropolis. He ee he could foresee a day when these self-same lands, now rugged and unsightly, would turn dollars into the treasury of the firm whereof it should be deemed an —for as such they in due time sigued articles of incorporation, as the Sugar-Coated Mining Co., with Sugar-Coated Sam as president, Snapp, vice-president; Sam’l, Snapp, Hans and Mc- Duff as directors, and Sam as secretary, treas- urer and accountart. Timber was not handy -to get at, and so they put up their miuer’s tent, and use’ it is a gen- eral habitation and office unti) they should bo — able to replace it with a brown-stone front, ag _ Sam laughingly remarked'to his partners, A week of prospecting served to discover some valuable specimens of nuggets, quartz and “flakes,” which Sam put upon exhibition on a table in the ‘ shanty,” as the tent was called, and waited for something or some one to turn up. : For, unless there was an influx of miners, t! “ city” promised not to progress rapidly toward Philadelphian proportions. ; One day there came a person, hut he was @ ae ” from China, and was not invited to stay. = "n dn fact, he was rather prevailed upon by the * £ he afther Pavin’ at onc’t,” 4 j

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- brook yonder,” Sang assured. The Miner Sport. and be it said to his sagacity, the almond-eyed “son of. Confucius concluded there was no show for him in Grim Gulch, where there were only ‘“four skirtes” to wash. “Tf we can’t have dacent p’aple we'll have none at all, at all,” McDuff averred, and his } mates were fully with him, so fav as the Chinese quostion was concerned. Vinally a man came one day—a man who had cvidently come to stay, as he was of that -ueeky, bullying type of character, a cross be- seen the gentleman and ruftian, whom it is hard to des) and this fellow was a good speaimen of his class, He rode into the city, upon a superannuated mule, that had an ear taken off in some san- guiuary scrimmage, and looked as if there had been a.famine in fodder, in his last place of residence. The same might be said of the bullwhacker, who was gaunt and hungry-looking, and a sorry man for beauty, with his blood-shot eyes, tangled beurd and hair and ragged attire. Riding meekly into the camp, be drew rein in front of the single tent, before the door of which Sugar-Coated Sam was lounging in a hammock, the other pards being engaged in prospecting among the cluims, ‘there was something like an enthusiastic ex- pression in the buliwhacker’s face as he heaved adeep sigh after drawing rein, and taking a good square look at the President of the Sugar- Coated Mining Company. “Stranger,” he said, finally, ‘I don’t allow ye luk like a galoot w’ot’s got religyun an’ j’ined ther band o’ saints that is to be!” / ‘Well, I presume you are right, as I ddn’t exactly belong to any particular religious sect,” Sam replied, c-wling his mustache, and regard- ing the stranger inquiringly. “Tknow'd et—know’d et ther moment I sot eyes on ye. Thar’s nothin’ arterficial about emesad atime, You're built on a gud solid asis, wo't won't admit o’ yer stoopin’ to nothin’ mean. Hf ye want ter do er thing, ye do it. Ef ye wanter smoke et’s yer biznes:, an’ no monopolizin’ mite society hain’t got no say why ye sha’n’t do et, accordin’ ter ther act o’ Con- gress. Ef ye desire ter lubricate, ye kin ‘smile? till yer face is one huge shinin’ mark, ’thout an remarks bein’ made, By the way, seein’ thet haven't tickled my thrut wi? a drap fer many a long day, I wouldn’t mind j'inin’ ye in a ‘smile,’ ef ye happen ter hey any ninety-in-the-shade or prime old Taos about yer shebang.” “Sorry, but as I don’t often indulge, I haven’t any liquor on hand,” Sam replied, smiling at the roundabout way the visitor had in getting at his object. “No liker! Alas! the words are. alike unto. the knell o’ doom. Sure Ye haven't got any- thing, pard—a leetle benzeen or speer’ts 0? tur- pentine, fer instance, wi’a wassup nest in it, ter re the phlegm ina feller’s vocabulary trap ‘*Nothing stronger than the water in the “Might try a dose of it as an experiment, and put ina buil _. thistle or cactus stalk to give it tang!” “Good thought! Stranger, you're an origi- nal. Great future Stientific triumphs is in store dor aoe And as for me, poetical inspiration is all I hev ter rely on fer my fame an’ fortune in the present an’ future.” : ‘Then you are a poet, eh?” Samuel, the sugar- coated inquired, quizzically. : “Waal, now, thet I jest am, pard—a poet right frum ther pine-clad pinon-forest pinnacles o ther Serious. Allow me three inches 0’ tan- le in my biiler, stranger, an’ I, William enry Shakespeare, kin spread out more rhyth- matic perfection ter ther squar’ inch than ary other ravenous rhymer in ther perfesh.” “Well, judging by ee eee of tongue, I am not prepared to doubt that assertion,” Sam ‘said. ‘‘ Cometh thou from afar, friend 8.2?” “ Fram Coffin Lid Camp, Colorady, latterly— formerly from Arizone. News di _reach me that this wags a place of destined golden promise, and therefore, beinoinvited to a necktie party, and not keerin’ to offend by refusin’ ter attend, I silently packed my saddle-bags and stole this way with a vi@w ter resumin’ my old trade— publishin’ a nusepaper. Paper, press and rig- out from A to Z hev I coming, an’ I'll show yea reverlation in journalism thet ll make yer ears tingle, when they arrive on the fu’st train that 1 am the forerunner of. “Summarily will I sit down upon ther sinful- ness of ther people, an’ advocate lynch law fer ther doctoring of road-agents an’ hoss-thieves; in poloticks I shall be strictly neutral ter ther party w’ot sets’em-up; a collum o’ free advise consarnin’ everybody's bizness wull be a promi- nent feature tergether wi’ interspersions 0’ clas- sic poetical prunes.” “Well, I presume you'll succeed, in case you don’t suck in’ too much fluid bombasto infuri- oso,” Sam replied. ‘At present we've not much enterprise in our town, but all ye’ve got ter do is invest a thousand in a lot, build yer shanty, an’ go ter work.” “A thousand dollars! Great heavings, stran-- ger, all I’ve got is but a V!” “Then, unless you strike luck, there's a poor show for you here, Still, you can stay about camp, as long as you behave yourself.” ” For this privilege Shakespeare expressed thanks in strong terms, and dismounting unload- ed his saddle-bags and turned his equine com- panion out to Bae as there was a plenty of tender grass an bushes about the valley. With the coming of the rough-looking sy oh it would seem that good luck came to Grim Gulch, though he was a tough customer to be an omen of luck; for the very next day his promised wagon-train of ‘‘ stampeders” wound ~ way into the gulch, and still another, a day later. : Of the first all were rugged miners, clad in the inevitable red or blue shirt, and corduroy breeches, top-boots and slouch hat of the mining country, and equipped with mining parapher- nalia, and armed well, for these ‘‘ stampeders ” of experience are not the ones to venture into an unknown country without a-plenty of powder - and lead, Of the second party there was. more hetero- geneous assortment of humanity, consisting of several ladies—wives and daughters of the men —and some men of the class that aimtoearna livelihood by: other means than actual hard

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° Screens! erin Ge, & 4 d The Miner Sport. labor—Bvhemians who lived by their wits, speculators, gamblers and sporting men gener- ally. Bat of all the lot was one whose appearance would naturally attract the most attention—a girl of some sixteen or seventeen years, rigged out in a stytish fitting gray plaid suit consisting of coat, pants and vest, with a shiny plug hat set jauntily upon a head-crowning of tight little yel- low curls, while patent-leather slippers graced a dainty pair of :feet. Then there was a glossy white shirt front, with collar, tie and genuine diamond cluster pin, white kids upon the hands, a heavy gold chain strung across the vest, with a miniature gold revolver for a charm, and a slender gold-headed cane that she could twirl quite dextrously. And added to the flashy attractiveness of her dross was the fact that she was in both face and form a decidedly bewitching beauty. CHAPTER ILI, TWO GIRLS AND AN OLD RIP. Or course the inpouring of the new-comers brought bustle and confusion. A number immediately purchased claims, and proceeded to stick up tents upon them, and make things livable, while others were of the grumbling class and were not disposed to pay the price asked. > Sugar-Coated Sam treated all with politeness, but did not urge any one to purchase, telling them that there was a plenty more land a mije or so up the gulch that could be had for the squatting on it. But, right in town did these pilgrims desire to locate, and many were their arguments for bet- ter terms, all of which the young President of the Sugar-Coated Mining Company received with quiet, calm refusal. “Sorry, my friends, but business is business, and ‘cash’ ig what talks and just the unalter- able amount I have asked for.” Pay soit stood until the girl dandy made her plea. , “ You’re a mean robber and I don’t half ike ou,” she said, when Sam coolly refuse her as* 6 had done the rest. ‘‘ You might just give me a place to make a strike for luck, with :ut asking for money.” “Sorry, ma’am,” Sam responded; ‘but you know the early bird catches the worm, and [ and my pards flew down here first, and if you want a piece of our pie you must reasonably expect to pay for it.” “Sure-Pop,” as she had announced herself, did not appear to relish this decision, and went off in a huff, buf soon returned for another in- terview. aif _ “See here,” she said. ‘I haven’t got no money, an’ yet I want a piece of this bonanza, Therefore, (ll gamble with ye fer it—either by dive, keerds or pistols. If you lose, you’re ter give me a pick of the lots; if I lose, you are to take my hand in marriage.” 6 *Humph, I don’t happen to be of a marry- ing disposition, and so cannot see any profit to me in your one-sided propogition. Here is _ William Henry Shakespeare, however, a man of great poetical promise, who would no doubt _ arrange with you.” : : may a ine eo @ | “No, sir-ee, not I! I don’t keer to take no ’sponserbilities o’ ther kind on my slender shoulders,” William Henry protested. And so the girl sport did not meet with suc- cess, and the other emigrants were in a measure likewise sarved. A sort of meeting was held among them, and then they barnessed up, packed up, and moved on up the gulch, to a place, it was supposed, where land was more free. “Sure-Pop” went with them, and the last thing before leaving, she turned and shook ber finger at Sugar-Coated Sam, as much as to say: K “* Look out for me,” Just at that time Sam did not attach much egeceace to the act. he following day brought another influx of visitors, and of these a great many invested in claims, glad of the Cppex panty, to have a hand in woat promised to be a future great gold ex- citement, 4 The price asked was not considered exorbi- tant by those who had had bee Paiey at it was only those who were of a quarrelsome disposition had already moved off to other parts. But was there not significance in their going? It was left for the future to reveal that. : Passing over a period of two weeks, let us onee more look down on Grim Gulch. Allis now cheer: Everywhere are bustle and commotion, he gulch bottom is crowded with people of all sorts, and excitement conse- uent upon active and successful business is evi- dent among the people, Although no more claims had been sold, out- right, nearly every lot was occupied, for Sam bad let them out on shares, and they were net- ting him and bis partners more profit than though he had sold them, A little city of cabins, shanties and tents had paki’ up about the basin, and a sort of main street laid out, running parallel with the gulch, on éither side of which a few.business places had sprung into existence. Sugar-Coated Sam ran his office in conjunction with a brokerage business; Hans had started the only saloon in the place, meee witha dance-. house and gaming-room, in one large tent, known as the Bella Union; Snapp, the Yankee had taken to working one or two claims that had not been let, and McDuff had built a big shanty and started a boarding-house, And as there was a constant tide of emigration pouring in, the Hibernian found his establish- ment often inadequate to accommodate all appli- cations for b’ar meat and beds. One evening, while Sugar-Coated Sam was sitting in his tent, behind a rude counter, en- gaged in weighing ovt gold-dust, while in an- _other corner the bullwhacker poet was setting up the form of the Grim Guleh Daily Gazetteer: which was now an actual existing news organ, a young lady entered. : She was rather a prepossessing appearing young woman of eighteen,or nineteen years, with a fair face, ize eyes and brown hair, and wus eres and neatly attired in inexpensive garments, She seemed slightly embarrassed on entering, that found fault, and of these the great majority — ,

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. 8 You 4 The Miner Sport. but finally approached the counter, hesitatingly. “Are you the editor, sir, of the local paper?” she asked, timidly. “No, ma’am, [am not,” Sam replied. ‘‘ Mr. Sbakespeare yonder, is the prime factor of our local publication. “Yes, hyar am 1,” announced Shakespeare, rising, and doffing his hat politely, ‘*I’m ther editor, ther Vd sig an’ instignator, mum, you bet. Ef thar’s anything in my line ye want did, an’ want it did fu’st class, I’m yer huckleberry. Ef ye want er funeral notice or an epitaff, shute me fer a frizzy ef I ain’t thar. i asia ar’in my line, Fer instance, how ar’ this: : “ He wasa Ha sos blithe and gay, An’ tuk his bitters ev’ry day, But cruel fate et called—he pass-ed An’ now is numbered wi’ the blasted.’ ‘* Now, how w'u’d that fit, mum?” ‘*¥ am nov in need of epitaphs, sir,” the youn lady replied, in evident surprise at the bull- whacker’s volubility. “‘I wished to have an advertisement put in your paper, that a we lady without other means of support would like washing and sewing to do, at low prices.” ** ets yes! But, ’scuse me, mum, aire ye ther part “J am, sir.” “ An’ ye don’t mean ter say ye ken’t git along *thout gittin’ yer hands inter soap-suds?” ~ ‘T have no other honest and respectable way of getting a livelihood, sir, and am not afraid to work, ‘« Mebbe not, but I allow you're too precious w flower ter waste yer muscle on desert air. Et won't do, mum—et won’t do. Et would bea sin fer sech a purty gal ter scrub, an’ hyar am I a free-fisted citizen w’at’ll use my influenco ter start ye in some better bizness. Now, how’d tendin’ bar strike ye, or wrastlin’ wi’ pots an’ kittles, over at McDuff’s?” “ Not at all!” was the prompt reply. ‘‘I have my business, and propose to follow it. What will the notice cost?” ‘““Nary a cent, mum. No charge do I make fer representin’ ther bizness o’ widders an’ or- funts. Jest give me yer name, an’ ye can call me a-rantankerous rat-trap rhymer ef I don’t fix ye up ther purtiest ad. ye ever see’d.” ‘My name is Bessie Burt, sir, and you must accept pay-. I do not wish to depend on any one for anything. ‘‘Waal, then, enough ter buy an eye-opener, ef anything, wull be enuff, Now, how does this strike ye as appropriate ter ther occasion: * Miss Bessie Burt Wull wash yer shirt, Her washin’ is sublime} She’ll darn yer socks, Her ironin’ knocks Ther spots all off o’ time, No Chinee dodge About her lodge, From toe-nail to ther koller, She'll clean yer duds In honest suds, An’ tax ye but a dollar.’ “Thar! ain’t thet poetry, tho’?” Miss Burt smiled. ib ; are quite a success at extemporizing, { ~ hes at ne nf a — a ere P Y said | indeed,” she replied; “ but I prefer a plain little card, like this, for instance— Miss Burt, a re- spectable young lady, would like washing and ironing to do, or sewing, at her residence,’ Here is a dollar, to pay for the insertion.” She laid it upon the editorial table, and then ~ turned and left the tent. “te “A deuced pretty. girl,” Sugar-Coated Sam muttered. ‘‘ I wonder where she came from?” So interested was he in the case that he scared upa few white shirts and handkerchiefs, and took them over to a neat: tent ai one side of the gulch, where be learned that Miss Burt had rented privilege ground upon a claim where search had failed to discover gold. Ske was sitting upon a stool, just outside of the tent, but arose with a bow, as he ap- roached, s } “T thought I would prove myself an earl customer,” Sam said, handing her bis bare * by Beane ings you a few articles.” “Thank you. You are generous,” she said, “and I willtry to return the favor in good work. When will you bave them?” “Oh! most any time convenient to you. Are you a stranger in this part of the country?” “Yes, sir. I came kere from—vwell, from the Fast,” she added, after a moment’s pause. Evidently she did not care to tell just where herself, and she came from, or much concernin be im - Sam therefore concluded it woul nent for him to be too inquisitive. So he simply “Ah, well, I hope you will like your new home,” and then he departed, ~ It was his custom to spend his evenings at home, in the tent, as be always had considera- ble gold in stock, and there were plenty of men in Grim Gulch who would not hesitate to go for it. But to-night he neglected his duty and dropped in at the Bella Union to rae to Hans, It was while there that he was approached b: an old codger, who, from bis ragged attire an long snow-white hair and beard, looked as if he might be Rip Van Winkle, “Excuse me, sir,” the old pilgrim said, in a weak, tremulous tone, ‘“‘but I am told that you are a brave, good man—would you grant a poor stranger, in trouble, a private interview?” ‘Well, I don’t know but I might,” Sam re- plied, looking the man over. ‘‘Something im-_ portant?” “ Ay, young man, I have much to say that is of importance, if you will only be so kind as to listen.” » “Well, come along to my tent. Treckon it can’t do any harm’ to listen to you,” the young man said, and Jed the way from the saloon. It was quite a walk to his tent, andas they strode along Sam watched his man narrowly. “You area pretty old pilgrim to be wander- ing haart ao this rough country, are you not?” e queri : “Yes, very old, and fast nearing the end,” — was the reply, followed by a deep sigh. . That the sigh was not genuiue it did not oc- cur to the handsome President of the cee Company just then, for he looked Coated Minin t : ed delegate as some harmless old upon the a chap, who, ee ai Tie ade ee a wre a yw 4 . in a fit of mental aberration, had

