Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 66 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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14 come. ‘Vhen I was driven out, a friendless and homeless outcast, with a price upon my head, my promised wife given to my enemy, my for- tune in his hands, I warned you to keep me in | mind, for one day I would have revenge. I have it now, and it is sweet.” Beadle’s l | | i ' ' ‘“‘It may be sweet to you, Marmaduke El- | wood, but wicked slander when you say that Hardin ever wronged you.” **Curses— Bah! in talking of him now, in the moment when my revenge is complete? He shall know that I have avenged the wrong done me, but, as for you, you shall never see his face again. Boot and saddle, boys; take the west side of the gulch and forward!” A horse had been provided for her and she rode away with the hand of Duke Elwood— Tom Duke—upon her bridle-rein. His eyes shone with a strange triumph, and yet there was a sort of pity in them too. ‘*If you had kept faith with me,” he said slowly, ‘‘all might have been well. Say that I killed a man who had insulted me—what of that? Neither had deserved better at my hands.” ‘You wrong me still; I never promised to be your wife.” “No; but you had half-promised when this our cruel heart has conceived a | Why should I waste time noble cousin of mine, James Hardin, came to | Baton Rouge. There, say no more; married and my wife is yonder, but Iw my revenge all the same.” ‘* What will you do?” ‘You shall know in the future, and when I have revealed your fate to you, I doubt not that you will say that I know how to avenge a wrong.” At this moment they were joined by Coral and Lillian. The sweet child sprung from the saddle and hurried to meet her mother, but Duke Elwood interposed. ‘** No, no; not by any means. Stand back, my little beauty, for you shall not touch her hand.” Coral heard what he said, and the old furious Spanish blood sprung into new life as she thrust him resolutely back. “Stand back you, Thomas Duke! I tell you that the child shall go to her mother, whether you are pleased or not.” He looked at her fiercely, and half-raised his clenched hand as if to strike her, but changed his mind, bursting into a strange laugh, and looking at Lillian already locked in her mother’s ou are finish s. ‘You will go too far with me, one day, Cor- al,” he said, ‘I love you, but my love is not of the texture which endures every thing. When this foolishness is ended, put that girl back on her horse or I will assist her in an un- welcome way.” Lillian withdrew from her mother’s arms and mounted her horse again, her face suffused in tears; the cavalcade went up the valley by the light of the burning ranch. CHAPTER XIII. A LIFE FOR A LIFE. AT the time when the rangers were engaged in the battle with the band of Single Hand, the outlaws were about ten miles to the east, near nough to hear the sounds of the battle. Duke ag smiled satirically, and said to Blanch- urd: ‘Tt was a good thought of mine, sending the Indians away with the cattle. I was tolerably certain that they would fall in with the rangers, and get trounced, and in doing so delay Hardin in his return to the ranch. urry up the men; we need not think to fight them on this open Blanchard turned somewhat sullenly and shouted the order to the men. The pace became a brisk trot, for none of them had any wish to fall in with the rangers, although, like most men, they would fight well when driven into a corner. yee Neagle after they ees the verge of the chaparral unged into its depths. Mrs. Hardin, Lilien Corel and Duke Elwood were among the last to enter, the first two reluctantly enough, for they knew how hard their rescue would be when once they were in the depths of the forest. ** Leave all hope behind as you enter this ace,” said Duke Elwood. ‘‘ Think that you ve looked for the last time upon your hus- band’s face, Maria, for you shall never see him more. You are doomed to a life which will be some revenge for all that I have suff = Maria Hardin answered him by a look of proud disdain, and he ordered her savagely to -ide on. She obeyed without a word and fol- svwed the band by devious paths to the deep EE Half-Dime Library. eee ae — — es ee SS —— nn estes ee ate EE fastness in the chaparral, not the one which | prove to you, before the day is done, that I do they had formerly occupied, but another far | not love her now.” more remote from the reach of helping hands, “You are going to send them away, then?” Duke assisted them to descend and led them ‘“‘ After to-day, no civilized man will ever see to a simple but of boughs, which he ordered | their faces again. I am going to give them asa them to enter by a wave of the hand. Coral | peace-offering to Single Hand.” alone remained without, | _ It was only by a strong effort of her will that ‘‘ A word with you, husband,” she said. ‘I | this wonderful woman restrained herself. ° The have always loved and honored you, but it can plan was too horrible, and for a moment she al- not be that you mean to take vengeance upon | most doubted the evidence of her senses. two weak women for the offense of another? ‘Is not that too dreadful, husband? Take You have desolated their home; is not that | them to Mexico, and put them in a convent; enough for you?” | ar could never get out of that.” ‘Silence, Coral; follow them into the hut, e shook his head slowly. ‘I have thcught and see to it that I hear no more from yor upon | of that, too, but the priests might ask some awk- the subject. This is my business, and I will not | ward questions. No, this is the only way to get you to interfere with it, in any | rid of them entirely, and I will leave it to Sin- gle Hand. There, run away, little one: be as- She said no more, but turned from him witha ° sured that I love you as much as ever.” look which he had never seen upon her face be- She stood for a moment in the same position, fore—a look which spoke of rebellion and defi- looking wildly after him. ance, | _“] will save him from this horrible crime,” ‘“T fear that I shall be obliged to give my she murmured. “He is insane upon this one dear wife a lesson,” he muttered; ‘‘and if I | point. Let me think it out.” would not have all my plans frustrated, I must | She went away by herself and sat upon a see to it that she does not have too much chance | great tree, in deep thought. While in that posi- to aid them.” | tion, Single Hand and a small party of In