Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1115 — page 14: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

14 --- want to live, oh so bad, and willifIcan. But it looks gloomy to me now, and for fear some- thing does happen me, I want to tell you some- thing—a secret—while my mind is clear. know you will forgive me, and it is but just and right that you should know all.” ‘“'Tom,” replied Walden, ‘tI know not what secret you have reference to, but whatever it may be, you now have my forgiveness, for I know it can be nothing criminal.” ‘Thank you,” said Tom, his face lighting up with a thankful look; ‘‘but my stay here is short. When I was in your employ as guide, and became acquainted with your daughter, a friendship sprung up between us that in time ripened into love, This, of course, you did not fail to see, and I know that for this fact you discharged me from your service, Since then I understand that I have been mistrusted of hold- ing a grudge against you, but this is all untrue, In fact, the very reverse has been the truth. As a Texan ranger, since my dismissal by you. I have endeavored to confine myself and band to work along the route which I knew you usually traveled. I had your protection m view. I knew that Jacquetta was traveling, and Jacquetta, Mr. Walden, was my wife !” * What? Jacquetta your wife?’ Walden ex- claimed, starting as though a dagger had pierced his heart. ** Yes, Mr. Walden, this is the great wron to you,” Tom continued; ‘‘ while you were sti at L——, where you discharged me, Jacquet- ta and I stole away and were secretly married by a priest. She went back to you with her secret locked in her breast with the intention of staying with you until she had attained her wo pa when she was to reveal our secret and implore your pardon and forgiveness. The time is now up, and I was to have met you at Fort Concho and claimed my bride; but, alas! I fear the joy to which I have looked forward these last two years will never. be reached on earth.” ‘* Well, well,” said the prairie merchant, in esi composure, “‘such a thing I never reamed of; but I see now why Jacquetta has always stood up for you when others were denouncing Tiger Tom as an out- law and murderer. But, Tom, while this is more than I had expected, I freely forgive you both, and my prayer is that you may recover, and that your and Jacquetta’s future years may be attended with everlasting blessings.” ** Again I thank you, Mr. Walden,” said Tom; “but | have not told you all I wished about myself and conduct. After our marriage and your departure East, 1 sought employment among the rancheros down the valley. These men had been suffering serious losses of cattle and borses at the hands of the outlaws and marauding bands of Indians; and so they made me a proposition which [ accepted at once. It was that Il raise a band of independent ran- gers and drive the thieves and outlaws out of the country. ‘‘The ranchmen were all wealthy fellows and were to furnish us with a complete outfit from horses to firearms, and pay each man so much pe month for his services, They had grown ired of waiting on the military to defend them and their interests, There was too much red- tape system about the soldiers for quick and efficient work, and the cattle-men all come to the conclusion that fifty independent rangers— brave and daring fellows—would do more toward ridding the country of its outlawry than half of the United States army. had no trouble in organizing my company. Most of my followers are rancheroes though there are a few that never saw a wild indian until he became a Texan Tiger. Dr. Adams is the son of a wealthy eastern gentieman. He was just from the medical college making a tour of Texas for health and pleasure when I met him. He had heard of my company, and peing full of the spirit of adventure he prevailed on me to accept him .as physician and surgeon to my company, and a valuable acquisition has he been. Heis a polished gentleman, yet a wild, reckless dare-devil when in the saddle, In fact, the company was composed of reckless, daring fellows, and it was from this fact, that ag be- came known as Texan Terrors and Texan aes avi The story that we were outlaws and ro ourselves, I found on investigation, originated inside of a certain military post. The commandant there is a dashing youn fellow with more styig, than brains, and bh to distinguish if in running down outlaws. and in fighting Indians, but it seems I Sp ea Opes pernaps ng sent a Us, manding the Department of the Gulf in which he gave it as his lordiy opinion that Tiger Tom was in league with the Indians and outlaws. Of course, some believed it, but it never worried usa bit. In fact, we rather enjoyed it knowing that it was false, and some of my boys even ex- pressed a desire to meet, on the open prairie, that young commandant and his followers and try the mettle of their swords. So this is all there is in the story of the Texan Terrors being outlaws,” ‘‘T thank God for it—that it is true, Tom,” replied ‘Walden, a great weight lifted from his mind and heart, ‘‘ but you must rest now—you have already talked too much,” ‘‘T feel much better, Mr. Walden,” Tom said, “since I have unburdened my heart of its secret.” ‘Well, you must keep quiet, anyhow; I wil find Jacquetta and have a talk with her so that there need be no further obstacles between your affections.” A iuuon vu. gx uxt relief passed over the face of the wounded man, as Mr. Walden rose and waiked away. Jacquetta was sitting by herself weeping when her father approached her and said; ‘*My child, Tomisa great deal better.” “Oh, thank Heaven!” she cried, clasping her hands together, as she looked up into her father’s face. “Yes,” continued the merchant, ‘‘ and he made a confession to me of your secret mar- riage,” The girl started up, utteringa little cry. Her face became suffused, and the words she would have spoken died on her tremulous