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The Miner Sport. ~ ‘ ee UE UEnn EEUU EE REnIEEEneeneeneeeiemmmenteedl strayed from his home, or mayhap a hermit who had just wandered forth from his long se- elusion, In due time they arrived at Saim’s tent and entered, and bidding the stranger wait a mo- ment, 8am wont forth in search of a lantera, pe he had during the day left in another place. ; On finding it he returned and entered his tent and fumbled about for a match. Soon he had the lantern lit, and was about to turn its light upon his aged guest, when he was conscious of receiving a terrible blow beside the head. and then knew no more. When he regained his consciousness’ the tent “was in darkness, and the man was bending over him applying restoratives, whom he recognized as the bullwkacker poet and editor, William Henry Shakespeare. * Great catapults an’ comets,” uttered Shakes- peare, when he saw that Sugar-Coat was re- eovering—" show me ther man w’ot sold ye ther p’izen that made ye so drunk, an’ I’m a sin ner ef I don’t makeit a hundred an’ fifty above zero for him.” **The old cuss—where is he?’ Sam gasped. “Strike a light, quick! Some one hit me on the head.” The light was soon produced, but not to re- veal the aged stranger; he had gone, What was the mystery of the attack on the president of the mining company? Surely not robbery, for investigatinn proved that nothing had been disturbed. CHAPTER IIL ‘on! MY HUSBAND! MY HUSBAND!” To Sugar-Coated Sam it was a mystery, for he could not imagine who the assailant. could have been unless it was the old man, and if it were indeod le, what was his object? The apiece became greater, when examination proved that everything about the tent was in- tact, not a thing having heen disturbed, The blow had been given with some square- edged instrument, which had inflicted a wound, but only a slight one, which promised nothing serious, and Sam soon felt able to walk about. “Tm shot if T know what to think of the matter,” he muttered. ‘‘The old chap was a humbug, and had an object—that’s flat. He no doubt intended to whack my brains out, and thought he had, when he saw or heard me fall to the ground, ana so fled. He should have assured himself of the thickness of my skull be- - fore venturing rashly.” ‘ “Vas, them’s words of great poetry without Thythm,” Shakespeare Geclared. For instance: *** Hyar is Sugar Coated Sam, ‘Every inch o’ him a man, Whose pate is really harder'n a bricks Thar’s naught wull lay him flat, Unless a heavy spat Admin’ster’d by an ugly jack-mule kick.’ “Thar, I reckon that’s true, too, And _ yet, friend an’ pilgrim, it will behoove thyself to look on either side fer snags.” “T shall certainly be more on. guard,” Sam cee nation of Sugar-Coated Sam, and wound up by offering a hundred dollars reward for the cap- | ture of the old reprobate, and added the follow- ing versification: ; “*A man of note Is Sugar-Coat— A man of muscle H * Got hit on ther head But never bled— _ Is lively as a clam,’"? And such was the case, for Sam soon felt all right again. That day, while the town was in its usual bustle of excitement, a stage arrived and un- loaded, among other passengers, a tall, stern man, with iron-gray hair and beard, accom- parted by a woman and child—a woman of pers aps twenty years of age, and not strikingly handsome. They at once went to McDuft’s boarding-house .and registered, after which the lady was shown to a room,*and the man who had inscribed him- self as Commodore Burt upon-the register of McDuff’s Grand Central, strolled out about the town. In the course of his rambles he came abruptly toa halt in front of Miss Bessie Burt's tent, where that young lady was sitting, engaged in some sewing, while she archly conversed with Sugar-Coated Sam, who had strolled over “‘ to get his washing,” which was a good excuse, al-° though he privately fiteaiet that she would not be likely to have the work done for several days. The commodore was seen by the young laundress almost the same instant he saw her, and it was evident there was a recognition, for 3 Bessie uttered a startled exclamation, and shrunk away. - “ Ah! what is the matter? Do you know this man, or is he some enemy?” Sam said, stepping closer to her, as if willing to act as her pro- tor. “T am no loafer, sir, aud presumedly I know this girl,” the commodore replied, haughtily. “Tf you will kindly take yourself off, I con- verse with Miss Bessie.” “No, no! don’t leave me in that monster's company !” Bessie cried, clinging to Sam’s arm, “ He is a bad, wicked man, and I fear, loathe, and despise him.” ‘Then I’ll look well to it that he- don’t harm you when I am nigh,” Sam said, calmly. ‘‘Td suggest that you are the proper person to take yourself off, sir.” : ; ‘¢ When it pleases me I may see fit to do so, but not before,” the commodore retorted. ‘‘ You will not scare me, my noble border ruffian.” ‘* We'll see about that, if I hear any report of our offering this young lady molestation,” the resident of the S.C, M. Co. replied. ‘t I've been known to horsewhip a man for a less offense, Mark my word now! So beware what you do or say. And then Sam turned and strode away. Commodore Burt watched him like a hawk until he had disappeared, then turned to Bessie, : who was standing a few pane away, her figure = — replied. Ba The. next day pe pas devoted most of | drawn up to its fullest hight, in an attitude of his paper to the news of the attempted assassi- | indigna : = f ; eed SEES as ie re

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The Miner Sport. x ‘¢ Well,” he said, with a smirk, ‘it seems the fates have willed it that we should meet again, my dear, although I little expected to find you back in the West again. It must be my blood- hounds have been sharp of scent.” ‘* Your Mormon dogs are of no account, It has been an easy matter for me to elude them,” Bessie replied, with a calmness born of terror. “ But it will not be so easy a matter for you to elude me, however,” he sneered. *“ Bah! I fear you not, even though you are base enough for any act, I am not in Utah now,” 3 ‘Bah! you are as much in my power as though you were at Salt Lake!” was the reply. **The inevitable meshes of fate ~-have woven around you, and you may-.as well yield. You are mine, and I will have you—or your life, Eseape on cannot ee has taught you that. You Lave squandered all your ready cash in scudding from one part of the continent to another, but my sleuths have never for a min- ute been off your track. As a last extreme, I find you in this rough place, engaged in a doubtful and poverty-stricken attempt to get your living.” ‘Stop! don’t dare to cast any base insinua- tions, you cowardly wretch!” Bessie cried. “Though J may have spent all the money my father left me, and though you hold all of kis estate under control until I am of age, I am not aven yet reduced to disgrace—least of all, the disgrace ot becoming your third wife, you mon- “But listen to reason. You are a Mormon, bred and bern. Ycur father was a Mormon be- fore you, although be had but one wife. On bis death-bed he gave you to me, and his property under my control, until you were of age, with the understanding that you were to marry me. If you refuse, according to the rules of the Mormon Church, your fate will be a terrible death. Become my wife, and before you is a bright and happy future.’ “Never, George Burt—never! I would suffer a hundred deaths rather than become the vic- tim of your polygamous designs. Go back to your two foolish wives.and rejoice in the knowl- ’ edge that your last would-be victim was not for you! ‘Curse you,no! TH have you yet, as soon as I perfect_my plans. Your nice little thousand acres in Utah shall be mine by right of being lord and master.” Then, shaking his hand at her threatening} - ‘he turned and left her, striding back toward the hotel, “God help me!” Bessie moaned, when he was gone. I thorght I had eluded him for After leaving Bessie, Sugar-Coated Sam re- turned to his tent, and opened the safe with which he was now provided, to make an inven- of the stock of dust and cash he had on de- posit for the miners. What was his horror, on opening the strong repository, to find that some one had recently been there ahead-of him, and removed every- thing of money value. Vho was it? Who was there in the camp 3..- pert enough to open the safe without understand- DF the combination of the lock? hat was what puzzled him, as he knelt upon the ground and stared at the empty drawers. He knew something was to pay—he i that it would be a hard rap against him, for, aside from his own and the firm’s money, he held in trust several thousand dollars for other miners who had no safe place for keeping their earnings, ' How would they take the loss? ; Not very pleasantly, he feared, and yet he’ knew it was his duty to apprise them, no matter what the consequences might be. . But he preferred to do it his own'way, and accordingly so set to work. Procuring some large sheets of blank pare he printed with ink and brush thereon, the fol- lowing notice, in plain lettering: : “$500 REWARD! ‘* RopBERY! Rogs ry! Roppery! “The above sum will be paid for the arrest and conviction of the party or parties who, within the past hour, have opened and extracted from the safe of Sugar-Coated Sam, all the money and gold stored therein, during the absence of the undersigned from his tent. Sucar-CoaTsp Sam.” After priniing several of these notices, he sallied forth, and posted them up where they — would attract the attention of the losers by the robbery. , As a, result,there was an immediate excite- ment, and people began to crowd around and ply Sam with questions, particularly those who ad had money or gold deposited in the safe, To one and all he gave the same invariable answer, that ail he knew about the affair was that on opening the safe he had found’ the money gone. Some few were inclined to believe this, but there is always a contrary spirit in every party, and in this case there were a number whose dark and significant looks expressed a different ~ _view of the matter, had not their words con- fessed it. : t “T dunno how any feller could git inter ther treasury without your knowledge,” one miner remarked, ‘‘as ye sed thar was a combination lock ter yer safe,” “*f don’t suck et in, nuther,” another said. “You ead stole ther pile yerself, an’ made off with it, an’ then cum back a-tryin’ ter stuff — us up that some unknown person robbed the safe, Et won’t pass muster, Sugar-Coat!” Sam flushed with indignation. “You are unjust, sir,” he replied, ‘and did mi I not believe that you do not really mean it, I would be tempted to shoot you. {swear by all ¥ ’ Thold sacred that 1 know nothing of what has ~~ become of the contents of the safe, further than what I have told you,and that is all in my power to do at present. If you see fit to doubt - my word, I cannot prevent, nor shall I fly from you or any man’s wrath,” Be ge turning, Sam strode n No attempt was made to prevent his going, — but many dark glances were sent after him, and those who were suspicious of about in selves, > away toward his Za him huddled groups, and conversed among them. 2 o

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8 There was evidently no purposes of harming him until something more definite could be proven against him, His own partners, Snapp, Hans and McDuff were among thuse who seemed to doubt him, al- though they freely admitted that they had never before had any reason to doubt his honesty and integrity. ; 3 43 tt would not be policy to arrest him until more than simple suspicion points to his guilt,” one of the more practical ones said, ‘It will, however, be well enough to keep a secret watch on his movements, to insure that he does not escape,” ; Accordingly, several miners were detailed to linger abou the approaches to the town, while a couple of others were appointed to secretly dog Sam’s footsteps, But there was no need of this, as he made no motion toward leaving Grim Gulch, Just at dusk he sauntered around to Bessie’s place, and received his washing and took it back to his tent, “T have heard of your trouble and_ the suspicion, and I don’t believe you are guilty,” ~ she said, frankly. ‘‘Y hope they will not harm you. ‘ “Thank you. I don’t anticipate any serious trouble,” he replied. ‘‘ Perhaps it was but natu- ral they should disbelieve me, but they will sooner or later find out their mistake.” Acer returniag to his tent, and leaving his packuge there, he went over to the Bella Union, aad entered with the same nonchalance he would have exercised kad no suspicion been cast upor him. Sauntering about among the tables, he was about to select a seat, when a woman sprun, forward and threw her arms impulsively aroun his neck. “‘Ob! my husband! my husband!” she cried; Sat last we meet, after so many years’ separa- tion! And this woman was the same one who had accompanied Commodore Burt to Grim Gulch, CHAPTER IV. ; A VOTE FOR MAYOR—THREE SHOTS, ‘Ty ever a man was surprised, it was Sugar- Coated Sam. He instantly realized that he was the victim of a blackmailing scheme, but how was he to get out of the scrape creditably to himself? He knew it devolved upon bim to act imme- diately and decidedly. “Excuse me, ma’am,” he said, putting her forcibly off, at arm’s length, “‘ but Tallow you've got hold of the wrong man.” “No! no! I have not; you are my husband, my long-lost husband,” she asserted, making another lunge to get her arms about his neck. “‘You needn’t try to deceive me, for I knew you the moment I set eyes upon you. You are my Sammy—Samuel Singleton—and I am willing to swear to it,” _ IfSingleton was Sam’s name, it was a bit of news to the Grim-Guilchites, for they had never’ known what his latter cognomen was. “Tt is falss; it is an attempt to blackmail me,” Sam cried, sternly, putting her away from The Miner Sport. rr a) him. ‘‘I swear I never saw you before, and never want to again.” ‘‘Oh! no doubt about that,” said a mockin voice, and the Mormon, Commodore Burt, el- bowed forward through thé crowd that had col- lected. ‘“‘ After consigning your sane wife to a mad- house to get rid of her, one could hardly expect you would be extra anxious to see her. Never- theless, I interested myself enough in the case to secure her liberation ani bring her here, where she will have an opportunity to enjoy the benefit of your ee gold-bags.” “Great Heaven! this is the most infamous of lies. You are a Mormon scoundrel come here in pursuit of a defenseless girl, and this foolish wo- man is one of your wives—and because i de- fended in a measure your would-he victim, you have sprung this revenge upon me by causing your own polygamous tool to stand up and give utterance to a base lie.” i ‘‘ gentlemen, I appeal to you; I swear to you that this is not true!” the woman cried eee *“*Ttis just as Mr, Burt has said. is man, Samuel Singleton, married me a number of years ago, and then consigned me to a mad- house to get rid of me. Through the kindness of Mr, Burt [ have at last succeeded in escap- ing and in reaching this point. and I want you to make him live with me as husband should— or, at least give me sufficient money to support me in comfortable circumstances through life.” The appeal was not made in vain, for it elicited a sympathetic grunt from a number of miners, especially those who had suspected Sam of the safe-robbery. ‘Et stands ter reason, b’yees, thet we shed give the petticoater ther preference in belief!” one miner declared. ‘Sugar-Coat luks like ther kind o’ a chap w’ot would desart his wife.” ‘Yas, an’ I o,ine ther more ye investigate hirh, ther mere one is apt ter discover, too,” an- other Eule t of the pan and shovel declared significantly. ‘*On course,” chimed in stillanother. ‘‘ Sugar- Coat knows w’ot he’s about, every day, an’ was ther galoot w'ot robbed the safe an’ then tried ter play up ’possum on us.” ‘An’ hyar’s w’ot suggests thet we, a thrivin’ young city, should hey a government ter settle wi’ sech cases, and 1 purpose we hyar, on this spot, elect a combined jedge an’ mayor an’ sheriff, who shall hev ther power ter transact all legal bizness, an’ settle ther hash o’ evil-doers at“large.” “Gud idea—gud idea. Hyar am TI, Bill Henery Shakespeare, ther primest factor in ther: hull multiplicand, who would accept ther per- sish wi’ blushin’ pleasure, an’ be glad o’ ther chance ter adjust all deefikulties of a personal or public natur’, “Ter makin’ a noose They say I am handy, Tho’ law is my princerpal holt; Jest fill me wi’ juice An’ I am ther dandy Poetercal petterfogical colt,” “Or I can be prevailed_upon to accept such a position,” Commoderé Burt modestly volun- teered. “Although a stranger to you, I pire- sume I can give you satisfaction, having filled ,

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The Miner Sport. several positions in public, such as governor, mayor, and secretary of state.” “Ary article o’ my personal raiment, from my holey socks ter ther thr’ut-piece o’ my shirt, will [ bet that ye nevyer filled a position higher than boss over a hoss-steal in yer life!” the bullwhacker poet declared, grimly. ‘* An’ no other canderdate w’u’d I rather buck ag’in’ than you. For “ T kin see it in yer eye, That yer head is full 0’ rye— In legal matters soon ye d make a blunder— Fer ef ye tried ter quash, Soon ’tw'u'd settle yer fair hash, An’ ther boys’d blow yer carcass up ter thunder.” “Your poetical self-sufficiency ought to be suppressed, or it will prove generally detri- mental to the community!” Burt fired back. “By the way, gentlemen, [ fully indorse the idea that you need a mayor, for you area young city of much importance, and rapidly drawing nigh unto the zenith of your aspirations. There- fore, it becomes you to have dignity in the possession of a good public representative— moreover, it is necessary, as this country is fast filling up with lawless characters, and soon we will have road-agents and roughs of every de- scription to contend with, Therefore, I suggest it as an excelient icea that we make the move before the roads get bad—to use a figurative expression. Arrest this man Singleton, who at best is an unsavory rascal, and keep him under lock and key until we can give him a trial. On the morrow, call an election, and nominate and elect by vote a good man to boss the town and keep matters in a good healthy state. What say?” s A cheer greeted the Mormon’s speech. His views were practical, if they were selfish, and hit the nail upon the head, so far as the citizens ‘were concerned. : A number made a move to secure Sugar- Coated Sam, but got knocked very uncere- moniously down, as a result of their indiscre- tion. In no ways inclined to be taken was the sportive President of the Sugar-Coated Mining Company, and after laying out four of. his assailants, he whipped out a pair of 32-caliber revolvers, and with them at full cock, in his grasp, stood awaiting the issue. “ Come on, if you like!” he said with a dan- gerous quietness of demeanor. ‘I’m ready for the second and third edition, you perceive. If ' you want to have sufficient material to poll an * electoral vote to-morrow, about the surest thing you can do is to let Sugar-Coated Sam alone— take my word for it!” But these men of Grim Gulch evidently did nct think in this same way, for an overwhelm- ing number leaped forward, regardless of his threat, and secured him in less time than it takes to tell it. Three fell, mortally wounded, however, ere the capture was accomplished, and it was the sport’s revolvers that'did the business, *’ One thing Sugar-Coated Sam noted particu- larly—Shakespeare took no part in the attack or the suspicion against him—a fact he won- dered at some'vhat, for once upon a time before these two men had been foes, although it was es evident the bullwhacker had not as yet come into knowledge of the truth. Of all the rough assemblage none seemed » more highly gratified at Sam’s capture than Commodore Burt. : “Bal hal” he hissed. ‘‘I fancy you will not take the role of a defender hereafter, will you? Your game will end here in Grim Gulch.” Sam did not reply, but suffered himself to be led away to a cabin longa to a miner named Carter, which had recently n finished, and offered as strong attractions as a prison, as any other in the young city. Into this Sam was locked, and left to his own reflections, whatever they might be. An immediate canvass was inaugurated, and Grim Gulch was politically alive. : Three tickets or candidates’ were offered as being the best for the people to vote for, for mayor, judge and sheriff, and each ticket had its advocates. First proposed for the new office was Commo-} dore Burt, and he promised to become popular among one class—not because there was any- thing attractive about the man himself, but be- cause he seemed to have an abundance of ready greenbacks in his pocket, which he quietly slip- ped into the hands of such men as he thought would be likely to support him and_ influence others to do so. The next tandidate proposed was Poetical Shearge ene and he seemed likely to carry the votes of the roughest class, from the fact that they stood in awe of bim, because he had al- ready demonstrated that he was the bully of the burg, so far as fisticuffs and excessive bragging were concerned. “ : - The choice between him and Burt, promised to be about equal. And in face of the suspicions and circum- stances which had arisen against Sugar-Coated Sam, there had been one party bold enough to propose his name for the mayoralty. ‘ ho this person was, was not definitely known, if indeed, known at all. He was a bushy-whiskered and hairy individ- ual, of medium size, little of whose countenance aside from the Peering eyes could be seen; owing to his hair, beard, and slouch hat. His garments were coarse and dirt-stained, and his belt bris- tled with weapons, and upon his hands he con- stantly wore a pair of mittens. Where he had come from no one took pains to inquire—he was simply one of the strange and varying types of humanity that the daily stage brought into the town, and had risen up on top ofatable in the Bella Union Saloon, and de- clared to the.crowd that it was his opinion that Sugar-Coated Sam was the right man for the office to be filled, and that he had a few surplus rocks” to back his opinion. ~ Later he gave hisname as Bumblebee Bob, and, “set ’em up” for a large number of the bystand- ers, paying for the treat with a large and valu- able nugget. ‘ Although his first proposition in favor of Sugar-Coated Sam was greeted with a geng@al laugh, it was not without its effect, and when the following day dawned, it began to grow ap- parent that there were to Le three lively con« tom ae ee

