Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 629 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

12 Violet Vane. ee ee eset RE Sr Or PE SPT down and sleep off the effect of too much liquor. Those who remain are outnumbered two to one,” Vane spoke the truth, and a glance over his shoulder convinced High Card Harry of the folly of precipitating a battle. With a bitter curse, he demanded: ‘© How could I cheat when you dealt the cards? This is an outrage!” ‘** Will some one please count the cards on the table?” called Vane. ‘‘ Bet yer boots!” exclaimed Erastus Wagg, promptly stepping forward. ** Pick them all up and throw them down one ata time, so that all may see and count,” com- manded the man in velvet, still holding Harry covered. ‘‘ Be slow and careful,” High Card Harry turned very pale, but watched Wage’s movements in silence. ‘* Jest fifty keerds,” announced the investiga- tor, as he threw down the last one. ‘* Which shows that two are missing,” said the Velvet Sport, grimly, gazing into his oppo- nent’s eyes. ‘* Will you account for them, sir?” ‘* Account for them yourself!” snapped Harry. ** You handled them last.” ‘* My friend,” smiled the little man with the violets, ‘‘ it takes more than a sleeve holdout to beatme. Will you acknowledge that this money is rightfully mine, or shall I have your sleeve searched?” For several moments High Card Harry was speechless, then he snarled: ‘‘ Take the money, but mark this: You shall hear from me again in a way that you will despise.” ‘* You acknowledge yourself beaten?” ‘* For,the present, yes.” Then Violet Vane pocketed the money. At this moment a shout attracted the atten- ‘tion of those who had been breathlessly watch- ing the dramatic termination of the game, and glancing swiftly in the direction from whence it came, they saw two men holding a horse by the bit while three more dragged the rider from the saddle, The horseman was Ned Morris, and those who had sprung upon bim were some of the Jasper City gang. As they pulled him from the horse, they repeated the shout, and a moment later the men of Jasper who had been watching the game started in a run toward Morris and his five cap- tors, High Card Harry with them. Violet Vane sprung up. ‘* Men of Jacktown,” he cried, ‘‘ there is trou- ble there! Follow me!” CHAPTER XVI. LAUGHING LU TO THE RESCUE. In some waya portion of the Jasper City toughs had discovered that Ned Morris had warned the citizens of Jacktown of the mob’s approach, and they had sworn to have revenge onthe youth for the act, Therefore when five of them succeeded in capturing the young fel- low, they gave the signal which called the entire band around thems When Morris’s offense was made known to all, a wild cry went up: ‘* Lynch him!” Toward the nearest tree he was dragged, some one producing a rope with remarkable quickness. The liquor-maddened fellows in- tended to make quick work of him whom they considered a traitor. Suddenly up the gulch from the direction of Jasper City came a horse and rider, the latter being afemale. The men of the rival camps ‘saw her, and cried in chorus: ‘* Laughing Lu!” Straight toward the mob around the tree she urged her horse. Higb Card Harry saw her, and uttered a curse as he hastened to fit the noose around Ned Morris's neck and fling the rope over a limb. ‘‘Up with the traitor!” shouted the card sharp. ; But at that instant Violet Vane reached the side of the imperiled man. “Hold!” he cried, in a commanding tone. “The first man who lays a band on that rope eats lead!” In either hand he held a cocked revolver, and on his face was a look which showed that he meant what he said. Fora moment the entire crowd was awed. ‘* Furies!” snarled High Card Harry. ‘ Will ou cower before a single man, men of Jasper? own with the velvet fop, and up with the traitor!” ‘“*Go a little slow!” warned Vane, calmly, ‘I am not alone, You are surrounded by the men of Jacktown. [f you have not already had soough of us, Just go ahead with your lynching ** Whoopee /” cried the camp vagabond, as he pushed through the crowd and placed himself at the little man’s side. ‘‘ Sweet Violets an’I kin lick yer hull crowd, an’ we’ve got lots o’ back- ers, At this instant Laughing Lu urged her horse right into the crowd, which was forced to make way for her. ** What means this outrage?” cried the brave girl. For the first time Violet Vane saw her face, and involuntarily a cry of amazement broke from his lips. But she had not yet glanced at her lover’s defender; her flashing eyes were fixed upon the now silent crowd. ‘* Speak !” she exclaimed. tardly attempt at murder! done?” ‘* The jig is up!” muttered High Card Harry, as he slunk into the crowd, But one of the men from Jasper City replied: ‘* He is a traitor, miss. He got here ahead of us, and warned Jacktown that we were com- ing. ‘* Ts that all?” ‘*That’s enough. We have lost about twenty horses, and a dozen of us have been wounded,” ‘Which was an easier punishment than you deserved,” declared the fearless girl. ‘ You came to this camp, intending to destroy the lace, Mr. Morris only did his duty in warn- ing the peopleof Jacktown. He is no traitor, for the honest, law-abiding citizens of Jasper had nothing at all to do with this move.” The men remained silent. ‘**l command you to release that young man and allow him to depart unmolested,” continued Laughing Lu, ‘‘ You have seen fit to call me the Queen of Jasper City. Will you obey your queen?” ‘‘Bet yer boots!” cried one rough fellow. ‘* Hooray fer ther queen!” The crowd caught the spirit and cheered, and from that minute Ned Morris stood in no further danger of lynching. Violet Vane removed the noose from the young man’s neck and cut the bonds which held his hands behind him. Ned sprung to Laughing Lu’s side. ‘“*How in the world came you here?” he de- manded, both surprised and delighted. She smiled a little, and then looked unusually grave, as she replied: ‘*T can hardly