Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 163 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

eS i ee ’ . Z a 23 eu? ces * . Ys w . i - . Little Texas, the Young Mustanger. 13 upon their and three persons change—that the emotions of his heart were lead- CHAPTER XIV. Menor Seoanta clum or Be and stood tans ing him a captive to the shrine of woman's beauty DISTRESSING NEWS. face before them. It was Colonel Israel Milesand | and woman’s love. Down in the yard by the front door Dr. Rossevan his two daughters, Edith and Christie. Edith was a great admirer of nature, and as she | found Old Morality waiting his coming. At sight of the two strangers coming so suddenly and unexpectedly upon them, the three involuntarily started back; then Christie, with a quick glance at her father, and then at the intruders, uttered a little ery of joy, and forgetting that the others were yresent—obeying the promptings of ber own childish eart—left her friends and flying to Little Texas, threw her arms about the boy’s neck and kissed his brown cheek, while tears of pure joy filled her glori- ous eyes, “Christie! Christie!’ cried the colonel, sternly, ““what do you mean, my child?” ‘Oh, uncle Israel!” cried the maiden, turning and ae her little hands with joy, “this is Little exas!"’ “Little Texas?’ yelled the stormy old colonel, ** this Little Texas? Then kiss him again, Christie, farme. Soy give me your hand!” CHAPTER XITT. LOVE AT THE RUINS DE ROSSEVAN. A pay had passed since the arrival of Old Morality and the Boy Mustanger at the Ruins of Rossevan, and found our hero still there, resting from the labor and excitement of the past few days, and basking in the social suniight of the good people of the ruins, and feasting his heart upon the glories of a new existence that acquaintance with Christie Miles had seemed to open unto him. Colonel Miles had so far recovered as to be able to ride out; but he was still weak and feeble and dared not venture beyond the inclosure unless at- tended by some one. Anita, the beautiful and accomplished sister of Don Rossevan, proved herself an a ble hostess and entertaining companion, Indoors’ Edith and Christie were treated to music, poetry, paintings, books of travel and history; while outdoors they were led amid profusions of flowers, under silvan ape a where bright-eyed birds sung and twittered n glee. on Rossevan was also an entertaining host and companion, and did everything in his power to make his visitors happy and comfortable. His great penchant was for fine horses, of which he pos- sessed a score of all colors and breeds; and his daily wont was to harness a span of these to his calesa and drive his lady friends about the ruins, and point out to them the almost obliterated landmarks of that faithful people that once dwelt in the land, He would also drive them to his great herds upon the prairie, and entertain them with displays of horsemanship on the part of his Mexican peons, some of whom seemed born in the saddle, and would take a wild horse from the corral and ride it without saddle or bridle. Aitogether there was quite enough of the dead past and present, the rude and the beautiful, and ideal and material about the ruins to inspire them with an air of picturesque grandeur and romantic beauty. It was a place that possessed a strange, mysterious attraction and wild, weird fascination to Colonel Miles and his daughters. In fanvy they walked with the ill-fated people of ages gone, and conversed with Jesuit and proselyte. ene stood under cedar and oak that | no doubt shel- tered the hosts of the Spanish invader. They walk- ed by the stream flowing through the grounds and listened to the same murmuring song it no doubt sung for Aztec maid and Aztec lover, The building, or mansion-house, was in strange contrast with the people that dwelt within it. I[¢ bore the marks of ages gone, Ee it was the home of beauty and refinement of the present. It was a broken stalk blooming in a deserted, desolate gar- den—an oasis in a great desert. It was located in an out-of-the way place, though in the century past the mission might have been on a (He thorough- fare running from the capital of the Montezumas to the Seven Cities of the Cibolas. lt was this seclu- sion, along with its ghostly air of desolation that seemed to keep watch and ward over the approach to the place—that had kept red-skin and robber away from it so long; and it was for this very rea- son—because red-man and outlaw shunned it with superstitious dread—that Don Rossevan had select- ed it for his home. He had rebuilt the walls of the mission and the quadrilateral; he had cleared the grounds of its rank growth of vegetation, and plant- ed trees and flowers of nearly every description known to the salubrious climate of the South-west; and in a short time had, in a measure, reclaimed oo een mer tier Np = me passed pleasantly indeed at the ruin Edith and Christie had joined their Soneiban there, Don Rossevan was unremitting in his attentions to Edith, and it was evident enough to all that she en- couraged him in it; and so one day found them seated together at an open window overlooking the grounds and the distant forest, engaged in a pleas- ant conversation. — The day was beautiful, and the scene before them lovely in the extreme. Around the ruins, and be- fore them, lay the dark greenw of cedar and oak. The wind drifted lazily from the south laden with the odor of the orange and the oleander, and the fragrance of the wild-wood. Edith Clayton never looked more