Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

a ow” Flush Fred, the River Sharp. 21 happened here just now, or I imagined it—I had not arisen since he was brought to the wouldn’t swear which.”’ house, but were more than surprised when he ‘¢ What was that?” attacked them with a force and a violence ‘‘ T had been watchin’ the light in the holler, | which they could not possibly have expected but chanced to turn my head toward the house, | from him, and I thought l saw a dog slip in at the front ‘*They are here!” he screamed as he rushed door. forth from his room. ‘* The fiends that have ‘* A dog? You must be crazy, Sam. The been chasing me are here at last, and they mean door was shut when I left here, and it is shut , to cut me into giblets. But I defy them, and now. No dog could open and shut thatdoor.” <I will meet them face to face and foot to foot!” ‘* A dog could shut it, anyhow, and what I He threw bimself upon the two men who were saw looked like a dog, if I saw anythin’.” on the stairs, and the fury of his onset was ‘‘T reckon the queer thing is in your head. | such that he nearly tumbled them down to the But it may be that somethin’ went in thar. | lower floor. That fire in the holler was migbty suspicious, ! They recovered themselves, and, quickly per- Reckon we'd better go through the house, Sam, | ceiving what was the matter with bim, put forth and see if thar’s anythin’ out o’ the way thar.” their best exertions to subdue him and force him This was agreed to, and the two comrades | back to his room, silently entered the house and began their in- The struggle was a severe one, as they were vestigations. at a disadvantage by reason of their position, Jake Tolliver in the mean time was attending | and the major fought with supernatural strength to business to the best of his ability and with the | and the ferocity of a maniac, greatest possible celerity, While the guards were thus engaged, and When he had closed the door, he found him- | were having all they could attend to, something self in darkness, there being no lights in the ' dropped upon them and over them, passing so lower part of the house at that hour of the | lightly and swiftly that they could not pause to night. notice what it was. Having kept in his mind the location of Eva It was Jake Tolliver. | Bramwell’s room, he stole quietly up the stair- The vagabond bad quickly perceived that he way, with the intention of arousing her, if that | was sure to be discovered if he remained where should be necessary, and speaking to her. he was, and he saw in the struggle on the stairs He had scarcely reached the head of the stairs, | a chance to get himself out of the way. when she started to cross the ball from Major He leaped from the upper landing like a dog, Stacey’s room to her own room, alighting on the shoulders of one of the guards, She had looked in there to see if the invalid | whence he slid to the stairs, and was at the bot- wanted anything, and had found him, to all ap- | tom in an instant. pearances, sleeping tranquilly. Mrs. Allstrup, who had heard the racket, and By the light that came from the major’s _ had hastened from her room to see what was apartment before she closed the door she caught , the matter, was knocked over by the lad as he sight of the ragged and uncouth Jake Tolliver, | reached the lower floor, and fora short space and with difficulty suppressed a scream that rose | of time took no further interest in the excite- to her lips, ment. She was not afraid, only startled. The third guard bad also heard the racket, and Jake hastened to do his best to reassure her. had hurried around to take a hand in the game, ‘* Miss Bram’il,” he whispered. *‘‘ Jest wait a | opening the door just as the vagabond got minnit, I’ve got suthin’ to say.” down. By a strong effort she controlled herself and Jake leaped at bim instantly, with his head allowed him to approach her, ' lowered for butting, struck the man in thestom- The first words he spoke made her glad that she had not raised an alarm, | side, Fred Henning, however, realized the fact that. the men who had worked and fought there nearly all night would need rest, as they were: not as intensely interested in the recovery of Eva Bramwell as he and Ben were, and there-- fore when he called for volunteers he addressed himself to the last arrivals, the mounted men, who had come with Betty Marks. He easily got all he wanted, and Jim Maybie. insisted on accompanying the party, declaring: that if there were any more points to be made: against the Staceys he wanted to be on hand to. help make them, Betty Marks would have gone with them too, but Henning fairly obeapehiad her to return. home, promising