Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 699 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

~ farthy, low-browed, ear-ringed Greaser to the stalwart Americano who boasted his thousands of cattle and horses, At the hour appointed Irwin pompously el- bowed his way through the throng, bringing with him the prisoners, These were surrounded by a guard, as much for the purpose of humili- ating them as for protection against the alleged danger of lynching. Alcatraz was a stickler for legal formality, as he understood it, and there were many delays consequent thereupon, But after a time the wheels of justice were got in motion and the trial began, There was no difficulty in proving that the cattle with the changed brands had been found in Huntington’s possession, It was a fact which the cattle baron did not deny In truth, so conclusive were all the proofs offered by the prosecution that when the State rested its case there seemed not a loophole of escape for the accused men, But just at this moment Taylor Wingate, ac- companied by Simple Simon and Nancy Hackett entered the room. — There was a lull in thecourt proceedings and a buzz of expectancy from the crowd, for the very carriage of these new arrivals was prophetic of startling depouements, In the general appear- ance of Simple Simon there was so marked a change that it attracted universal attention from all who had known him. His slouching it was gone, the smile of easy, good-humored rusticity bad vanished and been replaced by a look of intellectual force and strengthful pur- pose, and in his eyes had come a glance of sternness and resolution. In addition his ill- fitting cowboy garb had been discarded for clothing that revealed instead of concealed the really manly proportions of his figure. There was no change in Wingate, except that a look of triumph shone in his face, and in Miss Hackett the change was but slight. Simple Sim advanced to the desk occupied by Huntington’s attorney and whispered for a few moments into that gentleman’sear. Thelawyer gave a start, but managed to control his nerves, and announced that the defense was ready with its evidence, _ To the surprise of all the first witness called was Nancy. A few deft questions set her on the right track, and she detailad in her own eaculia? way the mysterious night branding she had witnessed at lrwin’s, The as saults of the prosecuter failed to shake her testi- mony, and when she retired, to be replaced by Simple Sim, many black and suspicious looks were cast upon the erstwhile arrogantsheriff, There was a bush of nervous expectancy in the room when the attorney addressed the new wit- ness: ‘‘ You will please state to the court your true name and profession,” “Samuel Wilber;—and I am in the employ of the United States revenue service,” “Exactly! And now state, in your own way, why you came here and what you have discov- ered in connection with this case, if anything?” Objections were made to the form of the ques- tion, but they were over-ruled by Alcatraz, and the witness went on: ‘There has been a great deal of smuggling across the border bere, and I was ordered to this vicinity to ferret out and arrest the guilty par- ties, if possible, Miss Hackett I sent on several weeks in advance, and when I arrived I found her at the Huntington Ranch, whichI concluded - to make my own headquarters,” The prosecutor realizing the dangerous trend _ of the evidence, here made some hasty and fiery objections, insistiag that the statements were ir- relevant and immaterial, and that the witness should stick to the case in hand, Similar objec- tions were made constantly as Simon continued, but they were almost uniformly over-ruled by the court and the witness was allowed to tell his full story, A word-for-word repetition would be tedious, Substantially it was as follows: e had assumed the disguise of a broncho- breaker, being a natural horse-trainer, the bet- ter to conceal his identity. He had for some time been engaged with Miss Hackett in the revenue secret service. She was not an educated woman, but had a certain shrewdness, tact and courage that made her invaluable. — Her pretended attachment for him, and her subsequent jealousy, had been mere pretexts— parts of a plan to enable her to take up her resi- dence at Irwin’s, where she could keep a close watch onall the ranchman’s movements, In playing their several roles they had been careful to keep their