Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. 13 White, but fearless and full of nerve, Ralph ther will somebody hev ter run an’ git more Reno stood, and then the rope was placed | rope. around his neck, and a moment more would t was evident that the words of Lew Baker have ended his mortal career, when a loud | were received with favor by the general crowd, cry was heard on the other side of the crowd. ‘Hold! hang him not, for he is innocent, ‘* T saved Paul Reno from death!” The crowd opened wide, and Pere hiierrte and panting from a hard run, Oll, the Waif, bounded into their midst and confronted the Vigilantes. CHAPTER XXIII. THE VIGILANTES’ VICTIM, To say that the angry, excitea crowd were amazed, thunderstruck, and most seriously ta- ken aback at the astounding fact that a second time they had nearly executed an innocent man, would be to put it lively, for even men with the most brazen faces hung their heads when pag Gen ht the triumphant, scornful lance of Ralph Reno sweeping over the sea of uman countenances surrounding him, And Ralph Reno was the first to ak, and he addressed his words to the discomfited Lew Baker, the Vigilante captain: ‘* Well, sir, what have you to say now, after being thwarted a second time in an attempt on my e?” ‘We has only ther boy’s word fer it,” was the sullen darn “ ‘Tt is not likely he will criminate himself to save a man for whom he did not care, Lew Baker; but, Ol], speak out and tell your story,” and Ralph Reno turned to the Waif, whose face flushed as he met the gaze upon him of ev- et one. ut after a slight hesitation, he said, in a clear, distinct voice: “Mr. Reno, I owe my life, and the life of one that was most dear to me, to Paul Reno, and though afterward he did that which caused me to hate him as IT would a snake, I cared not to see him die, and I freed him.” ‘‘ How wasit dono, leetle pard?”’ asked Kan- sas Kit, forcing bis way forward, and at the same time boldly severing the bonds that held Ralpb Reno. ‘*T first took a fleet horse, the property of Carl the Killer, who left him’in the va ley pas- ture, and then I rode him to the thicket near the prison-cabin, and watched my chance to rescue the a tate a ‘“‘T saw Ralph Reno go there, and Kansas Kit let him go into the cabin, and also entered him- self; and I then climbed up on the roof and gained the branches of the tive-oak tree and waited. “J saw Mr. Reno leave the cabin, and, after talking with him awhile, Kansas Kit came back and stood under the tree, and then it was that I struck him with a stick. ‘TI meant only to stun him, and I succeeded, and then I unlocked the door and let Paul Reno out, and he rode away, while I dragged Kit into the cabin, bound up the cut on his head and left him; but if I had thought that Paul Reno was going to take zat th him beautiful Miss erle, I would glad 5, aeplreg seen him die ere I aided him, and my heart is almost broken to think that I was the cause of her sorrow,” and the tears came into the boy’s eyes, while Lew Baker said harshly: ‘‘Waal, yer neck will soon be broke, too, boy an’ thet will cure ther heartache.” ‘ ‘Yer hain’t goin’ ter hurt ther leetle pard, is yer?” asked Kansas Kit. “We sartinly is; he are a confessed horse- thief, an’ thet is a hangin’ crime in these dig- gin’s, an’ he hev gone ag’in’ us an’ let thet Dan- ite go free, an’ been ther cause o’ Miss Merle’s tiga f not ter speak o’ ther achin’ hearts o’ her friends; ther boy hes run his neck inter ther noose, an’ wea is goin’ ter pull on it, sure.” ‘No, no, men, you'll certainly not hang the lad,” said Ralph eno, earnestly. ‘Now, I guess 30, an’ seein’ as you has got off so nice, thinkin’ yer better not chip in,” said Lew Baker, whose elevation to the cap- taincy of the Vigilantes had suddenly changed his nature, it seemed, and given him a desire to leave a red record behind him. “Twas to be murdered for a crime which I did not commit, Lew Baker, and this boy, by his noble confession, saved my life, and I can- not stand Mh by and see him slain,” “Waal, what is yer goin’ ter do about it, see- Daa baie ther: Woy, Baw: tar on’t hang ther boy, Lew, fer ’tain’ an’ I says sor us in Kansas Kit. argh ‘* An’ I says so, too, , said Dick Hazel, stepping forward te the side of Ralph Reno, while Guy Godfrey at once joined him with the quiet remark: : ‘* Here are four of us against it, Baker.” “Say fire, Mr. Godfrey,” and Malcolm Merle joined;the others, while, as the crowd moved awsy her, Camille Conrad glided forward, an SU . ‘*“Mr, Baker, I am buta girl, but I raise