Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

natal ‘ Flush Fred, the River Sharp. him to crawl out of it unless he can get hold of She bas quite a comfortable his niece’s money. fortune of her own, | understand, of which he has charge as her guardian, and he needs that money very badly.” *“ Why don’t he steal it?’ inquired Henning. **That would be no worse, it seems to me, than what he is trying to de.” ** Legally, if would be much worse, and the marriage plan is easier and less dangerous. Even Bramwell Stacey, here in Staceyville, with his own people and courts to protect bim, would hardly dare tocommit such a flagrant robbery. Besides, I’ve an idea that Miss Bram- well’s property is guarded in some way. He and his son are of course in the same boat, and they must do something to save themselves,” ‘*Thank you, Mr. Bates. Now I would like to know, if it is not an impertinence on my part to ask the question, why it is that you, who seem to have no personal interest in this matter, are willing to exert yourself in it so actively, spend- ing your money freely, and even putting your- self in the attitude of defying the laws,” ‘““T am a friend of Ben Stanniford’s,” an- swered the banker, “So am I, and we are in the same boat there.” ‘“f suppose that I have quite as strong a friendly interest in Ben as you have, Mr. Hen- ning, as [ am fond of bim for his mother’s sake. As you are ready to risk be life for him, it is not surprising that I should be willing to risk a little money, which is all | have done so far.” ‘That is quite natural,” replied Fred, **though I must confess that I had not looked at the matter in that light. I had thought, though it may seem mean to say so after what I have heard, that you might have some kind of a business interest in the affair.” Mr. Bates smiled pleasantly. “As I am known to be above all things a business man,” said he, “it was natural that you should bave such a thought, and I may as well admit that you are not far out of the way. Yes, Mr. Henning, I bave a personal and busi- ness interest in this difficulty, strong enough gf itself to justify me in all I have done, and in much more. The fact is that I have claims agaiust more than one Stacey, and particularly against Bramwell Stacey. With my best efforts I have been unable to secure the payment of my claims, or any sort of a settlement, If I resort to the law, they control the courts and the juries. They are not willing to pay, and they can’t be made to pay. That is a strange state of things in such a country as this; but I have good reason to know that it exists here.” ‘Then the Staceys do own the earth,” sug- gested Ben Stanniford. ‘‘ A good portion of it in this region, and they regard mortgages as no better than waste paper. Seldom has a Stacey moved away, and they have increased and multiplied until they rule the county, parcel out the offices among themselves, and will scarcely permit any person who is not a Stacey to live. When I was down here among them, trying in vain to straighten out my business here, I discovered that there were many people who hated the Staceys, or who had a grudge against them which they had not been able to work out, and that there might be a strong opposition to them if it could be organized and encouraged. Sol must admit that I am glad of the chance to help start a rebellion against them. I want to see the power of the Staceys broken,” “Tt is a good thing for us, or at least for Ben, that you have that business interest,” remarked Flush Fred. ‘‘ But it seems to me that we have a pretty heavy contract before us.” oud voices were heard outside, and there was a commotion in the house, and a messenger ran in to meet the four men as they were start- ing to see what was the matter. ‘They’re comin’!” he exclaimed, ‘A big crowd of Staceys are comin’, and it looks as if they mean to take the town.” “To arms! The foe! They come! They come!” cried Flush Fred, quoting Byron, his favorite poet. Followed by the others, he hastened forth to the fray. It was true that the Staceys were coming in force and in a style which surely meant serious business, ; Thero had been, in fact, a general gathering of Staceys in accordance with a previous ar- rangement. ‘ They had already received notices to the effect that their services might be required, sent by Bramwell Stacey, the acknowledged chief of the clan, and they came from all quarters, like ‘tribesmen or feudal retainers. From the Ridgs Road they came, where a col- ony of Staceys was strung along for & consid- erable distance; from the Staghead Hills at the east, where “‘ poor but honest ” Staceys grubbed for a living; from the fat and fertile bottom- lands of the Issaquena, where thrifty Staceys w fong staple cotton; from the country about Btacey-vilie, which