Produced by David Edwards, Demian Katz and the OnlineDistributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (Imagescourtesy of the Digital Library@Villanova University(https://digital.library.villanova.edu/))
BEADLE'S HALF DIME Library.
Entered as Second Class Matter at the New York, N. Y. Post Office. Copyrighted 1896, by BEADLE AND ADAMS. October 27, 1896.
No. 1005. $2.50 a Year. PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS. No. 92 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. Price, 5 Cents. Vol. XXXIX.
DEADWOOD DICK TORE OPEN HIS SHIRT AND EXPOSED THE BRANDOF A HORSESHOE.]
DEADWOOD DICK JR. BRANDED
OR, Red Rover AT Powder Pocket.
BY ED. L. WHEELER,
AUTHOR OF "DEADWOOD DICK" NOVELS, ETC.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I. THE GREAT HOLD-UP. CHAPTER II. DICK'S FRUITLESS RISK. CHAPTER III. CAPTAIN JOAQUIN'S CAPTURE. CHAPTER IV. REJECTING A PROPOSAL. CHAPTER V. TURNING THE TABLES. CHAPTER VI. CACHING THE TREASURE. CHAPTER VII. THE SECRET SHOT. CHAPTER VIII. CAPTAIN JOAQUIN'S RETREAT. CHAPTER IX. A CHANCE FOR HIS LIFE. CHAPTER X. DICK IN A DEATH-TRAP. CHAPTER XI. DICK'S ONLY DEFENSE. CHAPTER XII. CAUGHT IN THE TOILS. CHAPTER XIII. DEADWOOD DICK BRANDED. CHAPTER XIV. SUSANA TO THE RESCUE. CHAPTER XV. BANKER BROWN OF POWDER POCKET. CHAPTER XVI. THE FIRST BLOW STRUCK. CHAPTER XVII. THE SECOND BLOW FALLS. CHAPTER XVIII. THE THIRD STROKE.
CHAPTER I.
THE GREAT HOLD-UP.
Toot!
"What's the mischief?" cried the fireman.
He sprung to his box and looked ahead, and in the center of the track,where the train was rounding a point of rocks, saw a red flag.
"That fool of a section boss has got another rail up, on our time, Isuppose, as he did once before," growled the engineer, having shut offsteam and applied the air brakes.
Toot!
Another short, sharp blast of the whistle, and the engineer reversedhis engine, while the fireman leaped down and prepared to jump.
Both had beheld something well calculated to chill their blood, themoment the engine had rounded the bend far enough to give them a viewof the straight stretch ahead!
About half way down to a point where the track again curved, a numberof boulders had been placed between the rails, and on both sides ofthe track stood masked men with rifles in their hands. That they meantbusiness was not to be questioned.
"Held up, by thunder!"
Such was the exclamation uttered by the engineer, as he reached forthe whistle and sounded the second alarm, and, having reversed, asmentioned, he, too, prepared to jump.
But that was not necessary. As if the train robbers had calculated tothe foot the distance from the curve at which to place the obstruction,they saw the train slow up, under the force of the powerful brakes, andwhen the engine stopped the nose of the pilot was but a score of inchesfrom the boulders.
"Hands up, or take lead straight!"
So cried the leader, and a man on each side of the engine covered theengineer and fireman.
Needless to say, they promptly obeyed the order. At the same momentother members of the band made a dash for the express-car, which wasnext to the engine.
Still others had sprung up alongside the track the moment the traincame to a standstill, and boarded the cars to take care of thepassengers while the leader and those with him made their raid upon thecar which contained the treasure they were after.
But, were they after any special treasure, or was it only a coincidencethat they had chosen that particular train for their prey?
It looked the former.
"Looks like we're in for it," observed the fireman, as he held hishands on high.
"That's what it does," agreed the engineer, in easy manner of speech,taking care to keep his hands well up. "There is no use kicking whenthey have got us lined with Winchesters."
"That's hoss sense," averred one of the raiders, who stood guard overthem. "You fellers keep yer hands straight up, and you won't come to noharm. We don't want to harm nobody, ef we kin help it, so you mind whatye've been told and ye won't git hurt."
"Who is your captain?" inquired the engineer.
"Captain Joaquin."
