Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 702 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

woe" 5 & = bl - 12 Blue Jacket Bill. ,* ££ . ” o - ~@ - - - - — " - S . - . od Pate s me thand in tnese mincs and your claws must be lipped,’ Again Redfern was seen to make quick sig- mal, and the speaker and those who had stepped to his side, found that they were in the very mid-~: ot a number of men who were strangers in Devil’s Rauch, but bad their hands or their revolvers, and were ready to use them, Then Redfern said quickly: ‘‘ Tf you interfere here, my man, you will find it bard work to explain to the good men of Devil’s Ranch why you protect a Blue Jacket.” These words fell. with startling effect upon the crowd, while a voice cried: ‘“*Show us the Blue Jacket, Pard Redfern, and all who protect him!” At this the bravo who had hoped to muke a name by bluffing Redfern, quickly edged back from his position and the youth said in the most matter-of-fact way: ‘Here is the Blue Jacket, pards; but, he is my game, not yours,” ** Yer liest I hain’t no Blue Jacket,” yelled the accused gambler, ‘Very well. If I do not prove it, I'll give you leave to empty your revolver at me from ‘ten paces distant.” ** And if you does?” cried a voice, ‘* Pll see that he does not escape,” was the sig- nificant response, ** Prove it!” shouted a number of voices, ‘** Yes, prove it, or he bas the shots at yer,” cried one, eager for the ** fun.” ‘*Prove it! Prove it, Pard Redfern!” and a perfect howl for proof went up, but not in the feast disturbed by the row he had raised the youth faced the crowd and said calmly: **[ intend to prove it, men, and bag my game at the same time,” CHAPTER XXIIL THE PROOF. SOMETHING in the look and manner of Red- fern silenced the crowd, an:! all eyes were turn- ed alternately upon him and the man who now had turned to a deathlike hue of face, Parson Freeze, deeply interested in the scene, had come close to Redfern’s side, and the stranger from Colorado, Lariat Dick, also step- d near and stood looking on, an anxious and interested spectator of all that occurred, The landlord had also drawn near, and just ‘then, as though by accident, the strangers noticed in the “as, the past few days hail Crawn. in a circle about the young Revolver Ranger. The scene was now a calm one; but all knew that it might break forth in fury in a second of time, ‘*Men,” remarked Redfern, as he. glanced over the crowd, “the Blue Jackets are my deadly foes, and*I am their enemy unto death. I happen to know something about them from close observation, and that knowledge comes to my aid now. Withia the past year I bave run toearth no less than nine of the band, though I did make a mistake in letting the Vigilantes hang the wrong man for Blue Jacket Bill. Had I thought a moment before condemning that poor fellow I would have looked for the sure proof that be was a Blue Jacket. I accused the man here whom you all knew as Trent Bax- ‘ter the gambler, alias the Sharp from Texas and he had the same proof that [ speak of, and at may some day hang bim, If [have my way it will.' Each man whom I[ bave captured, or killed of the Blue Jackets had the proof upon him that he is a member of the band. ‘** You may recall that { took men out of your midst, Cavalho, Corallez and others whom you little dreamed were Blue Jackets; ‘but they were. **Now, I repeat again, if I donot give the o I claim, 1 will stand across this room, umbly ask this man’s pardon, and permit him to empty his revolver at me; but he must be sure of bis aim, for the seventh shot that is fired will come from my revolver at him. ‘* 1 now tell you that about this man’s neck is a collar, pricked in india-ink in blue, represent- ing a chain, to which hangs a padlock in red ink, and bearing the letters B, J. B. ‘** Men, there is my proof; The chain collar of the Blue Jackets!” Redfern tore open the shirt of the man he accused, revealing the mark he had indicated! A perfect yell of fury went up from the crowd, while the accused man uttered a cry of ‘terror, and attempted to draw his revolver, but Redfern’s derringer covered him, and he heard tthe words: ** Resist and you die!” . Ail men cling to life, no matter what the fate mhead of them, and though the gallows arose in all its horror before him, the man did not resist, and thus end his life then and there. He was quickly disarmed by Lariat Dick, while the crowd, now thirsting for the blood of the man whom no one doubted was one of the Blue Jacket Band, cried in savage tones: ** Now we'll swing him!” ‘* One more Blue Jay to hang!” “Give him up, pard, and we'll hoist him!” The mass of humanity made a move toward the man which seemed irresistible; but, Red- fern’s derringer suddenly disappeared, his re- volver took its place, while be cried: ‘Men, I claim this prisoner for the United States, and shall take him to Fort Blanco for trial, so don’t crowd me!” ‘‘Hort Blanco be blowed! We’ll hang him here, and you kin try him arterwards,” The speaker was the fellow who, a short while before, had told Redfern he was carrying too high a hand in Devil’s Ranch. He was now wishing to hang the man he bad sought to defend a few minutes before! But his words met with the approbation of the crowd, and they still pressed forward toward the prisoner, **Men, I know my duty and I shall doit, I warn youoft!” again cried Red.ern, while Du Val called out: Boys, don’t crowd him, for he’s right, and don’t you forget it.” ‘Waal, we has a say I guess, as well as Red- fern, and I says bang the Blue Jay!” It was the same bravo who bad before spoken, and he made a spring fer the trembling wretch. put the sharp crack of the dauntless Red- fern’s revolver checked his spring and sent him down ina heap, a bullet in the very center of his furebead! ‘‘ Tf wecan’t bang a Blue Jay, yousha’n’tkilla miner, Redfern,” cried another voice, and a shout came from the crowd. Instantly there was a rattling of revolvers, yet only for an instant, for the maddened crowd surged back now, in wild fright, for though Redfern’s revolvers were barking, others about him were joining in the chorus, and it was seen that he bad a