Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 597 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

— 2 There was a large cabin, with two rooms on each side of a wide open space, or hall, which could be boarded in in winter, and a broad, covered piazza encircled the house, A small cabin in the rear served as a kitchen, and back in the timber were half a dozen huts, the homes of the cowboys belonging co the ranch. There were fields of grain rudely fenced in, a vegetable garden, and spreading prairies for miles around the timbered hill upon which the ranch was situated, so that any foe could be seen approaching miles 1way. Cattle and horses dotted the prairies, watched over by a dozen mounted cowboys, and a crystal stream wound around the base of the hill upon which the cabins were situated. Within, the cabin was comfortably furnished, and the dwellers therein might be said to live a life of almost luxury there in their border home, far from the marts of busy life. Such was the home of Colonel Dillon Du- tiont, a descendant of an old New York family of wealth, and who, discarded by the woman he had madly loved, had gone to Texas and cast his fortunes with the then struggling republic, firhting against Mexico, n the Mexican war, the colonel had distin- guished himself on many fields, and on one oc- easion, when taken prisoner, would have been put to death but for the fact that a beautiful young Mexican girl saved his life and aided his escape. The war over, Colonel Dumont turned his at- tention to cattle-raising, and one day there pass- ed bis ranch a wagon-train of Mexican exiles, who had been forced to leave their country on account of their friendliness to the Americans. In that train were Don Ramirez and his daughter, the Senorita Rita, to whom Colonel umont owed his life. The Don was ill, and Colonel Dumont carried them at once to his ranch, There the old Mexican steadily grew worse, until ons day, some three months after his com- ing, he was laid to rest on the banks of the little stream that flowed near Ranger’s Rest, as the colonel had called his ranch. The ranchero had buried his first love in the grave of forgetfulness, and never could iove again as he loved the woman who had cast him off, a few days before the one appointed for their wedding; but he owed to Senorita Rita his life, and her lovely face and form and her devotion to her father won his deepest sympathy and re- gard, while he knew that she loved him. So he asked her to become his wife, and by tho bedside of her dying father they were mar- ried, and never bad Dillon Dumont regretted day that he wedded the lovely Mexican girl, A son was born to them, and in him the blended likeness of the father and mother, and the little Edgar became their idol, But death robbed Ranger’s Rest of its beauti- ful mistress when the boy had reached his fif- teenth year, and the sorrowing busband and son laid her to rest in the quiet spot where her fath- er was buried, on the banks of the running stream, whose waters sung by night and daya requiem to the dead. An educated, accomplished woman, Mrs, Du- mont had taught ber son much that tended _ to- ward his refinement and culture in spite of his wild surroundings, while his father had con- stituted himself his tutor, and the youth thus received an exellent education, as far as books went, while the cowboys saw to it tbat his knowledge of prairie-craft, riding, hunting, shooting and Indian-fighting should not be ne- glected. And so faithfully did the cowboys do their duty as tutors, that Edgar Dumont, when only in his sixteenth year, had no superior as a rider, dead-shot, Indian-trailer, and skill in prairie and mountain craft. Tall and J ap formed, with a face as marked for its good looks as its intelligence, daring and resolution, Edgar Dumont possessed a noble nature that would render him popular with all. His mother’s death had been a bitter grief for him to bear, and he never forgot her loving face, and each day sought her grave to recall her to mind as she was in life, and his father knew that a son who thus remembered his dead mother, could not go far wroug, whatever fate befell him. With a fine ranch, a large herd of cattle, a comfortable home, and his son verging upon mauhood, Colonel Dillon Dumont seemed con- tent with life, if not happy. He had wished Edgar to have an education above what he could teach him, and so had sent him to a military schoo] in a‘Northern State, 7s - ia x “Se — 4 i ve -_—, ’ ev sf hs 1 * * ». - ' - r > . a oh Rest eva ans The Young Texan Detective. $$$ $$ TY — - ! TT ay Whee 4 | Taga apie 4 and he was looking to bis coming home for bis first vacation with great pleasure, for word bad come to him how his son stood at the head of his class, and had been promoted rapidly to the captaincy of one of the companies at the acad- emy,an honor seldom won by a student his first year at college. Seated in his home one night, enjoying his pipe and reading a letter from Edgar, which told him to look for him at any time, as he would purchase a horse and outfit at the nearest town to Ranzer’s Rest and ride over, Colonel Dumont started as the door cautiously opened and a stranger entered. And more, the siranger was clad in deep black, wore a mask, and bad the drop on the Texan ranchero. CHAPTER II. THE BLACK BRAVO, COLONEL DUMONT was av utterly fearless man, but he had lived long enough on the bor- der to understand that when a man had the drop on bim there was but one to thing to do, That thing was to make no resistance, as it meant sure death. The Mexicans had often raided the country round about Ranger’s Rest, and the Comanche and other Indians had also driven off cattle, and played sad havoc with the herd of ponies, so that Colonel Dumont and his cowboys were ever on the alert to greet a foe. But coming as did this unknown enemy, si- lently, unlooked for, and wearing a mask, Col- onel Dumont bad been taken at a disadvan- tage.” He had weapons in the room with him, and yet they were not within reach of bis hand. The stranger bad silently entered the room, somehow missing the peon servants, half}a dozen in number, who bad come from Mexico with Don Ramirez and