Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1092 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

ee on ee . ee ee oe a ee ge -- © as Old Cross-Eye, the Maverick-Hunter. onl “‘ Now, boys, keep together, and if ye come | a whistle to call back his men, and they came | showing him the lines of broken fences. When acrost the company’s men, give ’em cold steel, if ye kin.” CHAPTER XXVI. THE NIGHT-RIDERS OF SATANTA COUNTY. A LONG string of silent horsemen, moving across the prairie in the dark. They marched like Indians, one after the other, and the feet of their horses made no noise. Presently the head of the file turned to the right, and a slight sound, like the hiss of a snake, was repeated all along the line, as each follower came to the place where the leader had turned. .. They had come to the line of the barbed-wire fence, and moved straight along it. Presently the leader halted; turned his horse to the fence; and the rest of the men behind him did the same. There was another faint hiss from the head of the line, and it was closely followed by the sound of a succession of sharp clicks, as the men stooped from their saddles and snapped the wires apart with the powerful nippers that each carried, There were three distinct clicks, and then the line of horsemen moved on. Where there had been a fence of three wires, a moment before, there was a blank now. The wires had been cut all along the line, and the fence destroyed. The line of horsemen numbered about sixty men, all told, and stretched for a third of a mile, being arranged at the distance to take a panel to each man, at one nip. They were first engaged at Punch's ranch, and, by the time they had marched round it, they had demolished the fence entirely, and Punch’s cattle were free to roam as they had done before its erection, ° And all the time they had not met one of the company’s guards. Then they took their way, straight across the range of the company, to Limpy Balstrop’s property, and did the same destruction there, with silence and celerity making a clean breath’ across the ranch a third of amile wide. They had found, from the time it took to destroy, that they could not do the job thoroughly to more than three ranches in one night, They found no guards about; but they attri- buted that to the distance they kept from the log-palace, which was the head-quarters of the company. From Limpy’s place they went to Deaf -Punch was stooping down to cut the wires, and his men were following his example, when they heard the distant but unmistakable patter of horse-hoofs at full gallop. They all looked round instinctively, and saw bright flashes in the darkness, out on the prairie, Then came the crackle of fire-arms, and Punch said, in his cool, guarded tones: ‘* Now, boys, remember, no firin’ if ye kin git along without it. Lay low and _ give it to those - everything, with true military precaution, blew back singly, with the intelligence that they had “wiped out ten of the cusses that had come to run Satanta caounty to suit tharselves, and they’d got thar gruel.” “Then don’t make no more fuss abaout it; but go out and do the rest of the work to on’st,” said Punch, in his crossest tones. ‘‘One would think you fellers had forgot the war was over, and this is all outside the biz we come to do, Come on, boys. We got to hurry.” This time they rode at a canter, and dropped all theught of hiding their trail; for the alarm was out, and they bad work to dd yet. That the death of the party that had first at- tacked them would deter the-rest that night they thought very probable; but they also feared that in the morning the investigation would be searching. They were getting further and further away from the company’s head quarters, and as fast as they destroyed the fences around each of the ranches, the owner of tbat ranch went home happy, while the rest went on, It was neces- sary, if the enemy chose to visit a bouse’ in the capacity of constable, that he should find the owner at home, prepared to swear to the most uneompromising of‘ alibis.” But they did their work well that night, and when the Honorable George Berkeley rose up the next day and took his morning ride abroad, as was his custom, he found that the fences for miles bad been leveled with a thoroughness that admitted of no repair, unless the company sent down the wire for a whole new fence. The posts’ had been left standing in most a simply because the night-riders bad not 1ad time to pull them up, and the destruction ae extended along a space nearly twenty miles ong. - As for the herds of the company and the ranchers of the neighborhood, they had scat- tered all over the country in the old style, and the guards, that had been amply sufficient for the needs of the herd as long as the fence was there, had all they could do to keep their cattle in without instigating any