Beadle's Dime Library, Vol. III, No. 33 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

22 ‘*No; why should I? I’m innocent; I know it and Heaven above knows it, too,”’ Jinnie said, earnestly. ** They will bring you in anes ‘*How do you know?” she asked, quickly. ‘ Have you told them what they ought to say?” **No; why do you think that way?’ the Judge questioned, a slight frown clouding face. ‘* Be- sides, it wouldn’t matter what I might say. They will fnd the verdict according to the evidence, and that is terribly against you. at reason have you" .o think that I would do aught to harm you?” tier pan you act that way,” the girl replied, Sunply. *You miscontrue my acts. I am your friend— wi than that, I love you. I told you so once efore,”’ ‘“You take a queer way to show it," Jinnie an- swered, “I should think that you hated rather than loved me.”’ ocethin you are wrong: I can and will explain everything,’’ he said, earnestly. ‘I have taken the lead in this affair, so that I might control it—so that I might save you from the danger that threat- ens you,” ‘Save me?” Jinnie said, incredulously. ? Rea you do not believe me?” a) 0.’ ‘Listen and be convinced!’’ he cried, quickly. “The jury will bring in a verdict of guilty. Then you will be carried to Austin and delivered into the hands of the regular officers of justice. You will be tried there, and ping ate ee sentence you to the State Prison for life. Think what a fate that will be, to spend all the rest of your life within four stone walls, and you so young, so full of life! Is not that a fate worse than death? From that fate I come to save you.” The girl looked him steadily in the face but made no reply. ** Jinnie, I own frankly that I would rather see you dead than see you the wife of this Talbot. Events have so sha themselves that you will have to choose between the prison-cell and me. I can and will save you if you will only let me. Surely, it is not a hard fate to become the wife of a man who loves you as Ilove you! Jinnie, we'll go far from here—leave this country altogether. We'll go where no one will know either of us, and in some great city forget the life that we have left behind us. * There's one thing thatI won't forget easy,’’ re- plied the girl quickly. ** And that ay ‘*That Ilove the man that you're ng to tear me away from better than I do my own life. It's no pret gt to love you, I've got to be born over again.’ ar Oh, foolish girl! Do you prefer a prison-cell to my arms?’’ cried the stern man, in despair. ‘That’s so, Judge; it’s the truth and I must speak it.’’ Little sign of weakness or indecision was there in the voice of the maiden. ‘Take time to think, Jinnie; you are now shaping vut your life for the next twenty years—perhaps for as long as you shall live. Do not answer hastily,” ‘ue Judge said, imploringly. “* Judge, I have given you ~_ eee 3B I can't change it until Iam my om Though all the world may think me ty, yet I know that I am innocent. Dick don’t think that I’m guilty, and I would rather have his good opinion than all the world besides."’ Judge Jones gazed for a moment into the glowing face of the girl. Hesaw that words were useless. ** Well, be it so,’’ he said, slowly; ‘“‘you accept I'll wash my hands of the whole af- dge walked slowly to the door; he paused for a moment, irresolute. ‘* Jinnie, are you mad?” he cried. ‘*Maybe I am, but l’m happy in my madness," she replied. ; “I give you one more chance—"’ ‘It's no use, Judge; to tell you the honest truth, I'd rather marry a snake than you, You put me in mind of one every time I look at you. There’s some- thing in your face that chills my heart.” The Judge's eyes flashed in anger; a withering look he flung at the plain-speaking girl, but he ut- tered no words, A moment he looked upon her, and then left the room. Jinnie once again was alone. Alone? No! for the maemory of Talbot’s face was in her mind; she felt his kisses upon her lips, and the electric thrill of his arm around her waist. Sometimes the thought is almost as pleasant as the reality. The Judge paced up and down outside of the ex- press office, a gloomy look upon his face, “The foolish girl defies me,” he muttered, ‘ Just as fate willed that everything should aid me, the will of a weak girl baffles