Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 743 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 on his way and find hisson, and must start | early the next morning. But she ordered a better horse given the old man than the one he rode, had a bag of provi- sions prepared for him,‘and gave. bim an extra blanket to keep him warm, should he be caught out all night between the ranche-. The stranger went on his way, profuse in his thanks, and Ruth watched him until he was out of sight across the plain. Then sbe began to pace’ up and down the piazza, a thoughtful look upon her face, while she asked herself over and over again the ques- tion: ‘¢ Where have I seen that man before?” But for the life of her she could not recall where she had met him. ‘‘He said he did not remember ever having seen we before, and yet I am not mistaken, for I have met him I am sure, ‘*¥ feel sorry for him, and hope that he will find his son all right; but somehow I do not like him in spite of bis gray bairs. ‘It is provoking not to be able to recall him, for know him I certainly do, or have done so,” And all the morning Ruth worried over her being unable to recall the old man until old Auntie Nannie called her to dinner and asked: ** See here, Missy Ruth, who does that ole man remind you of, honey?” ‘*T have tried bard to remember, Aunt Nan- nie, but cannot.” ‘Yer can’t?” st No.” ‘* Waal, I doesn’t like him,” “Why? ‘* Cause he reminds me of that devil man as made you suffer so, boney.” ‘‘ Aunt Nannie!” and the words came from the lips of Ruth almost in a scream, fairly start- ling the negress, while she sprung to her feet and continued: ‘¢‘You are right! that man was none other than Richard Drummond in disguise. ‘Quick! send Primus after the men with all haste, while I get ready for the saddle, for now I know who that man is,” CHAPTER XXI,. ON THE STRANGER’S TRAIL, Oup Nannie was fairly startled at the ex- citement shown by her young mistress at her words, She knew there was an unwritten law in the household never to mention the name of Devil Dick or Richard Drummond, Against the will of her uncle and aunt, Ruth had married him, though they had only entered a mild protest. Then after ber sufferings as the wife of the desperate man, she had returned to them; she was received with open arms, She had returned a mere wreck of her former reno self, and old Nannie’s prophecy had en: ‘¢ Dat poor chile gwine straight to her grave sart’in and sure,” But the prediction of the negress was wrong, for Ruth had rallied quickly, once she was bac amid the old scenes, and the pame of Richard Drummond was never spoken before her. Time passed and her beauty of face and form returned to her, and she gradually assumed the management of affairs, to relieve her uncle of all she could, She also aided her aunt in the household af- fairs, and it was hoped that she wouid yet be perfectly happy again. Then came the raid of the Comanchesin which her uncle lost his life, the death of her aunt fol- lowing, and her discovery, through the dying cowboy, Ralph Ross, of the fact, that Devil Dick not only was alive, for she had been allowed to believe bim dead, but that he was the renegade white chief of the Indians. Now, when all believed that the chief, whom men knew only as Ka-noon-ka, an Indian, was slain at the ambush at Red Cliffs, an cld stran- ger appears at the ranch who haunis her most rsistently with the knowledge that}she has seen im before, And in comes old Nannie who has penetrated the disguise and who felt sure that the pre- tended old man was none other than Richard Drummond, Like a flash it came to her that he it was, and old Primus was sent flying after the cowboys, over to their camp half a mile distant from the house, ‘¢Tt all comes to me now. That was Richard Drummond, in spite of his stoop, the hump on bis back, gold glasses aud false gray beard and hair. Buck Taylor’s Boys. ‘* Yes, now I see through his disguise, and he must be taken, yes, taken alive, ‘*T will at once get ready for the trail.” Nannie was ordered to prepare provisions, and upon the return of Primus to tell him to saddle and bridle her best horse for her. Primus soon returned with a dozen cowboys at his heels, Bible Bill leading, and all anxious to know what the urgent demand meant. ‘* Boys, I have recognized the old man who was here. ‘‘ He is an impostor, a wolf in sheep's cloth- ing, and we must capture him, ‘* A hundred pesos to the man who catches him, though remember he must not be harmed, but taken alive. ‘* Come, boys, I will lead you on his trail,” The cowboys gave a cheer, and springing to her saddle, her belt of arms buckled about her slender waist, her rifle slung at her back, Ruth Redmond started off with Bible Bill at ber side, ‘‘ Which way did he go, Captain Ruth?” asked Bible Bill, who was a perfect trailer. ‘‘This way. **T watched him until he was out of sight, ‘¢ See, there is the trail his horse left, and we can readily follow him.” Away they all rode then over the prairie, going ata rapid gallop, and following the trail of the old man’s horse without tbe slightest trouble, For miles they held on at the same rapid pace, and then Bible Bill asked: “When did he leave, Captain Ruth?” ‘* Just after breakfast, which 1 had at seven o’clock,” Then he’ has had all of four hours’ start of us, ‘¢ Yes, and if he rode rapidly that means a good many miles, but if he rode at a slow pace, then at the gait we are riding we should catch up with him in a couple of bours more,” **T should think so,” was Bible Bill’s reply, and the horses were kept at the same rapid pace. At length they came to a place where a fresh trail crossed the one they were followlng, It seemed to the