Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 506 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

P=s Pes ad rw EI we i Seer oe - — — — ODay — =. _ ee ae —_ ce —_ ad —_—_—_—— - — - —- EE ‘ Uncle Honest. — 25 — ee ee ‘That was because there was an order out for your arrest, too. It would have been exe- cuted had you come here before dark. I saved you because you were Peggy’s friends, I’ve helped her all I can, and [’m ready to do more. Marry me, Peggy, aud freedom shall be ours, ** Thank you very much, but I must decline,” she returned. ‘‘ Don’t force me to repeat this again, please. We may as well understand each other right away. You are kind, Mr. Outerbridge, but, once and for all, I positively must decline to become your wife.” The Leather-Jacket’s face did not change. ‘* So be it, then,” he answered.: ‘* Prepare to return to your quarters at City Hall.” ** What if I don’t want to?” **T am once more an officer of Hornets’ Nest. It is my duty to take you back, and I shall not neglect it.” ‘**Can’t we induce ye ter change your mind?” inquired the mountaineer, * No. I would have been your ally if the girl had allowed it, but she would not. When you and I first met, Yellowbird, we had a quarrel, I felt bitter toward you, and I would never have entered up the truce now existing only for Peggy. She has seen fit to throw me over, and the truce is off. I seek no quarrel with you, but no more friendly warnings will you get from me. lam again the deputy-sheriff of this town,” Peter spoke with cold resolution, but they were not satisfied. Doctor Mark, who had re- mained silent thus far, now began an argu- ment, but the Leather-Jacket stopped bim at once, ** Say no more,” he directed; ‘‘ the girl goes back to prison!” At that moment a well-known voice was heard outside—the voice of Uncle Honest. It acted like magic upon Peter, and he sprung to the door and assumed a listening attitude. e need not have taken that trouble, for the words which followed were distinctly audible to all in the room. ‘* Where are they now?” came in Eliakim’s voice, but with a sharp, stern utterance. ‘* Inside,” replied one of the guards. ‘* Have you watched at the rear?” ‘* No, sir.” ‘‘ Then in all human probability, the birds are flown, The game has been well planned, and you are left to watch an empty house. Isaac, enter the house, and let us know the worst.” During this conversation Peter had not been idle. He had turned the key in tbe door, and he now spoke quickly to Yank and Hartley. ** Quick!” he exclaimed. ‘‘ Place the big box against the door—yes, and the stove—the table —anything to make a barricade!” The door was tried from the outside, but it did not yield. ' ‘* Break it in!” ordered Uncle Honest. A heavy form was dashed against the obstacle, but Peter’s * ipa i shoulder was set against the inner side, and it was unavailing. By this time Yank and Mark were ready with the box —an unwieldy affair made of slabs split by Graham from a solid tree—it was duly placed as a barricade, It was evident that Peter had not been sin- cere when he declared his intention of pag Peggy back to the City Hall, or he would no have inade a movement toward resistance. He had not yet gone so far that his conduct could not have been plausibly explained, but, quiet as he was, he was determined not to give Peggy up. Ske was clear of the City Hall; if she went back she might never be in his grasp again. -He had determined to fight for her; to oppose his father and brothers to the end, however Dbit- ter that might be. Jt was a mad idea, yet he was not going into it in momentary passion, He had never been cooler. He had decided to risk his life, and regarded it as the business of nobody but himself. He hoped to escape with- out a severe fight, but if this was forced upon him, he hoped to cut his way through, In any case he had coolly, deliberately put his life in jeopardy to achieve his object—to possess Peggy—and be had enough of the bull- dog resolution of the Outerbridges not to falter for a moment, ; The men outside were still trying to force the door, but it did not yield in the least. Then Uncle Honest was heard to order them to desist. ‘* If they are in the house we have everything in our own hands,” he added, ‘‘ and we need not worry. Have the house surrounded, Isaac, and make sure that nobody leaves secretly. Then we will give attention to the windows. They Me not ap hand octor Mark turned anxi 4 *'W hat is to be 7 se aoe ag es ** Fight!” tersely answered Peter. ‘That is all well enough, but how will it end? They can call the whole village to their aid,” “I am not to be taken alive!” announced young Outerbridge, with desperate