hips. ‘‘ And while. I regret the course you took,” Mr. Walden continued, after a moment’s hesi- tation, ‘‘1 freely forgive the deception, and trust in Heaven that Tom may recover,and that your life will be one of happiness and love.” ‘‘Oh, my dear father, this from your lips have I prayed these two long, long years!” Jacquetta cried, throwing her arms about her father’s neck, and raining kisses upon him. ‘‘Come, come, my child,” the father said, “vou have a duty now to perform.” o drying her tearsand calming her emotions, Jacquetta returned to the bedside of her young husband. A glance at her face told him that the burden she had so long carried in her breast, a source of fear and remorse, had been removed, and that the light of an unclouded heart shone out in joyful radiance. “Oh, Tom, my Lusband!” she cried, as she twined her arms about his neck and kissed his pale lips. ‘* Heaven has been good to us, after all “Yes, my darling,” Tom replied; ‘‘ and I will live now, for your sake, in spite of outlaw bullets.” Ané his words seemed spoken out of the spirit of prophecy, tor from that hour he seemed to rail y and grow stronger, though very, very slowly. Toward the close of the third day after Tom’s injury the manon guard descried a party ap- proaching over the plain from the west, and throagh fear that it might be enemies every- thing was put in readiness to give them a warm reception; but as the party drew nearer all saw that it was a party of mounted soldiers who were followed by an ambulance. All knew then that the surgeon sent for to the fort had arrived, and what was more, his escort “3 mat was headed by Irene’s father, Colonel iller. ' Asthe party rode up to the chaparral and dismounted irene forgot her vaaio kite, and the strange fancies that the handsome face of Doc- tor Adams had wrought in her heart, and she rushed to her father who received her with open arms and rained kisses and tears alike upon her. The meeting of father and daughter was a joy- ous one, and after. they had conversed a few minutes the colonel aivanced to Tom’s bedside and taking him by the hand ssid: ‘‘T am down, colonel, in a bad fix for a fight- ing man,” replied Tom with a smile. ‘Ay, but one constantly where bullets are flying,” said the colonel, ‘‘ will get hit once in awhile. But they tell me:'you have done the country inestimable good in ane, | Black Ra- mardo ard a good skare of his band.” ““T guess we gotaway with that outlaw, but he gave us a warm fight or two, and some of my best. men fell.” : ‘Well, it will afford me Sp pleasure to make an official report of the good work of Tiger Tom’s Independent Rangers. . [t will be an offset to the report made by Captain Dent sg somewhat Upon: the ~e uct, of the —_- ——_—_—— a “Thank you, colonel,” Tom said with a smile. The two doctors at once held a consultation. The old surgeon was well satisfied with the young man’s treatment of the case, and could do, or suggest nothing that might be for the better. Of course, the bullet could not be re- moved because it could not be found, but the doctors did not consider its removal necessary to a complete recovery. The party was some- what surprised, however, when the doctors in- formed them that it would not do to undertake toremove Tom under four weeks, no matter how fast he might convalesce; and so arrange- ments were made to pass the time the best they could, Colonel Miller sent to the fort and had a num ber of tents and some commissary supplies brought over to Camp Brayton, as the place was called, Old Luke and Bill Proctor took it upon them- selves tosupply game for the party and did so —furnishing deer and antelope in abundance, In the mean time Mr. Walden, accompanied by half a dozen rangers returned down the river to where he had left his freight wagons intrenched and found them all as he had left them. Having made known the situation of affairs up the river, ke sent the wagons on through to their destination while he returned to Camp Brayton to assist at the bedside of hig wounded son-in-law. After it was known beyond a doubt that the young ranger was out of danger, the gloom on he faces of all began to disappear, and their spirits to revive. In fact the last few days of their stay in Camp Brayton became a season of Joy. and festivities. } ut at length the time for departure came and early one bright morning the party set o across the plain toward Fort Concho, where in due course of time it arrived in safety. And now had come the time for separations— the parting of old and new friends. Old Bill Proctor and Dutch Luke were the first to leave, though it was with the good wishes and blessings of those by whom they had stood so gallantly during those trying days of danger and death. r. Walden gave up the business of a prairie trader, and with his son-in-law went into the stock business in the San Saba valley, and to- day the firm of Walden & Brayton is among the wealthiest in Texas. They employ not less that fifty rancheros, and among them are most of Tom’s old band of Texan Tigers. “ The outcome of Irene’s snake-bite was that Dr. Adams fell in love with her, and bis love being fully reciprocated, they were finally mar- ried, and reside now in Austin, where the doc- tor enjoys an extensive and lucrative practice. Once a year, at a stated period, there is a re- union at the t ranch of Walden & Brayton of all those who can attend, of ths / stle band that has figured so conspicuously iu our story, Old Bill Proctor and Dutch Luke never fail te be on hand—the same happy, rollicking “id fel. lows of yore. And would you believe it? At the last meeting Luke brought the bandsome half-breed Indian woman, Nathalia. They were man and wife, and Luke demonstrated Dr. Adams that a Dutchman and Indian woman ka ae happily together, ‘‘py shimminy out THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME BNTERTAINMENTS. 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