Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 506 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

rer VY OODr 7° Rev, t Teer 6 wy we ft WY YS ee) «OCT aS ok ghia A Se eel oe Se ee A t aN & 1 =O Very we“ Tr o# Qs DP CON FH BRD She sees fit, _ bad, my only way ter git rid on’t is ter the others near at hand, and the tall man stretched out one arm toward Peggy and ex- claimed, in a ringing voice: ‘‘The man who lays his hand on that little woman in voylence will git a condemn’d sick- ness—yes, or the woman, too, by hurley!” Yank Yellowbird! He towered there like an angel of wrath. His mild face had grown stern; his genial mouth was grim and fixed; his eyes blazed righteous indignation; and his counte- nance was to the disciples of iniquity like a lightning-charged storm-cloud. t was his ponderous rifle, heavily grounded, that had made the startling ‘‘ thump,” and there he stood, Peggy’s champion, prepared to es- _— A cause against all the rest of the world, if n : There was brief silence—an ominous silence. Yank Yellowbird was known there only b sight, but he was well known by reputation. If few had spoken with him, all bad heard of him often, and bis reputation startled the plotters. His history was written on the rugged sides of the mountain defiles; on the dark paths of the forests; on the wide stretches of the prairies and the lonely regions of the wilderness lakes; and in the grateful hearts of the honest people he had befriended. Many a villain knew him, too, but, there knowledge was as dwarfed as the perverse, evil heart of the wrong-doer. Such men hated Yank as much as they feared him. Uncle Honest and the Leather-Jackets looked hard at the man who had so boldly and rudely interrupted him. His fearless defiance, coupled with his reputation, gave them a sensation which a common man could not have aroused, but the Peacemaker finally remembered that he had nearly all Hornets’ Nest at his back, and his courage returned. ss What unseemly brawler is this?” he asked. I’m a brawler who means business,” calmly replied the mountaineer. “I’m the inemy o atrocious Insex o° all sorts, an’ I’m partic’ler p’ison ter egregious snakes, I never brawl] with- out good cause, but when I do brawl thar isa good ’ea] o’ muskle in it,” . Brawling is not allowed in this court, sir.” : I s’pose you think it a mean thing ter do?” . Yes, sir.” ‘* Then this is jest the place for it. Tis said that birds o’ a feather should flock inter the same coop, an’ I don’t know whar you'll find Fee (eareeinue: pence Ne ter the squar’ inch ‘than hyar. id 1 onderstand you ter ‘was banished from this town rid eae feibead sé Yes.” ‘* What for?” - ‘** Because she is a train-wrecker’s daughter, and honest people must not be contaminated by ee near the girl,” ** An’ you would drive her out ef willin’?” ‘* We shall.” ‘I'll bet my rifle ag’in’ a jack-knife that you won’t do anything o’ the sort. Peggy is m ward, an’ the air o’ the mountains is free ter ‘The little woman will stay hyar jest as long as away will werine’ man a. tries ter drive her ast sickn se - get thrashed like sixty og ye _ ace more the tall mountaineer thum h rifle upon the floor, and those nearest him tien php - The rifle, as well as the man, was pro- Tictive of awe. The Indians had not named hs in their peculiar fashion for nothing, hey called him ‘* Nevermiss,” and the name was not to be misinterpreted. Eliakim Outerbridge was very angry, but for the first time since he ruled Hornets’ Nest he ne pemeat disturbed by opposition. aw and order m a tested, ust be preserved!” he pro- . Yowre right, by mighty!” agreed Never- miss, ‘* It must, an’ it shall, of 1 hev ter mas- ‘sacre a few dozen atrocious insex ter do it! I’m an awful sufferer with malignant newrolgy, but the only effeck on my systerm is ter make me anxious ter fight. When the newrolgy pains get ter snappin’ an’ warpin’ she don’t go my jints mo ! fight.” ‘{ warn you not to make any disturbance here,” ** How’s that?” r ye will splerae no fighting here,” 0 you expeck me ter see Pe dri t 2’ town an’ say nothin’?” La ghia _, Law and order must be maintained,” Do with them as you see fit, mister, but don’t baat doth : @ edict is pr ced,” ** The which? pepunents .f rex decree—the order.” n’ you say Pe ’ 1 do, sir. y Peggy must go? n’ J say she ghall ” mountaineer, with ae Bap a sheen on 108 : | emp ; he’s a lega citizen o Hornets Nest, an’ though the Lord knows that ain t no honor, she don’t leave until she get’s good an’ ready. Woe be ter him who molests the little woman!” Resolutely spoke the veteran, but Uncle Hon- est felt that the time had come for him to assert his authority, Turning to lsaac, he