m voice t0o ag pyour Lieariainig Ou.” ae as- ealls him, a teacher as o’u’dn’t hit teithdbor with a cannon, an’ a gal, while only two is worth a flea-bite in a_scrimmage; looks like mutiny, pards, an’ I guesses as how ‘smile that those who | an unarmed man, a ex-bénker, and that Oll the Waif would have to hang seemed also evident, for what could Kansas Kit and Dick Hazel, the Sees enh pte hly armed men of his defenders, for . Merle and Guy Godfrey wore but one pistol each, do among that lawless crowd? ‘*Leetle pard, we'll stand by you long as we kin,” said Kansas Kit, with determination. ‘* No, let them hang me; let the wolves have my blood to satisfy them, for I have no one to care for me, and my life is not a happy one,” said the boy. ‘* No, no, they will not be so cruel, so merci- less,” cried Camille, **T#’s just what we will be, miss; this valley has ter be regilated, and we is goin’ ter do it; we ig a hundred men heur, an’ it’s better ter let ther boy come quiet then hev bloodshed among us, Which will foler.” ‘Then, take me, and do your worst,” and Oll the Waif sprung from amid his friends into the midst of his foes, and eagerly they seized, and almost instantly the rope was around his fair neck. For an instant Kansas Kit, Dick Hazel, Guy Godfrey and Ralph Reno seemed about to spring into the crowd and attempt his rescue; but they saw it would be madness, and they hesitated, while the Vigilantes began to drag Oll the Waif toward the oxecution tree. But suddenly they re) the crowd swayed wildly to and fro, and through BP ys ey deinke opened for him, a horseman da and drew rein, while his ringing tones fell on every ear: ‘Hold bere! what hellish work are you ac- cursed Vigilantes at now?” It was Velvet Fare, and his piercing eyes fell upon the faces turned up to him, and in each hand he held a revolver, and his manner was most threatening, for upon his lips dwelt that ew him were aware meant danger ahead. CHAPTER XXIV. THE BITER BITTEN. “Wa pard o’ ther soft face, yer is in at ther hangin’, an’ yer is welcome,” said Lew Baker, feeling that it fell upon him to speak as every eye roved from him to Velvet Face. “Tam here in time to prevent your doing some devilish deed, I see,” was the fearless re- sponse of the horseman, *Pard, yer chin wags too brazen like; we is Vigilantes, and we is doin’ our duty,” replied Lew Baker. ‘“You are a set of bloodthirsty welves, and I ask you what means the rope around that boy’s eri t is bia, pard.” at is our pard. ‘*{ have made it mine to find out; what does it mean, Reno?’ * Oh! they were going to hang me for freein my brother, and this boy came just in time an confessed that he rescued him,and now they in- tend hanging him.” * They shall do no such thing.” ‘* We tried to prevent, but you gee the mad-, ness of our attempt with the odds against us.” ‘*Bah! J say they shall not hang the boy.” The ringing words caused every one to start for there was ho bravado in the assertion, an those who knew of Velvet Face ware aware that he made no idle threats. Fearlessly he cast his eyes over the excited erowd, and then he continued: ‘*You men pretend to act justly, and the power you hold makes brutes of you; you would ve hanged some inmocent victims s0me time since, had I not prevented, and then ow had Ralph Reno, Pr him for a crime hat had not bee committed; again you wish to string him up, and find yourselves once more wrong, and now’ you seek to wreak your ven- geance and disappomtmert upen that boy, whose services I need, as I go on the trail of the Danite and the lady he so cleverly kidnapped from hg very midst. “Oh, but you are a + crew!” The withering scorn of thie Velvet Face caused many, fee that they were wrong, to slink out from under his burning gaze, and others, knowing his utter fearlessness, to also be willing to drop the affair, But Lew Baker had gone too far to retract, and the insult to all was more directly thrown eae and he answered: 2 Ah ag Rand eur, pard, yer ma er Border Bravo, an’ all thet, but yer gaat play yer brass chin-musie inter nry ears, an’ not git tuk up.” ‘‘Aha! then you mean that you will resent my words?” and Velvet Face smiled his very sweetest. | **T does.” “ And you will not give up the boy?” “T will not; he’s got ter hang.” **T warn you that I shall take him from you,” and those who caught sight of the face of the: fearless man who so recklessly confronted them moved out of the range of his I baw **1t hain’t in yer, is it, M4 But ere Lew Baker could say more, or his fel- lowers, who had rapidly fallen