Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

| | “* Tet ’em send their investigatin’ committees, an’ be blowed! Ef they come to Silver Riffle, blank *em! they'll l’arn that when we say that this hyar’s a white man’s gover’ment, we mean that it’s a white man’s gover’ment, b'gum!” And he “ nailed ” that proposition by smiting the bar a resounding blow with his fist. From every side came angry indorsement. The peculiarly exasperating feature of the ‘slander was that it should be supposed that they would take measures to dondent the fact that they had murdered a score or so of ‘‘ heathen Chinees ’’! A ragged and dirty old tramp—one of the kind that are incessantly drifting about through the mining-regions, ‘“‘hunting luck ”—nudged his neighbor with his elbow, and favoring him with a wink and a knowing grin, made that sound with his tongue which is without name, yet may be designated as the reverse of a chir- rup. Sane ejaculated the man thus addressed. “Puts it strong, don’t he?’ chuckled the tramp, thrusting his tongue into his cheek, ‘*What air you a-tryin’ to git through ye?” demanded the other, churlishly. ‘*Got ’em salted down, I reckon, whar an Artic explorin’ expedition wouldn’t find ’em!” And having thrown out this ‘‘feeler” in a confidential way, which said *‘ between you and me, pard,” he fraternally extended a ragged plug of tobacco from which he had just gnawed a ‘*chaw.” } The other received the tobacco, with some softening of manner. but no verbal acknowledg- ment in the way of thanks, saying: ‘Vere out thar, pard. Some o’ the boys might ’a’ pulled the hearse fur plunder; but you bet yer boots they never stopped no investigatin’ committee.” The tramp grinned and replied: ‘That's allright! [ma stranger an’ a good ways from home! Don’t giveitaway! It ain’t none o’ my funeral, boss.” And he went about his business with the air of a man who * isn’t inquisitive.” Nevertheless he was one of the smartest men on the ’Frisco detective force! The result of his investigations was a dispatch to tha effect that, if the capture was the work of the ring-leaders at Silver Rite, the community a5 large was not in the secret. ile received in return a dispatch summoning him to the seat of government with all expedi- ‘tion. A new and unexpected development had tran- sspired. Mis Excellency was pacing the floor in sore anxiety, when a lady was ushered into his pres- “ence. The elegance of her attire and the cultivation indicated by her movements had much the same effect upon him that they bad not long previous on the gallant Dan Ford; for the Governor's visitor was none other than the Golden Serpent. ‘‘Pray be seated, madam! To what may I owe the honor of this interview?” ; ** My business is of such a nature as to require strict privacy,” replied the lady, Gianane 5 the door which had n left open, and through which His Excellency’s private secretary might be seen industriously ‘‘ driving the quill.” The Governor was a married man and a pillar of the Church. Through his mind flashed an un- comfortable vision of ** the ways that are dark -and tricks that are vain” of beautiful black- mailers; and with some increase of color in his face, he coughed and fidgeted with embarrass- ment, while he cast about for some polite way of evading the hint thus thrown out. The lady seemed to divine his thoughts; for she smiled faintly as she said: ‘‘ My business is entirely impersonal, relating to the recent trouble near Silver Riffle.” “IT beg your pardon, madam! If you can throw any light on that bold piece of outlawry, you will indeed place me under obligations.” And he went and closed the door. ‘‘Now, madam, anything that you have to communicate—” ‘‘ First let us consider another matter.” ‘‘ Bearing upon our present source of anx- iety?” suggested Mis Excellency, with returning wariness. ** As cause to effect,” said the lady. “Ah!” ejaculated the husband and deacon, ‘softly, beginning to rub his hands with a feeling of comfortable reassurance, ‘*- You have in prison, at San Francisco, a man who rests under the charge of murder,” ‘‘ We are so unfortunate as to have several in that predicament!” , ‘“The man toavhom I refer is named Richard Langley.” “Tiger Dick?” ; ; ‘That is one of the sobriquets by which he is known.” ‘ ‘A ruffian of the wildest life _and most abandoned character!” cried His Excellency, with some warmth. He had recently held the Tiger up as & warn- ing before an assemblage of Sunday-school chil- dren. Not that he knew anything about him beyond the exaggerated stories, pure creations of the