Wildcat Bob, the Boss Bruiser — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

The ‘New York Lib dering his men back to where the scene of tor- | mind, and cast sharply about him for some ture was to have been. Wildcat Bob still lay upon the ground, the about his neck and heels attached to the es of the horses that were to have aided in tis execution. He had watched the defeat of the Blood- hounds with but little interest, for he knew that im being rescued by the soldiery he was only es- zaping one death to meet another, and as Lieut. Perton dismounted and bent over him with a “Ase pap chuckle, the face of the captive be- Sray not the slightest show of fear or regret. ““Ha! ha!” laughed the officer, stroking his mustache, as he surveyed his prize, ‘‘so I have you at last, eh, myslippery friend? Lucky that ‘me of my spies’ report caused me to pay this | spot a visit, wasn’t it? If I had come a few moments later, have } any idea where you would have been now’? “In a cooler place than you will go to, when yu turn up your toes!” replied Bob, defiantly. ‘Tam not afraid to die in a just cause—can you *y the same, you cringing viper?” erton flushed, hotly, and stroked his mus- teche with a little more vehemence. “Your impudence I will overlook,” he said, sarcastically, ‘‘as I shall soon wipe out the gp wice I owe you, by haying you shot. one to tamper and tr iaw.” “YT spose you are one of those executors then,” said the prsioner, with undisguised contempt, expressed in face and e es. Certainly, I am.” ‘4 - “Tf pity the law, then, that’s all. You are about as well fitted for the position you occupy as a crocodile is fitted for a prayer-meeting.” The lieutenant flushed redder than ever, and aid his hand upon the hilt of his sword; buta | sarcastic laugh from the prisoner caused him to | You | ive given me and my men more trouble than a | little, and I shall show oe how well it repays | ifle with executors of the | means of freeing himself in time to avert the death that was impending. But all to no avail. = hands were bound, he had no wea => | an re were three guards pacing around the tent outside. To makea faioak san elude them would be simply impossible. They could shoot him ere he could run a dozen yards. | No other chance, then, was there. He would be tried by a few of the men com- | posing Perton’s command, would be found | guilty, and shot according to the lieutenant’s | plans. He could not hope to be rescued from | the jaws of death again, as he had been from | the nhuman Bloodhounds. No! nothing remained for him but to die. | Die an ignominious death, and that, too, for the | crime another man had committed. Lieutenant Perton presently entered the tent, and there was a smile of such exultant triumph on his face that the prisoner ached to clutch him about the throat and choke the life out of him. ‘‘ Well!” he said, with a smirk. “How do I find you now, my fine fellow? Are you ready to meet your God, Kobert Beecher, before whom you are so soon to go?” The Wildcat frowned darkly. ‘* Do not call me that name again!” he replied. “Tf you must call me anything, let it be Wild- cat Bob, or my real name, Robert Bancroft. To the name of Beecher I lay no claim.” ‘*Hal ha! a good joke,” laughed the officer, stroking his mustache; ‘‘a devilish good joke. I really admire your plan of taking a new namé when the old one is disgraced. But, you know, the law takes the man—ot the title! ** And the wrong man, too!” | “I beg to differ with you on that point, but I suppose it would be a useless attempt to try and convince you that you are the man we want.” ‘* Most assuredly. The man you seek died, I and he glared into the calm face of the | have learned, several days ago; was killed ina Wildcat, in a rage that he should allow himself to be annoyed so easily. “Mever mind!” he hissed; with you, and have my revenge—a sweet revenge, too. You can prepare yourseif to be shot at sunrise!” “Til soon get | | fight at Snicker’s saloon, in the gulch mines.” ‘*Indeed! Quite a probable story that, had ou the right kind of an audience to swallow it. Bat at present Iam not taking any stock in in- ventions. I? such a man did really die, and you are shot, too, the law can be satisfied of aveng- (l. “But yow have no right to shoot me, nor to | ing one of the foulest murders ever committe have me shot!” said the pugilist, quite as coolly | As for me, I shall carry out my plans, and be as though it were he who was master of the | justified in so doing.” situation. Louis, and there I will be given atrial, ere I am ashered out of this world into the next.” “1 to disagree with you, my