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10 The Miner Sport. tests for a choico of the ‘‘boss of the town,” among which Sugar-Coated Sam was not to be so far behind. And as the election day pro- gressed, the excitement waxed hot and furious, and bets were made by the hundred, on the re- sult, ‘Although Sugar-Coated Sam was kept con- fined in the cabin and a vigilant guard kept over him, his race progressed probably as fayorably as if he had been at large, for Bumblebee Bob, as he called himself, was wide-awake to the prisoner candidate's interests, in the fullest sense of the word, and much to the envy of the other candi- dates and their friends, He used his money quietly and judiciously, where the others used theirs rashly and with publicity; he was here, there, and everywhere, and approached one and all with an irrepressi- bility characteristic of a professional ‘‘ slump- er.’ Another thing might have been noticeable toa close observer. There were a great many stran- gers in the place, who had never been seen there and, what was most singular, two thirds of their aggregate number wore heavy full beards of a decidedly. eandy color, while the other third wore jetty black beards, ¢ A. detective would have pronounced them two different bands of disguised men, whose business was not above suspicion, but in the hubbub and excitement of the election-day, few if any took any notice of the matter. Aud, too, the eccentric female fop in male at- tire, whom we have once before seen as Sure- Pop, came into the camp, accompanied by the roale part of the people who had ‘previously left 1t with her, and all hands polled votes—but for wom was hard to tell. Commodore Burt and Shakespeare, said the ticket-taker, were runuing about even as near _ as he could estimate, but when asked how Sugar-Coated Sam was running, he would shake his head with a peculiar smile, and decline to answer, What did the smile signify? That Sam was to receive an overwhelming majority? Or did it mean he was going to get left majestically ‘behind? Burt rushed from the polls to McDuff’s board- ing-place, and to the room of the woman who had' said she was Suyar-Coated Sam’s wife. She and the little girl were sitting by a window gazing out upon the bustling scene on tho street, “Furies take the man,” he said. ‘He will beat us at our own game, if a desperate measure is not adopted. Fire three shots upon the street; et quietly out of the town, and follow the di gave you this morn- ing. irections I ~ When he had gone, the woman got a pistol, fired three times into the street, through an open window, and then stole from the house by the rear way. ~ What did it all mean? CHAPTER V. - A MOONLIGHT TRIAL, _ WHATEVER it meant, few could tell— few that knew—few that took pains to know. Most every one’s thoughts were upon the issue of the vote, and if a dozen had been assassinated by those two bullets, itis doubtful if any par. abe notice would have been taken of the act. And when a number of black-whickered men left, the crowd, and scattered in various di- rections, but one person upon the street tcok notice of it, and that person Commodore Burt, into whose face there flashed a light of com- bined evil and satisfaction, The bullwhacker noticed this, and broke forth: ““* Yes, hyar’s w’ot’s a jedge o’ pie, An’ thar’s green in ms Eyes! ? or ye can call me a surcker, I say, brother can- didate, w’ot expression twinkles in yer eye?” Burt started. “Go to thunder,” he growled, on seeing who it was. ‘If you see anything expressed in my eye, it is because I am going to win the race.” “Now, ef ye want ter bet on that, I’m yer mun, from toe-nails ter eye-teeth, pardner, in ary sum, fur bu’st my boots ef I don’t allow _ Sugar-Coated Sam is goin’ ter take ther pot. An’ IT reckon et ain't goin’ ter disappoint me ef Ido get left, ’ca’se my responserbilities in the newspaper line won’t allow me ter ‘tend to much outside.” “What a pity you should be so overtasked with business,” Burt sneered, as he turned upon his heel and went on his way. Noon arrived, and the excitement was about | at fever heat, when an escaped guard came fly- ing from in the direction of, the cabin-jail, cry- ing: & The Vigilantes! the Vigilantes! they will lynch Sugar-Coated Sam.” With the utterance of the words there wasa pistol-shot, and the poor fellow dropped dead upon the ground. -5 Who had fired the shot? No one seemed to - now. Shakespeare instantly drew a pair of revolvers and sprung away toward the jail, followed by a number of the better class of citizens, who in turn were followed by the crowd at large. They arrived in the vicinity of the jail, and put to flight a band of masked, whiskered men, who were upon the outside clamoring for ad- mission—a part of the same gang who had pre- viously been seen in the village, After they were gone it was found that Sam was all right as faras safety was concerned. It was decided, however, to place a stronger guard around the jail, and ten men were de- tailed for that purpose, with orders to repel an attack coming in whatever shape it might, and to allow no one to see the prisoner, without per- mission of some of the principal citizens. Evening came on; voting ceased, for every adult male had voted at least once. The next thing to do was to count the votes to decide who was to be mayor. This was done publicly, and in the open air. The three pool-tenders mounted a box just out- side the Bella Union saloon, and with the ticket receptacle between them, two of them began to count while the third kept tally, “Vip! pe: hooray! Three jeers fer ther Star Bangled Spanner! Eceky signum sic dis- j tnd on 3 3

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. you had made a discover ae) | The Miner Sport. temper syringe, ani domi plurus discombobbe- | him. Sure-Pop indeed. Very well. When nate!” bellowed Shakespeare, ele ate oes the | you get ready to fork over the hundred, I can scene, with legs made unsteady by t! of his potations, “In Fourth o’ July Latin, thet means thet Sugar-Coated Sam’s mise ter take ther cake— ds bet—goin’ ter waltz right inter our White ouse, an’ show us how terrun a town skien- tific. Ten thousand million jJollars ter bet ag’in’ a single cent thet Sam’l scoops in the most votes,” “Thirty-two for Burt!” ‘““ Thirty-two for Shakespeare.” ‘* Ninety-seven for Sugar,” said the tally. ‘** Heer thet, now, wull ye! Even I, ther -Toa- quin Miller o’ Grim Gulch sink inter significance as compared wi’ ther great sweet-toothed, lesses candy dandy, Sugar-Coated Samuel!” yelled the bullwhacker, ‘*Ninety-eight for Burt,” cried the tally, whereat the bullwhacker looked crestfallen. “Shenannigun hyar,” he muttered. ‘“* Re peatin’, or I’m a blarsted fule. Ef Burt gets it, then ther divil will be to pay.” But Burt didn’t get it. The last vote told the story. With next to the last vote, Burt and Sugar- Coated Sam were tie at a hundred and eight; the last vote was for Sam, and made the hun- dred and nintb. When it became known a ger shout went up from those in favor of the election of the President of the Sugar-Coated Mining and Mill- ing Company, while the others gave vent to grunts, not of approval, but of extreme dis- satisfaction. ‘Curses take my luck!” Burt said, addressin the girl sport, Soret op, in an undertone, “ felt it would be so. hy did you not see that the attempted lynching was a success?” “T did not care to,” was the fearless: reply. ‘¢T knew your plans would fail in that respect, and was wary enough not to get myself mixed up in the trouble.” se “Humph, You are smart! You hinted that that were it known would place this Sugar-Coated Sana in a bad position! What is it?’ ‘* How much you will be willing to give to . know, is what I would prefer to know first?” “* Not a cent!” ‘Then you'll not know a cent’s worth.” “What? What do you mean?’ “Tmean that you and I are quits, George Burt, I've got tired of playing second wife to my sister’s third-ship, and being bossed around by you asa sort of slave to your will. Here- after, when you want me to do work for you, it will be necessary for me to see a stipulated sum of cash forthcoming, in advance, to satisfy any conscientious scruples I may chance to have. If you want me to turn up a trump card against Sugar-Coated Sam, I have no objection in case you’ve got a_ spare hundred dollars in your pocket. And I won't make such a failure as my sister did on the wife business.” ‘* Tt does not follow that she failed,” the Mor- mon said, ‘‘ for Sam is now in jail, Bieteed on account of her little business, I shall loo! well to it that he don’t get out right away.” _ * * Providing I give you some points against e frequency ma a 5 - aioe fix bim effectually.” ** Pil see you hung first!” he declared, grimly, and turned wrathfully Gs In the mean time a crowd were discussing the feasibility of releasing the new mayor from con- finement, and after leaving Sure-Pop, Burt hur- ried forward to take a part in the business,” “TY argue that it will be utterly rash to release that man until he is tried,” he declared, vehe- mently. ‘‘He isa hard customer, and the last man yor should think of making your head offi- cial, I propose that you take bim from the jail and try him at once. If he is Jory sores guilty, hang him without ceremony. he is judged. not guilty, release him.” The provosition met with favor among a large majority, and so it was decided that Sugar- — Coated Sam should have his trial at once in the ~ moonlit main street of the town. : A jury was picked out of the most disinterested parties that could be found; Dutch Hans was © appointed judge, and Shakespeare and Burt of- fered to act respectively for and against the prisoner as lawyers. é ( Then a big barrel was rolled out into the street, and Sugar-Coated Sam brought forth — from his prison and mounted on top of it in full view of the audience. Other barrels and boxes ~ were proaiees for and mounted by the judge, counsel, and jury in a circle, while the rude audience st upon the ground surrounding, holding: flariag torches to light up the peculiar scene, Sam was very cool and collected, considering that he was quite well aware that an pee would be made to convict him and give him the — benefit of some taut rope. % : He had been informed of his election’to the — office, but placed no expectation in ever being able to fill it, as he felt sure that, if a clear case — could not be proven against him, as he was well — aware could not be honestly done, Commodore _ Burt would invent some heinous charge of suffi- — cient plausibility to preclude the idea of the peo- — ple’s ever accepting him, Sam, as mayor. 3 When things were all ready, Dutch Hans rapped upon his box with the heel of bis stogy — boot to enjoin silence, and the commodore arose to make the opening speech. : : ‘‘ Fellow-citizens,” he began, “the purpose of — this occasion, as you know, is to try the pris- oner at the bar, known as Sugar-Coated Sam. Among you he is known by that nom-de-plume, and as a miner sport and speculator of his for- _ mer life I am aware that you know little or ~ nothing. Enough to say that henever bore any — too savory a reputation, and after placing his wife in an insane asylum, because she refused to screen a terrible crime he had. committed, he fled to the West to escape the vengeance of the law. That he is a thoroughbred rascal this act alone quite clearly proves, and if pains wre taken you can easily find what an unenviable reputation he bears, in the Fast, Mrs. Single- ~ ton is a perfect lady, and though, en account of — past bygones, she 40 longer cares for the man whose name she hears, she feels that it would — be but right, that, after he receives bis just ~ dues, she should come in for what vealth 2

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13 ae The Miner Sport. leaves behind. Then, too, you naturally believe that Sugar-Coated Sam has been guilty of ap- Propriatiog some money you had intrusted to is care. Why, then, should you parley over the matter? He is at best, an undesirable citizen, and where’s the man with conscience to express the candid belief that Sugar-Coated Sam’s death would not be a benefit to the com- munity?” “ Right byar he is—I, William Henery Shake- speare, ther poet o’ ther Pacific—I’m ther galoot as durst rise an’ spontaneously declare an’ asse- verate thet et can’t be did. Sugar-Coated Sam can’t be lynched, feller-heerers, fer the simple Teason that he’s as innercent o’ ther charge ag’in’ him as ever war Mary’s lamb o’ coun- terfeetin’ Government bonds. No, sir, feller- citizens, jes’ as squar’ an’ honest a galoot treads the inners o’ Sugar-Coated Sam’s boots, as evyer trod ther trail frum hyar ter Jordan, and at the same time I allow ye all know thet ther |, chap ye cali commodore ain’t nuthin’ but a reg’lar mountain wolf in man’s clothing. Ef ye don’t know it, et’s time ye did. He shouldu’t be believed half so much as I, ther royal old meyers sin er, an’ I allow until he cum nobody a word ag’in’ ther sugar-coated pard. So thet goes ter show thet ther commodore hez got a grudge ye! Sam, an’ is workin’ on. yer ter git ye ter help him wipe it out.” Rude though the logic and style of delivery, it made a perceptible impress‘on, as was evi- denced by a faint grunt of approbation on the part of several of the miners. But, just then came a new witness, “Tf you please,” said Miss Bessie Burt step- ping forward, ‘‘ would it be asking too much, if would give a little testimony in this case?” ** Yes!” the commodore yeiled. “No!” cried Judge Hans. ‘‘Say yoost vot ever ish drue,” “Then I wish to state that Commodore Burt, my uncle, is a great rascal and a Mormon Danite, whose sole motive is to kill me, in order to possess my property. In company with two of his wives, .he is now: here for that purpose. This charge of the third Mrs, Burt is buta black- mailing scheme against Sugar-Coated Sam, be- cause he aroused Burt’s anger by taking my art, ‘bey never saw the prisoner, before com- ing to Grim Gulch!” ‘This is utter falsehood!” an authoritative voice cried—that of the female eccentric, Sure- Pop. ‘TI am a United States detective, and Commodore Burt is my aide. The man on the prisoner’s box is the famous outlaw, known to many of you as—Deadwood Dick.” CHAPTER VI. A STRANGE HORROR, | Hap a bomb exploded in the camp it could _.not have created more astonishment than the - sudden declaration of Sure-Pop. ’ _ _ “Deadwood Dick!” ejaculated Commodore urt : __ “Deadwood Dick!” cried several others— “ the dare-devil road-agent!” “Ay, Deadwood Dick, the outlaw of a dozen oe aliases !” Suve-Pop replied, triumphantly. “ He came quietly among you this time, to ply his thieving vocation, and I’ve been watching him, and now I ex him!” “Tt is ‘well. At last I know your game!” Bumbiebee Bob cried, leaping forward. * Hur- rah for the new mayor, and death to all who oppose him!” And, following his words, he leveled his pistol at the bosom of the Danite’s wife and fired. With a cry of pain, the beautiful but mi+ guided woman threw up her arms and fell to the ground. An instant later the vicinity of the trial-stand was in excited commotion—a pandemonium of wild and warlike sounds. Tt seemed as if a shear of incarnate war- fare had opened upon the spot. In the darkness that shrouded the street of the lone mountain town it was hard to tell which party was getting the worst of it, but the rapid rattle of firearms and the succeeding yells of distress fully evidenced the fact that it won a deadly affray in the fullest sense of the word, Tn the beginning of the battle Deadwood Dick sy hore the reader has hitherto known as Sugar- oated Sam) was hastily and quietly removed from his stand, and carried back to the rude cabin jail, Commodore Burt being one of the leaders in the matter, and the turnkey of the prison. “You see it would be bad policy for me, the future mayor, to relinquish hold on so valuable a bonanza as you,” he said, with a sneer, as ha took a last look at the prisoner, and then left him to himself, locking him is. The two ren who had assisted in returning Dick to the jail were left on guard, and Burt returned to the neighborh of the battle, which was raging as hot as ever. But the valiant commodore was careful to keep himself out of the path of the flying bul- lets, instead of rushing forward to take a hand in the conflict, He was not over-brave at any time, and muc": less when’a deadly struggle ap- pealed to his manly qualities for succor. But the conflict could not always be, and soon there was a lull in the uproar caused by one party beating a precipitate retreat. | And it might have been noticeable to a close observer, that this party was principally com- posed of the red-whiskered men who had been so numerous during the election. : Although a dash was made in pursuit of them, it resulted only in eliciting a yell of de- fiance. The victors. returned to the scene of the con- flict and lighting torches, proceeded to examine the fallen. f There were a score all one, and told, and of

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The Miner Sport. the lot not one of the Red Beards! All citizens were they who had succumbed. Some were dead, some were fatally wounded, and others were merely disabled. Among the latter was Bessie Burt, who had been stunned by a blow, but now arose fully re- at from the shock and otherwise unin- jured. : As no attempt was made to intercept her she gladly hastened away from the sickening scene, toward her own cabin shanty. But a few steps had she gone, however, ere she stumbled and nearly fell over the figure of Bumblebee Bob, which Jay upon the ground in the shadow of a shanty, where he must have erawled from the scene of the affray. A groan from the man apprised her that he was not dead, and she eeooneanely paused and bent over him, scarcely knowing what else to do, The eyes opened, and she discovered for the first time that they were not a man’s orbs, but those of a woman. The lips which were nearly covered by beard | then parted, and Bumblebee Bob spoke: ‘Ab! a friendly face. Iam glad. I'am badly ‘ wounded, and unless I have immediate care I’m done for, Will you assist me to a place of safety?” “Who are you?” Bessie asked a little doubt- ful what to do, “T am Bumblebee Bob. I am_ friendly to the causo of Deadwood Dick, as, I trust, you are, also.” P “You are a woman in male disguise!” Bessie asserted. The wounded person gave a start. ‘“T supposed my disguise was impenetrable,” was the reply. ‘But I know. you will not bring me harm—your face is too good to belong to a crue! or heartless person. I am a woman— Bonk Calamity Jane, the wife of Deadwood ick, ‘Why are you bere in disguise, then?” ** Because my husband bade me remain be- hind, while he went forth to seek us home; but, knowing his peculiarities of running into peril, I could nut resist the temptation to secret- ly follow him, and be near him. i would not like to bave him knowJ am here, however, for I promised bim I would remain’ where he left me. If you will take me to your home, and give me what assistance .you can, you shall be properly rewarded.” T will, of course, and will do allT can for you,” Bessie said, assisting ber to arise, and supporting her as best she conld: ‘I would be cruel indeed to turn you over to the autnorities in your present condition.” nd so, by slow stages, thef walked toward the shanty of Mis Burt, the darkness screening them from observation. The shanty was finally reached. Originally it was a tent, but now board sides took the place- of canvas ones, only the top of the latter mate- rial being retained. Entering, and securing the door behind them, Miss Burt assisted Calamity toa rude bed, ina a apartment and then procured a lantern and it : s 1b, “I shall have to keep you shut up for the * ge ee ee ee bad eggs long, or they’re apt to create an neh 13 present,” she said, ‘as I can keep you from curious eyes here. Should my enemy, Com- modore-Burt, find out that you were here, be would immediately herald the news far and near, and I fear that I would be judged harshly for taking youin. But, don’t worry about it, because I don’t apprehend that any one will be the wiser for your presence here,” f Among the losers by the conflict, the bull- whacker, Shakespeare, came in for special men- tion. A flying bullet had cleanly shaven the nose from his face, and done the job as neatly as a surgeon’s knife could have done, Many a man of even weaker or stronger con- stitution would have taken to his bed with such a mishap, but not so with the poct. , Although wincing with pain, he salted the wound to stop the flow of blood, and then ban- daged it sorrowfully up, the cut to his pride ap- parently being harder than the actual pain from the wound. “Tork about yer martyrs o’ anshent times, a tae to or yer soldiers who fel) cn the fields o ull Run—et ain’t no sarcumstance,” b> oab- served, with a tear in either eye. ‘ When a mortal’s proboscis is gone, gents, I tell ye he’s lost one o’ ther Gomponent parts o' man. Thet aire nose o’ mine war’n’t,no great guns fur beauty, Sut I tell ye et war some on smell, an’ war a connoisseur at jedgin’ ther qualities o’ gud hash or whisky. An’, too, et could tell when a storm war brewin’, or thar war Injuns near. Alas! now et is gone!” ; ; “All of which came of your shoving it into othér people’s business, no doubt,” Commodore Burt said, as he came forward to inspect the dead and wounded. ‘t However, it may allay some of the regret at your loss, when you see the man you were working for swinging in mid-air.” “Nary a time, you Mormon skunk! Plenty o’ time will I hev ter grow another proboscis, ere you see Deadwood Dick performin’ on tight rope. ; “*T reckon ye don’t lie about thet, Pill,” a miner said? ‘I’ve beerd allowed as Deadwood Dick has as many lives as a cat.” “ But I say he has run to the end of his trail!” Burt declared; ‘‘ for, instead of having escaped, as you all supposed, {have him safely lodged in the jail.” P This news was received with a shout of ap- proval by all except the poet. There was a grira, dissatisfied look upon his bandaged phiz. “I was in hopes ther b’yee war off,” he mut- tered to himself, ‘tho’ he an’ I war nevyer on ther best o’ terms, “Some say he is too ‘ chic.’ Ther famuss Deadwood Dick, But L allows he knows his little biz, An’ ’ca’se he wears. gud clothes, An’ hez nevyer lost his nose. My conferdence in Dicky et has riz,” ‘‘Hurrah! If we've got him, why not make — sure of him while we bave got him?” one miner cried, ‘ Et ain’t good policy to keep i ie Sam be un,

