USA > California > A picture of pioneer times in California, illustrated with anecdotes and stores taken from real life > Part 48
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" Did Becket say nothing when he gave you the letter, Ben ?" asked De Forest, calmly.
" Oh, yes; he said: 'If you should happen to lose that let- ter, which I hope you will not do, just tell Walter Wagner that his sister is all safe and well, and that he will find her at Colonel Eaton's, near Sacramento city.' "
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" Colonel Eaton's," exclaimed Hilton; " I know him well, and where he lives. She is, of course, safe in that family, provided these villains don't make some treacherous attack upon the house, when the family are off their guard." And, turning to De Forest, he continued : " Did you order fresh horses ?"
" Yes ; there they stand, and let us be off."
The barkeeper, who had been an attentive listener, said : " Those fellows have at least two hours and a half the start of you, and mind, boys, they are armed to the eyes, and look as if it would be only fun for them to use their irons."
Now all four are dashing on as fast as they dare ride their horses, with such a long road before them ; and Walter and De Forest are far in the lead.
CHAPTER XII.
WAITING-ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION-THE VILLAINS' FATE.
After Becket and Jerry had left for Sacramento, the morning after the rescue, Mrs. Eaton persuaded Minnie to lie down and have a rest. She gladly yielded to the suggestion, and it was late in the afternoon when she awoke, feeling very much re- freshed. She glanced around the room, and was surprised and pleased to see Fannie Eaton seated near the window, reading.
" Oh, you are there," she said ; " it does me good to see you. What is the time ? I have slept too long, I fear."
" Oh, no, Miss Minnie, you have not slept too long ; after the night you went through, you needed the rest, and mother was so glad to see you sleep so nicely, and told me to watch for your wakening, and get you to come down to the sitting-room and have a cup of tea, while you wait for supper."
" How glad I am that I did not dream of that horrid night. No; it is strange, but in my dreams I was back with my own mother in Newark, and she looked at me so sweetly and kissed me several times, so that I was perfectly happy. How good your dear mother has been to me in receiving me so kindly. But will you not call me just Minnie, and not Miss Minnie; for it seems to me as if you were my sister or some friend I had always known ?"
" Oh, that is easily settled; we will have no Misses between us, if you wish it." And Fanny leaned over Minnie and kissed her affectionately, then continued: " We are sisters, and I am glad of it; for I am, like yourself, an only daughter, and always wanted a sister."
And so the contract was sealed between those two sweet girls. Yes; a contract that lasted through sunshine and storm, only drawing their hearts closer and closer together, as joy or sorrow came, to throw light or shade on their way. Minnie now felt perfectly at home, and enjoyed the company of the Eatons more
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and more each day; and it could not be otherwise, for they were refined and educated people, governed in all their actions by the highest honor, and a sense of religious responsibility. Mrs. Eaton continued to remind Minnie all the time of her own good, darling mother. She was so sensible and practical in all her views. The Eatons appeared equally pleased with Minnie, and the Colonel often said: "It appears to me I have found a second daughter."
The fourth day came, and Minnie's heart all that day bounded at the approach of every footfall, for that was the day she ex- pected to see Walter. She would walk up and down sometimes, and then stop and throw herself into a chair, and, covering her face with her hands, exclaim:
" Oh, Fannie, I cannot, it appears to me, hold out, or wait to see Walter!"
Then Fannie would kiss her and encourage her, and try to at- tract her attention in every way she could. Night and tea-time came, and no Walter. Minnie could not eat, and grew so un- easy that she had to ask Mrs. Eaton to excuse her from the table. Fannie arose, too, and, taking Minnie's arm, walked up and down the little sitting-room, exhorting and encouraging her; but Minnie hardly seemed to hear her.
" What can it be ?" she said to Fanny. " What makes me act so like a child ? Why, I am no woman at all." And she took out her handkerchief and wiped her forehead. " Oh, Fannie, I feel that horrid fear coming over me that I felt when I heard that wretch of a man's voice near me on the Senator's deck, the other night. I have the same trembling and the same cold perspira- tion on my forehead. Oh, put your arm around me, Fannie, and I will feel better."
Poor Minnie! Can it be that she is warned by a presentiment of some horrid danger close at hand? Fannie grew very much alarmed, and, as she put her arm around Minnie's waist, she said:
" Do not fear, darling Minnie; you know you are safe here. But let me call mother and father. Their presence will reassure you."
