Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 506 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

arose near the platform, room, and had listened with anxiety and grow- is a man sufferin 3 doctor has order — Quterbri litter and - made to a i Ww 0 had exposed hi . Tek or his prese a Uncle Hohaet's eyes glittered. (i, meres sho 12 Uncle iin (eh!) te RR aE ERE ERY SA US “ Description of criminals: “Gunnison Alf is twenty-five or thirty years old; medium hight; not heavy, but muscularly built; has the generai air of a gentleman; dresses in a genteel | manner; hair, brown; eyes, gray; hands unmarked | by. toil, Isaskillful card- -player and sharper. * Firefl in the Bast, she has the education and manners of | alady. Is tall, rather slender, finely formed and | graceful. Usually dresses expensively, but in good taste. Her hair is brown. but darker . 1an Gunnison | Alf's; her eyes are gray, large and brilliant, and her hands slender, sofc, white and beautiful. ‘*Both are of the sort who win confidence by their | arts. If seen, notify me. Law and safety demand their prompt arrest. “ Parrick SHAW ** Sheriff of Top-Notch, Col.” The voice of the reader died, but the big miner was ready to do his work, as reckless as the ma- jorit of men are at all crises. hat’s them!” be pronounced, loudly; ‘‘ the description fits like a glove.” “Tt certainly did ‘‘ fit,” as far as the personal description went, and Peggy experienced a fall- ing of spirits. She looked at J oseph and Vashti, and their dismayed expression took away what courage she had left. Innocent or guilty, they were alarmed by the accusation. ‘You have heard,” solemnly resumed Elia kim, ‘That message I received some days since, but deemed it prudent to keep it secret until now. Do you wonder that I suspected this couple from the first? Do you wonder that I have arrested them?” A deep, unanimous ‘‘ No!” broke from the | docile crowd, and the Ormes saw how terribly fate was against them—fate and Uncle Honest. The latter turned to them again. * For the last time, have you an explanation to make?” he asked. ** No!” firmly replied Joseph. “Do you admit that you are Gunnison Alf and Firefly Nell?” ‘‘ We deny it emphatically. We never heard of the persons named until you read that PoP Time will prove. You will be held prisoner here until the Sheriff of Top-Notch can get to our town.” ** How long will that be?” ‘* A month, perhaps.” “But it is very necessary that I should re- sume m er os a ‘** No doubt!” dryly interrupted Uncle Honest, ‘* Gentlemen,” exclaimed the prisoner, moved | once more to effort, ‘I declare to you that you are wrong. I never before heard of the parties you have named, and [ am not a fugitive from justice, Neither is my sister. We are innocent of all ae , and [ beg that you will show me Tam wi ing to ay you—” “ What!” cried Uncle Bnest, ‘*does he offer to cam us? Oh! infamous act! Ob! depth of woe There was an angry shout from the crowd, and they declared their detestation of any one who was base enough to suppose that honest Eliakim Outerbridge would accept a bribe. “Throw them into the dungeon!” shouted Tsaac, angrily. _ The slender form of venerable Cyrus Graham He had entered the ing consternation. He had been about the only ent person present, but, though well aware) that he was inviting danger, he felt that he must speak now. “Mr. Outerbridge, can I ask a favor?” he in- quired. ‘“We will hear you,” was the unpromising ai One of the prisoners is a lady, and the other from severe injury. The that he keep his bed and receive ail possible care for some days, addin that if this is not done, permanent injury wi be the result.” “T believe Orme’s injury is only a pretense,” interrupted Uncle Honest. ** Then why did you send a litter to bring him here?” Eliakim started and stared blankly at the u rs ego for a moment; then a flush appeared in his face. The retort had been the most accur- ate of shots, while the boldness of it almost took e's breath away. The sending of the own words could not possibly be , and the Peace r then and there conceived a violent hatred for the man m. ‘I do not think my course needs to be ex- plained, ” he weakly replied, “ We will let that pass, The favor I want to ask is this: Doctor Hartley, a capable Pepa at that Orme is injured and suffering. a parole him into my hands, and im doctored at my home, I will be rebel nce when wanted,” “You have ee yourself, sir,” he said, - with more venom than cemaker ought to ; “I unde a now why you in- e. Youclaim that you never saw Orme l yest sidatins. Would you a yourself re- ible for an utter stran