sol- emply said: “The spirits of evil are at work, and the fair ‘Uncle Honest. fame of our teloved town will be ruthlessly despoiled unless we act promptly. In the name of the outraged people, I call upon you to arrest that unseemly brawler!” and he pointed. to Yank, CHAPTER XVI. THE BARBAROUS MOUNTAINEER, Isaac heard the order with pleasure. His savage disposition had been fretting under the check to the Outerbridge authority. It had al- ways been hard for him to act the hypocritical art which Uncle Honest had made the rule of is life. Isaac was bold, imperious and domi- neering, and it was his way torule by undis- guised force. He promptly started toward Yank, The sympathies of the deluded citizens, male and female, were with him, They regarded Yank as a barbarian who had come down from the wild mountains to disturb their peaceful town with lawless deeds, and they were anxious to see him arrested. The moment of triumph seemed at hand when Sheriff Isaac advanced so boldly. Straight toward Nevermiss he proceeded, but the mountaineer did not waver in the least, ‘*Do you want anything hyar?” he asked, ‘‘T want you /” growled Isaac, ‘¢-You can’t have me,” The sheriff had stretched out one big hand, as though to grasp Nevermiss and have it all over in a moment, but as the latter “poke he sudden- ly seized Isaac’s sleeve. A aig e twist, quickly anc peculiarly executed, and Isaac was tossed over against the Taio which was all that saved him from falling. ‘** Keep off!” Yank then exclaimed, in a ring- ing voice. ‘I ain’t here to be arrested, an’, by hurley! I won’t be arrested. I claim my rights as a free tramper o’ the West, an’ I'll see that I get ’em, I’m hyar for that purpose.” With a single bound he gained the platform and took position by Peggy’s side, ‘‘ Whar’s the man who wants to arrest me?’ he added, Not a trace of excitement was visible in his manner, and his coolness in such a crisis gave Uncle Honest an uncomfortable feeling, He re- membered the many tales told of the mountain- man’s prowess, and felt that it would be well to temporize. : Isaac was pushing forward in new rage, but his father stopped him, ‘‘ Let us have peace here!” Eliakim directed, his voice trembling slightly. ‘‘ Far be it from me to wish to shed the blood of this misguided man.” ‘‘ Never mind my blood!” serenely answered Nevermiss; ‘‘ P’ll Jook out for that.” ‘‘ Tet me at him!” hissed Isaac, keeping his wrath'in bounds only by a powerful effort, ‘‘Be calm, my son, calm!” inepranee the Peacemaker. ‘ Let us not stain the fair record of our loved town by one rough act, Rest as- sured, some way shall be found to protect the eople. é This plea did not seem to affect Isaac greatly, but Aaron began whispering to him rapidly. ‘‘ Yellowbird,” pursued Uncle Honest, *t you are making a great mistake.” ** How so?” ‘““You havea very fair reputation, and you are ruining it all by your lawless course.” ‘* Would you have me stan’ idle an’ see wrong done a harmless woman?” ‘‘Would you have her remain here and cor- rupt the esteemed sisters of the town?” ‘*t How will she corrupt them?” ‘‘ She is a train-wrecker’s daughter.” “ Ts that all you know ag’in’ her?’ ‘* Tsn’t that enough?” ‘No, by hurley, it ain’t enough. ‘Round whar [’ve been livin’ it's common to jedge folks by themselves, not by the record o’ their ances- tors, an’ that’s jest what is goin’ to be done here, Peggy is goin’ ter be jedged by her own acts in this town, an’ I onderstand nobody has a word ter say ag’in’ her.” Mrs, Charity Potter arose, grim and severe. ‘*T have something to say,” she announced, ‘Spit it out, mum, spit it out,” ‘‘That girl is a disgrace to Hornets’ Nest,” affirmed the woman, ‘‘ Give particulars, ef you please.” ‘*She has infamously traduced the natives of Central Africa, and.when we collected money to buy a gross of Doctor Watts’s hymns to send to them, she scoffed in an unfeeling and skeptical way. Having made this statement the philanthropic lady sat down as though the case was settled and Peggy’s guilt abundantly proved, ‘* This ain’t so serious a matter as it might be, mum,” answered Nevermiss, his native bumor coming to the surface. ‘‘The Afrikay folks couldn’t wear Watts’s hymns fur clothes, an’ they’d lay mortal bard on the stummick ef they eat them, so I consait Peggy had somé grounds fur her opposition. Anyhow, I sha’n’t agree ter bavin’ her expelled without we summon Doctor Watts as a witness, It’s a serious matter ter be expelled. My gran'father's venerable parent Adam Yellowbird, was driv’ out o’ the aeten ® : lt rite op sate eee eon o’ Eden, whar his ancestors had lived fur seven generations, an’ the old gentleman never got