Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

g . «yy . a © 7 self, we can easily balk 12 Flush Fred, the River Sharp. any more candidates for the Stacey grave- yard!” There was a moment of hesitation among the Staceys, owing to the backward disposition of their leader. Jim Maybie stepped forward briskly, followed by those who had previously followed him, and they placed themselves in front of Flush Fred, ‘“Tbis won’t begin to do,” Maybie declared. “‘Tf thar’s goin’ to be fightin’, I want to be counted in. If thar’s to be bloodsheddin’, I want a chance to let out some gore.” ‘¢T reckon you had all better keep the peace,” remarked Charley Taintor. “If you don’t, I may be tempted to take a hand in the game, myself,” **Those men are defying the law,” insisted Jeff Stacey. ‘Tt is not to be expected,” said Fred Henning, “that my partner and I will deliver ourselves into the hands of those whom we know to be our enemies; but I will tell you what we are willing todo, We will give the law, or what you call the law, as fair a show asit canask for. Bring here the man who issued that warrant, or any sort of a magistrate, and we will give bail to meet the charge at any time and place.” ‘¢ That is nothing but talk,” answered the col- onel, ‘ Everybody knows that neither Judge Stacey nor any other judge would condescend to enter into such an arrangement. The ques- tion is whether you will obey the law and sub- mit to arrest under this warrant?” ‘They won't do it if they’ve got sense,” putin Jim Maybie. ‘* Bram’allStacey’s warrants ain’t wu’th shucks.” ‘We will not go with you, and that_is set- tled,” was Flush Fred’s decision, ‘‘ J have made you a fair offer, and if you won't accept it, you | may do your best or your worst.” it was not Colonel Stacey’s cue to use force at that time in executing the warrant he held, es- pecially as his party might be overpowered in a street contest. If he had ‘‘ chipped in” as soon as he encoun- tered the common enemy of the Staceys, he | might have played a trump card and taken the trick; but he had let that chance go by. Therefore he accepted thé-situation, though with an ill grace, Psat . “This is a riot!” he shouted. ‘“‘It is a rebel- lion against the constituted authorities. Isha’n’t push this thing now; but 1 give you fair warn- ing that all who uphold that man, and protect him from a legal arrest, will be dealt with by | the law.” ** Hold on a bit!” ordered Fred Henning, as Colonel Jeff turned away. ‘There may be nothing more to be done in this business, but there is something to be said. You tell me that Mr. Stanniford and I are charged with the abduction of a young lady whom. we have never seen within the State of Mississippi, Now, sir, I want to know if it is a fact that the oung lady you name has disappeared from ramwell Stacey’s house.” ‘‘- Yes, she has disappeared,” coldly answered Colonel Jeff, ‘‘ and novody knows it better than u. ‘* Tt is not worth while for me to brand that lie and keep on branding it. 1 want to say that if ay are telling me the truth now—if the young lady has really disappeared—there has been foul play on the part of you Staceys.” ‘* What do you mean by that, sah?” “T mean that Bramwell Stacey and his son, or some of the rest of you, are responsible for her disappearance, As for my friend and my- prove that we were not out- side of Staceyville.” As a matter of fact, it would have been a difficult matter for Fred Henning to prove his | assertion, easily as he made it, and truthful as he knew it to be. Of course he could prove that he and Stanni- ford had gone to bed at the botel as usual, and that they had shown up in the morning as usual; but they might have slipped out during the night, and gone rampaging about, doing el giana of mischief, and nobody the wiser or it. ** An alibi, of course,” sneered Colonel Jeff, “You may call it what you please. Hard words can’t hurt the truth. if that young lady has really disappeared, there has been foul play, and we mean to get at the bottom of it, no matter how deep or how muddy it is and a thousand Staceys could never back us down or us. ‘*'You are the kind of a chief that the Indians would call Wind-in-the-Moutb,” retorted Col- onel Stacey. ‘* The fact is, young man, that if you don’t skip out of here mighty soon, which s the thing you are most likely to do, you will blow your horn and pursue your investigations in the cool recesses of the county jail.” After this parting shot, Colonel Jeff Stacey walked away, and his dispersed in different directions, leaving Flush Fred and the Inde- pendents masters of the field so far, CHAPTER XVI. PREPARING FOR WAR. So far, it is true, they were masters of the field; but how long would