Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

| { 5 against covetousness, that I could be her, instead of being mistaken for her.” Tom went his way, greatly mystified, ‘*T am decidedly of the opinion,” said Martha Gibbs, when she related this incident to Betty Marks, ‘‘ that the Staceys will now believe more strongly than ever in Cousin Arabella.” CHAPTER XIV. WAR IS DECLARED, Wark was declared shortly, but not by Fred Henning and his friends. The Staceys were the aggressors, and they began as if they meant business, The morning after the visit to Betty Marks and the arrival of Andrew Bates, Flush Fred had another report from Jake Tolliver of the oc- currences at the Stacey mansion; but there was no news of special interest, and Jake was ad- monished to continue to watch closely the people up there. During the day a number of men from the surrounding country came into Staceyville, and were in no hurry to go away. They were mounted, of course, as was the cus- tom of the country, and some had brought their rifles, while none were without a revolver. Yet there was nothing like a hostile or or- ganized array, as there did not seem to be any connection between them, though they were all on good terms with Charley Taintor, at whose hostelry they stopped. Their benlatiation of their presence in Stacey- ville at that time was that they had come in for the purpose of ‘trading ”—that is to say, of making purchases at the stores; but they did little ‘‘ trading ” outside of the bar of the hotel, and there they were reasonably abstemious. These men, or most of them, passed the night at the hotel, and they did not by any means es- cape the observation of Flush Fred, who no- ticed them sharply and had his own opinion about them. **Shouldn’t wonder if those are our ‘ mer- cenaries,’” he remarked to Ben Stanniford. ‘What do you mean?” **Men who have been hired by Miss Marks or Andrew Bates for the war against the Staceys.” ‘*Suppose I ask Mr. Bates if he knows any- thing about them.” “IT don’t think we need be inquisitive. If he chooses to tell us, he will doso. For my part, I am not worrying about the Staceys just now.” The next morning Jake Tolliver did not putin an-appearance at the botel with his regular re- port, and Flush Fred, after waiting for him be- ond his usual hour, naturally wondered what ad become of him. Had he been playing pranks at Judge Stacey’s house which had resulted in his being caught and held as a prisoner? It was reasonable to suppose that something of the kind had occurred. lf so, would it be advisable to declare war against the Staceys on his account? Flush Fred, standing alone in front of the ho- tel after breakfast and smoking the cigar of peace, saw ten or a dozen men coming down the street toward him, and recognized some of them as Staceys whom he had met on the dueling ground, They were not in a bunch, but Colonel Jeff Stacey was at the bead with two others, and the rest straggled on behind, as if they might have ae business that connected them with Colonel eff. This much was manifest to Fred Henning, and he could have no doubt that the purpose of the arty was hostile to him individually; but he aw that he was well ‘‘ heeled,” and it was not in his nature to run away from a real danger, to say nothing of danger that was merely sus- pected. As Colonel Jeff approached the young man, he produced a paper which had an official ap- pearance. “T believe your name is Henning,” he re marked. “fT supposed that you knew me,” mildly an- swered Fred. ‘‘l am sure tbat I have met you before. What is the matter now? Have you another friend who wants to challenge me?” “Tam not here, sah, to listen to any of your insolence. I have come on serious business. I have a warrant for your arrest,” What could this mean? Probably something connected with the duel. If so, it wag a mean game for the Staceys to play, and Fred Henning was not the man to throw up his hand, “You are my prisoner,” said Colonel Jeff as he took a step toward the young’ man. ‘* Not yet,” promptly replied Henning as he threw away his cigar, ‘‘ You had better keep our distance, Colonel Stacey. I warn you that am not to be trifled with.” *““{ have also a warrant for your partner, whose name I believe is Stanniford.” ‘* Here he is, to answer for himself.” Ben Stanniford, who had heard the voices that were raised above the ordinary pitch, and had caught enough of the talk to understand what it meant, hurried out of the hotel and ranged himself at the side of his friend. “Frere we both are,” said Flush Fred, “ and I warn you again, Colonel