Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 551 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

r . 28 —_ ee A rifle-shot sounded on the air, coming from the direction of the City Hall. “Tet that answer you!” added the voice, “The battle has begun, and there will be a tbin- ning out of Reds, unless you and your fellow eut-throats go home!” Just then half a dozen shots sounded in suc- cession, almost like an irregular volley. ~- ‘‘Be warned in time!” shouted the mau at the window. ‘All your plots have fallen through; you will neither surprise nor defeat us. Go away! I warn you that a force of well-armed men are in this house, to guard it to the death, Brackett and all his folks are at the City Hall. If any man raises his band here, in hostility, he will be shot on the spot!” As though to confirm this statement, several more shots sounded from the City Hall, and Thad Jobnson felt his villainous beart sink and lie within bim like lead. He had come to sur- prise and maltreat a defenseless family, not to fight a force of armed men at a disadvantage. ‘*Now, be off with you!” ordered the man above. ‘‘ We will not have any one skulking here. Clear out, or we shall use you for tar- gets!” That troublesome heart of the bully quivered and jumped. ‘* Boys, | reckon we’d better go back fur or- ders!” he observed, hurriedly. They went, and there was noimmediate attack upon the Brackett house. + This could not be said regarding the City Hall, Bradley had led the force against that building, in person, and had expected an easy ie triumph, but he was wofully disappointed. He + found it garrisoned, and, as soon as conceal- ment became out of the question, it was lighted, * and he realized the magnitude of the work ahead s of bim. An effort was made to beat down the main door, but they were first allowec to see iy that it was too firmly barricaded to be carried a by any ordinary pressure, and then a shot fired gn the air caused them to scatter. i - They were not conquered, and their tem- _- porary retreat was caused by surprise rather a ‘than actual fear. They drew off to a safe dis- * tance, fired a few vain shots, and then called for Pr consultation. a Within, the City Hall resembled a fort in earnest, The wea ints had been maderas strong as possible; windows had been well se- cured and boarded, and as the coveted rifles _ were in the hands of the defenders, they were in if a cheerful mood. This could not be said of all mi the occupants of the building. Women and children had been hastily called from their homes to the “fort,” and, naturally, most of them werein a panic. They were huddled to- gether in some parts of the big edifice and scat- tered in others, so that the scene was not unlike the days when the forest pioneers took to their block-houses to resist the Indians. Mrs. Brackett was there, but she gave little heed to the other women, She was not fright- ened, but she was angry and disappointed, She ‘watched her chance, and, when she thought herself unobserved, spoke to Colonel Yoke Nor- —s" pe a) +i Te S - iy », man: ‘* What will be the end of this?” she asked, in | a hard voice, and the Kentuckian laconically * replied: * Fighting!” “‘Tt does not look now as though Abram Brackett would be driven out of Jack’s De- . tight.” | ‘* To tell the truth, the Old Nick seems to be on the jedye’s side,” was the melancholy confes- sion. ** He is crafty as Mephistopheles.” ;., ** Just about.” Mel ‘‘ He has known of their plots all the time.” 2 “T am obliged to believe you,” the colonel growled, surtily. _ * What will be the result? Why, Brackett _-will be a greater hero than ever, and ride on the a top wave of popularity.” Was ‘Not by a durned sight!” declared Norman, - ¢ ~ ve ra hae SS -_ 7 a ie: | CHAPTER XXXIV. “a FOES WITHOUT AND FORKS WITHIN, | THe Kentuckian had been standing with his hands in his pockets, sulky as a schoolboy, but he now aroused suddenly and cast a sharp glance around, Believing that they were not watched, he eagerly added: .,-2*4 Look gpa 00 you know my position here?” ; ss * No,” Mrs, Brackett answered. ben The colonel’s red face deepened in color until it was almost purple. < ‘‘l!am a nonentity,” be hissed. ‘* From the very start [ have been ignored and ‘set down’ -.on! My advice is not asked, and when I have ____ tried to give it, I have been snubbed, From one of the leading men of the city I have sunk to one of the lowest. Iam a nobody!” The angry gleam in his eyes was reflected in Mrs. Brackett’s. __ ** Who has done this?” she asked. _ *#lijah Nicholson, Sheriff White, and—our precious Abram Brackett!” "The wretches!” muttered Mrs, Brackett. “Tam thrown overboard, but they will find that pe 3 have made abad enemy. I will be = aveng “fee > ey es aa a sy Cay <I . we —s Garry Kean. “ Right, colonel; right!” . Will you aid me?” he asked, eagerly. ** Yes.’ “Then, by heaven! we will make them the sickest lot of folkson earth. If your wit and mine can’t bring about their ruin, what can?” ‘* What do you propose?” Again the Kentuckian looked carefully around before he answered. ‘* We will betray them to the Reds!” he whis- pered, sibilantly. **Can it be done?” she asked, feverishly. ** Why not?” **T do not see the ways and means.” ** All are now on the alert, and a move at this time would be disastrous in the extreme, but when these buzzing bees have wearied themselves out, there will be some chance, I do not yet see my way clear, but 1 can communicate with the besiegers by writing a note and flinging it out. Then, later, the chance nfay beoffered for me to unfasten a door and let them in.” ** And what then?” We shall deserve something at their hands,” “There will be fighting?” ** Of course.” ** And bloodshed—” ‘* Let us not speak of that!” ‘There are women and children here.” ‘*T will stand between them and harm,” He was waiting for her answer, but she hesi- tated, She knew what the Reds were, and though she tried to shut her eyes to their char- acter, the danger of a massacre was too likely to be overlooked, She was smarting under a sense of injustice—so she considered it—and her vin- dictiveness urged her on, but she hesitated, If she had any share in acts which should brin about a tragic triumph of the roughs, she coul 7s but feel herself a murderess from that our. ‘‘We have gone too far to turn back,” added Norman, persuasively. ** You are right.” ‘“*] fear you can never return to Brackett’s house,” She started as though stung by a serpent. ‘*T have no desire to!” she answered, bitterly. ‘* The man has doomed me to every possible in- dignity; I want no more of him or his bouse, Treat with the Reds as you will; you may con- sider me your ally!” So saying, she turned and walked quickly away. Some reply the Kentuckian made, but she did not hear or heed it, She was in a most unenviable mood, Evil and good were fighting within her for supremacy, and once more the former had ietuniphed. Coionel Yoke Norman exulted in this fact, but he might have curbed bis feelings. If he had but known it, Mrs, Brackett loathed him. © She had never liked the man, but had clung to him as one who could lift her to power. He had led her by a tortuous road, however, and he had become repulsive in the extreme, Her dream of power was fast fading away, and had it not been for what she thought to be indignities put upon her, she would have thrown him over at once and forever. But she was eager to berevenged upon the judge, and that kept her up, and stirred her evil passions afresh, The scene around her was staggering, however. She saw loving wives, and mothers, and sisters, each anxious for her dear ones, These they bad, but what bad the female Cesar? No one came to her to give or seek comfort. She was like one alone in the world. The ties of family life had been torn asunder by her own hand, and in their place she had only the delusive, vain, hollow hope of notoriety which danced before her e yes like an ignis fatuus, Her heart was heaving within her, and when she saw men in fine clothes, and men in rough clothes, talking consolingly to their wives, she felt that the cup of her bitterness was full. She looked for Abram Brackett. He was standing some distance away. He had been superintending somo work, but it was done, and he was at leisure, He had fallen into thought, and his strong, impressive face was stern and grave. It wasa noble face, however, and his wife silently admitted that its equal could not be found in the town, Further away, Alice was in conversation with aman who was a stranger to Mrs, Brackett—a tall, white-bearded, dignified old gentleman who wore gold-bowed spectacles, and whose garb and eneral appearance stamped him as a man not ong from the East, Agatha apathetically wondered who he was, and then turned away. The sight was not one to interest her a great while in her present mood, At this point there was a loud call from out- side the building. This surprised no one. The silence of the Reds had plainly had a meaning, and it was not bard to understand, They had been surprised to find their plots so well met, and had retired for consultation. Some plan had been formed, and all were anxious to know what it was, Sheriff White answered the summons, ‘*T want to havea talk,” announced Nathan Bradley’s well-known vcice, “Talk away!” White promptly replied. II EE OE eee ee oO O00. 