Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 105 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 SLATE Ae SATIS aT: But heaviest of all, came the evidence of Thomas Munro, who affirmed that he had been robbed by the prisoner. Condensed, his story ran as follows: He had that ~~ completed the sale of a large lot of cattle, to a buyer in Grenada, and receiv- ed the cash for his goods. Returning home with this, he had been waylaid by six men, under lead of Will Wilder. There could be no mistake on this point, for during the brief struggle which he made in defense of his property, the mask which covered the face of. the outlaw leader, broke its fastenings and fell to the ound, ‘“* | have known the prisoner for nearly a year, and, until to*day, always regarded him as an honest man. But I was grappling with him at the moment his mask dropped, and had a fair view of his face. It so amazed me, that I was easily overpowered and robbed. I was left bound and gagged, in a clump of bushes. It was dark be ay, succeeded in chang , myself, and I had just reached home when signal calling us together. ‘This is the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help me heaven!” **May the Lord forgive you for SPARS away my life, Thomas Munro!” said Will Wilder, in a husky voice as he was assisted to his feet. ‘‘ You must know that every word you have uttered is a foul lie, but I don’t sup- pose any of the rest will believe me when I solemnly swear that I am as innocent of this crime asthe child unborn. You have resolved to murder me, and all | may say can make no difference, so go on with the music! You shall see how an honest white man can die,if you never did before.” In a brief, cold speech, Noah Crabtree sum- med up the evidence, and then gave the case to the jury. The twelve men put their heads together fora few minutes of earnest discussion in undertones, then the foreman arose and delivered the ver- dict of guilty onall the counts. Then, as is fre- uently the case in Lynch courts, he pronounced the sentence agreed upon. ‘We've talked the thing over atween us, an’ we declar’ that the pris’ner shall be hung by the neck ontel he is dead, fer stealin’ the hoss, rob- bin’ Mr. Munro an’ killin’ Ben Townsley. But afore that, he shallbe punished for stealin’ the young lady away from her home,by bein’ trussed up toa tree an’ receivin’ forty lashes save one on his naked back. An’ may the Lord hev marcy on his pitiful no ’count soul—amen!” A cry that was frightful in its fierce intensity burst from the lips of the prisoner as he heard this double sentence. He expected death, and had schooled his nerves to meet it as a bold man should, but the thoughts of the degrading lash in addition rendered him little better than a maniac for the time being. With a strength that was superhuman, he burst his bonds asunder, and snarling like an enraged wolf, he leaped upon his enemies, un- armed as ho was. And for a brief space it seemed as though he would prove the victor despite the terrible odds. At every stroke o is fists, a man went down, stunned and bewil- dered. But then numbers prevailed; he was overpowered, his clothes torn from his back after which he was dragged to a tree and bound fast to its trunk. If before, any of the party had felt a trace of ity for the doomed wretch, none did so now. early every one bore some marks of that brief but fearful struggle, and there was no lack of volunteers to ply the cruel whip, which one of the herdsmen procured from the ranch for the purpose of carrying out the sentence. Cold and stern, Noah Crabtree stood beside the prisoner and faithfully counted the lashes. Blood followed every stroke, but not a sound came from the lips of the victim during his ter- rible punishment. He seemed an insensate statue of marble, only for his eyes. Those glowed like living coals, and more than one bold man shuddered and shrunk back as he met that burning gaze. A lariat was noosed and thrown over a hor- izontal bough which overhung the river, and Will Wilder was cut loose from the tree, six stout men ing him firmly, suspicious of his unnato ness. As the noose was adjusted around his throat and after Noah Crabtree had closed a brief prayer, the doomed man opened his lips and spoke: ‘* You have degraded and are about to murder an innocent man. Now listen to my dying saw the ’ oath. Whether am bound for heaven or for hell, I swear that I will return to earth and never give over until I have had my revenge. I have marked you, one and all—” He said no more, for Noah Crabtree moved his hand, and the doomed wretch was run up a dozen feet from the ground, dangling over the sullen waters. In silence they watched him until all motion of the body ceased. Then Noah Crabtree fas- tened a card which he had prepared, to the trunk of the death tree. And then, leaving the corpse hanging above the water the Vigilantes