inquiries as to who cut the fence, much less arresting any one, in a country where every man carries arms, and Nee oy were no magistrates nearer than Satans- own. Judge Collingsworth’s ranch was the only one that had been left untouched by the night- riders; for the reason that he had not attended the meeting, and when he heard what had been done the old man seemed to be getting very the ranch of Limpy Balstrop, and found that the way was open all around, and that the com- pany’s animals were running as wild as Mav- ericks. And he had almost made an a Captain Berkeley to throw his company’s stock, But the first raid of the fence-cutters opened the eyes of the judge to the impolicy of taking sides till be was quite sure that the company ment with erd into the by the smiling and polite Tomlinson, who was they saw the judge, the Englishman reined up to let the other catch them, and when he came near, said: “Ab, good-morning, sir. Confounded nice people, these countrymen of yours. They have a good deal of respect for the laws of their State, haven’t they, sir?’ Collingsworth screwed up his face. “Well, they seem to have done it pretty effectually, at all events, captain. It will cost. oo company a very pretty penny to pay for all this. Berkeley turned round in his saddle and stared at the judge as if he thought he must be joking. ‘** You don’t suppose, sir, that the company is going to pay for these fences, do you?’ teasked, with a supercilious air that made.the judge angry. ** And why the deuce shouldn’t they, sir?” be retorted. Berkeley smiled in the same supercilious fashion, ** My dear sir, I thought you knew more law than that, The county will have to pay for it, and if the county is too poor then the State will have to foot the bill. The Statesold us the land, and the State will have to keep us in posses- sion. The judge heard what he said, and his anger was kindled at the words of the Englishman, the more so that he feared they might be true. ‘“* At all events,” he said, *‘ this alters our re- lations, captain, as you must see. Iconnot en- ter into the agreement youasked me yesterday. Times have changed and men change with them. I must decline the offer you made me.” For the first time since Berkeley came to Texas he lost his temper, The destruction of his fences had heen a heavy blow, and he fore- saw that it would cause’ trouble among the stockholders, who entered into the scheme with the idea that it was to be all prefit. Now they would have to put up a great deal of money, even in the event tbat the State ultimately paid the bills, for law costs money. The remark of the judge showed him that the cautious old Texan was going to desert him, and he .nswered in bis first irritation: ** As you please, sir. It seems tome that all you Texans are tarred with the same stick. In my country the word of a gentleman 1s worth: something.” **Then the sooner you go back there the bet- ter it will be for ail of us,” snapped the testy old. . Smith’s ranch, and here it was that they first | nervous, ard told his two daughters that he | judge. ‘I never gave you my word for any- ran on the guards, that they had hitherto | had some business abroad. thing, sir. I said rs would think of it. I have.. escaped Then he rode away across the prairie toward -day, sir.” CBRAPTER XXVILI. DUEL TO THE DEATH. » A : THE English overseer looked after the Judge as he rode away, with a scow)] that was the first revelation of made since he came to Texas. Tomlinson saw it, and the desperado smiled to himself; for he bad fears that his chief was not a bad enough man for the work he was en- cusses when they come clost. Tharain’t many | was the stronger of the two fies, gaged on in face of the hostile ranchers. on ’em, from the sound of the hosses., Don’t let It showed him that the whole of-the county But the scowl] showed that Berkeley was as one of ’emescape. Thar bullets ain’t nothen, | was against the strange compaty; and in Texas | bad as any man need be, and his next words in the dark.” that means a good deal that it would not else- | told Tomlinson that he had gaged the mind of Had he shown the least excitement, it is prob- | where. In Texas the regard for Jaw is a recent | his companion truly. able there would have been a stampede, for | sentiment, born of the fa at people in other ‘*That man’s got to be Gisposed of,” he said, there is something in the work of men who | parts of the Union called*the Texans ‘‘barba- | with the cool air of one who talked only of kill-. — know ag | are in defiance of the law, however | rians,” on account of their “lynchings” and | ing acalf. ‘‘ Tomlinson, there is such a thing bad the law may be, that disposes them to | other eccentricities, They have become ashamed | in this country, I believe, as picking.a quarrel ; timidity; but the cool tones of the veteran— | of the fact that every