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~~, to find a missing man. The case is t
sent
Sek gana eae seg hanes An!
6
things work right, appear to be Elder Mere-
dith’s right-hand man and ally, while in reality
Iam working dead against him, Understand
the racket?” —
‘“‘Hum! yes, partly. I’ve heard my pard,
Old Avalanche, speak of you frequently. You
are a detective?”
** Yes; but mum’s the word as regards that.
Iam here op an important mission, and while
working out my own case, can be of service to
your cause in a quiet way.”
** Jes’ so—jes’ so! An’ right glad we shall be
to have you on our side!” the General declared ;
‘“*for both me an’ my friend Avalanche ain’t
quite up to the fightin’ standard we once war,
especially sence we war forced to bitch up in
double harness. Lordy! tho’, my woman’s a
queen to the old catamount Alva’s got.”
“Probably. From what I saw last night, my
‘old friend bas a hard lot of it, Where does
‘Avalanche live?”
**In a cabin, down yonder on the south edge
* o’ the pernins’ler; but ef you know when you're
well off, you will not go pokin’ ‘round thar, fer
you'll allus find the old woman ‘at home,’ in
high tantrum, and her reception committee
consists of @ pair of forty-four caliber ‘ barkers’
which sbe knows how to use with effect. So, if
you are bankerin’ to get filled full of solder, you
tter go down and call on Sal. If she don’t
make it interesting for you, I’ll keep free bar
fer the bull town from now till closin’-up time
to-nig' .
“Well, if that’s the case, I hardly think I
shall venture to intrude upon the charming
matron!” Dick declared, shrugging bis shoul-
ders, . ‘I'd like to have a longer talk with
Avalanche, however, as no doubt he could give
me points that I wish to know.”
‘Well, if that’s the case, you're likely to have
to, wait awhile!” the General chuckled, ‘for,
ten to one, the Annihilator will be under an
_ eclipse, for a week to come. If ther inquiries
ye. have to make concern this hyer town, I
reckon I kin post you purty nigh as well as ther
next one,”
“ Very well, » You're the individual 1 want to
see. One part of my mission in Jackpot City is
is: Over
‘a month ago, 'I sent a detective partner of mine
““ {nto the Humboldt Mountains, in this immediate
vicinity, to hunt upa man to whom an impor-
tant secret was to be committed. My partner
was tocommunicate with me as often as pos-
sible, but, having heard nothing of him, or of
the result of his search, up to two weeks ago, I
set out in search of him, myself, and after
scouring the mountains hereabouts, I finally
struck this town. But, after getting a look at
most of the citizens, I have failed to find my
2 rtner, and fear that some harm has befallen
mo
““ What fer name did yer partner bear?”
* Joseph Sands!”
“Sands, eh?’ and the General rubbed the bald
_ Surface of his cranium, until it assumed nearly
as roseate a tint as the end of bis nose. ‘* Sands,
hey? Yes, I allow I’ve seen him. Short, stocky
sort of a galoot, hey?”
“ Exactly!”
“ Rather good-lookin’, wi’ a blonde mustacbe,
and mighty keen eyes!” .
**Yes! yes! that’s the man, Where is he?”
“Gone where the woodbine twineth, my
friend, Ireckon, Thar was sech a feller floated
into this camp, about a fortnight ago, an’ got
into some trouble wi’ Meredith. I don’t know
the bull circumstances o’ thecase, but I’ve beern
tell that he didn’t get out o’ camp alive!”
“Do you mean to say that he was foully
Healt with?” demanded Dick in evident excite-
ment,
“Dunno what else ye kin make outo’et. I
know he disappeared mighty suddint, an’ Dead-
shot Dave has told me that he didn’t leave ther
town by ther way of Purgatory Pass.”
** Who is Deadsbot Dave?”
«tHe keeps ther Tollgate, up ther pass,”
‘Ah! I see!” and Deadwood Dick paced to
and fro, in front of the bar, in perplexity. ‘* By
Heaven! if this double-dyéd scoundrel, Mere-
dith, has cause the death of poor Sands, this
town is doomed, and he with it. Not an ac-
cursed Mormon shall escape!”
“ Bully for youl” cried the General, en-
thusiastically. ‘ That's the way to talk it! You
sail in an’ start the ball a-rollin’, an’ ye can
every Gentile in the cainp will be with ye,
tooth, Thomashawk, and toe-nail!”
