The Deadwood Dick Library: Denver Doll's Device — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

Denver Doll’s Device. _ you have, after all I have done for you, you wretch?” “ Just about. You’d have given us up to the military if we hadn’t got too smart for you, so you’ve no cause to growl, Throw up your handsand allow yourself to be bound, for re- Berince is useless with all ihe odds against you Ss ._ No commander ever krew his own men better than did McParland. Death would be the only way of escaping capture; so he held up his hands, a proud smile upon his face, “Proceed!” he ordered, ‘‘ J think too much of | my fine flock to attempt to cleanthem out, - am your prisoner, through your strategy, and I _ surrender with the best of grace.” . Ata motion from Verner several of the out- _ laws bound their deposed captain securely, _ both hand and foot, and then, with the aid of hooks and staples driven into the wall, they fas- tened him thereto, so that he wasa prisoner in _ the fullest sense of the word. “There you are!” Verner cried, triumphant- ly. ‘You make a fine appearance, too, as a prisoner of war. By the way, where is the oy I will take that back with me to Shining ar. ‘© Will you, though?” McParland sneered, ‘'T rather fancy not. The child isin safe hands, where I deemed it advisable to place her, in an- cipation of some such an event as this, hen you set your buzzard talons on her 1t will be when I forget myself.” er _ Curse you! If yousdo not give me that child | I will murder you! To-morrow is the 20th day of November.” “Tom fully well aware of that, The child _ tance! I have sentit away where the search of; alifetime could not -discover it. As for mur- _ dering me, you human wolf, I suppose that is _ your privilege.” ** And I will improve it, too!” he hissed, snatching a pistol from his belt and cocking it; but Miller hastily knocked it from his hand, * Fool!” he cried, ‘‘ the man is not for you to . We want a reward for him. ve a care _ how you rush things, or I'll put you in irons be- fore you knowit, Come! I prema Boas all hands strike out for Shining Bar, Zinga, you will stay here and guard the prisoner.” The proposition was received with a grunt of approval by the band, and so Verner had no _ choice but to accompany them without secur- _ ing Ethel Kisler or even accomplishing his ven- geance. ; : _ inga, who had been left to guard McPar- land, wasa brawny half-breed, with a treach- _ erous eye, but he made no effort to harm the _ Inaster he had served so long. On the contrary, he amused himself by sam- pling the stock of liquor behind the bar, and his _ samples were so liberal that he soon became as happy as a lark. ‘ | Zing git debbil drunk!” be said, approach- ing McParland, with a coupleof bottles of the Z beepinest whisky on band, ‘Like fire-water, u ba _ will never come in for a claim upon the inheri- |, ““S’posing you let me loose, to get a swig, too!” the outlaw suggested, ‘We'll havea ge- lorious time, you bet.” But Zinga, crafty of instinct, winked his eye knowingly. “No let Mac free!” hereplied, ‘‘ Get Mac whisky, dough!” ~ He went. back to the bar, and procured a bot: tle of the worst ‘‘p’isen” the ranch afforded, and then approached McParland. “Open mouth, Zinga pour down throat!” he chuckled, villainously, “You go to thunder, I won’t drink!” the ex-chief growled, perceiving that he had got himself into an unenviable dilemma, for he knew strangulation would attend Zinga's at- tempt to treat him. : “Open mouth—drink—or Zinga scalp!” the half-bread threatened, and he attempted to pie the nose of the bottle between McParland’s teeth, . That be would eventually have succeeded, is probable, had not an unforeseen accident oc- curred to him. 2 The sharp “' ping!” of a rifle was beard; Zinga dropped the bottle, and staggered back to the floor-—dead |! The next instant the door opened, and a per- son entered, McParland started! Of all persons in the world, this was the one he least desired to see, If be bad had hopes for his life, before, they all faded away, now. The person who entered, was none other than Miss Isabel Verner, and there was a decidedly triumpbent expression upon her face. “So I have you, have I?’ she hissed, exult- antly. ‘‘ You thought you would never be troubled by me again, didn’t you? but you find out otherwise. Isabe) Verner: is not the girl to be trifled with, and scorned. I swore I would have revenge on you, and I am here to fulfill iy promise!” «Bo I perceive!” McParland repiied, calmly, “ You have things all your own way, now. ahead!” “ Not too fast, Iam here to be revenged, but I want to look out for my own interests before I look out for yours. First of all, where is the child?’ “ Whose child?” “Do not provoke me with unnecessary ques- tions. You know perfectly well what child I mean—Ethel] Esler, of course!” “Oh! Isthatso ? Well, my beautiful Isabel, I would respectfully inform you that pretty little Ethel is alive and well, and will come _promptly to time as Gabriel. Porter's heiress, By this time, the executor knows that she lives, and consequently, you and your villainous father are baffled!” “Oh! no! never!” Isabel cricd, in a frenzy of rage. ‘I will yet have the child and the for- tone. I will find ont what Miss Crystal Carrol knows about the young one!” She stood a moment as if in donht what to do —then, her hand was upratsed end with a keen- edged knife she struck McParland fiercely in the breast, - Turning, with a wild laugh, she fled trom the cabin, leaving her victim alone in his misery. ‘