Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 237 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. brilliant belle in New York, which you could lead as an heiress and a beauty, I know that it is because you feared maa, and wished to be near your father for | me protection. ‘‘But here I have come too, and now see the result—you are wholly in my power.” ; She seem to realize the full truth of his words, and for a moment her fortitude appeared about to desert her; but rally- ing, she said in a tone of contempt: ‘Yes, and I find that my father’s | m warning against you was not undeserved, and that my abhorrence of you was just, for in youl now behold the man who has won the name of a serpent, from his cruelty and fiendishness,” ‘Yes, I am El Cobra, a supposed Mexi- can, but in reality an American, and your cousin. ‘‘T could not lead an honest life, so I took to outlawry, and I have made a suc- cess of it, as I have a band under me that defies the United States soldiers under my gallant uncle, Major Bainbridge.” ‘‘ And what is your intention regard- ing me?” she coldly asked, keeping up the same defiant manner. ‘*T will tell you, sweet cousin.” ‘¢T will listen most attentively,” she an- swered, as he paused. ‘Tt will not please you.” + Roche you can say will.” ‘Well, I intend to make you my wife.” ‘* Never!” ‘That depends upon you and your father,” ‘*T say never!” ‘‘ We shall see,” ‘‘[ would rather die.” ‘‘ Would you rather become a pauper?’ ‘‘A thousand times, yes.” ‘‘And your father would rather have only his major’s pay to live on, than have you my wife?” ‘‘ A thousand times ‘But you love gold?” ‘‘T love my self-respect far more.” ** Your father loves gold.” *‘ He loves his child far more.” ‘*'We shall see.”’ ‘‘Your words imply that you have terms to offer,” and a sudden thought es,” ‘“Name them.” ‘If I make you my wife it will be only from revenge.” ‘‘ A strange lover.” ‘‘T hate you, Bessie Bainbridge.” ‘You proffered love awhile since,” she sneered. ‘*T lied in ag I hate you and I hated your father before you.” ‘‘ How has he, or have I ever wronged you?” “T will tell you, though you know the weer y ‘*Upon my word I do not.” jo And your father would say the same. ‘¢ And would tell the truth.” ‘¢ We shall see, sweet cousin Bessie. “You ask how you and your father have ever wro me. ‘‘ Well, we were both reared by my : father, his uncle, though he was my senior half a score of years. ‘‘ His father was poor and left him to the care of my father, who was rich. ‘‘ He was a y sort of a youth, en- tered West Point, and lived a quiet life, while I had Old Nick m me, grew dissi- ted, was wild as an Indian, and gam- ling heavily lost more money than I could pay, or my father would pay for ‘*T wrote to your father under the cir- cumstances, confessed my difficulty, and begged him to write to the old gentle- man for money for himself, and let me have it. ‘*T knew that he would get it; but he refused to do this, wrote me a letter of advice, and hoped it would be a lesson to e, ‘‘That letter made me a forger, for I forged a draft, got the money «.. found out, and was sent to prison. ‘*But I escaped, though I killed a keeper in doing so, and became a wan- derer in foreign lands, living by my wits and gambling. ‘Tt was then that I met you, Bessie. ‘In the mean time my father died, dis- inheriting me and leaving my fortune to your father and to you. ‘“Now you know why I hate you both, ‘‘T make gold by my robberies, but I am tired of this life, and could I get my just dues, my large fortune in your fa- ther’s hands, I would leave this country ‘Smit be) and live like a prince in a foreign ‘‘Now my terms are, that you and our father surrender to me every peso inherited from my father, or you become my wife. ‘When you are ready to tell me what you will do, send the peon, Nona, to me. He wheeled abruptly upon his heel and walked away, leaving the maiden stand- ing like a statue gazing after him, while she muttered: ‘Yes, all must go, rather than that I should become the wife of such a crea- ture.” CHAPTER XVIT. ON THE BRINK OF DEATH. To say that the