Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 580 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

LO The Outcast Cadet. ling saw that all was neatness and comfort about the cottage, and the host was an honest-faced young man of twenty-five. “This is my friend, Mr. Dick Darling, Pard Sanford, of whom [ told you about two hours ago, and both of us hev got ter lay low or we'll git tuk up, as I also told yer. ‘*Ter-morrer you kin purchase a outfit in which we kin make our way towards San An- tone, fer my pard bere hey concluded to goalong with me in thet direction. ‘* And, Pard Dick,” continued the scout, turn- ing to his companion: ‘*This heur gent are squar’ clean through, free, white, and twenty-one, and he and his leetle wife, who are pretty as a pictur’ o’a angel, will see as we don’t suffer,” Bob Sanford, as one was familiarly called, blushed like a echool-girl under this praise, and extending his hand. to Dick, said: ‘‘Mr. Darling, the frieud of Lone Star is my “a ina, for I will tell you that I owe much to im, ‘*T was one of an emigrant train some years ago which the Indians attacked, killing many, among them my parents, and carrying off others into captivity. ‘* Among the latter was the daughter of an Alabama farmer, who was seeking a home in Texas, ‘* Her father was slain, and Lone Star at once set off on the trail of the Indians and rescyed from their camp the fair captive, the lady who is now my wife. ‘*That was two years ago, and giving up all idea of prairie life after our bitter experience we came here to live, and I am practicing medi- cine and doing well. _ * Now, Mr. Darling, you may understand that Lone Star’s wish in this house is law; but let me present my wife.” Just then a lovely young woman entered the room, and she, too, made Dick Darling feel perfectly at home, while that Lone Star had told his friends abopt him he knew from her words: ‘* No one will suspect your presence here, so that you can remain as long as you please and be perfectly safe from discovery.” After a short talk the scout and Darling were shown to their room, a pleasant one in a wing of the cottage, and they were glad enough to get the rest they needed. They met the young doctor and his wife at breakfast in the morning, and the former told them that he had been down-town, but had learned nothing of the captain of the schooner ont the detectives having made any report thus ar. ‘*T will make it my business this morning to discover just what they are about, Lone Star, and report to you,” added Doctor Sanford. The old negro and his wife, who were the doec- tor’s servants, had seen the scout at the cottage before, so thought nothing of his presence there with a friend, and it was not likely that they would learn of the escape of a Government pris- oner from a vessel through the aid of Lone Star Luke, or at least would not bear of it dur- ing the day. After bis breakfast, ‘‘ Doctor Bob,” as Lone Star Duke called him, went down to the harbor to learn all that he could about the escape. He discovered that the captain of the vessel had reported his arrival, and that he had been wrecked upon one of the Bahamas, been attack- ed by wreckers, seized their craft and then come into port, He had also made known that he had had on board as passengers two United States marshals, with a prisoner who was being taken to Mexico, for crimes committed there, and a Texan, a scout, who was returning from visiting his fam- ily in the North. During the night the prisoner had made bis escape, and as the Texan had also disappeared, it was thought certain that he had aided the man in making his escape. The two marshals had asked to be allowed to go on the track of the prisoner and scout, with- out the aid of the town officials, and had disap- peared. Then it was said that there was a wrecker, one who had served the skipper of the schooner well. and had come to Galveston with him, had also left the vessel under cover of the darkness, and it was thought that the seout might not have been the one after all to set the prisoner free, but the wrecker. This idea it was said that the prisoner had considerable money With him, and could have bribed the wrecker to help him, ‘Not a word is told as to what you said, Lone ained ground from the fact that Star, of getting the captain, officers and crew drunk,” said Doctor Sanford. ‘*Oh, no! they is all in the same boat to- gether, you bet, and men so situated don’t tell on themselves, ‘*They was wuss nor drunk, they was yaralyzed, for I put ther powder yer giv’ me, oc, in ther licker, and you kin gamble on it they felt it, for not a one of ’em moved while we was a-leavin’, and the’r heads are about ther size 0’ flour barrels jist now, yer may be sart’in,’ and Lone Star laughed as though he enjoyed the “Seb ge eae of the drunken skipper and mar- shals, ‘** Well, Lone Star, I got three good horses for you this morning, one toserve as u pack-animal, and a complete outfit in the way of the finest saddles and bridles, a rifle and small weapons for Mr. Darling, and, in fact, a complete camp ogee and all will be sent up to my house to- night, ‘*T told the men I bought them of that I had some friends who wished to go on a hunt, so ou can start to-night if you wish, or remain as ong as you wish, ‘* This is the balance of your money, Mr. Dar- ling, and of Lone Star’s, over what you both gave me,” ‘** [thank you, Doctor Sanford, and your kind- ness tO me causes me to wish to prove to you some day that I am not guilty of the crime which those two officers were carrying me to Mexico to hang for,” said Dick Darling, earnestly, ‘“*I do not believe that you are, sir: but were you so, as Lone Star’s friend, I would serve you allin my power.” ‘* Yes, Mr. Darling, we are anxious to show our appreciation of dear old Lone Star as much as we can; but for yourself I will say, with my husband, that we believe you are the victim of circumstances that have placed you in a false position,” Cora Sanford said, ‘* You are most kind,” was the low response of the escaped prisoner, and Lone Star Luke rejoined: ‘* Waal, we hed better light out ter-night, fer them two