" Oh, no; do not call them. I will be better in a moment. Hark! what was that ?" said Minnie, starting erect to listen and turning deadly pale.
In a moment more, there was a knock at the front door. Min- nie could not stir from where she stood.
-
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"You stay here," whispered Fannie, "and I will go to the door; and if it should be your brother, I will call you."
Fannie dashed off, without waiting for Minnie's answer, threw open the door, and there stood a large man, partly concealed by the darkness.
" Is Miss Wagner here ?" said the stranger.
" Yes, sir; walk in," said Fannie.
The stranger replied: " Yes, certainly; for here is her brother Walter at the garden-gate."
Minnie was listening with intense attention, and, hearing this reply from the stranger, with a cry she dashed past Fannie and was in the arms of the man at the gate, exclaiming:
" Oh, Walter; darling brother!"
But now Minnie's voice suddenly choked and stopped, then burst out in a scream, and again it stopped as if stifled; and Fannie plainly discerned through the darkness a tussle and a struggle, and then all disappeared beyond the gate.
Fannie screams at the top of her voice, and is heard all over the house, " Father! father!" and at the same time rushes to the gate. The two men are on horseback, and Minnie is in the arms of one, as they gallop off; and now Minnie must have re- covered her voice again, for her wild shrieks for help are heard through the darkness for a mile around.
Oh, yes; it is heard and answered, too; for with the tramp of horses comes the loud cry of " Coming, coming!" In an instant more, shot after shot is heard, and then is heard Minnie's voice alone, calling out:
"Oh, Walter ! Oh, James ! are you hurt ?" and their answer, " No, no, Minnie; but don't come near us, for God's sake !" On the approach of the horsemen with their cry of " Coming, coming!" the ruffians who had possessed themselves of Minnie by their treacherous stratagem were about to turn and run, but Walter and De Forest were on them too quickly. Walter and the unin- cumbered man before him fired on each other, on sight. The horse of the ruffian reared up just in time to receive Walter's bullet in its head, and, floundering to the ground, it brought its rider beneath it. In an instant he was Walter's prisoner, with a revolver aimed at his breast. De Forest had not dared to fire, for Minnie's form protected the man who held her, and who was endeavoring with the disengaged hand to fire on him. With fierce impetuosity De Forest dashed in, and with a well-directed
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blow from his heavy navy revolver felled the man to the ground, and, catching Minnie in his arms, he swung himself from the saddle. Gently laying her down, he sprang upon his fallen foe before he could recover from the blow, and held him down safely, with his foot on his breast and his revolver at his head. Now came Colonel Eaton, followed by some of his farm laborers, with lanterns in hand. After them came Hilton and Captain Ward. The prisoners were properly secured with their arms pinioned tightly behind them, and now Minnie lies sobbing in Walter's arms, while he calls her pet names, caresses her, and bids her be calm. Then Walter whispers:
" Have you spoken to James De Forest ?"
Minnie, without answering Walter, turns quickly to look for De Forest, and finds him standing not far behind her. She springs to him and catches both his hands, exclaiming:
"Oh, James; I knew you as you caught me in your arms be- fore you spoke!" Then she slips one arm around his neck, and, drawing him down, kisses his cheek. De Forest could not resist the impulse to catch her up in his arms and return her salute, which he had so well earned.
" There, James," she whispers as she put both her open lands on his face to gently push him back, " that will do."
As De Forest relaxed his hold and looked up, his eyes met those of Ward peering down in the darkness on him, with nothing but the sneaking wolf shining out of them. Hilton, who had been active in securing the prisoners, now called out to Walter, saying:
" Walter, let you and De Forest take your sister to the house, while Ward and I will take the prisoners to a place of safety. Colonel Eaton says he can provide for them."
So Walter, giving his arm to his sister, walked with De Forest in the direction of the house. Ward promptly took charge of Wild and marched him along, while Hilton brought up the rear in charge of the other man, who had given his name as McPher- son. Colonel Eaton had found in Hilton an old friend, and re- mained with him listening to his account of the chance meeting with Becket's messenger, from whom they had discovered the movements of the two ruffians they had just captured.
Ward, finding himself alone with Wild, said: " You are a nice fool to be caught in this way .. What do you think will become of you now ?"
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" Oh, I am all right as long as you are here. What a relief I felt when I heard your voice. Where had you better let us escape ?"
"Let you escape ! That is not such an easy matter as you think, Peter, my boy."
