Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 725 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

+ Jaring’ Dick rawnee Dil s Pard. ‘‘ What! do you know of her, and where she is?” excitedly said the senor. “Tt was said that she was kidnapped by the Raiders of the Rio Grande?” ‘* Yes, it was so said.” ‘* Do you believe this to be true, senor?” ‘* No, I do not.” ‘* What do you know of your daughter’s mys- terious disappearance, senor?” ‘* That is my own secret, and I will not permit a woman to probe into my heart regarding my lost child,” was the stern reply. ‘¢ Pardon, senor, but said | not that I knew where your daughter was?’ ** Ah! and will tell me, so that I can go and fetch her back to her home?” eagerly said the Mexican. ‘*T come from the camp of the Raiders of the Rio Grande, senor, and they, holding your daughter in their power, would not give her up without a large ransom.” ‘‘T am ready and willing to pay their de- mand,” “But, Senor Garcia, you must first know what you will have to forgive your daughter, as she has confessed all to me,” ** And will you tell me of her?” ‘*T will tell you, senor, that your daughter was a woman to love but once in her lifetime. ‘‘The one whom she gave her heart to proved unworthy of such love, yet it did not change her regard for him. ** She saved his life, when he was under seu- tence of death, and made him a pledge to go to him and become his wife when he should send _ for her. ‘* He did send, and she kept her pledge. ‘*Sbe went to a hacienda, met Andrea Bono- del and a priest, and was married to bim,” ‘“‘Thank Heaven for that, at least,” said the Mexican statesman, “ Then,” continued the visitor, ‘‘ she went with ni husband to the home he had prepared for er, ‘It was a mountain retreat, and she found that be was known as Don Desperado, the Chief of the Raiders of the Rio Grande.” **My God, I feared it, I felt it!” ‘*It was true, senor, but as he was Andrea Garcia to her, the senora loved him as devotedly as ever, while he sought to lay by a sum for their support.” ‘* By robbery and murder?” ** Yes, senor.” “* And failing, and tiring of his wife, the m&n has sent you to demand ransom of me for her restoration to me?” ‘* Would you pay such ransom, senor?” “T would.” ‘* And receive your daughter. to your heart again, senor?” ~“T would gladly do so.¥ ‘Senor Garcia, I came not from Andrea Bonodel to demand ransom of you, for he never tired of the wife who gave up all for him, '*T came to tell you that Don Desperado, the bandit chief, was dead, slaiu in bis retreat by an American, who was once chief of the band.” ‘** Dead! tank God!” ‘* Senor!” ‘* For now my child will come back to me.” ‘* She has come, my father!” was the cry, and -as the vail was thrown aside, Senor Garcia bebeld Gabriella, his daughter, who had been so long lost to him, CHAPTER X. NOT AVENGED. WHEN the dawn came the camp of the Raid- ers was early astir. But no signs of life were visible up at the quarters of Don Desperade, The peon who was in the habit of cooking the meals of the former chief, and looking after his horses, dared not call the new leader until he learned his wishes in tbat respect, so he pre- pared breakfast in the shed near by, and waited. As the hour came for the men to make their report, the officer next in rank approached the in, and knocked. : There was no response, aud the door yielded to his touch, : The cabin was empty, and the cot of the chief ad not been occupied, But Don Desperado rarely remained at his headquarters, so a man was sent to the cabin of _ the senora further up the valle He soon came back with ‘blanched face, and reported that the new chief lay dead upon the floor of Sénora Gabriella’s cabin, and that she and the peon woman were not to be found, A was made by all to the scene, and there in fact lay the self-appointed chief—but not dead, He was breathing heavily, his face was dis- torted and bis hands clinched tight. Search was made for the senora and Wanda, and the chief was taken in hand by one of the two outlaws who had been a surgeon when he lived an honest life, ~ It was found tbat he had not been wounded, and it did not take the outlaw surgeon long to discover the real cause, ‘** He bas been poisoned,” he said. ‘* We must save bim if we can, but I fear it is doubtful. ‘“ Where is the man he brought as a prisoner to the retreat? rd Men bounded away in search of the prisoner, but he too could not be found, Drugs to counteract the poison’s effect were forced into the mouth of Mad Carl, and while awaiting the result the surgeon looked about the cabin, found tbe bottle marked “ poison,” and noted the quantity given him, ** The overdose is what saves him, if saved his life is,” said the surgeon. ** Tue senora did this to avenge her husband, and then made her escape with the prisoner and the peon woman, ‘* Send men to trail them.” This order was obeyed by the sub-officer, who was as anxious for the new chief to die as the surgeon was to save him. ‘* If he dies, I will be chief,” said the sub- officer, . ** If he dies the band will go to ruin, for there is no nan here who can command them,” was what the outlaw surgeon thought. At last the poisoned chief began to show signs of recovery. He breathed less heavily, moved, and his eyes slowly opened, More medicine was given him, and the sur- geon kept the men rubbing constantly, for his limbs seemed to be devoid of life. The trailers came back at last and reported following the trail of three horses through the secret pass