Stacey, that we are St al Zs not to be trifled with. If you fancy that you are going to play a lone hand here, you are much mistaken. I have chipped in, and so has my Ha Now you may draw and make your ets,” ‘* There is no foolishness about this thing,” de- clared Colonel Jeff. ‘* You had better surrender quietly, as I have force enongh here to take rou. **You haven’t got force enough in a whole elle see of Staceys to take one pound of us, am as ready to die right here as | was when I met your friend, the major.” Colonel Jeff looked around at his aids. They had all come forward, and showed a threatening front, as they well might when there were but two men opposed to them. ‘** Arrest those men!” he ordered. There was the beginning of a rush; but Flush Fred’s revolver was leveled at the face of the foremost, and a pause followed, ** Stand back!” he shouted. ‘‘ If aman of you moves another step, by the big State of Missis- sippi! there will be somebody hurt!” {t must have been this novel and tremendous oath, quite as much as the sight of the revolver, that made them hesitate, A tall and stalwart man, whose visible arma- ment was a rifle, stepped out from the hotel rel planted himself at the side of Flush red. ‘Tf thar’s goin’ to be a fight,” he observed, **T want to be counted in.” ** Me, too,” said another. ** And me, too,” said half a dozen more, as they filed out from the bar and took positions with what appeared to be the weaker party. ‘What do you mean by this, Jim Maybie?”’ demanded Colonel Jeff, bristling up as he ad- dressed the last speaker. ‘“‘T mean, Jeff Stacey, that the Staceys may run Staceyville, but they don’t run the universe, They may own the earth as far as they can see, but they don’t see as far as they tbink they do.” ‘*Seems to me there was a warrant out for you, Jim Maybie, some time ago,” ‘**So [ve heerd: and when you find somebod who wants to sarve it, jest let me know whar can meet bim. Bram/’ll Stacey’s warrants ain’t wu’th shucks, so far as I’m consarned.” ‘* And I want to say, Jeff Stacey,” put in an- other of the men on that side, “‘that a stranger in these parts has got to have a fair show, and when you want to double-bank bim, you’d better make sure that.he hain’t got no friends,” It was clear that Fred Henning had friends, or that there were friends of fair play then in Staceyville. Charley Taintor had come out, though he did not appear to be inclined to take sides in the dispute, and other citizens of Staceyville were gathering there to see what was going on. ‘*Do you mean to say, Mr. Henning,” de- manded Colonel Jeff, *‘ that you propose to resist the law?” ‘*T have not said anything of the kind,” an- swered Fred. ‘‘I am ready to do the fair thing, if the fair thing is done to me. I am always ready to submit to the law; but I don’t propose to be hornswaggled by a lot of bullyraggers in the name of the law.” ‘* Meaning us?’ inquired the colonel. ‘*Meaning you. I have bad some experience of your wavs lately, and know yourstyle. You were not able to back me down, and now you are trying to work a scheme totiemeup. I[ want to know what the game is before the cards are dealt. Tell me plainly what you mean, and I will tell you what I will do.” ‘*As I told you, I havea warrant for your arrest.” ‘** Who issued that warrant?” ** Judge Bramwell Stacey.” “Sol thought. As he’sa personal enemy of mine, he might have had the decency to get somebody else to issue it, and then his malice would not have been so clear. Are you an officer of bis court, if he has a court?” ‘**T have been deputized by him to serve this warrant.” “That's a fine scheme. A personal enemy of mine and of Mr. Stanniford’s issues a warrant for our arrest, and sends another personal enemy to serve it, and we are expected to deliver our- selves up into the hands of our enemies, It seems that we are suspected of being fools. Now, sir, I want to know what the crime is that we are accused of.” “It is a serious matter, I can tell you. You are charged with the abduction of Judge Stacey’s niece and ward, Miss Eva Bramwell.” ‘“‘ Abduction!” exclaimed Flush Fred, who was thoroughly startled by the word. ‘* Abduction! That is the last thing I would cere thought of. What kind of a game is this Ben Stanniford was equally surprised and horrified. ‘‘Do you mean to tell us,” he demanded, ** that Miss Bramwell has been forcibly taken away from her uncle’s house?” “That is the fact,” answered Colonel Jeff “and nobody knows it better than you and your partner, who were seen at the house last night, shortly before she disappeared.” , aamaaall Flush Fred, the River harp. LL LL Oe Li ‘‘ That is a lie!” shouted Fred Henning, his wrath for the moment getting the better of his discretion. ‘‘ It is a mean, sneaking, cowardly lie. If there were ten thousand Staceys here for me to face, I would brand it as a lie.’ That was pretty rough talk for Colonel Jeff Stacey to hear; but the odds in his favor were not sufficient just then to allow him toriska collision with the opposite party, and he need not take the lie to himself, ** That don’t touch me,” he said, ‘* The state- ment was made by eye-witnesses, not by me, You talk big, young man, but we will see how you can prove your words when you come to your trial.” ‘* Why, my friend and I can prove that we passed the night here in Charley Taintor’s house, and that we were not outside of Stacey-. ville.” ‘*An alibi!” sneered Jeff Stacey. ‘That is the usual resource of questionable characters, Come on, then, and prove your alibi. Will you go with me peaceably, or shall I have to use force?” ** We will not go with you,” calmly answered Flush Fred. ‘* You must see that this is not as one-sided a game as you thought it was. It is our play now, and for a trump we lead No!” CHAPTER XV. BAFFLED, BUT NOT BEATEN, COLONEL JEFF STACEY looked at his own men and at those who were opposed to him. His people were not outnumbered; but the others were calm and resolute, and he saw among them some whom he recognized as bay- ing grudges against one Stacey or another, and it was apparent that they were willing to take advantage of the present opportunity to work out their grudges. A collision, as the affair then stood, meant bloodshed, and he was not prepared to push his errand to that extremity. There was one plan that ought to serve him, and to that he had recourse. The Staceys were supposed to be all-powerful in Staceyville, and be appeared among the peo- ple there as one clothed with pyre He lifted up his voice, and appealed to, the citizens, who by that time had collected in a considerable crowd. ‘*Tn the name of the law I call upon all good citizens to help me arrest those two men!” No man stirred. It was none of their fight, and for the time, at least, there was no magic in the presence of a> Stacey or in the name of the law. Still the-Staceyites faced the ee Spee hs as the friends of Fred Henning and Ben Stanni- ford may be called, and neither side made a move, Jeff Stacey was in a quandary. It was clear that he must fight or back down; but be was not authorized to proceed to the ex- tremity of open war, snd it may be added that, as a family man, he was unwilling to risk his precious life, Yet another backdown would be another boast for the enemy. If he had ordered his force to seize Flush Fred as soon as they came in a gy of him, perhaps they might have captured bim; but perhaps they might not have got away with bim. He had one resource left and proceeded to try it. ‘*T give you all fair warning,” he cried, ** that those who resist the law, or interfere with the officers of the law, are liable to punishment. Every man who assists these two men in detying arrest will be marked and made to suf- er. The jeers of the other side proved that they were not frightened by tbat threatening speech; but Flush Fred’s blood was up, and he took the management of his affairs into his own hands. ** Noman shall get into trouble on my account,” he declared, and he turned and spoke to the men who were siding with him. ‘* My friends, if you are my friends, you could not please me better than by dropping out of this, I don’t suppose that any of you are afraid of getting into trouble: but I prefer to run this thing myself, and sol beg you to stand aside. You, too, Ben Stanniford. I don’t want you to interfere with me.” As he seemed to be thoroughly in earnest, Jim Maybie and the others moved away from him, and even Ben Stanniford stood aside. . They were still there, however, and their pre- sence was ap embarrassment to Jeff Stacey and his co bt ‘* Here [am now,” cried Flush Fred, whose his dis- anger had for the moment overcome cretion, - ee ‘* Here I am, alone, and if you think you can take me under that swindling warrant, come and take me. But I warn you that the first move you make will be the death warrant of Colonel Stacey.” As this statement was emphasized by a leveled revolver, and as Colonel Stacey was in no hurry for his death warrant, he ea back and took a position in the rear of his friends. ‘Are you sneaking off?” shouted Henning. **Come on, then, the rest of you, if there are TOOK com (C _ .< . * a 7 = s.*