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arranged determination, 14 The Miner Sport: healthy smell. The same wi’ Deadwood Dick- Ef we keep him Jong, like as not he'll make it unhealthy for us.” ‘*'Them’s my ideas,” another man volunteered. “ Hit the iron while it is hot.” ‘Then, if all are willing, I have no objections to finishing the job at once,” Burt declared, secretly exultant. ‘‘ We’ve fairly got our hand into business to-night, and needn’t be at all bashful. Come! 1 who wish to attend this picnic, forward march!” : With cries of 2 ade the main body of the citizens followed him toward the jail, which was further up the street; but, as they ap- proached the shanty it took but a glance for them to see, in the lurid light of their torches, that they had been cheated out of their contem- plated vengeance. , Leaning up against the cabin, rigid and stiff, was one of the guards—dead! A knife in his breast told how he had gone off. The other guard was nowhere to be seen, but in the epee doorway of the cabin lay the body of a man, from which the head was missing, At first it was thought that this was the other guard, but when all eyes perceived that fhe eadless trunk was clad in the faultless raiment of the Ite President of the Sugar-Coated Mining and Milling Company, opinions were of course changed. Here was Sugar-Coated Sam, alias Deadwood Dick, minus his head, which was nowhere to be found! What did it mean? Who had wrought this silent and summary vengeance? : CHAPTER VIl. TREATING OF THE GHOSTLY, THE excitement. which the tragedy and mys- tery raised in Grim Gulch was unprecedented in its bistory. Men rushed here and there; women wept and wrung their hands in terror. The body vf the beheaded prisoner was buried, the next morning, as also were the remains of the other dead of the town, and then the people looked each other in the face, and mentally asked, ‘‘What next?” What new phase of excitement was destined for the little mining city. y But, after a séven days’ wonder, the excite- ment died out somewhat, and Grim Gulch set- tled back into her monotonous routine of mining existence, with only now and then a fight or a _ drunk to create any unusual stir. Commodoré Burt had gradually come to be regarded as mayor, which was exceedingly to his liking. When a dispute or quarrel of any kind occurred, he was looked to to pronounce such justice as the case required. Then, too, the majority of the citizens had agreed that it was fair that Mrs. Singleton, as she called herself, should come into possession of Sugar-Coated Sam’s interests in the mining company bearing his title, and accordingly she had appoinfed Commodore Burt as receiver for her, of all profits of said interest. Which placed everything in the Mormon’s hands, and which was quite according to his pre- In the mean time, at the home of Bessie Burt, Calamity Jane lay upon the bed where she had — been placed, lingering, as it were between life and death, She had been shot in five places, during the con- * flict, and two bullets had passed in close proxim- ity to the left lung. These were the most serious of the five wounds, and were not necessarily fatal, had sbe been in experienced hands. But, though careful and tender in nursing, Bessie could do nothing further than to wash the wounds or bandage them, and prepare such little dishes as the sick girl required. She begged leave to call in some person who had a knowledge of surgery, but Calamity re- fused, fearing that the populace would learn who she was, and rise against her, as Deadwood Dick’s wife. Thus the days dragged by—some of them ex- ceedingly painful days to her—others re‘tful and more bearable, when she would be quite light- spirited. ‘No use of trying to help me,” she would say, ‘whenever Bessie would mention calling in aid. “JT knew [ was done for, when them two bitin’ bullits hit me, an’ [ allow a surgeon would only shorten my days, if he were to go probin’ around for the cold lead. No! no! let me be—I’'m right as Iam, and one of these days I'll be better off, Have you beard anything new concerning Dead- wood Dick?” Of course Bessie had heard of the death of Deadwood Dick, but she had kept the kniowl- edge of his tragic fate from Calamity, knowing how the terribie news must distress and fur- ther prostrate her; hence Bessie had answered her that he was free—as indeed, he was, of the cares of this life, if sd be that he was really ead. One day, after the tragedy, L room, she found Calamity poke very white and tearful, as she lay back upon the pillows. “Are you feeling worse, dear?” Bessie asked, approaching the bedside. = “Oh! so much worse,” was the sad answer, accompanied bya reproachful look. ‘ just sustained a shock which I could better have withstood, at first, when stronger, had you told me the worst.” “Vou know, then—” Bessie faltered, in mixed anxiety and relief. “That Deadwood Dick is dead—yes. Why did you not tell me this at first?” “ Because I wished to spare you the pain, un- til you got better.” ; “You we e considerate, true, but I could However about a week and a half w have borne the blow better, at first. I shall | never be any better, in this world—I am well satisfied of that. really dead?” } “7 have no reason to believe otherwise, Mrs. Harris, but all that [ know about the matter, is what others have heard said. But, how did you learn of his death?” “T overheard a customer of yours in the next -room, say ‘since Deadwood Dick was planted,’ and knew by that. Tell me all—every- — thing concerning what has bappened. I am brave, now,.and would rather know the we than not,” ae Bron STS ie ao en Bessiz entered the sick: IT have worst, * Do you believe my husband is —

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/ ’ band’s headless body that was found. _ Lcould koow the truth! . there is mandate of m always kept his money, and before daybreak I | cat The Miner Sport. i5 So Bessie was forced to relate such circum- stances of Dick’s death as hed come to her hear- dug. ~ Caiamity heard her through, her face scarcely Changing in expression; nor did she grow hys- terical at the dread* recital, as some women would have done. ‘Tt is terrible, if true,” she said,in a sad tone, when Bessie had concluded. ‘* But something tells me it was not my hus- Oh! that If I only had a little | | more strength—” ‘But you haven’t, and you must remain quict,” Bessie said, firmly. ‘It would be rash for you to attempt to leave your bed.” ; ‘TY suppose so, Oh! this is bitter,” Calamity moaned, burying her face-in the pillow, and sobbing. That afternoon, however, she cheered up, visibly, and called Bessie to her bedside. “*T feel better,” she said, ‘‘and think I shall get well, after all, At least, while there is ‘life hope. You have never told me of your- self, Bessie? Have you parents living? Mvery person has a life history—tell me yours.” ““T have no parents living,” Bessie replied, sorrowfully. ‘* My-mother died when I was a small child—my father perished, it is said, in a eonflict between Mormons and Gentiles, four years ago.” **Ah! your people were Mormons, then?’ “My father was a settler in Utah, and per- foree a member of the Mormon church. He was, however, a secret foe to polygamy, and had but one wife. In consequence of this, he was not a favorite among the Mormons, but I don’t think they bore him any positive enmity. Sometimes I have had strange fears that he did not fallin the affray with the Gentiles, as was said, but fell a prey to the Danites. I have heard him privately speak in favor of the Gen- tiles, one of whom he really was at heart, and it does not seem probable to me that he wovld take up arms against them. I was attending. school at Salt Lake City at the time, and there- fore am ir the dark concerning his fate.” “ After his death, you left Utah?” a “Yes, I was forced to, or becsme a victim of an existence l abhor. After my father’s death, a,will purported to have been written by him, was produced and read to me. I now believe, and always shall believe, that it was a forgery. Jn this will, my father bequeathed me to hisown brother, Commodore Burt, for his fourth wife, All his landed estate and money he willed to me, until my marriage—then it was to be handed over to my husband—my own uncle—to do with as he might choose. When I heard these strange stipulations, my very being became filled with unutterable horror. And, more especially so, when | was told that Commodore Burt was com- ing the next day to claim me as his fourth wife, under sanction of the church. Rather than be come his prey, death in any phase seemed wel- come to me, Resolved not to yield even tw the father’s will, I made hasty pre- parations, and that night esea) from my school and from the city, and fled for my father’s country residence. I knew where ho was in Soeeenicn of the small sum of five hun- dred dollars he had laid by, and was fiying for the Hast. “Tt was now a matter of life and death with me—the laws of Mormonism told me this, I knew that the commodore would put Danite agents upon my trail, with instructions to take me, dead or alive, 1t would not matter to him which—indeed, I knew my death would be most to his liking, as my father’s estate would go to him all the same. ‘Need I tell you the rest? I fled from Utah eastward—lI tried to escape the pursuing de- mons of the Mormon church, by hiding myself in oe towns under various aliases, but-all to no avail. _‘“ The Danite hounds tracked me with the per- sistency of demons, and I would scarcely get settled in one place ere their near presence would frighten me into flight to some other. And in this way i have flown, until at last I sought this remote region, but only to find my relentless foe, the commodore, here nearly as soon as I, I, however, now resolved to remain and fight it out, if need be. He cannot do more than kill me.” -“*I approve of your grit,” Calamity said, heartily. ‘‘ Don't get skeered until you're hurt. You’re in Uncle Sam’s country yet, and I allow Mormon laws won’t work hyar. All yer enem, can‘do is pop you over, and J reckon he'll thin twice before doing that.” ~ y Since finding the headless remains of Sugar- Coated Sam, alias Deadwood Dick, the poe and pooligher had been strangely quiet for a man of is roustabout and hilarious c ter, ¢ To be sure, he had lost one of the most prominent features of his visage, which fact might account for his quiet; ont then, a sort of general despondency seeméd to have settled over him; he was nervous and watchful, as if about to receive a blow; his poetical fits were few and far between—the issues of the wae Gulch Gazetteer were irregular and sourly ited. ““What’s the matter wi’ Shake?’ the miners would ask of each‘other. = “He looks like he was mournin’ fer his mother-in-law.” ‘Or bis proboscis, fer instance.” Ss. But when questioned on the matter, the buli- whacker poet would sadly shake his head, os “Nary a mourn fer mother~n-law, b’yees,”he would say, ‘‘’ca’se I nevyer hed one, pve ‘An’ as fer ther nose, Et’s wrapt in repose— Et war a bad dose— A shave werry close, But I’ve cradled my woes, As every one knows.’ + 4 mf ‘* No, et ain’t on account o’ ther loss o' my smell thet I’m dubious, feller-pilgrims—nary Ses time. I’ve got a premonition o’ suthin’ wuss than losin’ one’s nasal fluke, you bet, or ye wouldn’t see William Henry Shake: edown — in ther mouth, Ye're goin’ ter git a shock, @rectly, my noble guzzlecs—a shock what’ warn ye et’s high time ter be dustin’ up yer disused Testaments, an’ devote yer spare Me

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_ with it!” - 16 The Miner Sport. nn i ees ' ments tew reflectin’ on the runsartinties uv ther | spectators had expected to hear, there came a ethereal future.” wild eldritch peal of laughter, which seemed to Looking over the rough citizens of Grim | echo and re-echo, mockingly, and caused a chill Gulch, it would seem probable that few, if any | of doubt and consternation to creep down the of them, had ever handled a Bible, more es- | backbones of nearly every one who heard it. pecially in the latter years of their lives. And not only one laugh was there, but a dozen And it appeared there was something in} or more, coming from as many different direc- Shakespeare’s premonition, for a few evenings | tions. later a man came rushing into the Bella Union, Was there an army of ghostly visitors sur- yelling incoherently, and gesticulating morelike | rounding the town? alunatic thanasane person. He trembled in Ha! what strange visions were these that every limb, and his teeth chattered as though | greeted the citizens’ eyes, as, on gazing around- he was wrestling witha chill. _ at different house-tops, they beheld ghostly “Speak—what’s ther matter?” one of the | white-robed figures positioned there, each with miners demanded, shaking him roughly. ‘‘ Out | the right hand pointed accusingly down at tho astounded beholders. From these specters the peals of laughter seemed to emanate, and grim and uncanny enough they looked, the same phosphorescent halo of light that surrounded the garments of Deadwood Dick, being perceptible: around his phantom guard. 3 ‘*Curses on me!” Commodore Burt gasped, quaking with affright, ‘‘ what does all this mean? Fire, somebody—fire and break this in- fernal spell p Only one man was there in the crowd who. had composure enough to do so, and he drew a pistol and fired at the nearest of the ghostly figures on the house-tops. —_- Bang went the weapon spitefully! “Hal ha! ha!” came another shriek of de- risive laughter, then, almost as quick as a flash of lightning, the phantom figures disappeared from the house-tops, and darkness reigned supreme. It was the same over at Deadwood Dick’s grave. The resurrected garments of the ex-outlaw were no longer to be seen, nor was any object in the vicinity of bis grave, owing to the gloom. . And, yet, this fact seemed hardly a relief to the aroused populace. They -s still, for some time after. the disappearance of the appa- ritions, in fear lest they should return, ‘ Thoroughly cowed and frightened were a great majority of them, while a few pretended to be perfectly composed, although they really were as much ‘ put out” as their comrades. . Gradually, however, they slunk away, and no more were seen till day dawned again over the golden gulch. $ By this time, a great many had partially re- eanrd their spirits, but a number of the badly rightened packed their ‘‘kit.” and took the morning stage, bound to other “‘ lays.” “ Ghosts! _g-h-o-s-t-s!”_the poor fellow, an- swered. ‘' D-d-deadwood Dick—grave!” Taking the cue, the occupants of the saloon rushed forth into the street. Deadwood Dick’s grave was located upon a knoll, three or four hundred paris away, and io full view from the street in front of the Bella Union. As the crowd poured forth into the street, their eyes turned upon this mound, and cries of horror and consternation broke from their lips. Mounted upon some invisible obiect in mid- air, axnlozen feet above the grave, were the gar- mats and the seeming body of Deadwood Dick, yet headless, for the hat sat upon the collar of the jacket. And around and over all shone a weird phosphorescent light. CHAPTER ViilI. THE POET GOES A JOURNEY, WHat did it mean? Had Deadwood Dick returned to the earthly as a spiritual wanderer, minus his head? Even the immortal Shakespeare seemed a little nervous. “Tork, now, wull ye,” he whispered. ‘Say thet William Henry Shakespeare ain’t a prog- nosticator, as well as a poet, hey? Waal, I should chuckle—Z should! Ghosts, boyees— ghosts! reliable, genywine, bony-fried article, too. Oh! Job, whar is thy monument o’ pa- tience, ter slip under my gallusses, an’ stay my spine, in this hour o’ need?” **Pooh! et’s somebody a-tryin’ tricks on us; I don’t believe in ghosts,” one miner finally be- came bold enough to declare, ‘‘ Ye ken’t shet my ad trap up wi’ sech nonsense.” “Nor I,” agreed another. , “That's right, boys; don’t take any stock in sach rubbish,” advised Commodore Burt, com- ing along. “Supernatural visitations invari- ably originate with weak;minds and vivid imag- inations. I dare say if you toss a couple of bullets over in the direction of the robher’s grave, you won’t have any further trouble, what- ever. “‘S’posin’ we try it,” suggested a citizen, draw- ing a revolver, ‘If thar’s a human behind them togs o’ Deadwood Dick, I opine I can tickle him fu’st time trying.” And raising his weapon, he aimed and fired. tnstead of acry of pain, which many of. crepit man, who walked with a gnarled staff, and whose long tangled hair and beard was as white as driven snow, made his appearance in camp, He was the same party whom Sugar-Coated Sam had taken to his tent, the night before the safe robbery, and who had afterward been found missing. He was hatiless, now, and wandered silently about, an object of curiosity and suspicion to the miners, About noon he met Commodore Burt face to face, just in front of the Bella Union, and shook his fist in the latter’s face, with a guttural and intelligible utterance, ‘atter which he hobbled Pt S-oe Se eT at A During the morning an old, ragged and de-

