Beadle's Dime Library No. 1 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

-_ . ee SS ee —— == -——_ Se tf} ; i} i i q i Nt . ¥ 4 | 4 ‘ ti \\ a _ of standing next ‘ of Missouri Bill _ Feasoning. i2 —---- ———— pleaded on behalf of her guest: ““Men! men! have you no mercy? What aw- ful thing are you about todo? Do you not see that he is wounded, perhaps dying? He may not live until you have carried out your wicked But she was thrust aside, not with intentional rudeness perhaps, yet with a firmness which showed the determination of the minions of Judge Lynch. The The Stranger’s iron will and tenacious vitality | were evidenced by the fact that he did not lose consciousness though his clothes were huddled on with little regard for his suffering. Then he was borne from the house by a opines eee ae mob, whose frenzy increased as it began to scent blood. But before they reached the proposed place of ! trial (heaven save the mark!) and execution (there was to be no mistake about that), there was a characteristic interruption. The ring of pistol shots was followed by the appearance of a man who rushed, hotly pur- sued, from a dark alley. Half way across the street, he staggered and fell upon his face in the | mud, to heels. : CHAPTER XI. TIGERS WITH THEIR TEETH DRAWN. Wits yells of triumph the mob plucked the fallen man to his feet, not, however, until he had been disarmed; and even then half a dozen of his assailants held him in their grasp, as if appre- hensive of a violent struggle. But, aware ot its be pounced upon by the mob at his | | fellows, had gone into hiding, where he had been | _ of the mob, then the supporting arm of his friend futility perhaps, Ca gar cear disdained all effort | to escape, and looked about on his captors with haughty contempt, only his glowing eyes show- | aaa i th h ing the rage smo is outward Scenting new food for their appetite for vio- lence,the crowd surrounding The Stranger rush- o Lop WOES, leaving his bearers to come up more owly. Then, in a tone of wonder not unmixed with awe, passed from lip to lip that formidable name: ‘‘Tae Rep Hanp! THE Rep HAND!” A moment later The Stranger was borne for- ward; and the men between whom existed this Vendetta of Blood were face to face, beneath the glare of rude torches. Not till then had the muscles of The Red Hand’s face betrayed any emotion; but when he saw his fellow cap- t:ve his hard disdain relaxed into a smile of fiondish malignity. As for The Stranger, he looked calmly at his late antagonist, betraying neither anger nor sur- dering benea prise. There was something terribly dramatic in this wordless meeting, which impressed the tors with awe. The men seemed like Titans holding themselves in restraint. The tragic death of Missouri Bill had given to The Stranger a prestige rivaling that inspired by the ominous name of The Red d. hat hand was bold ants of destruction? — —EE —EE — —_ —— << } } New York Library. _ a Vol 1, —-- a ee woman. It was the widow Robinson who | dragged the prisoner forward, drowning the | informal), before some sort of court (even if not voice of opposition by their shouts; and the mob, | a legally constituted one), they threw their in- as little inclining to mercy as heedful of strict . fluence on his side. justice (since, if he did not deserve hanging on The execution of mob law depends first of all any explicit charge, it was more than likely that upon unanimity, and a division being effected, he did on general principles) was not slow to , the more violent were compelled to yield to this catch the infection. | compromise, In such a community it is never necessary to By this strange conjunction of circumstances, go far for a rope; and already two ee | it was brought about that the two bitter foes nooses dangled side by side from the signboard | were confined in the same room. The unused of the hotel when the mob came up. loft of a barn served as a ‘‘ calaboose:” and for In his room in the hotel Dr. Chilli orth was | lack of iron gratings and stone walis the prison- in a fever of excitement, while the major stood | ers were bound securely with cords. Below in at the window watching the approaching mob. | the stable, its owner, Lou Bradshaw, the town ‘** You must make an effort to save him,” said | jailer, sat, on rd, in company with * an old the doctor. ‘‘ But it will be all the same;the crony,” Ned Conkling, to defeat any possible exposure will be his death.” attempt at escape from those within or at rescue ajor Gravesend made no reply. Atrefer- | from their friends without. ence to the possible death of The Stranger, there Exhausted by his sufferings, The Stranger lay arose before his mind a picture of Gentleman | with closed eyes. Yet the hard lines of pain in Sam’s sister, and again he frowned uncon- his pale face were softened by what seemed to — be a faint smile, as if his thoughts had strayed Suddenly he started and exclaimed: away from rankling enmities and threatening ‘‘They’ve got another, and—it’s The Red | dangers, to pleasanter visions. Hand!” And indeed his | had called up a picture Instantly he jumped to the correct conclusion. | fair to contemplate.