Jess of the Rebel Trail

Jess of the Rebel Trail

The Project Gutenberg EBook of Jess of the Rebel Trail, by H. A. Cody
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Title: Jess of the Rebel Trail
Author: H. A. Cody
Release Date: March 16, 2005 [EBook #15382]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK JESS OF
THE REBEL TRAIL ***

Produced by Al Haines

JESS OF THE REBEL TRAIL

BY
H. A. CODY

AUTHOR OF "THE FRONTIERSMAN," "THE LONG PATROL,"
"THE CHIEF OF THE RANGES," "THE FOURTH WATCH,"
"GLEN OF THE HIGH NORTH," ETC.

McCLELLAND AND STEWART
PUBLISHERS : : TORONTO

1921,
BY GEORGE H. DORAN COMPANY

PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To
MY UNCLE AND NAMESAKE
HIRAM CODY
Long Since Passed Within the Vail
This Book is Dedicated
In Grateful and Loving Remembrance

CONTENTS

CHAPTER
I THE HOLD-UP II REBELLION III THE "EB AN' FLO" IV UNDER
COVER V CAPTAIN SAMUEL GOES SHOPPING VI EBEN
MAKES A DISCOVERY VII GIVING MARTHA THE GO-BY VIII
WHAT THE COW DID IX MARTHA TAKES A HAND X
UNWELCOME VISITORS XI IN PERIL OF DEATH XII
CORNERED XIII A TRICKY PASSENGER XIV ANOTHER
VICTIM XV TWO WOMEN'S TROUBLES XVI MORE THAN A
DREAM XVII CAPTAIN SAM'L GOES HOME XVIII HARD LUCK
XIX THE CAPTAIN GIVES ADVICE XX MRS. GRIMSBY'S
MISSION XXI EBEN COMES ASHORE XXII ON THE REBEL
TRAIL XXIII STRAIGHT TALK XXIV EBEN ATTENDS TO
GRIMSBY XXV THE FOREST FIRE XXVI IN THE RING OF
DEATH XXVII IN THE NICK OF TIME XXVIII IN URGENT
NEED XXIX CONFESSION XXX JOY AT EVENTIDE

"I have no other but a woman's reason; I think him so, because I think
him so."

SHAKESPEARE

"When all other rights are taken away, the right of rebellion is made
perfect."
THOMAS PAINE

"Women are never stronger than when they arm themselves with their
weakness."
MADAME DU DEFFAND

JESS OF THE REBEL TRAIL

CHAPTER I
THE HOLD-UP
The glowing coals in the spacious grate seemed to fascinate the woman
as she sat huddled in a big luxurious chair. The book she had been
reading was lying open and unheeded on her lap. Her surroundings
were by no means in keeping with her dejected manner. The room was
cosy and lavishly furnished, while the shaded electric reading-lamp cast
its gentle radiance upon the woman's white hair and soft evening-gown.
It was a rough night, and the wind howling outside beat furiously
against the closely-blinded windows.
It was a night such as this, nearly twenty years before, of which the
woman was thinking. She was once again in a room in a private
hospital, lying weak and helpless from the ordeal through which she
had passed. It all came back to her now with a stinging intensity,
causing her white hands to clench hard, and her eyes to widen with a
nameless fear.
A maid entered and announced a visitor.
"I can't see anyone to-night," the woman before the fire declared,
without even turning her head.

"But----" the maid began.
"That is all, Maggie. You need not say anything more. I wish to be left
entirely alone."
The maid hesitated a few seconds before obeying the imperious
command. Then she slowly turned, and had almost reached the door
when it was suddenly pushed open and a man entered. Without a word,
he stepped past her and glided across the room toward the fire. His
unexpected appearance startled the woman crouching there. She
straightened quickly up and stared at the intruder in amazement.
"Who are you?" she demanded. "How dare you come here? Maggie,
put this man out."
But Maggie had disappeared, so the woman was left to face the man
alone.
"I won't harm you, madame," he smilingly informed her, as he moved
closer to the fire and stretched put his hands. "I'm as harmless as a
kitten."
"Keep back," the woman ordered. "Don't come so close."
"Oh, I'm all right. Don't you worry about me."
Again the man smiled as he rubbed his hands together.
"I wasn't worrying about you," the woman retorted. "I would like to see
you burn yourself for your impudence."
Her fear had now vanished, and she was angry. She carefully noted the
man's slight figure, and threadbare clothes. But his face was what
attracted her most of all. It was somewhat chubby, and when the mouth
was expanded by the almost incessant smile the cheeks were wrinkled
like corrugated iron. His head was bald, save for a few tufts of hair
above