Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 702 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

Bostwick; and I will be glad to have you re- main all night, for I have something to say to you of importance.” ' ‘* Lead on, my young friend, for I was looking for a camping-place when you saved me from those two villains, whom I discharged from my employ in the Golden Gulch country for steal- ing, for I have amine there.” ‘Then you do not live in these parts?” ‘‘No, I am here looking for any good paying lead to purchase it,” ‘‘Ab! then you are just the man I was look- ing for,” was Lariat Dick’s earnest rejoinder, CHAPTER XVI. A HUNDRED FOLD. LARIAT Dick was a good host, and he hada fresh supply of provisions, so that Ben Bost- wick was sure of a good supper and a clean place to sleep in at least. He soon realized that fact, and as the young miner cooked supper be watched him curiously and with interest. He was not a demonstrative man, but he ap- preciated fully that he owed to Lariat Dick his life. At last supper was ready, and heartily en- joyed, after which the two men sat down fora smoke and a talk. The stranger Opened the conversation by say- ing: i So you have a mine to sell, have you?” ‘¢ Yes, sir, I advertised it at the store to-day,” ** No need, for I will buy it.” : “Yes, you wish to repay me for saving your life.” ‘** No, no, I told you I was looking for mining property to buy.” ; ** Well, I have a good lead, which has banked me some twenty thousand, while I have a couple of thousands of dust on hand. ‘*T have worked it for three years, so you can see that is worth what I ask—five thousand cash,” ‘*1ll take it; but why do you sell if it’s a fair question?” ‘** [ll tell you how it is, ‘Some three months ago we captured a man here, for I am a Vigilante, whom we had reason to believe was the New Mexican outlaw Blue Jacket Bill. ** We hanged him—” ** So I heard.” ‘*‘ But I had my doubts, and went back and cut bim down. ‘‘He was not dead, sol coaxed bim back to life after a mighty hard time of it. ‘*Then I brought him here, and when he was able to travel went with him to his home. **T wished to see just what a mistake we had made, “IT got within sight of his home, when, being some distance ahead 1 saw a horseman chasing a girl op horseback. ‘She took a leap across a canyon I would not risk, and I dropped the horse and man into the opening as they were going over. To my surprise I found it was the daughter of the man I had saved, and his home was near, ‘©The daughter told us that this man had come to their home. ‘‘He had once been her father’s friend, but bad ruined bim financially, and, from a striking resemblance between them, had taken even his name und committed crimes under it. ‘‘ He had for some reason wished to get rid of her father, and kidnap her, and so she had fled from him, when I got my shot in’and checked his career, as I thought. ‘* Aftera few days at the settlers’ cabin, I started for home, but was anibushed, lariated, and received a cut in my head that laid me up for weeks with brain fever. ‘*] was robbed of my horse, Money and wea- pons, and barely got back to Baxter’s cabin when I fell. ** When able todo.so, I took the trail of my assailant, and discovered that he had caught in a tree in his fall, while his horse went on down. *‘ With his lariat he had escaped, and he it was who bad ambushed me, ‘‘From the man’s resemblance to Settler Baxter, I am sure now, for the man known as ®lue Jacket Bill bad also claimed his name, J believe that he was the outlaw chief. **T have a score to settle with him, be he who he may, and so I shall go down to New Mexico and look up this man and square accounts with him, for I’'d know him from his resemblance to the man whom he has so basely wronged.” You called him Baxter, I believe?” ‘Yes, Trent Baxter was the settler’s name, and it was the name taken by the one whom I believe to be Blue Jacket Bij].” Blue Jacket Bill. ‘“‘ And Trent Baxter is the settler whom you rescued?” ** Yes, sir.” ** And his daughter, too?” ** Yes, sir, Miss Ruth,” “* Where did you hear of me?” ‘*He was up here looking for you when the Regulators caught him.” ‘* Ab, yes, he is my friend, and once did me a great service, which I am happy to say now will ey him a hundred-fold. *‘l had a mine which I feared I would lose to creditors, and Baxter gave me the money to free myself, and I made him half-owner. * But now to a point which you have ex- plained to me, **] did not know Baxter very well, and yet when, @ year or more ago, a man came to my way, said that he was my friend Trent Baxter, Somehow, though he looked it, I could not believe it, and when he demanded a settlement I put him off by saying that the mines were just beginning to pay, and in six months [ could give bim a generous share. ** Still he came to me again, and I gave him more nouey, yet could not bring myself to be- lieve that he was really Trent Baxter. ‘*]T last saw him three months ago, and con- vinced against my will that he was Baxter, I told bim that at a certain time I would close out my interests and we would bave a settle- ment together, “The time appointed was one month ago, and as he did not come I was at a loss to un- derstand it. ‘*But now 1 do, and he was the impostor, your friend being my friend, Trent Baxter; and if you are going by bis home on your way Soutb, I'll accompany you, for Iam a very rich man, Lariat Dick, and he is half owner with me. ‘* Now we understand each other, I believe.” “There is no denying that, pard, and it will be a happy day for me when I ride up to Bax- ter’s ranch with you as my comrade,” said Lariat Dick, earnestly. And three days after the two were on their way to the home of Settler Baxter, ———s CHAPTER XVII. REDFERN THE RANGER, THERE was a mystery banging over a grand old hacienda in Mexico which no one seemed just able to solve, The ‘place