Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1092 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

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Field, you must be a hero.” Tom had finished bis ta-k as far as he could get, and now be rose to look about bim, and try to find one of the judge’s men. , Instead of that, he saw the figure of the Eng- lish overseer of the cattle company, coming over the green grass, followed by several men, For a moment the blood rushed to Tom Fieli’s heart; for be bad been a witness, at a distance, of the shortinterview between the Englishman and the judge, and had seen tbe latter start Tomlivson on bis errant] of death. He knew that the men in Berkeley’s service were all desperadoes, and thought it quite like- ly that they might attack bim then aud there. He ran to his horse at once and mounted it, when be cast a swift glance over the horizon and saw to bis great joy, at a distance away but still in sight, a number of men, whom he thougbt must be the neighboring ranchers. He hesitated a moment, and then saw that it would not do for the Englishman to get. hold of him before his friends came to his assistance, The judge was past help, unless he could be taken to his own house, and the young man took his resolution and acted on it at once. He galloped off as. hard as he could toward the new eomers, and heard the sound of shots be- hind bim which told that the resolution had only been taken in time, Tbe Englishman was pursuing him, though for what motive he could vot tell at the time. But he was confident in the speed of his horse, and the whistling of the bullets did not disturb him so much as they would have done an hour before. H+ bad smelt powder, and found that it is not every bullet that bits the mark it is aimed at in a fizht. Before long he recognized the figures of Punch Burleson and a dozen or more of bis and other ranchers’ men, and galloped up to tuem., They bad heard the shooting, and came down to see what was the matter. ‘They’ve bit the judge.” he explained hur- riedly, ‘‘ and l've killed Tomlinson for it, Come on and help me take the judge home before be is quite gon4, We may manage to save him if we are quick enough.” >. The cries of sympathy he beard convinced him that the absence of the judge from the couneil of the previous night had not entirely aliepated the ranchers from him. Without wasting time in talk they turned their horses and rode back to where the body lay. a they came they saw that the party of the Englisoman had turned away, fearing to meet them, for there were only five men in the party, and the men with Punch were at least a dozen. They found the poor old man still in the grass where he had fallen, and took him up and home. ; Tom Field rode first, to take the news to the family, for none of the ranchers dared to do it. He tound the place in a state of excitement, for one of the cowboys had just come in from the range, and bad spread the news that the ‘judge was dead,” . ’ ihe first person he saw was Diana Collings- worth, who opened the door and ran out to meet him, her face pale and wild, crying: “Tell me it is not true! It can't be true! He went away only a few minutes ago. Is he dead?” Tum shook his head emphatically, “No, no, say, NO. He is not dead. What- ever you do, don’t think that. He is-hurt; but we will manage to get him over it, if you will be calm., aes | g° nto the house and get bis room ready. It is imperative he should not be worried now, Calmness is bis only hope. Miss Diana, 1 depend on you. Couragé is needed, and you have it, Can you bear to see him and or 3 rom evincing emotion? It is his. only. hope of life. He ke rapidly and almost sternly, for he knew that it was best to rouse the girl to self- control, and he succeeded. ) - With a desperate effort she calmed herself, and said to him. with quivering lips: ‘“{ willtry. But you say there is hope.” ‘‘There is, there is,” he nepested earnestly, ‘‘He was shot by the man Tomlinson in the same place that Tomlinson was shot a few weeks ago. The one got well; and the other may, if be is kept quiet and nursed well. Tell your sister to be quiet. It is the only chance for him,” . Then as she went back to the house, in obedi- ence to his orders, given with the authority of the ‘‘ king of the sick room,” he added; “The man who hurt bim is dead. He was shot by a friend of your father.” Without waiting to hear what she said, he turned bis borse and galloped back to where the ranchers were coming slowly toward the house with the body of the wounded mano. They had made a litter of their saddles, by avteoning blankets to the horns of the trees, and bad Jai the judge thereon, where be would have the least motion from tbe animals as they walked _, So