Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 389 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

————— us three and Chinquapin, a lad who will do to bet on.” ‘*That’s so,” joined in George Throop, “‘ and my sister has made him a present of a good rifle, which he is immensely proud of.” “There's eight of us, then, and eight ought to make what you might call a decentsort of a fight, Ever been in a fight, Walter?” ‘* Well, we have had musses along the line of the road, some of which were rather serious, but nothing that could pass as a regular en- gagement,” ** You know the feel of it, though. with you, George?” ad hive seen pistols fired and knives drawn in Tennessee, but I never happened to take a band in any of those little difficulties.” “Then there’s lots of fun waiting for you. I must confess that [am one of those infernal fools who are fond of a fight, though I never rush into one blind-eyed as some folks do. Perhaps { wouldn’t hanker after that sort of thing if I had been badly hurt; but I have been lucky so far.” ‘* There’s a good bit in that,” observed George Throop. ; ‘‘Quite likely. But you should see a lot of circus men when a town rises against them. They know that they have nobody but themselves to fall back upon, and that foul er and no quarter is the style of their enemies. Then you may bet your last dollar that they pitch into a fight red-eyed, and work it for all it is worth, By the way, Walter, were my four Spartan heroes in sight when Jack Koopman called? ‘* ‘No; they were off in the hills, hunting your trick mule that had gone astray.” ‘That is a good thing, as the cattle baron won’t calculate on them, and will think he has a wa snap here, The toughness of it may amaze im. How is it CHAPTER XIV. FORCED TO FIGHT, THERE was one member of the party who was not at all elated by the thought of a collision with the cattle men, and that one was naturally Etta Thorpe. It was not a bit pleasing to her that her friends should have a figlit on their hands on the condition of holding her father’s land and maintaining the ranch which they had re-estab- lished, and she protested against it vehemently. “Some of you may get hurt,” she declared. “*Some of you may get killed. I could not stand that, Iwill not allow it. Let the place go. Let everything go. There is nothing here that is worth fighting for.” ae ‘* My property is worth fighting for,” insisted the circus man, ‘‘and our friends here are not disposed to have their rights taken from them without a struggle. If we give up now, we can expect nothing less than to be kicked out of the country.’ Kitta renewed her protest, and specially im- plored her brother and Walter Brandis not to risk their lives; but they were determined to stand up for their rights. “It’s no use talking, young lady,” rejoined Jep. “That point is settled, and all we have to do is to settle you. The best way to do that will be to ship you off to Gonzalez,” She insisted that she would not suffer herself to be shipped off to Gonzalez or anywhere else but would stay with her friends if they were bent upon staying. ‘6 We will see about that in the morning,” an- swered Jep. ‘* Tt is too late to send you to Gon- zalez to-night; but i must go early in the morning—that is, unless—” “So there is an if in the matter, Mr, Jones?” she observed. “Yes. The fact is that we don’t know when to look for these land-grabbers. It is generally a word and a blow with them, and they are not apt_to give the word time to settle before they strike the blow. So we must be ready to meet them at any moment,” No time was lost in making all possible pre- parations for the expected encounter. The weapons and ammunition of the men were overhauled, and the plan of defense was explained as well as Jep could form it in ad- vance. : The sheep were driven off into the hills at the westward, and the horses and cattle were con- cealed in the canyon where Tom Throop met his fate. A woodpile in front of the house was arrang- ed to serve as a defensive work, and a guard was posted during the night, while the rest of the men slept with their rifles within reach, Early in the morning two of Jep Jones’s cir- cus men, who were well acquainted with the country, mounted their horses and rode across the valley, to act as vedettes and give informa- tion of the approach of the enemy, Immediate preparations were made for send- ing the female non-combatant to Gonzalez, where she would be out of danger and at the same time out of the way of her belligerent friends. But Etta Throop stoutly objected to any such expulsion, and firmly declared her intention of staying right there as long as the rest chose to y > Coloncl Double-edge. While they were arguing this: point with the young lady, the two scouts came galloping back and put a sudden stop to the discussion. It did not need any information from the re- turning men to make Jep Jones and his follow- ers aware of what they had to expect, The cattle baron and his crew could be seen riding down the opposite slope of the valley to- ward the ranch, It was easy to count them, as Jep and his friends hastened to take their positions at the woodpile, They numbered twelve men, and, of course, every man of them was well-mounted, armed to the teeth, and more than willing to fight at the lift of Jack Koopman’s finger. _*There’s a big squad of them,” muttered the circus man. ‘* They must have plenty of time for fun just now. But TI reckon they will get their hands full in trying to take a rise out of us, The two scouts speedily put their horses out of the way, and took their places at the wood- pile with the rest, Jack Koopman and his party must have come to the conclusion that they might meet a stub- born resistance, as their conduct showed un- usual caution, They came to a halt at a considerable dis- tance from the woodpile, and there was evi- dently a consultation among them. ed Then a man rode slowly forward to within a short distance of the improvised fortification, and hailed its defenders, “Get up and talk to him, Walter,” was Jep’s order, ‘* Tell him that he and his crowd had ab keep away from here, or they will get hur’, Walter Brandis mounted the woodpile. He was excited to the fighting pitch and thoroughly determined. ‘** What do you want?” he shouted, ‘** Are you the man that Jack Koopman spoke to the other day?” demanded the rider, ee Yes 1” ‘‘He gave you warning, then. Do you mean to waltz off of there, or shall we come and kick you off?” ‘ Neither scheme will work, young man. If there is any waltzing to be done, Jack Koop- man and his gang had better waltz back to their own stamping-ground. We have nothing but bullets here for thieves and murderers.” These were words with business in them, and the speaker’s manner showed that he meant what he said. Jack Koopman’s cowboy was satisfied. He turned his horse without another word, and rode back to his companions. Walter Brandis