his danghter. He was aman of fine physique, and dressed in a suit of entire black, pants and cvat, the for- mer tucked in cavalry boots, on the heels of which were massive spurs, that hal the appear- ance of being solid gold. His coat was buttoned close about his form, and a belt, with revolversand knife, all gold mounted, encircled his waist. His hat was a sable sombrero, encircled by a gold cord, and looped up on the left side with an ivory pin representing a death’s head and cross-bones, But for his weapons and slouch hat, he hada very clerical look; but at a glance did Colonel Dumont know him, though they had never met before. ; The ranchero knew bim as one of a band known as the Black Bravos, who had been for a couple of years the terror of the Rio Grande border, on both sides of the river, He and his cowboys had had a fight with the Black Bravos, and one having been killed, was found to be dressed just as this one was, who now appeared before him, and their sable cos- tume and evil deeds had won for them their name. ‘¢ Well, sir, you have the advantage, I admit, so let me know what you want with me,” said the colonel, calmly. **To kill you,” was the response in a deep, determined voice, and yet one that, but for the threat would not have sounded unpleasantly to the ear. ; ‘‘ Had such been your purpose you would not have delayed thus long,” was the cool reply. ‘* You' mistake me, for as a cat loves to play with a mouse to torture it before killing it, I so desire to amuse’myself with you, Dillon Du- mont!” ‘* Ah! you know me?” ‘* Better than you suppose,” ‘* Your voice has a familiar ring, I admit, but as you are afraid, or ashamed to show your face, 1 must remain in the dark as to wko you are, ' ** We have met before.” ‘*T begin to feel that we have.” ‘* [tf was years ago.” ‘*Ha! now I know that accursed voice with its sonorous ring, Gale Davenport,” and Colonel Dumont sprung to his feet. ‘* Down! sit down!” roared the masked visitor, and he leveled the revolver, cocked, and with finger on trigger, directly at the ranchero. Colonel Dumont obeyed in silence, but bis face was livid now. ** As you know me I will remove my mask,” and he drew the mask downward, catching it under his chin, The act revealed a face heavily bearded, while, removing his slouch hat masses of dark hair fell upon his broad shoulders, ‘*T know those eyes, Gale Davenport, though * ') iF: Shy aft * .¥ t aren SY os ¥ i - / ; Vie 4 ~ " Ae. abc < a = i = a Th. ? 3. be ~~ gee - — v eee * ' ‘ ’ eae eo*F é — —_ | you have greatly changed in the years that have passed since you stole from me the woman that should have been my wife.” ‘* Liar! villain! you stole the woman [ loved from me! How dure you accuse me of a crime which you were guilty of?” The man glared at Colonel Dumont with venom in his eyes; but bis gaze was met by one of equal hatred, though there was an expression of amazement on the face of the rancbero as he asked: ‘‘Do you accuse me of the deed you were guilty of?” ‘*T accuse vou of stealing from me Kate Ken- nerley, who would have otherwise been my wife,” Colonel Dumont for a moment seemed speech- less; but, controlling the emotion that almost unnerved him, he said in a voice that quivered with the intensity of his feelings: ‘‘Gale Davenport, I loved Kate Kennerley with all my heart and soul, and bad every reason to believe that she loved me, and the day was set for our marriage. One week before that day, I received a letter from her telling me that she could not marry me, and break.ng our engage- ment. ‘*T at once went to her house, but it was said that she was absent, and ber father told me that you were to be her busband, ‘‘T loved her, and in my despair I gave up my home, my family and all and came to Texas.” . The Black Bravo laughed derisively, while he replied: ‘You tell me this when you know that she secretly married you and came hither with you!” “Tt is a lie!” ‘‘ Yet her grave is not three hundred yards from where you now sit, and your son, her child and yours, is now off at college?’ “It isa lie! Lrepeat it, a lie, for Kate Ken- nerley never became my wife. The one who lies in her grave on the banks of the brook, was my wife, yes; but she was a Mexican girl whosaved my life, and she is the mother of my son.” ‘‘ My God! can this be true, Dillon Du- mont?” ‘‘Tt is, so help me Heaven!” ‘¢ And you did not marry Kate Kennerley?” ‘‘Never! but you did!” ‘‘] swear that I did not. I loved her, yes, and I knew that she loved you, was, in fact, engaged to you; but I was supposed to be rich, and though all believed her father to be wealthy, he was poor. ‘¢‘T wanted her money, her father - wanted m money, so he urged his daughter to break wit you and pledge herself to marry me. ‘¢ Unfortunately I could stave off no longer my creditors; the crash came and I fled, and I supposed, of course, you had made her your wife,” ‘“ You astound me, for I know that she broke with me to marry you, and so I departed, as I said, for Texas.” ‘¢ Then she is still single?” ‘¢ Perhaps; who knows?” ‘¢ By Heaven! then she shall yet be my wife!” and the voice of the Bravo rung out like one giving a command, _-—_- -—— CHAPTER III. A DUEL BY A GRAVE. At the words of the Bravo Colonel Dumont sprung to his feet, and in spite of the menacing revolver ste toward the outlaw. But the Black Bravo sprung backward and cried: ‘‘ Hold! you are at my mercy, Dillon Dumont, go do not force me to kill an unarmed man. ‘‘ Let us talk this matter over.” ‘“ Whatis there to say more than has been said?” | ‘¢ You swear that you did not wed Kate Ken- nerley?” té I do.” ‘* And I swear to you that I did not,” “Still I saw in the papers a notice of her marriage to you.” ‘‘ Tt was so published, but it was untrue, for I was a fugitive at the time of the asserted mar- riage.” , ‘A fugitive from what?” ‘“T told you that when I was believed to be rich. I bad nothing. ‘¢T had gambled beavily and to recover my- self committed forgery. ‘* T was Glen vered before the paper was due, so I had to fly to escape prison. “TI believed that my marriage with Kate ; ad , é Y €*\¥ \ a dae ‘ Ae a vk fF: , » VF ‘ Bibs ORE Yt PAs | a Xu : - : ah Hy | \ y 4 [ ng i | J @ OOoKS i