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i ~~» The Miner Sport. Pa — on, while, for seyeral moments the Mormon stood still, pale, and like one dazed. Then a shudder passed over him, aud an angry flush came to relieve the pallor upon his cheek. “Curses on me—the thought nearly electrified me,” he muttered, gazing after the stranger. ‘* But, pshaw! the-old lunatic is some harmless fool who does not know what he is doing. If I thought there could be any truth—” Without finishing, he gritted his teeth and re- entered the Bella Union, Later, he returned to McDuff's boarding-house and to his room, where the woman who had claimed to be Mrs. Sam Singleton was seated, engaged in sewing. “ Well?” she said inquiringly, as he entered, ** what now?’—for she perceived by his expres- sion that something was wrong. ‘ ‘Enough to make me feel uncomfortable,” he growled, pacing the floor. ‘‘Did you see the old codger on the street with snow-white hair and beard?” oc No \? __ “Well, I did, and a thought entered my mind that he was my bitterest enemy, here to finish ™*. ° Xs ‘Pshaw! you are weakening.” “By no means. Iam in a fair way of owning the town, if this ghost business only scares off a few more of the miners.” “To whom do you assign the authorship of the apparitions?” “('m puzzled, If, as I have sometimes be- lieved, Deadwood Dick is alive and well, to- day—then I am as good as assured that he is the prime instigator. But if he’s dead, I am in pir ark, unless the old pilgrim is at the bottom of it. ‘‘ Deadwood Dick cannot well be alive after being found dead and headless.” “ Who knows for certain that it realiy was his body that we found? To be sure, the clothes were sig as belonging to him, but that was all, His head was gone, and nobody could have sworn to the figure.” ; “Tt will be dangerous for us here in case he is alive.” ‘Undoubtedly, if, as I suspect, he is at the head of a band of outlaws again, He isa steel- bar I would not care to cope with, even with odds in my favor. I shall keep on the lookout and we must be prepared to flee at any moment. First, however, we must_be sure that two per- , sons are dead—the girl, Bessie, and the old rag- e@muffin who is at presentin town, You must attend to thelatter case at once, and I will look- out for the girl” “Ugh! you know my horror of this kind of work?” “TY also know your appetite for gold,” he re- plied. “You know better than to fool with me, The woman did not reply, but by the pallor which overspread her face, it became evident that she did know better. When he had taken his departure, she arose and procured a shawl and pistol, and laid them upon the table. i With dread a majority of the citizens saw an- Other night’s grim and dense shadows covering \ mS the face of the earth. What would another mene bring forth in the line of ghostly visita- ions Shakespeare, the poet, seemed similarly af- fected, and was nervous as such a man well could be. He however imbibed freely of the Beila Union ‘‘condoler,” and thereby gained courage to make a call upon Miss Bessie Burt as the sun was setting, Bessie was seated in the doorway of her Ititle habitation, engaged in sewing buttons on some | pilgrim’s picturesque red shirt, and looked up with a bow, as the bullwhacker carne up, **Gud eve, Miss Bessie Burt’ Isee upon a shirt i You aire earnin’ yer dirt ‘e ther spurt,’™” ‘Rocks’ w’ot give ter tipping his hat. ‘So I thort I’d cum over on a mission 0’ business an’ pleasure—business, in ther way ©’ bringin’ ye sum togs to laundry for me—pleasure, by announcin’ my extremest and most emphatic admiration of yourself.” ; “Thank you, sir, Iam grateful for the work to do, but gannot appreciate a stranger’s ad miration,” ‘« Wspecially when they’re big, ongainly cusses, an’ minus a nose,” nodded the bullwhacker, comprehendingly. ‘‘Oh! yes, I know I ain’ta Beau Brummel no more; my beauty has faded an’ gone like ther hair frum a raccoon’s snout; but then, my lay-out don’t include poppin’ ther momentous, an’ makin’ luy—no, sir-ee, bobtail burro. Vm on an ontirely different trail, you bet yer boots! Instead o’ axin’ ye ter git up an’? go harnessed wi’ me, I wish ter express my admiration rer yer success in so long keepin' yer secret guest away from the gaze of the public.” Bessie started. Least ofall persons, did she suppose the bullwhacker to be suspicious on thig score, ‘* What do you mean, sir?” she asked, trying to preserve an unruffled countenance, ‘ o— what do you refer to?” “Oh! you're sly, I know, but I’m up ter yer dodge, an’ I allow et wouldn’t be healthy fer e, if the townspeople know what I know. owsumdever, thet’s neither heer ner thar, an’ as Iam favorable ter yer cause, count my vocab-trap bermetically glued shut.” : And with this assurance, he turned and strode away. ; Immediately afterward Bessie entered Ca- lamity’s room and communicated the substance of her interview with the bullwhacker poet. “T know him, and so did Dick,” Calamity said, ‘‘and while he is mean enough se * me, I do not think that is his game, if, indeed, he knows that IT am really here. H bas some other game afoot.” - “T only hope he does not betray you,” Bessie said, ‘for if he should, Heaven oniy knows how we should fare.” hee But it was evidently not the burly poet's in- e probably é 7 tention to betray the presence of Calamity to _ 8 townspeople, as future developments will show, ; ; Soon after leaving Bessie’s home he mounted — his mule, which was grazing along the street near the Bella Union, and rode away down

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as The Miner Sport. a uich, into the gloom of the approaching night, Poswed by the gaze of many of the citizens, whose curiosity was aroused. Following the eastward course of the gulch for a mile or so, he turned off into a narrower defile between two mighty walls of mountain rock, where darkness reigned suprenie. - The burro, however, seemed equal to the somewhat difficult task of threading the pass- age, while Shakespeare tried to dispel the mo- notonous loneliness of the ride by frequent ut- terance of sundry original rhymes, In this way they proceeded for several hours, through one of the wildest, ruggedest seams in the brow of nature, until, when if was about the midnight hour, they nya a into a sort of open glen, fringed close beside the perpendicular sur- rounding walls with gaunt, spectral dead/pines. Here Shakespeare drew rein and gazed rather nervously around him. ‘Waal, hyar am I, in the place whar I war directed to come,” he mattered, glancing ata scrap of paper which he held in his-hand. ‘I ‘allow this must be ther place, an’ now I must quiet my nerves fer w’ot’s ter foller.” ; It was an action which he knew (Se well how to perform. Takinga quart flask of “‘ bug- juice” from his pocket, he proceeded to get away witha good half of it, in the most ap- ' proved manner, after which his spirits seemed somewhat braced up. And well was there need, for at this junc- ture, from either side of the gloomy glen, at a dozen different poiats of the compass, appeared the spectral, white-robed figures of the night before, with arms outstretched as they advanced in a bee-line toward the mule-mounted poet, _ whose countenance began to assume an ashen pallor, and teeth began to chatter, in spite of the * bracer” he had just partaken of. ~ Closer and closer glided the white figures, surrounded by the strange phosphorescent halo, until they formed a, ghostly circle around the - bullwhacker, each with a draped arm pointed accusingly at him, while an unearthly groan escaped them in chorus. “ Oh! Lordy! I wish I war back in Grim Gulch!” Shakespeare gasped, while even his vee”) long-eared companion gave vent to a bray of - terror, CHAPTER IX. DARK PROMISE ABEAD, - CommoporeE Burt’s third wife, who had tried the “black” game on Sugar-Coated Sam, was - emphatically a woman of a business. he daughter of a bloody-handed Mormon Danite she had been reared amid scenes well calculated to harden even a woman’s heart; ‘hence she did not hesitate at the murderous - work Burt bad planned for her; she would be but fulfilling his desire, which, according to the _ doctrine of the Mormon Church must be her Sole object in life. ~~ Therefore she deliberately planned to murder the old tramp, whom some one had christened Snow Flake, because of his snow-white beard, _. Waiting until it was quite dark, she left her room, with a shawl wrapped around her and sf ry = «it partly thrown over her head, and kurried down the street toward the Bella Union. She was just about to take a look into that thriving establishment, when her victim came hobbling- out, and walked rapidly away, all ap- pearances of lameness gone as soon as he én- tered the dark, unlighted street, She could have struck him down, as he passed her, but knew it was a Gangercus locality to boldly accomplish her mission, and so waited until he had got.a few yards away, and then followed swiftly and silently in pursuit. As soon as she became satisfied that he was not aware of her pursuit, she quickened her footsteps. Soon she was within arm’s reach of him, step- ping when he stepped. Soon out from under her shawl came an ur raised hand, in which was grasped a gleaming knife, then bounded forward to do her deadly work just as the old tramp wheeled suddenly, and fired upon her with a pistol which he held in his hand, “Oho! you find it a bad trail to follow me, eh?” he exclaimed, as she threw up her hands, and fell back to the ground. ‘‘ You see I chance to have eyes in the back part of my head, wo- man! Probably Mrs. Burt did not hear or compre- hend his words. She gave but a few struggles, and then became still in death. : “Ugh! Death isa fearful thing.” the old man mused, as he bent over her and peered into her face; ‘‘ but it can be no awful thing to kill one whose hand is seeking one’s own life. And then —this is but vengeance!” z An hour later, Commodore Burt might have been seen knocking at the door of Bessie Burt’s shanty. : Not thinking but what it was some of her cus- tomers, come with or for a package, she opened the door, and without waiting for an invitation, eC commodore pushed rudely past her, into the ouse, : “ Sir!” she exclaimed, alarmed at this sudden intrusion, “Madam!” he retorted, with a sneer, ‘‘ you perceive that I am here, and I presume you can guess my business.” ““T do not care to consider please to leave my house.” “Hal hal I refuse.” _ - “ Then I'll scream for help, youruffian, Leave my house. I command you!” ‘Command as much as you please—I’ve no objections. As for me, I never pay the least at- tention to feminine commands, and as for your . ‘screaming for help, Pll assure you there’s no sugar-coated Be chrome around to come to your rescue, The long and short of the matter is, I’m here for a purpose, in which it is not my intention to be balked. Hither you shall take a solemn oath that you will marry me, or when I leave this ranch, your life-blood will be making fancy cn oe upon your earthen carpet here. Swear that you will marry me, or I will murder ou. a a Monster! ruffian! brute!” was the undaunted answer. BBY “Oh! yes, Iknow, _ Those are Sunday names : for me—pet names. Tam all ere > and your business, sir; $ fas 55

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The Miner Sport. more, too, as you will find, before you-have done with me. Promise to become the fourth’ Mrs. Commodore Burt, and we will go back to Salt Lake and enjoy the snug little property your father left behind.” “Never! I will die first!” “You can have your choice about that, of .course, I shall not try to urge you, or dictate to you! If you prefer to climb the golden stairs rather than double in a life of unalloyed bliss with me, I can assist you off, with but short notice. I-can get plenty of wives, for that matter, Brother Jones having offered to bequeath me his double-kit. So you see, I am really doing a great thing in offering you the chance for life.” “Yon loathsome reptile! I would endure the bitterest torture human wit can invent before I’d consent to become your victim. Kill me you dare not, for you are not in Utah now, where a so-called Church shields villainy and crime; therefore, once and for all, J defy you !” “Then, curse you, you shall bave the reward that your defiance merits!” he cried, savagely, and drawing a dirk from a side pocket, he jeaped toward her, the gleam of a fiend incar- nate in his eyes, ; Upraised was the weapon, ready for the blow, when there was a pistol-shot; the arm that clutched the dirk fell to his side, and a howl of pain and rage burst from his lips. ee? bullet had completely shattered his right wrist! Calamity Jane it was who fired the shot, she having struggled to ber feet from her sick bed, and reached the door of her bedroom in time to send the bullet that saved Bessie’s life. Hre Burt could transfer the dagger to his ‘other band, he was seized by a man who at that instant bounded into the room, and borne bodily out into the dark night, and rapidly away from the cabin, ‘Mather! father!” Bessie screamed, rushing to the door. Z Then she sunk to the floor, and covered her face with ber hands, while she shook with vio- lent sobs. ; 3 “What is it, dearest?” Calamity said, steady- ing herself by chairs, and managing to reach the poor waif’s side. Y “Oh, father! Did you see him—the white- haired old man who bore my enemy away? Did you see him, I say? Was he alive, or was it a terrible apparition?” — fs “Well, l should opine he was pretty live, by the way he bounced the commodore,” Calamity replied, smiling. _‘‘ There, now, don’t cry after the play’s over. Y allow the commodore won't trouble you any more,” . \ “‘But my father—that was, alive, but old and white-haired. Oh! tell me, what can all this “mean?” : : ‘Well, it savors like the old man “ain’t dead at all, but has turned up just in time to hev a little pienic with his brother. So cheer up and give me a lift back to bed, if you can, because I find I’m weaker than I supposed,” HG: “Oh! tobesure. Lam so incousiderate. Why an ae ever leave your bed, when you are not al : “Well, T opine if I hady’t you’d be ready for ‘Hal this tells thé story to me, plainer than words,” the Danite muttered. ‘I know now who the white-bearded devil is—he whom I ba’ all all along supposed ‘six feet under thes Ugh! this is bad—bad—bad!” And laboring under the sickening excitement of fear and horror, the plotter sprung to his fe and left the spot. : Bo ee The ghostly visitants of the previous night did not return, and thereat the citizens *felt greatly relieved. rae After leaving the side of his murdered com: nion in crime, Commodore Burt had scught is room at McDuft’s, and locked himself in, to poh the night in concocting plans for the utnure. On the following morning when he emergé therefrom, it was to enter the Bella Waite There he dispatched a ‘‘ three-finger shoul bracer,” after which he mounted a barrel senter of the pavilion. ==

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20 ~ Rg m& The Miner Sport. With curiosity a number of bystanders gathered near, and when a sufficient crowd was collected the Danite looked them over and “sized” them carefully. He saw a number of his own backers in the lot, and knew that they were nearly a majority, and that was all he wanted. ‘*Gentlemen!” he said, ‘I have heard several complaints lately—even since the death of Deadwood Dick—to the effect that some one of the townspeopie or other are constantly losing their things through the agency of a sneak thief—little sums here and there, to be sure, but _ aggregating largely in the Jong run. These little thefts are carried on systematically, and are traceable to the hand o! Sone eu fully acquainted with the business, hat, then, would you say, if I were to disclose to you the fact that I have discovered the author of the » deviltry?” **Hurra!l show us the varmint, an’ it’s to tha, top av_a three we'll be afther hoistin’ ’im,” a burly Irishman declared. ‘Yas, them ar’ ther sentiments right frum ther bed-rock, - Show us ther pilgrim w’ot’s ap- -propreratin’ our circulation, an’ we’re bound ter do ther elevated thing by him, best we know how,” another miner chimed in, "1 have to repeat that I have discovered the guilty one, and who do you suppose it is?” “Dunno! who?” a chorus of voices cried, eagerly. The wife of Deadwood Dick—Calamity Jane, as she is better known. Unknown to any of you, she is in your midst plying her vocation.” “ Where? wheref” “She can easily be found, by searching the ranch kept by the woman, Bessie Burt, who is also her coadjutor, The woman, Calamity, when approached, very cleverly feigns illness, but the dodge dea’t hold out, when no one is arond,” “Then, let’s bonuce her—let’s send ’er up to search for her late husband,” a miner cried, who had officiated at several lynching bees, and had a craving for more. ‘‘ All in favor, make manifest by ‘pee eri “ym «Hyar!” came in a great shout. **Contrary, no!” proposed the miner. There was not one dissenting voice. The commodore chuckled maliciously as he noted the fact. : “Then to-night let it be for us to do the job. We can just as wel! take em off their guard, and perhaps save several of our own party’s lives, as Calamity Jane is always on guard.” And so it was arranged that a raid should r be made that very night, and Calemity and }, Bossie treated to a dose of that border madicire known as lynch law. CHAPTER X. A GHOSTLY CONFERENCE. Ler us return to the bullwhacker poet, _ Shakespeare, and see what came of the little _ adventure he had entered into. _ We left him the center figure of a decidedly picturesque circle, the outer edge of which was ‘ormed of the mysterious white-draped figures | } whom he had first seen upon the tops of the shanties in Grim Gulch. - ‘*Now, see hyar, gents! This ain’t really a squar’ deal,” he expostulated. ‘‘I allow et’s all funny enuff fer you, but sic my poodle dorg ef I don’t want yeouw Senate chaps to keep in et own sphere, wi’out encroachin’ over on ther ouse o’ Representatives. Ye parseeye I’m inolined ter fair an’ squar’, but I allus did b’lieve in every flea keepin’ in bis own pasture. Torkin’ about fleas, hey any o’ you chaps got ’em?”’ The surrounding specters slowly shook their heads in the negative. ‘““Thort so,” the poet grinned, approvingly. ‘Fleas aire the holy terror of my life. As ther younger Shakespeare used to remark when I war gone: “ White pillars, sheets and rugs, Need not handled be with nippers, Fer tho’ they'll oft be bugs, You’ve a warrentee ‘gin skippers. ** Muchee likee! cutee the festive earthly semblance o’ yours truthsomely; but he w’u’d ruther you’d keep yer distance, if et’s all the same to you.” But. the ghostly circle stepped one pace nearer, and gave vent to an unearthly laugh, Shakespeare fairly wilted beneath the sepui- chral chorus, and his scrawny burro seemed similarly affected. ‘“*Humph! dog my Maltese cat!” the bull- whacker muttered, when he found power of ut- terance, ‘A feller’d think you've got the hy= popreperposterous ter hear ye sigh. kon ye ain’t easy, hey? despite ther fac’ thet ye’ve es- caped from yer coffins, Thar was Bill Bustover up at Salt Creek, fer instance—Bill he war a tough pard, tho’ he natterly had a good heart, which one day got out o’ kilter, an’ Ben Boxer sed as how Bill died o’ ther James Jams, Any- how, about a week arter Bill hed been planted his shadder cum back an’ handed me a string o verses for publication in the Clean Shave Bazoo 0’ which I were then editor an’ proprietor, They ran thusly: Thermometers an’ compasses— Barometers ner meters Can ne’er depict ther scorchin’ rays, O’ Hades’ infernal heaters, : They fricassee ye seis bright;! Pig-tails they cook, an’ ’coons, While sinners bad, in generale, : They’re cravin’ without boons, This lower world is desolate; Ther snow storms much amazes; Jest try a change ef ye‘don’t b’lieve That Hades aire hot as blazes. An’I durst allow thet’s sum ther figger o’ thes thermometer up your way.” 8 _No answer came from the ghosts; the m“t¢ beckon of their outstretched fingers was all the reply the poet got for his little speech. And he liad it not. 5 ‘Qh! ye needn’t sneak if ye don’t want ter,” he said cullenly. ‘‘Ef ye thivk ye kin mate me, t’ er great poet o’ ther Pacir, believe thei youw’re genny wine bezny-iried ghosts, yer off yer kerbase—clean off. Ne sheen’s fleece can ye elucidate my understanding with, nary a time; A ~ 7 * 1

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The Miner Sport. no patent eye-closer kin ye apply sufficient ter close up my pair o’ Peruvian peepers—not fer, many colored-coated Josephus. Plain as uster be ther proboscis upon my physique, ar’ ther fact thet thar’s no more ghost about you than there is erbout ther business-end of a mule, an’ so yo might as well cum down to bizness, acknowledge ther corn, an’ hev a confab. Ef ye don’t wanter tork, why jest say so. I nevyer war much of a talker, in my best days, an’ I recollect thet I’m gettin’ siow, ther more my age advances. Ef so be’t Deadwood Dick is ther prime instigator of yer gang, then hyar’s one philosophic poetical paragrapher what wants ter j’ine.” : ‘‘Deadwood Dick belongs not to the Spirit Band of Silver Brow,” a deep voice replied. “The famous bandit has paid his earthly score and is at rest.” e 7 “Bully fer Dickey! I warn’t quite satisfied on thet p'int, an’ thort 1 would investigate. *Spect et’s all right, only I had a premonition that Dickey war yet on hispegs. No ’ffense, eh? Reckon [ll journey back ter Grim Gulch.” ** Av’ I reckon ye won't!” the ghostly speaker declared, with emphasis, ‘‘ You are our pris- oner, until we see fit to otherwise dispose of ou! 4 Then at a motion from him, the other “‘ ghosts” closed in, and Shakespeare was a prisoner ere he was scarcely aware of it. Tt needed no further experience to determine that his captors were too strong-handed to be other than human; no vapor or etherealism was there in the grip of the hands that held him while he was being bound. = This operation successfully performed, the bullwhacker’s eyes were blindfolded; and then his feet were liberated and he was marched off, aman having hold of either arm. r in a Bastile, an’ ef I ain't gone off in ther kzrbase o’ my reckonin’ entirely, et’ll be a considerable period ere I am able to perigrinate once more in my native sphere, and resume aditoral enter- prise, I -half suspect, however, that should I exert myself the powers of these walls are not adequate to contain my noble self.” Perhaps he could make his escape! He decided not to despair until he could test thi matter, and to that end drew a keen-bladed knife from bis bootleg, and set to work at cut- ting a hole through one of the doors, so that be 7

