Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 551 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

. ™ ~~ > - 2 i a f a ‘in ® | 54 poodle, booty Each “Ge ~ sure whether any obstacles were in the way; but | pathy, and they lifted up their voices and pro- due care and patience enabled them to pass the intervening space in safety, Once at the end of the journey they looked for a place of concealment, Ordinarily this would not have been hard to find, for empty barrels and boxes were there in abundance, but whether they would prove effective on this occasion all depended upon what precautions the Reds took. ean found a recess behind two barrels and crouched down there, observing that he could look between them, at the top, and see all that was done; while English John went a step fur- ther and crawled under an empty box. They had gained cover none too soon. Only a few minutes had passed when there was a sound from the lower end of the saloon; the pro- prietor went that way; and then returned with four men. As they came into the light it was easy to rec- ogniz3 two of them as Nathan Bradley and Thad Jobnson. ** All well Pfaff?” asked the leader of the Reds, ** All was lovely.” | ** How long since any one was in?” - ** Two hours, sure.” ‘‘(ood! Now, go back to the door and stand guard. Remember that we want but two more men, and that they are Reese and Cooney. If any one else tries to enter, shoot him!” ** No, no; I keeps him owit.” ‘Do so, or somebody else will shoot him. A new era has dawned here, and no more dilatory action will be allowed. The Reds arein motion, and the penalty of opposing them is—death!” Nathan caught up one of a pack of cards on the table, flung it down again and then drove his long-bladed knife through the heart of the inoffensive jack of spades which adorned the pasteboard. ' **So0 perish the enemies of the Reds!” he harshly added. ** Gre-vait Scott! I wouldn’t like to have the ill-will off your barty!” asserted Pfaff. ‘‘Werule from this hour, and he who is not with us will never get a coffin, Bring us some beer, and. let us drink this toast: ‘ Death to all our foes!’ ” CHAPTER XXIX, ENGLISH JOHN GETS BOXED UP. THE toast created enthusiasm in the breasts of Thad Jobnson and the other Reds, and the order for beer had a corresponding eifect upon the saloon-keeper, so there was great zeal both in the drawing and drinking of the beverage. When it was done, Pfaff waddled to the side door to stand guard, while Nathan continued to talk to his men ina florid, vicious way. The blandness he had shown at the City Hall was wholly gone—he had been signally defeated, and all the evil passions of his nature were aroused. Until that night, with the duplicity of vil- lainy, he had never been sure that he would aid the Rods in the sanguinary ‘‘ resolutions” pass- ed at their meeting. is first consideration was for himself, and his ruling passion was to win Alice Brackett. Failure had met his efforts, and, like a maddened tiger, he was now ready to plunge Jack’s Delight into a veritable reign of terror. All this was of interest to Garry Kean and English John, but it did not serve to make their position pleasant. They were within the enemy’s council-bouse, and could not withdraw unseen; a remain, even though they had listen- ed to such an ominous toast, Worst of all, there was no empty talk about it; Nathan ineantall that he said, and would ' gladly dispose of any spy who menaced his schemes. It was to be hoped that the spies would not be discovered. The other Reds soon arrived, and then the door was secured and all was ready for the con- ference, “Gentlemen,” Bradley an, in short, de- ccisive words, ‘‘ we are here for business, and I ae every man is prepared to back up what we fe) “We be,” agreed a red-bearded man. ‘* Bet yer life!” added Thad Johnson. ‘You kuow what the trouble is abovt. The ‘aristocracy want to run this city, and one-third of the citizens are ignored. Why, we might as well be at the North Pole, so far as our voice in city affairs is concerned.” “We vote, but—” “But what?” savagely interrupted Nathan bending a ferocious glance upon the red-bearded ‘* But it’s a waste o’ time.” ** Why didn’t you say so?” ° ** You didn’t give me time,” : ‘¢ We won't quarrel,” affirmed Bradley, bliss- | fully unconscious of the fact that he was, him- self, the only man who had a desire to quarrel. _ * Yes, we vote; but we don’t get the = What one of us bas got anything under Elijah Nicholson’s reign?” ‘* Nobody!” roared Thad Jobnson, slashing the table with his bowie-knife, | “It’s an outrage!” Bradley declared. ‘The Reds are out in the cold: the Blacks have all the and Crs. and all of the delegates heard in