Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 245 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

‘ . Barranca Bill, the Revolver Champion. ——— — oe looked the next morning, except that no bar was visible, The place was fairly lighted, and around af the tables, smoking, drinking and playing cards, or on the benches fast asleep, or walking about for exercise, were to be seen over a score of the most villainous-looking wretches in Nevada. Ragged and dirty of dress, brutal and dirty of features and none too sober, they presented a degree of depravity Helen had never before geen. “These are my Lambs, dearie,” said the Witch of the Weeping Willows, blandly. The opening of the door had been unheeded, but as one fellow chanced to look up his excla- mation aroused others and then a murmur ran through the room, card-playing and smoking were suspended, and every e¢ye was turned to- ward Helen. Hecate had not misjudged the temper of her Lambs. Luke Gridley was less pleased. He had fallen violently in love with their prisoner, and it eut bim like a knife to have her subjected to the gaze of that crowd of ruffians. Rascal be was himself, but his tastes were refined to a considerable degree, ‘‘Ho!” cried Hecate, dropping her wheedlin tone, ‘‘are you all awake, men? Take a look a the lily I have brought to my hot-house. Be- hold the new Jenny Lind, the Nightingale of the Nor’west. This is the sweet singer of Neva- d ” ane. A burly fellow in a red shirt dashed down his cards and strode forward a pace. ** Let her sing Glory Hallelujah an’ we'll jine in ther chorus!” he declared, ‘‘Ef any sech flower ez ter bloom in this tumble-down ranch, we don’t go back on therlay-out. Pards, I move three cheers fur ther Nightingale!” The matter would have been unanimous, but Hecate put out her staff. *“ Stop!” she commanded. ‘‘ No cheering here, my Lambs; nofacheer, Do you want the Vigi- Jantes down on us?” A ten minutes’ speech would not have been more effective upon the ‘‘ Lambs,” and yet if was not what she said that subdued their in- tended outburst. It was the wave of her staff. Every one of the Lambs knew her gentle way. ‘They had seen her crack human heads with that staff, they had {seen her use revolver and knife with rare skill, and once she had quelled a mutiny by permanently blinding a rough with vitriol; but of all things the staff ranked the highest, t was her badge of office; it was at once the svand of a magician and the baton of an orches- tral director; and by its power she ruled the Lambs. As long as they were housed under the roof of the Weeping Willows, they must obey her will or dare her wrath—and not one of the hard- fighters would tempt the latter. ‘‘We are mum, Queen,” said the big miner, ** but we begs as how you'll let us say ter ther Nightingale that she are right welcome an’ we are her bumble servants from ther word go. We wishes you solid chunks 0’ good luck, Night- ingale!” e removed his hat and made a sweeping bow, ‘An’ we hopes ez how you'll chip in with a song, Nightingale,” added a second. The call ran through the ranks of the ruftians, ‘who had pressed well to the front, and the Witch turned to Helen. Poor child! she was suffering pains more terri- ble than those of death at that moment. As soon as she saw the desperadoes her stupor had van- ished and she became keenly alive to the situa- tion, but her strength seemed all gone and she could not have fled had the chance been given her. Suddenly, however, another change passed over her; amingling of courage and desperation which made her like steel. Perhaps, by some chance, she cetld touch the hearts of those rude men; perbaps, among them all, there was one man not entirely dead to nor, Acting on this idea, she lost no time, and no one was more surprised than Hecate when, without any urging, her voice arose, clear, cor- rect and pure as that of a prima donna, and on the ears of the wild men fell the rare music of the ‘‘ Star Spangled Banner.” | It was long since they had heard it, unless in derision, and a dead silence reigned in the room. Every one was more or less affected by ad- ‘miration and wonder, and Hecate was delighted, but it was Luke Gridley who muttered under his breath: “There is a fortune in her voice! She is beautiful, refined and intelligent, and I love her. She shall not sing in_this vile den; I'll abandon the claim on old Brown, marry her and skip for the East.” é neonscious of this pretty little scheme, Helen kept on to the end of the song, when she was reeted by applause which the Witch allowed fo go unchecked