me. Obstacle after ob- stacle have 1 swept from my way. I have cut a Mana. through rocks to find my akg, i barred y acloud. One satisfaction though; if not for me oe ea A poor result for so much toil and craft,"’ The appearance of the jury put a sudden stop to the gloomy meditations of the Judge. A rush was instantly made by the crowd forthe court room, as the express office was now termed, but the guard at the door kept them back until the Judge and jury got in, then they allowed the rest to enter. The-man rom-Red- Dog ppened to be some dis- tanee up the street, endeavo to “get on” a “side bet” as to how long the jury would be out, and, consequently, the better part of the crowd got in before him, and he only succeeded in getting a position in the doorway, much to his disgust. He offered to give any One inside five dollars for his position, or fight him a fair stand-up fight for it, both which offers found no takers; upon, he expressed his opinion that Spur City was a mean sort of place, and that he could drink more whisky than any man in it. As no one denied this, Jim was unable to negotiate a wager, , The jury resurned their places, and the crowd hushed their noise. One could hardly have ges: from the quiet face of the girl ei the ful charge of murder was ng over her. “Now, gentlemen of the jury, have you decided on your verdict?” asked the Judge. ‘“We have,” replied Haynes, the foreman of the jury. + ‘Hold on! stop yer mule-team!"’ yelled the-man- from-Red-Dog, vainly trying to force his way in at Beadle’s Dime Library. the door, a proceeding on his part which was flerce- ly resisted by those inside. **Get off my toes!”? ‘ Take side!” ‘“‘Shet up!’ and a pum sions rose above the din. **Stop that disturbance!” yelled the Judge, in our elbow out’n my rof choice expres- anger. ‘* Hold on! I’ve got a witness!’’ shouted Jim, using his head as a battering-ram, and battling his way through the crowd. The result of this was that the mass gave way, and the-man-from-Red-Dog, drag- ging the Heathen Chinee by the collar, appeared in the little opening by the side of the jury. “Is this your witness?” exclaimed the Judge, in anger. ‘ His evidence cannot be received."’ “Why not?” asked Jim, ‘He is a Chinaman!”’ **No, no! No John hyer!’’ yelled a dozen of the crowd, imbued with all the miner prejudice against the almond-eyed Oriental. ‘** You can’t try the gal for the murder of Gay Ten- dail!’’ shouted the Red-Dogite, defiantly. ‘*Why not?’ questioned half a score of voices. The court was resolving into a caucus, ““"Oos he ain't dead! he’s alive!’ yelled Jim, in triumph, CHAPTER XLI. “JOHN” SPEAKS, * ArrvE? Whar! Sho!” A perfect Babel of sounds rose on the air. The ex- citement was contagious. Judge Jones alone pre- served his calmness; like a statue he sat in his chair “i os ashen pale, and his breath coming quick and ard. “Up at the Eldorado ranch!’ answered Jim. ‘This heathen toted him off last night an’ ’tended him like a Christian. The yaller-skinned cuss didn’t know till a little while ago that the gal was a-being tried for his murder; and when he found out, he come down like a man for to spit it out!” Then the crowd made a rush through the door for the Eldorado. The-man-from-Red-Dog picked up the heathen in his arms asif he had been a baby, and, aided by his long legs, was soon in the advance of the crowd. The jury even yielded to the conta- ion, and forgetting all about the prisoner, ran after é spectators and the armed pr ho With a single bound, Jinnie leaped into Dick’s arms. Again she felt the warm embrace which brought such joy to her heart. When the lovers looked around, they found that they were alone, for Ju Jones, too, had dis- appeared. Talbot noticed his absence in an instant. * Hallo! where did the Judge go?” he said, in as- tonishment; ‘‘ he didn’t pass by us, I’llswear!” Then Talbot’s eyes ee sight of a small door in the other end of the buil ne. ‘‘He must have gone through there,’ he ex- claimed. “That leads into the shed where he keeps his horse,’’ Jinnie said. ** Yes, I know it,’’ Talbot answered. Then the sound of horse’s hoofs rung out on the air. Talbot ran to the window just in time to catch sight of the Judge galloping off. ‘He must have his horse all ready saddled,” Talbot said, thoughtfully. ‘‘ He was prepared, then, for flight; but, is it for good?”’ ‘He fears your vengeance, Dick,’ Jinnie said. “He has nothing to fear from me; there is ano- ther who will strike him,’’ Dick replied. oe ps left the express office and proceeded to e hotel, The crowd raced bs. the street, and, headed by the Chinaman, soon had the satisfaction of gazing on the face of Gaius Tendail. The young man was very faint from loss of blood; could not even speak, but he still lived, and one of the citizens who professed to be a doctor, after examining him, gave opinion that he would recover. The Heathen Chinee had selected a wiry wm place for the senseless man. The shanty, pee ae by the title of hotel, was raised some three feet from the pee by massive bowlders; the space under was arded in. The sagacious son of the East had re- moved a couple of loose boards in the floor behind the bar, carried the senseless man under the flooring, and, with the blankets taken from his own bunk, ar- wengee bed for him. *“ tin thunder did you hide him down there for?’ asked Bill, in asto ent, as he assisted to remove the almost lifeless man from his place of concealment, ‘*Melican man—comme back—kille he more," re- plied the heathen, Bg Did you see who went for him?’ asked ynes., **Me see—alle time,” said the Chinaman, grin- mn , si o? Who was it?’ asked the crowd, anx- ously. & He telle—alle same—John no likee—Melican pen kille he, too,’ answered the cautious child of the un, The miners at once came to the conclusion that Ah Ling had seen the murder committed, but that the murderer was a stranger to him.. **Me hide—see Melican man kille—no likee telle— how can he?” The crowd guessed at the mystery. The Chinese had seen the murder committed and the assassin de- art; then had seen Rennet and Bill discover the body and heard the message dispatched to the Judge. Then he had entered the room by the window and removed the body. Such was their solution of the riddle. But the true one was—the Chinaman had entezed the room immediately after the assassin de- arted; had examined the body and discovered that aius still lived; then, surprised by Rennet and Bill, he had sought refuge under the bed and _ seized the ‘first opportunity to remove the helpless man through the aid of the window. Talbot and Jinnie had joined the crowd and listen- ed attentively. A strange expression came over the face of = aye Dick as he heard the heathen’s story. He seized an early opportunity to speak with the bing an a but the informations he gained he kept Restoratives were applied to the wounded man, and the crowd waited anxiously till he should revive and speak the name of his assassin, CHAPTER XLII. JUSTICE, RipinG northward by the side of the Reese, mounted upon a wiry gray pony, was a pale and hag- gard man, The flanks of the animal showed the lather ef the rapid ates and the dark stains of the cruel ell fr Foam dently been pressed at his topmost speed. The moon was rising in the heavens, already dotted over with myriad stars. The cold, white peaks of the frow om the mouth of the horse. Heh urs, evi- g Sierra pierced the sky like giant icebergs. The ne rustled softly in the breeze and their balsamic o or filled th e air. But the traveler—fugitive rather—heeded not the rising moon, the rustle of the pines, nor the per- fume that floated on the bosom of the clear moun- tain air, He had eyes and ears but for one thing only, pur- suit! A dozen times in his onward rapid gallop, forward as fast as his horse coul fancied, that he had heard the soun carry him pushi he had d of horse’s hoofs behind him. A dozen times, while covering the last mile, he from his belt, an the hammer, ready for action; and then curse upon his cowardly fear, satisfied that ulled the silver-mounted revolver with a nervous hand, drew back with a he heard only the rustle of the pines in the breeze, and that the pursuing horseman existed but in his imagina- tion, he had let down the hammer pushed back the weapon in its pou * Why sh hundredth time. ould I fear?’ he as ye ie the cap, and ked himself, for the ‘*T am like a child, frightened at a shadow. Iam safe,’ he repeated, as though some danger *“T have ushed my horse as fast as he could go. If I have still voice within whispered of