Part 28 (1/2)

”yours til deth.

”SUSAN.

”P.S. the piggs is quite livly but ther not so hansum heer as in the owld country. Don't forgit to rite to your susan.”

No one can conceive the indignation that swelled the broad chest of honest John b.u.mpus when he listened to the laughter with which some parts of this letter were received.

”Now,” said Dan, ”could any man want better proof than this that John b.u.mpus _is not_ a pirate?”

This question was answered by a perfect yell from the crowd.

”Set him free; cut his cords!” cried a voice.

”Stop, friends,” cried a big coa.r.s.e-looking man, leaping on the table and jostling Dan out of the way. ”Not quite so fast. I don't pretend to be a learned feller, and I can't make a speech with a b.u.t.tery tongue like Dan here. But wot I've got to say is--Justice for ever!”

”Hurrah!” from some of the wild spirits of the crowd. ”Go on, Burke,”

from others.

”Yes, wot I say is--Justice for ever! Fair play an' no favour: _That's_ wot I say!”

Another cheer greeted the bold a.s.sertion of these n.o.ble sentiments.

”Now, here it is,” continued Burke, becoming much excited, ”wot's to hinder that there letter bein' a forgery?--ay, that's the word, a forgery? (Hear! hear!) got up a-purpose to bamboozle us chaps that ain't lawyers. D'ye see?”

Burke glanced at Dan and smote his thigh triumphantly as he said this.

”It does not _look_ like a forgery,” said Dan, holding up the letter and pointing to the writing. ”I leave it to yourselves to say if it _sounds_ like a forgery--”

”I don't care a farthin' dip for yer _looks_ and _sounds_,” cried Burke, interrupting the other. ”No man is goin' for to tell me that anybody can trust to _looks_ and _sounds_. Why, I've know'd the greatest villain that ever chewed the end of a smuggled cigar _look_ as innocent as the babe unborn. An' is there a man here wot'll tell me he hasn't often an' over again mistook the crack of a big gun for a clap o'

thunder?”

This was received with much approval by the crowd, which had evidently more than half-forgotten the terrible purpose for which it had a.s.sembled there, and was now much interested in what bid fair to be a keen dispute. When the noise abated, Dan raised his voice and said--”If Burke had not interrupted me, I was going to have said that another thing which proves the letter to be no forgery is, that the post-mark of San Francisco is on the back of it, with the date all right.”

This statement delighted the crowd immensely, and caused Burke to look disconcerted for a few seconds; he rallied, however, and returned to the charge.

”Post-marks! wot do I care for post-marks? Can't a man forge a post-mark as easy as any other mark?”

”Ah! that's true,” from a voice in the crowd.

”No, not so easily as _any_ other mark,” retorted Dan, ”for it's made with a kind of ink that's not sold in shops. Everything goes to prove that the letter is no forgery. But, Mr Burke, will you answer me this--if it _was_ a forgery, got up for the purpose of saving this man's life, _at what time was it forged_? for b.u.mpus could not know that he would ever need such a letter until yesterday afternoon, and between that time and this there was but little time to forge a letter from San Francisco, post-mark and all, and make it soiled and worn at the edges like an old letter. (`Hear!' and sensation.) More than that,” cried Dan, waxing eager and earnest, ”if it was a forgery, got up for this purpose, _why was it not produced at the trial_? (`Hear! hear!' and cheers!) And, last of all, why, if this forgery was so important to him, did John b.u.mpus forget all about it until he stood on this table; ay, _until the rope was round his neck_?”

A perfect storm of cheers and applause followed this last sentence, in the midst of which there were cries of ”You're floored, Burke! Hurrah for b.u.mpus! Cut the ropes!”

But although John's life was now safe, his indignation at Susan's letter having been laughed at was not altogether allayed.

”I'll tell ye wot it is,” said he, the instant there was a lull in the uproar of voices. ”If you think that I'll stand here and see my Susan's letter insulted before my eyes, you're very far out o' your reckoning.

Just cut them ropes an put any two o' ye'r biggest men, black or white, before _me_, an' if I don't shew them a lot o' new stars as hasn't been seed in no sky wotiver since Adam was a little boy, my name's--”