USA > California > A picture of pioneer times in California, illustrated with anecdotes and stores taken from real life > Part 45
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On, on, Walter dashed. On reaching the summit, Hilton is by his side, but Ward is far behind, for riding on horse-back is no " quarter-deck " exercise for him.
CHAPTER IX.
DISCOVERY-WILD AND JIM BECKET-IN DANGER.
Now, my dear readers, let us return to poor Minnie, and stand by her in sympathy during the terrible night now before her. There she sits all to herself on the promenade deck of the Senator, leaning over the after guard-rail, looking down on the foaming track of the steamer as it ploughs its way up to Benicia. The supper bell rings, and Minnie cannot go to eat at the table; that would be too great a trial of her disguise, but she is provided for this, by the thoughtful, good Mrs. Donnelly, and now pulls out of her great over-coat pocket a nice little lunch, which she eats of with a relish, for, as yet, her mind is at rest, and free from all fear of discovery. While she is eating, the boat stops at Benicia, and now again shoves off into the stream, and dashes on its lonesome way up the dark river.
When the landing was made at Benicia, nearly all those seated in the after part of the boat near Minnie, attracted by curiosity, had left their places to take a look at the landing, or town, which at that time consisted of only three or four houses, or store- houses, close to the water. Minnie, alone, remained behind; but she was not long alone. Two men walked aft, and sat down very near her. They were talking earnestly, and in a low voice. But the moment Minnie's ear caught the sound of one of the voices, her heart quailed within her, her eyes grew dim, and, trembling in every limb like an aspen leaf, she sank her face between both her hands, resting on the guard-rail, and for a moment was half unconscious, while a cold perspiration started from her forehead in large drops, and trickled down between her cold little fin- gers and bedewed her whole hands. Something within her, or near her, seemed now to whisper: "Courage, Minnie, courage; recollect Walter always said you were not only a woman grown, but a great little woman, too." Then she struggled within her-
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self for composure, murmuring an earnest prayer o God for aid. Courage came with a consciousness that she was in no immediate danger, and, remaining perfectly still, she assumed a position of one in sleep. The two men near her had evidently sought that retired place to plot something they were mutually interested in. The conference concluded by one whose voice was strange to Minnie, saying:
" Now, Wild, if you do just as I tell you, Jim Becket will find that he has his match to-night, if he never had it before."
" All right, Mack, said Wild; " I will have my eyes on you and catch every sign you make me without attracting Jim's notice; so let us go, or he may get into a game with some other parties."
Oh ! what a relief to Minnie when she found herself once more alone. Obeying the first impulse, she put her hand into her bosom and drew from it her little dagger, looked at it, and re- placed it, saying:
" Yes; it is all right. God grant I may never have to use it."
The night had now grown very cold, and this place where Minnie sat had become almost frightful to her from the alarm she had just gone through; and, fearing the return of the confed- erates to council there again, she made up her mind to look for some place more sheltered from the cold, and more retired, if possible ; so, she arose, and carefully adjusting her disguise, de- scended to the cabin, and cautiously looked all around for a shel- tered spot to stow herself into. She soon spied a vacant seat, where she thought she would be safe from observation, and where she could lean her head forward on the rail that guarded the gangway, so as to keep her face out of view. Taking this seat, she was now as comfortable as she could be under the cir- cumstances. But the night wore heavily to poor Minnie's fright- ened heart.
" Oh, it was a frightful risk to run," she murmured, " to come here in this way. I feel now that it would be new life to me if I could get back in my own clothes, even here, and alone. Oh, yes; I see now that I made a terrible mistake, and that I would be as courageous as a lion, and that I could face the whole steam- boat, full of villainous men, if I were only in my own proper garb. But, now, what can I say, or who will believe that I am innocent, if I should happen to be discovered ? Oh, yes; I see it all, now ; for, as my father often said : 'There never was a crowd of men together, all so bad as to refuse protection to a
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woman, when properly appealed to.' But, can I apply for it properly, in this detestable disguise ? But I intended no fault; and God will, I am sure, save me."
