Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 483 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

by Colonel Jeff, who seemed to be 22 Flush Fred, the River Sharp. — eee direction, with the apparent intention of also turning off into the lane. It did not need a near view to assure Flush Fred and his friends that the other party was composed of Staceyites, led by Judge Stacey and Colonel Jeff. Such was the case, and there was a good rea- son for their presence there at that hour, The last mentioned hero, when he came to his senses after his rough experience with the rope and the Juneapple tree, succeeded without much difficulty in freeing his hands from the cord that tied them. His hands then did the same service for his feet, and he did not lose a moment’s time in climbing the fence and getting away from the vicinity of the hotel. Before he reached his friends, who were soon badly scattered and rather difficult to get at, it occurred to him that the truth had been squeezed out of him, at least to a limited extent. He had not been so far gone when he feebly auswered Flush Fred’s last question as to have been unaware of the fact that be had mentioned Staghead Hills, thus giving the enemy the in- formation that was wanted. This was a grievous fault, and grievously did Colonel Jeff answer it to himself. Yet it was the fault of exhausted nature, rather than of his will, and the information had been literally squeezed out of him by torture, As soon as he could find Judge Stacey he ren- dered to the chief of the clan a full account of his capture and the subsequent proceedings which had resulted in the partial disclosure he made. The importance of that disclosure was fully appreciated by Bramwell Stacey, who perceived that there was no time to be lostin counteract- ing the effect of the harm that had been done. s the last defeat of the Stacey faction bad put success in that quarter out of the question, at least for the present, and as his possession of the person and property of his niece and ward was an indispensable element of his plans, it be- came necessary to take immediate steps to re- move her out of the reach of his enemies, Fully appreciating the enterprise of Fred Henning and his allies, Judge Stacey perceived that his action must be speedy and vigorous, or they might steal a march on him. If they should go to Staghead Hills, they would probably go in force, and it would be necessary for him to take a sufficient force to _ provide for the emergency of meeting them. Thus it happened that be encountered the enemy, just in the nick of time, at the point - where the road to the Allstrup house branched off from the main road, CHAPTER XXXII. ONE WAY TO SETTLE IT. So the opposing forces faced each other at the mouth of the lane, both mounted and armed. You have seen, in some of the stage represen- tations of Shakespeare’s plays, the opposition armies, each composed of half a dozen supers, march on from the wings, face each other, and march off, and afterward there was a big racket behind the scenes, to indicate the progress of a terrific figbt. Well, the Staceyites and the Independents were not that kind of people, and they did not do business in that way. Yet they faced each other, and stared blankly at each other, as if they did not know what to do with the predicament in which they found ttemselves, The truth was that the meeting at that place and time was entirely unexpected, though an ee of some sort had been considered pos- sible. Furthermore, those men were foemen who had tried each other’s steel, and knew how it would cut, and therefore were none too anxious to have another whack at it. Yet there they were, each party evidently aiming for the same point, and neither of them able to get there without the permission of the other, which of course would not be granted, How was this unexpected and very incon- venient problem to be solved? Both sides were pretty near equal in num- bers, and both were equally obstinate and de- termined. It looked as if nothing but a bloody battle would decide which of them should have access to the house they both desired to reach, In preparation for such an event, they dis- oy t mounted, put their horses out of harm’s reach, and each side threw out pickets along the course of the lane, to make sure that the other side should not steal a march on them by sneaking across to the Allstrup house. Thus matters presented a very belligerent appearance, when a new aspect was given to the affair by a flag of truce. It came from the Stacey side, and was brought then in a — condition p»ysically, though he was men- tally inclined to revenge and all manner of viciousness. : He halted