turned and left the motte, silently gliding away through the night. Dan Brown of Denver. —— CHAPTER V. THE YOUNG MAN FROM BOSTON. THovuGH Jack Gill struck a blow that well nigh equaled the force of a healthy mule’s kick, laa the young man from Boston at least a dozen feet away, that dandified-looking person- age was far from being ‘‘ knocked out of time.” Bruised and somewhat bewildered he yr hye om 4 was, but he would have scrambled to his fee fit to fight for a kingdom, had not his assailant spoken just as he did. Those words told Horace Treville that his bold me was foiled, at least for the edge ae and he ay still. Nor was he slain by the shot which olf fired. Tae bullet passed low, flattening against a rock under the young man’s cheek, causing his head to lift spasmodically as the splinters of flint and particles of lead stung his ace, Luckily for him the outlaws did not pause to examine the work of their comrade, but cast the supposed corpse aside into the bushes with- out ceremony. But the young man from Boston proved to be a very lively corpse before the work of that night was done. e listened to the words uttered by Captain Moonshine, and knowing that his counterfeiting death would almost cer ainly be exposed when the time came for the road-agents to search him for valuables, he wisely stole away from the spot, betraying a coolness and skill in so doing that was truly remarkable. Reason told him which course Captain Moon- shine would be likely to follow, nor was he mis- taken. The little cavalcade passed by the amateur scout so closely that by simply reach- ing out a hand, he could have patted any one of the six horses. Lying low in his leafy covert until the riders had sj beyond eyesight, the young man from Boston arose and glided rapidly along the trail, guided by the sounds of iron-shod hoofs clattering upon the rocks and gravel. Once or twice where the winding trail length- ened out in a straight stretch, the scout was obliged to crouch low in the moonlight, and almost crawl on his stomach. Yet he steadil maintained his distance, true as a veritable sleuth-hound on the scent. His whole attention was not given to those in front, for he knew that by this time his disa pearance must have been discovered by the main force of the outlaws, and he half ex to hear a wild rider hastening to bear the startling tidings to Captain Moonshine. But this misgiving was not realised, and Horace Treville was near enough when the part halted, to overhear the words uttered by the road-agent chief. His eyes glittered and a strangely exultant look came over his handsome face as he crouched low in the shadow cast by a huge bowlder, while Captain Moonshine was blindfolding his captives. His expression was that of one who has unexpectedly stumbled upon some long and eagerly-sought-for treasure. e saw Captain Moonshine carrying the form of Rachel Trowbridge in his arms, with as much apparent ease as though she had been an infant, lead the way iuto a narrow defile that opened up to the right. He saw two of the outlaws leading Ezra Blackwood, while the other fwain followed in charge of the horses. “The end must be near, else he would not be carrying her—delicious burden though it is!” muttered Treville, cautiously stealing after them. He was right in this surmise. In a few min- utes the men in charge of the horses came to a haJt, and knotting their bridle-reins together, let the animals stand in the defile. Their bodies nearly filled this up, and cut off all view be- yond. And with an annoyance that may be imagined, the scout saw one of the outlaws seat himself with his back supported against the high rock, leisurely filling and lighting his pipe. The point where the horses stood was clearly lighted by the nearly full moon, and the pass was 80 narrow that not even a mouse could have stolen past the sentinel unseen, much less a man, ‘‘So much the worse for bim!” sternly breath- ed the young man from Boston. ‘I have taken too much trouble to be foiled now.” None but an unusually self-reliant man would have dared to even contemplate pressing the matter further. True, the guard could easily be brought down by a bullet, but that would alarm nis fellows, and instantly bring them upon the scene. Thanks to the nakedness of that par- ticular spot, added to the clear poonie nt it would be impossible to creep within twen feet of the road agent without being discovered. A skillfully thrown knife might slay the fellow, but there was the risk of his uttering a death screech that would be fatal. For a few moments the young man from Boston was sorely puzzled. Pass the guard he must, or else resign all hopes of rescuing Rachel Trowbridge. ‘“*Tt’s risky, bub the se! 4 way I see,” he mut- tered groping around in the shadows for a few moments, then slowly creeping nearer the road- nt. ausing when he dared venture no further, the young may