Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 725 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

Daring Dick, Pawnee Bill’s Pard. Dick was not up in Pawnee, his stronghold bemg Comanche, so he was not in the conversa- tion at all until May turned to him and said something to the warriors. Then they all came forward and grasped Dick’s bands, talking Pawnee to him and seem- ing lad to see him. *1’m in the dark, Miss May, so you'll bave to help me,” said Dick, making mental resolve - gad Pawnee as soon as the opportunity of- ered. “Well, Dick, they are Pawnee soldiers from - gale command, aud new braves from the tribe, “They tell me that Gordon was made a major, and given a battalion of Pawnees, and went to the tribe and got his warriors, c “Then he got a letter telling him I was badly hurt, and be a home, and the general sent chief Flyin nife here and twenty of his braves to follow Gordon and come back with him by a trail the general had given him orders to take, “« They said that he left the fort with the man who brought the letter, and they had followed the trail of the horses to the pass, and then as it branched off here had come on and found us, “T told thetn all that you had done, and that their white chief was a prisoner, and they know me well and are going with us,” ‘* That settles it, Miss May.” “Yes, for they are splendid trailers, hard fighters, and Flying Knife’s band here are known as expert lasso-throwers, and woe be unto the Mexican Raiders if we strike their re- treat.” ‘*Ob, Miss May!” ** Yes, Dick.” ** We don’t have to find Buckskin Charlie and his cowboys.” “Well? **The Pawnees are all we want, and we'll make Charlie sorry he didn’t wake me up when he left, though I ain glad of it now.” Tben Dick won the heart of every one of that band of Pawnee warriors, from Flying Kuife down to the junior brave, for he unpacked the edibles, and gave them a breakfast that made them happy. The meal finished the party started upon the trail, Flying Knife himself taking the lead, while May and Dick came next and the war- riors followed in single file. A ride of a couple of hours brought them to the camp of Buckskin Charlie and his men, rane ag they had come into the Rio Grande ail, | From there on they rode swiftly.and camped for rest on the Texas side of the river an hour before dark, | They did not wish to cross until after night- fall, for both Dick and May kuew it was best not to be seen. rR As for the Pawnees they were realy to follow blindly the lead of the Queen of the Lariat, whom they regarded as one of their tribe, and Dick, to whom they had already given the name of Little Lightning, . After a long rest, and good supper, the Silent Shadowers, as Dick called the Pawnees, in re- turn for the name they had given him, moun oon ponies and fell into line behiud the Lariat ween, Then May and Dick, taking the lead, started across the river in the darkness, The crossing was made without accident, and Dick headed straight for the place where they had met, on their other expedition, Pawnee Bill, returning from the retreat of the Raiders yr Rag [Apart ch es We will cam ere until morning, Miss May,” said Dick. Mis “Yes, and then we can see if the cowboys have gone on and follow their trail, and they may be glad of our aid,” was the answer, he ¢ was reached after several hours’ ride, and as well as they could in the darkness a camping place was found. A guard of two Pawnees were placed on the trail, to note if any one should pass, and as no fires dared be lighted May and Dick ate their supper as did the Indians in silence and were satisfied with a cold snack. Over in a hollow a good place was found for the horses, aud they were kept saddled and bridled, for all realized the danger of their posi- tion there on Mexican territory and not far from the retrea6S of the Raiders of the Rio "Bodden f the Pe Suddenly one 0 © Lawnees came to the side of May and said something in a low tone. “Dick, Re Eyes “ay that hears horses | be Own | ountain, and they must be coming this way.” ‘ | iS ee ak ' ' : ' i - we oll sf | - hel 5 * ‘ ‘ ~~ : ¥ » oh ~ » uu , a at ..% » cy bv’, 4 © ia rad yt’ _ . “ late "ead a ot Piha Makes Ce ba | iat oe them!” said Dick, and May respond- ed: ‘* The very idea,” Then the order was given and the Pawnees took position, their lassoes in hand, May and Dick were not to be left out of the ‘*lasso-throwing picnic,” as the boy expressed it, and also took their place ready for work. The horses were now heard coming up the steep rocky trail, They would have to pass amon bowlders, and here were Dick, Silent Shadowers, | Each one stood with lariat in hand, and watching the trail, waited. a group of ay and her CHAPTER XXV. DON DESPERADO STRIKES HARD. WHEN Don Desperado rode away from his retreat, after his recovery from his long and nearly fatal illness, he wended his way toward the City of Mexico, leaving the outlaw officer, Delmar, in command, He had in view a stroke for revenge and another one for gold. He left his companiors at a secluded hacienda to await his return, and, unknown, went on his way into the city of Mexico, He was well supplied with gald found among Andrea Bonodel’s effects, and rigged himself up as a gentleman in a village where he stopped for the night, Then he continued on his way, and arrivingtin the city of Mexico, put up at an obscure hotel, His nexi work was to find out, if he could, if Delmar bad told him the truth in stating that the Senora Gabriella was the daughter of a rich and prominent Government official, He first learned, who among the officials had a daughter; then which one had a daughter named Gabriella. This he discovered by the use of gold, and it then came to him that the Senora Gabriella had been kidnapped by the Raiders of the Rio Grande, and for over two years she had been held by them for large ransom, but, at last, ber father had found out where she was a prisoner, had paid an enormous ransom, and she was again at Lome, Her return chimed in with the escape of the Poe Ye Gabriella from the retreat in the moun- ns. The senorita, as she still was called in Mexico had brought