about midway between the oppos- ing forces, and was met there by Fred Henning and Jim Maybie, ee —_ ** Glad to see you looking so well, colonel,” re- | had got enough of fighting, and were m ire than marked Fred, in a friendly manner. “Oh, I’m all right,” answered the recently suspended man, ‘‘and I reckon I will have a chance to hang you before long.” **You needn’t trouble yourself about that, colonel, If you should happen to want to get the truth out of me, I will giveit right up, with- out any sort of a squeeze,” ‘‘ Suppose you pitch in, then, and tell me why you are here with your crowd.” ‘7 have no objection to telling you that. We are here for the purpose of seeing and rescuing Miss Eva Bramwell, who is a prisoner in a house up yonder.” ‘* How do you know that she is there?” ** You kindly informed me, colonel, that she had been taken to the Staghead Hills, and since then I have learned just where she is and what has happened to her.” ‘** Who told you that?” **A lad whom I sent to watch and look after her. Hesaw her when she was carried away from Bramwell Stacey’s place, and knew who was responsible for that deed. He followed her and‘her three captors to the house up yonder, where he had tbe misfortune to be wounded by one of your friends,” . ‘*So you think you have got it down fine. What do you mean to do about it?” ‘1 have told you what we intend to do,” ** Of course you understand that we don’t in- tend to allow you to do anything of the kind. Judge Stacey has instructed me to say to you, though, that he don’t want any more fighting. bere has been too much of that, in his opin- ion. ‘* Tam glad that he has come to that conclu- sion, colonel. All he has to do, then, is to get out of the way and let us go on to the house up yonder.” ‘*'You know, Mr. Henning; that he is the guardian of his niece, and you can’t expect that he will Jet you take her out of his care.” ‘‘ She would be much better off to be out of such care as he has been giving her here, and such as he wants to give her.” ‘¢‘ He don’t happen to think so, But he is willing to make a compromise.” ‘‘ Very well. Any compromise will be ac- ceptable to us that will stop the fighting, and willat the same time insure Miss Bramwell’s safety and prevent her from being forced to do anything against her will. What sort of a com- promise is Judge ptacey wing to make?” “You are said to be a mighty good card- player,” observed Colonel Jeff. This looked like a sudden and uncalled-for change of the subject; but Flush Fred, quick- witted as ever, did not believe that it was so in- tended, and he wondered what the remark was meant to lead up to. ‘* T can play cards,” he answered. ‘¢ Poker is your stronghold, I’ve heard,” con- tinued Jeff. . ‘¢ T think I know how to play poker.” ‘‘ There’s one of our men, Cousin ’Bijah Sta- cey, who fens he can handle the pictures right peart, and who has made somethin’ of a name about here by beatin’ everybody in these parts at freeze-out. What Cousin Bramwell pro- poses is that you and ’Bijah shall play a game of freeze-out to decide about Eva. If you win, the judge will give up his claim to her. If ’Bijah wins, you and your friend shall go away from here and leave us alone.” If Fred Henning’s decision had depended on himself alone, he would have jumped at this offer, which seemed to him to be the softest thing he had dropped on inside of the State of ewes He had not the least doubt of his ability to best *Bijah Stacey or any other citizen of that coun- try bey freeze-out or any game that could be pro- posed. As for the possibility of ‘‘ roots” being played on him, that was oul; of the question. ‘‘ What do you say?’ demanded Colonel Jeff. ** Ain’t that fair and square?” ‘*Tt seems to be,” answered Fred, “and it suits me well enough; but I must consult my friend.” “All right. Goand talk it over with him, and let me know when my answer is ready.” * nae pene could the game be played?” inquired red. ‘‘ There is a deserted cabin a little way from here, not toward the Allstrup house, but on the other side of the way, that will be handy enough.” Flush Fred had some misgivings as to how the proposed arrangement would strike Ben Stanni- ford, when he went back to report to his friends, who were anxiously waiting to learn the nature of the interview, ~~ misgivings were justified by Ben’s atti- tude. That young gentleman was at first seriously displeased, regarding itas nothing less than an indignity that anybody should propose to decide the fate of his lady love by the chance or other- wise of a game of cards, and he declared that nothing could induce him to consent to it. The other, members of the party, however, with the solitary exception