—It was busy painting a The wounded ruffian, failing to escape with his | beautiful face, lighted with pity and—might it be something more/—while its owner struggled to drag a wounded man behind a bar, out of the reach of danger. Vaguely, asif in some half- forgotten dream, he recalled a warm teardrop falling on his cheek and lips that thrilled him _ even inremembrance touching his in a kiss as light as air. Was there any reality in it all? Even the hope that there ee be was enough to give life a new value. And was he now to lose that ee of which, till now, he had been so care- ? ess A harsh voice recalled him to the actualities of the present. ** Well, my chicken, I was in hopes of havin ., another y org ere to test your billet-prost ‘I will do what I ” replied the major. | qualities; but it looks as if our kind friends had Then calling an attendant, in whose charge he | pretty effectually drawn our teeth for the pres- left his friend, he descended to the steps of the _ ent.” hotel. | |. “Did you get my reply to your pretty chal- it was a terrible scene that the major wit- | lengef” asked The Stranger, mockingly. ‘It nessed. Beneath the glare of the torches both | was that I would not do you the honor to cheat prisoners were ghastly in their pallor. It was | the hangman.” not the,effect of fear; but both were faint from , ‘‘ Curse you! I have determined to cheat the loss of blood and from the excruciating pain oc- | hangman in your case, in order that I may do casioned by their wounds. Only such iron wills you the honor and myself the pleasure to roast could keep the sick body from betraying its | you alive!” weakness by utter prostration. Their stoical ‘‘ Ah?” sneered The Stranger, tauntingly. calm was terrible by contrast with the wild ex- | ‘‘ Is it any part of your p to spit me, as I citement about them. | did your pretty fellow, ‘Sfiospunl Bin, as he The major thought rapidly. He reflected that , called himself?’ he was under no particular obligation to save | ‘** Pll have you cut in inch pieces for that!” The Stranger, beyond the common debt he owed ‘Indeed? Shall you commence the operation humanity. Then he bit his lip with chagrin | immediately, or wait until your head is well out that such an idea should cross his mind at such | of the noose?” eres unearthed by some of the men who had formed the major’s party early in the even- ing. n The Red Hand?” cried Dr. Chillingworth. And in the intensity of his excitement he rose from his bed and staggered to the window. By an effort of will he fought back the blind- ing vertigo until he saw his life foe in the midst — — saved him from falling, and he was borne ex- hausted back to bed. ‘*Gravesend,” he gasped, huskily, ‘‘ whatever becomes of the other, don’t let them hang him/ My God! it must not be!” amoment! The next thought was that, once | ‘Bah! There isn’t rope enough in the Terri- the mob had tasted blood, nothing would ap- | tory to hang me!” pease them until they had glutted their appetite _“* No doubt the men who ran away will come _ with the death of both their victims. In truth | back to rescue you.” to his friend, then, he must save both, in order The Stranger laughed. to save either. As a sort of amends to his con- A volley of oaths told The Red Hand’s exas- peration. The crowd stood in mute contemplation, the | courage borne of numbers oozing away before the thought of individual risk, should either of cused? these men effect his escape, so that he could | wreak his vengeance upon those who had been | conspicuous as his foes. The men who held the risoners began to think that it would be. ‘healthy ” to shift the responsibility of their position to other shoulders, a burden which the others congratulated themselves on not havin assumed. All experienced a shrinking drea that the late antagonists would make common | cause feeling was changed by a voice crying: . * Begorra, tha-ur’s a pa-ur o’ thim, the trussed — bur-ruds!” With a wave of relieved feeling, the mob real- ized that these men of terrible prowess were in- deed at their mercy, and if they gave them an opportunity to retaliate, it would be thei fault. Then succeeded a feeling of exasperation at the incipient fears they had