masks on at all times and under all circumstances, as they could never be sure they were not being watched; and this fact, as the reader knows, had saved them many \ nple 1m, times from what would otherwise have been in- evitable discovery. He had found abundant evidence to convict Irwin of the charge of smuggling—and this evi- dence had not been collected without revealing far more, The constant surveillance to which the ranchman had been subjected had disclosed the fact that he was the leader of the band which had been engaged in the cattle and horse-stealing operations of the past year. When this statement was made, Irwin, who had for some time been edging nearer the door, atternpted to pass to the outside, His movements had not escaped the eagle glance of the detective. Rising in his seat, he threw back bis coat, displaying his officia) badge and shouted: ‘In the name of the United States I call on all good citizens to arrest that man! He is trying to leave the court room!” At this Irwin made a dash for his horse, which was standing just beyond thesquare, but he was seized, and though he fought madly, was brought back and duly placed under arrest. No further evidence was asked for. The prosecutor, realizing that his case was lost, and disgusted with the fraud that had been practiced on him, promptly dismissed the cases against Huntington and his cowboys, And that afternoon another trial took place, wherein Charles Irwin sat in the prisoner’s box, and from which, at its conclusion, he went asa convicted felon to serve out many weary years as a penance for the crimes he had committed. Before the close of this memorable day many other things were revealed which threw the light of explanation on various matters which have seemed strange and enigmatical, and which involved the life history of many connect- ed with this narrative, The chief of these was that Irwin had baen sailing under a false name, Long before, in the days of his early manhood, he had met Mrs, Huntington, who was then a widow, with one child, an infant, This infant was Mildred, now grown to womanhood, Irwin sought the widow’s hand in marriage, and had been réjected for his rival, Giles Huntington. Years after, having changed his name because of offenses against the laws, and being wholly altered in appearance by the flight of time, he chanced to locate on the Rio Grande, where he found the Huntingtons, happy and prosperous, This prosperity and bappiness fired his mind with the deepest hatred. He saw that all thought and recollection of himself had vanished, and so with diabolical wiles and schemes he set about a work of revenge, Mildred’s father had not been a man of which a daughter could be proud; and she had been reared in the belief that Huntington was her father, Her real father had perished for wrong- doing, and Mrs, Huntington could not bear that Mildred should ever know of him or have the stain of bis offenses thrust upon her young life to blight it, ledge; and the revelation of this to Mildred was the threat with which he had annoyed and at- tempted to coerce the cattle baron. The white face revealed beneath the feathered head-dress of the supposed Comanche raider had set Simon on the right track, He had taken Wingate into his confidence. and they, with ancy’s aid, had collected and pursued the clews which had led to Irwin’s downfall. Of course there was a wedding! [t is the proper ending of true love; and no truer love existed than that which knit the hearts of Taylor Wingate and Mildred Huntington. The cattle driven to Pinone Creek were returned to the old ranges; the right triumphed, and prosperity smiled, And the hero who wrought these changed circumstances was the Broncho-Bu’ster and ‘‘Fool of the Range,” the dauntless Scout-Detective, Sam Wilber! : THE END. Beatles Half-Dime Library. BY LIEUT, A, K. SUMS. 546 Captain Cactus, the Chaparral Cock. 568 The Dandy of Dodge. a Re 576 The Silver Sport. 5558 Saffron Sol, the Man With a Shadow. 589 Tom-Cat and Pard; or, The Dead Set at Silver City, 601 nappy Hans, the Dutch Vidocq- 611 Bildad Barnacle, the Detective Hercules. 622 Texan Tom-Cat’s Triad 681 Tom Cat’s Terrible Task. 688 Tom-Cat’s Triumph; or, Black Ivan’s Great Combine, 646 Cowboy Gid. the Cattle-Rance Detective. 657 Warbling William, the Mountain Mountebank. 665 Jolly Jeremiahy the Plains Detective. 