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a 22 . could reach his hand through and dislodge the bar upon the other side. It was a slow.and tedious job, which required more than one hour of steady labor, the effect 2 which brought beads of perspiration to his row. He finally accomplished his object, and had the door unfastened. It opened into another room which was a.duplicate of the one that had beey assigned him as a prison, and this in turn had a door which opened into some other room, This door, however, was nof locked, and he was enabled to pursue his investigation without hindrance. One room after another he entered, and found them nearly all alike, until fifteen had been visited, and yet the end was not! What straige mountain den was he rambling through, of such gigantic dimensions? The sixteenth room brought a change. It was &@ mammoth affair, the heavy log ceiling being supported on upright timbers or pillars of the same material. Several bunks of skins contained white-robed figures, such as had con- stituted the poet’s captors. They were appar-~ ently asleep. Shakespeare paused in the entrance, unde- cided whether to enter or not, as there was dan- ger of his being discovered. Sesing no stir, however, he ventured softly into the room and across it to the further side and into a passageway beyond, Now came a predicament, His ears were greeted with the blare of a trumpet, and he heard many footsteps marchin along toward him throngh the densely dark an narrow hallway he had.entered, - Glancing back inte the apartment he had just left, he saw that the sleeping ghosts had risen te their fest and were advancing toward the center. - ; 'To advance into the passage seemed to court actual discovery, while to retreat into the room was to-confront the same result. So dark was the passage it.was barely possible that, by standing closely against the wall, the new-comers might pass by without discovering him—only barely possible, yet was the only chance, and he resolved to try it. Oo came the tramp of feet, as if in mili- tary order; nearer they approached, until Shakespeare could see their shadow, even in the dense gloom, and felt sure he must be dis- covered, ie drew his knife and waited for the worst. On came the band, and he perceived that they were clad exactly in the style they had been at the time of his capture; only that they wore black gowns instead of white ones, now. The first couple passed him without discover- ing him, and he felt a great relief as he was satis- fiel the rest would do the same. About twelve couple passed him, and he was about to breathe freer, when he heard still an- other lot coming, a little in the rear of the others. @ was nov becoming so accustomed to the darkness, that he could better distinguish them ‘as they approached, and saw that they were two them, who wore no gown, ~ “him; then, with the agili The Miner Sport. ml thrown over his face, however, so as to render it impossiblé for the poet to see it. o fool was Shakespeare. Life among the mines had taught him a few things, if he was big and blatant, and one of those things was to be crafty. .~ And feeling sure that the man in charge of the two Black Gowns was none other than Dead- wood Dick, alive and well, despite all evidence to the contrary, he resolved to make a bold effort to rescue the young Mayor of Grim Gulch or know the reason why. : CHAPTER XL A POET’S GRIT AND STAGE-DRIVER’S HONOR. Two men were of no arent accountin the eyes of the bullwhacker; he had often laid out many more than that in a single struggle, and lived to tell of it. To successfully attack these Black Gowns, however, meant a big job in point of discretion and caution—one blow must do the work, with- out giving them an opportunity to alarm their friends in advance, or all would be lost, Nearer and nearer approached the couple, who conducted between them the man whom - the bullwhacker was next to certain was Dead- wood Dick—closer, until they came opposite of a panther, he made the spring which was to tell the tate. There was a short, almost noiseless struggle, then two men lay dead upon the floor of the passage, and two stood up, facing each other. They were Deadwood Dick—he who had been -known in Grim Gulch as Sugar-Coated Sam— ‘and Shakespeare;-and even in the darkness the men recognized each other, - “You!” Dick gasped, a little surprised that the man who had, in a previous life experience, been his enemy, should now come forth to his rescue. ‘«-Yes, I!” Shakespeare declared in an under- tone. ‘Thar ain’t no time fer contemplative retrospection, you bet yer boots! Ef we want ter get out o’ hyar wi’ our cravat models un- touched, we've got ter slope mighty suddintly. D’ye know whar ther exit air?” “Yes, follow this sage back, and it will bring you to daylight. Go ahead, and I will follow.” The bullwhacker made haste to obey, and Dick, of Deadwood fame, was not slow in fol- lowing his example. Down the passage with rapid but careful steps, if was not long ere they debouched through a doorway into a mountain glade, fringed with trees and overshadowed by tower ing. walls of rock. he only apparent exit from this glade was through a split between two mountain peaks, which constituted a mountain raviye, and the. two had barely succeeded in reaching the mouth of this when they heard loud yells in their rear, -and saw the Black Gowns pouring from the cabin, “Tt’s leg bail for security now!” Dick said, ‘and I opine the man who can make the fewest : laps to the mile is the lucky fellow, Comeon!” _ of the Black Gowns, leading a third man between | and he took the A handkerchief was |. gulch, a lead on a brisk run up the ans

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The Miner Sport. : Shakespeare followed suit, while after them : Seas lack Gowns, howling like a pack of coyotes, t was no use, however, for them to give chase, and they finally abandoned it, for Dick and the poet had a good quarter-mile the start, and appeared quite able to make it more, both being fleet of foot and inspired with the deter- mination to escape or drop in the attempt. Seeing that they were no longer pursued, they slackened their speed somewhat, and began to castabout them for indications of tkeir where- abouts, Ps The best way of finding out seemed to be to ascend one of the peaks and take observations therefrom. This they accordingly did, and found, as near as they could judge, that they were some seven or eight miles north of Grim Gulch. The day was pretty well gone, and feeling considerably exhausted, Dick questioned Shake- spear concerning the state of affairs at Grim ulch, and then said: “Tt is so late, and things being easy in the town, I guess we had better remain here until to-morrow, and then 1 will disguise myself, and we will return to the camp. guess I can fix myself up so I won’t be known—for a few days at least. But tell me what appears most strange -to me—why do I find a rescuer in you? I fancy we were not exactly friends up in Tombstone a short while ago.” “No, we were not, ’ca’se I war inclined ter be bullysome, but now I’ve got over that. _ Since I’ve lost my nasal appendage, friend Richard, my speeret has underwent a change, and 1 am able to discover that all thet shines ain’t auri- ferous an’ thet thar’s gud resolutions in ary down-trodden human, ef ye only take pains ter cultivate it. I foresee’d thet ye war a party level sort 0’ senator, despite all efforts to crus you, and so I reckoned et would be.a purty gud idea ees you a lift inan hour of need.” ~ “‘And you have doneso, and have my hearti- est gratitude and thanks,” Dick said, warmly. “The escape from those pretended ghosts is - most providential tome, Some time ago, a dy- ing adventuress voluntarily gave me a token which exposed the secret burial-place of a vast amount of mined gold, which she said was rightly hers. I came to Grim Gulch as Sugar- Coatec Sam, with a party of other prospectors, to hunt for the buried treasure, but found noth- ing where my clew directed. {t now seems that the chief of the band you recently rescued me from, was the husband of the woman, or, at least, that is the claim preferred, and that the wdéman had stolen and secreted all his gold, and fied. If this story be reliable or not, I of course do not know. At any rate, by some means unknown to me, the chief of this band of miners and robbers :ombined, got wind of the fact that I had come into possession of the clew to the burial-place of the stolen treasure, and he sent his aids to capture me. He, in per- son, it was, who robbed my safe, after knock- - ing me over, and his men it was who came to the jail, murdered the eae and freed me, after which one of the dead men was clad in my own garments, and I was borne away to - _ this mountain retreat from which you rescued me, Here in the short interval since my cap- ture, 1 have been subjected to many indignities, and, at tbe time of my release, thanks to you for it, they were going to blister my feef, in hopes of extorting from me the secret of the buried treasure, which I should think twice about surrendering, did I possess it,” Shakespeare was silent.a few moments, then he said, after first having related the recent ex-_ ploits of the pseudo-ghosts, in Grim Gulch: ‘“‘Thar’s another thing I allow ye don’t know, an’ et’s one thing w’at brought me to your res- cue.” ** Ah! indeed! What isit?”? © “Waal, et ain’t werry pleasant news-at the best, an’ I su et’ll be a surprise to ye, but heer she am. Ther partner of yer joys and sor- rows, Calamity Jane, lies sick in Grim Gulch, at the cabin o’ Bessie Burt. She war playin strong keerds fer ye, during the campaign, an’ callin’ herself Bumblebee Bob; but she got more lead than she could stand y under, and so had to crawl away to shelter. Bgured the thing out, and allowed thet ef Commydore Burt war to get hold of et, thar might be a rumpus, so I come to let you know.” - ** Bad enough,” Deadwood Dick muttered, his brow darkening. ‘I was afraid the brave but reckless heart would not remain bebind, as she promised me. As you say, if the Mormon devil, Burt, were to find out her presence and helpless condition, he would do the utmost in bis power to kill her. We must hasten back tothe _ © town et once,” _ Shake oager as As they had no horses, nothing was left for them but to make their journey on foot, without any certainty bow many miles they would have to cover nor perils they might encounter. a their course in the presumed direc- tion o gathering twilight. re was ready, He seemed fully aj The day preceding the night which was to wit- ness the attack upon the Burt shanty by the commodore and his followers, was a far from bright day at the shanty. The exertion of the previous night, which had brough such exhaustion to Calamity, bad also brought on brain fever, and all through the day she was wildly delirious. ; At times she would call for Deadwood Dick, in piteous tones; then again she would grow furious Over some nameless wrong of an equally nameless persop. A lull would then follow, for a few minutes, when to all appearances the r girl would enjoy a refreshing nap. It is doubtful, however, if she re better, as she would soon begin her ravings again. Paadia was nearly distracted. ick for the welfare of thetwo women, Grim Gulch, they set out through the ry felt any ~ She tried everything she knew to relieve the ; sufferer, and when that failed she sat down in a corner and indulged in a good, prolonged ery. She could not refrain from it—she keenly felt — what was the pain of being alone and friendless, ac especially in such an hour of sickness and stress. — é mr aS Sith as oA The sick girl must have heard her sobs, or else _

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‘ _ teli me that 24 subtle instinct told her who was€rying, for she sat up abruptly on her bed, ; Her eyes were wild and strange in their glar- ing expression, and her features were rigidly drawn, as if she were iu an angry passion. ‘What are you crying about?” she asked, in @ cold, repellent way. ‘‘Who told you to snive]?” Bessie‘looked up with a start, utterly shocked ead horrified at the harsh speech; but in a moment she comprehended that it was but another freak of the poor girl’s wandering reason. . ‘* Speak!” Calamity cried, her voice unusually strong. ‘‘ What are you crying about?” ‘*T was only weeping because you are feeling so badly,” Bessie replied, drying her tears, - but feeling a strange, indescribable sensation of alarm. ‘“Iamso sorry I cannot do something to help you.” ‘ Pooh! You're a silly fool! Y never was better in my life. I understand your case. You see there’s every indication of my getting well, and you're sniveling lest you don’t get Dick. Oh! I understand—I understand! I know how it is. Dick used to come here, I’ve heard, and was playing it up soft on you. But, ha! ha! he’s planted—thank goodness for that! Besides, he wouldn’t stoop to caress one of your little fingers,” Bessie listened, with something akin to horror, unable to make any protesting reply. But there was no particular need of it. Calamity soon subsided into quiet again; her terrible gazo however, never for an instané left the face of her supposed rival. It was a gaze of suspicious resolve, and Bessie felt fearful lest she should attack her in one of her spells of insanity. At last she closed her eyes, and kept them closed so long, that Bessie took it for granted she was asleep, and rose to steal from thé room. But, as quick a3 a flash Calamity, sat up in bed, her eyes fairly blazing with anger, and in her hand she held a cocked revolver! Where she could have got it Bessie had no idea, but she had it all the same, and Bessie was the target at which it was aimed. “Stop! Desert me in this hour of trouble, and I’ll make a corpse of you. I mean business so’ sit down!” she said with promptness and command, And nothing was left for Bessie but to obey. She sat down again, and appeared to busy herself at some sewing, but she: was secretly expecting the erratic woman would make an attempt to do her some injury. Such was not the case, however. ™ about an hour, Calamity fell asleep. She slept soundly until the shadows of night began to gather over the town, and in the mean time Bessie locked her shanty, and ran over tothe nearest store for some Reese 3 She could but’notice the many strange glances of those who bad previously been friendly to- ward her, as well as of stringers, and this too had sent a chill of terror thr gh her frame. * T wish I were far from this place,” she mur- mured, after she had made a few purchases and was hurrying homeward, Something seems to ‘ouble is brewing. Indeed, I have heurly been expecting it since the commodore The Miner Sport. nr es 2 discovered Oalamity in my house, if indeed he had time to discover her before he was dragged out, Just before she reached home she met Joe Langdon, the man who drove the stage, He was a sober, well-minded man of four-and- twenty, fairly good-looking, and making money, but not generally popular because he neither drank, swore nor gambled, and would not work on Sunday. He had called on Bessie once or twice to leave some washing, and duriag such occasions their acquaintance had so progressed that Bessie be- came quite fond of him, while it was easy to see that she was one after his special liking. He stopped her now by a gesture of bis hand, the old quiet smile not upon his face, but in its place an expression of anxiety and doubt, . ‘Misr Burt,” he said, soberly, ‘‘ reports reach me that you are harboring the wife of the once famous outlaw, Deadwood Dick, Tell me, is this true?” ‘Quite true, Mr. Langdon. Calamity Jane, as she is called, came to me wounded almost unto death, andas I ama Christian woman, I took her in, and have cared for her up to the present time.” “Humanity in this case may work you ex- ceeding mischief. That blustering party who | calls himself Commodore Burt has discovered that you are secreting the woman, and ‘he has enlisted the majority of the citizens against you. | To-night an. attack will be made upon your aoe and an attempt made to lynch you Bessie gasped. “Surely they would not do this, sir?” “* T fear they will, ifthey get you. The name of Deadwood Dick, or any person who has ever been associated with him, don’t get much meré at the hands of the citizens of these fousE mining-towhs, and unless I guess amiss, they would show you no mercy. our only.safety . to take your few effects and quietly leave the own, ‘“ What! and leave poor, helpless Calamity to the fury of the mob?” ** What better can you do?” **T can die defending her, Joe Langdon, and that’s every bit what I will do before Pll desert her. Indeed, I'd face a whole army if need be, before I’d be guilty of such a thing!” “Brave girl! I honor your decision, and though it has never been my will to war against mankind, I’ll stand by you now. Hurry back to your home, and I will join you soon, with ammunition and weapons, with which to defend ourselves!” CHAPTER XII, THE END. BrsstE obeyed the stage-driver’s orders, for she had faith in him and his judgment, be- ra he had to her ever seemed honest and ro- jiable, ’ , According to promise, he soon followed her, bringing a trio of good rifles, several revolvers and a stock of ammunition. ; it was by; this time quite dusky outside, and an attack might be expeeted at any minute, — bs iy ads sre

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pees ts. The Min er Sport. 25 Calamity was sleeping calmly, and at Bessie’s request, Langdon took a glance in at her. “Ab! very fair—too pretty, in fact, for the ition in life she occupies,” was his comment,-' pos) H D as he left the room. “I’ve heard of her as Calamity Jane, and that a wilder, more unman- ageable piece does not exist in the hills.” : fe not know much about her,” Bessie re- lied, *‘ more than she has seemed very nice, and as endeared herself to me, in the short time she has been undor my care.” ‘‘ Undoubtedly; she is probably handy at the endearing business. Nevertheless, you are to be commended for having taken her in, under the circumstances,” An hour passed and no hostile demonstration _ was begus on the outside of the shanty, the doors and windows of which Bessie had taken the precaution to carefully fasten. A little later, however, there came a knock at the door, and Bessie thought she recognized it. “Get in the next roon age ae she whis- pered, ‘“‘and wait for my call. I think it is the commodore, come to talk the matter over.” Joe obeyed, and then Bessie went and opened the door. ft was the commodore, indeed, and he entered romptly, when he saw the door opened for m. M “ ffa! ha! Isee you are still here.” “Oh! yes, I am nearly always here,” Bessie replied, composedly. _ ‘‘ You were also here once before, I believe, but took leave so sudden- ly that you scarcely bad time to say your adieus, wonder you are back so soon.” “Oh! yes. Iam aware that I have returned too soon for you,” he replied; ‘ but this time I mean business.” ‘*Todeed!” ** You shall see, my independent miss, things all my own now.” ‘¢T fail to see in what respect, sir.” “Do yout -Well, I have been fértunate enough to discover the important fact that you are secretly conniving against the law by har- boring the wife and partner in crime of the late Deadwood Dick. This fact is all the evidence I can ask against you, for it will hang you with- out parley, if you don’t accede to my terms,” “Hang it shall be, then,” Bessie replied, cool- ly. “I would Hea! such a punishment, if such it can be called, with the greatest alacrity, in preference to accepting or deliberating on any plans you might make. I am perfectly aware of your proposed attack upon my cabin, backed by a collection of ruffians whom cowardice forced you' to hire to do your bidding, All I have to say is, come on! Iam prepared, and I dare and defy you! Joe?” In response to the call Langdon stepped quick. ly from the adjoining room. “Throw bim out, Mr. Langdon,” Bessie or- dered. ‘‘ His presence is obnoxious to me,” *' Yes, throw him out, yt overgrown'loafer, if you can!” the commobore cried, drawing a revolver, But he had no opportunity even to cock it, for the wiry stage-driver sprung upon him at a single bound, wrenched the weapon from his grasp, and, by a dextrous movement, pitched him head-foremost out of doors, Then, witha I have ir of sixes in his , he stood fearlessly-in he doorway and waited for a return assault. But the valiant commodore evidently did not feel disposed to depend upon his own ability to win him laurels, and rising with a smothered malediction, he limped off, { “Now then, look out for trouble,” don said, as he closed and re-barred the door. ‘He won’t tarry long in communicating bis griev- ances to his backers, and we may safely look for the attack at any minute,” + And he was not “off” in his reckoning, , In less than half an-hour a hum of voices became audible out on the night, which, the nearer it approached, increased to a pande-« monium of Picts and screeches, mingled with terrible profanity and the heavy, confused tramp of feet. In the course of five minutes more the riotous crowd came into sight, many of them armed with torches, while others were Banippes with weapons and missiles of every kind. They were all in all a hard-looking gang, numbering forty or fifty. If Burt was among them he was in the rear, where there was the least possibility of*the bul- lets reaching him. ; Inside the cabin, Bessie and Langdon stood near two loop-loles which the Jehu bad thought- fully provided, and peered out at the rough gang, with anxiety and doubt written upon their faces, . ‘It looks like we’ve got a bigger dose than we can swallow,” Langdon remarked, ‘ But there’s onlyeGne thing to do—be brave, and fight to the last. If we succeed in beating them back, all right; if they once get their hands on us, up we go.” kas vlinched her rifle tightly, but did not reply. this time the mob had drawn up in formi- deble force before the shanty, and stood for a moment in grim silence. : Then ar uncouth, ruffianly-looking pilgrim who had evidently been appointed to command, ~ stepped forward and took off his hat, threw it under between his legs and caught it again on his head, after which he said; ‘*Gentlermen an’ feller-citizens! This byar is an occasion as shed fill every patriotic speerit with genuine enthusiasm, fer we’re on ther eve o’ one o’ ther greatest triumphs thet hes ever struck ther country wild. Yonder in thet she- bang aire three human mortals who stand in utter contempt and defiance of the laws of man- kind, one of whom is the wife of the recently killed outlaw, of whony every mother’s son of you must have heard—Deadwood Dick. Asa fair, squar’ an’ upright set of galoots, we hev put our heads tergether in communion, and de cided that et becomes our station, as active honory citizens who takes our bitters straight three times a day, or more, ter boost these law- defying ones to an altertude above ther sins an’ sorrers 0’ this world. Tharfore, on callin’ upon {em ter deliver up, ef they refuse we aire ter sail in an’ tear ther shebang down over their beads. Ain't thet ther ticket?” Je “ Pertisely ther plum!” responded one of th men, end the rest assented by sundry nods and ejaculations.

