Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 707 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

tere i ** There are but two, andI feared there might foe more,” he added, a moment after. ‘* Better have your rifle ready, senor, for if mine should miss fire all is lust.” ** Yes, I shall fire when you do,” was the re- ply of the arch traitor. Soon after two horsemen came in sight. One was Colonel Eldoro, in his brilliant uni- form, and mounted upon a spirited steed, The other was a padre in his robes, and he rode a quiet-going nag, the slow pace of which seemed the fret the restive horse at his side, They were talking earnestly as they came on, and the colonel was heard to utter the name of his degenerate son-in-law. Just then tha two rifles flashed, though there seemed but one report, The bullet pierced the brain of the colonel, and h3 dropped dead from his saddle, while his startled horse bounded on, wheeled and went back upon the trail. Tbe priest, in dismay, threw himself from his saddle and knolt by the dead soldier, unmindful of danger to himself, and the warning words: ‘* ‘You are covered, padre, and shall have his fate if you resist.” “It is not for « man of my calling to resist even an assassin accursed. Murderers, look at your red work!” and the priest pointed at the form of the dead colonel. ‘*T shall do more than look, padre, I shall search the body for gold,” was the reply of Felipe Soto, and the priest waved him back, when the muzzle of the adventurer’s rifle was thrust into his face and he heard the words: **Don’t throw your life away, padre, for we will have our way,” The priest uttered no word, and Felipe Soto searched the body, taking the purse, watch, chain, ring, and some presents for the daughter and little grandson of the dead man. Then the two robbers backed off and disap- peared, followed by a bitter anathema from the ‘priest. They had been gone but a short while when the clatter of hoofs was heard, and the priest, who was trying to discover if a spark of life re- mained, turned as a horseman dashed up. He instantly called out: **Obh, Senor Hughes! it is your wife’s father! ‘** They have killed him!” ‘‘ Who?” came in a voice of thunder as the adventurer drew rein. ‘* Two bandits!” ** How long since, and whitber did they go?” ‘“‘Hardly five minutes, it seems, and they went up the trail.” ** { will pursue them,” and on the adventurer dashed, Soon after, the priest was startled by hearing half a dozen shots in rapid succession, and after the lapse of a quarter of an hour, back came Hammond Hughes. ‘* Holy Father, I have avenged him at least. **My poor, dear Colonel Eldoro—my best friend?” and his voice quivered as he knelt by the dead soldier, Then he teld how he had overtaken the ban- whe killing both, though one had gone over the cliff. He urged the priest to go on to the hacienda, ‘break the sad news to Senora Dolores, and send aid to him, for he would remain with the dead. The priest mounted his staid old horse, which was greatly surprised at the pace he was put to, while the adventurer paced to and fro musing to himself: ** Curse the fellow! he suspected me, and so saved bis life by getting the drop on me, **But for that I should have killed him, and ‘thus wiped out any witness to my act in this affair: ** But I forget that he has a fuli confession in a priest’s hands. ‘**T must find that priest, whoever he be, and get those paper's, and then kill Soto.” ‘‘ The colonel is gone, and Dolores is Sole heir now to all his vast wealth, and not a shadow of ‘suspicion can fall upon me. ** No, I am safe, aud I will be the richest man in Mexico, and a hero, too, for, having killed the assassins of my respected father-in-law,” and the wicked man laughed in a bitter way at the ener ruse they had played, he and Felipe Soto, Still he was not altogether happy, for he had gone to the cliff intending to rane kill his com- ‘rade in crime, but had found that worthy full confident that be would do so, and from his perch behind a rock he covered the adventurer, eecly told him that he knew his purpose, and said: “* Now, senor, empty your revolver rapidly, so The Red Sombrero Rangers. | the priest can hear the hot fight raging here, and then go back and tell your story. ‘You have your proof, the body of my com- rade, and the horses, ‘* But, remember, all in: good time I shall ex- expect a visit from you with the amount of money demanded, “cc See?” ‘Tl come,” was the response, and Hammond Hughes dashed away, An hour after the departure of the priest, a party arrived from the hacienda, and while some bore the body of their loved master home, others went with Hammond Hughes to the cliff and saw the result of his heroism / No search was made further, for it was be- lieved that both bandits had been slain, and the body of one was hastily bumed, while thcir horses were led to the hacienda, whither the ‘*new master” had gone at full speed as soon as he had shown the men the result of his sup- posed attack upon the outlaws, He winced as he met the embraces of his wife, while her lamentations for the dead were min- gled with praise of her husband. ‘** You have avenged him, Hammond; but, ah! how fearful our loss!” she cried. The colonel was carried to the tomb of his an- cestors, followed by his regiment, and the representatives of many other commands, t was a grand funeral, and one long remem- bered, and the deepest sympathy was felt by all for the mourning daughter, while admira- tion for her handsome husband filled many hearts. And over back in the hacienda the will of the dead colonel became known, and a bitter curse was ground between the teeth of the assassin as he learned that the will had been changed, and all was left to the little grandson, with guardians to take charge of the estate, and an ample al- lowance for Senora Dolores, But, in case of the boy’s death, all came back into the possession of Senora Dolores, the will read, and through his shut teeth came the threat of Hammond Hughes: ‘*{ will not be foiled, for the boy must die.” CHAPTER IX, PLAYING A BOLD GAME. ONLY by the whiteness of his face and lips, did