over the shock.” Uncle Honest let the mountaineer talk with- out interruption, and, on the whole, he was glad that Yank had assumed a facetious mood, The Peacemaker was no fool, and he had read the hunter well while they stood there. Witha town at his back he might well defy almost any man, whatever his reputation migbt be, but Uncle Honest had no desire to defy Yank. The man had awakened his fears, and he decided that a fight, even though it ended in his favor would recoil upon himself, He believed there was a safer way to deal with the veteran. He determined to makea truce, and then strike him unawares. A single knife-stroke when Nevermiss was off his guard would prevent scandal, and, perhaps, save the lives of some of the Leather-Jackets. With this treacherous scheme in mind he was ready to speak when the mountaineer ceased. ‘‘Mr. Yellowbird,” he said, in his blandest manner, ‘‘you are very much in the wrong here, but peace and good-will have always been the guiding principles of my _life. Believin that you mean well, I am_ willing to overloo your rude interference, and you will not be ar- rested,” ‘‘'Bleeged to ye, by hurley!” quoth Yank, with a twinkle in his gray eyes.’ ‘*'You are free to go.” ** Go whar?” ‘* Anywhere you see fit.” * What about Peggy?” ‘J will extend her time for leaving Hornets’ Nest to one week, to please you.” ‘““You're egregious kind, but she won’t go then, neither.” ‘** We will talk of that Jater.” ‘*Tbhar is likely ter be somethin’ said ef the little woman is merlested.” ‘ Sheriff,” pursued Uncle Honest, “ your only prisoners are the Ormes, Take good care of them.” Peggy looked anxiously at Yank, but he shook his head, He was not less shrewd than Eliakim. The fact that he had won victory on one point did not make him so foolhardy as to suppose that he could rule Hornets’ Nest in all things by the solitary power of his arms and wits. He knew where to draw the line, and he drew it at the Ormes. They must for the time submit to imprisonment, but this did not mean that he abandoned them. Whoever worked for them must work in the dark, for their story was still untold, and it was necessary to have a consultation and de- cide how far it was advisable to fight their case, If unswerving devotion was thought right, Nevermiss was fertile with expedients. | He now carried out his part in the programme without any sbow of interest in the Ormes, He lightly told Peggy to say good-by for the time to Vashti, at the same time giving her a signifi- cant look, and she didnot rebel. She,as well _ as Vashti and Joseph, had come to look upon ‘Yank as their champion and one hope, and they were sensible enough to let the matter rest as he evidently wished, . . As soon as he could do so without showing un- due haste, the mountaineer got Peggy out of the room, She was followed by many a savage ance, especially on the part of the women, ut her guard was increased by the nomen of the dog, Moses, to Yank, and the animal looked , £ : , ad 2 y an ° Pal L ’ ' , ‘ VY iw t he ve vueaill ue - ready to spring at the throatof anyone who ~~ molested them. p tase Ae Cyrus Graham followed, and the party start- ed toward the latter’s home, Sy ‘*T saw Doctor Mark inside,” said Peggy, ina low voice. 4s en ‘**He was thar,” Yank agreed. Dd Pi ‘*Is be angry with us, or why didn’thetake — place by your side?” , , mos) “Cause [ ordered him not to, He wasready enough, the doctor was; but he’d got strick | orders from me. We ain’t so powerfulthat we kin win on muskle, an’ we've got ter resort to — strategy. We want a friend in the inemy’s camp, an’ Pye given the doctor his orders. — ain’t ter show no interest out o’ thecommonin =| us, but keep right in with the Dirty-Jacke6b ~— crowd, an’ git allthe pints he can, Tllseehim on the sly now an’ then, an’ ef be an’ I culls eee up some plan ter beat them atrocious insex, ’m mortally mistook.” Lo ‘*Your plan is, beyond doubt, the best. In _ this case, at least, strategy is better than open — i | resistance,” io | “Tt’s a good thing at any time, an’ it runs in | a” q gran’father, the Revolutionary relict, Ws erent ae | the Yellowbird fam’ly, does strategy. on the tick-tacks o’ war, an’ he could k more 0’ the inemy by his plans than any other gin’ral ever killed in battle, He’ddrawrupa | paper, my gran’father would. with a fulllisto’ the dead an’ wounded, an’ I must say the ~ slaughter was great. It’s a pity his b a could never be fit in reality, for he had the tick- _ tacks down so fine he’d soon hev depoperlated the inemy.” ak Ala Talking genially the mountaineer escorted — Feeey home, but nothing could raise ber “tee rmes were in the hands of the Leath The m Eomicboo