Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 707 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

6 The Red Sombrero Rangers. Senor Soto then became a resident and the | the neighbors flocked to pay their respects, charmed with a man who could pay cash down so large a sum for the ranch. One afternoon as Senor Felipe Soto sat on his piazza smoking, he spied a horseman coming toward his ranch, ‘‘ Tt is the Senor Hughes, ‘¢ He is wise not to delay longer,” he muttered. It was Hammond Hughes, and soon after he dismounted and was cordially welcomed by the newly-pledged ranchero, After supper the two talked together earnestly, and the adventurer told Soto of the colonel’s will and added: **¢ Now I have some property in New Orleans, so go there to dispose of it so as to pay you the price agreed upon. “TI shall return by here and pay you tke money, and then | have another proposition to make to you, Soto.” ‘‘T am open for all propositions, senor, to make money,” was the reply. So the next morning early Hammond Hughes departed, and hardly had he gotten out of sight when a man started upon his trail, The man was Felipe Soto. In due time the adventurer put up at the St. Charles Hotel in New Orleans, and a the same day an old gentleman secured an adjoining room to him. The aged gentleman was such only in appear- ance, for in reality it was Felipe Soto, an adept in disguising himself, He dogged the adventurer to the shop of a dealer in jewels, and after his departure he entered the place and had a long talk with the diamond mer- chant, Then he returned tothe hotel, and the two men left the next morning for Mexico, But when the adventurer arrived at the ranch = Felipe Soto that worthy was there to meet im, ‘‘ Well, Soto, Isold my property to pay you though I did it ata a oS ata ‘‘] am sorry, senor; but you'll soon be able to make it up in some way.” ‘‘T hope so, and it is upon that subject I wish to talk with you.” ‘‘ T am ready to listen, senor, as soon as [ have seen the color of your gold.” With this hint the American paid over the money gotten for the jewels he had stolen from his wife, and Soto saia: . ‘* You seem to have a snug sum over, senor.” ‘¢T have a couple of thousand pesos, or so,” ‘You count badly, senor, for those three out- side notes in your roll of bills are one thousand each, for a glance showed me that.” ‘¢1t is not all mine, Soto,” sharply said Hughes, and then he eontinued: ‘** Now, Soto, I have told you how the colonel’s will reads.” . ‘¢- Yes, senor.” ‘+ 1f the boy dies, his mother gets all,” ‘‘T understand, senor.” +¢ And that is the same as my getting it.” ** Certainly.” ‘¢ Now you are handy at killing?” ‘“¢ Rather.” ‘¢-You don’t mind who it is?” ‘“‘Not if the gold outweighs my scruples of conscience, senor.” ‘‘ Well, the boy must die.” - Yes, but how much is his death worth to ou?’ ‘¢ Ten thousand pesos.” ‘* Not enough,” ‘¢ Fifteen,” 6 No.” ‘* What do you demand?” *¢' You will get millions, and I only ask twenty- five thousand pesos, payable in five installments, witbin one year after the death of the boy.” ** Agreed.” ‘‘Give me your written statement to that effect, and I'll do the work.” ‘Ts not my word good?” “*No, senor, I do not trust myself, so am not expected to trust another mau.” “Very well, I'll give it to you; but the boy must die in a way to create no suspicion.” ** Certainly.” “* But how?” ‘There is a river near the hacienda?” 6s Yes,” ** Does the nurse ever take the boy there?” +*Yes, often, to the arbor on its banks,” ‘*Then the nurse must be surprised, thrown into the river with the boy and botb drown. ‘* Their bodies will be found, and it will be be- lieved that the boy fell in, and the nurse, in try- ing to rescue him, lost ber own life.” ‘Soto, you amaze me, and are my teacher in villainy by long odds. ‘*T will become an adept in crime under your tuition,” ‘‘Don’t flatter me, senor; but you like my plan?” ‘‘Excellently well, and you can carry it out in your own good time, after I have been back home a month or two,” ‘‘ Depend upon me, senor,” was Soto’s re- sponse, The next morning the planter started for the home which he had planned to destroy. CHAPTER XI. THE BITER BITTEN. ‘‘THe death of her child will prostrate her, and she will go into’a rapid decline I am sure. ‘* My devotion will cause her to leave me all, and possessed of such wealth as I then will be I can return to the United States and live likea prince. ‘‘ Fortunately now I did not kill Gray St. John that day at the school-house, as I believed I bad done when I fled. ‘“‘Tf I had done so, I would not dare go back and resume my name as I will do. ‘‘But I shall have my revenge in a secret way, and onceI have removed Gray St, John from my path, I will make the proud Ethel my wife, and ah! bow she shall suffer for casting me off and taking kim instead. ‘* Ha! ha! ha! I see before me riches, power and revenge!” ‘* Hands up, senor!” The laughed died away on the lips of Ham- mond Hughes, as he heard the ominous com- mand, and his face became deadly pale. He had been musing as he rode along, his thoughts brought up by nearing the hacienda after his visit to Felipe Soto, He had reached the spot where Colonel Eldoro lost his life, and not dreaming of danger to himself, he yet was anxious to ride quickly by the fatal locality, for bitter enemies hovered there. But suddenly he heard the ominous words to halt, and a quick glance showed bim that from over the rocks and among the bushes peered the masked faces of half a dozen men, and their long rifles were aimed at his heart. He was a brave man, but life was dearer to him then than gold, so he wisely obeyed the command, while he said: “* Well, I obey, so what is your will?” ‘“‘-Your