Poynter

“ Poynter's tent was in exemplary order—that Mr. Poynter and his mended shirt were missing—she went on humming—but to Johnny's amazement, burned her fingers on the coffeepot; sharply reproved Johnny for staring, and then curtly suggested that he prepare to break camp that morning, as it was high time they were on the road.
"As for Mr. Philip Poynter," reflected Diane with delicate disdain, as she bent over the fire and rolled some baked potatoes away with a stick, "what can one expect? Men are exceedingly peculiar and inconsistent and impudent. ”

“ Poynter would have fallen had not he been caught by Jack Fyffe, who whispered:
"Ef you hyar a rumpus outside, don't be 'larmed, 'cause it'll on'y be fri'nds. Mind an' keep awake."
A pressure of the hand told that Poynter understood his meaning, and then, after being bound, the prisoner was left alone in the room. Some half a dozen guards were posted around the building, with instructions to shoot him if he attempted an escape; and then the vigilantes separated, each man wending his way homeward, pondering upon what they had already done, and the duty that awaited them on the morrow. ”

“ Poynter could scarcely restrain his passion, at noting how coolly and deliberately the dastardly scoundrel set about his work; but the pressure of Jack Fyffe's hand upon his arm, recalled his presence of mind.
When a little pile of the shavings were made Sprowl piled over them some splinters of wood that lay beside the kitchen-stove, and then applied the lighted candle to the heap. It instantly ignited, the tiny blaze creeping along, thrusting out its forked tongue like a serpent; at which the incendiary gave a chuckle of delight, and rising, dropped a chair over the fire. ”

“ But what do you intend doing? The hunt will be hot for you, as, if a man would take all that trouble and expense to put you out of the way, legally, he will not let you off so easily."
"I know that; and in perfect freedom, is the only chance of my ever clearing myself. I frankly own that I am puzzled," slowly replied Poynter.
"Well, sir, I am not often mistaken in a man, if I do say it myself," added the outlaw leader, after a pause. ”

“ The truer depths of his nature were touched; the crust of wickedness was broken, never again to heal over.
"And this Meagreson—do you know nothing of his future plans?" at length asked Poynter, looking up.
"Unless he should hear from me, he was to meet me at the 'Twin Points' Friday night."
"Then you think he will come?"
"I have no doubt of it," was the assured reply. "He will be too anxious to learn the latest news not to come."
"Good! he will probably meet visitors he does not expect," cried Crees. ”

“ It's strange what choices women will make sometimes!" exclaimed Poynter.
The outlaw leader only grunted, "Just so."
"But that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about just now. You have several times promised to tell me your story, and why not fulfill it now? 'Tis as well as to wait longer."
"You are right, and I will do so; although I had intended to wait until after Meagreson had acknowledged his guilt. But what Sprowl has said is enough," slowly replied Crees, passing a hand across his brow, as if to chase away some painful reflection. ”

“ But understand me: upon no account are you to divulge what you hear or see; nor the places we will take you to, even if your life depended upon it, unless we give you permission. And in return, you will be left free to come and go, as you will. You will not be asked, or expected, to do any thing against your conscience; and if you should need any assistance that we can give, you have but to say as much."
"That is far more than I could expect, and I sincerely thank you for it," rejoined Poynter, warmly clasping the outlaw's hand. ”

“ Better kiver."
"To the left," muttered Poynter, leading the way. "Hold the reins while I keep the horses from neighing. And mark you, Sprowl, those are your friends, but if you utter so much as a whisper, by the God above me, I will shoot you like a dog! You know I keep my word. They may hunt us, but it would be too late to do you any good!" hissed the young man as he passed by the prisoner.
They were scarcely a dozen feet from the road, upon a little lower ground, from whence they could have a clear view of anybody passing by. ”

“ There is not, indeed, James, and I shall be very seriously annoyed if——. Who did you say wrote them? Old Mr. Poynter, of Acrington? Well, of course, there is some interest in getting together old papers about this neighbourhood. But Ten Pounds!’ She picked up one of the volumes—not that which her nephew had been reading—and opened it at random, dashing it to the floor the next instant with a cry of disgust as a earwig fell from between the pages. Mr. Denton picked it up with a smothered expletive and said, ‘Poor book! I think you’re rather hard on Mr. Poynter.’ ‘Was I, my dear? ”

