Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 656 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

al) » > a I * <_ @igt,* be Sar | PE tele en ge Hear A Paes ”F > tut inl ol - fey rt - : home here, and with the aid of Old Jacob and Phillis, my mother’s faithful negro, you can keep the secret of having a prisoner in the house, for they will be true as steel, feed him and look after his wants, ‘‘ He can take his pack with him to the room, and I will put his horses with my herd, ‘“‘When I have discovered that Yankee Kit here has told me tbe truth, I will return and he can go his way; but if I find out that he has spoken falsely, I will return also, and will give bim up to the Ranchero Rangers for them to decide upon his fate.” \ ‘You may be gone months!” whined the prisoner. ‘True; and if so, you will have deserved the few months’ imprisonment you have had, and may congratulate yourself that it is no worse,” Pe y od! do you intend to hold me all this time?’ ‘‘ With Major Mabrey’s aid, I do.” ‘“T will aid you, Ray, and come here and take up my quarters to guard the prisoner.” ‘But if the boy dies, what will become of me?” groaned the prisoner. “Tf aught should happen to my young friend, then your doom is sealed, for 1 am under no pledge to let you free, and you richly deserve haiging, Yankee Kit.” ‘Young man, I'll pray for your success and quick return. When do you go.” ‘¢ To-morrov,” ‘* Ride of course?” ‘¢ ‘Yes. | “Then don’t take a trail that will lead you near the Rio Grande,” ‘Ah! you have your cut-throats awaiting there your return to lead them upon the settle- ment?’ ‘“‘-You’re a guesser from ’way back, pard.” ‘‘ Suppose you do not go back to them q” ‘They’ ll recross the Rio Grande.” ‘‘T am not so sure of that, so it will be best to warn the settlement and send your Rangers out to look up this man’s outlaw band.” “Tt will, Ray; but let us get him in his quar- ters before we do aught else.” This was done, the prisoner swearing terribly at his fate, and then his pack was taken into the strong-room, which was in a log tower at one end of the cabin, and his horses were turned out to herd with the ranch ponies. The strong-room was large, comfortable and built with a view to being very strong. There were iron gratings across the windows, and the prisoner, when ironed by one foot toa bolt in the floor found himself as securely held as though he were in a city prison. The major moved over the next day, Jacob and Phillis were instructed as to their duties about the prisoner, and mounted upon his best horse and leading a pack-animal, Butterfly Billy once more took up a trail which he bad followed for three years in the past to find it end, as he had believed in a grave, the grave of his mother. Now he meant to follow it to the end, and until Captain Coyote was banged, Ray Royal took a solemn vow he should never leave the trail he had started upon. CHAPTER V. A WOMAN'S GRAVE. TowAnp sunset of a pleasant day, some weeks after the departure of Ray Royal from his Texas home, a horseman was riding slowly along over a western prairie and heading for a distant omnes of mountains, The foot-hills at the base of the lofty range, formed several pleasant valleys, and jutting in- to a vale from a rugged ridge was a massive pile of rocks, so thrown together as to form a structure very like an old-time castle. There were rude towers of rocks, domes ard turrets, and the pile soared Into the air some hundred feet above the valley, overlooking a beautiful vale, dotted here and there with mountain pines and with a small stream of purest water running through it and murmuring musically among the rocks and pebbles that formed its bed. : Beneath one of the trees, whose sheltering branches spread far over it was a grave, at the head of which stood a tree-trunk upon which had been cut with a knife a name and date. It was toward this pile of rocks, known as Castle Rock by the guides and hunters, that the horseman was directing his wey) for they arose like a beacon to guide him on his path. | The horseman was well mounted, but his horse looked weary as bebe from a long ride, and a pack-horse that trotted behind appeared to be almest breken down. wae we "{ , ‘ ~y vr ay . ro < ox, ae? 1 \% 4 | Butterfly Billy’s Man-Hu a aad ey 43 j a ont : ‘ ' . ms 8 7 ' 4 . $e, : . ee ar’ The rider was none other than Ray Royal, and he had come thus far on his trail to solve the mystery regarding his mother. The sunset as he rode into the valley, and the shadows began to darken rapidly. But over, under the shelter of the rocks, was the lonely cabin where Major Mabrey bad dwelt for a year, a hermit guarding the grave of the woman he had so loved and who had been lost to him in life. A fire was kindled in the little cabin, and with a broom of brush cut from the bushes the place was soon made confortable, The horses were unsaddled, watered at the brook and staked out to feed upon the grass which everywhere grew luxuriantly. By the grave beneath the mountain pine the — ranchero stood a moment with uncovered ead, When last he had stood there, the day he had come there and found Major Mabrey living in the little cabin, he bad believed that his mo- ther’s form reposed beneath the mound, But now he could not so believe, after what he had heard from Yankee Kit; but he had come there to know the truth. For the one who did rest there he felt respect, we. uncovered his head over the grave of the ead, P He recalled his capture of the Giant General, and how he had aided him to escape death on the gallows if he would tell him where to find Yankee Kit and Captain Coyote, for through this means he would discover the fate of his mother. The outlaw had told him then of his mother’s death, and where to find her grave, and thus ft was that he had found there Major Mabrey and with him returned to the old ranch in Texas, Having seen to his horses the young ranger returned to the cabin and prepared his supper, which consisted of a broiled bird, some bacon coffee and crackers, and feeling that he could rest he enjoyed the meal, He knew his danger well, and that he might expect to have a band of Indians run upon him at any time, or perhaps prowling outlaws. But Major Mabrey had told him that the Sioux were afraid of Castle Rock, as they be- lieved it to be haunted by evil spirits among the Indian tribes, and twice during his stay there he had only to show himseif to set the Indians in full flight. Spreading his blankets before the fire, and throwing on some extra logs that would burn all night, the young trailer laid down to rest, and was soon fast asleep. It was ,broad daylight when he awoke, and, hastily rising, he plunged into the brook for a bath, watered his horses and staked them where they could get fresh grass, and set about getting his breakfast. This over, he took from his pack-saddle a spade, and set to work digging the dirt out of the grave, He took off the sod, and placed it, with the loose earth, upon his india-rubber blankets, so as to leave as little trace as possible. It was no easy task, for Captain Coyote had had his men dig deep, to prevent the body being torn up by wolves and other wild animals. At length he came to the sg enyolipee in blankets, and, moving away the dirt, be un- en the head from the smoldering blank- e That would be all that he need see, for his mo- ther’s long, wavi olden hair would tell the story, as Yankee Kit had said that the one buried there under the shelter of Castle Rock was a Mexican woman with short black hair. The task was a hard one, and at times the youth was nearly overcome; but he would not -yield to his feelings, and unwrapped the de- caying blankets, until at last the head was re- vealed, f The hair was black as jet. Evidently her hair had been cut short when she was in life, as she had tracked Captain Coyote in the guise of a boy; but it had grown in the grave until it was over a foot in length! “Thank God!” cried Ray Royal, and then he added, slowly: ‘‘ But would it not be better if my poor mother was in this grave, for her life must be a living death. I will find her, anc Captain Coyote shall die by my hand! “T swear it, standing here in this open grave above the woman whom he forced to take her own life,” and Butterfly Billy’s voice was hoarse with passion and stern resolve, With great care the young trailer filled the grave, replaced the sod, and threw the loose earth into the stream, thus destroying