off in number, quiet wa could reply, there was heard a wild shout, and Midnight, with a mighty spring, was in the midst of the Vigilantes, and the iron clutch of his master was upon the throat of Lew Baker. As though he were a mere child, Velvet Face dragged the man up before timin his arma, and seizing his lariat, that hung from his saddle bow, gave it a quick turn around the thick neck, and threw the other end over the limb of the tree above him. ‘** Now, men, drag this devil up in mid-air, for I say to you that he is a Danite !” So sudden had been the charge of Velvet Face, so lightning-like his movements, that the nearest to bim had been taken whelly by sur- rise, while several who would havea ed. Lew aker were hurled aside by Midnight’s irresisti- prt 8. ot a shot having been fired, quick with their weapons, had drawn but not pulled the trigger, and the seore of sre ee that covered Velvet Face were instantly low- ered at his startling words, and, in that mo- mentary pause, half a hundred men, headed by Dick Hazel and Kansas Kit, had closed quickly around the daring man to protect bim. ‘‘He lies!” shrieked the now terrified Vigi- lante leader. ‘*T speak the truth as I will prove; ho, above there!” and Velvet Fuce glanced upward, to where was visible on the ledge of rock the wo- man all knew as Mad Myra, the Hermit Hun- tress. ** Well, sir?” came back in the clear, musical tones of the Hermitess. ** Who is this man?” ‘* One of the Danite League.” A murmur of amazement ran through the crowd, and Lew Baker, still held in the iron cluteh of Velvet Face, shoute 1; ‘She lies, too; if 1 am a Danite, why did I wish to hang Paul Reno?” ‘*For the reason that you wished him to die, as you are next in rank in your accursed League; I tell you, men, that Jean Leo is chief, Paul Reno his second in command, and then comes this wreteh, and Carl of Colorado is the fourth officer, for { know them all well. ‘* Now let us free the valley of this spy, and take one devil out of the Danite League.’ Loud shouts followed the words of Velvet he and above the confusion came his stern order: ‘* Here, drag this Danite up!” Two-score willing hands quiekly seized the pl . Le janie ae nivel ine’ set god un nds of the 8 ing wretc hind him, and Lew Baker Sa ed up above the heads of those whom a moment be- fore he was the leader of. Sickened at the sight, Camille Conrad turned away with her uncle, and mounting their horses they rode rapidly away from the Death Can- on and the wildly-exeited mass of humanity at filled it. But, ere they had gone a mile on their road homeward, with sorrowful hearts, there came the clatter of hoofs behind them, and Velvet Vace dashed up, his face as placid as though asleep, and behind him Oll, Midnight caring little for his double hoad. ‘*Mr. Merle, I am going to ask you for one of your horses on which to mount O for he goes with me to-night after Miss Merle.” “Certainly, my kind friend, and from m heart I thank you, for I am almost crazed wit despair of ever seeing my child again.” __ ‘*Cheer up, sir, for Oll here knows the secret haunts of the Danite League, and Reno also goes with me, and he’s a legion in himself.” “But I shail 0, too, for—” ‘* No, no, Mr. Merle, pardon me for saying so, but you would only be in the way. “You see we must accomplish eunning what we cannot do by force, and I have some allies who will render invaluable service.” ‘* And who are they, may I ask?’ “The Bannocks, Blue Snake and his pre <r pate you see we will make a very formid- a y ' “'Y as, bait decal one, for the League is all powerful,” sadly said Camille. “Life at best is but a risk, Miss Conrad, and we who live in danger of hourly death learn to guard against it in such a way that it makes us trebly strong; now I took big chances a while those men, éver | since, but I carried my point and saved Oll,” and Velvet Face smiled sweetly. ‘‘Indeed you did, sir; but I believed you would be slain, and yet the very man who ted these wild spirits is now a corpse,” and Camille shuddered, but, after a moment, said: ‘** Let me contribute to this expedition, for Oll ree D my horse, and Gipsy is as fleet as a As you, miss,” said Oll, the Waif, in bis , and having reached: Sunset Retreat ey all dismounted, and were soon after joined by Ralph Reno, Guy Godfrey and Hazel, and all sat down to one of Washee’s substantial sup- pers before the start on the trail of the Danites. CHAPTER XXV. IN THE TOILS, To turn now to the one object of dee com- miseration in Paradise Valley, poor uriel, (E(@) EORNIE OOOKS