calmness, ** Unhappily, our death will not save Peggy.” ** It will be a costly victory for them.” ; With these words Peter cast off bis coat, This left no 1mpediment to the free action of his arms but the loose flannel shirt he wore, aad it revealed the magnificent proportions of his body, his shoulders and his arms in a way cal- culated to excite the deepest admiration, He was rushing headlong to doom, but he bad the grandeur of a wounded pe succumbing to its foes. Never while life lasted would those with him in the room forget the spectacle he made. He had deliberately turned against those with whom he had served all the years of his misguided life, but his calmness was un- shaken in the face of the danger he was daring. Lawless criminal that he was, he aroused pity in Peggy’s mind. ‘*Go!” she exclaimed. ‘‘ Your place is not here. Go to your brethren!” ‘*T shall never go to them; they can come to me when I am finished!” he resolutely replied. ‘*Girl, you think that gon know these men, but I know them better. ou had better not fall into their hands alive. ver, and seek the tender mercy of its contents!” He extended the weapon, but Peggy grew pale at the thought, and shrunk back. ** No, no!” she gasped. **] have a good mind—” Thus far spoke the Leather-Jacket, and his gaze was bent on ber, with a wild light in his eyes. He half-raised the revolver, but Doctor Mark caught his hand. Sea what would you do?’ Hartley cried, ‘*Tt would be mercy to her.” ‘Would you stain your hands with such a crime?” | “All here are doomed, I know Eliakim Outerbridge and his way. We who are men can die fighting, but that chance is denied her, Have your own way, though; I shall look only to myself now.” ** Do you really mean to fight against them?” ae I do.” ‘Yet you think they will kill you?” “I know it. ave fair warning from Eliakim Outerbridge; be told me what he would do if I turned against them, and he knows now that lL have done it. The whole thing is settled, but they have not silenced me yet!” He looked to his revolvers, and stood ready for work. Yank Yellowbird had been the silent man of the party. While the others talked he thought, and it must be confessed that be found the pros- pect too dark to admit one ray of light. He knew that when the assault came they could hold the house only a very brief time. There were more windows on the lower floor than they had men, and. the storming would soon be over. If they stayed to face the attack, they would at last be compelled to figbt like cornered rats, and die in a fight against overwhelming odds, He suddenly aroused. ‘Thar is only one way ter do!” he exclaimed. ** What is that?” demanded Hartley. ‘*Make a dash fur freedom, an’ try ter cut our way through. It is the one way left, by hurley!” ‘Tren Lam with you. A sortie it is.” ‘‘ What d’ye say, Peter?” added the moun- taineer. ‘* ’'d as soon die there as anywhere,” ‘* We're all agreed. Throw open the door, an’ we'll try like the mischief ter pass their lines!” _ CHAPTER XXXII. _THE FIRST BREAK IN PHE CHAIN, _ THE plan was formed, and they lost no time in trying to execute it. Desperate as it looked, there was not a total lack of chances in their favor. It was neither probable that a large force was outside nor that the presence of Yank and Doctor Mark in the house was suspected, and arush for freedom was just the thing for which the enemy would not look, The barricade was quickly and almost noise- lessly removed from the door, and then Doctor Mark turned back the key, Nevermiss flung open the door. A breath of fresh air rushed in. The night was of medium darkness, and a view was ob- tained of the immediate vicinity. They saw men—more of them than had been ex, ected— but not a solid body.. The rush was made at once. Hartley and Peter, by direction, went first, and Yank followed with one arm around Peggy. Straight ahead they went, their faces toward the otber men. A struggle must come, and they would not avoid it for a moment; the bolder their own movements, the better their chance of success, Uncle Honest’s men were only a few feet away, and the battle began at once. Who struck the first blow the survivors never could say afterward, They were only conscious that it began, and that, from the very first, it was a desperate struggle. The assailants had the mo- mentary advantage at a surprise, but their ad- venear ee quickly recovered und gave blow for ow. They endeavored to beat down and capture the smaller party, while the latter tried resolute- ly to eut their way through, To Doctor Mark it was like a scene from Bed- lam, or something as bad. Having been a man of peace and of medicine he was now in new work, and he found it