Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 237 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

and Ranchero Dean sprung to his feet, crying angrily: ‘* Do you, a boy, dare to dictate to me?” “I dictate to you, or any one else, who allies himself to this band, and if you do not like my words and dictation, leave,” was the cool reply of the Cowboy Captain. CHAPTER XII. ~ THE TELLTALE PAPER, ‘Say, pard ranchero, you may be wuff dead oodles o’ tin, an’ hev critters by ther thousand, with cowboys as don’t dare say no, if you says yes; but I tell yer, don’t rile thet young sinner, ef yer don’t want ter git sp’ilt,” said Old Bitters, addressing Hawley Dean, the ranchero, as he rose, in anger at Lone Star’s words, and moved forward as though about to spring upon him. “Stand aside, man, while I slap that boy’s jaws for his insolence,” was the furious re- tort. “Don’t do it, fer he hain’t one o’ thet kind.” Seeing that the ranchero was determined to pick a quarrel with Lone Star, and well know- ing by the cool manner and quiet smile on the youth’s face how it would end, Elegant Ed motioned to his comrades and stepped boldly in front of Dean, while he said: “That young gentleman, Ranchero Dean, is our chosen captain, and we will not see him get upon by you.” ** No, you has to obey ther Cowboy Cap’n or git,” put in Bitters. ‘“‘Thet’s the music!” ‘Ef yer love us not let out.” “Let ther swallows homeward fly, as my gal singed to me.” - §Suck were the remarks that ran round the ‘ircle of cowboys, and though spoken in a jest- ing tone, they convinced the ranchero king that he was not going to be allowed toruna high hand in that crowd. He checked his advance upon Lone Star, who had smiliogly gazed on without a word or movement, and said savagely: ‘* Wall, if you are such a pack of fools as to be led by a boy to your death, thenI will leave you. “ Come, cowboys of the Dean Ranch, follow me.” He turned on his heel, and to a man the six herders on his place accompanied him, follow- ed by shouts of derision from those they left behind. Mounting their horses they rode away in the darkmess, taking the back trail. But hardly bad they gotten out of sight, when Lone Star said: ** Quietly get your horses, boys, for we will seek another camping ground for the night.” Allwere surprised at this sudden order, for they could not understand it, and Ranger Ralph indulged in some mutterings regarding it; but all obeyed, and moving away in the darkness, an hour after they were on the other akhore of the Rio Grande, where, in a canyon their camp-fires were lighted, and the pleasant work of preparing supper was going on. “‘ Bitters, come with me, please,’’ said Lone Star in a low tone, and the scout followed him quietly from the camp. To the surprise of Bitters the youth madea detour over hill and vale, and kept on at a trot that seemed untiring; but the hardy old hunter never flagged, and at last the two halt- edin a mesquite thicket upon the bank of the river. Instantly Lone Star made his lariat fast to @ tree, took the coil well in hand, and when ready, as though waiting for something, or some one to come along, he said: ‘ ‘Bitters, when I catch his horse, you be eady to catch him.” “Who are I to ketch, pard?” sc A man.” “Tl do it.” “Don’t hurt him.”’ “] won't.” ‘Want to hang him.” “* Who be he?” é A man.”’ “Ugh,” and Bitters’s grunt was like an In- dian’s, which expresses so much and yet actu- ally has no meaning. The two had not long to wait, before there was heard the sound of hoots approaching. Then a horseman came in sight, riding at a slow canter. ‘‘ Your man are coming,” whispered Bitters. Lone Star made no reply, but suddenly, as the man was within tventy feet of their hid- ing-place, threw the lasso. Down over the head of the horse it settled, and the animal gave a frightened bound, to be suddenly jerked down upon his knees, while old Bitters, springing from the mesquite thicket, seized the rider with one hand, while he pressed a revolver to his head with the other. The bound of his horse had compelled the rider to seize his reins more firmly, and the weapon of Old Bitters threatened him, ere he could place bis hand upon his own, and thus he was fairly caught. His horse stood trembling by, held by the lariat, and Bitters having drawn the man from his saddle cried: ‘¢ Lordy! but this are a good joke, for it are Ranger Ralph.” ‘The very man I wanted,” replied Lone Star, sternly. “Now, sir, ’ll trouble you to give me that bit of paper I saw Ranchero Dean slip into your hand.”’ Ranger Ralph thrust his hand hurriedly into his pocket, but, before he. could withdraw it, the iron gripe of Lone Star was upon him, and, while Old Bitters held him fast, the youth took the slip of paper from him ere he could destroy it, as was his evident intention. ‘* Tie him, Bitters.” ‘‘ What means this outrage?” cried the cow- boy, speaking for the first time since his cap- ture. ‘‘ You will find out when I have read this paper,” was Lone Star’s remark, and with his own lariat the prisoner was securely bound and then led by Bitters back into the thicket, the youth following with his horse. Here a match was struck, and, unfolding the paper, Lone Star saw that it was written over with pencil upon both sides, and in two differ- ent hands. — While Bitters kept matches burning Lone Star read aloud: ‘**RanGeR—Leave a paper on the lightning-riven quavau tig at the , te me which way the band goes, for I wish to ee on to-night, and, therefore, cannot follow trails. ‘* If they divide, also tell me. ‘““Your advice was good, your reports I found true, and I will not forget you. E. C.”’ Upon the other side, while Old Bitters gazed with unfeigned surprise upon the prisoner, Lone Star read aloud: ‘The band will press on to rescue the —— will not divide forces. GER. ‘‘T found that piece of paper,” said Ranger Ralph. ‘¢ And as. I have found it on you it will hang you,” was the calm reply of Lone Star, and the prisoner groaned, for he knew that the young Captain of the Cowboys was not to be trifled with. CHAPTER XIII. CAUGHT IN THE SNARE. ‘* Now, Bitters, just make me up a lit- tle light, and hide it as well as we can, and asl have a pencil and some paper with me, Ul have Ranger write E. C. a different letter from the one he has writ- ten.” ‘‘T never wrote that,” meekly said the cowboy. ‘‘IT say that you did, for I saw the Ran- chero hand you this piece of paper before he left camp.”’ ‘‘ His name is Hawley Dean, and those Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. RE A SS SKS ATS SSS © SSnEES SS mn 9 ———SS ee initials are E. C. so he could not have written it.” E. ©. will stand for El Cobra, Ralph,” was the startling, though quiet announcement of Lone Star. ‘‘That are so, accordin’ ter my eddica- tion, an’ ther fire light are ready,” put in Old Bitters. ‘‘ Now, Ranger and here a pencil, so write as ‘¢T will not.” ‘Do you mean it?” “1 do.” ‘‘ Bitters, take your knife, press it hard over the heart of this man, and if he does not do as I tell him, kill him.” ‘* Jerusha! but you is a team and a hoss ter let, Lone Star; but I does ad- zactly as yer sez.” Releasing the right hand of r Ralph, Lone Star held forth the pencil to him, and laid the, paper upon the butt of his rifle. ‘‘ Now, write.” ‘*'W hat shall I write?” ‘The cowboys have gone on the trail of the cattle.” ‘Tt is written,” said the Ranger. ‘Yes, but not in your natural hand- writing, as this is. “Change it, or Bitters will obey or- ders.” | With a muttered curse Ranger Ralph wrote as dictated, and in the same hand- writing as was that on the piece of paper taken from him, _— ‘* There, curse you,” he said savagely. ‘‘Curses do me no Ranger Ralph. ‘* Now, Bitters, keep your eye on him, while I look up the mesquite tree that was struck by lightning, and stick this on it.” Lone Star hastil y left the thicket, and after the lapse of some minutes as he did md return Old Bitters grew anxious about Half an hour passed away, and unable to stand the suspense any longer, the old scout bound the prisoner securely to a tree, and went forth in search of his young friend, He readily found the solitary tree, with its shattered trunk, standing on the bank near the crossing, and yet upon it there was no paper, and nowhere about could he see the youth. | He called to him, at first in a low tone, and then in a louder voice: but no an- swer came, and no sound was heard, other than the distant howl! of a wolf, the murmur of the flowing river, and the rustling of the leaves stirred by the wind. ‘Waal, this are more stranger than a woman be,” said the scout. ‘‘Suthin’ hey happen to thet boy, sar- tin, an’ yet he hain’t one ter die ‘ithout a fight as woul ake up a little rackit. here is a piece of paper, - I dictate.” ‘¢ Waal, back ag’in arter that durned sinner an’ carry him ter camp with ther news, an’ ef he don’t get his neck elongated, then I hain’t Old Bitters at your sarvice.” astily returning to Ranger Ralph, who in vain asked regarding the youth, for Bitters would not answer him, he mounted him upon his horse and set off for the camp in the hills. ‘Waal, Bitters, hes yer been down drinkin’ ther Grande dry?” asked one of the cowboys as he saw the old scout com- ing toward them. ‘* Who are it, old man?” ‘Why it are Ranger.” ‘‘ What in thunder are ‘‘ Whar are Lone Star? EOMIEDOO ther row?” SEO)