Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 105 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

~ — —— re eto, : 1. . —_—-——_—-- — o— him as a father, and as I would have died to serve him, so I am ready to do the same in your behalf. ‘‘There is only one way in which I can serve you now. So long as you are a single woman, you are in terribledanger. Your enemies’ plans ean only be foiled by your marrying, thus put- ting another life between them and the treasure they are craftily plotting for. Marry me—” Rachel Trowbridge shrunk away from the speaker with a low cry, though his words should have prepared her for some such announce- ment. ‘‘Hear me out before you reject my plan, lady,” added the road-agent, his deep voice softening almost to sadness. ‘‘ You shall be but a wifein name. The ceremony must bea legal one, and yonder isa minister of the gos- | whom I have provided for that purpose. ut, I will take any oath you may dictate, and swear by my dead mother’s memory, on yonder Bible, never to molest you or claim any of the rights of a husband, unless you make the first advances. Then I will come, for—I love you— I have loved you since you were a little thing in short clothes, in the days when my heart was clear, and my hand free from bloodshed.” Despite her better judgment, the romantic girl was strongly impressed with these words, so earnestly spoken, and, obeying an impulse which she felt powerless to resist, she mur- mured: ‘* Let me see your face, and see if I can read there the truth of the words te have spoken.” A momentary hesitation, then Captain Moon- shine raised his hat and mask, revealing a face of remarkable beauty, where not hidden by the full black beard and mustache. Dark as an Italian, but with pure complexion, and aquiline nose, and large, lustrous eyes; a bold, handsome face. Only a moment the mask was raised, and even then his hat was held so as to shield his face from the view of those near the table, while still allowing the light to fall upon his features; but, brief as was the space, it was long enough for another beside the maiden to indelibly imprint his picture upon a tenacious memory. ‘“T believe you—I will trust you—and may Heaven reward or punish you as you keep or break your solemn oath!” murmured Rachel, sensible of a strong fascination in those lustrous orbs. ‘‘Thanks! you shall never regret your trust!” uttered Captain Moonshine, a certain exulta- tion ringing in his tones, that struck the maiden like a cold chill. But the fatal words were spoken, and there could be no retraction now. Nor did the road- agent give her time to reflect upon what she was doing. Ina few sharp words he bade the minis- ter perform bis duty. Ezra Blackwood seemed like one dumfound- ed for a moment, then loudly protested; but two men fastened upon him, and when Rachel, in answer to a question from the holy man, de- clared that she was acting of her own free will the lawyer subsided with a hollow groan of despair. The ceremony was quickly performed—Ezra Blackwood, who appeared to have regained his wonted com , giving the bride ia & Pale as death itself, hael Trowbridge went through the trying ordeal, her respon: firm, though low. Some strange fascination exerted by the man whom she was so blindly wedding, seemed to bear her up and urge her on, even while her heart‘told her that she was blasting her whole future life by so acting. The last words were spoken, and Rachael was ronounced a wife—wife of a man whose name ad not yet been spoken! It was clear that Captain Moonshine had carefully plotted this romantic bridal. Noth- ing was omitted or forgotten. He produced a marriage certificate, and gently spoke to Rachel: “Tt is not strictly necessary that you should . sign your name; any one else could fill out the blank, but as this paper is to be your shield. against your enemies, your own handwriting there will be an additional proof that the docu- ment is strictly legal. Please sign.” Still under that strange, magnetic influence, ‘achel filled out the blank as desired. ‘Then the witnesses and the clergymen added their signatures in the proper places. ‘You may all stand aside, save and except my wife,” said the road-agent. “ For certain reasons, | prefer keeping my real name a secret from all but ber,” Saying this, be turned again to the table with a sudden movement that knocked the ink-bottle to the rocky floor, where it broke to pieces. With a short laugh, Captain Moonshine drew a small bottle from his pocket, and unscrewed the top. Trying the pen on his thumb nail, he threw it aside and produced another. With this he wrote a name in bold characters, then hand it to Rachel to read, breathing a few words in her ear as he did so. That name was BEVERLEY