they remain so? Jett Stacey had declared that it must be either a retreat or a defeat for them, and the Staceys were powerful in that region. It would be necessary not only to maintain their position, but to advance upon the enemy, and that was a heavy contract, looking as if it might mean a prety big war. enning and Stanniford had a consultation with Andrew Bates, at which Charley Taintor and Jim Maybie were present and assisting. Poor Ben was greatly worried about the spir- iting away of Eva Bramwell, and declared that he could not get at the reason of the move, ‘“You are so badly bothered, my poor boy,” observed Flush Fred, ‘‘ that you can’t see clear- ly. It is plain to me that they have carried her off, and for two reasons. First, because they want to get her out of our way, or out of your way, and second, because they want to get us into a hobble by bringing this accusation against us and tying us up under it,” ‘‘ What can they have done with her?’ de- manded Ben. ‘*That is what we must find out. That some deviltry has been going on about Bramwell Stacey’s place is certain, as my spy has also ¢lis- appeared.” ‘* What spy is that?” inquired Andrew Bates, Flush Fred told of his acquaintance with Jake Tolliver, and of that young Arab’s operations up to date. ‘‘ He was to have reported to me again this morning,” continued Fred, ‘‘ but he failed to show up, and I judged that he must have been | captured by the enemy. It now seems likely that this affair of Miss Bramwell’s has led to his capture or disappearance, as I am sure that he would have reported to meif he had not been prevented by circumstances beyond his con- trol.” | ‘* We must find her,” insisted Ben Stanniford. _“ Whatever else we may think of doing, that is the first thing that needs to be done.” ‘“‘T am quite of your opinion, Ben, but it is hard to say how we are to go to work to do it. It we could get hold of Jake Tolliver, I think he would tell us how the matter really stands, and then we would know how to act; but he has | also mysteriously disappeared, and so we are forced to move more or less in the dark,” “Tt is my notion,” remarked Jim Maybie, ‘that you’ns will have as much as you keer to | do fur a while to look arter yourselves. When those Staceys git thar blood up, they are mighty apt to make things b’ile.” ‘‘That’s so,” chimed in Charley Taintor. * They will be likely to bunt you, Mr, vitae before you can hunt them or anybody else. It won't be safe for you or Mr. Stanniford to stir | outside of Staceyville yet awhile, as they would be pretty sure to pounce on you,” ‘“So you really think there is going to be war,” observed Fred. ‘‘ Well, then, in the lan- ' guage of the immortal Patrick Henry, let it come! I am ready, for one, to make Rome | howl!” ‘“ What we need,” said Andrew Bates, ‘is a little less talk and a good deal more action, It seems to me that this affair, like all other wars, is largely a question of cash. The longest purse | stands a good chance to win against ds, You are backed by my purse, and, as I understand, by that of Miss Marks. More recruits are | wanted, and they must be had if cash can pro- cure them. Mr. Taintor, you and Mr. Maybie may take this matter in hand, if you will, and I assure you most positively that money is no ob- ject. Set as many recruiting-officers at work as | you please, and give them to understand that the point is to get the men, and to have them here as soon as possible,” | This was business talk, plain and to the point, and it was evident that the Memphis capitalist meant business. Taintor and Maybie, who had reason to know that there wasa solid backing to his promises, set out at once to carry his instructions into effect, Then “ensued a period of comparative quiet, but of active and really ominous preparation. A heavy war-cloud settled over Staceyville, rendering the atmosphere close and oppres- sive. The citizens of the village, most of whom had seen and heard what had transpired, speedily got a good idea of what might be expected, and the effect was that suppressed excitement pre- vailed everywhere among them. Business—if the small and slow trading of Staceyville could be called business—was nearly at a standstill, Some of the inhabitants were persuaded to take the side of the strangers and their friends, while others seriously considered the propriety of closing their establishments or shutting them- selves up in their houses. Andrew Bates entered into the affair with the greatest imaginable alacrity and energy, show- ing rare qualities of generalship. ith the assistance of Charley Taintor, he organized the force as it was recruited, prepared a quantity of boxes and barrels to be used as a street barricade