of Jim Maybie, who was as hot-headed and heavy-handed as ever, (eine eect itt LE LE LL LL EL LL LLL LLL LL LLL LLL LL LLL a willing to consent to any settlement that would bring ‘*‘ peace with honor.” As the fighting prospects must depend on them, their opinion was necessarily a weighty one, Fred Henning, too, averred that he was de- lighted with the prospect of settling the dispute quietly and easily. He was sure that the settlement must be such as would suit Ben and himself, as he considered his victory over ’Bijah Stacey a sure thing, and his only wonder was that the other side should pane been soft enough to propose such a con- est, Ben Stanniford was not easily convinced. He did not believe in suure things, and be was decidedly of the opinion that the Staceys would never have made such a proposition unless they had some concealed *trick which they meant to spring on their adversaries to their utter discomfiture. In fact, he was sure that there must be “a nigger in the woodpile,” and he would rather risk his life in an attempt to rescue Eva, than trust to the insidious offers of the enemy. It would be necessary, however, to risk more lives than his own, and the owners of those lives were quite disinclined to throw them away when there was a reasonable and apparently equitable chance of saving them, They were unable to see any ‘‘ nigger in the woodpile,” and believed that it would be soon enough to fight when their adversaries showed a disposition to cheat them or play them false. With any underhand game, either of trickery or of violence, they considered themselves fully able to cope. So Ben Stanniford, being out-argued, as well as overborne by the majority, yielded his opin- ions, and consented to the settlement of the question by a game of freeze-out. Flush Fred thereupon raised a flag of truce, and he and Jim Maybie met Colonel Jeff Stacey and another between the lines, CHAPTER XXXITI. A GAME OF FREEZE-OUT, THE details of the proposed method of settling the dispute were easily arranged, and proved to be quite simple. Abijah Stacey was to be accompanied to the scene of the contest by two of bis friends, and Flush Fred would take two friends, the four to remain and watch the game, for the purpose of seeing that the champion of each side had fair lay. - Bagdac took with him Jim Maybie and Ben Stanniford, as men upon whom he could rely in any emergency, and with ’Bijah were the inevi- table Colonel Jeff and another. The six men proceeded to the place agreed upon, and the comrades whom they had left be- hind busied themselves with satisfying their ap- petites, which had by that time become pretty sharp set. A few men, however, were detailed from each party to loiter about in the direction taken by the champions, to see that there should be no foul play or interference, The others, especially on the side of the Inde- pendents, kept their weapons close to them, ready at a moment's notice to start up and begin fighting if it should be ssi The deserted cabin was within easy gunshot distance of the mouth of the lane near which the opposing forces were posted, and there was surely nothing suspicious about it. Tt would have been possible to lay an ambush in the vicinity; but Flush Ered had guarded © against that by sending a reliable man in ad- vance as a scout, If there had been any such danger, the alarm would have been instantly given. The champion from the river curiously ex- amined ’Bijah Stacey as soon as be met him. He saw a middle-aged man, of small stature and light weight, a lean and dried-up little fel- low, with a decidedly courtrified appearance as to his dress and features and actions. Tt seemed to Flush Fred that sucb a man was not to be feared by bim, physically or mentally or otherwise. Yet he knew that in many instances just such green and insignificant-looking countrymen had vanquished in various games some of the most skillful players, and therefore even *Bijah Stacey was not to be despised as an antago- nist. The deserted cabin, though it had evidentl not been used of late, was not dilapidated, and looked as if its former inhabitants migh have expected to return to it, as the single room below contained a cheap table and a few chairs, together with a corded bedstead, nthat room the six men disposed of them- selves as suited them, the two champions taking seats at the table, and the others sitting or standing about as they chose. Jim Maybie and Ben Stanniford were as watchful as cats, and, if there should be any sign of foul play, they might be depended on to notice it and guard against it. A question arose concerning the cards that should be used. SON : . — ee ee - ve | By en ie | P % ae ws ; * "4