BROWNELL! Scarcely had Rachel read this, when a mask- man hurriedly approached the table by which they stood. | Dan Brown of Denver. ———$ —— oe Captain Moonshine turned sharply upon the | intruder, but, ere he could speak, the lamp was hurled to the floor, and he himself was knocked censeless half-way across the room! Rachel felt strong arms raising her from her feet. She uttered one shrill cry, then fainted dead away. CHAPTER IV. WILDWOOD JUSTICE. WiLu WILDER realized the full extent of his peril at a glance. He saw that the leader of the intruders, and the one who uttered the startling words already recorded, was none other than Noah Crabtree himself. He saw that they held his life at their finger-ends, but he did not de- spair, nor would he tamely yield. The men were on foot. Ruth was already mounted. If he were once in the saddle, one bold dash might remedy all—and he made the d rate attempt. ith a catlike bound he reached and struck the animal ridden by the maiden, a sharp blow with his open hand, that sent the fiery creature dashing through the undergrowth, snorting with pain and a ae As he did so, Wilder heard a pistol explode and felt the wind of the bullet as it passed close to his ear. But he made no move toward using bis weapons. For more reasons than one he was desirous of escaping without shedding blood, and sprung actively to the side of his own horse. Another bound carried him into the saddle, but by that time his enemies were upon him. Striking out with hands and feet, fighting as only a man can where all is at stake, Wilder freed his limbs from the brawny hands that clutched him, and for a few moments it seemed as though he would still escape. But then one of the men thrust the muzzle of a revolver fairly into the ear of the plunging, ter- rified horse, and drew trigger. The death-strick- en creature plunged heavily forward, falling headlong, carrying with it Will Wilder. ‘‘On him! but spare his life for the present. We are no assassins!” cried Noah Crabtree, whose pistol it was that brought the poor horse low in death. As he spoke, he flung aside the smoking wea- sm and pounced poe Wilder, who had been ken by surprise when his horse fell. But still he made good his claim as a rare good rough- and-tumble fighter. One swift blow laid the veteran’s nose nearly flat with his cheek-bones, and sent him back- ward into a brier-bush, where a second man quickly bore him company. But then the other two flung themselves upon him, and bore him backward to the ground. By this time Wilder was almost insane with rage and fury. He forgot his prudential resolu- tions. He only felt that he must conquer or die and freeing one arm by a d te exertion of strength, he whipped out his knife and plunged the keen blade to the hilt in the throat of one of his adversaries. The stroke was a fatal one, but ere it could be repeated, a crushing blow from behind descend- ed upon his head, and he sunk senseless to the ground, ‘‘Bind him hand and foot,” sternly cried Noah Crabtree, replacing the revolver whose metal-bound butt had nearly crushed in the oung man’s skull. ‘‘ Watch over him here, ut do not injure him, unless there is an attempt at arescue. Then blow his brains out!” Leaving the two men to centy out his orders, the father hastened through the timber in the direction his errant child had taken. His lips ted to utter a call when he reached the open, ut there was no necessity for it. Ruth was rapidly riding toward him, having turned as soon as she could master her frightened horse. Noah Crabtree strode forward and grasped her bridle-reins, turning the animal’s head to- ward their home. But love lent Ruth a cour- age usually foreign to her nature, and she offer- resistance. ‘* Where is he—I must see him—” **' You have seen him once too often,” gloom- ily responded her father. ‘‘ He is alive; let that suffice. We are no assassins, though the life- blood of at least one good man rests heavily up- on his head. Come—there has been force enough used to-night. Do not try my temper too severely.” The stern coldness with which he spoke, beat down the maiden’s feeble courage, and she no longer resisted, Back to the ranch Noah Crabtree led her, tethering the horse to a post, then lifting Ruth from the saddle and bearing her into the house as he might an infant. Reaching her chamber, whither the wife and mother, trembling and afraid to utter a word or question, followed them. Locking them both in the room, Noah Crabtree left the building and hastening to a small storehouse hard by, brought forth a bun- dle of rockets, three of which he ignited at brief but regular intervals. | High into the air they hissed, bursting into a brilliant shower of colored stars with a sharp en ee 5 report, forming a signal