Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 517 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

oo — - “You know very well that there is nothing the matter with the girl.” ‘*T don’t know anything of the kind,” ‘‘Come! come! I’m not prepared to split hairs withou over words. You have been heard to pledge ‘Your honor that the first case presented to the court in this camp should go squarely through on its merits.” ‘‘ An’ Dll stand by that, ef it takes a leg!” cried Jim, flushing to the roots of his hair. ‘* Then go and bring that girl into court. You are the responsible man. You can’t screen yourself behind this tricky deputy of yours.” ** Have I tried to do that?” ‘*T can tell better when I see how you act. But I can answer you one thing without delay.” ‘* An’ what’s that?” ‘Tf you really are the honest man you'd have it believed, and can’t see through this little game, you’re not fit for the office you hold.” “Tl show you what I’m fit for!” retorted Jim, with, it must be confessed, an oata. ‘*Qne word!” said the colonel, detaining him as he was about to leave the room. ‘‘What d’ye want? Speak quick, and to the point!” ** Drive that quack out of the camp; and just give him a hint that if he shows his nose about here while the court is in session, he'll be jugged for twelve months.” ‘*T know how to take care o’ him !” ‘* Be spry about it, Dl keep this thing in mo- tion until you get back. But, remember that there’s a limit even to legal obstruction.” ‘* | wouldn’t ’a’ believed it!” muttered Jim, as he hastened from the room. Harry Keene watched this in an agony of ap- prehension. A Sogn of angry reproach from Jim told him that he was suspected, and that the wily little lawyer had made a counter move. He had not heard the whispered conversation ; but any step on the part of the prosecution could have but one end. And here he was tied to his post, unable to leave it without a breach of duty. But could he endure this? Duty or no duty, could he leave her, a prey to unknown terrors, tocope alone with this new assault of her ene- mies? ‘* Never!” he muttered, between his set teeth. ‘* Whatever comes of it, my love stands first!” And with a dogged resolve to stand by her even to the death, he abandoned the prisoners over whom he was on guard to the care of two constables who were with him, and slipped from the room, Yet even as he did so, he could but sigh in his heart, in the bitterness of despair: " Miriam, my poor Miriam, everything is against us! This scoundrel will surely win!” CHAPTER XIX, A MINIATURE REVOLT. OUTSIDE the dance-house he came up to Jim Gladden at the head of the remaining four of his posse, “Jim,” he cried, ‘‘ what are you going to do” ‘* What! you?’ cried Jim, flaming red with anger. PVes, I!” replied Harry, doggedly. ‘* What do you mean by bein’ off your oo **Did you erppoee that I could stay? I have come to stand between you and her.” ‘*Go back!” ‘* Don’t ask me to do that; for you know that I can’t. She has got to come—that’s plain enough; but I will go for her.” That he got so far was due to the fact that Jim Gladden was so moved by wrath that he could not find voice. When he did speak, his voice was husky with suppressed fury. ‘*Am I your superior officer or not?” he de- manded., ‘‘T resign my position!” cried Harry. Under different circumstances this would have cost bim the severest struggle of his life; but now he thought only of Miriam and her fears. ‘‘Free from your orders, I can at least ac- company you to her house, and tell her that she has nothing to fear.” ‘‘But I refuse to accept!” cried Gladden. ‘“Go back to your post, I command you!” And to show that he was not to be further trifled with, he drew his revolver and cocked - it ‘‘ Jim!” cried his deputy, in amazement, but betraying no outward sign of fear. ‘“Go back, I say: or I will shoot you in your tracks!” was the only reply he got. _ And Jim Gladden, such was his resolve, propped his weapon into line with the boy’s eart, Jim Gladden’s