Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 287 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

4 and he saw that such a course would be mad- ness, and he darted away like the wind. He was unarmed, yet Billy Blue-Eyes had given him a hint that he had a horse near by, and toward this he went, springing out of the gulch to endeavor to find the animal. This he soon did, and throwing himself into the saddle he darted away like the wind, drop- ping bis pursuers rapidly, for they dashed up as he rode off. ‘“Waal, this heur animile are a goer, an’ no mistake, and ‘ae do go as though he c’u’d keep it up all night. ‘And I hes arms, heur, a rifle, I hes, and a belt with a revolver an’ knife bangin’ to ther horn. | fixed, but be are in a “Terror Tom, you is | way. NB who are he? “Thet question I gits no answer to; but he a@re a bold man, and a boy, and I bain’t ther gerloot ter desart him in trouble, tho’ I-do hey ter make tracks now fer a livin’,” and Terror Tom muttered to himself as he rode along. Seeing that his pursuers gave up the chase he ‘at once halted, and then making a circuit, headed in a direction that would bring him again into the vicinity of the camp. At last he drew rein quickly and said; ‘‘T hes a idee, and it must be ther truth. ‘Thar hes been a youngster beatin’ about ther lower Rio Grande, on both ther Mexikin an’ Texin side, and they calls him Billy Blue- es, an’ ther Boy Rover, for ther scouts say he do be lookin’ like he were s’archin’ fer suthin’ he has lost. ‘“He were thar on the lower river fer a couple o’ year, an’ guv no satisfaction ter nobody as ter what he were about, an’ c’u’d bandle hisvelf in a way that were dangersome, ef any inquiz folks went ter find out bis biz. ‘“T has heerd he hes lately crossed up ter this vicin’ an’ ef I do not mistook he are ther’ chap ther Neg matte Pirits hes got, and who was prowlin’ i seen me in trouble an’ jist , at in ter help me out. “Waal, I got out, an’ he are in, so } st op in an” help him out, an’ then, afore I follers trail o’ El Bravo an’ his gang no longer, I'll jist go an’ put_a bullet inter this man I thort were my friend, an’ who got me cotched by ther ya a Aa an’ got his dust fer betrayin’ me. “Thet are a sacred duty I hes ter perform - arter which I are free ter continue on ther trail 0’ El Bravo. “oe But it are my prayin’ en cee ter git ther boy out o’ ther power o’ ther C an aparrals, ef I don’t do it, then my name goes fer nothin’ as Terror Tom.” Having made up his mind as to his course, Terror Tom concealed the magnificent horse he rode in a chaparral, and started on foot for the camp of the outlaws. He was a perfect plainsman, and with the noiseless motion of a snake _— within ear- shot of the camp-fire, and saw Billy Blue-Kyes among his foes. ‘Ther boy hes got ther grit o’ a Mexikin lion, and’ don’t skeer fer nothin’,” he muttered. _ Fora oe ae, he kept his position, and then - going back to his horse, threw himself down to sleep, fully aware that he had the power to wake up just at dawn.* beng 4h with the first gray of coming day, Terror Tom awoke, partook of a meal from ' Billy Blue-Ey s’ baversack’ of provisions, and then mount approached the camp of the Pirate ‘as carefully a8 was possible. ‘At'last he came in sight of the encampment, ~“aiad; concealed in the dense chaparrals, beheld _ the coming of E! Bravo and his men, and after- ‘ward the band divide into parties. “Ther boy goes with ther chief, an’ thet air my direcshun o’ travelin’, € air thinkin’,” he ‘ muttered; and off he went on the trail of El Bravo, while Lieutenant Hal and his men were or the search for him. CHAPTER VIIL TERROR TOM’S ‘* PERQUISITES.” TERROR Tom was, asI have said, a thorough nsman, and he knew the Rio Grande coun- ry on both the Mexican and Texan sides for ; rr inland, from Matamoras to El Paso. e had, therefore, followed upon the trail of _K! Bravo but a short distance when he sudderly draw@ rein to think, for he did not feel equal to * Many of the men of the border are so disciplined Pepe ves they lead that they gwaken at any time they set their minds upon befor going to eek. I know sas upon the prairie and at sea, I have been able to do the same, after a little practice. —THE AUTHOR, ———_~ a — - =~ “ ee ee