Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 245 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

"> — ee —_—_- ~_—-—-— many people have a grain of good nature under a rou h exterior, and he looked at the old man with kindly eyes, Cephas saw how the wind was blowing and was wise enough to temporize. ‘‘T don’t hold any grudge,” he said, though I can’t see why so mild a man sbould assail me.” Daddy Gray started eagerly forward. ‘‘ That is just what puzzles me,” he said. “I can’t understand it, When I look at you lam seized by an Overpowering desire to kill you. My blood seems to turn to fire and my fingers twitch with a wild desire to fasten on your throat. Why is it? What have you done to me in the past?” ; Brown started abruptly. ‘What have I done to you? Nonsense, old man; your brain wanders, I have done noth- ing; [never saw you until to-night.” ‘I do not believe it!” eried Gray, abruptly. There is something in your face which brings back the past—that pert of it which occurred before I lost myself. Tell me, do you know who I am?” He put out his trembling bands, and his ap- pearance was so pitiful that Vivian’s beart was i che still more deeply, but Brown shook his ead, ‘‘’m sorry for you, but you are are on the wrong tack. I never saw or heard of you be- fore. Mr, Joyce, it strikes me you, take queer men when you go on the war-path, so I must request you to finish searching for this mur- derer and leave us alone.” Mr. Brown spoke blandly, and Jack Joyce recalled his wits and settled down to the search. The politician led the way, and after him fol- lowed the men of the Bar—all except Daddy Gray. The latter remained in the hall, but he had become. unconscious of all around him. He seemed to be making a great effort to recall the ast which had somehow maps away from im, but an occasional shake of his gray head showed how poor was his success. Vivian had also remained in’ the hall, and, unconscious of the fact that Luke Gridley was also hovering near and watching with an evil smile, she went to the old man’s side and laid her band on his arm. He looked up with a start, but his expression instantly became wild. ‘You are troubled,” said the girl gently. “T am always troubled, child, and who would not be if they had lost their lives, themselves. Why, I don’t evenknow wholam. The miners call me Daddy Gray, but that isn’t my name. The real one has slipped away, somehow, just as one loses a diamond, The men say I am mad, and perhaps 1 am, to a certain degree, but Iam sure I would be all right if some one would tell me who Iam—who I was once,” The speaker’s voice was inexpressibly mourn- ful, and be brushed his hand across bis forehead with the old gesture, There were dim shapes and shadows in his mind, but the chain of mem- ory was broken and he lacked the power to weld the links. ‘Can you remember nothing?” ‘No; allis chaos, Yet, the sight of that man —he whom I assailed in my temporary mad- ness—brought up sometbing of the time when I was myself. I feel sure he has some time done me a wrong,” : Daddy Gray spoke with more than ordinary emphasis, proached to listen, suddenly showed fresh in- terest. ..‘*You are weak and tired, old man,” he in- terrupted. ‘Come with me and I will give ou food and a good bed. You shall rest like a ord, to-night.” Both Gray and Vivian turned upon him; the former with a frown, and the latter in. more emphatic anger, -—- ‘*Sir!” she cried, ‘‘T will tolerate your inter- ference no longer. I feel sure you are not a friend, and the sooner you leave the house, the more you will please me. . There is the door!” Her words,and manner stung Luke to a fury. “T will not go!” he declared. ‘ In this house I stay as long as I please, and_as for you, my lady, if you fly too high 1 will yet bring y.u low e dust.” *‘ Beware!” she cried. ‘I know how to up- hold my rights when I have occasion, and you will do well not to anger me too much.” He laughed mockingly. “What can a woman do?” “This!” Even as she spoke the word she snatched a re- volver from his belt and turned its muzzle upon him; but with a catlike movement he leaped forward and caught her wrist before she could raise the hammer. ‘Drop it!” he hissed; ‘drop it, or, by my life, 1 will crush your hand!” ia was the act and_ threat of a coward, but help was at hand for Vivian. ith a bound like that of a panther, Daddy pie leaped forward and dropped his hands on Gridley; then with a single effort he raised him as though he had been a child, bore him to. the door and cast him out in the. open air without ceremony. fest osx > This done, he turned to Vivian, the ferocious and Gridley, who had softly ap- | a Sse ——— ee Eee ee ae ee Barranca Bill, | the Revolver Champion. © | ' | look on his face giving place to one of gentle- | the men from the Bar, and the shadow of | ness. ‘*T think you will bave no more trouble, miss,’’ te ‘quietly said. “But, yon—you— Beware that he does not do you barm,” “What matters it? Who would care for old Daddy Gray? Iam like an old, rotten vessel; a useless hulk,” Tears entered Vivian’s eyes, but at that mo- ment the lynchers re-entered the hall, led by Jack Joyce, and, turning abruptly away, the old man mixed with the crowd. Joyee, on his part, made an elaborate apology for disturbing the Honorable Mr. Brown, and then away went the lynchers and father and daughter were alone. CHAPTER VIII. THE WEEPING WILLOWS. SAM Soaper lacked a good deal of his being the worst man in Nevada, although he never re- udiated the term “rough” when applied to imself, but when he got fairly in motion he wasa bad man to fool with, even though the other party was a woman. Thus, when he had escorted the Witch of the Weeping Willows under the eonpes gallows, he had not a solitary spark of compassion for her sex and gray hairs; Jim Peters was groan- ing dismally over his damaged eyes, and on Sam’s own head was arising a bunch created by Hecate’s staff; and the chief from Ramrod Bar could see no reason why the woman should not balance the booksand go to another court by the gibbet line. On her own part, the woman stood bound and helpless, the noose around ber neck, but not even the quivering of an eyelid betrayed fear, Soaper had given the decisive command and the Barites were about’ to hoist when a woman pushed through the crowd and threw herself with clasped hands at the feet of the chief lyncher. It was Helen Neville. “Oh! do. not harm her! her, save her!” she cried. The men at the rope instinctively paused, and Soaper looked down at her who knelt at his feet, The interruption was not surprising, for few people are hung without an intercessor ap- earing in their behalf, but. Mr, Samuel Soaper ad never in his life had such a pretty girl kneel to him before. , | He was dazzled by her beauty, and had he vollowse the voice of his heart he would have said: ‘‘ Arise, my queen; for your sake I'll pardon this woman, her brothers and sisters, and the rest of the family thrown in!” . Luckily for bis future honors, he said nothing of the kind. Remembering that he was the chief of Ramrod Bar, and a sort of Judge Lynch, he managed to place pleasure inferior to uty. “Sorry fur you, marm,” ho said, “ but ther edict can’t be bu’sted. Ther durnation—beg yer pardon—ther owdacious critter hez put Jim Peters’s eyes in ther dump an’ up she goes a- hootin’, beggin’ yer pardon, marm.” ** No, no; do not give the word, Remember she isa woman. Spare her, or, at the least, let the law deal with her.” “Ther law? Ha! ha! I reckon you are green in this part of Nevada. Right an’ might is our only law, an’ by them we boxes up. ther: de- Have mercy. Save / sarvin’,” “That isthe doctrine of brutes, not of men and not one of you has a bad face. I can rea you better than you know, and I'll almost swear you would risk your lives for me.” “Every time!” “Right you are!” ‘** Leave ther ole woman alone!” ‘* Hurrah fur ther gal!” With admirable skill Miss Neville had touched a chord which vibrated well under her potent harid, and the battle was won before her strate- gy was fully developed. Rude, as they were, they bad ample room in their hearts for so pretty a girl. To add to the force of it all, Jim Peters came forward and took off his hat. ‘*T reckon youer right, boyees,” he said, “‘an’ thar is enough muscle left in my eyes so that I can see ther gal right plain.” “ Bah!” interpolated Hecate, “the stuff was merely snuff; your eyes are not injured; but you may thank your stars I didn’t throw vitriol instead.” . The case had narrowed down to a peaceable point, and all would have been well had not other people taken part in the drama. It will be remembered that Hecate was the keeper of the so-called hotel of the Weeping Willows; a place really the refuge of every criminal along the range, and the head-quarters of the toughs of Comet Camp; and as the old woman was a friend to all, in ‘her way, it was not strange they liked her well. To the law-abiding element she might be ‘the Witch,” but them she was “ the Queen,” and the cut-throats of the town were always ready to back her. a _ Consequently, when news reached the Weep- ing Willows that she was in trouble, the