That night the boat ran on a mud bar, either through a blun- der of the pilot, or on account of uncommonly low water, and was detained nearly two hours in that position, which made this trip of the Senator a long and tedious one. As the hour of twelve was past, nearly every passenger, for very few took berths, was stretched on the floor or across a table, or lay on chairs ; all fast asleep. Minnie feared to sleep, and fought it off for a long time ; but at length it overpowered her, and now, once upon her, it became heavy and profound, for she was worn out with anxiety and alarm. The position she had to lie in be- came painful in sleep, and she naturally, without awakening, turned her head and placed it in a more comfortable position, resting sideways on her hands as they held the guard rail ; but, in this move her wide-brimmed, slouched hat dropped to the floor at her feet, leaving her whole head exposed. The light from a suspended lamp near her shone bright on her beautiful features; so she rested, unconscious of her danger. In a little while afterward, two men came out from a state-room, where, it was evident, they were engaged in gambling, and advanced to the stairway descending to the lower deck. Oh, Minnie, one of them is the villain Wild, who, just as he is about to step on the stairway, stops short, and his eyes are now fixed on your sleeping face ! He seizes his companion tightly by the arm, and draws him back, while he places his finger across his lips to de- note silence, and whispers in excited exultation :
" Oh ! it is her, the very girl I told you of, that so dodged me on the steamer. Oh, she cannot escape me now, for she is in man's clothes, and no one will be such a fool as to give her any help. If she makes any fuss, I will claim she is a runaway sis- ter of mine. Oh, I am all right now ; she cannot escape me. I always had my doubts but that she was playing off ; for, how could she be with that sort of a woman I found her with if she was all right ?"
" Come," said his companion, " let us take a look at her." And now both men stood for a moment near her in silence; and, as they turned away, the stranger said :
" By the Lord Harry ! she is handsome, sure enough ; but I don't see, Wild, that you have any particular claim on her. I
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have just as much myself ; and, as she disliked you, by your own story, you had better just let me manage her."
" Not a d-d bit of it ; I will never give her up. I will have her now, or die."
" You will, you say ?"
"Yes; I do say so."
" Well, let us not quarrel over her, or neither of us will get her. I tell you what I will do; I will leave the dispute to Jim Becket to decide."
" Agreed," said Wild; and they both returned to the state- room.
Here they found Jim and another man smoking, waiting for the refreshments Wild had gone to order. The case was soon laid before Jim, with the whole story of Wild's former acquaint- ance with the girl on board the steamer, and how she escaped from him, and how it was he who discovered her here to-night.
Jim took the cigar out of his mouth, brushed the ashes off, and said :
" Go, Wild, and order the refreshments we sent you for; and while you are gone we will all take a look at this beauty, that appears to be lying around loose, waiting for an owner; and, as we refresh ourselves, I will decide the whole question, if you wish to leave it to me."
So Wild left to order the drinks, and the other three went to where Minnie slept on, all unconscious of her fearful situation. They each gazed earnestly into her face, and then turned away. As they entered the room again, Becket said:
" What a pity! She is beautiful, and little more than a child in years; and she looks as innocent as an infant in sleep. Yet, how could she come in those clothes if she was all right. Poor child! Some big villain has decoyed her from her home, and if the Devil does not get him, whoever he is, there is no use in having a Devil, that I see."
The third man now put in a claim for the girl, which made Wild look furious.
" Well," said Becket, after they had half emptied their glasses all around, " this matter is to be left to me to decide, is it ?"
The other three men all assented.
" And you promise," continued Becket, " to stand by my de- cision and enforce it ?"
Wild looked dissatisfied, but, as all the rest agreed to it, he also gave in his consent.
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" Well, then; I decide in this way: We all four want the girl-"
" All four?" exclaimed Wild, in surprise.
" Yes, Mr. Wild; I say we all four want this girl; and as each one of us has just the same right to her as any one of the other three, and no more, it is necessary the matter should be decided in some fair way; so I decide that we play another game at cards, and that the winner takes the girl, and that those who lose support the claim of the winner against all opposition."
" Agreed, agreed," exclaimed each one, and the glasses were emptied and laid away.
Then the cards were dealt, and all entered into the game with intense interest and suppressed excitement. The game is played, and Wild leaps to his feet in exultation, for he is the winner.