imagination by men who were paid so much a line to make newspapers salable /— inte cite i LE re : : ee} which had set the community agog; but that Dick’s notoriety made him an effective figure with which to enforce a lesson in morality. ‘*‘ A man,” suggested the lady, with a quiet in- cisiveness which brought the color to His Ex- cellency’s face, ‘‘ who had shown an altogether unusual regard for his plighted word!” ‘*I—I beg your pardon!” stammered the Goy- ernor. ‘I forgot your possible interest in the risoner. No doubt, all men have their redeem- ing qualities.” ** Which it is so easy to forget in the heat of condemnation.” ‘** It is one of our poor human foibles,” admit- ted the Chief Magistrate, with Christian humil- ity. ** Sir!” said the lady, her eyes kindling, though her voice remained low and sweet, ‘‘ the law is like a brutal bloodhound which obeys its mas- ter’s command with remorseless promptness and effectiveness, If you would rescue the victim, you must kill the hound first, and debate the hu- manities with its master afterwards.” ** The. bearing of all of which on the case in point—” His Excellency already began to divine its bearing; but he preferred that his guest should state it in her own way. ‘Has it never occurred to you, sir, that a per- fectly impartial execution of the law may some- times destroy’better men than those who curb their rascality just enough to keep out of its clutches?” ** Undoubtedly.” ‘Is it possible that what the world knows of Richard Langley could be true of a man who was so unqualifiedly infamous as a murderer is generally supposed to be?” His Excellency threw one leg over the other, and rubbed his chin uneasily. The deacon side of his nature came to the fore, pushing the man-of-the-world side into the back- Sound, and face and voice hardened, as he re- lied: ‘* After all, a murderer is a murderer!” ‘* 4 repentant murderer,” urged the lady, ‘‘is held to be fit for the Kingdom of Heaven!’ It was needless to ask if he was not, then, by implication, fit to remain on earth. ut this was putting time-honored opinions to an altogether unheard-of use. ‘*Ahem! ahem!” coughed His Excellency, ‘that’s all very cleverly put; but if we were to let our criminals off so cheaply as that, we should soon have a fine state of affairs.” ** You see!” cried the Golden Serpent, with sudden fiery vehemence, ‘ Here is an exempli- fication of what I have just told you—the neces- sity of choking off the hound first, lest the vic- tim die in the midst of our debate. You, in common with all men, have one set of rules for theoretical purposes, and a quite different set when it comes to practical action.” ‘* Am I to understand,” asked His Excellency, slowly, ‘‘ that this is the meaning of the capture of the Investigating Committee? ‘* Exactly!” replied the Golden Serpent, ‘“ It is a demand that you call your hound of the law off of Tiger Dick!” ‘* A demand embodied in a menace?” ‘* No less!” ‘Of what?” ‘*Of death to six, asan equivalent for one! And that is cheap! Two of them are women. Tiger Dick is worth six full-grown men!” ** Do you mean to say that, if the prisoner is not released from cus — **T mean to say that, i po hang Tiger Dick, on the same day you will receive intelligence where you can nd your six friends hanging in a row! His Excellency’s breath was fairly taken away. Never had heheard so formidable words issue from such sweet He ‘* A desperate set indeed!” he cried, 'straight- ening up in his chair, and getting red in the ace. ‘* So desperate,” replied the woman, unmoved, ** that nothing in heaven or earth will stand in the way of the execution of this purpose!” ‘* And it was on this that Tiger Dick counted when he made his wonderful display of integ- gt a sneered His Excellency. le had allowed himself to feel a sort of won- dering admiration for Dick; and now he was annoyed at the thought that he had been ** sold.” ‘*He never dreamed of such a thing!” cried the Golden Serpent. ‘“He knew that his conscienceless followers would leave no stone unturned tosave him from the final penalty of the law.” ‘And do men put their necks into the hang- man’s noose on such a chance? Your prejudice blinds you. Besides, Tiger Dick has no fol- lowers,’ ‘**Then who is it that is making so daring an effort to save him?” “Look you! Ten days ago I went to Tiger Dick in his prison, and offered to open the iron doors that stood between him and liberty. For men can be bought with money; and if not, the steel is noiseless! What was his reply? ‘I am done with crime! I shall go forth from here a free man