looked more like a fort than a house, and its owner was proprietor of the acres for miles surrounding it. Thousands of cattle fed upon the prairies, and large herds of mustangs roved about attended by herders and bearing the peculiar brand of the fair owner—for a woman presided over all—a brand representing a human eye. [t was said by those who knew that the haci- enda was as grand as a palace, and furnished as luxuriously, The mistress of all was vastly rich, and her father bad been a distinguished Mexican officer, a commander of Lanceros, By some service renderéd, bis rank descended in his family, and only one child being his, a girl, she claimed and received the rank at her father’s death, She was known in public as Senora Dolores, and to her people as the Lady Captain, It ‘was said that she had over a hundred men in her employ, and that they were drilled as sol- diets, and certainly she had rendered good ser- vice with them in beating back the Comanches in several raids, The Lady Captain stood well with the Govern- ment of Mexico, and yet she was never known to receive visitors, and lived the life of one exiled. To even ber soldiers she went vailed, and she was known. also as the Vailed Lady. On one occasion she bad come by coach to Devil’s Ranch, and no one there saw her ace, It was soon seen that she came for a purpose, and ber purpose was revenge. In some way the Sharp from Texas, Trent Baxter, as he was called also, bad won her mor- tal enmity, and the Vailed Lady would have killed the gambler but for the interference of Redfern the Revolver Sharp. The Vailed Lady had left Devil’s Ranch as she had come, by coach, and Redfern bad followed, to solve the mystery regarding her. He overtook the coach to scare off a band of Blue Jackets, and learned that they had halted the stage to make the Vailed Lady a prisoner. But she had left the coach before, when a party of masked horsemen had metit, and she had ridden away with them upon a horse that had been brought for her. Redfern did not yield his determination, for some strange influence drew him toward the woman, and he took her trail and followed her to Mexico, By a bold act he had gained aninterview with her, and when he left ber it was with a promise to come again, and more, he wore a badge of protection which she gave him. After having, as he believed, seen Blue Jacket Bill hanged, he had resigned his position as scout at Fort Blanco, and set off for Mexico. And it is there that the reader will accom- any, to the hacienda of the Lady Captain of nceros. To the surprise of her people an American | youth had come to the hacienda, and the Lady camps, and calling me Bostwick in a familiar | (eesti Captain had adopted him as her son. And more, from that day she had been no longer the Vailed Lady of Mexico, for she had cast aside ber vail and her deep mourning, and come out in all the beauty of her lovely face, revealing that she was a woman nearing two- score years and whose life held some dark secret which she kept from the world. Redfern bad at once been made the commander of her Cowboy Rangers, and besides he was given the management of the estate. What it all meant her people could not un- derstand, and yet not one dared raise.a dissent- ing voice, One pleasant afternoon the Senora Dolores was seated in her luxurious boudoir, when the Senor Redfern was announced, — He bent gracefully over and imprinted a kiss upon her forehead, while be said: ‘*T have returned, my mother, and I believe there is not the slightest danger of trouble with the red-skins.” **Tam glad to hear this, Roy! but here is a letter which came for you to-day by special courier, ‘*T sent word that you were absent, and would return response when you came back,” ‘*That was right, mother, but it is an official communication, and bears the Fort Blanco stamp —yvyes, it is from Colonel! Rock wood,” He opened the letter and read aloud: ‘My Dear REDFERN:— “When you left the fort you told me that if I needed you I must call upon you for your services. ‘*T do need you, and beg you to fulfill the prom- ise made me, for there is work ahead which I be- lieve you alone can do. ‘So come I beg of you, and if you have changed your mind about the commission in the United States Army, I believe I can assure you that it is at your service. ‘* Hoping soon to see you. ‘**T remain your friend, ** Rockwoop.” ‘* He writes you a kind letter, my son.” ‘Yes, mother, and though unofficial, it is a demand upon me,” ‘Will you go, my son?” ** Yes, mother.” ‘* When will you start?” ‘“ To-night, mother,” was the prompt response of the young scout. CHAPTER XVIIL. MET BY CHANCE, THE young ranger was one to attract atten- tion any where, He was hardly over eighteen, and his face was refined and intelligent, while it was stamped with decision and character beyond his years. @His eyes a woman might be proud to possess, and infact there was almost feminine beauty stamped upon every feature. But then there wus a nvanliness about him too that one could bardly fail to observe, while his form was tall, sinewy and graceful. His hair was worn in wavy masses, falling upon his broad shoulders, und this added to his effeminate look, while his good looks were heightened by his wearing a broad-brimmed scarlet sombrero, embroidered in gold and looped up upon the side by a pin representing a human eye, the black being of onyx, the white of pearls, and a diamond for the pupil, all set in solid old, 7 His costume was that of a Mexican caballero and gorgeous in the extreme, while bis scarlet sash but half concealed a trio of gold-mounted revolvers Of large caliber, and a lIeng-bladed knife, the bilt of which was gold, with a minia- ture sombrero of rubies set in it. _ Massive gold ‘spurs adorned bis boot-heels, and altogether he was a very striking looking youth, Such was the mere boy in years who had | comicboo i s a =