Becket felt sure that he himself would have won, and now looks with puzzled astonishment at Wild; for he is satisfied that in some way he won the game unfairly; but how he cannot imagine. Becket is the more puzzled, as this is the second time to-night Wild has baffled him at cards. The man Wild had ad- dressed as Mack had a peculiar smile on his face, while he looked at Wild. Wild gave him a meaning look in return, and Mack said nothing. They all now arose, Wild saying:
" Well, gentlemen, I will go and attend to my girl; and I hope that, in accordance with our agreement, you will all stay near at hand to support my claim of being her brother; for, of course, you know she is my runaway sister."
As they left the state-room, Mack took an opportunity to draw Wild aside, when the others were not observing them, and whis- pered in his ear:
" You don't take me for a d-d fool, do you ?"
" No, of course not; but hold your tongue, and help me to get the girl to Sally Jones', in Sacramento, and I swear to you I will play a fair game with you to decide which of us shall have her."
" That is talking sense," said Mack, " and I agree to it; but be careful, for I see Jim is watching us both, and suspects us, and if he discovers our game, we had both better get out of Cali- fornia."
" All right, I understand; and between you and me it must be ' honor bright,' or we will both go in."
Just then Becket and his companion came up, and Jim said to Wild, as he drew his watch out:
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" I see it only wants a few minutes of two o'clock, and the pilot says we will be at the wharf in Sacramento in one hour. The girl will soon awake-what is your plan ?"
" Oh, well, this is my plan, gentlemen: When my sister, you know, awakes I will let her know that her brother has found her, and that she will have to come with me to my very re- spectable aunt's, Mrs. Sarah Jones, you know. She will, of course, make a fuss, and deny that I am her brother, and, per- haps, call me ugly names, you know, gentlemen, so that my friends, who have long known me like yourselves, gentlemen, will then come forward and corroborate my story. Then my sister will be rushed along in the crowd, with you three gentle- men here close up to us, and, with my arm gently around her delicate waist until I get her into a hack, and off we go to our aunt's, who will receive her lost niece with open arms, you know. Yes; my plan will work nicely if you, my friends, will only stand by me."
" Pretty well planned," said Jim, in a slow, measured voice, while a contemptuous smile was on his lips, and he continued: " I would hate to be able to plan the part of a villain as well as that."
" No compliments now, Mr. Becket, if you please; you make me blush, and I have a delicate task just before me, which takes all my thoughts, you know. It is to reconcile my poor lost sister to return to the arms of her sorrowing aunt."
Becket made no remark on this speech, but invited them all to go below and have a drink. Wild and Mack declined with thanks, just as Jim had expected them to do, so he and his friend descended to the bar. As soon as they were out of sight, Becket addressed his companion:
" Tom, it is too d-d bad to let these two Sydney villains take off that poor girl, whoever she is, and, perhaps, murder her in the end; yet, what can we do? Our word at play is up for it."
"Yes, Jim, I just think as you do; but, as you say, what can we do ? How can we break our word when once given, even to Sydney ducks."
" Look here, Tom, since the first day I ever played a card, I never broke my word when given, as you say, in a game; but these two fellows have played us false in every game they played to-night, though I could not detect them."
" Yes," said Tom; " I know that well enough, and they are
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now in cahoots in some way, you can see, about this girl."
" Yes; of course they are. Well, I tell you what; Tom, let us go back and pretend to give in with good will in helping Wild to get the girl away, and after she awakes let you, on some pre- tence, manage to have me left alone with her, and I will soon judge if she is some poor child that has only left home for the first time, perhaps, and is not actually bad. Perhaps she is only making her way to some lover, who has promised to marry her as soon as she comes to where he lives. By the way she acted on the Panama steamer, by Wild's own account, it looks as if this may be the truth; anyway, if I get an opportunity, I will find out, and, if there is even a chance of her being innocent these Sydney thieves shall never have her while I have a shot left in my revolver; for my blood fairly boils at the idea of a poor American girl being in the power of those vile Sydney villains."
" Well, all right, Jim ; let us go back and watch our chances." On returning on deck, they found Wild and Mack seated a little way off from Minnie, who yet slept, though now she began to be restless and uneasy, and once or twice changed her posi- tion. Becket and Tom assumed a gay, friendly demeanor, and Jim said :
" Now, Wild, you will have to be very gentle with your girl when she awakes ; you must coax her, and assure her you will be her friend ; and then let each of us go separately to her and advise her, and I think I can persuade her to trust herself to your protection. Find out if she has any particular place, you know, she wants to go to, and offer to take her there ; and I will then go and tell her you are a first-rate, honorable fellow, and will not deceive her ; and all that sort of thing."