jumped down, and was con- gratulated upon having said the right thing in the right way. To Jeptha Jones it bad seemed highly prob- able that the man who had murdered Tom Throop and the two herders would be employed to take part in this new raid, and he looked for him in the cattle men’s anal : His expectations were realized, He saw among them the man whom he believ- ed he had known in Arizona as Devil Dick or Colonel Double-edge, and in Texas as Jim Sar- tine, To this man he called the attention of Walter Brandis, and pointed him out to George Throop, ** Notice that tall and dark man, George,” he said—‘ him on the big black horse. That is the man who murdered your father after burning his house,” George clutched his rifle, and sighted over the barrel at the tall, dark man. ‘**He does look like Jim Sartine,” muttered Walter, “ though it is impossible that he should be that man, But I will soon see him closer, as it is certain that they mean to go for us.” This fact was soon evident enough. When the messenger had returned and report- ed, there was another consultation among the cattle men. Doubtless they had not expected such a defiant tone, which naturally indicated a stubborn re- sistance, After awhile they separated into two squads, and rode forward as if with the intention of at- tacking the fortification on each flank. But this maneuver had been foreseen and pro- vided against, as the woodpile reached backward on each side to within a short distance of the house, As soon as the purpose of the assailants was perceived, Jep Jones divided his party so as to meet the double attack. He hastened to the defense of the left of the woodpilo, with Chinquapin and two of his circus hands, while Walter Brandis took the other side, with George Throop and the other two men. The cattle men had also divided evenly, and they began to circle around as they climbed the slope, as if with the intention of attacking the position from the rear. As that sort 6. _ scheme must be prevented if possible, Jeptha Jones ordered his’ men to fire upon each party as it advanced. This they could easily do, as their rifles were all breech-loaders, and they had an abundant supply of ammunition. Four shots from each side of the woodpile told we re ree ee ete eee — I OAL LO LLL LIED A LO IIE ness and that they had no slouches to deal with, As at least two of the shots counted, it vas at once evident that such a galling fire on the flanks of the attacking party could not be endured. They might keep out of range until they should get behind the house; but they could not expect to find themselves much better off in that posi- tion, Their best chance was a direct and headlong attack, and at that their numbers would not avail them as they had the disadvantage of fight- ing in the open, while their foes were protected by the woodpile. Sharp Jeptha Jones had calculated upon that effect of the flank firing, and was decidedly of the opinion that he would have them then where he wanted them, So he cautioned his friends to be ready, as hot work was coming. CHAPTER XV. THE ONSLAUGHT. On came the cattle men, spurring their horses to their best speed, and firing asthey charged the woodpile on both its flanks, They did not fire at random, either, es most of them were men who could shoot frum the sad- dle ata gallop quite as effectively as inferior marksmen could fire from a rest. But the men whom they were attacking were ata by their barricade of logs, and Jeptha ones had specially cautioned those under his immediato control to take care that they should not expose any portion of their persons, _ There was no need that they should do so, as the openings between the roughly-piled logs and limbs were amply sufficient to allow thenr to see their foes and take aim. Carefully and with deadly intent they took aim, as they sent shot after shot at the cowboys who came galloping madly toward them, yelling and firing as they charged, more like Indians than white men. It was a fire that told, too. The circus man and bis friends did not willir- ly throw away a shot, as they were fully awa:o of the fact that no quarter awaited them if they should be worsted in the fight, Some of them, too, were aware of the fact that their fighting must be done before their enemies should get so near that those approach- ing the barricade on one side could fre over it into the backs of the defenders on the other side, No such dangerous advantage must be allowed if it could be prevented, and consequently they shot to kill, But there was a strange circumstance con- nected with the firing. Toward Jep Jones’s side of the barricade rode the tall and dark man on the big black horse whom he had pointed out to George Throop snd Walter Brandis as the one he knew as Dick the Devil and as Jim Sartine. Jep was certain that he was the desperado who had made himself dreaded in Arizona as Col, Double-edge, or Dick the Devil, and was cqual] sure of his identity with the Marshal of Sand- stone, Believing this, the circus man was prompted alike by duty and inclination to kill him, ond honestly endeavored to do so, fcr his own sake for the sake of his friends, and for the sake of the public at large, Tt was natural, also, that he should seek to re- vay with rifle-shots the stings of a whip which he had sustained at the hands of the sham Indian who robbed the stage in Chiapa Pass, Such indignities renkle in the breast when more serious injuries may be forgotten. But his utmost efforts, made with the best in- tentions, were all utterly in vain. When the assailants started toward the wood- pile, he cautioned his comrades that he weuld mark that man for his own, and advised them not to waste their shots by firing at him. Straight on rode Devil Dick, but not in the stvle of his cowboy companions, He neither utteted a shout nor fired a shot, His rifle was so placed that both his bands were free, and one of them held his bridle-rein, while the other clutched the coils of a lariat. Straight on he rode, a little in advance of the others, never swerving from his course, and sit- ting firm and erect in his saddle, while the big black horse bore him forward with great strides, It seemed a pity to try to killa man of such splendid figure and fearless mien; but Jeptha ones did his best to kill him. Again and again he fired; but both shets were ineffective, though he could not have asked a better mark. Two of the cowboys dropped from thei sad- dies in that headlong charge; but Devil Dick rode steadily on, apparently untouched, smiling grimly as he neared the barricade and handled the coils of his lariat. The cireus man, amazed at his misses, must have fancied that there was something super- natural in this, as he was so nervous that he missed bis third shot also, though his foe was then close upon him, Angered by his failures, he drew his revolver | the cattle men that their adversaries meant busi- Gomicbooks.c » m a il - (@) 1 Lv