“ I’m Hendon’s friend,” said Poynter, with a laugh; and he gave his hat a loving wipe.
“Yes, Mr Poynter. You came to see me the day before yesterday. I remember—remember. I prescribed—”
“That’s right, sir; that’s right,” cried Poynter, with one of his horse laughs.
“Is this man going, Hendon?” whispered Mark impatiently.
“No, Mr Mark Heath, he ain’t,” said Poynter fiercely. “Speak lower if you don’t want people to hear; we’ve got sharp ears in the City, and I’m not going.”
“No, no; Mr Poynter has come to see me,” said the doctor, gazing in a frightened way at Mark. “Don’t go, Mr Poynter. ”

“ We never go back upon a fellow-craftsman," returned the man, cordially.
"And you are—"
"The same as yourself; free livers is our name for it. Those whom we favor with our custom call us horse-thieves and counterfeiters," laughed the leader.
"Ah!" muttered Poynter, and bending his head as if in deep thought.
"All ready, Tamelt?"
"All ready, sir," was the prompt reply, and the little band left the house.
Jack Fyffe directed Poynter to a horse, which, with great delight and surprise, he found was his own noble bay, that had been taken when he was arrested. ”

“ A few swallows were poured down Sprowl's throat, and thus bathing his face and neck with the pungent liquor, Poynter soon uttered a glad cry. In truth, the patient appeared to be recovering, and in a few minutes the light of reason once more shone in his eyes.
"I know that man," slowly ejaculated Crees, not once removing his gaze, that appeared to attract the other's attention much the same as the fascination exercised by the rattlesnake.
"My God! who are you?" almost yelled the wretch, as he suddenly sat up, staring at Crees, wildly. ”

“ Poynter's is quite unlike that one; in fact, she is extremely beautiful. But why is she overcome? Solomon might have been pardoned for blushing when he saw her, but he takes it quite as a matter of course. The black Chamberlain is evidently not a lord, otherwise he would have been more careful about his Queen's dress. There are harps, peacocks, golden lions, luscious fruits, monkeys, marble steps, and gorgeous pillars, to complete the picture. Curiously enough, the other ladies do not seem to care for the newly-arrived Queen. Bravo, Poynter! ”

“ Why the old man only gave me a hundred for swearing against Poynter—Hello! what's that?" he added, starting to his feet, and looking toward the bushes where Poynter was concealed.
The latter had given a sudden start, as he caught the hint dropped by Sprowl, that could only refer to the charge of murder that had been brought against him. But who was this Meagreson, or the "old man?"
"Bah!" grunted Polk, lazily turning his head, "don't get scart at your own shadow. I heard it too, but it's only my horse."
"Sure?"
"Thunder! yes. Come. I'm in a hurry. Will you earn the money?" ”

“ Thereupon Poynter succinctly stated what he had heard while eavesdropping the two precious scoundrels, adding:
"It isn't that I care so much for the house, but we must take that Sprowl a prisoner. He knows enough to clear me, and if he can prove what he said, to bring this Dement or Meagreson to justice; and that's just my hand, now."
"We'll do it! Ef not in the act, we'll nab him at his own shanty. Then a taste o' the med'cin' 'at they gi'n you'll bring 'im to tarms, I reckon. Leastwise we kin try it. Meagreson, ye said?" ”

“ You've an inexplicable chemistry of ungovernable passions and wild whims and you may go through hell first but when the final test comes—you'll ring true. Mark that, old man, you'll ring true. I tell you I know! There's sanity and will and grit to balance the rest."
Well, Philip Poynter was a staunch optimist with oppressive ideals, a splendid, free-handed fellow with brains and will and infernal persistence.
Four o'clock and the log dying! The city outside was a dark, clinking world of milkmen and doubtful stragglers, Carl finished the whiskey in his glass and rose. ”

“ Perhaps 'twould be a better job if you put me beyond the way of doing any more harm; I do think so. I have always been a cursed, cowardly fool, and if at times I would try—and God knows that I have tried for Mary's sake and the children's—to break off, here would come a temptation, and down I'd go, worse than ever," gloomily replied the prisoner.
"Well," heartily responded Poynter, "better times are coming now, and if you will only help yourself, others will lend a hand. Cheer up, old fellow, and hold your head up like an honest man ”

