Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 425 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

ow introduction to the major, my guardian, and would have waited for him if the message brought by the dumb boy had not hastened his departure. The uncle in Camp Coyote he has never seen. A few days ago a letter was re- ceived by him at Austin, from that uncle, say- ing where he could be found, and asking him to pay hima visit. He set out at once, but stop- ped with us a few days. But there is one thing that puzzles me.” ‘‘ What is that?” asked the desperado. ‘‘ How did Roy Berdan’s uncle know that he had stopped at Hermosilla?” ‘“ Oh, somebody pur. ther ranch may hev seen him thar, and carried ther news ter Co- yote,” was the reply. ‘*] don’t know,” said Inez doubtingly. ‘‘I won’t say that it wasn’t thus, but I feared a ot against him—against my friend Roy—when { came down tw calm reflection.” ‘Who'd plot ag’in’ him ?” laughed Texas Trump. ‘‘ A young man from Austin goin’ ter see his uncle in Coyote ought ter hev no foes. oa opinion is—” ust what the Border Rattier’s opinion was was disturbed by the galloping of a horse ahead, and all at once the animal was reined in before the twain. ‘* Major Ralph!” exclaimed Inez, ‘“By Jupiter! ther rancher oy Hermosilla!” ejaculated the llano sport. ‘‘ Yes,” said the new-comer leaning forward with a pair of mad, flashing eyes riveted upon the girl, as at the same time his right hand clos- ed like hawk talons upon her wrist. ‘‘ I have found you at last, have 1? What have I done to suffer this disgrace? Where is the viper, Roy? Show me his trail, and by heaven! Ill rid Tex- as of one infamous hound!” Inez seemed to totter in the saddle. ‘‘ What has happened?” she cried. ‘‘I left a note behind explaining all. I could not see him go out upon the deadly llano alone. I—” ‘*' Thar!” mace ST the rancher sternly. ‘“Come home and Ill show you the infamous note you left. No explanations now. The in- famy of your action fastens forever a stain upon Hermosilla! Ill get even with the dog!” He drop the wrist of the thunderstruck girl and wheeled toward the distant ranch. ‘¢Oh, excuse me,” he said turning suddenly upon Texas Trump. ‘‘ Perhaps owe you thanks for finding this young runaway in better hands than his. You are—’ ‘* Laced Leon, they call me,” was the answer. ‘“‘T am from the northwest border, an’ I called at ther ranch about sundown ter see you.” ‘Come along then. [ll see you thar. This night is the blackest one in my existence!” here was no answer, and not another word was spoken until all three steeds were reined in before the ranch home, and Major Ralph assist- ed Inez from the saddle. He hurried her into the house without cere- ms and up to her little room. ‘Whar you left the accursed paper, Pll make you face it!” he cried. ‘‘ Hereit is. Now, deny that you did not leave it behind for me!” With wildly beating heart but confident that . she could explain the contents of the paper thrust into her hand, Inez stepped toward the lamp. One look was enough. ‘My God! I did not leave this /” she suddenly cried, turning upon the rancher. ‘I told the truth in the letter J left. This is an infamous forgery—a lie! Don’t look at me in that man- ner. would not lie to you. Youare the best friend I have on earth, [—” She ended with a shriek, and dropped sense- less at the Texan’s feet, CHAPTER V. THE WOLF SHOWS HIS TAIL, THERE was a witness to this startling scene, and when Major Ralph the rancher lifted the unconscious girl and laid her on the bed, a dwarfish figure that had two serpent eyes crawl- ed down the tree whose boughs almost touched the window of the boudoir. ‘She'll know what Flippo’s hate is one of these days,” he chuckled. “I’m not goin’ to stop hyer. No! she must get to tae dregs in the cup first. Ha! myfine lady. The next man you drive away with a whip you'll first see that his name isn’t Fhippo.” alf an hour later Major Ralph reappeared suddenly to the man seated on the veranda, ‘““So you are Laced Leon?” he said lookin ‘strai he. into the /lano sport’s