tell myself. An intense feeling that you were going into deadly danger caused me to secure this horse and follow you. I ar- rived just in time, it seems,” Their eyes met in a quick glance which spoke volumes, ‘‘ We wil! speak of it later,” said Ned, ina low tone. ‘*‘There are too many around for us to say much just now.” She understood him and bowed. ‘* But I had friends ere you came,” he added. ‘* Let me present you to the man who so fear- lessly came to my aid and faced the whole crowd, I have not yet learned his name, or thanked him,” He assisted ber to dismount, and, a moment jeter Violet and Laughing Lu were face to ace, “This is my friend, whom I owe—” began Ned, to be interrupted by a ery of surpri:e ana joy from the girl. ‘Philip, my brother!” burst from her lips. ** Tuona!” And, regardless of the amazement of the throng, the two flew into each other’s arms. Erastus Wazgg gazed at them a moment in astonishment, and then with an unexpected delicacy of feeling in one so uncouth, he turned away and pushed into the midst of the crowd, saying in low, yet sharp tones: ‘Git outer this, ye durned gawkin’ ginnys. W’at ye starin’ at? Tuais hain’t our funeral, an’ thar hain’t none o’ us needed hyer.” The men took this broad hint, and promptly moved away from that vicinity. After the joy and surprise at the meeting was over, Violet Vane asked: ‘* How under the sun came you here, Lu? I supposed you far, far away.” With a few words she explained everything, and when she had finished, he declared: ss You area wonderfully plucky little girl, sister mine. I never dreamed that it was in you. Lammorethan proud of you. But at the same time I am afraid that you have made a bad move in coming to this wild country.” ** I fear that I have been followed.” ‘* Followed—by whom?” ‘* A detective, who is searching for you,” and then she told him of Solomon Snide. ** Well, it isn’t best that he interferes with ‘* Explain this das- What has this man me now,” said Vane, a hard look resting on his face for an instant. ‘‘ Tbe Burnton bank rob- ber is not far away, and until I have sufficient proof to convict him and have placed him in the eriget the law, I will not go back to the East. No detective can drag me back in irons!” ‘* Do you really think that you have found the real robber?’ exclaimed Lu eagerly. ‘*‘ Who is he?” ‘*T am not ready tocall his name just sister mine,” smiled the Velvet Sport. ‘ shall know in good time,” ‘That is all I ask. But, we are forgetting Ned. Where is he? Ned!” The young man bad moved away a short dis- tance, but turned quickly at her call, She mo- tioned for him, and he came forward. ‘* Ned, this is my brother, Philip; Phil, this is Ned Morris, of whom I wrote you.” The two young men clasped hands, **T am happy to meet you, Mr. Morris,” said the man in velvet, frankly. ‘‘ My sister wrote me of you, and I felt that I should like you when we met. Now [ know that I was not mistaken,” ‘*T am glad to make the acquaintance of Lu- ona’s brother, whom she often praised in glow- ing terms,” responded Ned. ‘‘ And I have to thank you for so quickly coming to my assist- ance when my life was in danger. I believe you would have cowed that mob, bad not Luona ap- peared.” ‘* Now, Ned, that’s not fair,” laughed the girl, ‘*‘ You ought to give me the honor of res- cuing you from the mob.” *T do, Lu. Without doubt you saved my life. I only said that I believe Mr. Howard would have done so had you not appeared.” ‘* But that takes away balf the satisfaction of having acted as a rescuer,” protested Lu, ‘‘Let’s seek a shady spot and have a quiet chat,” suggested the brother. ‘* Then this is the place beneath this tree,” was the girl’s quick decision, Ned bitched to the tree the horse which Lu had ridden from Jasper City, and then the trio sat down together. Ned and Vane seemed to have become fully acquainted in a moment, and the three were soon talking pleasantly. The crowd had moved away a considerable distance, and seemed to have formed in a ring around a common center. Soon a cheer and a burst of laughter came to the ears of the three beneath the tree. ‘“‘That sounds well,” said Vane. ‘‘I should say that the trouble between the two camps was nearly settled for to-day.” But it was not. The woolly-headed man came limping toward the trio, holding onto his back with one hand, and grinning in a ** sheepish” manner, ‘*'You’re wanted over there, Sweet Violets,” said Wagg, ‘‘ They want ye ter take er whirl with ther champion rassiler. I tbort I ec’uwd down ’im, but I’ve changed mer mind since we clinched. Wish I c’u’d change mer back now fer ther one [ had er short time ergo. I never knew w’at er blamed ole fool I wuz till I tried ter rassil with chain-lightnin’,” et, ou CHAPTER XVII. HICKORY JIMMY TAKES A TUMBLE. ONE by one, nearly the entire population of Jacktown had issued forth from the camp to witness the exciting events which were trans- piring on the outskirts. For a time the less courageous ones kept at a safe distance, but gradually they approached and mingled with the throng near the center of excitement. Judge Blowbugle was about the last to appear, and although he was still very pale from his recent fight, he endeavored to conceal all signs of tre- pidation. ' “his is er galorious vict’ry,” declared the judge—‘a galorious vict’ry! We've g’in ’em er lesson as they won’t soon fergit, I reckon. I am proud ter be er citizen uv Jacktown— yes, sir, proud! It is really er great honor, an’ er satisfaction ter know tbet one is livin’ ’nong hones’, fearless men—men as will not quail at the cannon’s mouth, There are as great heroes ter-day as there uster wuz uv old, an’ we’ve got scores uv ’em in this hyer camp uv Jacktown.” The judge witnessed the struggle between Hickory Jimmy, the wrestler from Jasper City, and the unsuppressible woolly-headed man, Erastus Wagg was handled almost as easily as a baby would have been. 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