Beadle's Dime Library, Vol. XII, No. 145 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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quite leisurely, for he had been averse, all along, to raising his voice, | “To save this camp trouble I might have told my story sooner, but I confess I did not undérstand it until now. Youall know I have an interest over in Gopher Gulch, and there’s a short cut that takes me right past the mis- sion. Well, to-night I was coming along, with- out suspicion of anything crooked around the old pile, when I thought I saw a light, low down. I bave as much nerve as the next, and throwing my bridle over my borse’s head, I be- gan to investigate. ‘The light came from a little opening in the cellar wall, and I put my eye down just as McCaw and the others clinched onto the greased lightning. I saw the fellow dartaway, and sprung for my horse, for I knew that by the time Lcould get around he would be well down the gulch. “As it was, he must have disappeared just as the second crowd came up, and they saw only mein pursuit. My horse gave a stumble, but as he’s not entirely a young earthquake, I didn’t tumble but gathered him up, and af- ter the fellow [ went, until finally 1 lost. track of him just at the edge of town. That.is what I know about it, told in the short. .I kept quiet until I could see just where it fitted into the rest, and now if there’s no more direct evi- dence against this man we can let him tell bis own story, bring in bis witnesses if he has any, and then it will be a question for the jury, whether or not he is guilty.” “But, kunnel,” interposed Harry Wade, ‘how about the t’other one? We’re tryin’ ’em botb, fur pards they seem to be, an’ we hoped to swing’em up together. Jes’ say the word, an’ up they go.” ‘There was no mistake but what there were a great many men in camp who had taken a strong dislike to the prisoner, and his backer, Alabaster Jim; and Wade’s words only echoed their sentiments. There were a great many more who didn’t care which way things went, and then there were a few who were anxious to see strict justice meted out. ““ No; sir, there’s only one way now out of this without making it bloody murder. Hear the case and decide it according to the evidence. If you don’t want to do that, adjourn the court and settle with me. I’m Judge Lynch, just: now, and the only mandamus I recognize is this.” Down to his waist dropped his hands as he spoke, and every man there knew that he meant what be said. ) “Ef that’s the gait we may as well turn him loose and go home, but it’s durned queer yer takes such a fancy to a cuss that mopped ther Star floor all up with ye. Maybe yer afeard he’ll do it ag’in.” | _In sulky tones came a voice from the crowd, and Dashwood glared around him, for his anger seemed to suddenly jump up to fever heat; but the tones were disguised, and no one cared to point out the offender, even if they knew. ‘ - % , “Any one that knows me ougbt to know that I fear no man living. I play an honest hand, and want no cold deck or bottom deal. We'll hear the statement of the prisoner, and | then the case goes to the jury. Prisoner, stand pe state your name and residence, and then us the facts in the case; and if you are wise you'll stick to the truth, fur if this court eatches you in a lie it»will be the last one you N abashed the prisoner arose. “I’ve had several names—they call me Cin- nabar Charley, and Soft Hand Charley, and Charley Jones from Cinnabar. Any of ’em ‘ll do fur a handle fura man in my fix. Ive been *round here for some days, and had a mind to stop but fer good reasons went out on the stage a few nights ago. We had around with the agents and stood them off, though one of the Lk, maaan breast too bad to go on and I’ve been nursing him. _“ AsT was going out from town with sume medicine and grub three men lassoed me aud the fall knocked me endways, When I came to I was up there and they were getting ready for a funeral. The three had masks on, and some other trumpery and I didn’t know ’em from Adam; but anyhow they nailed me up in the box and stuck me ina hole. They covered me up but left a place to breathe, and it wasn’t just so uncomfortable, but it was all-fired “4 Who-dug me out I don't know, because I dost my senses; and the next thing I knew I from Hangtown chipped in, and the balance you know better than I can tell it to you.” prompt answer threw little more light on the subject. The only probable theory was that | the road-agents had buried him alive as a | punishment for his successful resistance. ‘¢ Gentlemen of the jury,” asked the colunel, ‘‘ vou have heard the testimony, how say you? Is the prisoner guilty or not guilty?” Together went a dozen heads in earnest eon- sultation. It was by no means certain what the verdict.might be. At length the foreman, Hart Monroe, stood up. He wasan intelligent man, and a hard worker, if he did sometimes raid the town on a spree. ' ‘‘ May it please the court,” he began, “ we find the charges not proven; but the prisoner and his pard had better leave town.” ‘‘ All right,” responded Colonei Dashwood shortly, ignoring the inclusion of Alabaster Jim. ‘“ The prisoner is discharged and has one hour to accept the finding of the jury. After that Tierra.Roxo will no doubt be un- heelthy.” | Down upon, the back of Soft Hand came the paw of Alabaster Jim, with a resounding whaek. ) ‘‘All right, pard; didn’t I told yer so? ‘Nothin’ like havin’ a white man fur jedge. I’m mighty glad now that I didn’t play him fur keeps t'other night. Is’pose we'll hey to waltz; an’ your way an’ mine hed _ better lie alongside fur a leetle, in case we needs a suw- bones er a fizziker.” “1m not so su:e about leaving; there’s sixty minutes to consider in and that’s a good long while to look ahead. 