Richard made no answer for a few moments,
er
-e° then, he asked, abruptly.
“Did Sands’ tell you, or have you heard any
ene py what was his mission, in Jackpot
y
Deadwood Dick Sr.’s Decree.
‘*No, I only saw him once, and afterward
heard he and Meredith had had a quarrel, and
that Sands would not be likely to pick up any
more quarrels around this hyer camp. It ain’t
a healthy, job to go nosin’ around into Mormon
affairs, an’ so I warcontent to accept what lit-
tle [ beerd as a conclusion that your pard had
been done for by the Danites!”
‘The Danites?”
‘“‘Yes—Paul Podesta and his gang. When
there’s any dirty work Meredith wants done,
they’re the chaps as does it, it is said.”
** How many are there of ’em?”
‘*That’s more’n [ kin tell you, for the rest of
‘em is unknown, except Podesta, and even he
professes to know nothing of. the existence of
such a gang. We Gentiles know better, and it’s
only keeping our mouths sbut and conforming
to Meredith’s tyrant rules that keeps us from the
unpleasant sensation of . waking up some morn-
ing to find ourselves corpses.” —
**Humph! I see. But this sort of business
won't last long.. When I get things working
right [11 make short work of ‘Morton Meredith
and his infamous Mormon .rule. _Now, drop-
ping Sands out of the case, and granting that
he bas been foully dealt with, I want to ask you
if there is, or has been, previous to my arrival,
such a man in Jackpot City as John Prince?”
‘* John Prince?- Great bumped-up hornety, I
should say thar war! Why, et war me, General
George Washington Potts, together wi’? John
Prince an’ Old Avalanche, who first discovered
ther auriferous in this hyar canyon.”
** Indeed? hen I am on the right trail,”
Dick said. ‘It was to bunt up this man,
Prince, that I sent_my partner into the Hum-
boldt Mountains. Where will I find bim—I
mean Jobn Prince?”
‘*T reckon you won't find him at all for the
present,” the General replied, grimly, ‘* or if you
do, you'll run the risk o’ gettin’ riddled wi’ bul-
lets a-doin’ it!”
The General then went on, and detailed how,
by Meredith’s orders, all the Gentiles except
John Prince had been forced to take unto them-
selves Mormon wives, and how Prince bad been
shut up ina secret dungeon, somewhere in the
bowels of the mountains, there to remain for
fourteen days without food or water, all be-
cause he refused to accept the fate of his com-
rades,
‘“* Where is this dungeon?’ Dick demanded,
when the General had finished.
“TS rd. only knows!” the General
groaned. ‘tThe boys bave tried to locate it,
but have made an ignominious failure, and, as
near as they can learn, Meredith and his tool,
Podesta, are the only two who know where the
dungeon is,”
“* Pll bet I'll know,” Dick asserted, ‘‘ before I
amin Jackpot City many hours longer, How
long bas John Prince been imprisoned, thus
far
Thisis the tenth day. Poor fellow, I reckon
he’s turned up his toes, long ere this. 1 allow
no man could live that long, without food or
drink,”
“It would seem not, Yet I have heard of in-
stances where people lived many days: more
than that. John Prince had a daughter, bad he
not?”
oe Yes.”
‘What became of her?” }
“She lives down yonder, on the furthest point
of the peninsula, in the little cottage, Poor
thiog! she nearly cries her pretty eyes out, all
on account of her father’s being shut up,
At this juncture a number of roughly dressed
laborers entered the bar-room, and so conversa-
tion for the time being was at an end.
. - CHAPTER V.
MISS PRINCE.
DurrnG the daytime, especially working hours,
Jackpot City was about the quietest town one
could imagine, all the male population, with the
exception of a bandful of tradesmen and saloon-
keepers, being at work in tbe big drift that was
driven into the mountain-side; and which was
yielding so much rich ore, that placer mining on
the peninsula was abandoned,
After breakfast, Dick sauntered forth for a
stroll,
The nortbern portion of the peninsula was tim-
bered with majestic pines and cottonwoods, and
afforded a shady retreat, and baving nothing in
particular to occupy his attention, until later in
the day, Bristol wandered toward the woods,
and later threaded its leafy aisles,
Aray ahead, through the timber, the roar of
the turbulent waters of Cyclone Creek could be
heard, as they lashed themselves into a fury
against the rock-ribbed shores in a Vain effort
to cut across the neck of land, and then with a
sullen rush had to turn aside, and sweep angrily
around the peninsula’s point.
