TOMMY'S COURAGEOUS RESOLVE.
Leaving Tommy to pursue his journey, we must return to Smithers, who,
it will be remembered, wended his solitary way toward Silver City,
after the capture of his wife by the robbers, the desertion of his
daughter Alice, who ran to her mother's assistance, and the shocking
death of Harold.
Trying to dismiss all the unpleasant recollections of the day from his
mind, Smithers drank more whisky, and in time reached the city to which
he had emigrated.
Entering the city through a spacious street which was named Broadway,
he then halted his wagon.
A man of tall stature and cadaverous cast of countenance, who was
lounging in front of a saloon, with his hands in his pockets and a
cigar in his mouth, approached the wagon, eyed it critically, and then
regarded Smithers with an inquisitive air.
"Born East, I calculate, stranger?" he said.
"Yes," replied Smithers.
"I'm glad to make your acquaintance. I'm Maj. Allston, and well known
in this town."
The major might have added that he was too well known to be trusted,
for, though a smart, clever man, he made a scanty and precarious living
by his wits.
"See here, major," said Smithers, "I'm a stranger, and not posted. You
can call me Smithers. I've got a few hundred dollars and the goods in
the wagon. My intention was to open a corner grocery to get a living."
"Won't do; there are too many of them. I'll tell you what to do, and
you can bet your life that I know this community better than you," said
the major.
"I guess you ought to."
"You take me into partnership, and we'll run a game. The boys round
here are all gamblers, and there are three games in full blast every
night, all making money--dead piles of it--and no skin at that. Sail
right in with me. I know all the boys, and I can work the racket."
"But where's your share of the capital?"
Maj. Allston touched his forehead.
"Here," he said. "I've talent and experience. That's worth all the
money you can put into the concern. Is it a go?"
Desperate and callous as he was, Smithers did not care much what he
did; he fancied that running a faro bank was an easy business, and less
tiresome than working hard all day behind the counter of a store.
"I'll do it," he replied, after a momentary pause for consideration.
"Shake on that," cried the major, in a high state of delight.
"Well, partner," exclaimed Smithers, "I'm in your hands now. What shall
we do first?"
"Leave it all to me. I'll sell the wagon, team and stores to my friend
who keeps that saloon behind me. We'll engage his rooms over the store,
and hire a nigger to wait on the guests. I've got all the tools for
the game, and we'll open to-morrow night. I believe in doing things
quickly--that's me. Come and take a drink on me."
Smithers made no objection. Whichever way the current of his fate ran,
he was willing to go with it just then.
The major certainly showed himself a man of brains. In a couple of
hours he had sold the stores, wagon, and team, engaged the rooms for
the game, with the sleeping apartments overhead, hired a negro, and
begun business, which proved very successful.
One afternoon, when the major and his partner were in the gaming rooms
discussing their future prospects, there was a ring at the bell below.
The negro descended the stairs and saw a boy on the sidewalk, who
looked tired, worn and travel-stained.
"What do you want, sonny, hey?" asked the negro, eying him suspiciously.
"If you please," replied the boy, "I want a job, and they told me that
perhaps the major, who keeps here, would require an office lad."
"Go 'long; take yourself off right away," answered Cæsar, "we've no
use for boys here. If you're hungry I'll gib you ten cents to buy some
molasses and a bit of bacon."
"It's work I want," rejoined the boy. "I have been informed that I've
a relative in this town, but I can't find him. I and a friend came
from San Francisco, but the Indians attacked us, killed my friend, and
robbed us of all we had. Speak to your boss for me."
Hearing that there was some conversation going on downstairs, Smithers
exclaimed:
"What do you stand chinning there for?"
The boy started as he heard the voice.
"I must go upstairs!" he exclaimed. Rushing forward, the boy upset the
darky, and sprang up the stairs, at the head of which Mr. Smithers was
standing.
"Who are you, and what do you want here?" asked the latter.
"Don't you know me?"
"Why, yes, I think I do. Is it--can it be----"
Smithers hesitated.
"It is I--Tommy," replied our hero. "Oh! father, I never felt so glad
in my life as I do at striking you."
"How did you find me out?" asked Smithers, who did not appear well
pleased at the encounter.
"I heard you were here, and I started with a friend to discover you.
The redskins killed my friend, and I came on alone."
The major had been listening to this conversation, and he beckoned to
the boy.
"Where's your mother?" he asked.
"She came with father," was the reply.
Smithers smothered an oath.
"Father," exclaimed Tommy, "I've gone through a deal since I left
Jersey City, and I've come here chiefly to see mother! Where is she?"
"Dead!"
"And little Alice and Harold?"
"Dead also!"