weapons first, senor,” said a masked robber, stepping into the trail. ‘¢ Is not my purse more valuable?” ** After your weapons, senor. ‘Quick, for my men are impatient.” ‘*' Well, take them,” The robber obeyed, and he was careful not to leave a weapon secreted anywhere. ‘“‘ Now, your purse, senor.” ‘¢ Here it is,” and the adventurer handed it over, ‘¢ Rather well filled, but you have more,” sé No,” “*T say yes.” ‘“ Only my watch and jewelry.” “Yes, we will have those, too, but you have more money.” ‘* Not a peso, for I have just returned froma long and expensive journey of weeks.” “Yes, and it was rumored that you had gone to dispose of more of your American property, so we want the money.” With an oath the adventurer took out a pack- age of bank-notes and handed them over. ‘* More yet, senor.” ‘¢ No, not another peso,” ‘So you said before, but I will take a search for the balance.” ‘¢ No, I will give you all I have without your touching me, “There, now you have robbed me of seven thousand pesos and my jewelry.” ** And your weapons, senor. 2g Many thanks, for you can ride on your way ‘“-Yes, now that you have fleeced me.” “Pretty well, 1 admit, senor.” “Tt is strange you do not take my life,” sneered Hammond Hughes, ‘*We prefer your gold just now, senor; but go on and do not tempt us,” The man put spurs to his horse and dashed away, hurling back the threat: “Til bave men on your track who will de- mand your lives within the hour.” The robber leader laughed, and then pocketed his robberies, Then he went up among the rocks and gath- ered together a number of masks, black sticks with holes in the end tomake them look like rifle barrels and sombreros, These he threw into a bag and walking rap- idly soon came to where a horse awaited him. The hoofs of the horse were muffled so as to leave no track, and fastening the bag to his sad- dle he mounted and rode away. After having gone a league, to a well-worn trail he took off the mask he wore and the face of Felipe Soto was revealed. Also taking the mufflers from the hoofs of his horse he rode gn ata sweeping gallop until night coming on found him leagues away from the scene where he had so cleverly headed ¢ ff his companion in crime and robbed him of the bai ance of the money he had gotten for the jewels of Senora Dolores. In the meanwhile the adventurer bad reached the hacienda his horse covered with foam, and, after a hearty greeting to his wife and little son bad told how he had been balted by half a dozen armed men, at the very spot where Colo- nel Eldoro bad been killed, and robbed of a vast sum which he had received for his American property which he had sold. The ranch people were atonce called in by the alarm bell and led by Hammond Hughes in pur- suit, and a thorough search of the spot was made, But no tracks of borses could be found, and it aoe conchided that the robbers had been on oot, The cowboys, some thirty in number, spread throughout the country and a thorough search was made until nightfall, but, as the reader well knows, without any trace of the alleged half- dozen outlaws being found, So the hunt was given up, and Hammond EBughes returned to the hacienda to receive the sincere sympathy of his beautiful and devoted wife in the very large loss he claimed to have met with, while the devotion of the husband to her made her heart beat most bappy. But with the greater devotion of the man to his wife and son, the coil of the serpent was infolding them the more surely. CHAPTER XII. THE SHADOW FALLS, Iz was a beautiful spot upon the river banks, where there was u rustic cabin and about it many things to amuse and entertain agchild. Half a league away was the hacienda of El- doro looming up grandly from its site on the hill, and a pretty drive-way led from the house to the river. A miniature pony was hitched to a tree near a sober-looking mustang mare, and upon these the nurse and her young charge of two years had ridden to tke spot for an afternoon of sport, The boy was precocious for his years, and rode his pony well, when Papita his purse held the rein, while he loved to sit upon the bank and fish, though he was wont to yell lustily for aid when he caught anything. Papita was a model nurse, ever ready to an- swer and instruct her charge, who in bis third year would run about at a lively pace and shout out his little commands with considerable ve- hemence. Papita idolized her little master as though he were her own child, and seemed only happy when with him, They were seated upon the steep bank to- gether, the boy fishing, Papita half asleep not far away, when a man stole softly up among the rocks and gave the little fellow a shove. With a cry tbe boy fell into the river, and the man sprung back out of sight. A wild shriek came from the nurse, and in her terror she bounded intv the stream after her charge, though she could swim but indiffer- ently. J fat then the man dove from the rocks, and when h) came up was within arm’s reach of the boy, wbom he grasped, “Save the young senor, and do not mind me!” Be They were the last words of the faithful nurse, as she sunk from sight. Coolly the man proceeded to obey, swimming” with a bold stroke down the river, the child in his arms. ‘Poor Papita!” cried the boy, but the man swam on, going toward the other shore steadily, as the current swept him down toward the dis- tant rapids and shallows, : Glancing back be saw the uplifted arms of the woman, and then they disappeared. “T did not do it, and I am glad,” he mut- tered through his teeth, as he swam on. At length he reached the shore, gained a land- ing and plunged up the steep side of a lofty range, The boy began to beg piteously for him to go 00 C | — ooo oh <S.com —