Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 730 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

2 ani wore clerical-appearing clothes, but whose face was as hard as those of his companions, although it was now drawn into a look of dis- tressed sadness, The word ‘ hypocrite” was written on his countenance, Surrounded by the men was a pale-faced boy not over sixteen years of age—a roughly-dressed but attractive lad, with a frank, almost girlish, face, There was a light of fear in his eyes as he gazed at the stern-looking men who hemmed him in and on whose belted weapons the flaring torchlights glinted, He turned appealingly to- ward the dark-clothed man, but with an expres- sion of helpless sorrow, that individual dropped lis head in a despairing manner, vailing his eyes with his thick, black eyebrows, One of the men, a fat, greasy, liquor-branded individual, lifted above the others by the box which was his tribunal, now arose to his feet, his manner being quite pompous and his air more ridiculous than dignified, although be plainly tried to appear asif he felt a great re- ponsibility resting on his shoulders, When he spoke it was in a voice that sounded like the gurgling of a very hoarse bull frog. ‘* Feller-citizens of Coffin City,” he croaked, with a broad sweep of one sbort arm, ‘| bev listened impartially ter ther evvydence in this yere case, feelin’ thoroughly detarmined ter see jestice done ter ther extremest limit, let ther chips fall whar they will. I will not deny thet I wuz somewhat favorably impressed by ther ’pearance of ther accused, a mere boy charged with ther grave and awful crime of murder ! I will not deny that, feller-citizens, fer I hev er tender heart in my buzzum; but as the evvy- dence hes piled up afore me, I hev crushed back ther feelin’ thet w’u’d thwart the mechanism of ther law, an’ I hev determined ter do my juty even though my own brother stood ther crimynal at ther Lar. ‘Thar is leetle need of goin’ all over ther evvydence thet has been presented, feller-citizens, -so I will simply tetch on ther main p’ints, Ther hour is gittin’ merged torruds midnight an’ we hev already spent vallyble time in gittin’ at ther plain an’ unvarnished facts of ther case, ‘* Feller-citizens of Coffin City: You wuz all familiar with ther figger of Ole Luckless, ther galoot w’at builded this yere cabin an’ worked ther placer in ther crick, You all know he wuz an ornery, no-’count critter as didn’t ’mount ter shucks, but fer all thet he wuz er human bein’, an’ it falls ter our juty ter see thet bis death 1s propperly avenged, ‘Ther pris’ner at ther bar, oh my country- men, kem ter these parts a few short weeks ago an’ foun’ er home with Ole Luckless, who allus wuz er reg’ler soft-hearted old fool thet’d divvy hafe he hed with ther cuss thet seemed ter want it poorty bad, But leetle did ther ole man know w’at a viper he wuz takin’ to his buzzum in this saft-’pearin’ kid! Leetle did he think ther ban’ of ther one he hed fed w’u’d strike him down! ** Sometirue doorin’ ther day thet heg jest past Ole Luckless wuz murdered—foully ’sassynated, feller-citizens! Both Lank Ike an’ Sweet Jim saw his body layin’ stark an’ stiff jst inside ther door thac; you, my comrades, bev seen ther blood on ther floor. Whar ther body hes gone no critter kin say, ‘less it is this yere boy, an’ he won’t tell. It is likely he hes secreted it, ter kiver ther traces of hisonnateral crime, Though young in years, an’ with ther face of inner- cence, he seems ter be ole in sin, ‘* Although we mus’ admit ther evvydence is mainly circumventional, pards of Coffin City, it is also very black erg’in’ ther kid, He tells er rayther pecool’ar yarn ’bout bein’ skeered out, an’ tryin’ ter git erway frum these parts, but ther story is soflumsy thet it won’t hole watter fer shucks. Thar is no doubt but thet he wuz fleein’, like ther guilty critter that he is—fleein’ fram ther scene of his most horrerfyin’ crime! ‘This grief shaken galoot,” and the eloquent orator waved a hand toward the now sobbing man in black, “tis ther unforternate uncle of this wretched and misguided youth. Fer some time he hes bin huntiv’ in vain fer ther boy, an’ now he has foun’ him, only ter bev his heart torn by ther awful fac’s of ther crime with which ther boy’s han’s are stained. We pity this unlucky uncle of a youthful crimmynal— Ned pity him frum ther bottom of our tender eart, - * Out in this yere wile lan’ jestice an’ punish- mint swiftly follers