eng Assuredly not! ye you know all about Orme; that es 2, fleemg from pag he came here to find a sure | | Nellis twenty, or more, years old. Born | | refuge with you; that bis asserted injury is only a cunning scheme to ward off suspicion and in- vestigation; and that you and Orme are birds of like feather. I accuse you of being his ac- complice!” Graham stood dumfounded. He had inter- fered out of pure kindness, and he was too aged a man to bravely bear the unjust accusation brought against him. An angry murmur arose from the crowd, and | Graham knew that his career at Hornets’ Nest was drawing to a disastrous, if not tragic, end. The ban of the Leather-Jacket League was upon him. Uncle Honest knew that he had the game all in his ownhands. The roar of the crowd showed that they were with him; their angry looks re- vealed the force of their resentment. against Graham; and the Peacemaker had only to direct the storm. “‘T think, valued fellow-citizens!” he con- tinued, ‘* that we know how to deal with Cyrus Graham. I have always looked upon him with suspicion. When we gave the horse-thief, Blizzard-winged Ben, over to justice, I had sus- picions of Graham, but I spared him because of his old age.’ ‘* Don’t do it ag’in!” roared the big miner. ‘* Assuredly, I will not; justice must now be done, and punishment shall be swift. I her eby declare all the real-estate of Cyrus Graham for- feitea to the town of Hornets’ Nest, and the same shall be sold at public auction to ‘the high- est bidder, to-morrow at ten o’clock, and the proceeds, turned treasury.” The last hope drifted away from Graham. He knew the prevailing way at Hornets’ Nest: he knew that law and justice gave place to Uncle Honest’s peculiar rules; and he saw himself iss Zaps at one stroke, was speechless, but it was not so with as usual, into the town Pegg Shes sprung to her feet with flashing e “ You coward!—oh! you coward!” facing Eliakim unwaveringly, ‘* How dare you rob an old man of all he bas in the world? Is this your boasted reform? Men of Hornets’ Nest, are you so dead to noble feelings that you will allow this outrage to go on?” The eldest Leather-J. i caught her arm. ‘** Be still!” he fiercely ordered. ‘“‘ Not for you, Isaac Outerbridge.” ‘* [ll find a way to make you.” ‘Do with me as you will, I shall not stand idle and see you rob my father.” “Your father!” sneered Isaac. not a fit person to talk of a ‘father? Cyrus Graham is not your parent, and the Lord only knows who is.’ ‘* What is that to you?” retorted Porgy ‘‘A good deal, as you shall see, You have carried a high hand in this game. I sup like other women, you think the privilege of your sex will allow se to utter all the venom at ossible, but you shall be shown to the contrary. itizens, we have here an impudent miss, who has vilely insulted my good, gray-haired father. I say that Cyrus Graham is not her father. Who knows who is, or was?” A woman arose solemnly to her feet. **T do!” she affirmed. ‘Good! Tell us all, Mrs. Potter.” The woman, who was fat and forty, if not a day cried, ‘* You are fair, looked at Peggy sharply. Viciousness was expressed in that gaze, but ber tongue was un- der better control just then, ‘*T am grieved to speak,” she said, *‘ but dut ty must be done, I am a member of the Woman's Consolidated Temperance Union; of the Central Africa Missionary Financial Committee; of the Aunt Betsey Sewing Society; of the Woman's Amalgamated Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Grizzly Bears; and of the Woman’s | Rights International Liberty League; and as mt I should be but poorly doing my duty if I kept silence at such a critical period as this.” netuously the long sentence rolled off her tongue. Sbe was about to strike an enemy, and she felt that low arosiys which only a grovel- ing mind can feel at such a moment, ‘Proceed, dear sister!” blandly directed Elia- kim Outerbridge, smiling on the aforesaid ‘ sister.’ ‘‘That shameless female,”—here Mrs, Potter pointed to Peggy—*“ is really named Ursula Jeffreys, and she is the daughter of Garrett Jeffreys, the train-wrecker who was hung about a year ago!” CHAPTER XV. UNCLE HONESTY IS RUDELY OPPOSED. Ir was an hour of triumph for Mrs, Charity Potter. She had hated Feeey, and though her malicious tongue had long ore spread the news to all who would listen, it was a great gratification to her to stand thew and, as she regarded it, Jae Sra Peggy in public. on was robbed of a part of her triumph; ay did not grow angry in turn, make a vain ek nor sbow signs of grief, dismay and i a denial guineas however, and from an unex- pected quarte “It’s a lie ! declared Peter Oniegheten, y. bluntly, as he handled his revolver nervo <: j ‘ | Pe es . wr Vt : ‘ in . he was killed fighting like a man, with knife and revolver against bim.” w Perhaps you can deny that he was a train- wrecker?” snapped Mrs, Potter. ** 1] don’t deny it.” ** Or that this girl is his daughter?” ** See here, old woman, don’t mistake me for a temperance class,” rudely directed Peter, ‘*‘ Keep your catechism for your weak-blooded con- ibe ? ‘“My boy!