1°ll talk to you in a min- ute more;. keep an eye out, for frieuds are searce in this crowd, There’s too, many of them stood in with the late lamented Pedro, [ want a word with my counsel; I mustn’t be un- grateful.” There was a dubious sort of smile on his face as he looked around, that seemed to say that however much Victor Page might have aided him in the late emergency he was not over and above friendly toward him; and from a keen glance he shot at Colonel Dashwood it was pos- sible that he had his suspicions in that direction also, He was justin time to obtain the desired word with Victor, who was slipping quietly in- to the Sar, intending to make his exit by a back door and rejoin depart when the chances of the trial had seem- ingly turned in favor of the prisoner, He startled, but did not attempt to resist or break away, when Soft Hand called him by name; and suffered .himself to be led aside into a lit- tle alcove. ‘‘ Well,” said the resurrected man, grimly, ‘““water won’t kill, fire won’t burn, the grave throws me up, and the rope refuses to hang; don’t you think it is about time to quit this foolishness? You’ve bad all the fun on your side, so far; but E reckon it won’t be any slouch of a game if I begif to hunt a little my- self. Will you quit; or shall I begin?” “I don’t ahouetiee unders your fire and water business, and the less said about the rest the better. .I1 had my fling, but missed. Something stole all my nerve away. Iwas fool enough to think sometimes that somewher there had been a mistake. Take my adyice and get away from this. As long as the bands are on the board I cannot draw out if I want to; and if I do there are others ready to stock the cards against you so as to make the gume most certainly a losing one. We just helped each other to-night because it suited us both, but I have, no idea that either of us can for- get or forgive. When you see me again I will be in a different mood, but just now I am talking the honest truth,” ‘‘ Well, thank you, all the same, for drop- ping to the necessities of the game; and the next time you try that kind of work you won’t catch me asleep.” die _ So the two fees to the death talked thus coolly, and with one long steady glance on both sides, to fix beyond forgetfulness the face of each, they separated, vy : Meantime Alabaster Jim, perfectly unmind- ful of more than one lowering face and scarce- ly murmured threat, stepped airily away as Sof} HandJefthim. ; | Colonel Dashwood was his objective point, and before him he halted, with a good-humo smile, arna, whom he had seen, | *‘Kunnel, ther time’s short and you don’t want to stand hyer listenin’ to chin music; but TP'll tell you short you’ve done ther squar’ A few questions were asked, though their thing to-night. Mebbe you've made a mis- take, but I don’t say so. Id hate to go back on a squar’ man; I'd hate it ther dog-gonedest; an’ I don’t want you to think I’d do it.” There was considerable éarnestness in the last sentence or two, and as there were plenty vf anxious listeners more than one signifi- cant glance passed between them, It ‘sound- ed as though the man was losing some of his se sand.” © And if that fact once becamé patent there were those who did not believe his life would be worth an hour’s purchase in Hangtown. Even Dashwood seemed to think so, for he listened with a wicked sneer on bis face. “What I think is, that you’d better get right out of this camp—” ' “Hold on, hold on! That’s my idear too; I've fooled away too much time already ina camp whar it’s all blow an’ nary fun. But what I did want afore I went was to give you a.chance to take all I owe you out of my ding- blasted ole hide. You sha’n’t say Alabaster Jim skipped ther ranch an’ furgot his board bill, Knife, pistol er ther mawlers, it’s all ther same to me. You hes’ yer weepins an’ kin take yer choice. Ef ther’s ary way I kin offer fairder then that, spit it out. I tell yer I wouldn’t go back on a man that’s acted ther clean corn like you bev, fur a hull mount’in ov rocks!” ~ ‘You infernal idiot, what do you meanf Do you think because I let myself be drawn into a brawl with you the other night that I am setting myself up for a target for every Tom, Dick and Harry that is willing to risk his life to gaiv a little cheap reputation? Why, man, if you draw on me you'll never see an- other sunrise. You would have to fight the whole of Hangtown.” . “ What ov it?’ coolly answered Jim. ‘I’ve taken a bigger contract more ner onee, an” I’m hyer now; but ef you ain’t hankerin’, an” won't say I went back on you, ‘allee lightee.’ I'll go hunt up my pard, an’ we'll swing out. Yer jist ez easy satisfied a man ez 1 ever seen, an’ so I'll tell ’em.” 4 Down to a whisper dropped the voice of the colonel, and if it had been a little lighter it would have been seen that his face was white with anger. “Go your ways, but you'll find when the time comes, that my arm is long enough to reach you. This is not the time and place; but you can stake every dollar you can raise that before I am done with you Pll kill you both.” “Well, don’t bury us till we’re dead an’ E guess we kin stand ther squeeze. Solong. I’m goin’.” And Alabaster Jim swaggered away in search of his companion in banishment, CHAPTER XIX. KATE WILKINS STRIKES AN AMBUSCADE. As the soft spoken man from Cinbabar bad conjectured, Harold Wilkins was not s) badly injured ; the only question was, whether pening 4 ve much re yer" by sickness, could stand the shock that it bad re- ceived. Under the same amount of damage Alabaster Jim would doubtless bave been out the next day as though nothing had happened ; but Mr. Wilkins was not possessed of such a cast-iron constitution, and was weak and feverish, though under tbe nursing of his daughter, and the man whom he persisted in calling Mr. Jones, he got along as well as could be expected. The proprietress of the ranch was some- thing of an original in her way, and under a rough exterior had a kind enough heart, and seemed to take a liking to father and daughter; but she had her hands pretty full attending to her own affairs, so that they saw comparative- ly little of her. : | The morning after their arrival Soft Hand had asked casually: “ Where's the rest of your family; or wasn't that girl-boy I had a glimpse of last night part of it?’ ; hs Faith, an’ yez sees all ther isav me when yen see Irish Molly bers.” ‘ " She's friend an’ a moighty nice one she is wid her foine face an’ thrue heart. Her name is Cat Triscador an’ she shtops over noight wid me now an’ thin. Yez froightened ber off er she’d bin wid me now. yez. cS JOO (COMMU (E(0) =