The tears came into Tommy's eyes.
The major looked intently at Smithers.
"Say, pard," he exclaimed, "why didn't you tell me this before? Did you
see your family shot down?"
"No, but they were captured by Capt. Jordan."
"Didn't it ever occur to you that, if you'd been a man, you would have
raised a hand for them? If you'd told me, if you'd said a word to the
boys we'd have made a raid on the Snake Canyon, and Jordan wouldn't
have stopped any more travelers."
Tommy looked up with determination.
"If father hasn't courage enough to go after mamma, I'll go by myself!"
he exclaimed.
"Bully for you, my boy," said the major.
"What's the use, she's dead and gone now; don't talk like a fool,
Tommy," remarked Smithers.
"The boy's no fool," answered the major. "I honor him for his resolve,
and I'll give him a pistol to fight with."
He took one from his pocket, and presented it to Tommy.
"That's to rescue your mother with," he continued.
"Thank you, sir," replied Tommy.
"If you're not back in three days I'll raise all Silver City, and we'll
root out this robber, if he hasn't skipped, but I'll bet a five-dollar
bill that you capture Capt. Jordan."
Tommy bestowed a look of gratitude upon Maj. Allston, and kept at a
respectable distance from Smithers.
A man at this moment entered the apartment, and hearing the remark,
exclaimed:
"I'll see to that."
Maj. Allston turned round and looked curiously at the stranger.
"You'll do what?" he asked.
"I'll raise you fifty dollars, and you daren't go me a cent better."
"On what?"
"The bet you just made, to the effect that this boy would capture me."
"You!" cried the major, in surprise. "I never saw you before, and
certainly did not speak of you."
"You are wrong in both cases," replied the stranger.
"How?"
"We met three years ago in California, when I saved you from being
hanged for a horse thief."
"Great Scott!" cried the major. "Who are you?"
"Then I was Pedro Gormez, the bandit; now I am Capt. Jordan, on the
same graft."
"By thunder! cap, you're right!" said the major. "I was doomed to
swing, and if it hadn't been for you and your brave boys I shouldn't be
sitting in this chair now."
Capt. Jordan, the robber of the Dead Snake Canyon, sat down.
"What brings you here, cap?" asked the major. "It isn't exactly safe
for you to be in the city. If the boys knew it----"
"That's what I came about, knowing I could count on you, owing to that
little service I did you down in California."
"Yes, yes."
"I keep myself posted, and I heard that the boys were going to make a
raid on the canyon."
"They did talk of it," replied the major.
"Well, I want you to stop that. I'm going to quit in a day or two, and
shall not give your people any more trouble."
"I'll see to it," said the major.
Suddenly Smithers left the room, but quiet as had been his movements,
his absence was noticed by the bandit.
"Where has that cur gone?" he inquired.
"I'll be hanged if I know," replied the major.
"Gone to raise the town, I guess," said Capt. Jordan. "Well, I won't
give him the chance. My horse is outside, and I'll skip."
"Good-day, cap. Come and see me again," said the major.
Capt. Jordan moved toward the door.
Tommy placed himself before him.
"You don't go from here," he exclaimed, "before you tell me about my
mother."
"She is quite well, so is Alice. As for Harold, you must ask the man
you call your father about him, for his hand is red with his boy's
blood."
"Why don't you let mamma go away?" asked Tommy.
"Simply because she doesn't want to," was the reply.
Tommy smiled disdainfully, as if he did not believe this.
"Come and see for yourself," exclaimed the robber. "I will promise not
to harm a hair of your head."
"That's a fair offer, and I accept it."
"You will come?"
"Expect me to-morrow."
The robber nodded his head approvingly, and quitted the room.
Tommy sank into a chair and looked down, as if trying to recollect
something.
"What's troubling you?" asked the major.
"I've seen that man somewhere, and I can't recollect where," he replied.
"Are you sure?"
"Quite. The face is as familiar to me as my own."
He tapped his forehead with his finger, but the recollection would
not come to him, though he was positive that he had seen Capt. Jordan
somewhere or another.
His remarks about his mother he could not understand, for it seemed
incredible that she would choose to remain a prisoner in the bandit's
cave. All was a mystery to him.
He was roused from his lethargy by the sound of voices in the street.
A pistol shot was heard. This was followed by another and another.
Rushing to the window, whither the major had preceded him, he saw a man
on horseback dashing wildly up the street.
This was the robber captain.
Smithers had met the sheriff of Silver City, and given the alarm, which
caused a body of citizens to assemble.
The robber had barely time to mount his horse and ride for dear life.
Fortunately for him, the shots which were fired did not touch either
him or his horse, and he made his escape.