Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

wwe |S «? th ° i ‘ - s > ip ote ==" —— "Oe sore P ~ ‘i y nee 4 Flush Fred, the River Sh ‘vs arp. . Y ia a” ve ai 17 ys 4 2 al Jeff Stacey had been so sorely tried, and was | rush of the wild men from Swampville would just then so weak and nerveless, that his resolu- tion failed him. ‘“*Staghead Hills,” he murmured, between a gasp and a gurgle, and went off in a faint, Just then there arose an uproar in the street, | aud a man from there came running through the hotel to bring a piece of exciting news, ‘**Thar’s a bigger crowd of Staceys out thar than ever,” he cried, ‘Jim Hedley has been scootin’ around, and he says that a lot o’ men from Swampville have j'ined ’em. They’re comin’ at us, too, right now, jest a-tilin’!” This was important and disheartening intelli- gence, It looked as if the luck of the Independents was about to change, and that after their arduous efforts and signal victories they were to be defeated and overpowered at last. What Jeff Stacey predicted had happened— the men from Swampville had come in, and the Indepeudents had received no new recruits to balance the gain of their adverssries, But the new danger must be confronted, and every man would be required to meet it, and there was not a moment to be lost, ‘* Leave that man alone,” ordered Flush Fred. **He will come to after a bit, and he can’t get away.” Jeff Stacey, in fact, was lying on the ground under the Juneapple tree, to all appearance lifeless, and surely incapable of the least ex- ertion. Leaving him there, Fred Henning and his friends hurried through the hotel, and hastily prepared to meet the onset of the enemy. CHAPTER XXIV. ONE OF THE QUEENS. THE situation in the street was very serious —more serious, indeed, though they were not aware Of the full extent of the danger, than any emergency they had been forced to meet. After the failure of the attack on the hotel, Judge Stacey had sent out swift and urgent messengers to hurry up the Swampville men. They were tovgh citizens, those Swamp vil- lians, and, though but few of them were Sta- ceys, they lived on lands that were owned by Staceys, to.whom they felt themselves bound like feudal retainers to their chiefs, Though they belonged, without exception, to the unvalued class of human beings known as ‘* poor whites,” they were noted far and wide for their fighting propensities. When they failed to find any other people to fight, they fought among themselves, and it was this practice that kept them from increas- ing and multiplying too rapidly. Judge Stacey had summoned them to Stacey- ville with the rest of his adherents, and they had promised to come, but were slow to move, especially as horseflesh was scarce among them. hen they did arrive, their numbers and their eagerness to fight raised the spirits of the Staceyites to a high pitch, producing a corre- sponding depression among their antagonists when their presence became know. Fred Henning and Andrew Bates noticed this depression as soon as they pained the men at the barricades; but they could not afford to add their uneasiness to that of the others, as it was of the greatest importance that confidence should be restored if possible, They cheered and encouraged the men to the best of their ability, reminding them of the victories they bad already won, and declaring that if they would stand solidly up to their work and do their best, they would again repel the assault of the enemy, At the same time they busied themselves in strengthening the defenses and stationing the defenders where they could be most effectively employed. hey had, however, little time for encourage- ment and preparation. The night was then pretty well advanced; but the Staceyites seemed to be determined to ‘fight the quarrel out as long as they could stand up, and their opponents were compelled to imitate their example. As a piece of a moon and the stars in a clear ky gave light enough for plenty of fighting, it >. to be expected that nothing but defeat or exhaustion would bring the conflict to a close, Judge Stacey, believing that he then had an overwhelming force under his command, had decided that he would not waste their energies on any side issues, but wovld bear right down on the barricades with all his strength, crushing his foes or sweeping them away. So be hastened to order a charge, which was made in fine style, the men from Swampvyille eagerly and impetuously leading the attack, The Staceyites came on at first in a solid phalanx; but after awhile detachments spread out at each side of the street, availing them- selves of such cover as they could find there, and opening a close and