676 Signal Sam, the cout Scout. he Broncho Buster. This had come to Irwin’s know- BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Sea; or, The Vailed Lady. 186 Cool Deamondy;: or, The Gambler’s Big Game. BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim: or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies, A Story of Texas. BY C. DUNNING CLARK. 185 Captain Paul; or, The Boy sara of the Mountains. 230 The Yankee Kajahj or; The Fate of the Black Shereef. BY J. W. OSBON,. 469 The Rival Glants« of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man trom Hard Luck. 537 O11 Buckeye, the Sierra Shadow, 564 Powder Phil, the Boy Miner. 609 Bolly Dorrit, the Veteran Detective. 620 Little Lightning's League; or, The Mystery oftne Island, 688 Plucky Paul, the Boy Prospector. BY CAPT. J. F. ©. ADAMS, 84 Oregon Sol; or, Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. 46 Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 564 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick Whiffles’s Pet; or, In The Valley of Death. 60 The White Indian; or, The Scovt of the Yellowstone, 70 Old Zip’a Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods. 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. uck Buckram }; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Peta; or, The Wild Huntress, 251 Light-house Lige; or, Osceola, the Firebrand. 257 The Lost Hunters; or, The Underground Camp. 288 The Scalp King; or, The Human Thunderbolt. BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR. 2 Vellowatone Jack; or, The iy | ah AS Black John, the Road-Agent; or, The Outlaw’s Retreat, 65 Hurricane Bill; or, Mustang Sam and His Pard. 119 Mustang Sami}; or, The King of the Plains. 186 Night-llawk Kit; or, The Daughter of the Ranch. 144 Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 151 Panther Paul; or, Dainty Lance to the Rescue, 160 The Black Glant; or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy. 168 Deadly Dash; or, Fighting Fire with Fire. . 184 The Boy Trailers ; or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path. 208 The Boy Parda; or. Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Crooked Cale, the Caliban of Celestial City. $10 The Barranca W olf; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League, 885 Old Double Fist; or, the Strange Guide 855 The King of the Wooda: or Daniel boone’s Last Trall. 419 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. j25 Chincapin Dan, the Roy Trailer. 2 ~ 7 Chinenpin Dan’s Second Trail, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Walf-Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, fire eents per copy, or sent by mail on rece!pt o1 aix cents each, BEADLE AND ADAMA, Publishers, 98 William Street. New York Now Ready. A Brilliant Holiday Number! BEADLE’ S Dime Dialogues, No. 38. Yor Schools, Exhibitions and . the Amateur Stage. CONTENTS (ALL ORIGINAL), A WILD IRISHMAN’S DIPLOMACY; or, How Tue ‘““SonHamME’’ WoRKED. In Four Scenes. For five males aad four females. AUNIIDEBORAH IN THE CITY, TERLUDE. Fortwo females A CHINAMAN IN CAMP. A Wiip West Escapapr. For three males. PLAYING HOSVtESS; or, Toat TerrreBite CHILD, For two females and child. SLIGHTLY HILARIOUS; or, Too Mucu ror Rack- ETTs. An Office *’ Affair.’’ For four males. WHAT HAPPENEL TO HANNAH; or, THe “ Bos- Tina’? Cure. An “Old Homestead” Verifica- tion. lor two males and one female. THE AWAKENING OF THE FLOWERS. A BEAv- TIFUL DRESS AND CHARACTER Pretire DRAMA, For o girls’ school. PLATO POINDUXTER’S ASHES; or, TESTING ‘““SrynisH’’? Srmcerrry. A Decidedly Effective Case of Learning the Truth. For four females and two males. THE SPIRIT OF DISCONTENT. In Verse, For nine little bers THE GOOD STRIKERS. In Verse. For six little girls. THE MISSING ESSAY; on, Envy, Harrep anp ALL UNCHARITABLENESS UNMASK«D. A Stirring and Impressive School and Parlor Drama. In Two Scenes, THE WELL-TAUGHT LESSON; or Take ONLY Taat Waich 18 THIne. A Boys’ Clun Episode. For several boys. EPHRAIM BKLACK’S POLITICS: or, Gerrina His Name IN THE PAPERS. An Expose of Modern Po- litical Methods and Morals. For four males and one female. And several others:—the best collection of original farces, burlesques and humorous incidents — of minor dramas for the school and parlor stage, and for dramatic entertainments -of dialogues, collo- quies and dress pieces, that has ever been offered the American public at any price. BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS. : 98 Wijliam Street, New York. ” A Mipnieut In.