Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

aw eee ee + we ewe 0 ee ee —-- ——— - a ween. eee ae ewe ee - ~ : > = ee Oe — Cee ee 10 Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. I a \ the trial was to be held, the landlord having of- | spoken the truth; but no change upon Muriel’s fered it, and added; ‘‘Thar will be oceans o’ time for ther trial atween dinner an’ supper.” By this remark landlord Lem Williams had shown a knowledge of Purgatorian human na- ture in a wonderful degree. ‘* Glad ter see yer, Mr. Merle, an’ you, ladies, also you, Pard Godfrey,; git down and come inter ther hotel, an’ yer shell hev ther best seats,’ said landlord Williams, and he ushered the party of four into what courtesy was again stretched to that extent as to call it a ‘‘ parlor,” but which, in a more civilized spot, a blind man would never have mistaken as such, for wooden boards around the walls served for seats, and | wings of birds, skins of wild animals, elk mountain sheep, and buffalo horns ornamented the walls, and completed the furnishing of this very unique room. ae ter dinner, Mr. Merle?” asked Lem, politcly. ** Yes, thank you, landlord.” “You is welcome, if you hasn’t, for we hev plenty, ther’ bein’a run on grub ter-day; but ther last table is now bbin’, an’ then we'll cl’ar fer action, an’ ther trial will begin; ther boys is now bettin’ the’r dust on ther verdict, an’ ef a jury is app’inted, they chip in together, bet ag’in’ the’rselves, an’ hedge on a verdict 0’ guilt in ther fust degree.” A few moments of impatient waiting and the room was cleared of its tables and benches, andy , the crowd is to assemble, the miners giving the ladies of the settlement the front seats. The men known as Vigilantes then marched in, oy their spokesman, Lew Baker, said, ud : + Mr, Merle, we has elected you judge o’ the court.’ . ‘*T thank you, gentlemen, but it’s an honor I beg to decline, as the one to be tried has ren- dered me many a kind service, and I feel a most friendly regard for him.” “Waal, sir, we wants ter see justice done in this heur case, an’ tho’ it’s ag’in’ jedgement in some courts ter put a woman forward, we, waives ther rights an’ wrongs o’ ther thing now, ’ an’ names yer pretty darter fer jedge, or jedgess, as ther word may be.” 1 eyes turned upon Muriel, whose head dropped a moment, as though to hide the pal- lor of her face; but, as though acting under some sudden impulse, before her surprised father could reply for her, she arose and faced ay Lene while in firm, distinct tones she said: “I thank you, gentlemen, and I accept the honor.” ' A hum of vues ran around the crowded room, and Mr. Merle, dumb with amazement, gazed upon her; but she held forth her hand to w Baker, and was escorted to the dry-goods box, on which a chair had been placed for the | judge. As she took her seat, every hat came off as if by command, and every eye turned upon her; no, not all, for Ralph Reno, seated just in front of her, bound hand and foot, and. with Dick Hazel upon one side of him and Kansas Kit on the other kept his eyes upon the floor. “Oh yes! oh yes! the court is called to order!” sung out Lew Baker, and a silence like death fell upon the room, which was at last broken by Muriel, in a low but distinct voice, asking: ‘**Prisoner, have you decided upon any one to defend you?” Ralph Reno looked up straight into the eyes of his fair judge, and arose with an effort to his feet, while he answered calmly: ‘Why should I ask any one to perjure him- self to defend me for that which he believes me guilty of?” “Then you desire no one to plead for you?” **T will speak for myself and then abide the result,” was the calm reply. ‘*Then speak, for you are accused of a grave charge: of having fired upon one and killed him, one who had no reason to <r from you a shot in the back,” and Muriel Merle fixed her eyes upon the prisoner, who met her gaze un- flinchingly, while he answered firmly: ‘*T brand the charge as false; I left your.home that night, and rode at once to my cabin, got my arms and tools, and started for the moun- tains to prospect for gold. cd While in the mountains my horse fell with me, and stunned and hurt, I lay some time upon the ground, but recovering consciousness, 1 looked around me, to see my steed feeding not far away, and cropping out of the bank above me was gold ore. ‘The sight of the yellow metal momentaril cured my aching limbs, and I arose and made a close examination, and discovered that I had struck it rich; then I again 6 uncon- ra and it was dark when I awoke with ever. ‘ ‘Fortunately I had food with me, water