was dotted with the habita- tions of Staceys; to sav nothing of the Staceys of the village, who bad gone off with Colonel Jeff after his repulse. mand of Judge Stacey, who believed himself in- vincible when he gazed upon this imposing array. This news was brought in by the.scouts, who also reported that the Staceys were approach- ing the village in two bodies and from opposite directions, their intention doubtless being to hem in the common enemy and prevent an escape. It may be stated here that Flush Fred and his friends had no idea of using Charley Taintor’s house as a castle ora fort, thus incurring its damage, if not its destruction. Though the landlord’s friendship for his recent guests was known to the Staceys, and might be expected to operate as a bill of attainder against him under their rule, his new friends were de- termined not to make the matter any worse for him than they could help, If there was to be a battle, therefore, the street must be the battle-ground. CHAPTER XVIII. A BATTLE IN A STREET. THE separate troops of Staceys each halted a short distance outside of the village, for the pur- pose of dismountiog and hitching their horses out of danger. They were willing to risk their lives for the common honor and profit of the Staceys; but horseflesh and “ niggers” cost money, and were not to be rashly ventured, This delay, coupled with the alacrity of the scouts in bringing the news of the approach of the enemy, gave the Independents a fair chance to complete their preparations for the conflict. In fact, not much time was needed, as it was only necessary to carry out the arrangements previously and carefully made by Andrew Bates and Charley Taintor. . Barrels and boxes, that had been prepared for the purpose, were rolled and tumbled out, and in a little while there was completed in front of the hotel a double row of barricades, reaching across the village street, effectually blocking it up, and defending the approach in either direction. The hotel, with which these defenses commu- nicated, was to serve asa base of supplies; but mn supposed that it would be a point of attack. When Flush Fred sallied forth from the hotel with his friends, he was surprised to see the nuraber of men who had been gathered to the fray by the exertions of Andrew Bates and Charley Taintor and Jim Maybie. The alarm just given had started them up, and they came from all quarters to the scene of action, stragglers dropping in up to the time of the completion of the defenses. They were men of good quality, too, for such a purpose, and they seemed to be thoroughly in earnest, with a clear comprehension of the issue and a strong determination to *‘ put the thing through,” It was evident that they were no mere merce- naries, though they might have enlisted for pay; but many of them were actuated by a definite hatred of the Staceys and a desire to end the domination of the ruling dynasty. When Jim Maybie looked about upon this ries men, he was jubilant with hope. ‘* We'll settle ’em now!” he cried, in cheerful anticipation of the event, ‘‘ We will give the Staceys such a shakin’ up as they never had afore, one that'll make ’em sing small forever after, amen!” There was no doubt that a real rebellion had been started, and Jim Maybie ought to be as ood a prophet as anybody to predict the result; ut with him the wish might be father to the thought. When the Staceys came in sight, and Flush Fred perceived their numbers and their evident organization, not even Jim Muybie could in- spire him with confidence in the issue of the event. It was then near the close of the afternoon, but lacked fully two hours of sundown, and there was plenty of time fora very lively fight before night. The Staceys came, as the scouts had reported they would, in two bodies, one led by Judge Bramwell Stacey, and the other by Colonel Jeff Stacey, and they presented an imposing and formidable appearance as they marched into the village—so formidable, indeed, that some of the Independents were clearly inclined to be shaky. Andrew Bates, though he did not propose to be a combatant, could be useful in other ways, and he went about among the men, encouraging and inciting them. “*This is a great opening for every man of you,” said he. ‘‘The question is to be settled now whether anybody besides the Staceys is to have a living chance in this county.” ‘* Tf we can’t have that,’ put in Jim Maybie, ‘** we had better die right here, and the only way to git it is to fight for it.” Each column of the Staceys halted just out of gunshot of the barricades, which gave them a ty aed perception of the magnitude of the task before them and the difficulties that were to be overcome. if was ordered to halt and declare his purpose, when he was within a couple of rods of