before the law, or to the gibhet? You co not know him. Ido. He would die 2s you ete, LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL LE Q 13 would decline a second cup of coffee! And shall such a hero be left to the ignominy of death at the hands of men no ten of whom would dare to stand before him in an open field?” In her passion the woman had risen to her feet. In keeping with her thought, she gesticu- lated, unconsciously assuming the imperious at- titudes of a queen. “7!” she cmed—‘ I, all unlooked-for, have taken it upon myself to effect the fulfillment of his requirements. I am here to negotiate with you, as one imperial power with another, for bis release, free to walk the streets of San Fran- cisco unmolested. You, and you alone, have the power to cancel his account with the law.” ‘* But you?+—who are you?” cried the Goy- ernor. “The Golden Serpent!” replied the woman, looking him fearlessly—nay! proudly, defiantly —in the eye. : ** She ho is called the Queen of Road-Agents? —a scarcely less noted character than Tiger Dick himself!” The woman smiled. **'You see that Iam fit to treat with you on equal terms,” she said. ‘* But you have put yourself in my power!” cried His Excellency. ‘* Indeed! Why don’t you arrest me, then?” “‘T see nothing to hinder me, Even armed, you are but a woman,” ‘* Reflect a moment before you take the world into the secret of your interview with the Queen of the Road-Agents, by summoning some one to arrest her; for of course you do not contemplate such violence with your own hand.” His Excellency bit bis up Her perfect cool- ness made him think that he had possibly over- looked some feature of the case, ‘“Do you think it likely,” she asked, “that I would begin my rescue of Tiger Dick by really putting myself in your power?” For a moment His Excellency had an uncom- fortable feeling that this imperturbable outlaw might have a secret force in the Capitol build- ing ready to spring at her call, But that was a little too melodramatic for a prosaic every-day probability. ‘* Pray explain yourself,” he said. ‘* Ts it not plain,” replied the woman, * that I am safe so long as I hold your hostages?” — ‘*A simple matter enongh, wher But sup- ose we were to detain you, and then fight for riends?” ‘* You could get their dead bodies, . Dare you submit such a bargain as that to a sensible world? Let us waste no further time discussing a matter so well assured as my protection from molestation. The question is, do you accept my terms?” ‘** You do not’ Sapo an answer at once---” ‘*'You are at liberty to take as much time to consider as you please. When you have decid- ed, set Tiger Dick free; and your friends shall be returned to you almost before you are pre- you do not provide for the other contingen- ‘**T take you to be a sensible man. If not, you will have sensible counselors.” ** And this is all?” rs There is nothing left but to say good-morn- ing! 3 Madam, I can but pay tribute to your cour- age and shrewdness. ould it be an indiscre- tion, were I to ask if you are the lady for whose sake Tiger Dick placed himself under so curious a pledge?” The Golden Serpent gasped, put her hand to her heart, and caught at the back of a chair for pp. Over her face spread the pallor of eath. ing, if, as seemed imminent, she swooned. But she waved him off. ‘Would to God I were, senor!” she murmur- ed, in a choking voice. ed toward the door. “Madam!” cried His Excellency, striding after her. ‘* You will pardon my rudeness?” fering woman. It was beauty in distress!— benuty, that royalty to which kings do homage! She extended her gloved hand to him in silence, without turning round, He pressed it, walking with her to the door, He opened it, and bowed her through as courteously as if she had been the most honored of her sex. Then it was that he sent his dispatch recalling Detective Sylvester with all expedition, He came, and found awaiting him an assem- blage consisting of all the State Officers, includ- ing the Attorney-General, and also the Mayors of San Francisco and Sacramento respectively. Besides these gentlemen, there were a political ‘“ boss” and two or three prominent lawyers, Lastly, Jim Farnsworth made one of the party. CHAPTER XVIII. AN EXECUTIVE COUNCIL, CONSIDERING the subject that had called them together, the gentlemen assembled in the ; ed to receive them.” \ And dropping her vail over her face, she turn~. . - ‘Oh! I beg your pardon!” cried His Excel- ; lency, springing forward to save her from fall- 5 He forgot the Queen of the Outlaws in the suf-. __ Eomichbooks Corr