Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 597 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

ri } 10 weapons, a watch and chain and his clothes, all of which the guide coveted. Then, if he found the supposed uncle, he would have the hold of friendship upon the youth, and that might lead to something better than to rob him at once, If the uncle could not be found, it would be time enough tien to rob his victim, Thus Texas argued, and it is needless to say that he knew of no such a man as Charles Ken- nerley, miner. So the two set off together, and the first night out the guide selected a camp suitable to his purposes, for he had formed a plot during the day which he would carry out, having felt that in some way his steps were be- ing dogged. There would be but one motive for any one to dog his steps, and that alarmed the guide into changing his plans.” So it was that he led the way to the canyon where they had gone into camp for the night, When assured that Edgar Dumont was asleep, for he did not believe the youth suspected him of treachery, the guide had slipped by him to where he had staked bis horse and mounting the animal, without saddling him, had ridden away up the canyon. He allowed bis horse to take bis own trail, and in time found himself on the ridge where the Black Bravos had their camp. As he did so he was covered by a rifle and the following conversation quickly occurred, in- telligible to those who took part in it only: ‘** Halt!” cried a voice. ‘** Captain!” responded the guide. ** Brandt!” ** Black!” ** Bravo]” <6 W ho?” ‘* Bricks,” 46 Pass 1" As the last word left the lips of the man who had brought the guide to a halt, the latter rode on, merely asking: ‘** Chief here?” a He rode on up to the wicky up where a light was visible, and he saw the Black Bravo chief seated at his table, a lamp swung over his head, shedding a light down upon some work he was engaged in with pencil and paper. The chief looked up as he heard a step and said quickly: ** Ah! Bricks, you here?” ‘* Yes, chief.” “* Any news?” ‘*T have a camp three miles away, in Sweet Water Canyon, and a youngster thar asleep, who are out bere a-lookin’ fer a uncle whom he says lives in ther mines, ‘“‘Ther uncle sent fer him ter come, but be ost ther address, and so are s’archin’ for ther ole man.” Well?” ‘Ther young feller are well fixed, and tuk me as guide, fer I told him I know’d his uncle, and I thought we c’u’d make a good stake out o’ ther youngster, by holdin’ him ontil ther ole man er up dust fer him, for I kin find him as well without ther boy as with him.” The chief remained silent for some minute or more, He was unmasked and his really handsome face, in spite of the footprints tnereon left by crime, was hard to read. He had listened with the deepest attention to all that the guide said, and then remarked quiet- ** Sit down, Bricks,” The man obeyed, and then the chief continued: ‘** Bricks, when I selected you to be one spy in the mining-camps, I thought that I acted wisely. ‘* But rumors have come to me that you could not be trusted,” ‘* Me, captain? Yer can’t trust me?” cried the man, while his face became livid. ‘1 did not say so; but I remarked that word had come to me that you could not be trusted.” **Oh, Lordy! what a lie that are.” “Well, Bricks, I put aman on your track, and he has dogged you for ten days, noting your every action, ** Did you know it?” “No, chief, I didn’t,” responded Bricks, chok- ing back the lie he told, for it was his conscious- ness of being followed that led him to change his plans regarding Edgar Dumont. **Your coming to me now, as you do, with your report about this youth, proves that you are sincere, and that I can trust you; but what is your lot regarding him?’ ‘To have you capture us both, sir, for I will return, and then you can decide what are best, “ 2 SS ae ee ne ew es ees any Bs The Young ‘Texan Detective, for I think it can be made to pan out big, cap’n.” And soit was decided, and successfully car- ried through, as has been seen. After having blindfolded Edgar Dumont, the bandage was removed from the eyes of Texas, and while in camp he kept near the chief’s quar- ters so as not to be put in irons. The talk between Captain Brandt and his spy, resulted in the plot to get a ransom from the alleged uncle of the young detective, for it nast be remembered that the guide believed implicit- ly in the story told by Edgar Dumont, about his being in search of one Charles Kennerley, If the spy had made up his mind to work for his own interest, rather than for those of the band, he decided, as he still might be under watch, to play fair with the chief until he could act without dread of detection, So he suggested to the chief a plan which the next chapter will reveal. CHAPTER XVIII. THE CHIEF AT HOME, AFTER returning to his quarters, the chief of the Black Bravos conned over the plot be had entered into with the spy known as l’exas, and which the latter had suggested. He paced to and fro, his mask thrown aside, and his face lost in deep meditation. The truth must be told that Captain Brandt was a lover of gold to an enormous degree. He had gone into robberies on the trails to accumulate a certain sum, which he had put down in his mind as a limit for his riches. His robberies on the Texan trails, by raids into Mexico, and in stopping trains and travel- ers, had now gotten for bim that sum, He had deposited his gold in banks, and un- willing to check his crime-earnings while the came in liberally, bad set another sum at whic he would call a halt, and seek other fields to en- joy his wealth, That other sum was well-nigh reached when he made his visit to Colonel Dillon Dumont at his ranch of Ranger’s Rest. He bad known of his rival, as he believed, his successful rival, dwelling in Texas for a long while, and, in fact, he and his Black Bravos had found him their worst foe. So he had decided upon revenge, and fearful had been his