the assassin show his extreme disappoint- ment when the will of the colonel was made known, He saw that he would be regarded critically by the .priest, Padre Almade, who was with Colonel Eldoro when he was killed, and the others present, as this act of the Mexican officer implied distrust of his son-in-law. So he accepted the situation cheerfully, and made up his mind to win over his wife complete- ly to his influence. He was not a man to despair, He had played for a high stake in marrying Dolores, and had won. In getting possession of the stake, he had lost the first game, but there were two more games rot to be played, and he must win oneor both of them, He realized now that he would need the ser- vices of Felipe Soto in the affair, and to gain them he must pay the ten thousand pesos he owed him for the last work done. To do this he had not a thousand pesos to his name, Had the old will of the colonel remained he would have had no trouble; but the last one left him with no means of getting the money. He bad his living upon the estate; and such al- lowance as his wife would give to him from her share, which was liberal; “but for the year’s in- come he could not raise ten thousand pesos, She could not sell cattle from the various ranches of the estate, as the guardians of the child only could do so, and they were to pay ber the income coming to her quarterly, while she had command of the hacienda and its servants - full mistress, excepting the right to sell any- thing. But the colonel had left her full possession and powers, heiress toaJl should her child die, This was an unfortunate clause in the will, as it left the life of the boy dependent in a manner upon the guilty American adventurer. But Colonel Eldoro, in the nobleness of his nature, had not believéd it possible for a father to take the life of his own son to gain gold. The manner of Hammond Hughes toward his wife changed at once to the greatest devotion, and his child became his idol, He was wont to carry the little fellow with him on horseback, riding about the ranch, and \he devoted himself most faithfuily to his amuse- ment, —— —$—$—<——— ’ % + me = 7 rs ’ 5 He would sit in his wife’s pretty rooms by the hour, where he had before preferred the se- clusion of his library, and his manner toward the servants became kind and gentle, whera be- fore it had been stern, often barsb, The result was that Dolores loved him more and more, and her increased happiness in her husband’s society softened her grief at her fath- er’s death. Little Elroy became so devoted to his father that be fretted when not with him, and eertain- ly life seemed like bappiness unalloyed in the hacienda of Eldoro Ranch, Some weeks after the death of the colonel a letter came for ‘‘ The Senor,” as Hammond pune was called, bearing the American post- mark, It related tosome property of his in Texas, which needed looking after, and the settlement of taxes, He at once handed it to his wife who said promptly: ‘‘T have some thousands of pesos, Hammond, which are at your service.” ‘*No indeed, | thank you, my sweet wife, I have ample for all emergencies, and I shall leave an order to sell the place when I go,” ‘* Are you going there, Hammond?” ‘*T must, for you know I am not rich, and cannot afford to lose valuable property.” ‘** Oh, if father had only left bis wil] different- ly, then all I had would have been yours, ‘But I have seen among his papers, Ham- mond, letters which spoke of your past career. ‘*'They were from various sources, and gave no signatures, yet they impressed him deeply I am sure, ‘* But when will you go, my husband?” ‘*In a couple of days, cara mia.” ** And how long will you be gone?” ‘* A couple of weeks, perbaps a trifle longer.” **Oh!| how Elroy and I will miss you. ‘‘But you are sure you do not need any money ?” ‘* No, indeed, my sweet wife, for I have some four thousand pesos I have never had to touch,” was the answer, and the man at the time had not as many hundred. ‘*T have even more that is at your service, if you wish,” ‘*No, no; I will not need it,” was the reply. That night, when the Senora Dolores was sleeping soundly, a form stole into her room and bent over ber for a long while. At last the form turned from the bed, and the odor of chloroform filled the room, The light was then turned up, and from a se- cret drawer in a cabinet a key was taken which fitted into a panel in the wall. This was opened and revealed a closet in which were a number of drawers and little boxes, Over these the midnight intruder looked until he drew forth a necklace of diamonds, two mas- sive bracelets, a comb studded with the same precious gems and a pair of earrings, immense solitaires. They were thrust into a pocket, the panel locked, the key returned to its hiding-place, and the white-robed form glided out of the room. The next morning ‘‘ The Senor” was awakened by a servant, with the information that her mis- tress was quite ill. He hastened to her rooms to find her suffering with an intense headache and nausea; but he administered some medicine and she was able to join him at dinner that day. The following morning, mounted upon the hest horse in the Eldoro stables, and equipped for a long journey, The Senor rode away from the har cienda, after bis wife’s tearful good-by, and: started upon bis trip to Texas, CHAPTER X, THE PRICK OF LIFE, FrvrPr Soro was passing as an honest man, He had purchased a very desirable ranch over — on the Rio Grande, which the owner would sell for cash only. | It had a comfortable house upon it, fairly well furnished and half a hundred acres of land under cultivation, while there were several hun- dred cattle that hore the owner’s brand. ' Felipe Soto had thought that the brand strangely resembled a gallows; but this did not deter bim from paying bis money down and be- coming master, though he determined to re- Brand nie cattle, taking a horseshoe as an em- blem of good-luck to counteract the effect of the other. The owner told bim, after the sale had been consummated that the brand had been made to represent a gallows.a sa warning to cattle thieves not to steal his stock, C