Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 725 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

third of onions, some crackers, flour, coffee, sugar salt and pepper. These supplies were bundled up ia the blanket zand carried out back of the stables. Then a frying-pan, coffee-pot tin cups with spoons and knives and forks were surreptitiously abstracted from the kitchen, almost under the eyes of the old negress who was the cook at Paradise Ranch, A couple of loaves of fresh bread disappeared mysteriously also, with several pies and a cake, for Dick had an eye to sweets. His next visit was to the chicken house and several dozen egge were added tohis supplies and packed away in meal. Then a large canvas tarpaulin was next seized upon, and an extra supply of blankets, after which Dick got more ammunition and con- gratulated himself upon having done well. **T’ve got dead oodles of things salted away, Miss May, and we'll skip to-night when all are zone to bed ** Now Ill pick out our three horses,” * Three, Dick?” **Oh yes, Miss May, and we want the best. ** You see the pack will be no slouch, for we - are not going to go hungry. * This isn’t Lent, and I’ve done my fasting.” ** Dick, [ fear you are making too extensive preparations.” ** No, Miss May, we are going to find Captain Lillie and it may take time. **We can skip to-night and leave a note for father, telling him we have gone after Buckskin Charlie, © ** He'll get it when he comes to breakfast to- morrow, and by that time we will bave been to the Pass and be off on the trail of the Rio Grande.” ** Dick, yeu areadarling.” | ** Well, Miss May, I am glad you think so, ‘*But you ¢lip out to-night, after father has one to bed, and I'll drop out of my window and have all read y to start, and I guess Buckskin Charlie won’t leave mea second time, if I am eep.” 4 von are pretty wide-awake now, Dick.” ‘Yes, Miss May, and I intend to keep awake, ‘That was real mean in Charlie, and I'll pla a joke on him if it takes mea year, to even it up,” and Dick still bemoaned the desertion of him by the cowboys, until May Lillie said: ‘‘ Well, | am glad they left you, Dick, as I have ‘you to go with me.” ; ‘**] never thought of that, Miss May; yes, I am glad too, now you are going.” The day dragged slowly along to the two anxious ones, but Dick busied himself as best he could in getting things to rights, and in picking out the very best horses for the trip. In this he was decidedly successful, and when _ might came had his pack all ready and Ag, to the Texas saddle he decided to carry alon - dinstead of a pack-saddle, in case they rescu Gordon Lillie and he had no horse. | The Little Wonder was a youth to look ahead _ and plan for emergencies, At supper Dick appeared to be sleepy, and his _ father suggested that he should retire early. Ng So a it, vi ri eo 7 et : oon after supper he bade all good-night, gave a sly wink at May Lillie and went off’ to bed, Jocking his door after him, _ He then donned bis riding-suit, and after wait- ng awhile got out of the window and made his _ way to thestables, hearing old Aunt Chloe growl- _ ting at the dogs for having stolen her bread and spies as he went by the kitchen. Dick laughed and made his way to the stables, - and soon had bis horses saddled, and the pack a ure, the of meal containing the eggs be- am the poset piece of his ert h, wr? ‘“*T guess I’ll surprise Miss May,” he said. phy aga to wait for May Lillie, _ Sbe excused herself when Mrs. Vail and the _ children retired, and going to ber room put on her stout shoes, stra _ short skirt. _ Then came her sombrero, and belt of arms, _, and an army cloak which Gordon had given her _ along with her india-rubber bJanket for wet weather. _ Taking up her rifle she watched her chance _ and cautiously co ata out of the house, “Here lam, Miss May.” i Pond “Jewry the darkn d drivi _ Away they g n the darkness, an vin ape a Sh dogs bac for they vunnded @ 7 ¢ ce ' i P - ts 2 f p> 4 ‘ ~ i ’ - . Then the horses were hitched outside and Dick : on her ] ngs and _ donned her blue corduroy Pidine-onit wich its k inclined to follow them, as old Chloe had sent a | - fpan of hot water after’ them in retaliation for the missir ' bread and pie, they soon reached Daring Dick, Pawnee Bill’s Pard. Uncle Josh, Aunt Chloe’s husband, was up at the house in the kitchen, for he always got out of the stable at sunset, It was the rule of his life, since two of the cowboys some years before had gotten into a quarrel there one day and had drawn and fired together until their revolvers were empty. oth were killed, and Uncle Josh swore that he had often seen their ghosts, and he had more cause for the assertion than most ghost news have, as Dick had often haunted the stable with a sheet around him just to give Uncle Josh a turn, The first time Dick played cowboy ghost, Uncle Josh met with a miraculous cure of rheu- matism, for though he had been hobbling around on a stick for a week, he stood not on the order of going but went at once, and with tke speed of a deer, when Dick gave a cry’ of agony and started toward him, , So the stables were clear, and mounting their horses, the two daring trailers started off upon their perilous expedition. CHAPTER XXIII.; THE TELL-TALE LETTER, THROUGH the darkness went. Dick and his fair companion, the Queen of the Lariat, determined upon saving Gordon Lillie for the third time from Mad Car] the Cowboy, and who was known now to be Don Desperado, the chief of the Raid- ers of the Rio Grande, | How Don Desperado had escaped death neither May Lillie or Dick could guess. But the bo was firm in his statement that he had seen him, and also seen Pawnee Bill, and May did not for a nioment doubt him, They felt guilty at having run off as they had but well they knew that Captain Vail would never have allowed them to go unattended by cowboys, and these could