scout, Old Bitters, was astounded at the turn affairs had taken, would be to draw it most mildly. He had listened to the story of eg Ya Ralph, with a real admiration for hi ability in lying, never for a moment be- lieving that the cowboys would put the slightest credence in it; but when he saw | B that they did, and he was not allowed to ring upon his maligner and tear his false Lire from his throat, his indi tion and rage knew no bounds, and he stood panting from emotion, and glaring upon all around him. Having had the thought flash through his mind to gain time in some way, by the mysterious absence ofLone Star for he knew that the cowboys would quickly try and hang him, the ready wit of Ran Ralph had caused him to throw the whole onus upon Old Bitters, and most successfully too. ‘*'You hev tied a man’s hands, pards, thet never were tied afore, except when Injuns hed me at ther stake to burn me, an’ yer doubts ther honest word o’ a man as never told a lie, an’ allus hes acted squar’ clear through, ’ceptin’, I'll allow, with red-skins, an’ they is pizen ter go fer any way,” said Old Bitters. ‘Bitters, I believe in your truth, my old friend; but both you and Ranger Ralph have been absent from camp, and you left with Captain Lone Star, and re- turn with that man a prisoner. 1% You told your story about him, and I want to believe it is true; but, then, the captain’s mysterious absence is accounted for in a most startling way by Ranger ‘*Tf you had not brought him back as. you aid, and Lone Star was missing, I would at once suspect the Ranger, for I. feel that he hates the captain at heart. ‘*But I wish to do no injustice to one or the other, and hence you must submit to be bound until the boys decide which is guilty.” ‘Lordy, Elegant Id, but you is a borm lawyer, an’ no mistake.” ‘He talks like a parson with honey on his tongue.”’ ‘“‘ He’s a music-box for chinning sweet. tunes.” And so on went round the criticisms on Elegant Ed's little speech. | 9 suddenly Ranger Ralph broke in with: “Try us if you are going to, and have it over with.” ‘“We will. Come, boys, and let us de- cide this matter, for we must find out if Lone Star is really dead, as the Ranger says, and if not, go to look him a ‘* Yas, circle round, ay an’ hev yer little chin-music,” Rul in Old Bi ' The cowboys all gathered together around the fire, and Elegant Ed was ap- pointed judge, and with a prisoner on each side of them, turned to Old Bitters and told him to repeat his story in every particular. ‘Td a durned sight rather not, Ed; bud as this g o’ idyits hes bl in thar eyes, an’ a rope will fit, my neck same as thet sinner’s, an’ I hain’t no desire ter leave this ’arth by way o’ a tree, PU mp ther tale out fer you ag’in,” and then Old Bitters went slowly and carefully over his story, and his words carried truth. with them. ‘‘Now, Ranger Ralph, we will listen to a Shee of your ny rf ‘*Thet are well put, egant Kd—it are a story from A to gi = Ranger Ralph then commenced the re- cital of his narrative, and his easy man- ner of talking also won for him the thought from many that he was telling the truth. ‘‘Old Balaam can’t run as fast as theé feller’s tongue kin trot out lies,” said Old itters, That the cowboys were in a quanésry there was no doubt, and this R Ralph saw, and instantly his face lighé up, as he said: , ‘I told you that the stranger I sew ret Deka eht-ck amd Downe alta mer a buckski tof gold 8, and | ou search that man you will find that I ve spoken only the truth, the whee truth, and nothing but the truth.” ‘“‘T heerd a nigger her say them words in court in tone once, about. a chicken he hed stole, and jest then the rooster flopped out 0’ his coat-tail bs but ther jedge ruled as he hed sed chicken, an’ ther rooster were full-growed, thet he hed not lied, an’ nothin’ were done with him ‘bout it.” All laughed at Old Bitters’s , but it. did not help him, as to the buc belt of gold, and Elegant Ed said: ‘Have you a buckskin belt of gold with you, Bitters?” “*T hey.” _Every one of the co cast a sul icious eactg at the old scout, while Tances ph laughed, : JOOKS e€om (E (E(0)