Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 725 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

a . poisoner, did He raved of Ma upon Pawnee Bill, Garcia. For days he hung between life and death, tenderly cared for by the devoted surgeon, who got the best men of the band to aid him, One night Delmar, utterly worn out with watching, fell asleep on his cot, where he had lain down to rest, The patient was in a deep sleep, and the turn of the tide had come, for he was on the way to recovery, 80 Delmar had told Officer Hernando that night. There was no one in the cabin but the sur- geon, for the two assistants had asked leave to get a few hours’ rest. Presently the door gently opened, and a face peered in. ; Then the man entered in moccasined feet, and revealed the face and form of Officer Her- nando, He glanced at the form of the surgeon on the Lillie, vowed vengeance aring Dick, and Gabriella - cot, and listened to his deep breathing. ‘‘ He is so worn out he will not awaken,” he muttered, and he crossed the room to the cot where Don rado lay. He was sleeping as - pte as an infant. From his pocket Hernando took a paper, emptied the contents into a cup on a stand, and ses a stone jar poured some water upon the pomcer. He stirred it with his finger, and then stepped to the cot and bent over the prostrate form of the outlaw chief. He pressed the cup to his lips, to force the contents down his throat, when suddenly the arms of Don Desperado flew upward, and Of- ficer Hernando was seized in a grip he could not shake off, while from the lips of the chief came the words in a biss: “Trying to poison me, are you?” In an instant Delmar was upon his feet, and only when his revolver covered the intended Mad Carl release his hold and drop back utterly exhausted, for his strength in his weakened condition after weeks of ill- eae) was but temporary, born of the moment of peril, ‘* Hands up, Hernando, for I will kill you if you resist, ‘* So this is your game is it, to get to be chief?” and Delmar placed a whistle to his lips and called for help. “M , Delmar, the men will kill me,” cried the now terrified outlaw officer, ‘“ No, they sball not kill you, for J will do that when I am able to rise from this bed,” The words were in a low, faint voice; but the traitor heard them and knew that Don Desperado made no idle threat, , The men came and were told to place Officer Hernando in irons, ‘But, Senor Delmar, you can give no such order,” said one. ‘* I give it then,” came from the chief, And he added: ** If he escapes, his guards shall die.” So Hernando was led away, and exhausted by his effort, Don Desperado sunk to sleep while his faithful nurse, with slumber driven from his eyelids now stood watch and ward over him, and outlaw it is true, but faithful as death to the man who had saved his life in the past. « —_-__ CHAPTER XII. A SHOT FOR A SHOT. WueEn Don Desperado, as I will now speak of Mad Car! the Cowboy, awoke the morning after the attempt upon his life by Officer Hernando, he wus in the full possession of his senses, and spoke in a fairly strong voice to the outlaw surgeon, Senor Delmar, I owe you my life, for 1 have been partly conscious of all you have done for me “ Do not speak of it, Senor Chief.” ** But I must, and will. ‘* How long have I been ill?” ‘* It (8 just one month to-day, senor, since you came to the retreat,” ‘“‘Ican hardly realize it; but I will get well now?!” - i ‘* Yes, senor, | look for no relapse now. _ “You must help all you can to get well, and in a couple of weeks more you will be yourself -“* You have been my devoted friend, Delmar, the only friend I have on earth.” 1p The men regard you most kindly, senor.” ! they care for me only so far as I can serve prengrad but you are my friend, Now tell me, where is Hernando?” ‘In the guard-house in irons, senor.” ‘*T saw you drop down on the cut to rest, I saw him enter, and he took from his pocketa powder and he placed it in a cup. ‘*Then he poured water upon it and I saw his face as he came near me. ‘“‘It was like my face in my moments of mad- ness, Delmar, the face of a fiend. ‘* He tried to force the poison between my lips and with a great effort I saved myself, ‘*Had he tried to kill me a day sooner he would have been successful, ‘¢ When I am able to get out I will see if my hand has forgotten its cunning with a re- volver at ten paces, and he shall be my target, Delmar,” ‘* ‘Yes, senor,” ‘*‘ Have you the cup he had?” ‘* It is there, senor.” ‘Ts it poison?” ‘* Yes, senor, enough to kill a dozen men,” **The men must know this.” ‘*T told them of it an hour ago, senor, and if was hard to keep them from hanging Her- nando,” ‘“*It is well that they did not deprive me of my revenge,” ‘*T told them not to do so, senor,” ‘** He wanted to be chief,” ‘“* Yes, senor, and as be has been found out by you, I will now tell you what I had not intended doing, I cared not to betray a comrade,” and Delmar told of the offer of Hernando to him if he would allow Don Desperado to die, The chief smiled, but it was a smile that would have sent terror into the heart of Her- nando, the traitor officer, had he seen it, The days passed on and Don Desperado was rr te sit up, and partake of his food with a relis The band had remained close in camp, not daring to make any venture without the com- mand of the chief, and all were glad to see him becoming himself again. In the guard-house was Hernando, a picture of misery. He had offered all he was worth to his guards singly, to allow him to escape, to go with him; but there were too many legends among the old members of the band about Don Desperado as chief, to allow the men to take any chances, The threat to make the lives of the guards