" Why, yes; you and I can walk a little faster just now. You can undo this cursed rope from my arms, so as to make it appear that I slipped it myself. I can knock you down, you know, and make off in the darkness. What is easier ?"
" No, no; I cannot run that risk. That fellow who is in charge of Mack is suspiciously watching all my movements. He is no fool, and would know that I must have connived at your escape. That would put me in a nice fix."
" Well, what are you going to do, Captain ?"
" Well, I can't now tell. I will get you both off, if I can. You were fool enough to forge Wagner's name to a receipt when you took that letter from that fool of a messenger. That alone would send you to San Quentin."
"I know I did. Therefore, I tell you that in some way, Mr. Captain Ward, you will have to let us loose this very night, even at some risk to yourself, Captain Ward Lusk."
This was said in a defiant tone, with emphasis on the word Lusk.
" Oh, is that your game, young man ?" said Ward, raising his revolver, cocking it, and placing it close to Wild's ear, as he con- tinued: " I would rather tell my friends here that my prisoner was trying to escape, and that I shot him dead. That will be much safer for me, you know, Mr. Peter Wild!"
" Oh, don't murder me ! I ask your pardon, Captain. Do as you think best, and I will be true to the last; but save me in some way."
This was said in the most abject, cringing tone. Ward lowered his pistol, as he said:
" I thought you must be out of your head. The next time you ever threaten me by word, or even look, or disobey my orders, I will make carrion for the buzzards of your miserable carcass, you cowardly dog!"
" Oh, forgive me, Captain. You know I always served you well; but do not let us go to jail, or they will take us out and hang us, as they did two fellows at Hangtown, a few days ago, for insulting a married woman."
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" Well, if a good chance offers, I will get you out before morn- ing; but, you can depend on it, I will save you in some way, even if you do go to jail in Sacramento; and when you get a chance, tell Mack not to fear, as I will in some way save you both."
" Well, Captain, I will depend on you, and no living being shall hear a word from me. I will keep Mack's mouth shut, too; but do your best to get us out before morning, for I am terribly afraid of going to jail."
Just then Colonel Eaton and Hilton came up with their pris- oner, and all stopped in front of a large grain-bin, that stood apart from all other buildings. It was strongly built, and had in it only one small window and a little door. Into this building the prisoners were thrust, and two stout men, farm-hands of Colonel Eaton, leaped in after them, with revolvers in hand, as guards. They threw some empty gunny-sacks to the prisoners to seat themselves or lie down upon, as they felt inclined. Hang- ing up a lantern near the doorway, the guards seated themselves comfortably, and entered into conversation, as though nothing had happened. All being deemed secure, Colonel Eaton led the way to the house. As Ward followed, he muttered to himself:
" Yes, Mr. Peter Wild, you signed your own death warrant in that threat you made. You did not know, perhaps, that I never risk a fellow after he once threatens. Yes; your fate is sealed; and while getting you put where your tongue can never become troublesome, I will gain credit with my future wife here-this sweet young lady I am just going to be introduced to."
When Walter, Minnie and James De Forest came near the house, they met Mrs. Eaton, Fannie, and every one around the place, ready to receive them with every demonstration of joy. Both the ladies hugged and kissed Minnie, and gave way without restraint to their feeling of thankfulness and delight at her res- cue. On reaching the sitting-room, Minnie introduced her brother and James De Forest. When Walter took Fannie's hand, and retained it in his, while he was expressing his grati- tude to her for her sisterly care of Minnie, Fannie started, and withdrew her hand in great alarm, exclaiming :
" Oh, Mr. Wagner, you are wounded !" And, as pale as death, she held up her hand covered with blood from his. All eyes turned to Walter's hand, and, sure enough, it was red with run- ning blood. Minnie caught it up, saying :
" Where, where, Walter, do you think you are wounded ?"
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" Oh, do not be alarmed, dear Minnie. Don't mind, Miss Fannie. It cannot be much; for I never felt it."
Without ceremony, he threw off his coat, and found his shirt- sleeve saturated with blood. Removing this, the wound was exposed. It appeared that the shot fired at him had gone through the fleshy part of his arm. In the excitement, he had never felt it ; but it was now bleeding freely. Mrs. Eaton's skill with adhesive plaster and bandages soon staunched the wound, and Walter laughed the matter off as if it was nothing. While Walter was having the wound dressed, somehow his eyes strayed over Minnie's shoulder in search of Fannie's face ; and her pale, tearful countenance, as her eyes met his, gave him a peculiar pleasure he had never in his life felt before.