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I _ smoked with powder. : sepa abe courage wayering. + &6 *°Then, to ye all whomsoever an’ whatsoever may be confined within yon shanty, do J, Grass- hopper Jake, issue a pre-emptory command ter vacate them) premises instanter an’ ter oncet, an’ surrender, or ell be ther wuss fer ye, an’ ye'l' hev ter abide wi’ ther consequences thet foller! Wull ye open up an’ surrender, cr no?” “No!” Joe yelled, through one of the loop- holes, ‘‘ Beware, lest you tackle a hornets’ nest,” ‘Hooray! Heer that, will ye! At ‘em, boys!” the leader shouted. ‘‘Capture ’em, an’ strirg ‘em. up, as ye would a haunch o’ venison to a—” They were the last words of the ruffian. A buliet from Joe Langdon’s rifle cut off his words and, with a, gurgling moan, he fell forward, dead. ; “As they saw him fall, the mob uttered a venge- fui shout, and sprung toward the shanty, bent upon its destruction. It was buta. frail, hastily-built affair, and it was evident that the infuriated roughs must make short work of it. Langdon seemed better aware of the fact than Bessie, and knew that it would be next toa rniracle if they succeeded in saving themselves from slaughter. f This fired him with awful resolve, and with his sixteen-shot repeater he fired rapidly and with telling effect. ’ Bessie was also enough of a border girl to well know the use of a rifle, and she fired her repeater nearly as rapidly as her companion, The mob were hammering and pounding away on the outside, like a pack of demons, doing far more swearing and yelling than effective work, Tn the midst of the terrible confusion Calam- ity appeared at Bessie’s side, clad in the same attire she had worn when she had played up Bumblebee Bob. : ‘What is the matter?’ she demanded, her wild eyes gleaming luridly. “Tt means that the townspeople are after you, and we are trying tosave you from their slutches,” Bessie replied. Calamity stood an instant asif not quite com- prehending the drift of the words; then with a wild laugh she turned and dashed back into her own room and slammed the door shut. * Bang! bang! bang! Hammer! tear! yell! F These seemed to be the ruling sounds that made the night hideous, The ruffians were getting several boards loose; soon they would have made a hole large enough _ to admit them to the inside of the cabin. Tt seemed but a moment now, from the life to the death of the plucky defenders. “Give it to ’em!” Langdon gritted, his face “Tf we give up now we're Jost.” i ‘“We are, anyhow, I am afraid,” Bessie an- po e hope, till the last! Ah! hark!” - The mob had temporarily ceased their attack - upon the building, and the hoof-strokes of ap- proaching horses were heard above the subdued yells of the rioters, : > The Miner Sport, | that he could scarcely walk, Then he became ed ona cee ean nena Sr ORE ‘Thank God! help of some kind is coming,” Langdon cried. And so it appeared, for the attack on the- shanty ceased altogether, while the mob opened fire upon the approaching party, whoever they might be, and their salute was promptly and steadily returned. By aid of a step-ladder, Joe climhed up to tke roof of canvas, and cutting a slit, thrust his ee through to see what was the aspect. of ings. What he saw was a band of horsemen beare ing down upon the mob, firing as they came— not plainly attired riders, by any means, but the same white-robed things that had once be- fore paid the town a visit. They appeared rather lively for ghosts, just new, and the mob seemed to think so too, for there was evident terror among them; they were the defensive rather than the attacking party now. Joe, as soon as he had reconnoitered, descend- ed and apprised Bessie of the situation, and she ie her hands in joy. “This is good news. Whoever these pre- tended ghosts may be, I do not believe we have auy more to fear from them than from this mob of ruffians. What is best to do?” ‘* Hscape while the two parties are engaged in battle. Is there not a rear way?” “Yes; but can we get Calamity to accom- pany us? You know how she is in her state or delirium.? “We can try. I will see what effect 1 can have on her.” He crossed the room and opened the door which communicated with Calamity’s apart- ment. ; A glance showed him that it was vacant. She was gone, and ‘a raised window told how she had escaped.. ; ; Langdon gn etek reported to Bessie this fact, and she was grea’ v surprised. **Poor girl,” she said. ‘I fear she will fati into greater peril, and then she is so sick and weak too! Come, let us get away if possible. The battle outside is furious now, and we shall perhaps be able to escape unnoticed.” They hurried to the rear entrance, not for- getting to take along their weapons, Opening the door they went forth into the almost Stygian darkness of the night, but not half a dozen steps had they taken when they were pounced upon by several white-robed figures, made prisoners in a jiffy—then mounted upon horses, with a guard, and borne rapidly away. . ee The ‘‘ghosts” made short work of cleaning ~~ out the mob, for seeing that defeat was inevita- ble, the roughs soon broke into confusion and fied in all directions. Many were successful in beating a retreat, but not all, and those who were not, fell beneath the fire of the white-roved. ‘| assailants, One of those who made an attempt to esca: was the Danite, Commodore Burt, but before he ran ten yards he got a bullet in his leg which caused him intense pain and disabled him so_ hy

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The Miner Sport. »f aware that he was being followed, and that, too, by one of the white-robed figures, His terror at this was great, and was hight- ened by the fact that he was weaponless, having loaned them to one of the roughs at the begin- ning of the attack on the shanty. Cursing and groaning at every step, he hob- bled along as fast as he could; but the footste of the pursuer sounded close in his rear, and he came to a halt, The white figure also came to a halt, and threw off his ghostly gown, revealing the same gray-bearded man who had once before at- tacked the commodore and whom Bessie had ealled ‘‘ father,” ‘Ha! you ?” the Danite gasped. ‘Yes, I,” the other replied, sternly. ‘‘I see you recognize me now, as your brother, whom you consigned to a dog’s death, at the hands of your accursed Danite allies. But I escaped them, and after I found the persecution you were offering my child, I took your trail, swear- ing to hunt you down to the death you deserve, Your time has come; you shall die now, before any more crime stains your vile soul. Here is a revolver—take ifand blow your brains out, and save me the trouble.” The Danite picked up the weapon, and ex- amined it; then, instead of aiming it at himself, suddenly leveled it at his brother. But he did not fire. He fell to the ground, shoti through the heart by the one whom he would have assassinated. Thus ended this life of crime—the checkered existence of one of the worst wretches that ever helped to add to the dark reputation of Mormon Utah, : Deadwood Dick and Shakespeare found that they were getting more than they bar- gaitied for, in attempting to find their way back to Grim Gulcb, for they lost their beari...3, on a dozen different occasions, and were obliged to retrace their footsteps, all of which was most voxations. Not only that night was absorbed in this wan- dering about, but also the ensuing day, and it was considerably after nightfall the next night ere they reached any familiar landmarks that told them where they were. “T reckon we're not far from Grim Gulch, now,” Dick said, as they strode down a gloomy ravine, ‘‘If lam not greatly mistakén, this is a tributary of the main gulch,” - ‘By ther cackle of old Job’s turkey, I hope welre purty nigh thar, fer I’m sufferin’ fer re- freshments like some camel ten weeks out in ther desert o’ Sarah Jane,” was the poet’s gloomy answer. : “‘Dve noticed thaf you've been less’ poetical than usual,” Dick observed with a smile. ‘* But cheer up; it cannot be far now to a place where strychnine-juice is for sale. Ha! hold on!” ey came to a halt, Dick a few paces in ad- vance and standing in an attitude on the de- fensive. j A few rods ahead gleamed a faint light through a thin motte of trees, which looked as if there might be an encampment there of some Cy Be | ? sort. ge We'd better investigate the origin of that,” & Qe Dick said, pointing toward it, ‘‘ before we stum- ble into a hornets’ nest. You stay here, and Pli go ahead and explore.” He did so, and found a littleccamp-fire burn- ing in the motte, in the light of which were four persons, who had evidently but recently ar- . rived, Two of the persons were duplicates of the white-robed gang who had been Dick’s captors from the Grim Guich jail; the other two were Joe Langdon and Bessie Burt. Deadwood Dick aed pale when he saw them, for he knew there bad been trouble at Bessie’s home, and if Calamity was there sick, what may not have been her fate? At first he was tempted to sail in and attack the two ‘‘ghosts” single-handed, but, havin! only one weapon, and that a knife, he conclud it would be the safest to enlist the poet in the rescue. : Therefore, he hastily notified that worthy. and together they made a detour aud approache the camp from the opposite side, to which their — backs were turned. To approach close behind them and seize them was sbort but careful work, and their ghost- ships found themselves bound and helpless, al- most before they were aware of it. Langdon and Bessie were then released, and explanations were exchanged when Dick learned. of Calamity’s condition and her strange flight. “T fear I will never see her again—at any rate, not like the same girl she once was,‘ God watch over and protect ber.” The outlaws were unmasked of their white gowns, and proved to be two of the pilgrims who had once, in the early days of Deadwood, belonged to one of Dick’s bands of road-agents. On this account, Dick decided not to do them any further harm than to leave them where they were bound, to await the arrival of their companions. Feeling that it was no Jonge safe for any of the party in that region, Dick proposed that they cross the range to the favorite mining dis- tricts, thirty or forty miles distant, to which all assented, and they set forth. The following day they came across the body of Mr. Burt or Silver Brow. In the darkness he had evidently fallen from. a cliff above the trail, to which be had been making his way. He was stone dead; and by his side were sev~ eral bags of gold, both in nuggets and shining dust, which he was, for some reason, bearing along with him. : The gold was turned over to Bessie, who re- cognized the dead man as her- father; and he was given as good a burial] as circumstances. would permit. The party safely reached the new camp, and — here Bessie, in due time, became Mrs, Joe Lang- don, while Deadwood Dick. and his now fast friend, Shakespeare, took their leave on a toyy of search for lost Calamity Jane, — rie

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M. J. IVERS & 00.8 PUBLICATIONS. SOUTH FIFTH AVENUE PoKER CLUB. FLAINDSOMELWT ILLUSTRATED. ‘ é | CONTENTS: : Toot Wanted to Divide the “‘ Jacker.” The Rev. Mr, Thankful Smith Has a A Blue Chip Waterloo. : | Brush with Mr, Tooter Williams. “Toot, Yo’ Done Yo’se’f Proud.” 7 Mr. Williams Turns Informer, Tooter Williams’s Game. Tooter Williams’s Cigar. An Exciting Debate Growing Out of aj An Executive Session of the South Fifth / Well-Advised Kick on a Member’s Avenue Poker Club, Part. Satisfactory Collateral, Mr, Tooter Williams Redeems His I 0 U’s | He Was a Pirate King, : ; inan OriginalManner. . - Only a Business Man’s Game. 5 “ Suckers Can’t Poke.” “That Hand is Good; Take the Pot,” Mr, Tooter Williams in Trouble. A Large Hand, Yooter ‘Williams Resigns. A Good One for Goodwin. { PRICE 25 CENTS BY MAIL. POSTAGE STAMPS TAKEW- | M. J. IVERS & CO., PUBLISHERS, ae = |. 870 #BARL STREET, NEW YORK

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% Deadwood Deadwood gers. Deadwood Deacwood Miner, Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Charlie. Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Bill. Deadwood of Gold.: Deadwood Deadwood the Road, Deadwood Jezebel. Deadwood EDWARD L WH HEELER' KADWOOD DICK NOVEL in The Half-Dime Library. Dick, the Prince of the Road, Dick’s Defiance; or, Double Deadwood’ Dick in Disguise; or, Buffalo Ben. Dick in His Castle. Dick's Bonanza; or, The Phantom Dick in Danger; or, Omaha OIL Dick’s Bagles. Dick.on Deck; or, Calamity Jane. Dick’s Last Act; ar, Corduroy Dick in Leadville Dick’s Device. Diek as Detective. Diek’s Double. Dick's Home Base, Blonde A Game wes Dicx’s Big Strike} or, Dick of Deadwood. Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hill’s Dick's Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Adventure, Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood ‘2 Deadwood Deadwood - ' Deadwood Deadweod Deadwood so? Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwocd Case.” Deadwood Hand. Deadwe cent Sig. Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwoc* Deadwood Deady «7d Deady d Doadwood Neadwoe * Deadwoo. Deadwoou Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood gu, Deadwood Me Deadwood Deadwoor Bt 2 ) MaPkoL Neadwoa - Dick's Dead Deal. Dick’s Death-Plant, Dick at Pistolville, Dick’s Divide: Dick’s Death Tras! Dick's Deal, Dick’s Dozen. Dick's Ducats. Dick Sentenced, Dick’s Claim. Df{ck in Dead City. Dick's Diamonds. Dick in NewYork; or, A ‘‘ Cute Dick’s Dust; The Chained Dick, Jr.; or, The Crimson Cres. Dick, Dick, J. or, Jr.'s, Defiance. s, Full Hand. Dick, Big Round-Up. Dick, Racket at Claim 16, Dick, Corral, Dick, « s, Dog Detective Dick, Jr., in Deadwood Dick, Jr’ s, Compact. Diek, Jr.'s, Inheritance Dick, Jr.’ 8, Diggings. Dick, Jr.'s, Deliverance, Dick, Jr.’s, Protege. Dick, J , Three. Danger Ducks Lick, Jr.’s, Death Hunt. Tick, Jr., in Texas. ay, Dies, Jr., the Wild West Vicceq Nick, Jr., on His Mettle. Dick, Jr., in Gotham Dick, Jr., in Boston. Dick, Jr., in Philadelphia Dick, Jr., in Chicago. Dick, Jr., Afloat. Dick, Jr., in Denver. Dick, Jr.’s, Decree. Dick, Jr., in Beelzebub’s Be Dick, Jr.. at_Coney Island, Dick. Jv*s, Leadville Lav Dick, Jr., in Detroit. | Dick, Jr. in Clacinnc *, Deadwood . Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood tinent. Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadw6od 734 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood 782 Deadwood 787 Deadwood 792 Deadwood 79T Deadwood 802 Deadwood 807 Deadwood 812 Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadweod Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwood Leadwood Deadwood Deadwood Deadwoad Deadwood Deadwood eadwood eadwood Deadwoc4d 1005 Deadwood Dick, 1011. Deadwood Dick, Jr.” Dick, Jr., in Nevada, Dick, Jr., in No Man’s Land Dick, Jr., After the Queer, Dick, Jr. -» in Buffalo. Dick, Jr,’s, Chase Across the % Dick, Jr., Among the Smugglt Dick, Jr.'s, Insurance Case, Dick, Jr., Back in the Minks, Dick, Jr. +, in Durango, Dick, Jr.’ 8, Discovery, Dick, Jr.'s, Dazzle. Dick, Jr.’s, Dollars, Dick, Jr.’s, at Danger Divide, Dick, Jr.’s, Drop. Dick, Jr., at Jack-Pot. ; Dick, Jr., at San Francisco, Dick, 5 *s, Still, Hunt. Dick, Jr.'s, Dominoes. Diek, Jr.’s, Disguise. Dick, Jr.’s, Double Deal. Dick, Jr. "8, Déathwatch. Dick, Jr.’$) Doublet. Dick, Jr.’ s, Deathblow. Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Strait, } Dick, Jr.’ $s, Lone Hand. Dick, Jr.’s, Defeat. ‘ Dick, Jr.'s, Resurrection, Dick, Jr.'s, Dark Days. Dick, Jr., Defied. Dick, Jr. 8, Double. Device. Dick, Jr.’s, Desperate Ven Dick, Jr.'s, Diamond Dice. Dick, Jr.’s, Royal Flush, Dick, Jr.'s, Head-off. Dick, Jr.’ 5, Rival. Diek, Jr.’ 8, Boom. Dick, Jr.’s, Seoop. Dick, Jr.’ s, Proxy. Dick, Jn.8, Clutch. Diek, JIr.’s, High Horse. Dick, Jr., at Levil’s Gulch, ; Dick, Jk.’ 8s, Death-Hole Huth, Dick, Jr.'s, Bombshell. Dick, Jr., in Mexico. Dick, Jr.'s, Deeoy Duck. Dick, Jr., in Silver Pocket. Diek, Jr.’ 'S, Dead-Sure Game, Dick, Jr.’ 8, Double Drive. Dick, Jr. *s, Trade-Mark, Dick, Jr. , at Tip-Top. Dick, Jr.’s, Double- aeckas Dick, Jr., at Dollaryille, : 4 Dick, Jr. ; at Flush Flats, Dick, Jr.’s, ae ee : Dick! Jr.’s, D ble Drop. Dick, Jy.’s, Right Bower, Dick, Jr.'s, Ten-Strike, ~ Dick, Jr.’s Gold-Dust. Dick, Jr.’ s, Oath. Dick, Jr.’s, Death-Doom Dick, Jr.'s, Best Card. Dick, Jr. “ at Gold Dusi £ Dick, Jr.’s, Big Play. eae Branded. Dutch Pard. re, {15 Deadwood Dick, Ta 's, Big Four, The above Half-Dime Libraries are For Sere “Es by ALL NEWSDEALERS, five cents Pe. copy, ow sant hy m°*' 10 vranmimt ON Tree. a on af eS Sy