sym- claimed that their wrongs were such that human endurance had been tried, overpowered and torn all to pieces. ‘* A few days ago,” pursued Nathan, ‘*‘ we met and, after discussing the matter, decided to ask the aid of Judge Abram Brackett in our effort to get recognition, We drew up a respectful petition and carried if to him, hat was the result?” ‘* We nigh about got kicked out o’ the house!” growled Thad Johnson. ‘‘We were refused—we, the strong-armed, long-suffering, down-trodden citizens of Jack’s Delight!” Nathan was growirg more florid, and working his hearers up to the boiling pitch, but one of them did not like his slow way of getting at the alleged facts. “Come ter the pint!” that man requested. ‘* We bev tried ter git outside help, an’ failed. Now we propose ter help ourselves. Bullets, not ballots, must give us our rights. We ain’t sech clams as ter sit down an’ let the poperlarity trample on us,” * Right!” declared Nathan. ‘‘ Why should the upper ten get all the goon things here? Are they more capable of ruling?” ‘* No!” cried the Reds, in chorus. ‘¢ Are they more respectable?” éeé No ” ** Are they more honest?” ce No 17 @ ** Are they harder workers?’ cs No! ‘They work their jaws, same’s we do ourn,” added Jobnson, with refreshing candor; it being a fact that while some of the Reds were genuine, hard-working miners, not one of their leaders ever did any labor. Thad received a scowl from his superior, who then went on briskly: ‘‘Now to business, men, We are going to capture this town, and tben run it. Tbree or four things must mark our uprising, First, the houses of Mayor Nicholson and Judge Brackett must be burned to the ground! These men, ecially Brackett, have been our worst ene- mies. Wemust burn them out, and then run them out of town.” ‘*Wouldn’t it be wal to flog ‘em?’ Thad asked. ‘‘ We will see. At the same time that a por- tion of our force does this work, the majority must attack the City Hall. Thadand I have carefully sized up the place, to-night, and find that it is just what we want. By capturing it we shall get all of the official papers, and quite a collection of rifles which are stored there, Once in our possession, we must make it our fort—it must be held at all hazards, If we easily subdue the whole town there will be no further fighting, but if there should be, we can hold the City Hall against all comers.’ ‘* And pick them off, one at a time.” ‘‘ Just so. Of course our campaign is not go ing to be a goody-goody one, but war to the bitter end!” The Reds approved rapturously. All this was in the line of their desires. It just harmonized with their own views, but they looked to Brad- ley for fine details. He was a born schemer, while they were better calculated to fight than to appear as diplomatic stars, Garry Kean listened to this conversation with a lively realization of its importance. The Reds were terrribly in earnest, and would surely be- gin a reign of terror if not checked in their murderous plan, They were not, as they claimed, a party of honest men, smarting under wrongs; they were lawless ruffians who were greg for plunder. Neither was their war one of the poor against the rich. Three-fifths of the opposite party were laboring men, but they were arrayed against the Reds as honest men usually are against knaves, The consultation continued, and Bradley en- larged upen his plan without materially adding to it, but through all ran one conspicuous ele- ment—his hatred for Judge Brackett, Nicholson, Norman, and the other leaders, were classed as a whole, but the judge came in for constant abuse, and it was plain that brad- ley was so bitterly incensed against him that no pains, or plots, would be spared to crush him. Upon the Brackett; family, then, would fall the worst effects of the contemplated riot. Business was over, at last, and more beer was ordered, Nathan settled back in his chair in sullen silence, while his followers talked, smoked and enjoyed themselves, Kean and English John had learned all that they came for, and were reacy to go away, but to leave undiscovered was out of the question while the Reds remained, The situation did not change for half an hour, but at the end of that time Nathan enreney ding | ‘* Boys, you shall receive orders from me from time te time,” he announced, ‘‘but I have no more to say now. I’m going home.” ** Me, too,” Thad agreed. All of the Reds started to their feet with one ere mK ‘* It’s ’most mornin’,” observed that person, ernie *‘ Say, Pfaff, can’t 1 sleep on the floor, yar | gg Ee s-sseeeseeeensene eee eee eee eee —_—————— rE Two of his companions put in the same plea and as the saloon-keeper did not want to o end such valuable customers, there was