roughs | turned out in a body and charged down toward trouble, which had thus far been ayerted by the wisest eitizens, began to loom darkly again. Just at the moment when all seemed sure to | end well, there was a tremendous uproar from Eee eee a el Ew the outskirts of the crowd; a union of shouts war-whoops, and other strange sounds; and then the roughs hurled themselves forward in a solid body, knife and revolver well advanced, Helen Neville stood appalled at what fol- lowed. The reports of revolvers and the flerce oaths of the rival bands were added to the opening confusicn as the lynchers met their foes bravely, and the din became sickening. One or two bullets whistled past the young woman, but she lacked the power to flee. Sepa- rated from Gentle John, she had not a friend upon whom she could rely, and Comet Camp was to ber a strange place. She knew not in which way lay her hotel. Old Hecate, however, was more practical in her way. Usually, she would have aprang into the thick of the fray, using her staff as a club and urging on her dohowers but she had fixed her evil eyes on Helen, and sho was not long in seeking the richer game. ' Assuming a feebleness she was far from feel- ing, she hobbled to Helen’s side. “You have saved my life,” she purred, in tones she could well assume when necessity de- manded, ‘‘and for that I pray that unnumbered blessings may be yours. If we stay here, how- ever, we shall both be killed.” “In heaven’s name, take me away,” gasped Helen, whose braver had all vanished. “Come with me, dear lady, and I will save rou,” old Hecate soothingly said; and then, side by side, they hastened. away from the battling men. The Witch had no doubts as to the ability of her followers to worst the men of Ramrod Bar, so she devoted all her attention to the project she had formed, and rapidly conducted her prey toward the Weeping Willows. As the sounds of strife grew fainter, Helen’s composure began’ to reassert its sway. uxre we near the hotel called the Cosey Corral?’ she suddenly asked. ' ‘‘Going right toward it, my dear,” Hecate replied, unmindful of the fact that the Cosey Corral was at their backs. “Thank Heaven! If I once arrive there, I will never go out in Comet Camp by night again.” ‘*T came on the afternoon stage.” ‘*Didn’t your friends meet you?” ‘“‘ My friends? I haven’t one in the world.” Hecate’s eyes glistened. “Don’t you know any one in Comet Camp?” “Not a soul,” “Then why are you here?” iN In her eagerness the Witch had asked the uestion too abruptly, and Helen’s hesitation showed her the fact. oor “T dare say you came about that runaway husband of yours,” she added. re The young woman’s thoughts returned to the ruling passion. ‘* Madam,” she cried, “‘ who is that man? He claimed that his name was Lincoln, but I could swear he is my—” ave ‘Your husband?” ‘Yes. . Donald Lander, my husband.” bes “Well, my dear, you saw him and you ought to know. He is superintendent of a mine here, and everybody bows at his feet. Men call him Barranca Bill. Yet, my dear, almost every man in the West lives under a false name,” ““T had no idea how horrible matters wéte until to-night. 1 heard that Donald had seen at.Comet Camp and thought I had the strength to follow him around the world, bat t is all gone now, all gone. Oh! Lam like a child in this danger!” Her plaintive manner would haye touched the heart of, many a vile rascal, but only the dark-. ness concealed the triumph on Hecate’s face, ‘” To her, innocence was a worthless bauble; she aspired to possess this dainty young woman from the East, and with the walls of the inf mous Weeping Willows before her, she felt that the deed was done, ‘Never you mind, my dearie; I'll see you safe throug all your troubles. Here, enter at this door. , Helen looked in new fear. at the repulsive edifice in front of her, : ‘« What place is this?’ she asked. “Why, it’s the Cosey Corral. I’ve taken you “You are a stranger here, I think.” , 4 to the rear so that no one will see how late at ; night you are ont, Just go in, and we will creep up through the kitchen,” The bait worked and in the darkness the building even began to look like the Cosey Sorrel so Helen hesitated no longer but passed through. { torake my hand, déarie,” cooed the woman, “T know every foot of the way, and Ill lead you straight to your room.” With the closing of the door, Helen Neville’s fate seemed stalk ; well might it be said that those who entered there left hope behind; but the Witch led on from room to room until at last she had her prey in the web. pls COMICHOO (C <SAGEOIT