Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 237 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. without the slightest seeming regret or re- morse. Bessie shuddered; but she was convinced that she had a man with her whom she could rely on as a protector, even if he was a half- breed Indian, CHAPTER X. THE FATAL FLIGHT. Waiter the peon was apparently arranging the amt ulance for Bessie’s comfort, for it hada cot bed in it, and everything necessary to make her comfortable on her trip, the maiden quietly gathered around her the articles she wished to take with her. Then, when all was ready the peon left the spot, passed by the fire before which El Cobra still sat, and with a word to him went on, Bessie watched his movements attentively until he disappeared from sight, and then she waited patiently until a low whistle came from the hillside, It was the peon’s signal to her and quietly she glided away in the gloom. Not far had she gone when before her she saw the forms of two horses, and at their head stood the peon. ‘‘Mount, senorita,” he said eagerly, and raised her to the saddle, Then he sprung upon the back of the splen- did animal he had taken from the chief, and led the way down the hillside toward the open plain beyond. The heart of Bessie Bainbridge beat rapidly, and hope of escape was before her, when sud- denly there pierced the night air a long, keen whistle thrice repeated. Instantly it was answered by a neigh from the horse ridden by the peon, and with a sud- den whirl he started back toward his master, whose call he well knew. In vain was it that the peon drew at the reins to check him, and as he was flying like the wind he dared not jump off, | What was to be done he did not know, and behind him Bessie called anxiously to him to return, | Did he spring from the horse, which plunged wildly as he ran, the jagged rocks would kill him, and in dismay he determined to do the only thing left for him, and that was to pretend to have brought the horse when he heard the signal for him. He would get a scolding, but that would not be death. The next instant he darted up to the side of where the chief stood, still giving the signal for his horse. “‘I have brought your horse, senor chief,’’ said the peon in trembling tones, throwing himeslf to the ground and holding the stirrup for El Cobrato mount, ‘You mean he has brought you, thou ae- cursed traitor, and for this treachery your life shall be the forfeit,” hissed the chief, “Mercy, senor, oh mercy !” and the peon dropped on his knees. “] saw the game you were playing, treach- erous hound that you are, and let you have the rope to hang yourself with. ‘* Now die |” With the last two words the chief drew his revolver from his belt, and then followed the flash, report and death-shriek, as the peon dropped over dead, his head resting on the foot uf El Cobra, who kicked it aside and then resumed bis seat before the fire. All this, from back in the darkness, poor Bessie was & witness to, and the death-cry of the unfortunate peon found an echo from her lips. | But she was a brave girl, and mounted on her favorite horse, she was not one to back out from her attempted eseape, so wheeling the animal to the rightabout, she quickly rode down the hillside, and turned into the canyon Jeading to the prairies. But bardly had she gone a dozen paces when she saw a dozen horsemen coming up the canyon toward her. ee Immediately she turned to fly, when behind her were others. She was wholly cut off from escape,'and sat motionless upon her horse, while one of the men came up, seized her bridle-rein and said politely: ' ‘Senorita, you will have to return, for it is the order of the chief El Cobra.”’ She made no resistance, and ten minutes after had thrown herself upon the cot in the ambulance, and was sobbing as though her very heart would break, at the sad termination of her fatal flight. CHAPTER XI. ON THE SERPENT’S TRAIL. THE sun was casting lengthy shadows from the west the day following the scenes just related, when a band of horsemen rode up to the very spot where the ambulance had stood the night before. ‘‘Here is the camp, Captain Lone Star,” said Elegant Ed, turning to the youthful Cow- boy Captain, who just then drew rein, followed by his men, ‘* Yes, and the signs show that they left by dawn this morning, and have some ten hours’ start of us. ‘Well, we will camp here for the night, and that «vill give the others time to overtake us, and our horses will be rested for the ride. on the morrow. ‘Go into camp, boys.” With this order the score and a half of cow- boys sepurated to lariat out their horses; and soon the camp was a busy scene, ‘* Have you seencany trace of Old Bitters ?’ asked Lone Star of Elegant Ed, who had joined his young commander at the fire which one of the men was building at the very ashes where the peon had cooked his last supper. ‘“ Not a trace, and he may be miles ahead, for that old mule of his is a perfect engine for going;| and can break down any mustang in the party,” laughed Ed. ‘‘ What he Jacks in beauty he makes up in speed, I suppose,” said Lone Star. . ‘“ Yes, and what his master lacks in loveli- ness he makes up in pure, unadulterated grit.” ‘‘Well, PU have to give Balaam a test of what Jet can do some time; but see, yonder comes the scout now.” As Lone Star.spoke Balaam appeared in sight, coming at a long, swinging walk from the direction of the Rio Grande. In five minutes more the old scout had staked him out on a spot where he could get good grass, and leisurely came toward the camp- fire, around which all of the cowboys were as- sembled. | ‘‘ Waal, folkses, you is heur, I see,” was his salutation. “Yes, Bitters, and so are you, I see; but what is the news?” asked Lone Star. “Waal, there were two Mexes thet took bit- ters in thurn, pards, fer I hed a slight scrim- mage over on ther Grande; or thet is, I would hev hed a scrimmage ef thar hed been any fightin’, which thar wasn’t, as I jist knocked over two Greasers afore they knew what hit them.’’ ‘* Killed ’em, Bitters?” asked one. **Does yer think a man who are knocked over hain’t kilt? Why, in course I kilt ’em, ‘Yer see I rid on ahead o’ yer all this morn- in’, fer Balaam ain’t no slow-poke on ther travel, and wken I come heur I seen what I s’pose yer all bes seen.” ‘‘Only that the raiders camped here last night, and crossed the Rio Grande at dawn,” said Lone Star. ‘“‘ Thar are more ter see than that: fust, thar were three gangs 0’ raiders, one going north- ward, another east, and t’other to ther north- east, ‘‘Ther latter was ther one whose trail we struck, an’ thet got ther gal; t/other gangs went in fer cattle, an’ they got ’em, and all met at this place and crossed over inter Mexico. ‘‘ When I arrived I seen two stiffs, one ther 7 body o’ a Mexican, with a knife thrust in him, and t’other a peon Injun, with a bullet in his body, and fired at durned close quarters, ‘‘T put ’em up in ther rocks yonder to hev 4 more keerful look at when all o’ us was heur. ‘(Them two stiffs was kilt right heur, the Injun lyin’ thar, an’ ther Mex right yonder whar ther ambulamps were a-standin’. “Thar were about ninety-nine per cent. out o’ a hundred o’ men along, all told, and with yonder fellers a-comin’ we'll hev forty.” All looked in the direction indicated by Old Bitters, and beheld, coming over a rise of the prairie, nearly a league distant, a party of horsemen, It was yet light enough to see distin« a chorus of voices rung out: ‘The Dean Ranch cowboys!” ‘Yas, that is ’em, and as the cattle-raiders, after crossin’, will drive ther critters down toward the Presidio, it will leave the Cobra to go on with his score o’ immegit riders, thet allus hangs out with him, towards ther retreat. in ther hills, so what is ter be did, as we kin lick ther moccasins off o’ either party?” ‘‘Why, follow El Cobra first, as he is the one to capture, and he will have Miss Bain- . bridge with him,” said Lone Star. “'Thet are sound sense, pard, and ef we does we kin do ther kentry a sarvice. ‘‘Yer kin grow more cattle any time, an’ mustangs is cheap, but yer don’t pick up gals like thet Bessie Bainbridge every day in ther ‘vy, and “week, an’ durned seldom 0’ a Sunday, fer I hes met her, she has smiled a sweet smole onter me, an’ I am not goin’ ter see ber suffer.” This sentiment was the common one of all, and the other cowboys coming up, they were greeted with loud cheers, " The two men sent to collect them had ridden well, and nearly all on the Dean Ranch had willingly come with them, and strange to say, Ranchero Dean, who had been away from home, bad been met that afternoon, and readily left off his lonely hunt on the prairie to form one of the party. Hawley Dean was a stern man of thirty*five, looking like a Mexican, with his swarthy face and piercing black eyes, but claiming tu be an American. He had quickly established his ranch some year before the opening of this story, and brought with him his herders from his cattle farm ‘in Colorado, More than that he was rich, passed his aays in hunting alone on the prairie, sometimes being gone weeks at a time, little was known of him, _ He dressed like adandy, had luxuries in his home that he had brought from New Orleans, and lived as a king among his cowboys, who were as close-mouthed regarding his past as he was himself. | He was superbly mounted, well armed with weapons of the latest and most improved pat- terns, and in his dignified, cold way, saluted the cowboys as he came up. : : Assuming .the right of authority, he in- stantly gave orders regarding the camp, and ended by saying: _‘€To-morrow we will return, and not waste time looking at the trails of the Mexicans, for to cross the Rio Grande is preposterous,” All looked at Lone Star, whose face had flushed at the peremptory manner of the rancher), and he replied quietly; ‘(On the contrary, Ranchero Dean, we do not intend to lose time looking at the trails of the Mexicans, but to follow El Cobra to his lair.” soi; ‘“‘T forbid it,” was the angry retort, as he bent his flerce eyes upon the young captain. ‘*Your authority in this camp, Ranchero Dean, amounts to no more than that of any one of the men. ‘‘T am captain here, and my men doasI say, and if you do not intend to obey orders you must leave, or you will get yourself into trouble,” There was no mistaking the fearless man- ner, and the frank words of the young captain, Eomicbooks: co