which were trestle tables crowded with men drinking and smoking, the
tobacco fumes nearly filling the place like a fog. There was a gangway
down the centre, and they followed their guide nearly to the end, when
both started violently at the sight of a group of three men seated at a
table beneath the largest swinging lamp, whose reflector threw a bright
light down on the biggest of the party, who was on his legs, waving his
pipe as he talked loudly.
"You're making a mistake, mates," he said. "It's just as I telled you,
and if it hadn't been for the pluck of my pals here we should have been
dead as well as robbed. But you mark my words; they'll make for here,
and if they do--ah, what did I say? Look, mates, look; this here's the
very pair."
There was a wild shout of rage, as every man in the place seemed to leap
to his feet; and before, utterly stunned by the sudden attack and
denunciation, either of the new-comers could find words to utter in
their defence, they were seized and dragged to their knees.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
A TRIAL FOR LIFE.
"It's false! A cowardly lie!" cried Dallas at last, as he tried to
shake himself free.
"Quiet!" cried one of his captors fiercely, "or you'll git into
trouble!"
"Yes, a lie--a lie!" cried Abel, finding his voice. "Don't choke me,
sir. Give a man fair play."
"Oh, yes, you shall have fair play," said another sternly.
"Those men attacked and tried to murder us both yonder in the snowy
pass."
"Well! I ham!" roared the red-bearded scoundrel, looking round
protestingly at all present. "But there, I've done."
He dropped heavily back in his seat, and held up his hands to his two
companions.
"That's a queer way of defending yourself, young fellow," said a stern,
square-looking man, who spoke roughly, but in a way that suggested
education.
"Yes, but it's the truth," cried Dallas firmly. "Hands off, gentlemen.
We shall not try to run away."
"Now, then: these three gentlemen say they have been robbed on the
road."
"And I say it is false. That man is a liar and a thief--a would-be
murderer."
"Well," cried the red-bearded man again. "Did you ever, mates?"
"No," cried one of the others. "Why, he talks like a play actor."
"Look here, gentlemen," cried the third excitedly, and he rose, planted
a foot on the bench, and bared his bound-up leg, "here's that tall un's
shot as went through my calf here. I'm as lame as a broken-kneed un."
A murmur of sympathy ran through the place, and Dallas spoke out again
as Abel looked quietly round at the grim faces lowering through the
smoke.
"Look here, gentlemen, I can prove my words," cried Dallas.
"Very well, then," said the dark, square-looking man, "prove them; you
shall not be condemned unheard."
A chill ran through the young man at the other's judicial tone, and the
name of Judge Lynch rose to his mind. But he spoke out firmly.
"A friend who has journeyed here with me is to meet me here to-night.--
Ah, here is one gentleman who knows us;" and he made a step towards
their bluff acquaintance of that evening, who had risen from his seat
farther in, and was looking frowningly on. "Speak a word for us, sir."
"Well, my lad, I never saw you till to-night," was the reply. "I did
have a chat with this man, gentlemen, and his mate there, and I found
them well-spoken young fellows as ever I met."
"But you never saw them before," said the dark man.
"Well, I must tell the truth," said the gold-finder.
"Of course."
"No," said the man sadly, "I never did but fair play, gentlemen,
please."
"They shall have fair play enough," said the dark man. "What about your
friend, prisoners, is this he?"
"Prisoners!" gasped Abel. "No, no; a friend who travelled with us."
"Bah! Another lie, gentlemen," cried Redbeard mockingly; "they were
alone, and shot my mate, so that it was two to two; but they took us in
ambush like, and by surprise. They hadn't got no friend with 'em."
"Yes, they had," cried a loud voice which dominated the roar of anger
which arose; "they had me; I was along with 'em--only a little un, my
sons, but big enough for you all to see."
There was a laugh at this, but it was silenced by the dark man's voice.
"Silence, gentlemen, please," he said, "and no laughter where two men's
lives are at stake."
A chill ran through Dallas again, but he forced a smile at his cousin,
as if to say, what he did not think, "It will be all right now."
"Look here," cried the Cornishman, drawing himself up to his full
height, and looking round as if to address every one present; "these
youngsters said what was quite right. They've been along with me and
two more ever since we dug 'em out of the snow."