from Boston silently rose to his anew * mt * feet, a smooth round stone in his hand that would weigh some five or six pounds, Swift as a meteor, the missile lef this hand, hurled with the force and precision of a veteran base-ball player. With a sickening thud it struck the luckless wretch fairly on the side of the head. Without a groan he fell over, quiver- ing in every limb like an ox beneath the ax of a butcher. “* Dead for a ducat!” muttered Treville, es he glided forward and bent over the body. ‘‘ That was a little more than I intended, but he belong- ed to a band that has earned death ten thousand times over.” Catching the dead man by the heels, he dragged him back into the shadows, then re- moved the crape mask, hat, and long, disguising cloak, that, in common with his fellows, the road-agent had worn as a disguise. All these were quickly donned by the young man from Boston, who then stole forward and passed by the horses. Confident in the completeness of his disguise, he boldly searched for the entrance to the cave which reason told him must be close at hand, and five minutes later he was inside, peering around the corner of rock upon the strange scene, just as Captain Moonshine was in the midst of his explanation to Rachel Trowbridge. Eager to hear his words, Treville stole for- ward, favored by the friendly gloom, and drew near enough to overhear the concluding sen- tence. <A _ better jud of human nature than the romantic girl, he felt sure that the road-agent was lying, the more surely to gain some evil end, and once again he registered a mental vow to do all he could to save her from the terrible snare into which she was so foolish- ly fluttering. But how? The odds were heavy; at least four to one, and he firmly believed the number would be jive. His were the eyes that eagerly photographed the face of Captain Moonshine during the brief space while the mask was raised. During the strange scene which followed, he knew not how to act. The outspoken consent which Rachel Trowbridge gave, robbed him of all excuse for interfering. ‘*T know that she is being foully insnared— that she is believing a lie—but while she so be- lieves, she might not thank me for my interfer- ence. And yet it does not seem ble that I should have been so utterly mistaken in my first estimate of the girl!” But bis keen eyes noted the fact that had es- caped all others; he saw that already Rachel was regretting the romantic impulse that led her to bind herself to an outlawed criminal. And when he saw Captain Moonshine signing the certificate, his last doubt vanished. “I'd give a finger for one glance at that pa- r—and I'll have it, too!” he muttered, reso- utely. He it was who so rudely interrupted Captain Moonshine and his newly made bride. It was his hand that snatched away the important pa- r, his hard fist that struck the road-agent ull in the throat, a moment after he had brush- ed the lamp from the table; and it was upon his strong arm that Rachel swooned with that one wild cry of terror. At that moment a pistol exploded, the bullet whistling unpleasantly close to the daring man’s ear as he swung the senseless maiden to his shoulder. And by themomentary flash, Horace Treville saw the face of Ezra Hkckweod hor- ribly distorted with rage! imbly as a moun cat, he leaped toward the narrow entrance, knowing that the stakes were life or death; bot all behind him was con- fusion, worse confounded, by the abrupt extinc- tion of all light. With a pon gasp of relief, Treville found that he had made no miscalculation, and rush- ing out into the moonlighted pass, he severed the knotted bridles save two, and climbing into the saddle of one of these horses, still bearing the unconscious maiden upon his left arm, he urged the four horses before him down the pass. f The wisdom of this move was quickly evi- enc Shouting and cursing, the outlaws emerged from the cavern just as he dashed away, and their revolvers began to speak rapidly. With a swift movement, Treville sw ung Rach- el around in front of him, thus protecting her person from the hissing bullets at the risk of his own life. But the horses were both willing and terrified, and left the howling ruffians far be- hind. A clear, taunting laugh was sent back to them as the fugitives around a sharp curve that effectually shielded them from the leaden storm. : et gee of lead wasted, and not one drop of blood shed! Those fellows need a few lessons in marksmanship—and by the Lord! they’ll get them, too, before many days roll by!” He said no more, but turned his head quickly as a peculiar, hissing sound saluted bis ears. And a grave shade came over his face as he caught sight of arocket shooting far up toward the heavens. ‘‘ A signal to the men at the coach, no doubt!” he muttered, urging the two horses on still fast- er, as the unburdened animals were gradually ae uahet eee Gomichbooks:.€o