Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 153 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

™ dealing, forgot the past and received him among them with a hearty good welcome. Scouts ae a 3 to watch ote La aN camp in hopes that those expected there by Ned's late captors might bring Mabel and Cas- sandra with cheat: but in the course of an hour the scouts returned with the information that the camp was deserted. The pursuers, accompanied by Ned and Pros- per, now moved on, but owing to the darkness and rough condition of the country they were ‘finally compelled to go into ean tor wait for daylight. e place selected by Ned for a camp was at the foot of a steep, brushy hill A fire was lighted to dispel the gloom from their spirits as well as their surroundings. Guards were stationed at three different points to guard the approaches to camp. Mr. Vane sat down silent and sad. Judge r took his position by the fire with the ease and familiarity of one accustomed tothe bivouac. He talked away constantly and his humorous stories, ridiculous assertions and whimsical expression flowed like a never-failing stream and drove away much of the gloomy depression weighing upon the hearts and minds of the party. ‘* Many and many’s been the teching scenes in my court,” he finally remarked in extenua- tion of the conversation; ‘* but never war there sich a time as took place at what war known as the ‘Wharton murder trial,’ and I'll tell ye *bout it. Jonathan Wharton, arich old planter, had been murdered, and one Harry Claxton was arrested for the murder on complaint of Jackson Hohn and Clayborne Martin, two nice young gentlemen of enviable reputation. And I might add that Harry Claxton was one of the most highly esteemed and beloved young men in all Car’lina, so when his trial came on the court-room was packed so full that everybody had to breathe at once and then the sides of the buildin’ swelled in and out ’ith every exhalation. It was awful, I tell you. Public sympathy was all on young Clax’s side, but the evidence was all on t’other side. Hohn and Martin swore p’int-blank as to seein’ him do the bloody deed, in a fit of passion. There wasn’t a single iota of rebuttin’ evidence, and so, many were the tears shed for poor Ha Claxton, when the jury retired. There could be no hel for him—none whatever. The jury was ou jist ten holy minutes—long enough to suck a emon and eat a glass o nuts. quick had they arriv’ at a verdict that all felt it must have been rendered before the evidence was ven, and that Harry must hang. A silence that must have equaled that o’ creation’s morn reigned in the room while the jury was takin’ their seats. Then followed the verdict o’ ‘not pulley. Still the silence reigned, for every soul lieved he’d not heard aright; but when I, the judge, ordered the jury and the prisoner dis- charged, the storm bu’st forth. If you_can imagine "bout how it was the day old Noah opened the doors of his ark and his sons and daughters and the beasts and birds therein rushed out and hand in hand and side by side went down the stony sides of Ararat into the green valleys of Asia Minor, singing and shouting, roaring and bellowing, howling and squalling, whistling and fluttering, wriggling and squirming, jump- ing and flying, you can form a faint conception of the scene in that court-room. Furniture was kicked over and smasbed, men danced on the heads of the seethin’ crowd; the jury was snatched bald-headed and hugged and pounded Md ps &. they stood the judge on his head; men kissed each other and other folks’s wives, and the wives kissed everybody come-at-able but their own husbands; a hundred bottles lea into sight as if by magic and turned their bot- toms heavenward and shot their sparkling con- tents dancing and foaming down a hundred thirsty throats; forty-seven men sidled up to the judge, and with that knowing, manly wink zoe ere all doubtless witnessed, slipped a bot- le into my hand and bade me drink to the health of Harry Claxton; in less than an hour the sheriff had piled the jurymen in his office like so many sticks of cord-wood, all overcome with Harry Claxton’s health. I'd ’a’ fined every mother’s son of ’em if I hadn’t been taken down Ls pap with a — dizziness in mv head and a weakness in my legs that I couldn’t account for on any other theory than that re- action war settin’ in on a high-strung nervous system. Oh! it war a rip-rearin’ ful time, you bet. Public opinion, ye see, car- ried the jury, and it wer’n’t healthy for Hohn and Martin in that section, for several days. But, boys, time went by—that trial was about forgotten, when one day Clayborne Martin lay upon his deathbed and he wanted to balance up accounts so’s he could make a good showin’, and what do you s’pose he confessed?