Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 531 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

28 ‘* Sir!” sbe exclaimed, breathlessly, ‘‘ that wo- man is back!” “What!” ‘‘ Hsther Bastion and her girl are here, and she’s brought Mr. Edwards and Mr, Stoughton with ber.’ ‘* What does she want?” ‘**T don’t exactly know, but I think you’d bet- ter come in, sir.” Perham thought so, too, The andacity of the Bastions in venturing to invade the house again | stung him to the quick, and gave him courage | _ prisoner!” quite new to him. He forgot his errand and marched into the house. e knew Edwards and Stoughton well—they were mine-owners— and was confident that they did not come as his enemies, unless Esther had lied greatly to them. He entered the sitting-room and found the two gentlemen there, with Esther and her daughter as their companions, eyes flashed at sightof the minister, and her tongue moved at once. ‘There he is!” she cried; ‘‘ there he is, an’ I ain’t a-goin’ ter submit ter outrage no longer. What I have endured nobody can tell. It’s be’n outrageous, an’ my maternal feelin’s has been voylated an’ trod under foot. I trust Iam Mrs. Bastion’s | not a woman gi’n ter brawlin’ nor unseemly | carryin’s on, but even a saint will hold up her chin an’ hey her rights when exhasperatin’ly cut ter a vital part, which same isthe heart, Ive been meek an’ loug-sufferin’ but [’'m goin’ ter speak out!” She glared at Perham, defying opposition, but he waved his hand calmly. ** Proceed, Mrs. Bastion!” **T hope, Mr. Perham, you won’t misunder- stand our presence here,” began Edwards, anx- iously; but Esther interrupted and drowned him out. She bad something tosay; sbe was determined to say it; and no one made a single move to in- terrupt as she rattled off the story. ‘* My name was Esther Harkins when I wasa gal, an’ef | do say it, thar wasn’t many could take the shine out o’ me; but I won’t brag. Av’ at that time that man there—the lofty par- son—used ter come courtin’ me, an’ he was sweet as honey, but he was too lank an’ green a me, an’ I sent him flyin’. But that ain’t my story. She flashed a malevolent glance upon Per- ham, whose expression was one of mingled em- barrassment and resignation, and continued: ** When I did marry it was a man named O’Brien, an’ the parson knows it. O’Brien was a stranger in them parts, an’ nobody, knowed much about him, though all was mightily took | with hiin. He ins me out from among all the gals, an’ as [ want so used ter villains as I be now ’—a vicious glance at Perham—‘‘ how was I ter know we was one? Wal, we was mar- ried, an’ fur overa year things was all nght; but a storm was a-brewin’. All oa suddint down on ter us swooped some city officers, an’ Patrick O’Brien was arrested. What d’ye ' | ] i ' | | | | | think? He wasa bank-burglar an’ sneak-thief; | an’ had done time in Sing-Sing; an’ he hada badly he could barely crawl away. He was wife an’ some sev’ral children afore he ever seen _ found helpless, and as he thinks he is Wal, he was took away, sent ter prison an’ | die, has fallen into a panic and confe me. died thar, but that ain’t all. ‘When he was arrested I had a baby-da’rter which was his child, too; and when how he was acriminal, ano’ bad another legal wife, I was so flustered that I jest left the baby an’run away. *Twa‘n’t right, but I was clean gone out 0’ my head, ‘* Wal, there was my baby left, an’ it was destitute—poor, dear, sweet angel! What d’ye s’pose become on’t? Why, young Parson Tyr- ington Perham took it—him an’ his sister did— | an’ they adopted it an’ brung it up. Yes, sir- ree, gents; an’ the young lady who is called Czarina King ain’t no right ter the name, She’s my gal an’ the sneak-thief’s, an’ ef she’s got any name, it’s Bridget O’Brien!” he bitterest, most vindictive and most tri- umphant glance of all was flashed upon Perham, and then Esther added: **Pve married poor, dear Mr, Bastion since— Saddle-Chief Kit. ‘*Tf you'll pass over the stolen Government letters, woman, [ll carry them to the jail!” Esther’s red fuce had grown pale. ‘* What’s that you say?” she demanded, sharp- ly. ‘* Plain English, every word; but if you want more, you shall have your fill. You have in your possession sundry letters stolen by your son, David, and others, from Pete Judson’s stage. You have become the holder of what you knew to be stolen, and, consequently, party to his crime, As I said before, you are my ‘* Have you really discovered who the stage- robbers were?” asked Edwards, ‘*'Yes; the driver has recovered his senses, and though the robbers made an effort to hood- wink him then by calling out a bogus name—it was Hall Pembroke’s—he recognized two of them then. The two were Dave Bastion and Dike Harrington, Pembroke is cleared on that score, just as I expected he would be. Mrs, Bastion, are you ready to go to jail?” ‘*] don’t know what you are talkin’ about, I’m an innocent woman an’ I won’t be touched. I ain’t got no letters, nor my boy, David, ain’t. The dear child wouldn't do sech a thing. It’s all a lie—” Almost craz2d with fright and dismay, Esther was fast nearing a raving point, but Quinn in- terrupted ber: ‘* Denial is natural, but it will do no good, Dave Bastion, himself, has owned up. Will you surrender quietly, or sbhaJl I call my men?’ ‘Til kill the fu’st man who touches me!” screamed the half-maddened woman. ‘* You lie when you say my David has confessed; he never did it, an’ is too good ter do it!” ‘* A mother’s son always is, but, like a good many of the kind, David is a rascal. Parson Perhum, this scene may be too painful for you. If you'll go to your study, Pll join you there soon,” Mr. Perham, bewildered and shocked, was glad to escape, and, standing not upon the order of his going, he made haste to obey. Well did he know the sheriff had said correctly when he stated that a painful scene was about to occur, CHAPTER XXXVII, SURPRISES MULTIPLY. THE minister had barely reached his study when he heard the sound of astruggle in the sitting-room, and when a scream of rage follow- ed, he discreetly stopped his ears with his hands and remained thus until Quinn entered. ** All done!” quoth the sheriff, coolly. ‘‘She is a tigress, and she fought like one, but her day is over.” ** Has David really confessed the robbery?” ** Yes; and what is more, the young man isin a bad way. He and Judah Mardwin, the third robber, met outside the village last night and Tg ce According to Dave’s story he taxed udah with double-dealing, and they came to blows, It was literally a death-struggle; Mard- win was killed outright, and Bastion hurt so oing to all his misdeeds,’ ‘* Was it really he who killed Judah Mard- knowed | win?’ cried Perham, eagerly. ** Yes; he confesses it.” ‘Thank Heaven!” uttered Perham, fervently. It was not an exclamation of rejoicing that David’s hands were stained with blood, but that another man was proved innocent, If David had slain Mardwin, then Hall Pem- broke must be blameless and the temptation was removed from his life! With the death of the man the ‘‘decree of fate” was surely broken, and though all these tales of horror chilled Per- ham through and through, his heart was, at the same time, full of joy and gratitude. ‘*Saved! saved!” he murmured, thinking of Pembroke, Quinn did not hear the words, and he prac- ' tically added: now deceased—an’ have two buds o’ promise in > my David an’ my Pansy; but my mother’s heart turns to my first-born. I have come here ter see my own, loved Bridget, but the ungrateful thing disowns me; an’ that man Perham has driv’ me out of this bouse like a pestulent viper. Gents, ef you know what a mother’s heart is, you can faintly imagine what I[ have suffered!” Having said all this most venomously Esther now rolled her eyes upward and tried to assume a saint-like expression, but the effort was a _ failure; the malignancy of her nature was plainly understood by all. She had told her story and was ready fora bitter fight, but they were abruptly interrupted. Perham had heard voices, but he was taken entirely by surprise when the door of the sitting- room also opened and Sheriff Quinn walked in, The intruder removed his hat. ‘* Hope you'll excuse me for coming in so un- ceremoniously, parson, but it’s on official busi- ness, have an arrest to make, and.I don’t believe you'll object. Mrs, Esther Bastion, you are my prisoner!” The announcement fell with force upon all, but Quinn very nonchalantly added: * i l ‘**T see you’re upset. Stay here and get over it a bit, and then come around and see me. must take our caged tigress to jail now.” He went out, and the minister fell upon his knees, and fervently thanked Providence that Hall Pembroke was saved. From that moment, he hoped, the temptation and the Tempter would be removed from the blacksmith’s life. He had barely risen, however, when he re- membered that Esther had at last told her story, and as he could deny no part of it, Czarina’s future looked dark—even if she was saved from her abductors. He was almost crushed by the misery which had come upon him since Mrs, Bastion arrived at Si Gotch. Until ber arrival he had not known that she lived. Once, when Czarina was three years old, she had put in an geome but bad been bribed to go away. She went, promising never to molest them again, but the promise had not been kept. oe minister began to pace the floor nerv- ously. While he was still in motion he heard some one else arrive, but he gave no heed until the door of his room opened. He looked up and saw—Czarina ! Yes; she stood at the door, as bright and SS —— ee ‘ | blooming as ever, and to him she had never looked more womanly. He uttered a loud cry, and ina moment more she was folded in his arms, Tyrington Perham was affected as he had never been before, and it was some time before he could speak coherently, but she brought back his self-possession with her own inimitable grace, His heart was light and happy, and he suppressed his joy in many words, but when he grew calmer he asked how she bad escaped, ‘* T owe it all to Mr. Jameson,” she replied, a peculiar light in her eyes. ‘‘ Dyeckman Harring- ton and his men took Jessie and me from the Hollis cottage, and carried us to the Pits; but Mr, Jameson followed and came upon our cap- tors in camp. Don’t ask me much about that, There was a fight, and Harrington and some of his men were killed, the others being captured. Moving about in the Pits is so dangerous at night that we remained there until morning, and then came here. And, uncle, Mr. Jameson isin the other room, ready to see one) ‘* Bless me! bring the dear boy in,” ‘* He has been very kind to me; I hope you will not forget that.’ Czarina spoke with some confusion, and the strange new light in her eyes deepened; but Perham was not discerning enough to see or read it. Had he been he might have suspected that, though Czarina was a ‘*‘ man-hater,” she had de- cided to make an exception in favor of Saddle- Chief Kit. The Jatter entered the room and was warmly received by Perham, but at the end of ten min- utes they were interrupted by the arrival of a man, who gave a private message to the Cen- taur. The latter at once addressed Perham. ‘* You and I are wanted by Quinn, sir. If you will walk with me, I have something to y. ** Gladly, my boy; gladly!” The minister made haste to find his hat, and they wert out together. ** You will meet a stranger,” observed Kit. ‘* A stranger?” “Yes. On our way outof the Pits we came upon a but with an old man sick within it. Con Byrd at once recognized him as Ambrose Gray, the man who was unjustly suspected of crime at Belated Camp, and was nearly kiiled by the lynchers, though his innocence has since been proved. Gray was very much frightened, but we were able to tell him that the real criminal had been found and he was cleared of all blame. Then, Perham, a peculiar story was revealed,” ** What?” . ‘*Gray, wounded and almost lifeless, fled from Belated Camp to a point near here, where he was happened upon by Czarina. He told his story, and all her pity was awakened. Guilty or innocent, he was a weak, wounded old man, She conducted him tothe Pits—a slow, labori- ous journey for him—seeking a refuge, and they came upon an old but built nobody knows when nor by whom; and there Gray has been ever since, slowly mending. More than this, Czarina has for three weeks secretly conveyed him food and necessary articles. Harp Moy knew a part of the secret, for he was once pressed into service to carry the supplies, but he imagined harmless Mr, Gray to be a‘demen,’ or ghost, and, by Czarina’s orders, kept silent. Now that Gray is known to be innocent all will applaud Czarina’s conduct, but it takes you and me, Mr. Perham, to know how noble she is.” The minister was too confused to answer in- telligently. ‘*'Yes, yes; noble and good! knew it.” Their arrival at Quinn’s quarters prevented further talk, They entered and saw an aged, long-bearded man reclining on a couch of blankets. He wasthin and feeble, but had not the look of adying man. His eyes lighted at ee of the minister, and he put out one and, “‘Tyrington Perham!” he uttered. ‘*I should know you anywhere, but I dare say that you know me not.” ; ‘* Did I ever meet you before?” ‘* Yes; carry your recollections back twenty years. Remember Giles Armitage!” ‘* Merciful Providence! are you he?” ‘*T am; you remember me now. You must recollect how Patrick O’Brien—the man who married Esther Harkins—came to our town fresh from prism) but claimed to be an honest man, and how I trusted him and engaged in business only to learn in the end thad he had conducted it fraudulently. I, too, seemed to have been a rascal, and I lacked courage to face the law. I fled, and for all these years have been a wanderer under a false name, haunted by fear of the law. Now, however, the truth shall be known.” ‘¢ But, cried Perham, ‘* when O’Brien died in prison, he made a confession which exonerated you fully; be confessed that you were wholl innocent of wrong in the partnership affair!” Giles Armitage clasped his thin hands, ‘¢ Just Heaven, [ thank thee for thy mercies!” he murmured; then, suddenly arousing, he add- ed: ‘*So much for my case; now for anotber’s, We always I hear that Mrs. Esther Rastion Yon your (E (0) EOMIEROOCKS | |