"The deuce you say! That settles it, Tom," to the fireman. "We hadbetter keep right on reachin' skyward."
"Et won't be healthy fur ye ef ye don't," they were again warned."Captain Joaquin is after the funds of the Castleville Bank, and he isbound to have 'em at any cost."
"The Castleville National Bank?"
"Jist so."
"What have we got to do with the funds of the bank? Does he think theyare in the express safe to-day?"
"He don't think it; he knows it."
"But, he is dreaming. What would the bank's funds be on our train for?"
"The bank has closed up its business, to take effect at noon to-day,and the capital is on its way to San Francisco. But, it will never getthar."
Perhaps the engineer and fireman did not notice it, but the Westerntwang and mannerism of this man's speech were forced; it was evidentthat his natural speech was correct--that he was no border tough.
"Well, I guess nobody knew it," the engineer commented.
"Oh, yes; Captain Joaquin knew of it," assured the man, with a lightlaugh.
No more was then said, the engineer and fireman giving their attentionto what was going on at the express car.
The messenger had refused to open the door when ordered to do so, andhad already killed one man and wounded another, firing through thebarred ventilator close up under the roof.
The robbers were preparing to use dynamite.
Back in the cars the others were holding up the passengers, but withoutany attempt at robbing them.
This, of itself, was proof that the express car was the objectivepoint; they meant to risk nothing by attempting to make the robberygeneral.
By some accident, or by some passenger daring all to take theinitiative, the robbers might lose control in one of the cars, and ifthat happened, and they kept the people in the cars together, theymight be successful in beating the robbers off.
On the other hand, one man standing just within each door, with acocked and leveled Winchester in hand, and his finger on the trigger,they had all the advantage in their favor, and might hold it as long asthey desired.
Thus matters stood in the coaches, while events in the vicinity of theexpress car were coming to a climax.
Among the travelers in the smoking-car was one whom we must notice.About thirty years of age, he had keen, dark eyes, and hair thatpartook of the same shade and fell in a wave upon his shoulders.
He had a graceful mustache, and his regular features made him rathermore than passably good-looking.
He was simply, almost roughly, clad.
At the first sound of the whistle he had started up, and had seemed totake an interest.
At the next alarm a couple of guns sprang to his hands, and he calledon the others in the smoker with him to prepare for a possible attemptat robbery.
There were, perhaps, a score of men in that car.
Some of them drew guns, but when the train stopped and the masked menwith their Winchesters appeared, the sight took all the bravery out ofthem.
The young man we have described, like the others, after a hasty lookaround to see what the others were doing, raised his hands, but theweapons remained close beside him on the cushion.
They were not allowed to leave their seats; all that was required ofthem was to sit still and keep their hands in sight.
This they did.
But there was a grim
look on the face of the man described, as if hewanted only half an opportunity to act.
In all the cars the situation was the same, and presently to their earscame the sound of an explosion that could be felt as well as heard. Theexpress car had been blown open.
Immediately following the explosion the report of a pistol rang out inthe smoker, and the robber nearest the rear door dropped in his tracks.Another, and the one in front dropped his rifle and uttered a howl ofpain, and all the men in the car looked in astonishment.
There stood the man we have mentioned, with both of his weapons in hisgrasp. So lightning quick had he acted that no one had detected him inthe act until the shots were fired.
But he did not remain inactive.
"Follow me!" he called out to the others. "Back me up, and we will beatthem off and cheat them yet. We are ten to their one, and they'll betoo rattled to shoot straight."
He ran for the rear door, even while speaking, and some three or fourmade bold to follow him, with pistol in hand, but for the most partthey hung back like cowards. Straight to that door, and out, and intothe next car, where two more of the robbers were stationed.
Opening the door suddenly, this man clapped his revolver behind the earof one of these, and commanded him to drop his gun, which, at the touchof the cold tube, the fellow promptly did. The other, however, at theother end of the car, brought his rifle up to his shoulder and gavewarning that he was going to fire.
Before he could do so, however, for it required aim to avoid hittinghis comrade, the traveler had thrown one arm around the neck of therobber he had disarmed, and, in a twinkling, let fly a snap shot frombehind that living barricade and placed the fellow at the other endof the car hors de combat. The passengers sprang to their feet with acheer, and it looked as if they were going to get the upper hand.