he was brought into the door-yard he had oa aninates before fal af life, and | of ravchers and : hed 3 - hi ge 25 cowboys remained outside, and talked Over | Tom Field noticed her paleness, and when the affair in the low tones of constraint and | he had given the judge the whisky that was anger, that are. ominous, in Texas, of ven- | needed, he insisted on the girl’s taking a swal- geance, low of the fiery spirit, which balf-choked her The judge had been a favorite all over the | but saved her from the collapse that he feared; couaty for his generosity and the fact tbat he | for Diana was the one «f tbe two, for all ber came of a good Georgia family—a fact which | active, out-of-door habits, that had the least goes for a good deal in the South. courage of the sisters. He had not béen so exhausted but that he Then the old judge looked round bim, and. could speak on the way to the house, and, in a | said, in a clear, strong voice: ~ few short sentences tell them how Tomlinson ‘* Neighbors, I called you in to witness ny had ridden after and picked a quarrel with bim, | will. 1t has been all ready tosign for years, shooting him down without a chance to defend | with the name cf the executor in biank, Mr, himself, | Field, will you be good enough to write as I He had told them, also, how Tam Field had | dictate?” killed the deSperado; and therecital had sentup | Helen, at a sign, brought forth a little writ- Tom many degrees in the estimation of his | ing-table and set it by the bed, and Tom took hearers; for they had all known and dcreaded | his seat, ready to wri e. Tomlinson, who bad the reputation of being the | ‘“‘The name of \the executor, you will see, is quickest shot in Texas. left blank in several places,” resumed the judge. When they arrived at the heuse, and bad | “ You will put your own full name in there, taken the wounded man in, they left the young | wherever it occurs.” doctor to take care of him, and retired, with the Here Diana Collingsworth uttered a slight delicacy of men who dare not intrude on ladies | cry of surprise, and looked as if sbe thougbther at any time, but much more in sorrow. father must be wandering: but bis next words Not one would bave dared todo what Tom had | made her stare at Tom Field with still more done, when he went forward to tell the daugh- | astonishment. ters of the judge what had happened to their | ‘‘l am making Mr. Field my executor, neigh- father. bors,” the old man pursued, * because he is the Then, in the quiet, cool chamber to which the | best man I can think of to take care of my judge had been taken, Tom had the first oppor- | daughters. He is a man of education, who will tunity to find out exactly what injury the old | know what is necessary to do tn the way of law, man had suffered.@ The girls were sent out of | and he will be called on to defend my chilcren the room, and the judge was alone with his sur- | against any hostility that may arise from my geon. | having incurred tbe enmity of the head of the When the examination was over, the old man | cattle company. I know that there is a great asked, in a tone that showed surprising strength: | struggle coming, here, and the beginning is ‘‘ Well, doctor, what is the verdict?” | shown by the way in which their bullies have Tom’s answer was: | set on me to-day. Tom Field was the man tbat ‘‘You are shot through the middle of the | killed my murderer, and,he is the bravest and lungs, sir; and, if you get over the next three | best shot I ever saw in Texas, Any girl who days, you will have achancte.” — | gets him for a busband will bave a man to de- perd upon.” The judge spoke slowly and distinctly, as if he wished to make bis reparation to Tom as | public as be could;-bat he did not see the effect ‘You will sink very rapidly,” said Tom, | bis words bad on bis youngest daugbrer, frankly. ‘“{£ cannot deceive you, sir. If yout To Diana they were as if they bad falien fron. have any disposition of property to make, it is | Heeven, and ber face, as she turned it to Tem, better it should be made, while you are yet | writing at the table, was full of mingled tri- strong.” umph, affection and sorrow at her own blind- The old man appeared to be thinking for a | ness in the past. : . short space of time; then he raised his head, and But the presence of strangers and the solem- said calmly: nity of the occasion prevented her from saying ‘You are right. I have two daughters to | or doing anything bat use ber eyes, and Toms. take care of. Tell Helen I want her, and ask | back was turned to her, so sbe could not be seen the boys to come here and witness my will.’ by bim. Tom bowed and left the room, Tom, on his part, wrote on quietly, and when he had Meerteh the name in the uifferent places, CHAPTER XXTX, aud the old judge bad signed, he turned to- THE JUDGE’S WILL. Punch Burleson and asked bim to come and wit- WHEN Helen Cwilingsworth came intg the | ness the will. - room, her father said to her: . Punch was better used to wielding a ‘Helen, child, go to my desk and bring.me | than a pen, but he contrived to get bis spraw}- the packet that you will find in the drawer at | ing signature on the foot of the parchment; and | os eee Tbe judge smiled, as if he had expected a | worse message, and said: | “1f I get over the next three days? But that | is the trouble, If I don’t what then?” a virt. the back that opens with a spring. You know.’ Deaf Smith, who wrote a very fair hand. and The secret one, | mean, Jt is sealed up.” had once taught a schoo! in Alabema, effixed The girl, who was the eldest of the two and ; the sAvarts of her father, obeyed and went | away, and the old judge continued.to Tom: relieved, and fell back on his “You will understand what 1 mean; for you | Tom: | area man of education, I used to think you “Takecare of that, and don't let it out of were too timid to do for Texas; but that is all | your possession, In c»se of trouble, take it with over now. Lam going to make you executor | you. Irely on you to protect my davgbters of my will.” | from that man Berkeley. Lam convinced that. ‘But, my dear eit began the young man, | he means us all harm. Now, if you will let: astounded at the idea. ‘'I am no relative of | me, doctor, 1 will try to rest a little, for l am yours, and do not even know what—” — tired.” The judge interrupted him witha wave of the | He spoke with a faintness that showed he was hand, as he said: 4 weaker than be had allowed it to appear, and ‘‘l am dying, $20 you must not refuse me | the room was cleared in short order. when the anything now, These girls will be left ali | old man sunk into an uneasy slumber under the influence of an anodyne, administered by the. his sign manual below Puncb’s, his mind was Then the judge. smiled, as val is villows, saying to alone, and will need a protector. He must be a gentleman in all things, These honest fel- | young doctor. lows, round here, would ve enough; but |. Then the ranchers went off to their owr there are otber things to be Considered. My | places, and quiet reigned over the Collingsworth executor must be a man of knowledge as well och till latein the afternoon, when the judge. as a brave man, Besides, lowe youan apology | woke up and found Helen in the room by his for my former treatment of you, and the best | side. : I can make is to show you that I knowl was; He Icoked around uneasily. wrong.” ‘ _| “ Where is Di?” Then, as Helen returned, be said aloud: “ Here, sir,” said a low voice, and Diana came forward from where she bad been hidden by the sag ngsrar pcb gels cour e girl bad eviden en crying, and the- old man asked her, kindly: we “Why do you cry, child? Tam going to get. well, the doctor says, if I get over the next ‘vhree davs. Whereis Field?” Diana flushed in spite of her father’s eye. **He has gone away. He said he would he back in the afternoon.” ; ‘Ts not that the sound of bis horse?” asked the wounded map, as the sound of a borse’s feet, at full gallop, was heard without, “Tell any of our friends that are outside, that I want some witnesses to my will, Is Punch Burleson there? If so, send him, and any of the others bere. I wish to do this thing publicly, that there may be no dispute | about it.” : Then, while the girl had gone to summon the rest, he opened the packs ge, and showed Tom a parchment, all drawn up, in legal style. ‘* There,” he’ said; “they have always called me ‘judge’ here; and they were not so far wrong, after all. Tam no fool about the law, I had that drawn up, years ago, in blank; and the nemes of the executors and witnesses are left to be filled in, It saVes trouble in’ prov- He: to bave them al] alive, Here they cme, ow give me sometbing to keep me up, till I am through this.” —— ee the man she bad thought a coward compe in at a gallop, while bis horse was covered with foam, as if it had been ridden fast andfar. ; Tom Field leaped off the animal and came to- Then the ranchers filed into the room, look- | the sick-room, where be a few questions, ing awkward and silent, while Diana Collings- | and seemed to be very well sati:fied, for he pro- worth, who had not hitherto dared to enter, | nounced on yore oing better than he had ar ta sc Seas FE et 1 eet ; ith a look as if she were __** You must bavea constitution eae: ‘You uave got over the fever, anid faint, but very quiet. | ’ _" “ ry ‘ ; ber i. . , 2 ‘ J < Ss: % a. : . » * : 4 . awe * = -f2 ~ > =x ‘ — a ~~ at. == a» ~~ oo ah = : a ~ : 4 a. y € - ° = 7 ‘ e. . a . 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