Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 425 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

So ee EE SD em er —— -- - the Border Rattler. — _— — 8 Texas Trump, | a ee ca ne eT ——- eee — — eee - — —--—_ - - — - —_——-— ——— ee —_ — . a ee a -_— — -- one of the herders, greater still. If the major doesn’t extinguish the fire-bug, we will.” ‘*Give him a chance,” was the answer. ** Hello! who’s come up ter ther house?” The rancher stepped from the stable and look- ed toward the ruins of the hacienda, The men there had surrounded a person on horseback who had evidently just come up, and when the rancher joined the group he saw a half-naked Indian in whose eyes already burned a revengeful light. ‘‘ It is the dumb Comanche, Silent Sam!” was the exclamation. ‘Set him on the trail, an’ the fire-bug will be found.” Silent Sam had come up in time to see the last timbers of the once happy home fall in among the smoking ruins. He threw an inquiring look among the men, and a dozen hasien to tell him about the catastrophe. **Thet’s wind wasted, boys,” suddenly cried ** Don’t yer know that ther red is a mute? Let me give him some sign lan- -guage, that he may understand.” And forth- ‘with the herder inaugurated a pantomime which seemed to be understood by the Indian. ‘When he had finished, Silent Sam looked for a moment longer at the ruins, and then turned his horse’s head toward the llano, ‘Let him go,” said several voices, ‘ I’d soon- er hev thet red on his trail than mine.” The Mute Comanche rode straight away, not once looking back at the scene behind him, and _ the men at the fire saw him disappear. He seemed to know where to strike the trail he wanted to find; at any rate, he gave his horse the spurs and dashed through the dewy rass of the /lano, seated like a born equestrian in the saddle, and with his eagle eyes seeing ev- erything about him. eanwhile, there rode ahead of him and in the same direction two men who were undoubt- edly master and man. ne was clad in the rich garments of the pros- porous rancher, the other in half-buckskin, and sore thé, high boots of the herder, and a light Lut wide-brimmed sombrero. The horses were moving in a southeasterly di- rection and close together. Both men carried the lasso of the llano at their saddles, and were, moreover, well-armed for any and all emergencies, - Major Ralph and Jalisco Jack. ' “Jack, I must trust much of this hunt to ou,” said the Texan, whose features still bore races of the terrible night just past. ‘‘I am willing to swear that the man who did it all is ‘Laced Leon, whom I believe to be Texas Trump, the Border Rattler.” ‘¢ Tf he is the man, I know his haunt,” said the herder, who, like his master, was stalwart and well built. ‘‘He may not go back toit after a a swoop like this.” ‘‘Tf he does, we'll have him, eh, Jack?” ex- claimed Major Ralph. ‘*‘ Where were my eyes last night that I could not pierce the disguise? I am certain now that the letter I found on Inez’s table, when [ got back to the ranch, was his work. I know now that she left one of a differ- ont kind; she has convinced me,” **T do not think so.” “Why, what do you know, Jack?’ -**Only this. A short time after Roy left the ranch, called off by the message delivered by the dumb half-breed, [ saw that dwarf dog Flippo come out of the house. You know what hap- a a few days ago?” 0 “Inez caught him in a low falsehood. He made love to Fanny, the housemaid, an’ when she refused him, he spread a lie about her. Inez heard it, an’ faced him, He denied at first, then laughed insultingly in her face, till she jerked a whip from my hand an’ cut him across the face.” +3 She never told meaboutit,” said the rancher in amazement. ‘‘She might have done so in time. Flippo told her then and there, with blood streaming down his face, that he’d get even, an’ we laughed till he went off in a rage.” Major Ralph was silent for a few moments, ‘Then you think, Jack, that the forged letter was the dwarf’s work?” he suddenly asked. “It might have been, There is no person in manne handier with a pen than this same hump- edlizard. I drew him from the Brazos once, I sh to heaven I had let him drown!” ‘‘Tt will be worse than drowning if I catch him!” grated the rancher. ‘‘ But how slow wo are emg aps I could go like the storm, Jack.” Jalisco Jack smiled, looked at the rancher, and spoke to his horse. | ‘*To the llano serpent’s haunt!’ said Major Ralph, ‘* Remember that Inez is to be found, <nd the burning of Hermosilla avenged!” he The two steeds moved rapidly across the plain that stretched in unbroken beauty, as it seemed, to the horizon far away. ‘* Halt!” said Jalisco Jack, with a suddenness that startled the Texan. ** What is it?” ‘** Something on the plain yonder like a horse lyin’ down,” said the herder, pointing forward. ‘*[ see it move, It is a horse, sure enough!” ‘*Forward, then! It may be a clew. From the horse, we may strike the sport’s trail,” Both men drew their revolvers as they rode toward tho object noticed by the keen eyes of the herder. On the llano everything awakens suspicion and there, if anywhere in the world, forewarned must mean forearmed. With eyes riveted upon the object in the grass, Major Ralph and Jalisco Jack rode cau- tiously forward side by side. ‘*Thar’s a man with the horse!” suddenly ex- claimed the head herder. ‘‘T see him. He lies under the steed, help- less,” ‘** Ho is tied to the animal!—a Texan Mazeppa, major!” | The caution of the two men ended there, and the next minute they lea from their saddles and bent over a man who lay on the ground, lashed to a horse which had apparently fallen from exhaustion. In an instant a knife was called into use, and Jalisco Jack cut the cords and dragged the man from under his steed, and laid him upon the soft, rich grass carpet of the Wano, ‘* He’s alive, thank fortune, major,” exclaim- ed the herder, meeting the Texan’s inquiring look. ‘‘ Don’t you know ’im?” ‘*No. He is strange to me.” ‘* Ah, I recollect you warn’t at home while he war at Hermosilla.” ‘* What!” cried Major Ralph. ‘‘ Do you dare tell me that—” ‘‘ This man is Roy Berdan!” finished Jack. The Texan straightened and started back, fixing upon the unconscious man for a moment a look of rage. ‘* He’s been badly treated, major,” continued the herder, who was examining the llano Mazep- pa. ‘' These infernal ropes have cut almost to the bone, an’ there has been a gag in his mouth. It’s a wonder he isn’t dead. I saw him twenty times while he war at Hermosilla waitin’ for you. This is Roy Berdan.” Without speaking, Major Ralph came up and looked down into the youth’s face. ‘*Make him speak. I want to know whose work this is,” he said, Jack was already at work with this object in view. A flask of brandy, which the llano trav- eler always carries, was placed to the young Texan’s lips, and a portion of its contents forced down his throat, The effect was electrical, for life seemed to come back to the youth. Jalisco Jack passed his arm under his head and raised him gently. He gasped a moment and then drew a long breath. ‘* Are you Roy Berdan?” cried the rancher. “That is my name, Ah, you must be Major Rogers.” ‘* Yes. Who did this? Give us the name of the man who transformed you into a llano Ma- ze ea e fire of vengeance blazed up in the young Texan’s eyes before he spoke. ‘Tf IT do you mus’ not pay him back for me,” he said. ‘‘Ido that myself. The villain who did this calls himself Happy Hank, but he is Texas Trump!” The rancher and his head herder uttered a strange cry together. ‘‘T could have guessed it,” said Jalisco Jack. ye pon don’t know what that same devil did last night.” ‘* He didn’t harm Inez, eh?’ ‘Tf he has, Ill toss him to the vultures!” cried Major Ralph. ‘I am goin’ to do that anyhow. <A few hours ago, Roy Berdan, I would have shot you on sight. Now, sir, hereis my hand that we are friends.” ‘But what has happened?” asked the young man. ; ‘‘Hermosilla hacienda is in ashes and Inez is in Texas Trump’s clutches.” Roy Berdan looked thunderstruck, CHAPTER TX. TIE BORDER RATTLER’S TRIGGERS. THat vast tract of country known as the Llano Estacado has hundreds of wild trails, and a thousand hiding-places, which neither the scent of the fox nor the vision of the eagle can ferret out. If Texas Trump had a particular haunt hid- den from the knowledge of man, it