convicshun fer a crime, This court is ther court of Jedge Lynch, an’ I am ther admiaisterer of jestice. I hev heerd ther evvydence, an’ arriv’ at a decision. Is thar ary derned reason why I sh’u’dn’t announce ther verdic’? Ef ary one knows cause, let bim now yoop her out ur ferever arter bole his peace.” Violet Vane’s Verdict. The man in black slowly arose, still holding his handkerchief to his eyes, Ina choked and broken voice he began to’speak, but without glancing at the pale-faced, despairing lad. ‘* Brothers,” he snuffled, *‘ for many long and weary years I have been a faithful servant-of the Lord, reproving sinners and trying to turn the wayward to the path that leads to eternal salvatioun—the straight and narrow path, I have passed through many trials and sore afflic- tions, but never did | dream the Lord would see fit to place such a crushing burden on my weak shoulders as now rests there, Never did I dream He would see fit to permit one of my own kin to stain bis hands with buman blood, It is a cross heavy to bear, still I praise His blessed name!” For a moment the speaker paused, seeming choked by the intensity of his emotions, Soon he went on again, falteringly: “lt may be useless for me to again ask leniency for this wayward child of sin, yet I must do so, even though | feel justice should have its course, [tis a ter-terrible th-thing for one so young to be cut down like the grass, and to perish like the bub-beasts of the field. Look on him witb pup-pity, oh my brothers, and con- sider his (sob) tender years! I shall be crushed —by the terrible thought—thought that lake of eternal fire of which we are told—in the Book of Books, Ob, have mercy (sob) upon this way- war! one—this erring child! He knew not what he did—Father in Heaven, he knew not what he did! Scarcely out of short clothes, he (sob) has stained—his bands—with—” Here the speaker broke down entirely and gave up the attempt. ‘*Tt is useless,” declared the ‘‘ judge.” ‘* The boy’s crime is too great fer pardon. He must suffer ther penalty, an’ now I will pernounce ther verdic’: ‘* Wallace Kenton, this yere court hes foun’ you guilty of murder in ther fu’st degree, an’ I do hereby pernounce, accordin’ to power duly di- vested in me, thet you are GUILTY, an’ you shell be immediately at once’t an’ without loss of time hung by ther neck tell you are dead, dead,.dead! So mote it be.” There was a stir, a murmur, and the rough men reached out eager hands to grasp their in- tended victim, th» trembling, helpless boy. And then— ‘“* old! The man whos lays hands on that boy dies |” ' Clear and distinct came the ringing words, The roughs whee'ed with exclamations of dis- may, their hands falling toward their weapons. Within the circle of torcbhlights stood a man in whose hands gleamed cocked and Jeveled re- volvers. From head to foot be was dressed in black, the sombrero on his head, looped at one side and fastened by a knot of fresh mountain violets, being the same color as his finely-fitting velvet suit, His hands were incased in black kid gloves. The man was of medium height, but a perfect picture of pbysical perfection, His face was stern, his mustache coal black, as also were bis flashing eyes. Oaths of dismay came from the lips of Judge Lynch’s ruffianly gang, and involuntarily they shrunk before the muzzles of the weapons which never quivered a hair in the hands of the daunt- less stranger, ‘‘Hands off your barkers, or eat hot lead!” cried the velvet dandy. ‘‘ I mean old business!” The hands of the toughs fell from their half- drawn revolvers, : “That is right,” slightly bowed the one who held the drop. ‘+1 am not the man to be fooled with, for I had rather shoot than talk any time, / | “You are a gay crowd of cuckoos, and I have you all spotted. I have been listening to this trial from the outskirts, waiting for the roper time to chip in, For some reason, you have taken this contemptible way to get rid of a friendless boy. I imagine you are hired as- sassins of that black-clothed, smooth-faced scoundrel who claims to be the boy’s uncle. [ have the two-faced hypocrite marked and he may see more of me. ‘“Come here, my lad! I say you are not guilty! That is Violet Vane’s verdict.” » The boy already had left that circle and_bur- ried to the side of his new friend, while Violet Vane—as the stranger had called himself—still kept his revolvers trained on the ruflianly Bang. The daring man spoke a few words to the lad, who immediately hurried round