"That's right, as far as I know," said their acquaintance with the gold;
"there was a party of five when I came upon them to-night;" and a fresh
murmur arose.
"It's all right, mates," said Redbeard to his two companions; "there's a
gang of 'em, but don't you be skeared; these gents'll see justice done."
"Well, I don't mind being called one of a gang, my sons," said the
Cornishman. "I worked on the railway once, and I was ganger, or, as you
call it here, boss, over a dozen men; but if this chap, who looks as red
as if he'd come out of a tin-mine, says I robbed him, I'll crack him
like I would a walnut in a door."
There was a roar of laughter here, and cries of "Well done, little un!"
But the dark man sternly called for silence once more.
"Now, sir, what do you say to this?" he said to Redbeard sharply.
"What I said before, boss. That big chap wasn't with 'em then. I say
these two young larrikins tried to rob and do for us. Look at his leg!"
"Robbed yer and tried to do for yer? Did they, now! Well, they do look
a pair of bad uns, don't they, my sons?--bad as these three looks good
and innercent and milky."
"Hear him!" growled Redbeard fiercely. "Talking like that, with my poor
mate suffering from a wound like this, pardners," and he pointed to his
companion's leg.
"Get out!" roared the Cornishman scornfully; "put that sore prop away;
you're talking to men, not a set of bairns. Think they're going to be
gammoned by a bit of play-acting?"
There was another loud murmur of excitement, the occupants of the canvas
building crowding up closer, evidently thoroughly enjoying the genuine
drama being enacted in their presence, and eager to see the
_denouement_, even if it only proved to be a fight between the two
giants taking now the leading parts.
The man with the red beard felt that matters were growing critical for
the accusers, while public opinion was veering round in favour of the
prisoners; and resting one hand upon his hip, and flourishing his pipe
with the other, he took a step forward, his eyes full of menace, and
faced the Cornishman.
"Look ye here, old un," he growled, "I'm a plain, straightforward,
honest man, as has come up here to try and get a few scraps o' red
gold."
"Same here, my lad."
"And I want to know whether you mean all that 'ere nasty, or whether you
mean it nice?"
"Just as you like, my son," cried the Cornishman. "You've told the
company here that my two young friends tried to rob and settle you. I
tell the company that it's as big a lie as was ever spoke."
"Well!" growled the man again, and he looked round at his companions;
"of all--"
"Yes," said the Cornishman, "an out-and-out lie; and I could play the
same cards as you, and show judge here and all of you the mark of your
bullets in one of my young friends' shoulder, and on the other's skull.
But I don't."
"Yes, you do," said the dark man. "Let's see them."
"Hear, hear! Bravo, judge! Right, right!" came in chorus.
"Very good, gentlemen," said the Cornishman, turning calmly to Dallas.
"You show first."
"It is nearly healed up now," said Dallas.
"Hor, hor, hor!" laughed the man with the red beard, "hear him!"
Dallas gave him a fierce glance, and as his captors set him free he
hastily slipped off jacket and waistcoat, before tearing open his shirt
and laying bare an ugly red scar where a bullet had ploughed his
shoulder; and a murmur once more arose.
"That will do," said the dark man. "Now the other."
"I have nothing to show," said Abel. "The bullet struck my cap, and
just glanced along the side of my head."
"Come close under the lamp," said the dark man sternly.
"Better mind your eye," said Redbeard warningly.
The dark man gave him a sharp look, and then bade Abel kneel down and
bend his head sideways.
As he did so a whitish line a few inches long was visible where the hair
had been taken off, and at the sight of this there was a fresh murmur.
"That's good proof in both cases, gentlemen," said the dark man firmly.
"Now, sir," he continued, "what more have you to say in support of your
evidence?"
"This here," cried Redbeard. "I want to know first whether this bully
countryman here means what he said nasty, or whether he means it nice?"
"Hear, hear!" shouted a voice behind.
"Just which you please, my fine fellow," said the Cornishman; "you can
take it hot with sugar, or cold with a red-hot cinder in it, if you
like."
"Then maybe I'll take it hot," cried Redbeard, fiercely.
He spoke with one hand behind him, and quick as thought he brought it
round with a swing, but a man near him struck it up.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
HANGING BY A THREAD.