s He instructed Bennett to set a guard over the passed her swiftly, on their way to the prisoners, who were placed under his especial | cane: care, and to watch Coral as close as the rest. | ‘The red scoundrel has come to claim them,” Two men were then sent peyiita, the chaparral | she thought. ‘ What can 1 do? oh, what can I to the place appointed as a rendezvous with the do to save them?” Indians, asking Single Hand to join him in his Single Hand came on, his dark brows over- new camp. It would take at least two hours to ‘ cast, and he met the gaze of Duke Elwood with go and return, and in the mean time something must be done to guard against the approach of Hardin, who would be sure to follow them. Ambushes were set at various points upon th? devious road to their place of refuge, but as yet the rangers did not Sppear, Blanchard made an offer to go to the hi oe Boe of the women who belonged to the band, and convey them safely to a point where they could be easily you met Hardin and were beaten.” picked up when the party left the chaparral, ‘‘ Why was not my brother there with his thus leaving the priscners without a friend. men, to strike beside Single Hand and drive the Duke Riwoct was glad to get rid of him, for he | white rangers into the guiches? My brother is feared that he did not take kindly to the duty | not fond of fighting, himself, but he is willing to of oppressing women, let his red brothers fight for him.” ‘There goes our last friend,” said Lilly, who Conscious guilt for a moment raddened the saw him depart through an opening in the hut. | cheek of the outlaw, for he knew that the chief “IT confess that I had a hope that he would aid had spoken truly, and that the Indians had been ” sent back on the old trail simply that they might meet the rangers. But the native assurance of allow way.” a fierce glange. ‘* Here I, Single Hand, chief of the Com- anche. The prairie is red with the blood of my brave men, and my belt is without scalps. You promised much, and you have given me nothing, and now why have you sent for me?” ‘*Who can tell what the future may bring forth?’ replied Elwood. ‘It is not my fauit if ‘*T don’t believe that he will desert you,” said Coral, “ Dear lady, I wish you would teach | the bad man came to his aid, me to be a good woman. I have been badly | ‘“The chief wrongs his brother,” he said. taught all my life, and I fear that I love my | ‘‘How could I know which way the rangers husband too well, but I can not—I can not aid would come? They might have met me—they him in wronging you.” did meet you. Jt is in the hands of fate.” ‘I believe that you will be true tous,” said As he spoke, the rattle of arms was heard far Mrs, Hardin, “but I fear that you are too out- away to the west. yagencs in your words, If you could seema lit- | ___‘‘ Fighting is going on in that direction, chief. tle colder to us, it would be better perhaps.” _ We must leave this place, but first let me show ‘* It is hard for me to feign,” said Coral, *‘ but, | you the offering I have to give you.” as you say, perhaps it.would be better. Here | The chief followed him into the cabin, and he comes my husband.” | pointed to the sinking women. Duke Elwood entered the hut and told Coral | ‘‘ They are yours,” he said; “all I ask of you to leave it for awhile. is that they may never return to Texas.” ‘‘Madam,” he said, after his wife was gone ‘It is well,” cried the chief, eagerly. ‘‘ My *T have come to tell you what disposition I ' brother has redeemed all, and Single Hand be- ropose to makeof you. My ally, Single Hand, | lieves hima true man. The white women will oe suffered heavily in the fighting of the last prepare to follow the steps of Single hand.” few days, and I have reason to believe thatall | “‘ Away with them, chief, and we will follow, his plunder has been retaken by the rangers. | for the rangers are not far away!” cried Duke, Some amends must be made him, and there is | im sppcupps f but one course open forme. You shall pay my | e chie advanced to seize upon the frighten- debt to the chief.” | ed women, when Coral, almost beside herself ‘What can you mean, Duke Elwood? I do | with grief, ran in and presented a pistol to the not understand your words.” | head of the Comanche. — “Then I must endeayor to explain. You | ‘‘ Stand back!” she cried. ‘ Lay a finger upon shall be given to the chief as his wife. Your | one of them again and you are dead.” daughter shall accompany you, to be disposed | ‘‘ What do you mean, Coral?’ hissed Elwood. of as the chief shall see fit.” | “Death! do you know what you are trying to “Oh, coward! villain! traitor to every good | do? Have you lost your senses?” and true thing! You can not mean what you say ; it is too horrible!” : ‘T will prove to you that I do mean it, before the day is done, Messengers have been sent to the chief, and in an hour or two, at most, he will be here, ready to claim you. When he has done that, t am off for Mexico, satisfied that my work in Texas is com leted. There; I do not propose to bandy words with you, but you ow your fate.” He turned quickly from the hut, leaving the two prisoners dumbstricken at the horrible ven- geance he proposed, As he passed out, Coral ut her hand in his arm and walked smilingly y his side through the camp. “T am afraid I was a little jealous of you, Tom,” she said. smiling. “I did not like to soon keep these prisoners, for you have con- f that you loved Mrs. Hardin once.” ‘Is that all?’ he said, laughing. ‘‘ Then you must set your little heart at rest, for I will she replied, in the same fierce tone; ‘nothing save death shall drive me from them.” He sprung upon her, seized her fiercely by the wrist and wrenched the weapon from her hand. At the same moment came the charging cheer of the rangers, who, guided by Jim Blanchard, whose departure had been really to warn the whites, poured in upon the astonished outlaws, who, caught like rats in a trap, were beaten down, man by man. The sudden onslaught had taken them all by aucpriee, and they were swept away before the rush of the now furious abe Contesting every inch of ground, Duke Elwood and Single Hand, with a few faithful followers, hard press- ed by Ned Clayton, Captain Hardin, Prairie Joe and Jim Blanchard, were forced back to the door of the hut, where the women were con- cealed. In that moment Coral showed that her love for her husband was above all else, { veo com ‘They shall not go with that brutal savage,” | ebooks.com —