for some time before she made ee eee Eee They called for another song and were treated to one new to them but so stirring that their in- terest did not abate. Helen was preparing for a grand effort, and at the third call the matchless words and music of ‘‘ Home, Sweet Home,” were poured on their ears. The fair singer, who felt that it was for her life she labored, sung as never prima donna did to touch the hearts of her hearers; but in plac- ing her hopes she had merely been brought to realize that men can become so callous as to be indifferent to all that is good. The song fell flat. Even Helen saw {this at the first, and though the fact merely spurred | her on to fresh efforts, it was plain that bad she | not been a beautiful woman, the song would have been greeted with hisses. Old Hecate’s Lambs were not of common clay; they were of the grime and slime of the world’s refuse, Yet, what a scene it was for an artist’s touch. The ragged, uvshaven and brutal men, the sinister face of better-clad Luke Gridley, the witch-like porportions of Hecate, and the fair young singer among the repulsive crowd, It was over atlast. Fresh applause from the Lambs, a wave of Hecate’s staff which sent them back to their seats; and then she led her captive through the door. Helen made no resistance, She had not given up all hope of finding a protector among the roughs, but she was sbrewd enough to see that the time was not yet come, and she resolved to act lay eng Oh! my dearie, my dearie!” chanted the Witch, as the door closed behind them, ‘‘ what a aa what a grand success! You sing like an angel, and the Lambs will adore the ground upon which you walk,” at prefer to walk outside,” Helen bluntly re- ied, **Ab! ah! would you go where you have no friends? Listen! If you will sing to my board- ers I will pay you—pay you—a dollar a night, and a'so help you find your husband. I always keep my word, don’t I, Mr. Gridley?” Luke had followed from the larger room and stood morosely gnawing his mustache, ** Always,” be returned, with undisguised sarcasm. ** Let me go to Cosey Corral and think of it.” **But the Cosey Corral is burned, my dearie.” ‘* Let me gosomewhere—any where!” cried the girl, in desperation. ** As you will, my dearie; follow me.” Hecate abruptly moved forward through a door, leading Helen, and then, when Gridley would have followed, she slammed the door in his face and locked it. Uttering a curse, he flung his whole weight against the wood, but it had been made to re- sist just such shocks, and he found his labor thrown away. CHAPTER XVII. BARRANCA BILL BEARDS THE LAMBS IN THEIR : DEN. Ir was exactly eight bours later than the events just related that Barranca Bill and Gen- tle John called at the Weeping Willows in search of Helen Neville. The reader will re- member that they were escorted over the entire place by Hecate, but that they saw no sign whatever of the missing girl. Moreover, it will be remembered that the two men, not yet satisfied, resolved to seek the den once more, this time in disguise, and that they started the next evening, at a time about twenty-four hours later than when Miss Neville’s troubles began. Tbe work thus taken was far from being a leasant one, and no one was better aware that it was full of danger than Barranca Bill, Old Hecate’s ‘‘ Lambs” were well known in Comet Camp, and it was only because they were so much feared that they were allowed to exist. It was, as bas been said, the refuge of the worst men of Nevada, and Hecate, who was full of worldly wisdom, managed to keep her fol- lowers from doing any deed of violence in the town itself. Numerous and bold as they were, Comet Camp would soon make short work of them if aroused, Inside the Weeping Willows none but desper- adoes were allowed, and Barranca Bill and Gen- tle John were aware that, should their disguise be penetrated, the Lambs would do their le el best to send them over the range on their last journey. “Tf we lose our lives on this expedition men will say we died as the fool dieth,” observed Bill, willing to give bis ally a last chance to re- cede. ‘**T don’t reckon the witch’ll send an obituary ef we die in ber den,” said Gentle Jobn, dryly. ‘We shall bev ter ante over inter ther next world afore we kin find an alley whar we kin sef ’em up ag’in.” ** Are you ready to go?” “That depends, Ther life o’ man is but a bowling alley, anyhow. Death knocks over a pin every year, an’ itall depends on how well frat magic wave of her staff which turned the | stocked ther alley is how long we keep up ther hyenas into