" I do believe, Jim," said Wild, " that you could do more with her in that way, than any of us; for you have a sort of an hon- est look, Jim, if I do say it to your face ; and she will believe you, I am sure."
" Yes," said Tom ; "Jim can manage her better than any of us."
" Well, now, if I help you, Wild, you know I will go around to Aunt Sally's in a day or two to see the girl, for she is the hand- somest piece I have seen since I left Baltimore."
" Oh, that is all right, Jim; I will be glad to see you, and you will find that I will not be selfish."
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" Well, Wild," said Jim, " we will see what can be done for you when your beauty awakes."
Just then Minnie sat up, and, with a half-frightened start, raised both her hands to her head ; and, missing the hat, darted a look to her feet, where it lay. She snatched it up, and, while replacing it on her head, glanced all around to see if she was observed. As her eyes rested on the four men, talking, as if in consultation, she distinctly saw Wild's gaze full on her. A sup- pressed, deep moan, escaped her as she buried her face in her hands, resting on the guard-rail before her. Again, the terrible fear seized her, and shook her whole frame ; again the cold drops from her forehead trickled through her fingers. "Oh, my God," she murmured, " I believe you to be here in your Almighty power, to save and guard me, just the same as if I were in my own lit- tle bed in my mother's house ; and I ask and beseech you to save me from harm. Oh, save me, my God, from dishonor and shame, and in all things else do with me as Thou wilt." Then, pausing, with her thoughts all on God, she struggled with herself ; and, concentrating all the powers of her will, she said, without the least mental reservation: " Thy will, Oh God, not mine, be done." Then, something again seemed to whisper to her : " Courage, Minnie, courage ; God is near you." She heard a step approach- ing, and, looking up, Wild stood over her.
"Do not be frightened, Miss Minnie," he said, assuming a careless, pleasant voice; "I am a friend of yours, only anxious to serve you."
Minnie's natural, true woman's courage, ever the accompani- ment of conscious innocence and purity, had now regained its place, and enabled her to face the danger upon her, with com- parative composure.
" Sir, I want none of your assistance ; nor will I accept any from you. You will therefore oblige me by leaving me at once."
" Oh, I could not think of leaving you unprotected, while you are in that becoming rig, you know."
" If you do not leave me, I will call the Captain, and ask his protection."
At this Wild laughed. "Call the Captain ?" he repeated. "If you do, Minnie, I will have to tell the Captain what you know is true ; that you are my sister, running away from your virtuous home in disguise, you know." And Wild again laughed. Min- nie's cheek blanched, as she said :
" But he will not believe such a wicked story."
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" Not believe it ? Oh, yes, Minnie; he will believe anything of a girl in men's clothes, you know ; and then I have three gen- tlemen here," pointing to where his confederates stood, " who know you and me for many years, and they will tell the Captain that you are my sister."
" Oh, they cannot be such mean villains as to do that."
" No, they are not villains; they are known to be highly re- spectable gentlemen, and they will tell the Captain that you are my runaway sister; and he will give me men to help me to take you home, you know."
Minnie now seemed unable to control herself, and, rising from her seat, looked every way for a chance of escape. Her eyes were perfectly wild and almost fierce. She darted her hand into her bosom, and, while she seemed to catch something there, her gaze rested right on Wild's cowardly eyes. He comprehended the movement of the maddened girl, and quickly fell back four or five paces, saying:
" Miss Minnie, I meant you no harm. Forgive me."
It was a derringer he feared, and he knew he dare not draw his own weapon on a woman, even if she was in men's clothes. His shrinking cowardice came in time to save Minnie. Her eyes softened, and she said to herself as she withdrew her hand, " No; this is not the time for that," and turning to Wild, she continued aloud:
" I tell you, sir, leave me instantly; leave me alone; that is all I ask of you."
Wild hesitated for a moment, then said:
" If you put yourself under my protection, I will see you safe to whatever house or hotel you wish to go to. If you refuse my protection, I tell you it will be worse for you, now that you are known to be a girl in disguise."