all trace of the grave having been opened. | ‘Wishing to rest his horse, he passed the day Dt.: there, and the following night; then hes ed upon his way, and his course lay toward the Overland Trail. wee <7 CHAPTER VI. BY THE LONE HIGHWAYMAN; tad AN Overland stage-coach was rolling along a mountain-trail, and the driver onthe box had. just turned to his companion, and remarked that — he guessed the danger of attack by road-agents — , was past, as they had never been seen that far east, when a horseman.suddenly rode into the trail ahead of the leaders. q He was mounted upon a large, jet-black ho which, as though trained, had at once fron the coming stage and come to a halt. — te The rider was aman of massive frame, and * 4 % more, was attired in the full uniform of a gen- — a epaulets, sash across his broad breast and i He certainly was a fine specimen of manhood, | — and with his top-boots, armed with heavy gold. | — spurs, his cavalry hat, with its gold cordand | long, drooping sable plume, looked like a grand ‘ picture. a His face was darkly bronzed, heavily beard- ed, and stamped with indomitable pluck and. t will, i | His sword hung at his side, and in his belt — were revolvers, alsoa pair visible in his holsters { | on each side of the horn of his handsome mili- : tary saddle; but he. held in his hands a repeat- © — ing-rifle, and brought it to his shoulder while pe 3 the stage was yet a hundred feet away. | ‘‘ Jerusalem! I was a liar, for thar are ther Giant General bimself,” said Bob Burt, the driver, as his eyes fell upon the man and horse | barring their way. “1 ‘Shall I shoot? Maybe Ill hit him,” cried , — the man on the box, whose appearance indicat-, ed that he was a man wholly unfamiliar with the Far West, but who wore tbhreé revolvers — and a bowie-knife in his belt, greatly to the amusement of the ‘‘ natives,” wbo had guyed ~ him unmercifully. "ee “Shoot! yer darned fool-headed tenderfoot, — shoot! , ‘“‘Tf yer does yer’ll hev yer toes turned sky- He | ward quicker than a flea kin hop—put up thet af weepin, durn yer, or I'll sling yer off ther box f and press yer inter a book-mark with ther | wheels.” avy ¢ Thus urged, the tenderfoot hastened to obey, while Bob Burt got his reins wellinbandfor the order he knew must come. he ‘You are covered, Bob Burt,.so halt and hands up!” cried the Giant General, still keep- ing his rifle at a level. 43 ‘‘ Hold up, ponies, for the General’s got ther drop on us!” coolly called out Burt, reining ip, 7 his team of six horses, and putting his foot upon the heavy brake, which brought the coachtoa standstill. ‘ y Then he called out to those who were inside — passengers: a! ‘¢ The General has halted us, pilgrims, ter col-— #3 lect toll, and thar are no need o’ kickin’; but ef some o’ yer thinks different and all joinin,lare yer man ter help yer out.” it ¢ The silence that followed the remarks of the — driver showed that the half-dozen passengers were too well acquainted with the name of the terrible road-agent to offer any resistance, and so Bob Burt continued: ‘‘ Well, pards, ef it’s no go, jist unloose yer purse-strings fer ther General don’t like ter © wait, oe The Giant General had in the mean sagt spoken to his horse, which at once stepped slow- Ag ly forward, while his master held the rifle to his shoulder the while. = Halting in front of eek ‘* Well, sir, who do you carry?” bh ** This tenderfoot lunkhead on ther box with me fer one, and I hopes yer’ll take his arsenal, for he'll kill somebody with ther guns afore he reaches home, see ef he don’t,” oe “You drew on me, sir?” and the Giant Gen- — eral turned his piercing gaze upon the young man who was now as pale as death and trem- bling so violently that Bob Burt said: . ‘Hold on, young feller, or yer’ll shake y self off ther box and git hurted.” ‘‘T didn’t mean ter shoot yer, sir, I m General, only ter scare yer. Se ‘*T wouldn’t want ter kill a man,” A hearty laugh from the road-agent this reply of the tenderfoot, while Bo said in a tone of disgust: ' at ‘Waal, ef you bain’t a daisy jist call me % at az ‘al ye , 4 * < ri the leaders, he called out y ’ “ . . af. parson—oh Lordy, son, whar was bad bs ther fool-killer went round yourtown? — mn Gy @ eee 0