To Win or to Die Part 23

There was a suppressed buzz of excitement, while Redbeard stood glaring beneath the lamp, and the next man was led in.

"Now, sir, you are not sworn," said the judge, "but consider that you are on your oath. It is a matter perhaps of life or death. Answer my questions. You and your friends came here to find gold?"

"That's so, jedge."

"Where did you come from?"

"Me and my mates? Noo York."

"That will do. Silence!" cried the judge. "The next man. Keep those two well apart."

The third man was led in, and the same questions asked him, when to the second he responded sharply:

"Chicago."

There was a roar at this, but the judge held up his hand. "Silence, gentlemen, please, while I deliver judgment'" and a deep silence fell, while the three men glared meaningly one at the other. "I have given this a perfectly fair hearing, and I say--"

_Crash_!

The s.h.i.+vering of a lamp-gla.s.s, a burst of flame like a flash of lightning, as the lamp was dashed from where it hung; and then for a few moments intense darkness, while there was a sudden roar and rush for the entrance.

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

TO SAVE A SNARLING CUR.

The struggle was short, for the sides of the canvas building were frail; and as the flames ran swiftly up one side and the burning rags of the canvas roof began to fall upon the struggling crowd, a wave rushed against the opposite side, which gave way like so much paper, and the panting, half-stifled sufferers gained the cool fresh night air.

"Any one left within?" panted the judge; but the silence which followed was enough to indicate that all had escaped.

"Where are the other prisoners?"

"We are here--my cousin and I," cried Abel, for they had made no attempt to escape.

"And the witnesses?" cried the judge. "I have the scoundrel who dashed down the lamp."

"We have the other two here," replied voices.

"Then, gentlemen," said the judge, "I think we had better have another trial in the open air. What do you say to that as an attempt at wholesale murder? Come and help me here, some of you. I've got the big man down, but he's as strong as a horse. I couldn't have held him if I hadn't thrown a biscuit-bag over his head."

It was light for a few minutes while the canvas roof of the saloon burned; but as the woodwork was rapidly torn down and trampled out to save the so-called hotel, all was dark again, with a pungent smoke arising.

Two men were dragged into the circle which had formed round the judge, whose figure could be just made out as he kneeled between the shoulders of the man he had down; and Dallas and Abel stood close by, fascinated as it were, and feeling a thrill of horror as they thought of their enemies' impending fate.

"It's horrible, Dal," whispered Abel. "I hate the brute, but I don't want to see him hanged."

"Then you'd better be off," said a man who heard the remark, "for the beast will swing before many minutes are pa.s.sed."

"I don't see why you two young fellows should care," said another. "He was eager enough to get you hanged."

"Have you made his wrists fast behind him?" said the judge out of the darkness.

"Yes; all right."

"Let him get up, then. Here, landlord--squire--a lantern here."

"Haven't you had light enough, judge? What about my saloon?"

"All right, old fellow," said a voice. "You hold plenty of our gold; we'll club together to pay for a better one."

"Thank ye, gentlemen. Hi! bring a lantern."

At the same moment the prisoner rose to his feet, and the sack over his head was drawn off.

"I say, you know, I've come quietly," he cried in a hoa.r.s.e voice.

"Here, put those pistols down. You haven't served my two young chaps like that, have you?"

"Bob Tregelly?" cried Dallas and Abel in a breath.

"What's left of him, my sons. They've 'most smothered me."

"Hallo!" said the judge at the same moment. "I took you in the dark for that red-bearded fellow."

"I was going for him when you pulled that bag over my head," growled the Cornishman.

"Here, who has got that fellow?" roared the judge.

"We've got his mates," came out of the darkness, and two men were dragged forward, struggling hard to get free.

"Here, what game do you call this?" snarled one of them, as soon as he could speak.

"Yes," said the other. "You fools: you've got the wrong men."

"I'm blessed! Ha, ha, ha!" roared the big Cornishman.

"You've never let those other two escape, have you?" roared the judge angrily.

"Well, you've let the big un go, judge, and caught me," said the Cornishman merrily. "But I say, my son, who's the guilty party now?"

"Not much doubt about that. There, my lads, it's of no use to go after them; they've done us this time, and got away; but I think we may keep the ropes ready for them when they come again."

"Hear, hear!" was roared, and an ovation followed for the trio who had been suspected, every man present seeming as if he could not make enough of them, till they managed to slip away to their tent.

"I think a quiet pipe'll do me good after all that business," said Tregelly. "We've done about enough for one day. Rum sort o' life, my sons. I shall be glad to get steadily to work as soon as we know where to begin."

The canvas was fastened down soon after, and the occupants of the rough tent prepared for a good night's rest; but it was a long time in coming to the cousins, whose nerves had been too much jarred for them to follow the example of their three companions. And they lay listening to the many sounds about, princ.i.p.al among which was the barking and fighting of the sledge-dogs; but at last they dropped into a troubled slumber, one in which it seemed to Dallas that he was lying upon his hard waterproof sheet in a nightmare-like dream, watching his enemy, the red-bearded man, who was crawling on hands and knees to the rough tent, with a knife between his teeth, and trying to force his way under the end of one of the sledges to get to him and pin him to the earth.

There he was, coming nearer and nearer, right into the tent place now, while his hot breath fanned the dreamer's cheek, and his hands were resting upon his chest as if feeling for a vital spot to strike. With a tremendous effort, Dallas sprang up and struck at him, when there was a loud snarling yelp, and Abel cried in alarm, "What is it, Dal?"