with her a peon woman who had been kind to her in her long captivity. ‘That is the woman I seek—yes, both of them —the beautiful Gabriella and the the peon, ‘‘ But, how she has deceived the public, for they believed her a captive, when she was that man’s willing wife! , ** Now to learn his record!” So said Don Desperado to himself, and _ his next step was to discover who his predecessor had been. Gold was used again, and at last he found out sufficient to convince him that the chief he had slain was the ex-officer and conspirator, Andrea Bonodel, | He beard of how the conspirator had escaped, and tben said: in a that is the woman, and how she loved im ‘‘Oh! if May had only loved me as Gabriella did that man, bey indeed would I have been, and changed would have been my whole life) ‘* But it was not to be, and now I live for re- venge alone! ‘“Now, the Senor Garcia has received his daughter back, and so I must kidnap her, de- mand a rausom of him, have him bring it in person, and then killhim. . . ““T will get his gold, and then deliver to his daughter, my captive, the body of her fatber! ‘‘T will also arrange it in some way that the fair Gabriella shal] take the lifeof her faithful peoh woman, and know that she did it; then, when she has given me a ransom worthy of her forsane, she can go her way, and my revenge will he satiated in that quarter. ** Now, I must arrange to.bave Gabriella and the peon woman kidnapped, and when they are, they shall be taken and delivered to my two. men, and another whom } will send there to join them, They are then to bring them to my carup, and I «ill enter into negotiations wit Senor Garcia for the ransom. _“ But, first, I must see this fair Gabriella, and know that she is the one I seek.” ; | This the monstrous villain managed to do the next day b pening the house of Senor Garcia just as he and his daughter were going to drive. Having found ready tools to carry out bis plans, for Mexico is full of men eager for such ! aN. V ; at y 1 » Lee Sy a Py aed t Py ' Sr Care’ ¥ * y | L se it ; » ' wy.) ud. 13 work, the arch plotter started upon his returm to his retreat. Visiting the hacienda where he had left his men, be bade them await there the coming of & third, with orders, Thisdone, he returned alone to his retreat. | Through Officer Delmar he picked out a man for the work and dispatched him to join the two at the hacienda, and there await the coming of his other hirelings with his captives, whom they were to carry to the retreat, Don Desperado at once set about arrangin his next blow of revenge. This was agains Gordon Lillie. | ‘‘There are several Americans in the band, Delmar?” ‘Yes, chief,” ‘‘ Name a good one, a man whom I can depend upon for a very important work,” ‘¢ There is Lariat Joe, senor,” ** Send him here.” , Lariat Joe was nota beauty, nor had he a redeeming trait that showed itself in bis face or make-up. ut after some conversation with the man Don, Desperado made up his mind that he would do, Lariat Joe knew the trails well upon the other side of the river, and as he was to go northward he did not hesitate to accept the duty offered him, for a large consideration, payable‘upon his. return, Had it been to have gone into the Texas settle- ments Lariat Joe would have drawn the line, for he appeared to bave a holy horror of the society in the Lone Star State. So Joe was supplied with his forged letter, given his orders, and was told that Don Desper- ado and a number of bis men would be on hand to mect him and Pawnee Bill in Red Canyom Pass, Tbat this well-planned plot was carried to a successful termination the reader bas already dis- covered, and Don Desperado arrived in his re- treat with his prisoner to find that the Senorita Gabriella and the peon woman had not yet reached his outlaw camp. “Fiaving avenged myself on her, ther I will be at liberty to strike at those on the Texas side of the river,” Dn Desperado bad said, and he felt in real good humor with himself at the thought of the revenge he had in anticipation, CHAPTER XXVI, : THE COWBOY SHADOWERS. THE party of Cowboy Rangers under Bucksxia Charlie had pressed on along the trail, crossed the Rio Grande, and gone up toward the out- laws’ retreat, . They had reached the spot where two nigh after May Lillie and her Silent Shadowers halted, and then held a council of war. ‘ie They dared not attempt. to take the retreat in the darkness, after what Pawnee Bill had told © then of how it was guarded, whicb hediscovered when a prisoner there before, so it was decided to go to a quiet camp and guard the trail by day and night, hoping to capture some one either go- ing to the retreator coming fromit, . . : Inu the darkness this was not easy to find, but after some time they did reach a place that look- _ ed secure, and the horses were taken into hiding valle the men took up positions as Lest they could. TT ae When the day dawned Buckskin Charlie dis- covered that they had struck the very spot. They were in a canyon which the trail to the retreat crossed; but there was neither water nor — grass near. . ‘ They were hidden from view of any outlaw sentinels who might be upon the mountains above, and so sat down to watch and wait, For what privations tbey would have to suffer. they did not care, so that they accomplished their errand, the getting into the outlaw retreat. and rescue of Pawnee Bill. . an. They did not count.the odds which they might have to meet, for they depended upon a com- plete surprise and their revolvers at close quar-_ So they bided their time and prayed foran _ outlaw only to come along, no matter which ~ way he came from, ALC IOE “If he does not tell what be knows, thenT don’t know how to make him,” Buckskin Char- — _| lie said in his off-hand way. And the cowboys who knew Buckskin Charlie well decided that any outlaw who fell into his hands would tell all he knew, t 4 The day passed away on dry rations for horses __ and men, butthere was nocomplaining. = The horses were muzzled to kee m from neighing for water and food, and themen gaye tbem a bite of their rations and what grass they He : . could gather among the rocks, Yh fa