" How like Minnie she is," he thought to himself.
At De Forest's suggestion, Walter let his wounded arm rest in a sling. Just as all this was arranged, Colonel Eaton appeared with Hilton and Captain Ward. The Colonel introduced them to his wife and daughter, and Minnie was most cordial to them both, calling them her deliverers, and saying everything to show her gratitude for the share they had taken in her rescue. Cap- tain Ward was apparently in the best good-humor.
" I am only sorry, Miss Minnie," he said, " that it was not I who had the honor of taking you from that villain, Wild ; or that it was not I who was wounded in your defence ; but I shall try, by future devotion to your interest, and to that of all your friends here, to show that I am worthy of at least being counted as one of your friends."
" You have given ample proof of that already, Captain Ward, I am sure ; and I would be very ungrateful if I did not fully ap- preciate your services, and look forward with hope for some op- portunity to show you how highly I value them."
The Captain bowed and smiled, while he let his large, dark eyes fall full on hers, as he said :
" Oh, Miss Minnie ; you make me most happy by making me think that you believe yourself in my debt."
As Minnie's eyes looked into his, they did not flinch, nor draw back, tor something for an instant fascinated her, and then a loathing, repulsive sensation darted through her like an electric shock, and seemed to say to her plainly :
" Beware ; he is a villain !"
Ward withdrew his eyes in a sort of confusion, as though he
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felt that Minnie had done just what Brown had warned him she would do-read him through and through. Before Minnie had time to recover her former manner, and acknowledge Ward's last speech, Walter said :
"Captain, you are very gallant, I acknowledge, to wish to have this wound; as, besides the great inconvenience it is likely to be for a few days, it pains me very much just now, I assure you."
"Oh, if there was nothing disagreeable about it, of course there would be no merit in taking it; and I would then make no progress in Miss Minnie's favor, which is what I prize above all things. I felt so before I saw her, because your description of your sister fascinated me."
" Why, brother Walter!" said Minnie, half-annoyed, "have you been talking so foolishly about me to strangers ?"
"Oh, sister Minnie, I .did say something about you to my friends, and only because I supposed they never would see you. They were friends, however, and not strangers; but yet I would not have said a word about you, had I the least idea at that time that you were on your way out to me."
" I am compelled to say, Miss Minnie," said the Captain, "that you cannot find fault with your brother, for to-night I see he was so moderate as to have told only half the truth."
To this speech Minnie only bowed in acknowledgment, making an effort to smile, for somehow she now found the Captain's gallant speeches were excessively disagreeable to her. She felt like one who was warned that those compliments not only meant nothing, but that they were used to cover some ulterior purpose. She combated this feeling, and tried to shake it off, as unreasonable and unjust to a man who was her brother's friend, and whose conduct towards herself was, thus far, unex- ceptionable; but to do this required an effort of thought and will that she was not always on her guard to use. So, though in future very polite to the Captain, it was politeness squared by the strict rules of society, with nothing of those thousand and one natural little off-hand actions, gestures and bright, genuine smiles, that throw a charm into the intercourse of friends who both respect and admire each other.
While Minnie was engaged in this conversation with the Cap- tain, she noticed that De Forest looked annoyed and uneasy. " Perhaps," thought she, "James De Forest knows more of
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this Captain Ward than Walter does; for I can see he dislikes him. I will ask him to-morrow."
Then Mrs. Eaton came to announce that a lunch was ready for the four newcomers. Thanking Mrs. Eaton for her hospital- ity, they sat down and ate as hungry men do after a hard ride and a long fast. Fannie, by her mother's request, presided at the table, and Minnie sat by Walter to cut his meat, as he feared to use his arm carelessly. The conversation became general, and all seemed almost to have forgotten the frightful events of the day, in the enjoyment of their present safety. After supper, it was arranged that, Walter being excused on account of his wound, all the other men should in turn watch with the guard over the prisoners until daylight.