not be spared from the herds, May had left a note for Captain Vail, explain- ing that she knew all, and in her anxiety was going to find out the truth, and Dick had ac- companied her, while they were well supplied with provisions and all to make them comfort- able, thanks to the foraging skill of the Little Wonder, Also, she stated that they first intended going to the camp where Dick bad seen the Raiders of the Rio Grande, and pick up the trail there. It would be the third day since the Raiders had been there, she said, but she hoped some clew could be gained which would be of use to them or the cowboys. Of course they would not expect to accom- plish much themselves, only to reach the cow- boys. Such was about the tenor of May Lillie’s let- ter, and this left behind both she and Dick felt relieved in mind, | They pusbed on rapidly through the nigbt, for they knew that their horses would have rest after arrival, and camped at a spot which Dick re- membered was near where he had gone after the deer. — He arranged May’s blankets for her, staked out the horses, and in spite of his assertion that he was not sleepy, was fast asleep as soon as he got into bis little blanket bed. * Jt was just after midnight, and awhile before dawn he awoke, 5 Rolling up his blankets he saddled the horses and found May ready also, for it was daylight. He showed her where be had stood when he saw the camp and they at once rode to it, There were the tracks of the men and horses, and the ashes of the camp-fires, and Dick read signs well, | ‘‘They were here a couple of days, I reckon, Miss May.” “Tt looks so, Dick.” = ** And they came in this way, from the Rio Grande trail,” ss Yes,” ‘* And see, they went on foot from here to the yaa though there are two tracks of several orses “T see them, Dick.” _ ‘Going and coming.” | , «c Yes ” “ Well, we'll follow the trail to the pass.” “Tt will be best.” | : And this they did. “ nett, Bh the canyon the tracks showed where the Mexican Raiders had been in ambush, and there was the trail of the two horses coming from the northward, ts ** But see there, Dick! oh, see there!” May Lillie pointed to the body of Lariat Joe, the bones nearly picked clean by the wolves, some of the beasts running off with angry yelps as the two approached the spot. - RE f ey) f ‘* A man has been killed here, Miss May.” ‘* Yes, and left unburied,” ‘*T guess Captain Lillie killed him,” a Either that, or he was some one with Gor- on, ‘‘ That may be, for it was not a Mexican.” ** How do you know, Dick?” ** See his hair, and bis togs, ‘* He was an American, I reckon,” ‘Yes, it would seem so; but he is a human being, Dick, and we must bury him,” ‘Yes, Miss May, but I wish I had a pitchfork to Sr up the remains with; but Vl fix him.” nd Dick went off and cut a forked stick with his bowie-knife, Then they found a place near where a grave could be easily dug, and the torn body was placed in it as decently as it was possible to do, after which the dirt was thrown in and pieces of wood put on top to keep off the wolves, ‘‘Now, Miss May, I am going to examine those two tracks, of the horses crossing from the northward, and see if they lead to the camp of the Raiders.” ‘That is a good idea, Dick,” The boy set about his task, and the two then orn the trail back to the camp, whither they ed. Still following the tracks of the two horses which had come from the northward, Dick sud- denly gave a cry which brought May Lillie quickly to his side. ** What is it, Dick?” ‘* There is a letter, and it seems to have been placed purposely under that leaf, so as not to attract attention to it from those here, but to be ‘ound by those who might be on tbis trail.” ‘*Dick, you are a wonder,” and May picked up the letter, . The address was as follows: “*CapTain Gorpon LILuie, (Pawnee Bill), ‘Chief of Pawnee map, 8 U.S. Army, ‘“‘By hand of Lariat Joe and important to deliver immediately.”’ ‘*Ob, Dick!” ‘*' Yes, Miss May.” | ‘* This is your father’s band writing.” ‘** So it is.” ‘‘ What does it mean?” : ** Read it and find out, Miss May.” She did so, and ber pretty face flushed and paled with anger and indignation, asshe cried: ** Dick, this is a forgery, for your father never wrote this letter.” ‘* Never in the world, Miss May.” ““Mad Carl is indeed alive, and he forged your father’s writing and name, ! | ‘*This story of my being badly hurt was his » trick to get Gordon to come into his trap,” ‘Yes, Miss May, and it’s my opinion that the gent we buried was Lariat Joe.” ‘‘T could almost hope so, Dick; but how for- tunate that we came here,” ‘* Yes, indeed, and Captain Lillie put that let- ter there hoping it would be found,’ ‘‘ Maybe he saw you, Dick, over on the bill, for he has wonderful eyes you know.” .* Yes he has, and ma he did see me; but now we know what to do, Miss May, so let us follow on the trail,” ‘* As soon as we have had breakfast, Dick, for we cannot live without eating,” ‘‘ Lordy! its funny I forgot that, Miss May.” CHAPTER XXIV. | RED-SKIN PARDS. ; THE breakfast was cooked, and May was sur- pee, when Dick, as be expressed it, “ sprung am and eggs upon her,” with other things edible she had by no means {eng wr a, My They really enjoyed the breakfast, and were preparing to start upon their way when sud- denly there came into view a score of red-skins, |. DO saw that running was out of the ques- on, . They were clearly surprised, and so he shout- ," “ Qaiok, Miss May, take a tree and we'll fight it out . But May Lillie called out sharply: ** Hold, Dick! they are Pawnees!” Then in the Pawnee tongue she called to the Indians, who had come to a halt and were ex- amining them with no hostile intention. Ny What she said caused the Indians to ride uickly toward her, and pressing forward as ° they dismounted from their ponies, they extend- = ed their hands with warm greetings in tha | Pawnee tongue. } ireaye aaa Le 3 3