United States or Belize ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
"No doubt" remarked Fred Westly to Paul, who was permitted to walk beside him, though Flinders was obliged to walk behind "no doubt the chief fears that Stalker will pursue him when he is rejoined by his robber band, and wants to get well out of his way."
Mister Brixton, there's more blood on an' about ye, I do belave, than yer whole body could howld." Before an answer could be returned, Fred Westly, having heard Paddy's shout, came running up. "Oh! Tom, Tom," he cried, eagerly, "are you hurt? Can you walk? Can you run? The whole camp is out after you." "Indeed?" replied the fugitive, with a frown.
"Ay, an' a drunk man too, who couldn't make much of a fight if he wanted to. But lass, the drunk man may have any number of men at his back, both drunk and sober, so it's well to be ready. Just fetch the revolvers an' have 'em handy while I go down to meet him." "Father, it seems to me I should know that figure. Why, it's no, surely it cannot be young Mister Westly!" "No doubt of it, girl.
"We must be off to search for him without delay," said Fred Westly, rising. "It's right ye are, sor," cried Flinders, springing up. "Off to-night an' not a moment to lose." "We'll talk it over first, boys," said Paul. "Come with me. I've a friend in the camp as'll help us." "Did you not bring the piece of bark?" asked Betty of the boy, as the men went out. "Oh! I forgot.
If you don't tell me all you know and where your chum has bolted to, I'll blow your brains out as sure as there's a God in heaven." "I thought," said Westly, quietly, and without the slightest symptom of alarm, "you held the opinion that there is no God and no heaven." "Come, young fellow, none o' your religious chaff, but answer my question."
The result of all these things was that Tom Brixton settled down near the village where his mother dwelt, and Fred Westly, after staying long enough among the Sawback Mountains to dig out of them a sufficiency, returned home and bought a small farm beside his old chum. And did Tom forget his old friends in Oregon? No! He became noted for the length and strength of his correspondence.
On the contrary, a weight like lead seemed to lie on his heart, and the faces of his mother and his friend, Fred Westly, seemed to flit before him continually, gazing at him with sorrowful expression. As the fumes of the liquor which he had drunk began to dissipate, the shame and depression of spirit increased, and his strength, great though it was, began to give way.
"No sor, he doesn't." "Ah, I thought not. With his religious notions, it would be difficult for him to join in an attempt to bribe me to stop the course of justice." "Well, sor, you're not far wrong, for Muster Westly had bin havin' a sort o' tussle wid his conscience on that very pint.
There, it's the rope that you'll swing by, so you'll find it hard to break." While Tom was being bound he cast a look of fierce anger on Westly, who still lay prostrate and insensible on the ground, despite Paddy's efforts to rouse him. "I hope he is killed," muttered Tom between his teeth. "Och! no fear of him, he's not so aisy kilt," said Flinders, looking up. "Bad luck to ye for wishin' it."
Now, it has occurred to my chum Westly an' me, that it would be better, safer, and surer to buy him up, than to fight for him, an' as I know some o' you fellers has dug up more goold than you knows well what to do wid, an' you've all got liberal hearts lastewise ye should have, if ye haven't I propose, an' second the resolootion, that we make up some five hundred pounds betune us, an' presint it to Bully Gashford as a mark of our estaim if he'll on'y give us up the kay o' the prison, put Patrick Flinders, Esquire, sintry over it, an' then go to slape till breakfast-time tomorry mornin'."
Word Of The Day