her that Eva, if she could be: recovered, would be at once brought to her house, If Eva Bramwell had really disappeared from her uncle’s house, and there seemed to be no: longer any doubt of that, there could be no uestion as to whom her disappearance was. ue, and it was to be vi 3 som that, wherever she might be, she was closely guarded. The "carey of the Staceys, too, though serious- ly weakened, had not been shattered, and there were still plenty of the tribe in the neighbor- hood, Therefore Flush Fred felt that he was justified » in taking a sufficient force to meet emergencies, Charley Taintor amply supplied the party with provisions for the expedition, and they set out from Staceyville a little after daylight, be- | lieving that the blow they intended should be: struck as soon as possible. As all of them, with the exception of the two strangers, knew the Staghead Hills, and some were intimately gh cat with that region, it was expected that the search would be thorough, and that Kva Bramwell would be found, if she: had really been taken thither. They rode until the sun was well up in the sky, when an unexpected discovery caused a. halt, On the grass at the roadside, and under the shadow of some bushes, lay something which was at first supposed to be a dead or sleeping, dog, but which was soon perceived to be a hu- man being, though a very ragged one, Those who dismounted to examine that inert You know How did he send ‘“Mr, Hennin’ sent me, miss, him?” ‘““Mr. Fred Henning? Yes, you, and why?” ** He told me to watch Bram’ll Stacey’s house and look arter vou. I’ve been hangin’ around thar ever sence, and when you was kerried off, I follered. I’m Jake Tolliver,” This was good news for Eva, The name of Fred Henning at once inspired her with con- fidence, and the vagabond became to her an angel in disguise, though it must be admitted that Jake’s appearance was not in the faintest degree suggestive of the angel. ‘** Step into my room,” she said, might see or hear you out here.” Jake followed her into her room, and she closed the door; but he still did not raise his voice above a whisper. ‘*Dar ain’t no time to talk, miss. Dis house is watched mighty cluss, an’ I jest did manage to sneak in, arter waitin’ sance last night. *T was Bram’ll Stacey, miss, dat made ’em kerr you off. I saw an’ heerd it all, an’ I know’twas a put-up job.” **T believe you. What am I to do?” * Jest wait a bit till ’m sure that every- thin’s quiet, an’ den T’ll show you how to sneak out o’ dis house, an’ [’ll take you to Staceyville, whar you'll be all right.” Everything was not quiet then. In fact, there was a big racket in the house just at that moment, ‘“ What does that mean?” exclaimed Eva as she started back in terror, Jake did not know; but he stepped quickly to the door to listen. Joe and Sam, the guards who had started the investigation, explored the lower part of the house, but found nothing suspicious there, though they lighted a candle and examined every corner. Then they went up higher, and at the head of the stairs they encountered something that had not entered into their calculations. Eva Bramwell had not been able to feed Major Stacey with any more whisky, because the contents of his ‘‘ medicine” bottle in the closet were exhausted. Consequently she was much pleased, when she looked in at his room, to see that he-was ap- parently sleeping well. The truth was, however, that the liquor had died in him, and be was then on the verge of a delirious attack. Awaking from a frightful dream, he heard the men on the stairs, and the sound became a part of his fancies,and his frenzy gave hima convulsive strength that was wonderful, con- sidering bis previous condition. : He sprung from his bed, clad only in a single arment, dasked open the door, and rushed ont nto the ball, with a yell that would have done ** Somebody credit to a Comanche. The two guards were surprised at seeing that this helpless invalid left the bed from which he | ‘ Were as wakeful and active as ever. ach, and laid him sprawling on the ground out- | nessed, In a moment, however, the man was up, and was looking around for his assailant. Catching sight of Jake as he scudded like a rabbit across the open ground, he raised his rifle, and fired at the retreating figure. The lad felt a sharp twinge in his left arm, which only made him run the faster until he got to cover and was out of the reach of bullets. Seating himself on a rock to get a little rest, he perceived that his ragged garments were soaked with blood, and that he was weak and dizzy. He was bleeding, in fact, like a stuck pig, from a bad bullet wouad in his arm, and no time was to be lost if he was not to bleed to death. He