the corner of the cabin and disappeared. } A few moments later the sound of retreating hoofbeats came to the ears of the men, and they knew their prey had escaped them for the time. “You showed excellent judgment, gentle- —- oo men,” came somewhat sneeringly from Violet Vane’s lips. You were a dozen to one, but f£ had a shot for every man—and IJ never miss! Still I bad no desire to take the blood of this . gang on my hands, even though it would have been a great service to this part of the country and Coffin Cityin particuiar, If you lay a score against me, you will be apt to see me in Coffin City later on, ‘**T will now bid you good-evening,.” Then, still keeping them covered, he backed round thecorner and disappeared, CHAPTER II. BIRDS OF A FEATHER, ONE day, nearly two months after the events related in the foregoing chapter, Adam Jayne, the clerical hypocrite of the smooth face and black clothes, was slowly walking down the main street of the little mining-camp known as Coffin City. Although there was, as usual, a sanctimonious air about the man, his face wore an unusually sour expression, the corners cf his mouth being drawn a trifle lower than was cus- tomary. Plainly Adam was in anything but a pleasant mood, Coffin City was not a very large town, and Jayne soon paused in front of a small building, over the dour of which hung a sign bearing the following inscription: “ELIAS SLINK, Attorney-at-Law,” The ** Rev.” Adam stood meditating for several moments, as if undecided about entering. At, length he muttered; ‘“The man will want money, but I desire in- formation. Confound bim! he is a regular blood-sucker! But he served me well in the past —he found the girl, then he found the boy, The girl is disposed of, and the boy would have been but for that infernal imp who dared interfere at such a confoundedly inopportune moment, Hang him! City, but he has not shown his head here, Stink says he has men on track of both Violet Vane and the boy, but I can never tell when Slink tells the truth and when he lies, He has a new story for me every time I see him; and it is always money, money, money. He must think I’m made of money. But when I am successful, as I will be in the end, it will be worth all my trouble and expenditure, ‘* Tl believe Lawyer Slink will have for my ear to-day.” He advanced to the door and pushed his way into the building. Immediately on stepping in from the street, he found himself in a sma}!y square room, meagerly furnished, theg #st prominent article of furniture being a” large, flat-topped table, upon which were spread a mass of manuscripts and newspapers, together with two or three legal-looking books, one of the latter being open. As Adam entered, the only inmate of the room was sitting with his chair tilted back and his heels resting fairly in the middls of the open book on the table, while the fragrant smoke of a fine cigar he was idly puffing, filled the place. The instant the occupantof the room saw who his visitor was, his chair was righted and his heels came down withathump, Inanother mo- ment he was on his feet, smiling blandly, bow- ing As cuaaaa cd and extending a thin, bony and, “ Ah!” he exclaimed, rolling the cigar be- tween his lips and allowing it to settle in the left corner of his mouth, ‘It ismy highly-esteemed friend and client, the Reverend Adam Jayne! I am glad, to see you, sir—beartily glad! I was just thinking of you as you entered,” ‘‘'The Lord knows I do not doubt it,” was the reply, as Jayne touched the hand of the oily lawyer. ‘‘ But I sadly fear your thoughts were more of my pocketbook than of myself, Ah, hum! Such is the way of this greedy world. They seek after silver and gold, but forget to lay up riches in Heaven, which rust cannot cor- rupt and which fadeth not away.” omething like a scowl showed on the lawyer's face for an instant, but it quickly vanished, and he smiled as blandly as before, rubbing his bony hands together and rolling the cigar to the other corner of his mouth. ‘Plenty of time for that, sir,” he bowed, ‘* Meantime, I have to rustle after a little of the corruptible wealth. All the same, 1t is a very smal! amount 1 manage to secure.” ‘‘ Small! Why, Slink! I have done nothing but fork over money to you since I first engaged you to assist me in searching for my beloved nephew and niece!” ; ‘““And do you think I have put it allin my } ry fis 900) com (e He said we shou!d see him in Coffin . will go in and see what new tale . AP ao rnd “~ “a 4.