Deputy. But now came an unexpected interruption. * Hole ou, dah, boss! We’s lined you, bofe of us! ‘* Be jabers, ye kin bet yer loife!” And glancing over his shoulder, Jim Gladden saw Tom Murphy and Dick Johnson with drawn revolvers menacing him. ‘*We hain’t got nuffin’ ag’in’ you, Jim,” re- marked Dick. ‘‘ But when it comes to pop- guns, de Free Jolly Pards stan’s an’ falls toged- der; an’ dat’s so!” For a moment Jim Gladden was too much amazed at this open rebellion to make reply. He could only stare. There could be no doubt that the boys were in dead earnest. They had been among the most intent specta- tors in the court-room. Already that morning had Milton Midge, Esq., interviewed them, and intimated what might be required of them in the event of the success of his scheme, This he had done, so that nothing should be lacking to make it appear that he was acting in good faith. After preparations so complete, who could suspect that he was really in collusion with bis his fellow attorney, the two playing into each other’s hands, so as to augment the fees which they could exact with an appearance of rea- son? Watching is | move, the boys were quick to detect Colonel Blood’s use of Jim Gladden. Then, seeing their pard follow, they, too, slipped out of the court-room, to be on hand if they could be of service. They were in time to show their spirit, and the loyalty which bound them to their comrade, in the face of dangers that might well have de- terred grown meu. With a disposition to treat their demonstra- tion as a lark carried to an indiscreet length, the four constables made an advance upon them, swearing at them not ill-naturedly. ‘* Bod scan till the loikes o’ the spalpeens! Git out o’ that, ye beggars!” cried an Iris n. But the boys proved that they were quite seri- ous. ‘* You take car’ o’ dem riff-raff, an’ I'll hole de boss !” was Dick’s order. ‘*T/ave me alone fur the loike o’ that!” replied Tom; and whipping out a second weapon, he brought it to bear on the astonished posse, ‘*Kape yer distance, gints!” he commanded, ‘*or Pil Vade out a bower at yez!” But here Harry’s senses came back to him. He saw the rg of this unheard-of stand. ‘* What do you mean by such nonsense?” he demanded, ‘‘Get out o’ that! You idiots, I’d put you under arrest myself, if I hadn’t set you the example. Do you reckon that the Three Jolly Pards run this whole camp?” ‘‘ Hugh! Reckon we could make a right smart chance at it, ef you-’uns didn’t back down!” de- clared Dick, putting up his weapon with a bad- enough grace, ‘“‘T’m the b’y that was good fur two o’ them, anny ways!” added Tom, noways abashed. ‘‘ Jim,” said Harry, turning to his principal, **vou’d better kick me off the force. I deserve it. I’m not only guilty of a breach of discipline myself, but I am the cause of an open defiance of the officers of the law.” **Obey the order you have received!” com- manded Jim, coldly. With a sigh the young deputy turned on his heel and walked back into the court-room. ‘* It’s of no use!” he said. ‘‘I am tied hand and foot!” Tom and Dick now began to feel rather un- easy as to the probable outcome to themselves, ‘*Dey’ll jug us, at de least calcalation!” mut- tered the latter, with a feeling of resentment toward Harry, as if he had left them in the lurch after they had shown their readiness to stand by him, come what might. Tom said nothing, but he looked dogged. Jim Gladden, when he had seen his subordi- nate re-enter the dance-house, turned without so much asa glance at his pards, and strode off down the street. The posse followed him. But one of them, looking back, shook his fist at the boys with a laugh, muttering: “You young divils! you've got off ’aisy this time. ‘*What’ll we do?” asked Dick. ‘** Go back into the court?” suggested Tom. ‘No, we won't!” cried Dick, with a look of sudden resolve. ‘* What will we do, then?” asked Tom. ** We'll do jist what Harry wanted to do,” re- sponded Dick. “‘ We'll go along 0’ dese hyah, an’ let Missy Miriam know dat de pards