the east- ern barricade. ‘*T want two men,” he said,” two men named Henning and Stanniford. As some of you know, I have a warrant for those men, legall issued, and put in my hands for services. it they will submit to arrest, and go with mo weaceably, all will be well. If not, there’il be Ratan raised here 1n Stacey ville.” **Go ahead and raise it, then!” roared Jim | Maybie, whose excitable nature would not allow him to keep quiet, ‘* Go abead and raise it! Raise all you can! That’s what we are here for, and we mean to send you Staceys higher’n a kite afore we git through with you.” ‘*T want to know,” resumed Colonel Jeff, without noticing this fiery speaker, ‘‘whether ~ those two men will come out and submit to ar- rest.” ‘* We will not,” answered Fred Henning, ‘* and you know the reason why, We refuse to put ourselves in the hands of ourenemies, That point was settled this morning.” ‘* Then [ warn you and all who are concerned with you in this business, that if you. defy the law and resist this posse that has been sent to enforce the law, vou will suffer for it, each and every one of you. Last call, now—are you going to surrender? One, two, three—” ** Goin’, goin’, gif out!” yelled Jim Maybie, and Colonel Jeff turned and walked back to his arty. pe I'd ha’ been glad to put a bullet in him,” re- marked Maybie. ‘‘ He's one of the wu'st of the lot, is Colonel Jeff—one of the meanest and most cantankerous; but thar ain’t a bit o’ skeer in him, and that’s to his credit.” Then the racket began. A shot was fired as a signal, and both bat- talions of the banded Staceys swooped down upon the barricades from the east and thé west, They advanced in skirmishing style, keeping up such a rapid and well directed fire that the defenders did not dare to show their heads; but there were openings here and there between the barrels and boxes, through which they were able to return the fire with effect, It was a terrible scene to occur in a civilized country, in a State where law was supposed to revail, and in a community that had hitherto ost comparatively peaceful. In fact, it amounted to civil war on a small scale, and the prospect was that it would be a war to the death, After keeping up this rattling and dangerous fire for a few minutes, the two bands of Stacey- ites raised a yell and made a rush for the barri- cades, Then the fighting was close and severe, Rifles were thrown aside, except where they were used as clubs, and pistols and knives were brought into play, and hand-to-hand encounters were frequent and deadly. Flush Fred Henning actually rejoiced in th conflict, which excited him to the highest pitch, and he seemed to be everywhere, encouraging his comrades by his words and his example, whilo his revolver cracked whenever he could make his shots tell. Ben Stanniford showed first-rate qualities as a fighter, and, in fact, the fighting blood of all the Independents was fairly up. Jim Maybie raged and swore, and dashed at the swarming Staceyites as if the one ambition of bis life had been attained in meeting them there face to face, Charley Taintor, who had been implored by his guests to keep out of the fight, and who had promised to do so, got excited, and rushed into it as wild-eyed as any of the rest. Even Andrew Bates, who was supposed to be unwilling torisk anything but his money, dashed out of the hotel, drew a revolver, and surprised everybody by the coolness and skill with which he used it, It was a bitter and bloody battle, and was not soon over, The attacking parties, in order to reach their adversaries, were compelled to climb over the boxes and barrels, or to get them out of the way, and this gave the insiders an advantage of which they availed themselves to the fullest ex- tent. Nor did the fact that the attack was made from opposite directions trouble those behind the barricades, as that had been expected, and men had been assigned to each line of the de- fenses. The result was that the Staceyites, baffled and terribly hurt, recoiled from the attack, and finally withdrew to their former positions, They were allowed to carry off their wounded without asking permission to do so, and the in- jured on the other side were taken into the hotel where they were well cared for. The first battle of the campaign, or the first stage of the battle, bad been very much in © earnest, and therefore severely destructive. Several men bad been killed, and quite a num- ber had been wounded, the Indepen ents suffer- ing as well as the Staceyites, though not near so heavily. nn EEO ee —— ett LL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LL LLL tt i eee Mounted and armed they came at thecom-' Colonel Jeff Stacey advanced alone, until he There would be weeping and wailing alongthe _ } a ~ Miecboo (C Ss) ) ee Sse | So)