full score of backers by his side, among whom were, Lariat Dick and the stran- gers in Devil’s Ranch, “That Redfern is the devil!” cried a miner as he 4 out of the ball. ‘* Parson, you will have a busy day of it to- morrow,” remarked Redfern coolly, and he walked out of the gambling ball with his pris- oner, after whispering to the landlord: ‘One of my men was killed and another wounded—please see to them,” ‘*T willat once; but, did you see how cool the parson was under fire?” ‘*1 noticed it, and tbat is not all,” was the re- Ply. ut, the parson overheard the words, and one instant after he, too, slipped out of the hall, un- mindful of the wounded who migot need the consolation of his presence. Two hours after, Redfern had left with his prisoner, and Lariat Dick was with him, The next morning not a stranger was to be seen in Devil’s Ranch, and to the surprise of Landlord Du Val the parson was missing also, ‘‘He must have gone with Redfern,” be mut- tered, But the landlord was wrong in this surmise for the parson had gone alone, CHAPTER XXIV. THE PARSON GOES ON A JOURNEY. THE words uttered by Redfern to wandlord Du Val, in the gambling hall, and overbeard by Parson Freeze, seemed to impress the latter gen- tleman unpleasantly. He quicklv made his exit and sought his room in the New Mexico, unmindful cf the rumor go- ing the rounds that a miner wh. stood near him swore that he had seen the parsop with a re- volver in bis band, and he seemed so scared he was aiming at bis friend Redfern. But the parson had been not 1 few minutes in his room when he heard noisee on the piazza be- low giving utterance to these very words; te it’s all up now with Parson Freeze, and I must look out for myself,” muttered the man, Then he muttered aloud; ‘““[ did hope to get a chance to send that Yellow Canyon treasure through unsuspected by the coach, but that must wait for another time, ‘* Now there is but one thing for me to do and that is to get out of here, “I can then go North and play the role of friend, and if I do not doso soon that infernal boy will get there first and win all, ** That is my only hope now for the future, un- - less I can venture back to Colorado and convince old Miner Ben Bostwick that I am really Trent Baxter, which the old fool doubts, ‘*But now to get out of this Devil’s Ranch, which certainly is most properly named, ‘* Whew! but how the bullets flew to-night in the hall, and in ten seconds as many men went down, ‘*T did get in one shot at Redfern, but a fool put his head in between as I pulled the trigger and got the lead, , ‘‘ And [ was seen, too, so have no time to tarry ere. ‘‘That boy bears a charmed life, and is the coolest, deadliest shot I ever saw. ‘“Now to be cff,” and the parson quickly threw a few things together, not forgetting his money this time, lowered himself from bis win- dow, by aid of bis lariat, and reaching the shed stables called for the landlord’s best horse, which had been placed at bis disposal by Senor Du al, Soon after he was riding out of Devil’s Ranch at a gallop, and his course lay for the Blue Jackets’ Toll Gate in Canyon Pass, He dismounted at the canyon, and went on foot amoug the rocks. Taking from the pack he carried a Jantern he lighted it and soon reached a@ spot among the rocks which was a secure hiding place, The lantern revealed that he had there some large bags of gold, and from one of these he took a few handfuls, ‘‘T cannot take much so must leave it until another time, for it is safe here. ‘‘If it had not been for that fracas to-night; Icould have nipped Mexican Jve on his next trip, when I was a passenger, and the only one, and [’d carry this all through as Government treasure witbout mishap. ‘But now it must wait, until 1 go north to play my cards with the wife and daughter of Gray St. John.” i So saying he put out the lantern, left it in the hiding place, and returning to his horse once more continued on bis way. Once or twice during the night he halted to rest his horse, and just after dawn for break- fast. But not for a long while, for be pushed on once more, Toward noon his horse began to feel the pres- sure, and dismounting he walked by bis side for miles, and then again halted forrest, | Night came and yet be did not go into camp for any length of time. , All during the day he had cast glances behind him, as though be feared pursuit. f Througb the night he walked, leading his borse, and only at daybreak camped. He went to sleep for a couple of hours, awoke, cooked his breakfast, and bis horse being re- tres-ed by food and rest, be urged him once mor. to & rapid gait and kept it up for bours, He bad avoided all regular trails, and seeming to know the country thoroughly, came in sight at sunset of a stage station upon another branch than the one which led to Devil’s Ranch and by Fort Blanco, To his joy he learned that a coach was ex- pected within, an hour, and he at once sold his borse for what he could get for him, and soon after be was going eastward, the only passenger in the coach, greatly to his delight, CHAPTER XXV. THE NOOSE TIGHTENING. THE excitement was intense in Devil’s Ranch the day following the fracas in the gambling hall of the New Mexico, There were men who said that Redfern the Revolver Sharp never came there that a row did not follow, and others at once remarked in his defense, that he always took in some desperado or outlaw who needed hanging, while he cer- tainly bad not brougbt the trouble on, He had even gone so far as to explain why be had demanded the prisoner whom he bad taken with him. This silenced the ill-feeling against the boy scout, or ratber the open oo page of it. Many wondered why Redfern had gone out of Devil’s Ranch that night with his prisoner, and who he took with him. The report tbat he had resigned his place at the fort as scout was no longer believed, and the strangers seen in the place were set down as his secret pards, What Lariat Dick, of Colorado, had to do with Redfern no one knew; but be was also found gone on the following morning, What most surprised the rancbers was the dis- appearance of the parson. e was wanted badly to make the burying a com comicboo