no objec- tion. The Reds divided, and only three were left in the saloon, The ex-actor beheld this new departure with considerable disgust, for it seemed that they were not to get rid of their neighbors, and the situation was soon rendered more unfavoralle. Pfaff brought several blankets, and they were accepted with pleasure by the new lodgers. The first.of these promptly rolled the blanket around him and lay down on the floor, but the others were more fastidious, One took to the table, while the other lay down on the top of an empty box. Now, this last movement concerned our friends more than a little, for—English John was under the box! By an adverse chance the miner’s refuge had invited the Red’s attention, and when he lay down, he made John a prisoner, The light still burned dimly on the table, and Garry Kean peered out in perplexity. There was no sign of the miner, but there John cer- tainly was. How was he to get out? Kean had so long been crouched down behind the barrels that his joints were stiff and clumsy, and his opinion of the men would not have been favorable, if expressed. What the imprisoned miner thought was to be inferred, rather than known, but Garry found himself wondering whether there was sufficient air under the box. Certainly, there was no audible stir there, Silence reigned in the saloon, Pfaff had gone to a remote part of the place, and the Reds were making the most of their brief chance to rest. They soon began to breathe heavily, and, to all appearances, were asleep. Kean did not fe. in that mood. Of course he and English John must escape befcre day dawned, or meet with discovery which would tell the conspirators that their plans had been overheard. On the other hand, they were liable to meet with just as much exposure in making their exit before that time. All was clear for Garry to steal out, but not so with the miner, His box was held down by the weight of a healthy man, and he could not, one would suppose, be dislodged without being awakened. Noconference could take place be- tween the adventurers, and as John had had far more experience in wild scenes than he, the ex- actor was content to wait, watch the box and see what his friend would do about it. Time passed. The silence in the big room was bral to Garry, broken as it was only by the oreathing of the Reds. The ex-actor bore them no love for their notion of sleeping there, and would have liked to go out and wreak his wrath upon them. Not being able to do this, and keep up the de- sired secrecy, he only crouched behind the bar+ rels and deplored the ill-luck which had come to him and Jobn. His gaze had wandered, but it drifted back to the box for the hundredth time, At last there was something to see besides the bare boards and the heavy-breathing Red. One side of the box had been slightly lifted, and through the aperture thus made the nose and eye of the miner were to be seen, like those of an animal peering out of itsden. English John smiled siightly, and one of his fingers ap- peared and waved a pantomimic warnin Then he settled back, and the side of was slowly and silently raised higher. Garry comprehended his plan, Like his ally, Jobn realized the importance of getting away without alarming the s, if such a thing were possible. It did not seem possible; that John could get out of the box, and not awaken the man on top of it, appeared almost out of the question. Higher rose the box, and the miner crawlea forth until his head was clear. The box rested upon his broac shoulders. The Red slept on. John beckoned, and the motion sent Garry to his side. | ‘Raise her up slow an’ keerful!” the prisoner whispered, Kean obeyed. The weight did not trouble him, and he soon had room enough for his friend to crawl up. This, however, almost stood the Red upon his feet, and Garry expected every moment to see him slide off and awaken. The miner lost no time. He crawled like an expert, and, in ashort time, was clear of bis late e box rison. With a sigh of relief the poner man owered the box—and still all of the Reds slept on, Not a word was spoken, but the adventurers turned and glided across the floor. They had news of the contemplated riot, and if they could escape without hav ng the roughe suspect that spies had been near, they would be able to warn Abram Brackett and the other officers of law. CHAPTER XXX, TROUBLESOME RATS. THE following ap Judge Brackett walle ed to the stable back of hig house. He had gone to see his servant, for whom he bad an order, but found, instead, the magnificent creature who steered Mrs. Brackett’s carriage through the streets of Jack’s Delight. He was magnifi- cent no longer. - His high hat, his awe-inspiring (ECO AIC CVOKO)