rapid fire on the barri- cade, while the main body swept forward gal- lantly to the attack. The Independents stood up to their work man- fully, though their style of action was by no means as lively and spirited as it had been. — It seemed, indeed, that their utmost exertions would not avail them then, and that the fierce rrr Se TS b. ‘carry everything before if. Some of the assaulting party had in fact climbed over or broken through the barricade before the rush was stopped. Even then the stoppage was only temporary, a delay rather than a repulse, The Swampvillians did not give way an inch, and the men who had been scattered along the sides of the street were rapidly coming forward and closing in to their support. Flush Fred, despairing of holding the barri- cade longer, was about to give the order to re- treat to the hotel, when something occurred that | drew the attention of both parties from each other, The clattering of horses’ hoofs were heard to- ward the eastern end of the village, and a party of mounted men came galloping down the street, Who could they be? The Staceyites were expecting no more rein- forcements, and the Independents knew of nobody who would be likely to come to their aid, The question was speedily settled by the new- comers, who charged the rear of the Staceyites, firing on them right and left and scattering them as they swept toward the barricade. Then there arose a shout from the Independ- ents, and Fred Henning no longer thought of ordering a retreat. But who could these welcome auxiliaries be? “There is a woman with them!” cried Ben Stanniford. ‘‘A woman is leading them,” . ch Beuty, Marks, by Heaven!” shouted Flush ‘red. Imbued with fresh energy, he gave new orders to men who were filled with fresh hope. ‘*Over and at them, boys! Overand at them! Our friends have scattered them, and we can drive them out of town if we whirl into them. Whoop ’em up lively, now!” ‘*Over and at them” was the word, and the Staceyites hastened to get outside of the barri- cade and help stampede their enemies, The new-comers were not as careful of their horse-flesh as the Staceyites had been, and they were right about that, as they had the guarantee of Betty Marks that all losses would be made good to them. Their horses, as much as themselves, bad scat- tered the Staceyites and started the stampede. Without waiting for the stricken foe to rally, they turned before they reached the barricade completing the demoralization which they had so well begun, At the same time the Independents broke forth from the barricade, and pressed forward with cheers and yells, driving their opponents wherever they found them, and sending them whirling up the street. Within half an hour there was not one ac- knowledged Staceyite, alive and unwounded, left in Staceyville. Betty Marks and her party, having finished their work, rode back to the hotel, where the barricade was opened to let them in. It was but a small party, considering what it had accomplished, and the wonder was that it had been able to do so much, The surprise, no doubt, of an attack in the rear, coupled with the terrors of a cavalry charge, was what had demoralized the Stacey- ites. While the party was warmly greeted by the men to whose rescue they bad come, their fair commander dismounted and entered the hotel with Fred Henning and Ben Stanniford. ‘* And so it is you who have done this,” said Fred. ‘' You came just in time to save us from a deuce of a thrashing.” ‘*It was for you, partner of mine,” unswered the lady, with a look that could not be mis- taken. ‘‘ You were in danger, and I came to help you.” ‘* And you risked your life to do it.” * T don’t know about that. At least, I did not notice the risk. You see, Fred, 1 had been rais- ing recruits for this war, Some of them I sent in bere, and others I picked up as | could find them; but it was some time before I could get together enough to count. I had men on the move between my house and. Stacevville, to in- form me of what was going on, and when the told me that matters were still dubious, mounted my cavalry, and we came to town retty quick, I can tell you. It seems thatI got atin just in time to help you out of a bad scrape.” ‘‘Indeed you did, and you saved us all, I wonder that the men allowed you torisk your- self as you did.” ‘Would you believe it, Fred? Martha Gibbs wanted to come with me as second in command; but I gave her strict orders to hold the fort at home, and she is on guard there as fierce as a Trojan, For my pert, the excitement of the night bas done me a world of good.” _ “You have done a splendid stroke of business in this war, and I hope that it will be of much benefit