the forfeit of Hernando’s escape had effectually alarmed them, One afternoon Don rip oon sAt out upon the rustic piazza in front of his quarters, He was regaining strength rapidly, though still pale, thin and haggard, Preseutly he called to the outlaw surgeon, who approached him, ** Delmar?” **’Yes, senor.” ‘There will be a vacancy in the place of the office next to me, and I intend to appoint you to the position, while I will also ‘keep you as eon, so that you will draw double pay.” ‘You are most: kind, Senor Chief.” ‘*No, Iam just, and doing double work you will get double nt el ‘* But to what place do you refer, senor?” ‘** To Hernando’s, ‘*Send him here, and order the men here to witness the death of a traitor.” The outlaw surgeon quietly obeyed, for he saw that in the face of Don Desperado which told him he had determined to act, The men were called to headquarters by the bugle, and then came Hernando walking between his two guards, He was very pale and nervous. The guards halted before the chief, and gaz- ing at Hernando, he said: , ‘T sent for you, Senor Hernando, to kill you. ‘* [ sent for the men to witness your execu- tion. ‘*Guards, place the doomed man just ten paces away, and, men, form in two Jines on each side of me.” | The order was obeyed in silence. ‘‘ Now, Hernando, you have but a few min- utes to live, ‘Senor Delmar, tell the men what this man tried to bribe you to do,” . The outlaw surgeon obeyed, and there were Savage glances cast at the doomed man. “Now, Delmar, hand me one of my revolvers from my belt.” | The outlaw surgeon obeyed the order, while Hernando shouted out: : ., My God, chief! do you intend to kill me?” I Go, if my band has not lost its cunning during my long illness,” was the serene reply. ‘Men, will you stand by and see me mur- dered?” cried the doomed man, \ But the men made no move, uttered no word against the intention of their chief. **See here, Hernando, I do not wish to have it said I murdered any man, and a reckless look came into the eyes of the desperado chief, as he added: ‘* So I will give you a chance for you life,” ‘**Oh, name it, captain!” ““If I miss you, then shall you have a shot at me,” was the calm rejoinder of Don Desperado, CHAPTER XIII. VOWS OF VENGEANCE. AT the reckless proposition of Don Desperado the eyes of Hernando sparkled with pleasure. All knew that he was a dead shot, a man who never missed bis aim, Was not Don Desperado foolish then to give him a chance, if he missed, to kill him? It was known that Don Desperado had been a sure shot, yet here he was, just up from a long illness, weak and naturally unnerved, and he would be something more than human, it seemed, if he could hold a steady hand under such circumstances. But his was a desperate nature, and he was the man to take desperate chances, ‘* Tf you miss me, Senor Chief, you are to give me a shot?” said Hernando, eagerly. ‘‘ That is what I said,” ‘*T am agreed, senor.” | “‘T will say more, that if I fail to kill you, then you shall have a shot at me,” ‘* Ah, senor, you are a good shot, I know, but you are trusting too much in a nerve that ill- ness has weakened,” said Delmar. ‘fT have said it, Delmar, and I shall be as good as my word, ‘* Now, Hernando, take your position.” The man’s hopes had risen, He had no idea that even Don Desperado could command his nerve as he expected to do, and kill him, ‘* No, be trembles with weakness even now and will miss me, ‘* Then comes my turn, bis death follows my shot and J am chief,” said the traitor officer, with a malignant smile of anticipated hope and revenge combined, He took his stand with almost a defiant air, and unbuttoned his coat, while he said with a sneer: ‘* My heart lies just here, Senor Chief.” ‘*T will not aim at what you have not got, Hernando, but send my bullet in search of any brains you may possess,” was the sinister re- sponse, and the man paled as he met the eyes of the bandit chief, But Hernando stood firm, while a deathlike si- lence fell upon the nearly two-score men, As for Delmar, he looked anxious, and, in fact, the men wore a look of anxiety also. on Desperado examined the revolver very critically, gai satisfied with the result, and then bent his eye upon the distance between Hernando and himself, and glanced up at the sunlight. Still seated in his chair Don Desperado sud- denly leveled his revolver at the truitor officer, who stood firmly facing him, With the crack of the revolver Hernando dropped dead, the bullet having struck just be- tween the eyes. . A wild yell went up from the crowd at the deadly shot, and they crowded around to congrat- ulate him upon the fact that his long illness bad not weakened his nerve, ‘“‘] thank you, my men, and I wish now to say to you that the Senor Delmar is the ranking ro erete after me, stepping into that traitor’s shoes, ‘* Delmar, 1 feel tired, so will rest.” With this Don Desperado arose, and, sup- ported by the outlaw surgeon, entered his cabin to seek rest, The next day he appeared better and stronger, and in another week declared himself well and able to take the saddle. A ’ ‘*T shall take a few men, Delmar, and gon < : co,” he a reconnoissance toward the City of Mex announced, ‘* Toward the City of Mexico, chief?” repeated © Delmar ia amazement. ‘Yes, for Iam not known in that direction, and shall hide my men at some convenient place, while I find the lovely wife of the late chief of this band. \ “‘T have, while lying awake at night, longing to recover, registered several vows, Delmar, The first is to seek revenge, and to doso I must discover a way to burt her heart the most. ‘*Of course the peon woman who aided her — * fallsalso under my vengeance, “They have gone to the City of Mexico, | am ) 900