vengeance. Then, with the booty and cattle and horses stolen from his old rival, he bad reaped a golden harvest, surpassing his second limit of riches, for he had found ready buyers for all the Nh 3 through agents in Texas, Mexico and ew Mexico, Still the man was not content, and a third limit to his riches was set, He well knew that with the death of Colonel Dumont, the Ranger commander, Texas would be too bot for him, so he decided to make a new field in Colorado, Thither he went, and at once began to terror- ize the mining-camps, He found the mines and the Overland stage trails most fruitful picking, and he was certain of now reaching his third Hmit in wealth, Then he would go to the East and seek out Kate Kennerley, the woman he had never ceased to love, and if she was still single, make her his wife, lf she was married, it would be easy enough to make a widow of her, and then to marry her, He was still a splendid-looking man, and though verging along over forty-five, yet hardly appeared to have lived two-score years, He could readily pay up little debts due when he had departed, with full interest, arrange the forgery matter, and thus wipe out the stain upon his record, while he had always felt that at heart Kate Kennerley had really loved him. So it was that Captain Brandt, as he had called himself, went to Colorado to reach the third limit he kad set as his wealth extreme, He was nearing the limit when Edgar Dumont became his prisoner, and it was well for the young Texan that the outlaw chief did nut know him as the son of Dillon Dumont, and especially that he wasa detective tracking him to earth, Musing aloud as he paced to and fro, the Black Bravo said: ‘‘Tt is a gocd scheme of Bricks to try and find out the mine of this boy’s uncle, and thus get posses ion of the old man’s earnings, and his best way is to use the boy asa tool. . ‘*Tf the man paid the ransom for the boy it would be but five thousand, while we may get ten times as much by finding the mine and get- ting possession of it. ‘*It is worth the trial at any rate, and the rr tt Ct CL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL boy will be well used in helping us get posses- 8100, ‘‘Then Ican give'up this life and going Kast become a respected member of society. ‘¢ Well, I must hit the stages and miners un- til Bricks returns, and I will also see if I cannot make that landlord, Jim Patrick, suffer, for somehow I feel he is the worst enemy the Black Bravos have. ‘* He’s too honest a fellow for a landlord of a miners’ hotel, as I discovered when Ll hinted to him to bevome the spy for the Bravos,” ‘ The chief now stopped his musing and enter- ing his shelter sat down to his table and began to figure up his profit, a work he seemed to ereatly enjoy, for at heart the man wasa perfect miser, Soon after his negro servant came in to set the table for supper, and it would have sur- prised the denizens of civilization to see how well the chief of the Black Bravos fared there in bis wild mountain retreat. The shades of night soon after shrouded the mountain-top in gloom, and the camp-fires be- gan to burn ee, for the outlaws retired early to rest, as the chief had ordered all in readiness at. dawn for an expedition to some of the unpro- tected mining-camps. CHAPTER XIX. THE SPY’S PLOT. EpGAR Dumont went to sleep that night with his brain full of suspicion against the guide, He felt confident that he was in league, in some way, with the chief of the Black Bravos. How long he had slept he did not’ know; but he was awakened by feeling a presence near him, . The camp was dark, and all was as silent as the grave. He half rose and listened, while his eyes tried to penetrate the darkness, The tree to which he was chained grew on the edge of the ridge, and the nearest of the camps of outlaws to him was some hundred feet away. Chained as he was there was no chance in the minds of the Bravos, of his being able to escape. Suddenly he saw a dark form near him, and in a whisper came the words: ‘* Be still, boy pard.” It was the guide, and the next moment he was by the side cf the youth, ‘* Texas, you here?” ‘* Yas, pard, they let me goon ther hunt fer yer uncle, and I come back right on ther track o’ ther feller as tarned me loose, and here I is.” “But why?” ‘* Ter set yer free.” ‘*But this chain is around the tree and my ankle as well.” ‘*T knows that.” ‘‘ Then how can you kelp me?” ‘*T has a file.” A file?” **'Yas, boy pard.” The youth said nothing, and the guide ran his hands over the links of chain around the ankle of the prisoner, One link seemed to suit him as best to begin on, and he at once set to work, The grating sound would hardly reach the ears of the outlaws if awake, and the guide stuck steadily to his work. It took over an hour, an occasional word be- ing said in a whisper between the two, and thea : Texas said: ‘Tt are did,” **T am free?” ‘‘'Yas, see thar,” and he pulled the other link over from the one he had filed through at the end. ‘‘Now git yer traps, and let me go for yer weepons, for they put ’em right yonder,” and he pointed to a tree not far distant. Edgar Dumont said nothing, and the guide crept away in the darkness, He soon returned with the belt of arms and the rifle of the youth, and found that the res- cued prisoner had rolled up his blankets and gotten his traps together, so was ready to start. ‘* Which way now?” ‘*To whar ther horses is staked out,” ** Do you mean that I can get my horse?” 6é Yes,” ** But he will be heard.” “No, we'll muffle his buffs,” ‘** But the guard?” ‘¢ He won’t trouble nobody no more.” ‘What! did you kill him?” ‘© Waal, I should say I did, boy pard.” ‘* But you said you crept up the other side of the ridge?” ‘“Yer misunderstood me, for I said I could hev come thet way.” § . : : - , * ~» 4 '. * "i 4 rg a - . of Pring Py’ al ° . i Canta 7 i | he *) ; Bi 4sy eel et, Wi . ts -_—— —_——_ — _ ee oe ae ee ——o ———— a —_—-* ——_—— ee ee ee eee — ——— es — - . = ee _ _ -_