aE “ * " ET Billy Blue-Eyes. the task of deciding what was best to be done while he was moving along. ‘*T guesses I smells a mice,” he said, emphat- ically, as he brought Jet to a sudden halt. ‘“Thet loot’nent,” he continued, ‘‘ were sent out jist ter cotch me, and he did it prime, I ad- mits; an’ I hes a debt ter settle with my friend Sanchez, who betrayed mé, ‘* Waal, as ther Bravo goes back towards his retreat in the Mexikin hills, ther loot’nent must hev a leetle biz ter perform, an’ I guesses I air ther object o’ it, fer he w’u’dn’t strike out with only ten men on a raid on the ranches. “ So, says I, | must look durned sharp, or I’ll hev somebody creepin’ up on my rear, while I air all attenshun in front. ‘*So, says I, Vll jist sarcumvent ther devils, an’ find out jist what is ther leetle game.” Having come to this decision, Terror Tom rode on at a gallop, until ut last the trail crossed a small stream. Into this he at once turned, following its downward course instead of continuing on after Ei Beavo..| wort eiwesent « ai bev About a mile he kept in: the water-course, and then sought dry land, and heading due west wen off at a gallop, which the noble black did not seem to object to in the least. Until in the afternoon he beld this course, and then turned due north, and kept on at the same swinging pace until he struck a Jine of hills near the Rio Grande. Here he came upon a well-defined trail, and eagerly he glanced at it while he said: They hasn’t gone OY yet, an’ I'll jist hunt He soon found a secure retreat for his horse and where he could feed while he rested, and betook himself to a point on a high bill which was covered with a growth of small bushes and thorns. SERS. Unheeding the latter, he bid himself securely and waited developments, He had been there perhaps for balf an hour when there came in sight a body of horsemen, some forty in number. ‘‘Thar they comes, an’ El Bravo is at ther head, as he allus rides, ‘‘An’ thar is ther boy as helped me, ter git cotched hisself, an’ they hes him tied ter ther saddle o’ a led horse. ‘‘He slayed one o’ them gang afore he was tuk, an’ I guesses they hes presented him with ther horse o’ ther dead man. ‘“‘Waal, ther boy hes grit, fer he rides same as ef he were ther chief o’ ther gang. ‘And that young Bandit Boogler am ridin’ by his side. ‘‘Now, he are a queer one, an’ kin toot thet silver horn fer all thar is in it. “I hev tried ter capture thet young Boogler, but it hain’t been in me ter do it, an’ somehow when [hes hed ther chance ter put a bullet inter bim I kinder wilts, same as tho’ it wa’n’t a squar’ deal ter shpot him. ; ‘“*1 ¢’u’d jist knock El Bravo over now with this heur fine shootin’-iron o’ ther lad’s; but thet bain’t ther way I wants,him ter die, an’ I spar’s him jist tersee him in his chips to my way o’ thinkin’; and it be yet, fer I hesn’t fol- ler’d his trail thesefive years fer nuthin’. —s_—sy ‘* Waal, thar they goes out o’ sight, an’ pow ter see ef I are right ut ther lodt’nent. bein’ on my trail. ‘“If so I is, then I'll jistigive ’em a hint thet Terror Tom are trailin’, while he are bein’ trailed.” The old prairie man then settled himself into an easy position to wait, and as patiently asa cat would watch for a mouse he remained at his post, for time seemed nothing to him. _. Perhaps two hours had passed since El Bravo and his men had gone by, when the quick ear of Terror Tom detected a sound that told him was made by hoof-falls, > Instantly he swung bis rifle, or rather the one that belonged to Billy Blue-Eyes, round for use, examined it-closely, and kept his eye upon the chaparral out of which he expexted to see horse- men emerge. Presently there came in sight; body of mus- tangs and riders that brought slow whistle from Terror Tom, for his eyes did not fall upon what he had expected to see. ‘t Injuns!” he said in a low tone. ““Comanch El Bravo. ‘‘ It are old Oak Heart's band, and he are the only Injun as is reg’larly down on El. Bravo, an’ he hes reason, as the Chaparral Pirits tuk ther booty he bed got at ther settlemints from him some half year ago, an’ be swore ter scalp ther outlaw chief, an’ seems as ef he were on way ter keep his word. LP 77) Dal) NEA J a cover an’ see ther cirk . ! and they is follerin’ ther trail o’ . LT TR =e ‘‘ Le’m’ see! thar’s feur’, eight, sixteen, thirty ; yes, nigh eighty Injuns, an’ they is hot on ther trail, an’ soon as my friend ther loot*rent comes along [ll put gail on, too, an’ be in at ther cirkiss, for it will be a case 0’ Kilkenny cats atween ’em.” Again Terror Tom, confident that his suspi- cions were right regarding the squad of Lieu- tenant Hal being on his trail, settled down pa- tiently to await events. } He had this time not very long to wait befors there came to his ear the sound of huofs, and a grim smile of satisfaction passed over his face, while he muttered: “T know’d it, an’ I hes led yer a lively dance this day, Loot’nent Pirit, or I are a prevaricat- in’ liar. ‘‘ Yas, thar youis, an’ yer looks bothered, fer yer don’t onderstand ther big trail over ther chief’s. ‘‘ Yer is a good trailer fer sartin’, an’ hes fol- lered me prime, an’ yer knows my idee is ter keep ther boy in sight, an’ yer hopes ter catch me in atween yer gang an’ ther cap’n’s; but Pil) jist settle yer on’ry life right heur, ef ther lad’s rifle shoots whar it are p’inted,” As he said the last words he brought the rifle slowly up to his shoulder, and his aim was at the outlaw officer, who, with his men, was riding slowly along, closely examining the trail before them. As the outlaw drew within range there came the sharp crack of the rifle, and the horse of the hit rider bounded forward, while his master fel} dead in the trail. The horrified followers of the slain man quickly drew rein and glanced around in search of the one who bad fired the shot, and almost at once their eyes fell upon the little puff of smoke drifting away from the hillside, ‘‘Ther weepin’ are a prime shooter, an’ no mistake, an’ I has put @ new name on my red list, an’ Pll jist see ef I can’t git another.” As Terror Tom spoke he checked his intended flight, threw in another cartridge, and once more the rifle went up to his shoulder. With its ringing report there fell a man from his horse, and the otbers, in wild alarm, scat- tered from the trail and rode off across the val- ley at full speed. ‘‘He! be! be! ha! ha! ha! ho! ho! ho!” “eo Terror Tom, as he sprung to his feet. ‘*T was jist goin’ ter cl’ar out meself an’ make fer my animile, or leastwise ther boy’s animile- but they save me ther run by goin’ therselves. ‘‘Wnal, I'll let ’em see whol are, so they kin jist tell ther chief, Terror Thomas hain’t dead t. : Waving his sombrero about bis head, Terror Tom gave a wild yell, and looking back the frightened bandits could not but see that they were flying from one man. But they did not halt, and making a circuit, headed once more for the trail, anxious to re- join their chief and tell him that they bad been attacked by a large force and their officer and one man slain. ‘‘ Waal, they skips lively, an’ they leaves me ther field an’ ther perkisits, 90 Ill jist. gather ’em in,” and so saying Terror Tom went back for Jet, mounted him and rode down into the valley. ‘he two.men were lying where they had Rallep, | ane by the side « the tat te officer 8 is horse,-a very fine an as though waiting for him to rise. | hd ‘‘ He hain’t goin’ ter git up, old horse, so I'll st take yer in, an’ yer comrade too, which are eeding yonder,” and Terror Tom nodded to the animal of the slain bandit that was enjoy- ings pull at the grass in the valley, unmindful of his master’s death. “Two horses, two saddles, two bridles, some weepins, an’ two dead men thet may heva leetle suthin’ about the’r clothes worthy o’ my atten- tion,” muttered the plainsman as he bent over the dead bodies and searched them. “A bottle o’ tanglehoof, which are good fer « ake bites. ; “A pack o’ keerds calt ther gambler’s Bible. ‘‘ Yas, a leetle gold dust, an’ some jewelry as s me gal hes been robbed of, an’ hes my { xwkisits. . Now IT guesses I jist foller on arter ther i ravo ter see ther fun; but not bein’ a durned fool, Vll not stick ter this trail an’ git slugged from a ambush, but go my own way,” and hav- ing collected his ‘‘ perquisites,” Terror Tom once more set out on the trail of the Pirates of the Chaparral. CHAPTER IX. EL BRAVO’S STRATEGY. Tr might have been a bad affair for El Brava and his men, had not_his lieutenant been killed GOMIEHOOKS- co