to Miss Bramwell.” ‘* Poor Eva! Where can she be?” ‘‘ That reminds me of something,” said Fred, as he rose from his seat. ‘‘I bad forgotten my prisoner, I must go and look after him,” ‘ What prisoner?” she inquired, ‘st en ns es i ‘*Do you remember that you told me to catch a Stacey?” ‘* Yes, and to squeeze the truth out of him,” ‘*] did not forget your advice, and I bad the luck to capture no less a person than Colonel Jeff Stacey. We have been trying to squeeze the truth out of him by hanging him, and we came near squeezing the life out oi him. LT left him senseless at the rear of the hotel when the last alarm was given, and I must go and see how he is getting on.” “ T will go with you,” said Miss Marks, and the three adjourned to the Juneapple tree at the rear of the hotel. There they found Andrew Bates and Charley Taintor, who were looking about as if amazed or puzzled, Jeff Stacey was not visible. ‘* What has become of the prisoner?’ deman- ded Flush Fred. Nobody knew. Mr, Bates and the landlord had just come out there, and had failed to find him, and no person had seen him since the hang- ing. The conviction was finally forced upon the minds of his captors that he had escaped. Whether he had succeeded in freeing his hands, or had been able to get over the fence while they were tied behind his back, was a question which the curious might consider, but which was of no practical importance, It was certain that he had got away, and Fred Henning, for one, was disposed to consider his departure a good riddance, ‘* It is just as well,” said Fred. ‘*‘ We did not need to keep him, We had got what we wanted out of bim, anyhow.” ‘* What did you learn?” asked Betty Marks, ‘Where Miss Bramwell is,” ‘* Where is she, then?” ‘‘At Staghead Hills, if you know where that is.” ‘*T do not; but there are plenty who do, no doubt.” CHAPTER XXV. A SPY DISCOVERED. THE historian of the great Stacey war must now leave, not at all reluctantly, scenes of battle and bloodshed, of attack and defense, of strat- egy and generalship, to inquire into a matter which, though apparently a mere episode, was really the exciting cause of the startling events that have been narrated. To do this it is necessary to go back a little distance,, to the day that witnessed the last visit which bas been mentioned of Fred Sree and Ben Stanniford to the mansion of Betty Marks, On that oey there was a convocation of Staceys at the house of Judge Bramwell Stacey. It was not a numerous gathering; but the sharpest and most influential of the Staceys were there, having been summovued to a consul- tation by the head of the clan. Jake Tolliver was there, faithfully obeying, to the best of bis ig the instructions w hich he had received from Fred Henning. Since he received those instructions he had been sneaking about the place, creeping here and climbing there, hiding when it was neces- sary to hide, generally keeping out of the way of those to whom his presence might seem suspi- cious, and successfully avoiding discovery, When the consultation of Staceys was keld in the dining-room, he was sure that some matter of importance was about to be considered, and a ea to find out what was said and one, This was no easy matter, even for him, as it was broad daylight, and hidir.g-places near the house were scarce and not td be depended on, However, he concealed himself as well as he could among some shrubs and vines at one of the dining-room windows, after raising the window a little, and there he looked and lis- tened. The meeting proved to be one of importance, as Judge Stacey had called his friends together to consider what sbould be done concerning Fred Henning and his friend, after the igno- minious failure of Major Stacey's attempt to rid the neighborhood of them. Judge Stacey was explaining the object of the meeting, when a pair of sharp eyes caught sight of Jake Tolliver’s face at the window-pane outside. The sharp eyes belonged to Wash Stacey, who made no outery about bis discovery nor caused the least excitement. He merely touched the judge on the arm, in- terrupting the flow of his eloquence. ‘* Excuse me,” said Wash, ‘‘ but if you will step aside with me for a moment, I would like to have a word in private with you before we go any further.” Judge Stacey complied with this request, wondering what was the matter, as did all the others, ‘The fact is, Cousin Bramwell,” confidential- ly observed the discoverer, ‘‘ that somebody is watching and listening to us.” ** How do you know that?” ‘**T saw a face bob up at a window just now— a face that has something of the look of a dog’s face, though it belongs to a boy. Can’t you guess who it is?” Gomicvooks (¢