in case of necessity, posted sen- tries as in war-time, and sent out scouts to ascer- — what the Staceys were doing and intending oO. Thus he took the entire direction out of the TT * hands of Fred Henning, though Fred was given to understand that in the event of an actual battle, he would be expected to take command of the troops. These preparations naturally made the people of Staceyville nervous and uneasy, producing the condition of suppressed excitement that has been alluded to. They were hardly more restless and uneasy than Fred Henning and Ben Stanniford, both of whom were extremely anxious to get out of town and begin the search for Eva Bramwell. Ben, indeed, was half crazy on that point, and he would have broken away and gone off on his own account, if be had not been watched and restrained by his friends, While they were waiting, grumbling at the inactivity to which they appeared to be con- demned, there came the clattering of hoofs down the one street of Staceyville, and Betty Marks rode furiously into town, accompanied by one of her servants. She halted in front of the hotel, and called eagerly for Mr. Henning and Mr, Stanniford, who hastened together to meet her. ‘‘ What is all this that is going on here?” she demanded. ‘‘It is war,” answered Flush Fred. ‘‘ War has been declared, and we are expecting it to begin at any hour or moment.” ‘“T was looking for something of the kind; but that is not all. I am told that Eva Bram- well has disappeared from her uncle’s house, and that you two are accused of having abducted » r. ‘‘So the Staceys tell us, and it is true that they do make that accusation. If she has re- ally disappeared, they must have spirited her away.’ ‘‘ No doubt of that; but she must be found.” ‘‘ Ben and I are wild to go out and hunt her; but we are not allowede to leave Staceyville as matters now stand.” ‘‘Then you are expecting a fight right here?” inquired Miss Marks. “ That is what our friends are expecting, any- how, and they tell us that we must put ourselves in their hands, unless we want to fall into the hands of our enemies. You bad better ride back home, my dear friend and partner, as there is danger in the air about here,” ‘T think I can take care of myself; but I will go. I have told Mr, Taintor to use my money freely in this business, and you must not let him spareit. Take care of yourself, Fred Henning, for you are too gooda man to be wasted here. I have one piece of advice to give you.” ** What is that?” ‘¢- You had better catch a Stacey!” “JT would not object to catching a Stacey. But, if we should catch a Stacey, what are we to do with bim?”’ x oe the truth out of him.” * About Miss Bramwell? That is not a bit of a bad idea.” ‘‘Go to work on it, then. Good-by, now, and take care of yourselves, both of you, for Eva’s sakeand for mine.” _ CHAPTER XVII. “ro ARMS! THE FOE! THEY COME!” TuE two young men went back into the hotel, where they were joined by Andrew Bates. That gentleman was somewhat fatigued by his recent unnsual exertions; but the light of battle was in his eye, and he was evi ently laboring under strong excitement, which vainly sought to suppress. ‘‘T shall really have to take a drink,” said he, ‘as I seem to be getting nervous, If you gen- tlemen will join me, J will order the fluids.” ‘¢-You seem to have been hard at work,” ob- served Flush Fred, when he and Ben had assent- ed to the order. ‘*So I have been, and it was exciting work, T must admit. But 1 think we have got matters pretty well straightened out now, and that we will be able to give it to the Staceys hot and heavy. If they want war, they will be likely to get all they want.” The three men absorbed their fluids, each thinking his own thoughts, Then Flush Fred, on whose mind some points had been pressing, opened a fresh branch of inquiry. “There are two things connected with this business that have been puzzling me, Mr. Bates,” said he, ‘‘and I think you can explain them if you will. One of the points I am sure you can explain rr ‘Just tell me what they are,” answered the geptleman from Memphis, “and I will at least pete to tell you the truth. There is precious ittle secrecy about me.” ‘‘T can’t understand, Mr. Bates, why Judge Stacey, as he calls himself, is so very anxious retain ssion of that pretty niece of his, that he is willing to go to war for her, or to make war 3 a people whom he suspects of a wish to take her away from him.” ‘Why, that is plain enough. He wants to marry her to his son.” ‘But why should he be so keen to marry her to his son?” ‘Simply because Bramwell Stacey is in such a bad hole, financially, that itisimpossiblefor — ot ay MIC ~_« _ - ~~ — ee he - * ee ee te WwW - + ete BON em we 4% .