"Stop that!" shouted the judge, springing to his feet. The Cornishman
stood quite unmoved.
There was silence directly, and the dark man went on. "Gentlemen," he
cried, "we have made this a court of justice, and you chose me the other
day, being an English barrister, to act as judge."
"Yes, yes," came in a fierce shout, which crushed down some murmurs of
opposition. "Go on, judge--go on."
"I will, gentlemen, till you bring forward another man to take my place.
Once more, we are here on British ground."
"No, no," came from the minority; "American."
"British, gentlemen; and as subjects of her Majesty the Empress-Queen we
stand by law and order."
"Hear, hear!" was shouted.
"We will have no rowdyism, no crimes against our little society, while
we toil for our gold."
"Hear, hear!"
"We have already bound ourselves to carry on our home-made laws here, so
that every man can bring in his winnings and place them with the
landlord, or leave them in his hut or tent, knowing that they are safe;
and we are agreed that the man who robs one of us of his gold shall
suffer for his crime, the same as if he had committed a murder."
"That's right, judge--that's right!" was roared.
"Very well, then," said the judge. "I have one word to say to those who
have raised their voices several times to-night. Let me tell them that
if they are not satisfied with our ideas of fair play, they had better
pack their sledges and go right away."
"Likely!" shouted a man at the back; "and what about our claims we have
staked out?"
"Let them be valued by a jury of six a-side, and I'll give the casting
vote if it's a tie. We'll club together and buy, you shall have good
honest value, and then you can go farther afield. There's plenty for
everybody, and the country's open. If you don't agree to that and elect
to stay, you must side with us and keep the law. Now then, who says
he'll go?"
"None of us, jedge," came in a slow drawl. "You're right, and whether
this is Murrican or Canady land, we all back you up."
There was a deafening shout at this, and as soon as silence came again
the dark man said firmly, "Now, gentlemen, to settle the business on
hand. We're not going to make the Yukon gold region a close borough."
"That's right, jedge," said an American.
"Every honest man is welcome here, but we want it known that for the
rowdy thief and law-breaker there will be a short shrift and the rope."
There was another roar, and as it subsided the man with the red beard
shouted, "That's right, pardners, right as right; and what me and my
mates here want is justice and protection from them as robbed us, and
tried to shoot us down. There they are, three o' the gang, and you've
got 'em fast. Now what do you say?"
The two young men stood rigid and silent, expectant of the fateful words
which might bring their careers to a close. They knew that wild appeals
for mercy and loud protestation would be of no avail, but would be
looked upon as arrant cowardice; and as the moments went on, heavy and
leaden winged, a strange feeling of rebellion against the cruelty of
fate raised a sense of anger, and stubborn determination began to grow.
It was too horrible to dwell upon, this prospect of the most ignominious
death: an adverse judgment based on the vote of a crowd of rugged,
determined men fighting for their own safety and the protection of the
gold they were dragging from where it had lain since the creation of the
world; but still it seemed to be their fate, and in both the growing
feeling was the same--a sense of rage and hatred against the remorseless
scoundrels who, to make their own position safe in the gold region, were
ready to sacrifice the lives of their victims.
"If we could only be face to face with them alone," they felt, "with the
chance to fight against them for our lives! The cowards! The dogs!"
Their musings were brought to an end by the voice of the head man of the
trio, who broke in upon the whispering together of the judge and several
of the men who had closed round him. "Well, pardners," he cried;
"what's it to be after all you've said? Are we to have fair play, or
are we to go where we can get it?"
"Wait a bit, sir, and you and your friends shall have fair play; never
fear."
"Don't be in a hurry," shouted one of the Americans at the back. "Jedge
don't want to hang the wrong men."
"No, sir," said the dark gold-seeker sternly; "we don't want to hang the
wrong men, and there is a growing opinion here that you and your
companions have not made out your charge."
"What!" roared Redbeard, as the Cornishman gave his young companions a
nod; "not made out our case? Hear that, mates? Well, I _am_ blessed!"
"You charge them with robbery and attempted murder."
"Yes; didn't my mate show you his leg?" cried Redbeard indignantly.