onnerary cusses of marshals is sar- t’in ter be on ther lookout fer us; but it’s catch- in’ afore bangin’, I has heerd, and I guesses we kin sarcumvent ’em somehow. ‘* Leastwise we kin try, Pard Dick.” Several hours after dark on the night follow- ing, two horsemen rode away from the pretty cottage of Doctor Bob Sanford and struck off into the country. They were Lone Star Luke and his fugitive friend, bound for the wilds of Texas, where the daring scout was at home far more than in the confines of civilization. CHAPTER XVII. IN BUCKSKIN. THERE was something about Dick Darling: which Lone Star Luke did not quite understand, He was a splendid-looking fellow to begin with, and certainly possessed a superior educa- tion, while his manners were refined and ele- gant. He rode with a skill that a cowboy could not surpass, and showed a familiarity with the care of his horse and camp life which proved that ho bad had some experience with an out-of-door existence prior to his striking out on the trail with the scout, Then, too, he was a dead shot with both rifle and revolver, could throw a lariat, and when he had spied a pair of foils in the house of Doctor Sanford, and the latter had asked if he fenced, he had proven himself the superior of the young physician with an ease that surprised him, as ath as it did his wife and the scout, both of whom knew Doctor Bob was an expert with the swords, Then the scout marveled at the great physical strength of his companion, He would sing a sad song in a manner that would bring tears to the eyes, and yet could tell a funny story that would convulse the scout with laughter, while his own face never lost its look of sadness. Why bad such a man been accused of a mur- der in Mexico so foul that the Government had sent him back there under guard of two officers? This the scout asked himself more than a hun- dred times, ' Then, too, he had seen that the young pris- oner was a sailor, and a good one, while he had proven himself a man possessed of great courage and a coolness under the greatest dangers that was remarkable. fe oe ee os OR 7 **T only wish to find some spot far from civi- lization, where [ can rest in peace for a while,” he had said to Lone Star, the day after the two had left Galveston. ‘¢T can find you the place, Pard Dick, and no no one will ever find you thar,” ‘‘ That is just what I desire, above all things,” was the earnest response. This locked a httle to the scout as though the Sip man was guilty, and wished to hide from the law, But Lone Star knew that many a desperate. man had sought a haven in Texas, and he knew just such. . Why sbould he then shrink from Dick Darling as a companion? ‘ He would not do so, but, on the contrary, make him bis boon para. He owed his life to the young man, he knew, for the fate of all on the schooner would have been quickly settled but for the able manner in which Dick Darling had planned the way to settle the wreckers. ‘*Pard Dick,” said the scout, as the two were sitting by the camp-fire, their second night out from Galveston, ‘* Well, Lone Star?” ‘** Does yer really want ter hang outin Texas?” ‘* For awhile, yes.” ** You is a dead shot?” éé Yes. ») ‘* Kin outride a Comanche?” ‘Yes, I have had much experience in riding.” ‘** You takes ter camp life like a Injun.” ** T like it.” ‘You hasaeye for locality and ther lay o* ther land, as I hes seen ter-day.” ‘¢ Well?” ‘‘ ‘Why don’t yer become a scout, and be my side partner?” **T am willing.” **T bas a leetle ranch over near ther Rio Grande, and I has thar a nigger boy as I tuk from ther Injuns who were a goin’ ter burn him as they was mad with him ’cause they couldn’t scalp his woolly head. **{ jist tuk him fer my own property, and he hev stuck like a plaster ever since, and more, he are no slouch as a guide, scout and Injun-killer. ‘*T has a leetle ranch, as I said, and he stays thar and looks arter it while I are on Govern- ment biz among ther forts. ‘‘T has a few head o° cattle, some ponies, chickens, pigs, ae 4 and a comfortable den, thet is, I hed when I left, and I bopes I has yet: but ther Comanches is mighty hateful cusses, and they mou’t bev kilt Wool and run off with my crittur outfit, arter settin’ ther shebang” afire. ‘Now yer kin jist chip in with me and dwell thar. ‘**'Wool, thet nigger pard o’ mine, are a good cook, and | tells yer thet yer won’t be onhappy thar, and kin study up ther kentry so as ter git ter be guide and scout yerself, and 1t are good pay when yer takes a train across the pararer, or goes on a scout for ther Government, ‘* Now, what does yer say?” ‘‘Tam with you heartand hand, Lone Star Luke.” ‘‘Done! it’s fixed, then, and we is ter be Pararer Pards?” $6 Yes. ” _** Give me a sample 0’ yer grip.” The young fugitive held forth his hand and Dick Darling warmly grasped it, : “You has, accordin’ ter my advice, rigged out in buckskin, Pard Dick, and yer looks prime in it, that’s sart’in. ‘* Now let yer hair grow long, and yer'll be ther boss pararerman in no time, ana nobody kin tell yer from ther real article, for yer looks iteven now, and noone would jump onter yer now, fer fear yer would sbow yer claws, and yer hes got ’em, tooth and toenail, ef they rubs yer ag’in’ ther fur, ‘* Waal, as we hain’t in no dangersome com- munity jist yet, we kin turn in and sleep com- fortable, but when we gitsa leetle further off toward ther settin’ sun, One o’ us hes got ter keep awake o’ nights, you bet, for thar is dan- ger thar, and no mistake.” | ‘ “Life is a constant danger, Pard Lone Star, be it in civilization or among the wilds of Texas,” was the reply of Dick Darling, and his words seemed tocarry him back to something in his past of an unpleasant nature, for, without another word he wrapped his blanket about him and lay down to sleep, as though counting for- getfulness in oblivion, And thus it was that Dick Darling, the mys- terlous prisoner, and alleged’ murderer entered upon a new career, givirg up the dress of civili- zation for the buckskin suit of the borderman. ‘ \ oo = mT ey ? fe Ld - r4 i . , : 7 at . - 4 a Pe ; : : ae é ~ is 0 aT WAY : . 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