een pursued, they should have this time, if their horses are better i speak in thé plural,’ he cried, with a bit- ‘while really I fear but one man, And theirs! ter laug hed on me by nmine. They! h why should I fear him? Enjoying the caresses of the woman whom I would have almost given ay soul to win, will he be apt in this hour of trium ill he leave the soft 1 rate side to think of vengeance? of woman to encounter the bullet of a despe man? I would not. I would not have left her had I gained her, to have saved myself from years n, he listened as he rode steadily for the sounds which, in imagina- ears. 1d,’’ he muttered, as which he had “Ag T look back, I can flames!”’ Then, once onward, listen tion, were ever ringing in his ‘Tis but the rustle of the wir again he thrust back the revolver half drawn from its sheath. of see how badly I have played my hand, Oh, if I had it to play over again! ut, I hadn’t the pluck, I wavered when I should have been strong. One des- perate blow would have won for me, reputation cowed me, as if he was more than man. Yet, every blow that I aimed at him seemed to re- coil upon my own head. It’s all over now, though. I’ve got my drafts on Fr'isco buckled around m waist. At any rate, I've got eno start again. I'll try and | dare-devil Iv’s lucky that I prepared for the worst. h to make a glorious a new life. I hope the devil won’t tempt me again with a pretty woman; I am so weak.”’ The narrow road bent suddenly to the right, and it rose to the crest of the hill, Pressing onward with an untiring stride, the game little animal swept round the bend Turning the angle of rocks, the ‘hair of the rider mean rose in horror when he beheld a horseman standing motionless in the center of the road. Inthe hand of the stra er was a leveled revolver, on the polished barrel of which the moonlight danced in wavy lines of light. At tke first glance the new-comer had recogniz ed the motionless figure standing sentinel in the road. The brown laze in the fore- e mare with the whi head and the four white ‘‘stoc te b »”’ once seen, was not Ser ne Nie and the coal-black hair and beard of rider, as well as the ebon mask that covered his face, were all easily remembered. nt, Overland Kit, in anh omine ieee inet -8Ve , Judge Jones,”’ he menac ring in his voice, Judge ones—for the rider on the pra the Judge—pulled up his horse and la the hilt of his revolver. But the outlaw was scarcely twenty rson. d, with a pony was hand on es from him, and, as the moon was shin- ing the canyon bright as day, he saw the motion at once. ‘“* Drop that, Judge; I can put a ball through you =? before you can get that plaything out of its ” s ‘ With an expression of despair upon his face, the Judge removed his hand from the weapon. n “on are doubtless astonished at souls me here,” the road- agent said, *T thought that you were dead,” the Judge an- swered, “Exactly; so lam, to all the rest of the world but a. I have come to life for your special benefit.” here was a menace in the tone of the speaker, Jones shivered; his face was very pale and his lips almost bloodless. “For m 46 Yes; his benefit !’’ he said, slowly, rely upon your honor never to mention interview after we part. I have perfect confi- dence that you wi | not epson of it.”’ Jones shudde his don the revolver-hilt, m of the outlaw. , and convulsively he placed He understood the eaning , C “Take your hand off that revolver, and don’t put mab ar again, - ree ‘aon ago ht through you without warning !”’ cr > J “Tf you seek my life, kill me outright and end it!” the Jud cried, desperation. “Go slow! det a. xpexeD DP: the settle it,’ the outlaw rep tonish thinks that lam account before we You're probably as- ed at se me in the flesh when aN the ny 8 ad. It is easily explained. That traitor, Joe Rain, I followed and settled with in full in the mountain. the world think that Over ed the lower part of the face, and I wolves to do the rest. mountain friends, Kit had ‘ Then it struck me what a glorious idea it would be to put my clothes on him and let all in his checks.’ A bullet from my revolver partly disfigur- trusted to m thought that I had got through with Overland Kit; for your but, as I said, Ju especial benefit." e, I had to revive him ECOMEGE JOO gs) (E(0) : / :