to a certain point, where the tracks of two animals led to the right, those of the other to the left, and toward the Rio Grande, ‘“* The prisoner made his escape into Texas, and the women have remained in Mexico, * They are all beyond our reach,” said the sur- geon, ‘* And the chief?” he was asked, by the sub- officer. . ‘* He will live, Hernando,” was the reply, and a smothered curse came from the lips of Her- nando, A moment after the surgeon was called from the side of the chief, ‘Well, Hernando?” “* You say that Don Desperado will live?” ** Yes, Hernando, you will not get to be Don Desperado, Number Three, this time,” ‘*Ab! yon know my wish?” ‘** Your face reveals it.” , ‘“I must be careful; but, Senor Delmar,I will make a bargain with you?” ** You know that I am a successful gambler?” sé Yes.” **T have won much money?” | “So I know to my cost,” “T have laid by every peso.” ** So the men say.” ‘* I] bave also laid by my share of the earrings, and it bas been liberal,” “Well?” Tl] show oy where my gold is hidden, Senor Delmar, and I will share it equally with you.” ‘*'You are generous, and | accept your kind- nD Hernando,” ‘** But you have to earn the gold, senor.” ** How?” ~ ‘* You are a man of medicine, so simply do not allow the chief to recover, for a drug given bim now would do it?” * True, Hernando, but who would be chief?” **T would,” “It is not that I care for you, Hernando, but you are not fit to be chief,” * Not fit?” ‘* No, the men would not have confidence in you, the band would go to pieces, and we would ull be captured and hanged,” ** Well, I will not» argue with you, if that is your epinibe, Senor Delmar, but if you take what I offer yon can leave the band witha handsome fortune.” ‘“ It is a temptation, Hernando.” ‘Then take it.” “cc ” ‘ | ; 0. “Pll give you two-thirds of my savings?” "See here, Hernando: one day, some years ago, I was flying for my life from half a dozen soldiers wbo were pursuing me, **They had wounded my horse, and I would have been taken and hanged had not a man see» my danger and come to my rescue. ‘*T would have been banged; because I killed the colonel of my regiment, who stole from me the woman [ loved, ‘*] killed him, thus avenging myself, and fled, but, captured, you well can understand my f “That man, single-handed, came to my res- cue, and he saved me, ‘The man was the American, Don Desperado now hovering between lifé and death; but I will save him, Hernando, and all your gold could not tempt me to let him die. | ‘* That is all, Hernando,” and re-entering the cabin, the outlaw surgeon bebeld his patient sit- ting up, CHAPTER XI. DON DESPERADO’S GRIP, WHEN the outlaw surgeon beheld the chief sitting up, as he re-entered the cabin after re- sisting the tempting offer of Hervando, he felt sure of his recovery, Still it was but an effort of his will-power and great strength, which, exhausted, Mad Carl sunk back again into a state that seemed to be- token no recovery. But Delmar worked bard with bis patient, bad him removed to the quarters of the former chief, and by nightfall was glad to see that be had sufficiently recovered from the effects of the drug to understand what was said to him, Sinking into a natural sleep Mad Car] slum- bered for hours, awaking just at midnight, His devoted surgeon was by his side, and bad food ready for him, and a cup of strong coffee, Mad Carl did not meer until he bad finished the meal, and then said: ‘*'You are the Senor Delmar, if I remember arigbt?” ‘* Yes, senor, who owes his life to you.” ” AsI do mine to you, for you saved me from ying. ‘¢ You had a close call, senor,” ‘‘ ] remember enough to recall that she poison- _ ed me.” ‘* Yes, senor.” ‘‘ Where is she?” ‘She left last night, senor, soon after the eed,” ‘* Last night?” ‘* Yes, senor.” ‘‘ Have I been ill so long?” ‘It is just sixteen hours since I found you, as J at first believed, aead. ‘* You have a wonderful constitution to stand such a poison, senor.” ‘‘] have been accustomed in my carousals to drink gallons of —aet and that aided the drug tu lose its power, 4 Suppose, ‘‘ But the woman?” ‘““Ag I said, senor, she departed after her act.” ‘* And her story to me was a lie, and only told to get her revenge?” ‘* Yes, senor,” Pe She, told me that he forced her to marry him. ‘I never saw such a love as _ hers for that man, senor chief, and she avenged bim by taking our life, as she believed.” ‘Yes, I heard ber words as I felt myself growing blind and strengthless, ‘IT had not the power to move and seemed to be falling, falling, falling! ; : ““My God! it was horrible, borrible, Senor Delmar!” and Mad Car! shuddered. ‘Well, Senor Chief, you escaped death, and a few days will bring you round all right.” ‘IT hope so; but I feel very strange, and— But my prisoner! my prisover!” he suddenly shouted, half springing to bis feet, ‘The man you brought bere with you, senor?” ‘‘ He was set free by the senora, senor,” ‘* Set free! all my work to do over again! ‘‘Oh?} curses upon that woman! ‘But I will have my revenge upon her for this act, for Don Desperado yet lives! yet lives a | He bad sprung to bis feet, but reeled and felh heavily, and Delmar quickly called for help, as now he bad become like a madman, It was a terrible struggle for ipyeet for Mad Carl] was a powerful man, and it took balf a dozen outlaws to hold him until Delmar could force some medicine between his teeth that. quieted bim. oth | When the morning came Mad Carl was in a raging fever and delirious, sf “ye ay ¥ *% i As ? + A s ‘ % :