was likel that he would take his beautiful prisoner thi- ther. He durst not show her within tie pale of civi- lization; the success of his game would warn him to give the Texan towns and the New Mexican silver-camps a wide berth, Of course he would be hunted, for he could not suppose that his swoop would go unpunished if man could strike, The light of the burning hacienda told him that King, the half-breed boy, had accomplished the task assigned him, and when he turned his back upon it, he felt assured that he had noth- oF to fear from Major Ralph. f Jalisco Jack knew his haunt as he told the rancher that he did, woe to the desperado who had masqueraded under several names. The sun as it went down on the day succeed- ing the plundering of the Texan ranch saw a man leading a horse over a rough trail in one of the roughest portions of the llano. ae guess they won’t find me whar thar ar’ no trails,” said this man to himself in audible tones, ‘This is the haunt which no man has seen. Ther eagle has passed it by, an’ hyer I kin keep my bonanza till I kin make a success- ful break for ther future.” The man who spoke did not look like Happy Hank whose songs had been applauded at Camp Coyote and Hermosilla Ranch, yet he was that very person. A short bristly beard was starting out over his face, and he could have entered more than one camp where Texas T rae was well known and not been recognized. He was mistaken, however, when he said that his present where- abouts were not known. If he had been enabled to look some distance behind him he might have seen gliding from rock to rock with the movements of a panther approaching its prey, a figure dwarfish in size and hideously ugly. ‘‘ Texas Trump didn’t come hyer alone,” said this person. ‘*‘ What meant thet bit o’ lace I found on the ground this afternoon? Don’t I know thet it came from her sleeve—from the dress of the girl who put the black whip across Flippo’s face when he talked about Fanny of the ranch? Inez is hyer. She is Texas Trump’s prisoner. Now the question is: Whar is she?” Texas Trump might have gone back and sur- prised this trailer, but the last man he thought of then was this very Flippo, Inez’s bitter enemy. He continued to lead the horse forward by the bridle, and did not pause until in the loneliest part of the elevated land. . Flippo came on to within a short distance of the sport and watched him with glittering eyes and overpowering impatience. ‘Tm glad I didn’t go to Camp Coyote,” he said. ‘If I had gone thar I would not have found Texas Trump. Roy is out o’ ther way, anyhow. Ther hoss that dashed past me in the starlight carried a Mazeppa whom I recognized at a glance. I hev but ter watch you, Texas Trump, ter show Inez ag’in thet ther blow she dealt hippo is not forgotten.” The sun crept lower and lower, and Texas Trump showed no signs of obliging the dwarf by quitting his post. Was he waiting for some one? If he was, who was likely to come to the cool desperado now? “T’ve got as much patience as you have Texas,” muttered Flippo, as he watched. wt kin stan’ hyer till I die ov old age ef you won’t move. I am too near Inez ter leave yer ter yerself, Texas Trump.” From the spot where the llano rascal stood could be seen the country lying on every side, and Flippo was not long determining why the position had been sought. The plains were darkening as the sun crept toward the horizon, and the rocl s about the lone desperado cast his body in shadow. He looked like a brigand guard, or an eagle watching the nest from an elevated peak. Flippo seemed to grow into a statue of stone while he watched the sport, More than once he saw Texas Trump shade his eyes with his joined hands and scan the ground below. Far away on his right was Camp Coyote, the abode of Heavy Hugh and his pards; east- ward was Hermosilla. At the end of two hours he moved and leaped down from the rock he had occupied. | Grasping the bridle again with a quick oath, he turned toward the spot occupied by Flippo and approached. The dwarf compressed his body into the smallest possible space behind the rock that screened him, and held his breath. | ECOMIcboo ; ’ ‘ ’ - 2 Tt Ne , : —.