entertained. ‘Fetch ’em along!” said arude voice, ‘‘We’ll and then addressed the mob with impressive truss ’em, an’ take the music out of ’em at the same time!” A yell of approval was the response, and the mob surged toward the prisoners, each one eager to ‘‘have a hand in.” against their enemies; until the current of | elr Own | | One voice was raised for delay. While Poker | Tom was ready and anxious to ing the death of The Stranger, in the fall of e Red Hand he saw the loss of a hero and a possible future elty. Already he had had visions The Red Hand, in the place ; for he believed them to have been chief and lieutenant of a powerful band. Now he said: ‘‘ Hold on hyar, gents! I reckon thar hain’t chief in com- And —— ee nothin’ agin ‘The Rea Hand, only that he tried © to avenge his pardner. I allow yeou’d better | take yer paws off o’ him. This hyar’s our man.” | But there was one circumstance which render- ed a portion at least of his auditors deaf to his Those who held The Red Hand knew that by letting him escape now they would be * . signing their own death-warrants, So they science, he espoused the cause of The Stranger enough to fit the noose to the necks of these gi- | first ‘ ; . In the midst of this outburst, he paused ab- ‘* Fellow citizens!” he cried, with the instinc- | ruptly, while his face lighted up with triumph- tive complaisance of a diplomate, ‘‘of what is con expectation. the man who calls himself ‘The Stranger’ ac- “Hark!” he cried. ‘‘ Do your hear that?” ‘‘Bad luck to the thafe o’ the wor-ruld! he has a propinsity fur appropriatin’ honest min’s horses, an’ be hanged to ’im!” cried a voice. ‘* That,” cried The Red Hand, while his face ‘‘ Thar’s the hoss, an’ hyar’s the rightful own- | became diabolical in its glee—* That means life low. A man’s gruff bass alternated with a er; an’ he’s the galoot as rode him into town not | to me, and death to you!” woman’s higher treble. four hours ag0,. added another. ‘‘The whelp had spotted him from nose to CHAPTER XIL TREACHERY. crup; but I knowed him—you bet!—the minute I clapped eyes on him,” affirmed the owner of the horse. LeFt alone to rd the prisoners, Lou Brad- ‘‘ Well,” pursued the major, ‘what do you | shaw and Ned Gonikling had recourse to their p to do with him?” ipes and a greasy pack of cards, to while the ang him!” ium of their vigil. It was not long before ‘‘ String him up to the signboard!” they became’conscious of a great meet Na ** Cut his wind with one o’ Judge Lynch’s | lacking which all other pleasures soon patent collars!” As Conkling drew in the last “‘ trick,” Brad- ‘‘Make a warnin’ of ’um—the spalpeen!—to | shaw said: all horse-thaves!” ‘** You’ve got the rubber on me ag’in, an’ still To still the hubbub, the major raised his hand, | yer not f “ce Py. Yes, u,” replied his companion, with viby. _ mock pathos; ‘“‘ but I feel a goneness—hyar!” ‘* Gentlemen,” he said, ‘‘ have you considered | And he placed his hand where his vest would what you are doing? A man rides into town on | have lapped, had he worn a double-breasted a horse which proves to have been stolen, and | one. J for that you p tc hang him. Is the evi- | Bradshaw laughed and said: ‘ dence conclusive that he actually stole the horse? ‘*Old hoss, a little o’ the balm would build us if it- were, can you proceed without the both up, I reckon, and keep out the dampness.” forms of law? Where is your judge? Whereis | ‘An’ it’s a powerful onhealthy contrast— yous jury? Where are your sworn witnesses? | dampness is—when a feller’s dry. A drop or ho is to appear in defense of the prisoner? If | two might save us from takin’ our death o’ cold, the owner of the horse were to take the law into | ye know!” his own hands and kill the sup thief, it And the tippler winked at his own humor. would be murder. Is it any the less muraer if | _‘‘Suppose you go fur some, Ned,” he be assisted by a friend, or by two, or ten, or | the other ’ hrase. When, in 7 the major pro that both prisoners be hel in confinement until the morrow, when they should be granted some sort of trial (if ever so a hundred?” “Ah, Ned, but the pris’ners? Bless their With this introduction, he ed them | hearts, but they’d miss me ” until he had given time for second thought. “Goalong! Vl console em, if they shed any Those who had not been particularly prominent | tears over your loss. and had least to fear were the first to “‘ weaken” ** Lou eee SET 0 208 eae Svat y —to use their own time. I w wouldn’t stick at my thing te to to accommoda yer ole pal. But—I mention it like p’ison, Ned!—only yeou know ¢ <—- . oe erere oe «2 —_ - A murmur of voices rose from the floor be- | the story: ‘talk’s cheap. but it xs =e ecomicbooks:co