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BUFFALO BILL Novels in the DIME —s 82 Death Trailer, the Chief of Scouts: or, Life and Hove in a Frontier Fort. ' By Buffalo Bill, a4 ce ; ‘ ; a, "tte The Dootied Dozen; or, Buffalo Bin, ‘Citet of Scouts. By Dr. Frank Powell, 4.> Wild Bil, the Pistol Dead-Shot. A Romance of Buffalo Bill’s Old Pard. By Col. P. Ingraham, .¥% Wi'd Biil's Trump Card; or, ‘Tne indian Hetress, By Col. Prentiss ngraham, 189 Wild Bill’s Gold Trail; or, The Desperate Dozen, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 43 The Pilgrim Sharp; or, The Soldier’s Sweetheart, | By Buffalo Bill, Government Scout and Guide. m9 wild 1 Bit, the Whirlwina of the West. By But- 29 The League of Three: or, Buffalo Bill’s Pledge, By Col. “Brentied Ingraham, 47 The Wizara Brothers; or, White euver’s Trail, By buffalo Bill, n The One-Armed Pard; or, Red Retribution in Borderland, By Buffalo Bill. {7 Buffalo Bill’s First Trail; or, Will Cody, the Pony Express Rider. By Ned ‘Buntline. 39 The Dead Shot Nine; or, My Pards of the Plains, By Buffalo Bill. {39 Daredeath Dick, ee of the Cowboys: or, Buf- falo Bill’s Daring Role. By Leon Le 139 The Gold King; or, Montebello, the Magnificent, By Buffalo Bill. *4 Buffalo Bill’s Bonanza; or, The Knights of the Silver Circle. Rv Col P. Ingraham, ¥w9 Buck Tay.or, the Saddle Kng. By Col. P, In. graham : #2 Buffalo Bill’s Secret Sanya Trail; or, The Mys terious foe. By Maj. Dangerfiel d'Burr, 191 Buffalo Bills Blind Trail; or, Mustang Madge, the Daughter of the Regiment. By Ingraham. 497 say Bill’s ee Brotherhood; or, Open- ig Up a Lost Trail. Col P. Ingraham, 110 Bufalo ‘Bil Baffled; ay he Deserter Desperado’s Defiance, By Col. 'P. Ingraham, #16 Buffa'o Bill’s Scout Shadowers; or Emerald Ed of Devil's Acre, By Col, P. Tazraham. #22 Buffalo Bill on the War-Path. By Gol, Ingraham {27 stuffaio Bill’s Body-guard By Col, P. Ingraham, © Buffalo Bill's Beagles. By Col. P. Ingraham. : pace Bill and His Merry Men. By Ool, P. ‘(ogra ow erate Bt Biil’s Blind. Ry Col. P. Ingraham. «3 Buffalo Bill’s Flush Hand; or, Texas Jack’s ‘ “Pravos. By Col, P. Ingrabam, a4 » t8% baffalo Bill’s Big four. By Col. P. Ingraham. 7 B .ffalo Bill’s Double; or, The Desperado Detec- _ tive. By Col Prentiss lograbam. ‘61 Buffalo Spits s Mascot, or, Death Valley Victim No, 18. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham _ 85 Buffalo Bill's Dozen; or, Silk-Ribb:n Sam. By : Col Pre’ tiss Ingraham, “89 Buffalo Bill’s Sweepsiake. By Col. Ingraham. “A? Buffalo Bill’s Dead Shot, ee “aol, Prentis® bea on Buffalo Bill’s Spy-shadower. Bv Col.Ingrsham | ° © by mail an: af 800 Wild Bi, the D»ad-Center Sho_ or, Rio Gran Ralph the Cowboy Chief. By Buffalo Bill, 807 Wilu Bill, the Wild West Duelist; or, The Girl Mascot of Moonlight Mine, By Buffalo Bill, 812 Buffalo Bili’s Death-Knell; or, The Red Hand Riders of the Rockies BY Col. P Ingraham 820 White Beaver’s Still Hunt; cr, The Miner Marauder’s Death-Track, By Buffalo Rill, 822 Buffalo Bill’s Best Bower; or, Montebello, the Gold King. By Col. P. Ingraham. 826 Buffalo Bill’s) Sharp-Shooters; or; The Surgeon Ser ut to the Rescue. . By Col, P. Ingraham. 830 Buffalo Bill’s Boys in Bue; or, The Brimstcne B nd’s Blot-out. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 839 oe Ranch King Dead Shot; or, Texas Jack’s Proxy. By Buffalo Bill. 845 Buffalo Bul’s Redskin Ruse; or, Texas Jack’s Death Shot, By Co), Prentiss Ingrabam, 851 Buffalo Bill’s Double Dilemma; or, The Grea Scout’s Big Tbree. By Col. Prentiss Ingraham} 857 Buffalo Bilt s Royal Fins; or. The Pony Riders Dea‘h-Ruo. By Col. Prentiss Ingrabam. 863 Buffalo 8 I's Death-Charm; or, The Man Wiih a Sear. at Col, Prentiss Ingrabam. 869 Buffalo Bi I's Road-Agent‘Ronad-up; or The Mys- terious Masked Manin Black. By Ingrahem, 874 Buffaio Bill’s Buckskin B-aves; or, The Card, Queen’s Las* Gane By Oo), P. Ingraham, j 882 Tne Threc< Bilts: Biffle Bul, ¥ ild Billand Bana box Bul: or, Th» Bravo ix Broadcloth. Ingrabam 890 Buffalo Bill's Life- Stake; or, The Pledged Taree, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham, . 895 Buffalo Bil’s Seeret Ally; or, The Texan” Double, By Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 900 Buffalo Bil’s Rough Riders; or, Texas Jack’ Sosrp-Shooters. by Col. P. Ingraham, 904 Buffalo Bili’s Tang d Trail; or, Gentleman Jack, the Man of Many Masks. By Ingraham, 909 Buff ito Bill’s- League; or, Red Butterfly, Bs Col. Prentiss Ingraham. 915 B ff:lo Billi and the Surgeon Sceut;or Go wan: ‘0, the R-dskiu Rider. By Cul, P. Ingraham. 921 sufFaio Bill's Quandary, or, Velvet Bill's Vou Bs Col, Prentixe Ingraham, 927 eee Bil’s B uff; or, Dusky Dick, the Sport Col. P. ‘ograham. 936 By ral Bill’s Black Pard; or, The Gold Bo~ reer of the Big Horn. By Col. P. “Ingraham. 948 Buffalo Bill’s Block Game. By Colonel R, Ingraham, 950 Buffalo Bill at Bay. By Colonel Prentiss Ingraham. 956 Buffalo Bill's Volunteer Vigilantes. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 960 Buffalo Bill's Blue Belt Brigade. By Colone! Prentiss Ingraham. 964 Buffalo Bill’s Invincibles. By Col, Prentiss Ingraham. 969 Texas Jack, the Lasso Kine: or, The Rob- ie Rangers of the Rio Grande. By ‘3uffale Bill. 973 The Dread-Shot Four. By Buffalo Bill. 7S Buffalo Bill’s Relentless Trail. By Cot. Prentiss Ingraham. 484 Buffalo Bill's Life Raffle; or, The Doomed, Three. Ready Sept. 1. \89 Buffalo Bill’s Marked Bullet. By Col. &. Ingraham. Ready Oct. 6. 94 Buffalo Bill's Lone Hand. By. Col. P. In graham 900 Buffalo Bill’s Grim Guard. By Col. P. Ine graham. “ The above Drum L’‘braries are Por Sale y » LL NEWSDEt”" ERS, ten cents 7 CAGE, “bof nrica. ‘

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SMART TOASTS FOR THE SMART DBT. Vest Pocket Size. 64 Pages. Sewed Book. Up-to-Date. By Mail, Postpaid, I2c. per Copy. BEST LINE OF HAND BOOKS PUBLISHED. “YIDDISH * YARNS.—A Collection of Hebrew Jokes, Stories, etc. GENTS’ LETTER WRITER.—A Perfect Guide to all kinds of Correspondence. FAMILY PHYSICIAN.—Family Diseases and Their Treatment; Rules of Health, ete. BOOK OF DREAMS.—Their Romance and Mystery, with a Complete Interpretation Dictionary. HOUSEWIFE’S MANUAL.—How to Keep House; How to Dye, Cleanse, etc. VAUDEVILLE JOKER.—Best Jokes by Eminent Vau- deville Artists. i BOOK OF ETIQUETTE.—Society, Visits, Introduc- tions, Dress, Balls, etc. FORTUNE TELLER.—Fortune Telling by Cards, Tea or Coffee Grounds, Eggs; Palmistry, ete. BOOK OF 100 GAMES.—One Hundred Games for Social Parties and Home Amusements. COOK BOOK.—Economical, Practical, Excellent. LADIES’ LETTER WRITER.—How to Write; When to Write; What to Write. RECIPE BOOK.—For the Parlor, Nursery, Sick-room, Toilet, Kitchen, Larder, etc. BOOK OF BEAUTY.—Beauty of Form, Color, Head, Hair, te ae Skin, ete., with chapters on — Perfumes, Cosmeties, 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: ‘t 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’ 5 CENTS PRICE 1 Dandy RBill’s Doom, By Oll Coomes. By A. W. Aiken. By Stoddard. By Ingraham, By E. L. Wheeler. 3 Kit Carson. 4 Lillie, the Reckless Rider. 5 Old Grizzly in the Rockies. 6 Deadwood Dick as a Boy. 7 Wild Bill. By Ingraham. 8 The Prairie Ranch. By J. E. Badger. 9 Roving Joe. By A. H. Post. 10 Texas Jack. By Ingraham. 11 Charley Skylark, the Sport. By H. B. Stoddard. 12 Brimstone Bill’s Booty. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 18 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. Eyster. 26 Red River Rovers. By C. D. Clark. 27 Buckskin Sam’s Wild Ride. By Ingraham, 28 The Sword Prince, By F. Whittaker. 29 Snow-Shoe Tom. By T. C. Harbaugh. 30 Pavl De Lacy. By C. D. Clark. 31 Round the Camp-Fire. By J. E. Badger, Jr. 32 Fancy Frank’s Drop. ay. Ingraham. 2 'The Boy Crusader, By Capt. F. Whittaker. LIBRARY. PER COPY. 34 The Chase of the Great White Stag. By ©. D. Clark, 35 Old Tar Knuckle. By Rover Starbuck, 36 ‘The Dashing Dragoon. By F. Whittaker. 87 Night-Hawk George. By Ingraham. 38 The Boy Exiles of Siberia. By Tl. 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. Harbaugy. 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 I. C. Harbaugh. 49 Nebraska Charlie. By Ingraham. 50 Jack, Harry, ana Tom. By F. Whittaker, 51 ‘om Stone, the Old Sea Dog. By C. D. Clark. 52 The Boy Detectives. By T. C. Harbaugh. 58 Harry, the Country Boy, in New York. By Charles Morris. 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. Ky S. 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 ‘Il. 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. F ) e ; ‘ i:

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THE eadwood e Library e ick LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-GOLOKED COVERS. 82 Pages. Issued Every Wednesday. Price 5 Cents, Buy One and You Wili Buy the Rest! &xtracts from the New York Evening Sun. TWO REMARKABLE HEROES. in only one sense of the word can it be regarded as a novel statement when the fact is here recorded that litera- gure has given many heroes to the world, and perhaps more than one reader will have to think a moment over #his remark before the subtle delicacy. of its genial wit otrikes home, Fi But it is most essentially a half dime novel statement zhat will be news to many when it is added that litera- jure, 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_ sven judged worthy of comparison with the two greatest ‘eroes known to American literature, or, to promptly re- syeal 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 9 * * jt is but natural that their * * * should bear ‘sway the palm of popularity, and suchas * * * be left far behind in the race, It can be easily believed, therefore, that the two Dicks © so firmly ¢ grafted on the tree of popular literature “boys and 3 ung men, that thelr position is assured ‘*” and thac they stand to-day head and shoulders above all rivals in the eyes of the public for which thes have lived, and for which one of them has died. ‘American voyhood, and that is a tremendous factor in 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 his everlasting warfare against crime and his never-ending solving of impenetrable mysteries. Millions of boys follow his stealthy footsteps as he tracks his vicious 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 oF cele neCy 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 5 The Doyble Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance &@ The Buifalo Demon; or, The Border Vultures 4 Buffalo Ben, Prince of the Pistol Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval 4 Death-Face, the Detective 7 The Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza 3. Old Avalanche, the Great Annihilator; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand %# Bob Woolf, the Border Ruffian 39 Omaha Ol), the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger ‘4 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to Death 9% Deadwood Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar \9 Buckhorn Biil; or, The Red Rifle Team i4 Gold Rifle, the bad ‘stir nag 1 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane 16 pee Charlie, the Boy Bravo it rome’ Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the uic. \8 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand \@ Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance % Watch-Eye, the Shadow | yay Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross : Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief % Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty & Deadwood Dick as Detective % Gilt-Kdge Dick % Bonanza Bill, the Man-Tracker ; or, The Secret Twelve W Chip, the Girt Sport 4 Jack Hoyle’s Lead; or, The Road to Fortune Boss Bob, the King of Bootblacks » Peano Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon ~ an) _ 1 Blonde Bill; or, Deadwood Dick’s Home Base @ Soli? .Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 88 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job 84 A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 5 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, "he Picked Party 86 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective 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 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 “4 a or Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator's ame 45 ‘The Frontier Detective; or, Sierra Sam’s Scheme 48 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 50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect- ives 51 ee i Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rougk anc 52 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 53 Denver Doll’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 Buck 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 Deco 63 iar eee Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa ras Cit; 64 pee ae arlie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings M. J. LIVERS & CO., Publishers (James Sullivan, Proprietor), 879 Pearl Street, NEW YORK.

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PRS OP pe le 78 as PFET OS yopyright 1831-1888, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 1899, THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. No. 47 Cleveland, Ohio Vol. IV KS y FETA San THE OLD MAN MET' COMMODORE BURT FACE TO FACE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELLA UNION, AND SHOOK HIS EIST IN THE LATTER’S FACE, AFTER WHICH HE HOBBLED ON.

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a> A. — or : - he | fopyright 1881-1888, by Beadle & Adams. Entered at Post Office, New York, N. Y., as second class matter. Mar. 15, 189, ef Issued Weekly, THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO, Price 5 Cents. No. AT x Cleveland, Ohio $2.50 @ Year. Vol. IV

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Deadwood Dick e Library e 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 Tervor; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger 11 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix; or, Through to Deat 12 iy ae Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood ar 13 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter 15 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane 16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 ost Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the ule! 18 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance 20 Watch-Eye, the Shadow 21 caveats Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double ross 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 28 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty 24 Deadwood Dick as Detective 25 Gilt-Edged 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 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch . 81 Blonde Bill; or. Deadwood Dick’s Home Base 82 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-COLORED COVERS. 82 Pages. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest! Fer Sample Cover See Other Bide. DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. i 83 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob’s Boss Job 34 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 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 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 Bay Paes 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 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 50 Sierra Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect ives 51 base ae Sentence; or, Little Luck at Reugh anc 52 The Girl Sport; or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise 53 Denver Doll’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 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- fras City 64 Ogisrae Charlie’ Detective Dash; or, The Cattlo ings ieee

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wepyright 1881-1888, by Beadle & Adams, Entere ! at Post Office, New York, N. Y., a8 second class natrer. Mar. 15, 1899, THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. No. AT Cleveland, Ohio Vol. IV : Monash Minas Maga ae } Te ESSA ie THE OLD MAN ME1' COMMODORE BURT FACE TO FACE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELLA UNION, AND SHOOK HIS aa EIST IN THE LATTER'S FACE, AFTER WHICH HE HOBBLED ON. .

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y I. d Weekly, THE ARTHUR WESTBROOK CO. Price 5 Cents. Tv No AT nee qencs Cleveland, Ohio $2.50 @ Year, V ol. IV Sw y 3 é (i aay TEN STON cote a et = i HE OLD MAN MET COMMODORE BURT FACE TO FACE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE BELLA UNION, AND SHOOE BIS f { SIS? Ni THE LATTER'S FACE, AFTER WHICH BE HOBBLED ON, »

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Deadwood Dick Library @ 4 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 Omens oll, the Masked Terror; or, Deadwood Dick n Dan 11 sin n Blase, Jr.,the Boy Phenix; or, Through to R Desul0d Dick’s Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood 18 Buckhorn Bill; or, The Red Rifle Team 14 Gold Rifle, the ‘Sharpshooter 45 Deadwood Dick on Deck: or, Calamity Jane - 16 Corduroy Charlie, the Boy Bravo 17 vend Rob; or, Nugget Ned, the Knight of the mic. j8 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rasanna Rob on Hand 19 Photograph Phil: or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance Watch-Eye, the Shadow aa Dick’s Device; or, The Sign of the Double : ross 22 Canada Chet, the Counterfeiter Chief 28 Deadwood Dick in Leadville; or, A Strange Stroke for Liberty 24 Deadwood Dick as Detective » 25 Gilt-Edged 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 380 Deadwood Dick’s Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch ~ $1 Blonde Bill; or. Deadwood Dick’s Home Base 82 Solid Sam, the Boy Road-Agent 7 -53 Denver Doll LATEST AND BEST. HANDSOME TRI-COLORED COVERS, 82 Pages. Buy One and You Will Buy the Rest? Fer Sample Cover See Other Bide. DEADWOOD DICK LIBRARY. . 83 Tony Fox, the Ferret; or, Boss Bob's Boss Job o A Game of Gold; or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike 35 Deadwood Dick of Deadw ood; or, The Picked Party 86 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective 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 40 Deadwood Dick’s Dream; or, The Rivals of the Road 41 Deadwood Dick’s Ward; or, The Black Hills Jezebe! 42 The Arab Detective; or, *Snoozer, the Boy Sharp 43 The Ventriloquist Detective. A Romance of Rogues 4 Deere Josh Grim; or, The Young Gladiator’s Gam 45 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 Sain the Detective 50 pa Sam’s Double; or, The Three Female Detect 51 Sierra Se Sam’s Sentence; or, Little Luck at Rough 52 The Girl Sport or, Jumbo Joe’s Disguise - "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 T: rapped 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 fe a otter Fritz; or, The Store-Detective’s Deco: sf rs ie ge Road-Agent; or, The Miners of Sassa 64 Colorado 0 Bnartie’s Detective Dash; or, The Cattle ings