confusing. At the same Here! take this revol-, time he managed to see a good deal. He had armed himself with a club-like stick when in the kitchen, as a better weapon with which to force a passage than a revolver, and as be swung this ga he saw Yank by his side fighting like a ero, The mountaineer had left the best years of his life behind him, but his strength and activity seemed to have suffered no decrease. Few men, even in the Wild West, could bold their own against him, and his fame as a bard fighter was wide-spread. Further from them, and fighting independent- ly, was Peter Outerbridge, His work was des- perate, headlong and remarkable, and those who felt the weight of his strong arms would never forget it—unless recollection was already stilled by death, Twice the Leather-Jacket might have forced his way through, but be seemed ob- livious of the fact. It was nodevotion to Peggy that kept him back, but he was under the of the ruling powers at last, bimself, and he had but one idea—to fight to the last. There was another factor in thecase. Yank’s grim, shaggy dog was in his element. He had ought all kinds of foes by his master’s side, and that was his position now. More than one man felt the animal’s remorseless jaws. Incumbered as Yank was, he might, perhaps, have failed to hold his own, but every time a hand wasstretch- ed out to grasp Peggy, Moses flew at the throat of the offender. And no man passed the line Moses had elected himself to guard. Yank Yellowbird’s chief anxiety was in re- gard to reinforcements. Those then opposed to them did not constitute an overwhelming force, but if more came their last chance would be 5 Suddenly the hostile party wavered, and the little band broke through and fled. They were not far from the friendly hills, and in obedience to a breathless command from Nevermiss they ran forward. Doctor Mark had taken Peggy’s other arm, while Moses followed close after, but frequently looked back as though he would rather fight than run. Yank had for the time Ay ess Peter, but as he looked around he saw the voung Leather- Jacket not far away. He was following, but not in a direct line with them. At first the mountaineer thought that he was staying back to guard the rear, but a closer scrutiny revealed the facts to Yank’s experienced eyes. He saw that Peter was moving heavily, un- steadily, and the cause was easily imagined. ‘* Young Outerbridge is wounded!” he mut- tered, uneasily. The speaker abated his speed somewhat, but Doctor Mark spoke quickly... wid We can’t put ourselves in jeopardy for him.’ ‘* He fought with us!” exclaimed Peggy. ‘‘ We must not desert him now.” Her will was law, and as there was no sign of poratinn they halted. Peter staggered toward them, ‘** Be ye hurt, mister?” Nevermissed asked. “Tye got a scratch or two,” answered the Leather-Jacket, in a hoarse voice. ‘Was it a blow?” “Twas a knife in my ribs,” ““That so? I’m mortal sorry, Hyar, doctor, give him yer arm. We won't desart a com- rade—” : ‘* Let me alone!” muttered Peter, in a machine- like way. ‘‘The jig is up. I said we couldn’t any of us escape, and we can’t. It’s sure death to op Eliakim Outerbridge, and I always knew it. You'd done better to take my advice, ~ girl, and commit suicide, but it ain’t too late et. You sball not fall into their hands alive. *}1 save you!” Before any one suspected his intention he had resented a revolver to Peggy’s head, It was oaded, and for a moment her life was in sore peril, but there was a quick head and a quick arm at hand. Yank struck up the revolver, and it was harnilessly discharged in the air. *‘ Land o’ Goshen, man!” cried Yank, ‘“‘ would ye commit sech an atrocious murder?” ‘‘T did it for her sake—” : The words were the last_which ever passed Peter Outerbridge’s lips. Half a dozen rifles suddenly rung out near the Graham cottage, and as many bullets whistled toward the fugitives. Peter started, clasped both hands to his breast, reeled and fell heavily to the ground, Not a word escaped him, and he did not stir after he fell. Nevermiss knew what that fall meant, but he bent over the fallen man. ‘*‘ Dead!” he uttered, simply, and not without feeling. ’ Lond voices were heard bebind them. _ ‘* Come!” exclaimed Doctor Mark, hurriedly, “The pursuit is begun—it is madness to stay here!” Yank sprung to his feet. Hecast one glan toward the quarter of danger, and then clas his arm around Fegsy again. He bad had a chance to regain bis bréath, and he pow put forth every effort. His speed, as he ran toward the hills, was something remarkable. Peggy was almost lifted from her feet, and Doctor Mark found it all he could do to keep up, while GEomicbooks © aii |_ MS (E