"Oh, yes; and the prisoners, who defend themselves by charging you with
attacking them, reply by displaying their wounds."
"Well, wouldn't you shoot if you was attacked? So where's your
justice?"
"I will show you that I want to give you fair play," said the judge.
"There is enough in this case to mean the sternest sentence, and it will
be awarded to the guilty parties."
There was a murmur of approval at this, and the judge said sternly,
"Separate those three men, and separate the prisoners; keep them apart,
so that they cannot communicate with one another."
There was a quick movement, and a couple of armed men placed themselves
right and left of Dallas and Abel.
"Hullo!" said the Cornishman, "am I a prisoner, too? All right; I'm in
good company."
But there was a little resistance on the part of the accusing party.
"Look here," growled Redbeard fiercely, "I want to know what this
means."
"The rope and the tree for you and your friends if you fire, sir," cried
the judge sternly.
"But--"
"Stand where you are," cried the judge. "Six of you take those other
two outside, quite apart, and mind, you are answerable to your sheriff
for bringing them back."
Redbeard growled as he stood beneath the great lamp, the two others
which had been burning having been turned out so that a better view
could be had from behind of each stage of the proceedings.
"Look here," cried Redbeard fiercely, as his companions were led out,
"why aren't the prisoners to be sent out too? Is this fair play,
pardners?"
"Yes," said the judge; "they are the prisoners. I only want your
witnesses to be out of court."
There was a dead silence while the two men were led away, and a ray of
hope began to shed light through the darkness of despair in the young
men's brains, as they read in all this a strange desire on the part of
their amateur judge to do justice between the parties.
They glanced round through the smoke of the gloomy place, to see fierce
eyes fixed upon them on all sides, while in front there was the judge
and his supporters, and their red-bearded, savage-looking accuser
beneath the lamp, which shone full upon him. The smoke now hung above
them in a dense cloud.
"Is it a dream?" said Dallas to himself; and then he started, for the
judge said sharply to the man before him:
"Now, sir, you and your two friends have come here to dig gold."
"That's right, captain."
"Where did you come from?"
"Washington territory."
"That will do. Bring in the next witness."
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 shivering of a lamp-glass, 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 passed."
"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 hoarse 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, principal 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?"
"Dog," said Tregelly, "smelling after grub. The poor brutes seem half
starved. Hasn't taken a bit out of either of you, has he? Good-night,
my sons; I was dreaming I'd hit upon heaps of gold."
Dallas sank back with a sigh of relief, and dropped off into a restful
sleep, which lasted till morning, when they were aroused by a terrific
sound of cracking as of rifles, mingled with a peculiar roar, and a
strange rushing sound.
"What is it?" cried Abel, who was one of the first to spring up; "an
earthquake?"
"Like enough, my son," said Tregelly. "I'm ready for anything here.
Sounds like the mountains playing at skittles."
"She's going at last," cried a voice outside. "By jingo! it's fine.
Come and look."
"It's the ice breaking up," cried Dallas excitedly.
"Then we will go and look," said Tregelly, "though that chap wasn't
speaking to us." And, no dressing being necessary, all hurried out, to
find that the fettered Yukon was completely changed, the ice being all
in motion, splitting up, grinding, and crushing, and with blocks being
forced up one over the other till they toppled down with a roar, to help
in breaking up those around.
The previous evening it would have been possible for a regiment to cross
the river by climbing over and among the great blocks which were still
frozen together, but now it would have been certain death for the most
active man to attempt the first fifty yards.
Every one was out in the bright sunny morning watching the breaking up;
and among the first they encountered were the judge, of the last night's
episode, and their friend the gold-finder, both of whom shook hands
heartily, but made no allusion to the trial. "Good job for every one,"
said the judge; "we shall soon be having boats up after this. We shall
be clear here in a couple of days."
"So soon?" said Dallas.
"Oh, yes," replied his informant. "There's a tremendous body of water
let loose up above, and it runs under the ice, lifts it, and makes the
ice break up; and once it is set in motion it is always grinding
smaller, till, long before it reaches the sea, it has become powder, and
then water again."
"I say," cried the miner, "there's some one's dog out yonder. He's
nipped by the legs, and it's about all over with him, I should say."
"Here, stop! What are you going to do?" cried the judge.