bared his arm, and bound up the wound as well as he could with his assortment of rags, Then he rested a while, eating some of the chicken he had saved, while he considered what it would be best for him to do, His chance of assisting Eva Bramwell to es- cape, or of serving her in any way, seemed to be | one. ° It was not likely that he would be able to get into that house again after what bad happened | there, and, even if he should, he would be too bad- | ly disabled by his wound to be of any use, Therefore there was uothing left him but to make his way to Staceyville, if possible, and re- port to Fred Henning the events he had wit- object: quickly discovered what and who it was, Flush Fred, who was one of those who dis- mounted, was more than surprised when he saw in that huddled-up mass of humanity mixed with rags, bis hired spy, Jake Tolliver, The presence of the lad there accounted for his absence from Staceyville; but how had he got there, and what was the matter with him? The latter question was at once answered when it was seen that his rags were bloody, and that the bandage on his arm covered a bullet wound, As he was believed to be living, efforts were made to revive him, whisky being the handy restorative that was used, and after awhile the were successful. ; Jake Tolliver opened his eyes, sat up speak, though feebly and faintly. ' He was overjoyed at finding Fred Henning there, and exerted himself to tell bis story. It was hard work, and he was frequently cautioned not to go too fast or try todo too much; but he continued until hehad given Fred a pretty clear idea of what had happened since the meeting at Judge Stacey’s house, He also gave a description, which was recog- nized by more than one of the party, of the house in the hills in which Eva Bramwell was a prisoner, and where he had met his last adven- He worked his way around to the road, and be- | ture and received his wound. gan his journey, which proved to be a tedious and As they thus knew where to go and what to difficult one, as he found himself very weak from | do, the object of the expedition was greatly sim- loss of blood and the pain of his tightly bandaged | plified. wound, ’ "is Tbe lad’s wound was bound up as well as cir- Do the best he could, his progress was terribly | cumstances would allow, and he was fortified slow, as he was compelled every now and then to | with food and drink, after which, by the order stop to rest. of Fred Henning, he was carefully mounted on When the morning broke, he was not more | a horse with one of the men, whose instructions than balf way to Staceyville; but he resolutely were to take him to Staceyville and procure for plodded on, until the sun was well up into the | him the best medical aid and attendance to be sky, and until he could positively go no further, | had there. One last, despairing effort be made to stagger Having disposed of Jake as well as they could, forward, but all was darkness about him then, | the party rode forward briskly and cheerfully, and he reeled and fell senseless on the grass at thankful that their way had been so unexpect- the roadside. ae opened for them, en Stanniford was in high spirits, hoping that he would soon recover the lady of his love, and make an end of her troubles and his own with no more aan Jim Maybie was jubilant in the belief that he was going to aid in striking the Staceys another telling blow. Tt was supposed by all that if Eva Bramwell could be got away from Judge Stacey, and be could be removed from the control of her prop- erty, he would soon be a ruined man, and eh him the power of the Stacey tribe would be broken. a Ye CHAPTER XXXI, FOES FACE TO FACE AGAIN. Frep HENNING and bis friends did not rest on their laurels after their final and signal victory over the Staceyites, nor did they suffer any grass to grow under their feet. As soon as Fred had informed her of the an- swer that had been wrung from Colonel Jeff Stacey, Betty Marks insisted that an expedition should be at once organized to search the Stag- head Hills for Eva Bramwell. . Ben Stanniford earnestly supported this de- mand, and Flush Fred was quite as willing as aE poy else to begin the search for the missing g T . Neither of them had got any rest during the night; but its rapid and stirring events had excited them so that in the early morning they point, well known to several] of the party, where house branched off from the main road. Just before they got there they found them- men, who had come down the road from the Eomicboo SS ported by Jim Maybie, and was soon able It was not yet noon when they reached the © the by-path or lane that led to the Allstrup selves confronted by another party of mounted