—my Uncle Honest, “Garrett Jeffreys was not hung dear boy!” remonstrated ‘pray do not let us quarrel. Peace on earth and good will to men should be our motto.” Having preached the doctrine of good will to men, he turned and proceeded to crush a help- less ‘“* Pray, Mrs. Potter, tel] us all you know about this lamentable affair,” he continued. **T know enough,” declared Mrs, Potter, with se paps indignation. ‘*] hope no one here l accuse me of having known the miserable parties, for I am a Christian woman, and so much as the touch of their hands would be a disgrace to me, But this ldo know—Garrett Jeffreys was a train-wrecker and a road-agent, and if he was not hung he ought to have been.” Considering this logic overwhelming, Mrs. Potter looked severely at Peter. She could not forget his blunt comment upon the statement of the honored head of the Woman’s Consolidated Tem rance Union. ven the viper leaves an offspring,” resum- ed the eloquent lady, ‘‘and Garrett Jeffreys left one. That is her!” Pointing at Peggy the speaker tried to make the announcement thrilling, but as it was only a repetition, it was less striking than her gram- mar, ‘* Thank Providence,” she went on,” Ido not know the particulars of that dreadful affair but it seems that an ignorant hunter called. Yank Yellowbird took it upon himself to help the girl, and he brought her here, I presume he would have lied about her if it had been ne- cessary, but with such as the Grahams, it was not; they took in the train-wrecker’s daughter as willing as though she had been respectable, and we who walk in righteous paths—we were forced to keep her company!” Mrs, Potter pursed up her lips, and rolled her eyes upward in an ecstasy of high moral virtue. Probably she was praying that she might be pS ardoned for breathing the same air breathed y the tram-wrecker’s daughter. Once more Cyrus Graham started forward. ‘*T must and will speak!” he declared. “* This attack upon Peggy is utterly base. Is she re- sponsible for what her father did? Yank ellowbird, the noblest of men, knew what he was about when he took charge of her, He had known her well; she had proved her rare good- vess of heart; and when she was left alone in the world, he took her and brought her tome, I have found her a good, kind, obedient girl, and she is all that is nob e. I wish I could say as much for every woman. ‘Meaning me?” ns pla asked Mrs, Pot- f. ‘* Meaning you!” said Graham, boldly. ** Sir, Iscorn you!” “Thank heaven!” **Oh! oh! He grows profane!” ‘¢ At least, I do not attack the helpless and in- nocent.” ‘*¢ Your opinions are of no consequence,” icily declared Mrs. Potter. ‘‘I refer all to the Central Africa Missionary Financial Commit- tee, or the—” l-Yes, yes, Goodwife Potter,” interrupted Uncle Honest, alarmed at the prospect of hear- ing the ponder ous names of all Mrs, Potter’s he- loved societies again repeated; ‘“‘ we all know rae reputation, And we now know this irl’s,’ . . He looked severely at the ‘ girl.” Peggy’s cheeks were very pink and her eyes very Rene The story of her past did not trouble her, for she had never denied it, but she saw the venomous hatred of Mrs, Potter and the deep plotting of Outerbridge back of it, and she aid not intend to be crushed without an ef- ort, ‘““My decision is as follows,” added Uncle Honest. ‘‘ The Ormes shall be imprisoned and held for trial; Graham’s poopanty: is confiscated to the town and he is held for trial as an ally of the Ormes; and the girl, Peggy, is given five hours to leave town!” “ What!” Peggy exclaimed. “You are banished from Hornets’ Nest. We will not tolerate such a woman here, and the sooner you go the better. If you are found here at the expiration of five hours the other women arm themselves with sticks and drive you — away!” There had been a stir in the crowd, but every one was too much interested in the scene on the platform to observe who the two men were who — were pushing their way forward. Eliakim Outerbridge saw nothing, and he heard nothing until a tremendous thump on the — floor attracted his attention. He turned and saw a tall man towering ahoyy ‘comicbooks: cc hk Fauk®