their usual lamb-like condition. game. Ef my pins are all down but one, death 13 but ef thar is more, I kin take me in ter-night; reckon I'll walk out o’ ther Weepin’ Willer victor, an’ in my own alley chalk ther score fur many @ day ter come while Bad Lung sets ’em Gentle Jobn spoke cheerfully, and Bill tried no more to arouse his fears. As they we em the See it was as dark and silent as usual, but without hesitation they approached the door. An ex- p:tron of the place had once given the entrance secret to Jobn, and now they meant to use it. Once inside—well, then a good deal depended on whether their disguises were penetrated. Barranca Bill walked straight to the door and rapped boldly, but in a peculiar way. Dead silence followed, but it was what they expected. According to the programme, the door-keeper had summoned Hecate, After a proper delay the knoek was repeated, and this time the door promptly swung open, revealing the Witch with a gigantic negro just behind her. ‘Well, what is it?’ the woman asked, survey- ing, the applicants closely. ‘We want kiver, marm,” said Barranca Bill, in a voice no one would have recognized as his own, ‘' We want ter see ther Queen.” ‘*Tam the Queen.” “Then take us in, quicker’n a wink. Thar’s no knowin’ when the dogs 0’ war will drop on ’ ** An’ ef they drop, byar we be.” Gentle Jobn finished by running his finger around his neck in a suggestive way, ** Come in.” Hecate was at all times suspicious, but, cer- tainly, the applicants, in their disguise, looked villainous enough for seats with her Lambs, and as she was ready to give them shelter if they could prove that they were cut-throats good and ace it was not wise to keep them outside the oor. She led them to a small room, while the black giant kept the door. ‘** By what right do you seek the Weeping Willows?” she abruptly demanded. ‘Wal, yer see we Bloody Bend an’ accidentally laid out a pair o’ men, but ther Vigilantes onjustly ariz an’ we had ter cut an’ run, We want ter lay low till ther storm blows over,” ** Why do you come to me?” **T knowed a man one’t named Sile Eagan who tole me o’ you an’ your Lambs, an’ that is why we came,’ “Very well; I dare say you are true blu and the Weeping Willows is open to you, Al I have to say is that if you play me false, your lives will be the forfeit.” “That’s right un’ proper, Queen,” ** What are your names?” **’'m Zack Trimble.” ‘An’ I’m Tom Quartz.” added Gentle John. “Very well; come with me!” They slouched after her, grimly maintaining their assumed character, and in a minute more were ushered into the same room where Helen Neville had nineteen hours before given her songs, The adventurers saw the same scene she had looked upon when brought before the ruffians. Hecate thumped her staff upon the floor and the men looked up simultaneously. ‘** Lambs, ’ she said, in a clear voice, ‘‘I brin you two good men and true, Use them well, for they have a record. This is Zack Trimble, and this, Tom Quartz. Make yourself at home, men. With the last words the Witch receded, the door closed behind her, and the adventurers were alone with the score and more of a“ Lambs. ” Barranca Bill promptly advanced a few ste ‘* Pards,” he said, bluffly, ‘‘ ’m Zack Trimb an’ though I don’t want ter blow my own bugle, thar is them that says, I am a man ter tie to. I'm a stranger hyar, an’ I hopes you’ll take me in.” The address was not needed, for the Lambs knew just what to do ufter Hecate had thus usbered in the new-comers, Her address meant more than ap the surface; it said to the Lambs: * men weicome, but watch them !” As a result, they were as bluffly welcomed as they had applied, and when they had ordered in a drink for the crowd, they were duly elected to the society of Lambs, Their position, however, was one which would have worried men less brave. The brutal wretches about them were like tigers sleeping. Once aroused, the odds would be twelve to one, and the Lambs knew no mercy. Barranca Bill and Gentle Jobn were not men to tremble, however. Long og of wild life had not only accustomed them to peril, but sharpened their wits, and they knew just how to proceed to please the human tigers. aturally, they were at once invited to try their luck at poker. The Lambs believed in a division of the world's goods, and when an out- sider entered the den, he was supposed not onl to be well supplied but to be gently bled unt he was as nearly penniless as themselves, ; The adventurers did not hesitate, They had ared on ake these ad a bit o diffikilty in_ MIELOOW KSa(e (E(0) (o) ee ee ee ee ee ee