fine fellow. You not be taken a dozen miles from here }o receive your trial, sentence and death.” “Tndeed! Bat you have no more right to "cpine we sire me than I have to shoot you here you stand.” “Haven't I? Well, we will see about that. { think it will take but a few moments for my jury to find you guilty, and as for shooting you, have the perfect right to execute the measures of the law, especially in this lawless land. You ve that my followers have no particular | for you; and my assertion to my supe- riors, that you were slain in an attempt to ture you, will be fully corrobora by them. Thus we can amply repay you for all the trou- | ble eee the claims of the law, either.” ** A very creditable plan,” sneered the pugilist, eying his captor sternly age and bravery, I t that you would have been at the head of your nation long ” The tone was so sarcastic, and the smile about the speaker’s mouth so cynical, that Perton | “ Just as you ,” was the cool answer, “A few hours in a case of life and death make but little difference to me.” Perton uttered an oath of tion, and to his feet. Selecting a dozen of men he took them one side, and they held a short consultation together, after which the lieutenant again a hed the paring “We have decided to return to our camp, a few miles to the north,” he said, ‘where you will be tried for your crime, sentenced, and ahot at sunrise.” He then mounted his horse, and his followers sites i on one of the horses left y the Blood securing him to the saddle stout cords, they p,m to their seats, and cavalcade picked their way out through the 5 Fone the glade wrapped in darkness, or and then emerged into another g to the first, in which were pitched eight or ten emall tents. Here a general dismount was made, and the horses were tethered out to \ Wildcat Bob was allowed the freedom of his feet and conducted to a tent, over which a ‘ guard was placed to frustrate any at- ae rehab ec he was left alone for two or more hours, reviewed the past in his 3 E e ** You will havo to convey me to St. | | then, an ‘You're certainly a | very ious fellow, and may some day get | to be President. But for your sad lack of cour- | ‘*Humph! why don’t you carry them out, a not come blowing around me, like | some strutting peacock proud of his gaudy feathers? I can dispense with any quantity of your tongue without missing it!” was the curt retort. ‘ The lieutenant again grew pane with anger, but wisely refrained from doing his captive per- sonal violence, and soon turned and left the tent. Half an hour later two soldiers entered, and signified their readiness to conduct the captive to the impromptu court before which he was to be tried, Wildcat Bob arose without a word, and was led out into the glade. | Here were birning several large fires that lit the early morning scene with a vivid glare, for day had not yet fully dawned. Near the center of the glade were ranged the r share of the soldiers in a semicircle, | while confronting them were twelve men select- ed as jurors. Lieutenant Perton stood midway eat ig the two divisions, ana used a stump as a , The prisoner was itioned directly in front of him, and guarded by revolvers in the hands of the twain who had conducted him from the tent. As he took his place, every man of the company watched him with the expectation that | he would show some signs of fear—some ap- | pearance of dread for the ws ergo. trialand subsequent execution. But in this they were No tne of marble ever was calmer or more in than the countenance of the pugilist. He eyed the faces of his enemies—for he considered every man present an enemy—with cool indif- ference, and now and then a faint gleam of con- tempt would flit across his visage, showing that he held them in no awe. Lieutenant Perton opened the court. ** Robert Beecher,” he said, ‘‘ we now propose to ay you for the murder of your wife, Agnes Beecher, on the 26th of August, 186—, at the —— Hotel, in the city of St. Louis. Iam prepared to furnish such testimony against you as will a, * ge upon any gallows in the Union.” ‘*We will hear your testimony previous to Pea aeina verdict,” replied Wildcat Bob, seat- ing himself upon the grass with the utmost non- chalance. ‘“‘Sir-r!” cried Perton, angrily, “you will please stand erect during this trial!” **T please won't, was the instant reply; ‘I am going to sit!” ** | motion,” said one of the jurors, “that we let him sit. It’s the only chance he'll git atwixt | this and the next world, very likely.” This was agreed to by the remaining eleven jurors, and so the lieutenant was obliged to as- sent. | He at once ed the court by a