charming than she did upon this occasion; and yet there was an expression of sadness in her voice. Don Rossevan studied her features closely, and one would have seen by the look of admiration in his fine, dark « e flush upon his face, and the tremor upon b's lips. that oo usual gpirits had undergone a TE TT TT LL i ' ; ~ | | — —— —— gazed out over the grounds, the stone wall, and the oe vm reaching away into the tender blue sky, e said: ‘When you became a recluse, Mr. Rossevan, you chose a very picturesque as well as isolated home.” “T will admit, senorita, that it is a far more ro- mantic spot than I had at first Triage ene I selected the place solely upon account of its: desolate loneli- ness, its security, and remaining buildings.” : ‘But why did you choose a ruin and its desolation when there were plenty of broad, fertile valleys in Texas inviting the settler?” : ‘“*T chose this, senorita, because it was a ruin, knowing that the Indian and outlaw have a super- stitious dread of these places.” “and you enjoy this life? this living here, shut out from the gay society, the pleasures and enjoy- ments of the world?’ } “T prefer this, by far, to a Spanish prison, se- norita; and since I have come here and adapted my- self to the circumstances surrounding me, I have come to like this sort of life.’’ “Spanish prison!’ exclaimed Edith, “do you mean to tell me that you are a—a fugitive from justice, Mr. Rossevan?”’ ** Your people would call me a political offender— nothing more. I dared to raise my voice, and would have raised my sword, against the crowned tyranny of n, and for this was I condemned to death; but I esca and fled to America—to this glorious republic where I could breathe the air of freedom— where a man could speak his thoughts and yet be safe in life and property. Many of my old retainers and servants came with me, and many others have joined me here. Old Morality was my first Ameri- can acquaintance and friend. I found him at Gal- veston, speaking the Spanish language well. He has been with me ever since—he is an odd, strange old man. So far as our international laws are con- cerned, Spain could not have demanded me, as a »olitical offender, of the United States, and I could ave settled in St. Louis or Washington, or any- where, but for one thing: I knew if my whereabouts should become known, my enemies, the emissaries of my native country, would hunt me down in se- cret, and if there was no way to get me back to Spain, they would assassinate me. You have no idea of the extent to which Spanish vengeance will go, even in an offense like mine. Still i do not re- gret what I have done. Iwould do so again were I to live my life over. Iam a libertydoving man.” “Then I am su here for years and becoming attached to this place, permit others to come and share it with you, and publish your whereabouts to the world, and your | enemies,’’ Edith remarked. “My dear senorita,” the young recluse replied, rised that you will, after living | his voice full of emotion, “there is an. attraction in | Colonel Israel Miles’s party that makes me very de- sirous of their location by me.”’ Edith blushed crimson; she knew what the young Spaniard meant—her heart told her; and yet his words seemed to give her pain. She remained silent for several moments. She glanced out over the landscape; the past came back witb a bitter remem- brance to her mind. Finally she spoke: ‘*Ohb, it would be too bad if your kindness to us should break up the maece and quietude of your hap »y, secluded home, Mr. Rossevan.” ’ Fate decrees the good and evil of our lives, senorita; the will of that inevitable fate decreed that your guardian, that you and Sf te sister should be- come my guests—thut J should love you, Edith !”’ ‘*Oh, sir,’’ Edith exclaimed, ‘‘l am unwortby of any man’s love,” and tears gathered in her eyes. “* Senorita!’ he exclaimed, impetuously, *‘ you are tag of the love of a king; and it has been with no little hesitation that I, a poor exile here, have dared to declare my love to you, Oh, senorita! do not turn me away from you; since the day of our memorable ride over the plain I have loved you, and a the hope that my love might be recipro- cated.’ Edith’s eyes were bent downward, while a mingled expression of and joy overspread her face. With nervous fingers she picked to pieces the orange bloom that her gallant lover had given her. A tear fell upon her lap. “IT could be nothing but a friend to you, Juan,” she murmured, ‘“‘even though I loved you dearly.” “Oh, my fair lady, do not tell me this!” he cried, impassionately. ‘It is true, Juan.” ‘‘Then you love another?” “*T do not.” ‘‘Then you do not love me,” he said, a little bit- terly, but with an air of resignment. “T did not say so, Juan; I meant that I could never be your wife—not now,” she responded. Rossevan took courage. ‘‘ Not now,” he repeated, in his mind, for there was a faint spark of hope in these two words. ‘**Oh, I shall continue to live in hopes!” he finally exclaimed, rising to his feet and pacing the room with restless impatience; ‘“‘when we have known each other longer, I feel that you will say that you can be my wife.” ; “Oh, Juan!” she cried, lifting her tearful eyes to his, ‘‘ you know not what I mean—what stands be- tween our happiness and—”’ . “ Brother! brother!’ an excited voice. suddenly broke in, and Anita burst in upon them in great ex- citement; Senor Morality wishes to see you below at once! Tam so afraid something is wrong!”’ * Excuse me, senorita,”’ he said to Edith, and with a bow he took his hat and left the room. | | l give ‘What is wrong, Morality?’’ he exc ed. “Senor, in scoutin’ in the woods this mo I discovered an Indian skulxin’ near the north wall of the quadrilateral. 1 followed him, watching bis movements, and saw him join two white men whom I recognized by the white bands on their hats as be- ing Boniface regulators.”’ *‘Curamba !*’ exclaimed Rossevan fiercely, ** we must keep watch on these ludrunes/ Morality, lock well to the herds, the cattle-pens and stables, and see that every man is armed and upon the alert. To-morrow Colonel Miles’s party will be added to our force, and then we can defy the hosts of Boni- face and War-Ax.”’ The faithful old man went away to fulfill his mas- ter’s orders, accompanied by his yo friend, Lit- tle Texas; while Don Rossevan, filled with doubt and fear, began pacing restlessly to and fro beneath the shadows of some trees. His thoughts nat drifted back to Edith Clayton. He repeated in mind her words, and pondered ae pda them. While thus engaged he was joined by Colonel Miles. ** Well, my dear friend, you seem thoughtful this morning,*’ the bluff old colonel said. “Tam, colonel, for they tell me enemies are lurk- ing near." ‘The deuce you say, senor! Well, by Jove, I’m ready to fight again, and if my friends get in to- night or to-morrow, we'll make Black Boniface and those red devils b’lieve there’s a little Thermopylx here. I tell you, senor, I've some men that'll fight like Spartans.” ‘‘T am delighted to hear it, colonel, for with them and my men we need have no fear,’ replied Rosse- van. Then the two men sat down under the shadows of —— e and talked long and earnestly. e another day dawned upon the Ruin de Rossevan. Late that day Colonel Miles and Little Texas were walking in the grounds near the entrance to the in- closure. The colonel was restless and uneasy. His train had not yet arrived, and it should have been there by noon. He had not even heard from it. ‘I’m afraid, Texas,” the old man said, “‘ that these infernal robbers are troubling them. Don Rossevan instructed the messenger sent to guide them here to come by way of the Sand Ridge Route, it being a nearer and better route.” ‘* | know that route, colonel, and 1 must say it’s a bad one, though I say so with all due respect to Don Kossevan's opinion. It runs over a hot, arid tract of sand over two miles long, and a mile wide. The sand ridge is fringed with mesquit and other bushes, and makes a capital lurkin’ place for Injuns and regula- tors to lay and watch. it was only two years ago that a Government train was attacked there by In- dians and destroyed, and I don’t know how many tumes since traders and drovers have been attacked and massacred, and their stock run off. You see the red devils hide in the brush, and when a party is ex- posed out upon the open ridge they pounce upon them like tigers from their lairs; and I don’t like the Sand Ridge Route for that reason. It’s nearer here, I presume, but it may be a never-endin’ road for somebody, colonel.” ‘*I wish to the Lord I'd known this sooner, Texas; but it’s too late now. They're past it mous Fr nei ever pass it. But, my boy, how is it ace hasn't killed you afore this?’’ ‘Tempest, colonel!"’ laughed the boy, “‘ for a rob- ber to kill a lasso-thrower or ranchero is killin’ the goose that lays the golden egg. Robbers and prairie pirates don't ever molest us fellers unless they have to in order to save themselves. It’s easier for a mean man to steal than to work, and when we catch wild mustangs and break them, they bounce us, or our traders, and take the horses from us; and it’s a | od deal the same way with the cattle-herders. hat’s why they don’t trouble us fellows.” “Yes, yes, I see now; they're the eagles of the prairie that prey upon you fish-hawks.”’ “That's it to a jot, colonel; that very buck-skin that Captain Lucas sold you was a mustang of my own catching; and I'd neatonly got it down before Black Boniface and his whole band bounced me and took my buck-skin and—”’ ' “The lying scoundrel!” exclaimed the colonel. “But you may risk your wealth on it, colonel,” continued the young mustanger, “that they didn’t et the horse for nothin’. When I saw them es got ready for their reception, and if I didn’t empty three saddles before they came, I hope I may never empty another. But it was like touchin’ off a maga- zine under each one’s vest. They fairly snatched me baldheaded, and before we got through with it, I was provoked into strikin’ Black Boniface a jolt that made the blood fairly gurgle. Oh, land of the blest! if ever you see’d a man git up and howl it was that man Boniface! He was just going to obliterate me, that he was, but finally decided that the hand that struck him should be cut off that night; and so he detailed Dr. Rogheford, his physician and first liev- tenant, todothé work. You see that was a lick and a promise, but I didn’t give them the chance to fulfill their promise, for I watched the corners and finally em theslip. ButI tell you, colonel, it’s war to the knife now between me and Black Boniface. The country won't hold us both, and I'll be blest if I'm oe to vacate as long as I've a hot head and a igh hand.”’ . ; ‘That's the talk, my boy! but do be careful; you pagel are headstrong and impulsive sometimes.” ‘I know it, colonel, but it tukes all these to head off a robber or lasso a mustang. For awhile I’m go- in’ to devote my attention exclusively to Black Bou ay wore away, hight came and went and | ~~ comicbooks. ® . * P + ’ —— d oe i ea ~ =< =