CHAPTER XIV
THE MARSHAL INTERFERES
"Excuse me," said the loud-spoken man, as he made Jed a mocking bow,"but perhaps you did not understand me. I asked for the honor of yourcompany in partaking of a little of the liquid refreshment which theyserve in this palatial hotel," and with his big hat he swept the floor."Once more, stranger, a tenderfoot by your looks, what will you have?"
The last words were sternly spoken, and there was a general movement, onthe part of those nearest Haverhill, to get out of range of the gunwhich they momentarily expected him to draw.
"I understood you perfectly," replied Jed, "but I can only repeat what Isaid. I don't drink."
"Why--why!" spluttered Haverhill, for he considered himself insultedsuch was his peculiar code of "honor." "You've got to drink with me, ortake the consequences!"
He reached toward his revolver, which was in plain sight in his belt.But Jed never quailed. Will, with a white face, started forward to hisbrother's aid, but Gabe pulled him back.
"That'll do!" exclaimed the old miner, as he took a step in advance, andstood beside Jed. "I'm with this lad, and what he says I'll back up."
"Oh, you will, eh?" asked Haverhill, with a sneer. "And who are you?"
"No tenderfoot, if that's what you mean. I was out in California in '49,when you were eating bread and milk, and you can't bluff me. Don't youdraw that gun!" suddenly exclaimed the brave miner, as he sawHaverhill's hand stealing toward the revolver.
"You dare give me orders!" exclaimed the other. "Why--why--dynamite andrattlesnakes--I'll--I'll eat you alive!"
"You will, eh?" exclaimed Gabe, taking a step closer to the man. Everyone expected to see some "gun-play," but, for some reason, the man whohad invited Jed to drink seemed so astonished at Gabe's defiance that hedid not know what to say.
"Yes, and I'll--I'll----" spluttered the man, in his rage.
"That'll do you now!" replied Gabe quietly. "If you know what's good foryou, you'll get out of here."
"I will? What for, I'd like to know?"
"Because, Sam Small, _alias_ Ned Haverhill, _alias_ Short-card Ike, Iknow who you are, and if you don't leave at once I'll report you to theUnited States marshal. I know you well, but you fooled me at first. Youwere Con Morton's partner when he swindled me out of the best part of myfortune, and you can tell Con, when you see him, that I'm looking forhim. Now clear out!"
"Why--why--you dare order me----" began the gambler, as if he could notbelieve what he heard.
"Yes, you'd better go, Ned," advised the bar-keeper in a low voice.Gabe's quiet manner, and the way he spoke, convinced the hotel keeperthat the old miner had spoken the truth, and the saloon man did not wanttrouble with the authorities.
"I'll not go!" cried the angry man. "I'll--I'll----"
"Hold on there!" exclaimed a new voice, and every one turned to seeMarshal Judson standing in the door. He was armed with a rifle, and,though he did not aim it at any one, the manner in which he looked atHaverhill, the cause of the disturbance, argued anything but peaceableintentions toward that individual.
"Clear out of here," added the marshal, "and don't you show up in thesediggings again. I heard what Mr. Harrison said about you, and I believehim. Get out!" and his blue eyes blazed in a convincing manner.
"I--I was--was just goin' to," answered the man, who had been so bold alittle while ago. "I'm going," and he sneaked out of the door, whileseveral, who a few minutes before were afraid of him, laughed openly.
"Tenderfoot, you're all right!" exclaimed a man, extending his hand toJed. "There aren't many who would refuse to drink with Haverhill."
Others also spoke of Jed's nervy stand, for, it was said, Haverhill wasknown to be a bad man in a quarrel, and dangerous when angered.Evidently, however, he feared the marshal.
Matters were rather quiet about the hotel the rest of the night, for themarshal remained in that vicinity In the morning Gabe and the two boys,having completed their outfits, set off on their horses in the directionof Dizzy Gulch. Several old miners tried, with the best of intentions,to dissuade Gabe from going to those diggings, saying he would only meetwith failure.
"I don't care. I'm going," he said. "I'll trust Ted Jordan."
They traveled all that day, and reached a small mining camp thatevening. It appeared to be a prosperous one, for there were severalsaloons and dance halls in full operation, and, usually, this is thesurest sign of such prosperity. When the miners are digging plenty ofgold they are spending it, and every one in the place seemed to have agood-sized bag of yellow dust, or else several nuggets in his pockets.
Though the boys had seen these evidences of the earth's richness at thetown where they first stopped, they did not lose interest in watchingthe men pay for what they bought with gold dust or nuggets, instead ofmoney.
"That's what we'll be doing soon, eh, Will?" suggested Jed.
"I hope so, but maybe we'll be fooled when we get to Dizzy Gulch. Everyone seems to think there is no gold there."
"Don't let that worry you," replied Jed. "We'll get gold, I'm sure. OldGabe knows what he is about. Don't believe what those old miners say."
"I hope you're right, but it doesn't seem so," added Will, with hisusual habit of looking on the dark side of things.
The travelers found that the hotel they stopped at was somewhat betterpatronized than the former one, though it had been hastily constructed.There was the same quality of customers, however--miners and gamblers.After supper Gabe left the two boys alone, as he wanted to go about andmake some inquiries of an old friend of his, who was somewhere about thediggings.
As Jed and Will were passing out of the hotel through the barroom, forthere were no other egress, they were stopped by a flashily dressed man,who, with several others, was playing cards at a table in a corner.
"Hello, sports!" he greeted the lads. "Take a hand in the game. We'reshort."
"We don't gamble!" exclaimed Jed quickly. He was an outspoken lad, andnever beat about the bush.
"You don't gamble? I reckon you're afraid of losing a dollar or so,"sneered the man.
"No, but we don't believe in it," replied Jed, good-naturedly, andpreparing to pass on.
"Hold on!" exclaimed the man. "Do you mean to insult me?"
"Not at all," answered the boy.
"But I consider you have insulted me, when you don't think I'm goodenough for you to play cards with!"
"I did not say that," was Jed's reply. "I said I didn't believe ingambling or card playing. I don't consider that it's right."
"Then you think I'm doing wrong?"
"I don't think anything about you. I'm simply speaking for myself."
"Aw, you're a tenderfoot! A milksop! Why didn't you stay back East, tiedto your mother's apron string? Does she know you're out? Give her myregards!"
That was too much for Jed. That any one should speak disrespectfully ofhis dear mother was more than he could stand. Without stopping to thinkof the consequences of his act, he shot out his left arm, his fistcaught the gambler squarely on the chin, and the fellow fell flat on hisback, after a desperate effort to retain his footing.
There were murmurs of astonishment from all in the room. The boy's actwas so sudden it took every one by surprise. Instinctively Will movednearer to his brother to protect him, for he felt there would be afight.
The gambler was on his feet in an instant. With a quick motion he drew arevolver and leveled it at Jed.
"Put up that gun!" yelled a sudden voice, and every one turned to seewho had spoken. Old Gabe was entering the room. At the sight of him, thegambler's hand shook, and he lowered the weapon.
"Ah! I've found you, have I!" exclaimed Gabe, as he pushed his waythrough the crowd. "Now I've got you!"
"No, you haven't!" yelled the gambler, and, with a quick motion, hejumped to one side, and out of an open window near the table,disappearing in the darkness outside.
Two Boy Gold Miners; Or, Lost in the Mountains Page 14