that was visible fer miles around. And those who saw the soaring missiles, knew that there was stern work on hand for the company of Vigilantes, of whom Noah Crabtree was the chief. This done, the stock-raiser led the young horse af to one of the corrals, removing saddle and bridle and then turning the animal loose among its fellows, after which he strode rapidly back to the timber motte. At this point, a brief explanation may not come amiss. That prolonged howling of the bloodhound had done the work. Aroused by the sound, Noah Crabtree arose and left the house. He heard excited voices near the corrals, and hast- ened thither, just as the bound and gagged herdsman was released by his fellow watchers. Unable to give the alarm, the man had been a witness of the elopement, and in a few words stated as much. As only a brief time had elapsed, Noah Crab- tree darted toward the timber, closely followed by the three men, trusting that he would yet be in time to intercept the fugitive lovers. And bad not Will Wilder been so deeply absorbed in reasoning down the misgivings of his dear one, he must have heard the sound of their hasty footsteps in time to have made his escape. But fate willed it otherwise. That moonlight night was to be the turning point in more than one life, for good or evil. oah Crabtree found Will Wilder cool and de- fiant when he returned to the grove, to await the coming of the Vigilantes, whom he had signaled. He knew that all was lost. From his uncomfort- able position he had noticed the ascending rock- ets, and if he had held any doubts as to their meaning, the comments of his two guards would have enlightened him. He had shed blood, in self-defense, it is true, but he felt that plea would avail him little. And believing that he was fore-doomed to suffer death, he mentally vowed that his enemies should not have their triumph increased by his showing them the white feather. Noah Crabtree bade one of the men return to the ranch, to direct the Vigilantes aright as they came in. After this, not a word was spoken by either of the trio left with the dead herder in the motte until, one by one or in couples, the Vigilantes began to reach the scene. Even then Noah Crabtree maintained a stony silence, only aris- ing from beside the prisoner and speaking when some twenty of the settlers were collected. This number was a majority of the entire band, and all that was necessary for the dark work on d. In a few words as possible, Noah Crabtree de- tailed the events of the night, though those who best comprehended his proud spirit only knew how terribly he must suffer in laying bare the deception practiced by his only daughter. - it only been this, | would have dealt with him alone,” he added, in the same cold, measured tone, ‘‘but he has taken life, and in slaying one of our number has rendered himself amenable to the law—not the corrupt law of the regular courts, but that which we have one and all sworn to exercise in defense of our lives and our property. Hence I summoned you here.” “There is yet another char daa him,” suddenly uttered one of the Vigilantes, a tall, middle-aged man of fine appearance despite his rude garb. “I accuse him of being a thief—of robbing me of nearly a thousand dollars late this afternoon—” A wild, fierce cry from the accused cut his words short, and ilder struggled furiously to burst his bonds. “Tt is a lie—a foul lie!” he cried, fairly froth- ing at the mouth. ‘‘ Bad enough I may be, but no man can truthfully say that I ever stole a penny !” ‘Nor would I have believed it, short of the evidence of my own eyesight,” calmly returned the other. ‘“‘ButIam ready to make oath to the truth of my charge.” “Silence!” sternly uttered Noah Crabtree, as Wilder was about to angrily reply. ‘‘At the roper time we will listen to your defense. Si- ence now, unless you would be gagged. | gor a? his teeth together, an biting his lip until the blood flowed freely, Will Wilder managed to control his mad passion for the ey knowing that an outburst could only o him harm The preliminaries were speedily arranged. Twelve men were selected as jurors, and as Wilder only showed his teeth in a smile of scorn when asked if he objected to any of the number, they were briefly sworn in by Noah Crabtree who, by virtue of his office as chief of the Vigi- lantes, was constituted judge without a voie. Then the wildwood court was pronounced in session. Noah Crabtree repeated his accusation under oath, and each one of the witnesses was solemn- ly sworn to tell nothing but the truth, on a pocket Bible which was the chief’s constant companion. James Kintner, the man whom Wilder beund and gagged at the entrance to the corral, swore to his stealing a horse from the inclosure, Eomilebooks ECOlr