eyes. ‘‘ Now tell me where you ran across my ward—tell me all about it,” For once in his life Texas Trump told the ee —~ ge et é truth, and was not interrupted during the nar- | Laced Leon’s wife, an’ she’d get a husband what | rative. ‘* Thar is some mystery here,” said the ranch- er, ‘‘ Inez never lied to me, yet I found when I came home a letter in her writing saying that she had gone off with a man named Roy. She now says she neither wrote nor left that letter.” Texas Trump took a whiff on his cigar before he spoke. ‘‘Women ar’ strange creatures,” he said, ‘*My experience is thet some ov ’em won't do ter tie ter. Thet letter war in her handwritin’, a>] eh? Yes. ” ‘*T wouldn’t think she'd lie ter you.” ‘‘T don’t want to think so,” said Major Ralph. ‘You must not,” said a voice behind them, and the two men whirled to see Inez in the doorway. ‘‘ The stars above will bear witness | to the oath I take,” she continued, ‘‘I swear in sight of Heaven that I never penned a line of that infamous note. The one I wrote was stolen and this one left in its place. I went to the llano to help protect Hermosilla’s late est. " I believed that the letter he got was a ecoy, A singular smile appeared at the corners of pine Trump’s mouth, but his mustache adroitly id it. ‘* You kin bet yer life thet it war a decoy, an’ it nearly succeeded, my ranch rose!” he mut- tered. ‘°‘ You struck pay dirt when you called thet messenge from Coates Coyote a slick piece ov business. If thet Mute Comanche hadn’t come between, I’d hev won ther game.” The rancher was at the girl’s side when she paused. “Go up-stairs, We'll not talk about this again to-night,” he said. ‘* Not until you have assured me that I am be- lieved,” was the answer. ‘‘ You hate the young man from Austin. He is nothing tome more than a friend and a late guest. Time will come when the mystery of that forgery will be made clear. Woe to the villain if he falls into my hands!” ‘‘He’s been thar once,” grated a little man who stood in the dark shadow of one of the trees near by. ‘‘ I see that to strike you deep I must shies your late guest. I’m off for Camp Co- yote. The speaker glided from the spot and approach- ed the stables, Dodging into them he was lost to sight for a few moments and when he reappeared he led a horse by the bridle. ‘*T could make a sensation by exposin’ the man on the porch. Major Ralph never dreams thet he éntertains Texas Trump, the Border Rattler, the coolest an’ meanest 5 thet ever touched a trigger on therd/ano. I know him wherever I see him, Laced Leon, eh? Play yer game, Texas. Dll play another part ov mine in Co- ote.” Flippo the dwarf sprung to saddle, and the next moment dashed toward the borders of the llano, his destination Camp Coyote at the west- ern end of its trails. Meanwhile, Texas Trump as Laced Leon sat on the porch enjoying afresh cigar. Inez had gone back to her room, and Major Ralph the rancher ill at ease and troubled had but little to say. f I guess Ill be goin’,” suddenly said the des- y drape “You have no cattle to sell, you say? bet war my mission hyer, an’ I’m glad thet I’ve been ov service ter yer iu another way. [Tm off for Coyote.” The rancher started at mention of the name. He seemed to associate it at once with Roy Berdan. “To Coyote?” he exclaimed. ‘ Will you carry a message to the camp for me?” ‘* Sartainly, major.” The rancher went into the house, and seating himself at a desk, wrote as follows: ** Hven:— “If there isin camp a young man named Roy, find out all you can about him and let me know. This is important. Mayvor Raupu.”’ ‘You will give this to Heavy Hugh,” said Ehe Tanenery placing the letter in Texas Trump’s ands. The sport’s eyes dilated, but ke did not betray himself. ** Major,” he said, ‘‘ what ef a man ov my ap- rance should take a fancy ter yer ranch rose?” and Texas Trump drew his splendid figure to itsfull hight and looked the rancher in the eye, ‘I’ve seen hundreds ov pretty women, major, but ther one under yer care takes ther linen off ther shrub. You'd not be bothered with findin’ letters on ther table ef she war 5 ‘d keep them Austin tenderfoots at a distance, It’s a clar case ov love at first sight, major. What d@’ yer say?” With the assurance of his Satanic Majesty, Texas Trump kept his ground and waited for the rancher’s reply. Major Ralph seemed thunderstruck. He had been surprised many times during his adven- i career, but thisone seemed the greatest of all. What! Laced Leon in love with Inez? ‘Struck yer kinder sudden, didn’t I?” con- tinued the impudent sport. ‘“'Mebbe I hed bet- ter hev preceded ther opaicne with a gentle zephyr; but it can’t be helped now. Inez needn’t go far from yer as Laced Leon’s bride. She—” ‘* She can’t become yours!” was the interrup- tion. ‘ The girl remains with me as no man’s wife. Hermosilla Ranch is her home, I am her guardian.” ‘‘ All right, major,” said the cool ‘sport. “I guess thet’s a refusal; leastwise, it looks thet way around ther edges. I guess I'll hev ter fall back on a Greaser squaw.” ‘‘ from Inez to a squaw?” flashed the rancher}; and a mad stride carried him to the llano des- erudo, ‘ y MeAvense I allow no man to couple er with such a creature!” ‘*'Yer don’t, eh?” grinned the villain. ‘*T do not, and the man who does it ceases to be a guest of mine! Please to give me the mes- sage | would send to Camp Coyote. It need not go thar by your hands.” Texas Trump thrust his hand into an inner ket and drew forth a paper which he flung at ajor Ralph’s feet. *T didn’t coe Inez ter ther Greaser woman,” he said. ‘‘ But by heavens! those Greasers make good wives sometimes,” , ‘‘ Thar!” was the stern response. ‘* My ranch welcomes gentlemen, not roughs, Your braide jacket and laced sombrero give you away. nder them is a Texas an. wr stands your horse. Go!” = For a moment the stalwart scoundrel stood at the edge of the porch, and glanced l:kea tiger at the man who could match ita . Ma jor Ral h inted to the steed while he spoke, an er is now cool exterior lurked the demeanor of a lion. a bs Major—” ji ‘Not another word, Laced Leon! was the interruption. ‘‘ You have said enough, Iam master here. You unmasked yourself. Inez — your wife? By heavens! Id fling her to Roy first!” ‘ The retort was a laugh by tho llano sport that made the rancher’s black eyes blaze. He was not armed, and while the mad spell was on he sprung back into the house. “Thar’s ‘shoot’ in that man’s optics,” said Texas Trump to himself. ‘‘ If I want ter play a cool game ter ther end, I must get out o’ hyer.” It was a short leap from the porch to the sad- dle, and Texas Trump turned his steed toward the llano. ; ‘*Good-by, major threw over his should with the spurs, The next moment the owner of Hermosilla Ranch reappeared on the porch, The old fire had not abated in his eyes, and the Winchester he carried in his hand told that the sport’s safety was not on the porch. A long stride, which was almost a bound, carried the rancher to the veranda’s edge, Tho blood of his wild days had come back to his veins; the insult to Inez maddened him, His searching eyes caught sight of the man riding through the very br t starlight. Texas Trump had not got far away. The rifle struck the rancher’s shoulder; it covered the cool sport; the finger of an old Vigilante was ab the trigger. ‘Let him go!” said a voice as a footstep fell upon the Major’s ears and a hand fell upon the rifle and clutched it. ‘‘ What has that man done to deserve death?” ‘‘Wnough!” growled the rancher trying to shake the rifle loose. ‘‘I won’t repeat the in- famous insult.” ‘* But let him go. ‘ “To give us trouble hereafter? He gave his plans away. He went off with a threat in his. eyes. Let me tumble him from his saddle.” . ‘‘No!” cried the girl clinging still to the rifle. ‘* Remember that Inez pleads for him.” ¢ Vers well. The day may come, girl, when ; you will wish you had let me touch the trigger, , is cattle hunt isa sham. He wants a wife.” 4 The girl uttered a cry of astonishment,and, = then burst into a laugh. a... ‘*Well, he’ll never find one on Hermosilla ae Tll see yer later!’ ho . er as ho touched the horse | : EOmicboo SECO) n oe