was near, and I did not suffer the days I remained there awaiting to be able to return to the set- tlement. | **T have nothing more to say.” The straightforward story of the Guide in- pressed many with the belief that he had face showed what impression it had made upcn her, and she said, as the prisoner resumed his seat, evidently still suffering bodily as well as mentally: ‘*May Lask why you did not await at your cabin for Velvet Face, when he told you he would go there that night, and wished you to aid him in developing the mine he had ered?” ‘ ‘“‘“Yes, I will answer your question,” and Ralph Reno again arose, and, after a slight hesitation, resumed: ‘*You wil remember that I left you that night under most painful circumstances, and my mind was in that condition I failed to re- wall my engagement with Velvet Face until the following day it came to me when I found the gold ore. ‘*With but one object in view I left Sunset Retreat that night, and that object I accom- plished, for I found what I sought—gold.” Aa more the prisoner sat down, and Muriel said: , ‘‘ We have now heard the story of the pris- oner; let the witnesses be called!” ‘* Mr. Merle!” sung out Lew Baker, and the ex-banker arose. ‘*The Vigilantes, who act as jury, wish to know if you can tell anything regarding this af- fair, as to the guilt or innocence of the pris- oner?” said Muriel. nocent, in spite ef the circumstantial evidence that will be brought against him.” **Dick Hazel!” called out Lew Baker, the crier for the impromptu court. ‘“‘T am here, pards,” and the honest-faced miner arose. ‘“What have you to say in this case?” asked Muriel. ‘* Virst, I hate to believe a man with the hon- est face of Ralph there can be guilty of wrong, and leastways that he would shoot a friend in the back; but he left Sunset Retreat afor» the shooting some quarter of an hour, an’ he went down the trailtoward whar it were done; then he disappeared thet night, and he comes back with aati and, I hopes I am wrong, Miss Mw’rel, and you, pards, ut I b’lieves he knows about the killin’.’ “ Kansas Kit!” called Lew Baker as Dick sat down, and that worthy arose. : ‘‘Well, sir, what have you to tell?” quietly asked Muriel.; ‘*T was a-comin’ ’long ther river trail and passed two men talkin’; one were Velvet Face, on horseback, and t’other I thought, and thinks, were ther prisoner thar. “They was talkin’ purty lively as tho’ they was mad, but hushed as I comed up, an’ lookin’ back I see’d thet Velvet Face were ridin’ away, and then I see t’?othar man raise his revolver an’ fire. ‘“Ther horse bounded off, an’ Velvet Face fell over on his neck, and I was so took aback I e’u’dn’t do nothin’ fer a minute; but then I runned down to ther spot, an’ Pard Reno, as I tuk it, were gone; p’haps ther Ohinee heathen kin tell yer suthin’ ‘bout it, as I seen him skoot arter the shot, for he were comin’ from ther river with a bucket o’ water.”’ All eyes turned upon Washee Washee in sur- rise, for he had not before been suspected of Etiowing anything about the affair; but he glanced at Muriel, and what he saw in her face either made him forgetful of what he had seen, or caused him to tell a prompt lie with a face that was the picture of innocence, ‘‘ What do you know, Washee Washee, re- garding the shooting of Velvet Face?” asked the fair judge. ‘‘Washee know not’ing: he gottee no sense | allee samee Melican man,” was the reply, and it caused Kansas Kit to say: ‘Beggin’ yer parding, jedge, but he’s a ‘durned liar, or he was so skeert he don’t re- member it.” : ‘‘T think we can get along without his testi- ene “Yas, miss, for I .w’wdn’t believe ther heathen on a Bible oath; but does yer want any more witnesses?” said Lew Baker. ““ Are there others to testify?” **Guess not, miss; Kansas Kit hain’t blind, an’ he knows ther prisoner, an’ he seen ther shootin’, an’ ther Guide ran away arter it, ak tho’ he hed a engagement with Velvet Face at his cabing, an’ he comes back two weeks arter, with gold he has found, an’ it pears ter me as he tuk ther trail o’ ther Border Bravo, found his mine, arter hevin’ put him out o’ ther wa o’ wantin’ it, so it is left ter you, miss, ter call on ther Vigilante jury fer the’r opinions on ther case, an’ thet will either cl’ar or bang ther prisoner,” and Lew Baker resumed his seat, while Muriel, deadly pale, but perfectly calm, said in distinct tones: s Vigilantes, stand up!” In a body a score of men arose and gazed upon the fair judge. ** One by one, as I ask you, give your opinion as to the guilt or innocence of the prisoner.” They bowed in silence. and one by one they answered