At the dawn of day, no unnecessary time was lost in taking the prisoners to Sacramento, to have them regularly examined before a Justice and committed formally to jail, to await their trial. Colonel Eaton furnished the necessary wagon to convey the prisoners, and the rest of the party acted as a guard on horse- back, Walter remaining behind, as his wound began to give him considerable trouble. It was agreed, also, that it was un- necessary for Isaac Hilton to accompany them; so, bidding them all a cordial farewell, and, telling Minnie he wanted to go back to fix things up for her in High Canyon, he rode off in the direction
of Marysville. The news of the attack on Colonel Eaton's house had reached the city of Sacramento in an hour after its occurrence, and excited the greatest indignation. The story ran in a hundred ways, mostly greatly exaggerated. One had it that Miss Fannie Eaton, so universally beloved, had been shot by a friend of her own, while he was trying to save her from some ruffian who was in the act of carrying her off. Another, that a beautiful young lady friend of Miss Fannie, who had just arrived from the East, on a visit to her, was carried off, and that Colonel Eaton had been killed while trying to rescue her. And many yet more extravagant versions of the matter were repeated from mouth to mouth. Morning came, and the news spread in every direction, so that by the time the prisoners arrived in the city, it was known in many of the nearest mining districts. Every one seemed interested, and all, as they heard the news, threw down their mining tools or whatever they had in hand, and rushed towards the city to learn the truth. Colonel Eaton had the wagon with the prisoners driven direct to the office of the
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District Attorney. After inquiring into the facts, this officer told the Colonel that it would be necessary for the ladies of the house and Walter all to be present at the examination, and that until they arrived the prisoners would be handed over to the Sheriff for safe keeping. De Forest now went for a carriage to go back for Walter and the ladies. Colonel Eaton did not forget our friend, Jerry Brady, who had amused him so much the day he brought Minnie to his house. So it was Jerry's carriage De Forest engaged. He found Jerry in the highest state of excite- ment; for he had just heard a terribly exaggerated account of the attack on the Colonel's house.
" So you tell me, sir," exclaimed Jerry, " that Miss Minnie and the other ladies are all unharmed, and only Miss Minnie's brother a little wounded? Glory be to God!"
" That is all, Jerry; you may depend on it."
" And the ladies are going to come in and testify against those two ruffians ? Is that what's going to be done, sir ?"
" Yes, Jerry; the District Attorney wants their statement under oath."
" Well, sir, then all this business will end to-day, sure ?" said Jerry, looking solemn, and speaking in a suppressed voice.
" What do you mean, Jerry?"
" Mean, sir ! I mean that if Miss Minnie Wagner ever gets up in a crowded courtroom, and tells all them miners that such and such a man attempted wickedness towards her, in a moment more no man in all that crowd will be his own master. No, sir; for I tell you that Miss Minnie is so handsome and innocent- looking, and her voice is a voice just lent to her by some angel, I suppose, to let us know what sort of voices there are in Heaven, and to make us want to get there-the Lord be praised! It will go right to the heart like, of every man present, who has a mother, a wife or a sister, that he has been thinking and dreaming about ever since he left them away back in his old home; and before he knows what he is doing, he will be pulling the ropes that will swing them two villains; and the sun, as it goes down to-night, will shine on their dead bodies. So, as I said, sir, this day will close this business, I am thinking."
" I hope you are mistaken, Jerry; for I am opposed to that sort of lynch-law executions, for more harm comes from them than good."
" Yes, sir; so I say, too; and many a poor soul is sent in that
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way to its last reckoning, all unprepared-the Lord save us! For who is the man that could hope to find his account all right at the other side, if sent out of this world in that sudden sort of a way ? God forgive us our own sins!"
This delay of sending for Walter and the ladies obliged the ex- amination to be deferred until two o'clock in the afternoon. Now came one of those extraordinary excitements, often witnessed in the early days of California. It spread like a conflagration, until more than a thousand men stood waiting for the examination, near Justice Howard's office, not far from the steamboat landing. All the police force at the command of the authorities was as- sembled at this place, and the Justice, in obedience to a general wish, removed his desk, seats and chairs into a large, new store- room, then just being finished, near his office. The hour came. The immense room was filled to overflowing. A bustle in the crowd near the door was now heard, and, after a voice of authority demanded it, the crowd opened, and Wild and Mc- Pherson were marched up to the Justice's desk, handcuffed to- gether, and guarded by a strong force under command of the Sheriff of the county. The District Attorney now read the com- plaint sworn to by Colonel Wm. Eaton. A short, red-faced man, of the name of Strutt, announced himself as attorney for the prisoners, and began by making objections to the form of com- plaint. The Justice overruled the objections with some impa- tience, and ordered the examination to proceed.
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