00 —————— —— ———————S Se sSSSS S ‘*] want tosay for the men that follow me, that we are very sorry for any hard feelings that may exist,” ‘* We can easily believe you!” the sheriff re- turned, sarcastically. ‘* You don’t understand the object of our up- rising.” ‘* Perhaps you will enlighten me.”’ ‘We do not make war upon the city, but upon Judge Abram Brackett!’ ‘¢ How is that?” ‘We claim that the man is a cruel judge, and a false, perjured tyrant, Law has been thrown to the winds when he sat upon the bench, He is an aristocrat; he hates the poor and unfor- tunate; and he has twisted the law in every way toruin and persecute prisoners who were of humble rank in life!” White smiled in amusement. Everybody in the city knew that Brackett despised, not the poor and their poverty, but the sbams and empty show of aristocratic life. Toa rich man the judge would render courtesy, if the man de- served it, but he was never so frank and friendly as when with some humble; honest man like English John—and his friendship was sin- cere, “Go on!” White directed, ‘* We, the people,” pursued Bradley, now de- mand that the aforesaid Abram Brackett be ex- pelled from this town. We have thrown off the chains which have kept us slaves to that merci- less tyrant, and we speak for the city. Brackett must go!. We are law-abiding men, but we know our rights and will have them. We de- mand that Brackett be delivered to us, that we may escort him out of town, and warn him never toreturn. If this is done, we will then return peacefully to our homes,” ‘* And what if we refuse?” ‘*In that case we shall atiack the City Hall, and take Brackett with rifle, revolver and knife, by force!” Mayor Nicholson sprung to White’s side. ‘* You have said enough, Nathan Bradley!” he shouted, ‘‘and the sooner you go back to your fellow-rioters, the better. You will not get Judge Brackett, and that settles it! Do you think us fools? Do you think your clumsy ex- cuse will be believed by us? You are an idiot if you do! We know your plot, and what you aim at. You hate Brackett and would like him in your power, but if you had him, it would not cause you to deviate from your pre-arranged plans. Go back to your ruffians and do your worst! Go back, or I shall order my men to fire upon you!” There was no mistaking this decisive an- nouncement, ‘You will be sorry for this!” cried the ‘ Red’ leader, ‘*'You will be sorry, unless you get away!” ** Pll go, but you'll hear from me again!” With these words Bradley beat a retreat, but it was not one of dignity. He kuew what be de- served, and bad a lively fear that he might be fired upon as he went, and he moved his feet like one whose time was limited. ‘‘Stand by to repel an attack!” added the mayor, as he turned to his men, Miss Electa Parsons, who was standing near, lifted up her bands and eyes, and assumed an expression which, she hoped, was one befitting a modern heroine, ‘*Tt’s a-comin’!” she declared, tragically. ‘The evil-doers are up an’ at it, an’ the good an’ vartuous are faint an’ pantin’ in their fort- resses an’ castles. You hear the tocsin sound, feller-women, but I trust it don’t stir your narves ter onseemly cravenness, Let us show the world that the Joan Dorseys, the Charlotte Corduroys an’ the Hannah Dust-pans ain’t all dead yit. Oh-h-h! Great land o’ love!” A rifle had been discharged outside, and honest Electa, showered with small pieces of glass that were hurled from a broken window by the fly- ing bullet, for the time forgot the immortal Jeanne @Are, Charlotte Corday and Hannah Dustin, after whom she aspired to pattern, and gave a true feminine screech, Ina moment, however, she was calm again, and her warrior eye was turned upward, ‘They should be took up an’ fined fur break- in’ that winder!” she severely added, Electa and her peculiarities were well known, and ber artful way of explaining ber emotion, and turning attention from it, put the men in good humor and made them more fitted for what came next. And what came next was—the Reds! They had been all prepared for work, so when Bradley returned, he had only to pass the word along the line. Then they camo sweeping to- ward the besieged building, firing and yelling, and resembling tigers thirsty for slaughter. CHAPTER XXXV. AN UNEXPECTED BLOW. Tne defenders were nct at loss to know how they ought to receive the sr They had not lived neighbors to them at Jack’s Delight so long without coming to understand their na- tures perfectly, and when they rose as rioters, and menaced human life, they simply put them- selves on the level of beasts of prey, and were to be dealt with accordingly. Gomicbooks 7 4 a 8 eye , * “~ « oS | ‘e: fm) } Py (@) * - , # a ’