the dread word: “* Quilty !” iscov- . ‘‘ Nothing, more than that I believe him in- | 2 | CHAPTER XIV, OUT OF THE DEPTHS. * Guilty I” The word caused an almost universal start and a low hum ran around the room, for all knew what must follow—death. ; Death to that magnificent-looking man, Ralpl Reno, accused of an assassination, In that jury of Vigilantes, a score of men elected to run the machinery of life in Paradise Valley, and who had the power to call in others as they wished to aid them, there had not been one dissenting voice from the charge of guilt. A fearful silence followed the polling of the Vigilantes by Muriel, and then her elear voice was again heard, and in it there was a deep tremor. ‘Rise, Ralph Reno, for you are pronounced guilty.” The prisoner arose and faced the beautiful woman who was his judge, and his face, though very pale, was calm and fearless, while Muriel continued: ‘‘ Asit falls upon me to pass sentence upon you, I now demand that, within the hour, you eave this valicy and its vicinity, never more to come here, under penalty ef death at the hands of the Vigilantes,” A movement of uneasiness ran through the crowd at this sentence, the prisoner started and seemed bewildered, and the Vigilantes looked black, while Lew Baker said, angrily: ‘* Miss, you is jedge, by our selection, but yer has no right ter let thet man go free o’ pun- ishment.”’ ‘‘ There is a doubt in my mind as to his guilt, though I may have better cause for believing him so than any here; if lL err, it shall be on the side of humanity,” was the calm reply of the fair judge. | : ‘Why, if we let him go out of this heur shanty, he c’u’dn’t git out o’ ther valley with- out somebody putting a bullit in him.” ‘¢T will escort him beyond the valley myself,” was the cool reply, but before Lew Baker could reply to this bold announcement, Ralph Reno. arese Once more and said: “Men, my tair jrdgo has shown me merey, when I did not ex, ec: it from her, and I will tell you why. «The nigbt I left her home I was a discarded lover, for I had offered her my heart and han, and she had refused it. , ‘*Driven mad with jealousy, I charged her with loving Velvet Face, and I swore that she never should be his wife,’ An intense excitement here pervaded tho room, and Mr. Merle and Camille hung, breath- less upon the prisoner’s words, whom now they, for the first time, believed guilty. ‘** Then I left the house,” resumed Ralph Reno, in the same calm tones, ‘‘and a skort while af- ter Velvet Face was shot. ‘Believing that Miss Merle loved Velvet Face, I felt confident that she accepted the posi- tion you gaye her, to revenge his death by urg- ing my execution; but I pihhenly wronged her by the thought, for now I know that she became my Bue e to save me, not believing me guilty. ‘She has sentenced me, but well I know that such sentence you will waive, and, I say to you, Iam in your hands.” He turned to the Vigilantes as he spoke, and awaited for them to speak. In low tones they conversed together for a few minutes, and then Lew Baker turned to Muriel, and said: é ‘We is sorry to go ag’in’ yer, miss; but ther prisoner has said he swore ter kill Velvit Face, an’ he must die; we thanks yer for yer sarvice, miss, but we must hang ther prisoner, or thar w’u’d- be no justice in Paradise Valley.” A burst of applause greeted this decision of the V gilantes, and it was plain that the Purga- torians did not wish to be disappointed, after having their excitement-appetites whetted up fora hanging. | eat Leet, Seeing the painful position in which Muriel] was now placed, Mr. Merie and Guy Godfrey arose together to take her from her seat, and instantly loud cries rung through the room: ‘* Turn him ever to Judge Lynch!” ‘String him up!” ‘‘ Hang him!” ‘To Death Canyon with ther murderer!” ** Hold!” Above the din ef voices arose the one word, and in tones that drew every eye upon the one who uttered it. Then a silence of death fell upon that mass of humanity, for every tongue seemed struck . dumb, as the tall form of Velwet Face was seen im the open door. te Ashe One look at the man whose supposed mur- derer they were trying, then an instant of breathless silence, and through that room rung a shout that nearly drove landlord Williams crazy with fear of his house yy ne to pieces. Then again silence fell upon all, and Muriel Merle saw the supposed dead man come for- ward, and all noticed that he was not alone, for his hand rested on the shoulder of a tall, slender form, clad in buckskin, and with hands bound behind his back, j ‘Great God! Muriel, my child, see!” eried whe Goimicbooks