“ Even had not his muttered exclamation revealed this fact, there was an eager, ardent tinge to his restlessness that would have betrayed his secret—would have told of an appointment with some one a little more than a mere friend.
A woman would have guessed that he was expecting a sweetheart, whom, for some reason, he could not visit openly, and she would have been right. He was awaiting a sweetheart, and her name was Nora McGuire.
Again Poynter peered through the bushes. He saw a small but neat vine-covered log-house, of only one story. ”

“ But you send around for me; it'll look better. I'll go home now and begin shaking," and with a loud laugh the two precious scoundrels separated, each man going his own way.
Scarcely had they disappeared when Clay Poynter emerged from his ambush, and stood for a moment, trembling with anger. His face pale and stern-set, his eyes glittering with bluish sheen of polished steel; his breath came hot and heavy from betwixt his tightly-clenched teeth.
Truly, he had good cause for being wrathy, and for feeling thoughtful, too, in the revelations so complacently made by Wesley Sprowl. ”

“ What have I said?”
“Nothing, nothing, dear; only you—you must not leave me.”
“But Mark Heath—Ah! what a fool I am!” he cried, catching his sister in his arms. “I did not think what I was saying; and, Rich dear, hold up, I don’t believe the dear old boy is dead.”
“Hush, Hendon dear,” said Richmond, mastering her emotion; “I want—I want to talk to you about Mr Poynter.”
“Yes, all right. Sit down, dear, and I won’t be such a fool.”
“You must not leave me.”
“I won’t. I’ll stop and fight it out like a man. And as for James Poynter, I wish I hadn’t let him pay those rates.” ”

“ Hendon glared at him wildly.
“How’s the little angel—Janet?”
Hendon’s hands clenched, and he ground his teeth, while Poynter laughed at him.
“So the big brother’s out of the hospital; got over his D.T., and lodging with his sister, eh?”
Hendon made no reply.
“Come, old chap,” continued Poynter, “have a cigar, and do try and be sensible. I don’t want to do nothing hard, but of course a man must fight for his own hand. I haven’t come here to sell you up, but to bring you to your senses, like the friend I always was. ”

“ Also what you know about one Meagreson, alias John Dement, his character, crimes, and, in short, every thing.
"I warn you, however, that I am not to be deceived; that I know far more than you have any idea of, so that any attempt of that kind will only injure yourself. Do you fully comprehend me?" queried Poynter.
Sprowl answered by a double nod; his mouth being crammed so full of the juicy deer-steak, that speech was impossible. ”

“ There are some instruments anybody can get any tune they like out of. I was very grave, and advised her to see the professor. And would I write to ask him, said Mr. Poynter. I said I would.
As I went out Mr. Poynter remarked: “You will clear some four hundred easy. Write to the professor. Bring my receipt to the office next week, and we will settle.”
We settled. I tore up his receipt and gave him one for fifteen hundred dollars, and received in notes five hundred dollars.
In a day or so I had a note from the professor stating that Miss Poynter was in no peril ”

“ This retreat is known—"
"The devil!"
"Yes; and you will be attacked to-night by the vigilance committee, in full force," coolly rejoined Poynter.
"Bad enough, I must say. But are you certain?"
"If hearing the entire plan, detailed by the man that found you out, is enough, I am."
"So—so!" muttered the outlaw chief.
"Well, your decision," impatiently said Clay, "what is it?"
"We must run for it. Not but that we are strong enough to stand our ground, if such a course would be prudent, but we must tread lightly. ”

“ But it's halfers, mind ye now, Polk!" and at the same time two men broke out from the bushes, and hastened toward their intended victim.
Poynter could see them plainly, and immediately recognized them to be Barton Clowry and Polk Redlaw, the former a drunken, worthless scoundrel, that would lie, steal, fight and drink, day in and day out, disliked by everybody and pitied by none. He had a fit-looking person for a partner, owing to the blow dealt Polk Redlaw by Poynter, at the "Twin Sycamores," that had inflamed his entire face dreadfully. ”