—why, may the oleanders bloom over me afore the new moon if he didn’t confess that he and Hohn murdered Jonathan W harton,and bad endeavor- ed to fix the crime on young Claxton. But, somehow or other, before we could git the bracelets on Hohn, he got wind of his pard’s blow-out and a the country; and so ye see Jackson Hohn is wanted—wanted bad—a five thousand dollars’ worth. But if he should never be caught on earth, thar’s one consolation in knowin’ that he’U be russelin’ around in pur- eet Rai day, like a bull alligator in a cane- rake. As the judge concluded Nebraska Ned arose and said: ‘* Boys, it’s time to change the guards; who are the three that next Ly on duty? ‘*T for one,” exclaimed Judge Prosper, spring- ing to his feet. e judge was taken to the top of the bluff overlooking the camp and the man on guard there relieved. Scarcely had the relief been made at the dif- ferent points when a yell was heard on top of the hill, and before a man could have time to act, a crashing was heard among the weeds and brush covering the hillside and the next mo- ment ton r and some unknown foe came whirling and bounding in rapid evolutions down the descent into the glow of the fire, strug- gling in each other’s deadly embrace. CHAPTER XII. CAUGHT IN THE OUTLAWS’ TRAP. JUDGE PROSPER and his unknown enemy came up at the foot of the hill within the radius of light. Neither one had taken time or had had an opportunity to draw a knife or pistol, but had grappled on sight, thereby making the conflict a test of physical prowess. Put no sooner, however, had Nebraska Ned ot a glimpse of Prosper’s foe than he recognized im. “Hold on here, men!” the young ranger shout- ed, ‘‘ you are not foes—hold on, I say.’ ree or four men seized the coibatants and separated them. Prosper’s antagonist was nore ther than Professor Jimrack. By accident, so it seemed, the two men had again met in conflict. As the two foes rose to their feet with torn disarranged clothes and their hair on end and their faces flushed with excitement, they glared at each other in contemptuous silence. Prosper was the first to ‘ “You dam-aged old pot-belly!” he fairly hissed, ‘‘I’ye a good mind to rid the earth of presence.” ‘Tt takes a better man than’s in your clothes to hold a full hand with this scientific chap,” retorted Jimrack. ‘*You’re a handsome critter, perfessor, you are, by the sword of Damocles! You didn’t desert me t’other night, did ye? ye hav’n’t been skulkin’ ’round this wet | like a coyote, have ye? Ye didn’t git bounced quicker nor a hound pup could lick a skillet for sneakin’ ’round here while ago, did ye? didn’t like to git that bay winder smashed in, did ye? Oh, no! you're a holy nabob just out o’ fresh clover—a sweet- scented wall-flower from Jurusalem—a speckled —— *mong swamp angels; that’s what you * And you,” said the etic cery thoughtfully **are a small species of the genus jackass—no for braying.” ** Perfessor, draw your ewe and defend yer- self,” said Prosper laying his hand on the butt of bis derringer; ‘‘this court brooks no contempt. The oranges and oleanders—” “Hold on here, gentlemen!” interrupted a voice, and three men, strangers to all but the Por Rangers came hurrying into camp. ebraska Ned reco them as men from the Agency—the spokesman of whom was An- dre Markelle, Wild Cassandra’s father. ‘‘Hullo, gentlemen,” said Ned advancing to meet them, “‘glad to meet you—what do you know of these men?” ‘*T know Professor Jimrack to be an honest, upright man,” replied Markelle; “‘he joined us to-day in our search for my lost child, poor little Cassandra.” “Then there is some mistake here, gentle- men,” said Mr. Vane addressing the foes. “That's what _I think, and Jimrack’s that mistake,” said