Part 19 (1/2)
The one was an elderly man of portly figure, and the other a young, dandyish fellow, evidently the elder's son, for they resembled each other in every feature. We make no difficulty to recognizing them as the same precious pair whom Outlaw d.i.c.k captured from the stage, only to lose them again through the treachery of two of his own band.
Both looked considerably the worse for wear, and the gaunt, hungry expression on their features, as the morning sunlight shone down upon them, declared in a language more adequate than words, that they were beginning to suffer the first pangs of starvation.
”We cannot hold out at this rate much longer!” the elder Filmore cried, as he watched the bustle in the valley below. ”I'm as empty as a collapsed balloon, and what's more, we're in no prospects of immediate relief.”
Filmore, the younger, groaned aloud in agony of spirit.
”Curse the Black Hills and all who have been fools enough to inhabit them, anyhow!” he growled, savagely; ”just let me get back in the land of civilization again, and you can bet your bottom dollar I'll know enough to stay there.”
”Bah! this little rough experience will do you good. If we only had a square meal or two and a basket of sherry, I should feel quite at home. Nothing but a fair prospect of increasing our individual finances would ever have lured me into this outlandish place. But money, you know, is the root of all--”
”Evil!” broke in the other, ”and after three months' wild-goose-chase you are just as dest.i.tute of the desired root as you were at first.”
”True, but we have at least discovered one of the shrubs at the bottom of which grows the root.”
”You refer to Deadwood d.i.c.k?”
”I do. He is here in the valley, and he must never leave it alive.
While we have the chance we must strike the blow that will forever silence his tongue.”
”Yes; but what about the girl? She will be just as much in the way, if not a good deal more so.”
”We can manage her all right when the proper time arrives. d.i.c.k is our game, now.”
”He may prove altogether too much game. But, now that we are counting eggs, how much of the 'lay' is to be mine, when this boy and girl are finished?” he queried.
”How much? Well, that depends upon circ.u.mstances. The girl _may_ fall to you.”
”The girl? Bah! I'd rather be excused.”
The day pa.s.sed without incident in the mines. The work went steadily on, the sounds of the crusher making strange music for the mountain echoes to mock.
Occasionally the crack of a rifle announced that either a road-agent or a Ute miner had risked a shot at a mountain sheep, bird, or deer.
Generally their aim was attended with success, though sometimes they were unable to procure the slaughtered game.
Redburn, on account of his clear-headedness and business tact, had full charge of both mines, the ”General” working under him in the shaft, and Fearless Frank in the quartz mine.
When questioned about his duel with Harris by Redburn, McKenzie had very little to say; he seemed pained when approached on the subject; would answer no questions concerning the past; was reserved and at times singularly haughty.
During the day Anita and Alice took a stroll through the valley, but the latter had been warned, and fought shy of the quartz mine; so there was no encounter between Anita and Fearless Frank.
Deadwood d.i.c.k joined them as they were returning to the cabin, loaded down with flowers--flowers of almost every color and perfume.
”This is a beautiful day,” he remarked, pulling up a daisy, as he walked gracefully along. ”One rarely sees so many beauties centered in one little valley like this--beautiful landscape and mountain scenery, beautiful flowers beneath smiling skies, and lovely women, the chief center of attraction among all.”
”Indeed!” and Alice gave him a coquettish smile; ”you are flattering, sir road-agent. You, at least, are not beautiful, in that horrible black suit and villainous mask. You remind me of a picture I have seen somewhere of the devil in disguise; all that is lacking is the horns, tail and cloven-foot.”