But neither the caroling of the winged song-
sters overhead nor the hubbub of the waters,
seemed to be noticed by the Wild West Detec-
tive, as he wandered among the trees in deep
hought,
For an hour he paced to and fro, and then
paused to light a cigar and look at his watch.
As he dia so, he caught sight of something
lying on tbe ground before him, and on stooping
to pick it up, he was astonished to find it was a
chamois purse, prettily trimmed with various
colored beads, the latter being also arranged
into the letters
“NELLIE P.” :
Examination proved that this little receptacle
contained a sum of money in’ greenbacks, but
just how much, Dick did not take the trouble to
count,
“Queer place to find a purse!” he mused. ARES
wonder where the owner is. Nellie P-—? Let me /
think. Ah! I have it—Nellie Prince, John
Prince’s daughter! By Jove! it is fortunate I
found this, for now I have a good excuse for
calling on the young lady.” $ :
, «Putting the purse in his pocket, heleft the for-
est, and made his way toward the point of land
where stood the Prince cottage, which was one
of the cosiest in Jackpot City, inasmuch as vines
had been trained up over the door-arbor and
windows, and flower-beds were arrangad on
either side of the graveled walk. ~
The front door stood partly ajar as Deadwood
Dick approached, and as he came up it was
opened by the person whom the detective con-
cluded must be Nellie Prince, for he was un-
aware that John Prince’s niece was a member of
his family. .
The young woman he now beheld, was tall
and of sylpb-like build, with rather strong cast
of features, a pearly complexion, dark, liquid
eyes, and raven hair, with which great care had ‘
been taken, evidently, to becomingly arrange.
She was in a flowing wrapper of pink percale,
with a bunch of wood-lilies at her fair throat,
and was certainly a picture of rare beauty, such
as is not frequently met with in the wild regions
of the West.
‘‘Have I the honor of addressing Miss Nellie :
Prince?” Dick asked, cavalierly raising bis hat,
The young woman hesitated a second, while
her gaze swert the detective from bead.to foot.
“ , 1 am Miss Prince,” she finally answered,
“* What is it you wish?”
“*Tf you will pardon me, I will introduce my-
self. My name-is Bristol, and I am commis.
sioned to see your estimable father on an im--
portant business matter, Learning that Mr.
Prince is not to be seen at present,
it would be appropriate to call upon bis daugh-
ter, *
“Certainly. You did quiterigbt. Pray come’
inside.” \
,And Dick was ushered into a plain little sit--
ting-room and givenachair, 9) 06 00: .
‘Were you acquainted with papa, Mr. Bris-’
tol?’ Miss Prince asked, when the: a ceated.
{I was not,” Dick replied. ** Chancing to
visit Carson City a few weeks ago, I was en-
gaged to hunt up your fatber, as soon as it be-
came known thet I wes a detective.”
wy A detective?” and Miss Prince began to look
ill at ease,
‘Yes, miss; but pray do not be alarmed, be-
cause my motive in finding your father is not an
unfriendly one. I bave come as a friend, and as
such J trust you will accept me, Your father
was formerly in business in Carson, I believe?”
ves, sir, He was engaged in the brokerage
business, in company with a man named Henry
SNe
‘Mr. Princo was quite w -
standin q ealthy, I under.
“Yes, sir, I'think-he had many thousand
dollars in the business; but he Tost it all,
through the base treackery of his partner, who
absconded with the entire assets of the firm.”
“How old a man was this Henry Kirke?”
“Over sixty years of age.”
“Do you’know where he went after be fled
from Carson Cie
“Tdonot. Ihave heard he was afterward
seen in Utab.” '
“He bad two nephews, I believe?”
Yes, sir—a Mr, Morton Meredith, who is
the present Mormon ruler of this camp, and an-
other nephew named Lloyd Meredith, The lat-
ter, however, was at swords’ points with Kirke
and Morton Meredith, and consequently changed
his own name for the commoner one of Joe
concluded ;