b0dy thinks them lawless, | isn’t there?” : for Punch was a’real soldier, who had»seen | and bave set themselves to keeping the law, in Tomlinson grinned. more than fifty desperate fights—calmed them | Spite of all temptation, But ‘they are as fond ‘* Thar is, " ~ down, and they went on cutting, following the | of a free fight as ever, and as ready to resort to “Then it strikes me, Tomlinson, that here is example of their leader. pistols, as of ‘yore. a case where the process. might be advisable. The flashes of pistcls in the dark, had been When the judge saw that the people of the | Remember he must be the first to draw a wea- - the only indication thaf an assault was to be | county were aroused, he thought it time he n. You understand what I mean?” . made, and the wildness of the fire had only in- | joined the movement bimself, and rode overto| ‘ Reckon I do, Cap. I’ve often done it on. my ; spired them with contempt, : | dimpy’s to ask “*‘ why he had not been itivited?’ | own book, ye know. . 7 | . Théo the appearance of a little knot of men; On the way he thought he would dropinat| ‘Then the quicker it is done, the better,” | on the prairie was followed by the rush of a | the English captain's place and tell him that| And the aristocratic scamp turned his horse dozen of the company’s guards, cursing savage, | ‘‘he had thought better of the plan proposed, | and rode away, while Tomlinson, who under- | ly, as if they hoped to overawe and cow their | and would bave to hold it under advisement | stood the hint he had received, put spurs to his | 0 ti by their first dash. ra at for a time, till the legislature met.” borse and rode after the judge, who was going | ut, this. time, they had reckoned without The judge believed in the legislature. He | to Limpy Balstrop’s ranch, the next to bisewn. / their host, for, as soon as they were within fair | would not havé been a true American, much The judge.was so intent on the. trail of the. . range of a chargé, the fence-cutters made a | less a true Southerner, if he had not, night-riders and the damage they had done, ! swift, silent dasb, with their knives out, and, in He believed that the legislature was panacea | that he did not hear Tomlinson’s horse, till the . another minute, the men of the company were | for all evils; and that in its healing bosom all | desperado was close alongside bim, when. he fleeing for their lives, all mixed up with the’| sins might be purged. | turned his head, an@ Tomlinson accosted him night-riderge while the sound of savage cursing, | And; till the legislature met, it was certain | familiarly. gs aud the thud of blows, was mingled with | that the company would not get a chance to set ‘* Hello, jedge, baow goes it?” - = the irrepressible sbriek of agony of man after | up very many more fences; if the people of the | Tbe judge was a man of great personal digni- : man, stabbed to the heart and fallen from his county had united in the determination to cut | ty, and he drew himself up to reply: horse, ; , them, as fast as they were put oe “Sir, I don’t know you. I "sball -be obliged Then arose, in spite of Punch’s efforts to stop As the judge thought of al) this, he saw the | if you would transfer your ciVilities elsewhere.” noise, the old yell, heard so often of yore on | tall figure of Berkeley, abead of him. The omlinson laughed. many a stricken field — the regular old-time Englishman, for the first time since be had ** Oh, that’s all very well, old man; but you ‘rebel yell” that carried terror to 80 many, | come to Texas, instead of his usual suit of | can’t come that over me. You was aout last when it rose over the rattling volleys of the brown tweed, with no arms in sigbt, had | nigbt, yereasly old fox, jedge. I know eae charging line. sipped a dust-colored short blouse, with a belt, | ye, of old.” ‘ , e fence-cutters had lost all control over | and carried two revolvers in holsters at his hips, The old man stared at him, and bis face 7 themselves, and raced after the discomfited | while his saddle was furnished with bolsters, | flushed with anger; for he felt thatthe other ‘ constables of the company, chasing them like | presumably for more, and he carried a rifle at | was tr ing to pick a quarrel with bit, and the hares, and running down ten, out of thirteen, | his back, “The Honorable George had become | judge had plenty of pluck. 1. who came on, in less than three minutes. an arsenal, ‘“ Now look here, Mr. Tomlinson—” he began, 7 Then Punch Burleson, who had thought of | As usual, he was not alone, but accompanied | when the other burst out iato a fit of con-- temptuous laughter: we 23 his true character he had: | a 2 a me Ae Oe ee on ae ymicbooks.cor . - . ‘ e *\ = ~ . - .* 7 . > - es le eee ens aang Aer af —]——— <a ons. al ff « . - . oe d , ® ee, ee — ~* — - a ae - ™ = witty - te - eee = ea bf . ees =