The Deadwood Dick Library: Denver Doll's Device — page 23: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

1 aS “Denver Doll’s Device. “Yankee Hisler? Oh! you have reference to the handsome ae who gotshot, Well, Ican’t say as 1 would object to having a hus- band as noble and manly as heseems to be, But you say you bave him, eh?” ‘“Most assuredly, I can get little Ethel for bim, and when | can do that, why, asa matter of course he is ready to marry me. He really referred me before, you know, but your baby Ae prevented,” ise laughed outright. bat an extremely funny person you are,” Ne remarked. ‘But it will be so nice if Mr. Hisler’s little girl cal bé recovered, When will your wedding be?” “That is “hot definitely settled yet—but it will be in a few days,” Miss Verner answered, flouncing out of the store, secretly in a great rT “et Dil take chances on that!” Crystal ddécided. “Tf you are Mr. Hisler’s choice, I shall be sur- prisad, for I do not believe he fancies such ec- centric people as you,” Miss Verner had called at the cigar store for the express purpose of testing the matter of who ‘al was, and had vot so little satisfaction that she was almost ready to cry. Leaving the vicinity of the c ate store, she dodged across the gulch, and fin paused be- fore the mouth of one of the Prince that was drifted into the side of the mountain. All was dark and silent, and no one appeared in the vicinity of the place except Miss Verner, but this fact did not seem to discourage her, for she took a seat upon a rock, and waited patiently. a ‘* Hoe will not be long, I guess,” she mused. “‘He promised he would come, and I do not fancy he will forsake,me.” She was right. It was not ‘half an hour ere McParland, undisguised, except by a half mask, made his appearance, “ Ahl you are bere, eh?’ tipping his hat. “How do I find the fair Isabel this even- ing?” “Happy, now that you have come,” she replied, making room for him on the rock beside har, “have been waiting ever so long, ready to answer the qneation you asked at our last meeting.” ‘* Ah! yes—let me sea—oh! what was it?” and ome footpad king/scratched his head as if puz- me Oh! you sly rogue!” and Miss Verner pinched hisarm, playfully. ‘Did you not ask me to become your wife?” “ Well—I—IL don't know but T did, Isa —but, then, yousee, I hardly faney you would be con: tent. to be an outlaw’s wife.” at care I, as long as I love you? Accord- ing to your own "proposition, deliver up to me the child, and I will | marry you, and so have the fortune between us,” ‘Yes, that would be very nice, but you see— weil, in fact, I have made up my mind not to incumber myself with a wife at present. There som be some developntents: soon which will @ it necessary for me to look out for myself, i then, to0, I am getting tired of this wild life, and long for something better. The) child is eet hands, and eo tao to Beet» rid of bes at all hazards, by selling her to the highest bidder. You have a chance with the rest.’” ‘*John McParland, you are a wretch, anin- — grate, and @ deceiver! ‘*Pshaw! You don’t intend to let me off that easy, do you? Why not express yourself in stronger terms, while you are at it?” Tsabel fairly trembled with passion. “You know that there are no words adequata to describe you,’ she hissed. ‘t You have tri- fled with my affections, and as good as asked me to marry you. Now, then, if you don’t stick to your word like a man, V’ll be revenged - upon you, Teneo te be it then, fair Isabel, for I can- not marry you. If you wish to put in a bid for the child, between now and the 20th,a letter sent rent the Post-vffice, and addressed to Mr, Jinks, will fix it all right. Adieu, dearest I beri se to have to tear myself awav, but such is the case. Hope you may get a husband n. And then he walked away, with a wicked laugh, leaving her to make outof the situation — what sae could, ' Yankee Hisler had seen Crystal several times since McParland’s escape from him, and each time she had spoken pleasantly—so pleasantly, that a strange thrill would go to his heart. “ By heavens, I cannot believe that she is not Dora, despite all her assertions to the contrary” he would mutter.) ‘'It does not ‘seem possible to me thab there could be two persons in one world so precisely alike, But I’may be mis- taken. Whenitis proven to me that I am, I will beli@ve it.” About ai bour before Denver Doll’s exposure in the room in the rear of the Post-office, he sauntered over to the cigar store, and paused in the first room where the cigars were kept, Theu he waited some moments, but no oue came, The sound of footsteps overhead told him that Crystal was up-stairs, few cards lay upon the show-case. Takin one of them, the Sport wrote upon it, Wik pencil: “Dora, my wife; I still love you, and my life will never be complete, without you. Why live this transparent lie, as Orystal Carrol. when you know it is wrong, and I know you were once mine?" He mixed the card among the others then, and rapped smartly upov the counter. Shortly after, Crystal made her appearance, and he purchased some cigars. A perceptible redness about her eyes told him that She had been crying, and his heart gave an exultant bound at the discovery—perhaps she had been crying about him! He said nothing to indicate that he had taken notice of her weakness, however, and after a few words on ordinary topics, he took leave— but not leave of the vicinity. Making a detour, be was soon in the rear of the store on had just left. Although the shanty was one-and-a-half stories high, a back Jean-to or summer kitchen — hed been added to it, the roof slopmg beck to within about six feet of the ge Soe