Prosper with a contemptuous look at the professor, then he walked away and seating himself on the o te side of the fire, began whetting a long knife on the sole of his shoe. From Nebraska Ned, Andre Markelle learned ———_ | / “Ob-ho! so you’re eav me eee sie Ce ee 7 a guilty conscience was u 11 that his daughter was in the hands of the out- laws. He knew she was in trouble when :i° failed to return home from her usual daily rice to the hills; and when Professor J'mrack ar- rived at the Agency and reported where he lu ¢ met her, Markelle became satisfied she hed met with trouble and at once started in search of her. Mr. Vane and Markelle talked over their trcu- ble ether: their sorrow was mutual. ¥ ere is our Indian?” Professor Jimrack finally asked, seeing one of his party had not ap- “He'll be in by-and-by.” “What Indian? Macomah, my old friend and companion ?” Eagle Kit asked. ~ + es, **Ho! good for Macomah!” the little dwarf shouted in glee, “it’s been a long time since he left the Erie. 1 reckon he’s got scent of the de- stroyer of his child; and if he has, boys, you aaine bet your last knife that he’ll make it bloody. Ah! here he comes now,” A powerful Indian with a red blanket abcut his shoulders strode slowly into og Eagle Kit advanced to meet him for it was his friend Macomah. Judge P r started up and with a furtive eye searched the Indian’s face. ** Macomah,” said the dwarf, ‘‘I’m awful lad to meet you here for it’s not of’en you eave our home. Why have you come down? to wreak that vengance you have nursed so long in your—” “Hush! hush!” the Indian said impetuously, “Eagle Kit forgets what Macomah has taught him—that the wind and the trees and the rocks have ears.” “Well, how’s Whirlwind, then? did he come home?” The Indian nodded in the affirmative as he fixed his little, black sunken eyes upon the fire with all the characteristic gravity and stoicism of the American Indian. Nebraska Ned finally sat down by Judge Pros- per and the two entered into conversation. a as though the outlaws and road- agents are gittin’ the oo) hand o’ things in these diggins, Ned,” sai osper. ‘Yes, they have been running thin own way the last year. The Rocky Mehta Detective Association has been promisin’ to send that noted scout and mountain detective, Jack Drew, and a force up here to clear out their Middleton’s gang; but it seems we’re only to have promises. ou’ve heard of Jack Drew, hav’n’t be judge?” “Jack Drew? it seems to me I have.” ‘**He’s one of the greatest detectives in the West. He’s to the prairies and mountains what Allan Pinkerton is to the great cities of the East. But I think we've force enough now to cope with all the outlaws in these hills.” **] think so, Ned, and are anxious to be mov- in’, for I fear them gals are gettin’ furder and furder away every hour, and may git beyont human power torave ’em. I are anxious also, to know more ‘bout that , Cassandra— whether she really is Markelle’s child or not. I'll have a talk with him arter while "bout her, and if she’s not hisown born child mebbe she’s the wey larkie me and Colonel Blower ’d like to find. the colonel comes ’round on time and I are not at Scully to meet him, as per mints, he may pull out and I'll not git to see him. I ought to be onmy way to the fort this minute, but I can’t leave you folks till I know them gals are either d or out of them vil- lains’ power.” At this juncture Professor Jimrack rose and ph over to where Ned and r sat, said: “Gents, you'll please excuse me; but I over- heard your conversation jist now and—” droppin’ are ye?” yr tae Prosper, interrupting the professor. arrange- heard you mention the name of Colonel] Blower, and then say somethin’ bout meetin’ him at Scully.” ‘* Well, what’s that to you?” *“*T hope you’re not the man Blower’s expect: in’ to meet.” The judge sprung to his feet and glaring into the face of Jimrack as though a startling truth was forcing itself upon his mind, bl out: *“ Who the devil are you?’ “TI are Colonel Gamaliel Blower,” replied the professor. “Sword of Damocles! and I, colonel, am Jack Drew,” said Prosper. _ There was ‘a momentary silence. The look of the two men’s and burst into a faces. They clas han peal of hearty laughter. \ JOO eGoim “Ss (E(O) =—.2 = Ge -~ ———