is a- stan’in’ by her yit!” ip —_—— ‘* Let thim ketch us a-follyin’ o’ them!” cried Tom, prudentially. ‘‘ What kin dey do?” demanded Dick, pug- naciously. ‘* Kick the likes of us to Kingdom-come, fur wan thing, if they don’t take it*into their heads to shoot us fur nosin’ around whayre we've no business to!” ‘* Ef you’s skeered, you'd better go home to yo’ mammy!” said Dick. Ana in fine scorn he marched off after the marshal and his posse. ** Afraid, is it?’ shouted Tom. ‘“ Divil sw’ape the like o° me!” And he “* followed suit.” Jim Gladden did not go directly to old Abra- ham’s house, but kept on down the street past it, to a saloon whence proceeded a sound of Bg and a curious series of yells, or rather elps. ’ It was the only sound in the camp, save those that came from the court-room, where the whole population were assembled. ere Jim found a listless barkeeper, leaning with his elbows on his deserted bar, with a lazy grin on his repulsive face, as of a man who was trying to make the most of mighty poor fun. Before him, in the middle of the room, with a bottle in one hand and in the other a glass from which its contents kept slopping as he moved, a solitary patron was executing a sort of drunken Injun war-dance. it was evident that this solitary reveler was enjoying himself to the full; and the very ab- surdity of his antics, and his perfect self-con- tentment, would have convulsed with laughter one who witnessed the performance for the first time. Espying the marshal and his men, he cried out to them, without abating his capers: ‘* Hello, fellers! Jim, ole man, step right up hyar, an’ j’/ine in the light fantastic! Order yer own liquor, an’ have it chalked down to your obedient. I’m in funds to-day, fur the first time in a dog’s age!” And this was Doc Sawyer. ‘*Look a-hyar!” called out Jim Gladden, roughly. ‘*Stop that tomfoolery, an’ listen to me ‘““Wha’s the row, ole man?—wha’s the row?” asked the doctor, nothing disturbed. ‘‘ Wetyer whistle before you begin. Take the hoarseness out o’ yer voice.” ‘You hyear me?” cried Jim, ‘‘ You cut this camp instanter. An’ ef you come loafin’ about while the court’s a-settin’ you'll see the inside o’ the new calaboose—an’ thar ain’t no lie in that!” Doc suddenly stopped, and stared. Jim turned on bis heel, and left the place without further words. He was followed out by the doctor, ‘‘cn tie keen jump.” ‘** Hold on, Jim!” he pleaded. ‘‘ What isin the wind, anyway?” ‘Tt’s that snide certificate o’ yourn,” rejoin- ed Jim, fiercely. “Tt didn’t go through?” asked Doc, in seeming surprise. ‘*Thar’ll somethin’ go through you, ef you don’t flit!” ‘*Give me five minutes’ start, an’ when I git back it’ll be my treat!” The doctor’s horse stood before the saloon. With his last words yet on his lips, his foot was in the stirrup. The next instant the dust flew from his horse’s flying hoofs. Jim Gladden had turned his back upon the derelict ‘‘ saw-bones,’ and was striding toward Abraham’s store. But this diversion had given the alert pards their mg yn ‘*See!” cried Tom, as the posse passed Abra- ham’s on their way to warn Doc Sawyer. ‘‘ We'll cut in an’ give the gerrul the tip.” ‘*Dat’s jist what we’s up to!” assented Dick. And they slipped to the back of the house. ‘* Missy Miriam! Missy Miriam!” cried Dick, thumping on the kitchen door. Left alone,a prey to a thousand undefined fears, the girl had flitted about the empty house on tiptoe, like a frightened wraith, rege to every sound, until her very solitude had driven her to her room, to lie cowering on her couch with the blankets thrown over her head. The knocking startled her, so that for a time the wild beating of her own heart drowned every other sound. But presently she made out Dick’s voice; and with a low cry of delight, she ran to a back win- dow overlooking the roof of a lean-to, and peeped out upon the veueamiiea “an toe ens curtain disturbed, both made mo- tions to er; and ina momert she had cautious- comicboo 2 : 2 hyp | : & s omy i - . * b> *