lengthy dis- coursa, in w. he went on tosay that a certain (ee cee Sissi ee — dashing fellow who was lively at fist-slingi .had wooed and won the beautiful daughter General B——, and that on the night of the mar- riage had foully murdered his young wife, took ion of her money, jewels and valuable articles, and fied to s unknown, The be renee seg nad) oo cen the ny of a com, ny of soldiery, under his (Perton’s) command, a started them in pursuit. offering a hand nae reward for the arrest or death of the mur. erer. Two of the jurors then arose and testified that they recognized the prisoner as Robert Beecher, the wife-murderer, they having seen him in St, Louis previous to the marriage and the subse- quent bloody deed. ‘Now, sir,” said the lieutenent, summin the case—‘‘now, sir, what have you, Ro Beecher, to say in defense?” ‘*Nothing more than I have told you several times before. You've got the wrong man!” ‘‘ We will not argue that point. I sentence you to be shot an hour henee, if the jury, which will now please retire, brings in a verdict of prea The jury accordingly withdrew to the cover of the forest to make a decision. A half an hour dragged by, and Perton grew impatient, as they did not return. * Perhaps they've got to drinking too freely,” he growled, at last. ‘‘ Hey! there; some of you fellows go and hurry up the lazy louts. Fetch them in!” The soldiers hurried away in a body, taking it for granted that it would require the whole lot to hurry up the tardy jurors. Anothier hour passed, and neither the sol- diers nor the jury put in an appearance, and the lieutenant began to get incensed as fury. ‘** Curse the fellows!” he growled, “*‘ why dont they come?’ Another half hour! The lieutenant was wondering what he should do, when suddenly a band of horsemen dashed out into the glade. All were masked, and a their head rode the handsome outlaw, Carlos de Monterey. ‘*free the prisoner!” he cried, as he drew near, ‘* Wildcat Bob is no murderer, nor shal he die an assassin’s death!” CHAPTER XVI IN THE GLADE—THE BULLY AGAIN. THE outlaw’s words were echoed by his follow ers, and a dozen rifles covered the heart of the trembling Perton. ‘“What means this?” he demanded, throwing as much sternness and authority into his tones as was possible. ‘‘Who are you, and what right have you to the prisoner of the law?” ** Carlos de Monterey knows no law!” was th retort, as the handsome chieftain slid from hix saddle, and approached the prisoner. ‘ He strikes for the poor and helpless, and against the rich and arrogant. You would have con- demned and murdered this man for a crime he did not commit. His fate shall you suffer!” So saying, with a single sweep of his knife he severed the cords that bound the prisoner, and Wildcat Bob stood upon his feet, free. Then, after a firm eri of hands and a warm salutation, Wild Carlos ed toward Lieuten- ant Perton, who stood cowering and trembling under cover of the outlaws’ rifles. He felt sure that his fate was sealed. ** Ha! ha!” said the chieftain, a contemptuons smile curling his lip, ‘‘see the wretch tremble! He fears the death he would have meted out to an innocent man.” ‘*T was but serving the law, and my country,” whined Perton, growing white with fear, for the fierce gleam in Wild Carlos’ eyes boded him, no good. ‘* You surely will not blame a man for doing his official duty?’ **T shall not be your judge, man!” was the stern reply. ‘‘ You have never done me an in- ey: or you would not have lived until this, fonder stands the person whom you have hunt- ed from place to place, and to him you will have to look for mercy. lf he says ‘release,’ release itis. If he wants you shot, my Lawless Ran- gers are at his service.” ; 5 aoe my — of them?’ hey are lying in yonder forest whence came, bound band and foot, and ; also guarded by a strong of the Ran We took them captive without wasting either lead or blood.” The lieutenant now turned to Wildcat Bob, with er hauteur, — ou have won again, young man, and I am ashamed to find myself in vane toils. ButasJ do not care to lose my life, even in the interest of my country, and if you will now give me my liberty, I promise you, on my honor as a gentle- man and a soldier, that I will withdraw my persecutions—that I will go back to my post and never offer to molest you in!” A smile hovered about the bruiser’s mouth, as he listened, and saw this man humbling him. self before him because he was a craven and afraid of death. “If it were my affair,” said De Manteroy, cool- ly, “I would make him jate the crime as 9 intended you should do. It would be no more than right or just.” comic 200 Ss 8