The reaction from the fit of fierce wildness that had just passed over Minnie came, and, feeling half-sick and weak, she sat back in her seat without answering, and again covered her face with her hands in almost despair.
Wild was puzzled how to proceed, and, withdrawing to his friends, he said:
" I tell you she will be hard to manage, and I see she has a weapon in her bosom, and as a last resort she will use it, too; but I will not give her up, and have come to the conclusion that the best way will be to wait until the crowd is leaving the boat; then
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let us all four crowd around her, and, as we reach the wharf, I will catch her in my arms and thrust my hand in her bosom, and get that weapon, whatever it is that she has there; then the rest will be easily managed in the rushing crowd.".
" Well, that is a good plan," said Becket. "But yet, there is some risk about it, and, if you wish, I will try to talk her into going to the hotel under your protection; I believe I can do it. I will talk as though I had no interest in the matter, but as a friend, giving her advice."
Tom at once saw this to be " a first rate idea," as he said, and, turning to Wild, said: " Come; while Jim is trying his hand in bringing this little charmer of yours' to a sense of her true interest, let us go and get a drink; I am awful dry."
" Well, that is my hand, too, Tom," said Wild, who was evi- dently excited and nervous, and anxious for a drink, to enable him to regain his composure.
Just as they were leaving for the lower deck, Wild caught Becket by the shoulder, and, drawing him close to him, whis- pered :
" Mind, Jim, she is armed, I know."
" Don't fear, I will keep my eyes open," was Becket's prompt answer.
While their drinks were being concocted to each one's taste Wild, yet half excited, said:
" I tell you, boys, I never saw such a look out of human eyes before as that girl gave me. Oh, I will pay her for it yet. I have looked into a gambler's eye when we both had our irons, ready cocked, leveled at each other's heads, without flinching a hair; yes, I have shot down my man under just such circum -. stances; but the look of that girl, I tell you, boys, just took the starch out of me, from my head to my toes; but I will yet bring her in my power, and that look will never be there again."
Tom drank slowly, and amused his companions with long yarns, so as to detain them as long as possible.
Jim Becket was a thick-set, well-built inan, a little under mid- dle height; and my recollection of him is that he had fair hair, a high forehead above a pair of piercing, bright eyes, that looked always calm, but always searching, while you talked to him; as a whole, he was decidedly good-looking, and had a very friendly expression of countenance. As he now approached Minnie, she looked earnestly at him, but aroused herself, to be fully pre-
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pared for anything, and gave no show of fear. Jim said, in a voice of marked respect, so as not to alarm her:
" Young lady, do not fear me. I come as a friend, and shall ask you a few questions, and, if you can answer them to my sat- isfaction, I will stand by you with my revolver in hand, if that should be necessary, to defend you from harm. That you may know why I come, I will tell you that this man Wild, who, it appears, you knew before, discovered you while you slept, and you being here alone in inen's clothes made us all believe that you would not be very particular as to who might claim your com- pany; so we played a game of cards for you, and Wild was the winner."
While Becket spoke, Minnie's eyes were riveted on his face, trying to read his inmost thoughts, so as to guide her conduct towards him. Now, as he told her about the game played for her, she started and clasped both her hands before her, while her gaze was yet steadfast on his face, and exclaimed:
"Oh, sir, ask the questions; any questions; for you look honest and true, and I will answer all with truth, to which I will call God to witness."
" Tell me, then, who you really and truly are; how did you come to put those clothes on, and where are you now, in fact and in truth, going ?"
Minnie in a quick, decided voice, without changing her eyes from Becket's face, answered the questions clearly and to the point. As she finished, Becket said:
" Wagner-Walter Wagner-I do not recollect him. He was never in my rooms, that is clear; but that is not against him. Who did you say his partner was near Downieville ?"
" Isaac Hilton," said Minnie.
" Isaac Hilton ; aye, yes, I know him; we traveled together once."
Then, after a minute's pause, Becket resumed:
" Well, I can depend, then, that all you have told me is just the plain truth; for, to protect you, I have to do what I never did before, break my word given in a game; nor would I do it now for all the money in Burgoyne & Co.'s bank, but to protect an innocent girl from shame. I would be justified, and will deal with this villain Wild without fear of consequences, if you are the girl you say you are."
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