experienced eyes of the cow- boy trailers as though the two horsemen had met just where their trails crossed and halted for a talk of some minutes. But the trail they bad been following held on as before, and they wel)l knew the track of the horse ridden by the old man, 80 that there was no mistake, Two men were, however, detailed from the party and sent off to follow up the trail that crossed the one leading from Sunset Ranch, and once more did Ruth urge on her horsemen at the same rapid pace, and all saw that, for some reason, uyknown to them, she was in deadly earnest in her determination to capture the old man. The hard’ pace had been kept up for some hours, and it proved that the old man had by no means been riding slowly, but at a gait which showed he might dread pursuit. At last, far across the prairie, a horseman was seen, and halting, Ruth Redmond leveled her glass upon him, One quick look, and she fairly shouted: ‘*That isour man! ** Come on!” —_—_—_—-_--- CHAPTER XXII, THE TWO HORSEMEN, MORE rapidly than before did Ruth Redmond lead her cowboys after the horseman they saw far before them upon the prairie, and they began to overbaul him readily. It was soon seen that he was riding leisurely, asif all unconscious of the coming of those be- hind him. He was heading toward a clump of timber, where he evidently expected to seek a campivg-place for the night. The sun was upon the prairie horizon, while they were yetafull mile away. Asif wishing BD ERACANE matters, they rode on still more rap- idly. But, twilight fell, and found them still a con- siderable distance from him, and they discovered, much to their surprise, that the lone horseman seemed to know of their coming, for he sudden- ly halted and faced them. ‘¢ Surround him, boys,” cried Ruth, and while she rode straight on, toward tbe man, the cowboys divided right and left and obliqued to completely encirele him, There was a quarter moon, and it gave enough light to reveal that the man stood as though at bay; and whether he had tittle faith in the speed of his horse or not, be made no effort to escape. Right down toward him rode Ruth Redmond, ee ST ae a LL LTT, LL LL eee he ee el eee ————————————————————— her revolver drawn, and crying out, as she did SO: ‘“* Hands up, Devil Dick, for I want you!” The man made no reply and, a moment after, Ruth drew rein by his side, her revolver cover- ing him, while the cowboys, who now had circled around him, came to a halt, cutting off all chance of escape, and rendering} rein and arm useless, ‘** | guess you’ve taken me for the wrong man, miss, for ’m the one you were so good to last night,” said the horseman, quietly. ‘* Yes, and if you unmask [ will find tkat you are Devil Dick Drummond in disguise,” was the sharp reply—words that let the secret out to the cowboys, of who it was she believed the man in reality to be. They knew of her sad story, but not one ever made reference to it, and now they felt that she was going to hit back at the man who had wrecked her life. ‘¢ Take off my mask, miss?” be Yes,” ‘‘ T don’t wear any mask,” the man said in a surprised way. ‘“Well, you wear a false beard and wig, to hide your evil face and true character.” ‘*No, no, miss; there’s nothing false in my beard or hair.” ‘¢ And the hump on your back, too?” ‘* 1t’s natural, miss. ‘‘ Just see if my beard is false, and my bair a wig.” Ruth could hardly believe that she was mis- taken, and said: ‘‘ See if he speaks the truth, Bible Bill.” The latter obeyed, and with no gentle band, twitched the horseman’s beard and long bair, ‘The beard sticks closer than a brother, Cap-. tain Ruth, and the wig is certainly stuck here by nature, while the hump grew right on his shoulders, and no mistake, the cowboy, Bible Bill, declared, ‘This is not Devil Dick, for I heard your words to him, and that you suspected it was that man.” ‘‘My poor friend, forgive me, for 1 have been unkind to you, where 1 meant only kind- ness until, after your departure, | was con- vinced that you were in disguise, and really was the man who had wronged me too cruelly for me to ever forgive him. ‘¢ Can I do auyht to atone for my mistake?” ‘¢ No harm done, miss, for mistakes will occur ou know, and if you suspected me, I don’t blame you for wishing to find out the truth, It was your right to do so.” ‘*May Lask if you met any one on your wav here?” ‘* Yes, miss, I met a man who stopped and had some talk with me.” ‘* Did you know him?” “Oh no, miss, for ’ma stranger in these arts. He crossed my trail and we met and had a talk,” ‘Ah? And did he tell you,who he was?” **He said he was a ranchman, and directed me to come this way, saying Id find a good camping-place on the trail for the night.” ‘¢ Well, my friend, I am sorry to have made the mistake 1 did, I sincerely hope you will find your son, and if ever you come our way again stop and see me, ‘¢ Good-night!” Sbe held out her hand, The old man grasped it warmly, and then went on his way, while Ruth and her cowboys turned back on the trail. It was after midnight when they got back to the ranch, and they discoyered that the two men sent out upon the trail that crossed that of the old man had not returned. The next morning, however, just as Ruth came out upon the piazza after breakfast, she saw them coming across the prairie, ‘‘ Well, Carl, what did you find ont?’ she asked as the men dismounted, and she called to old Nannie to have breakfast for them. ‘‘ We got back to where you left us, Captain Ruth, just at daylight, and seeing by your trail that you had returned, came right on home.” ‘‘That was right; but did you find your man?” ‘Yes, miss.” ‘¢ And you knew him?” ‘¢ Yes, miss.” Carl looked at his companion in an embarrassed way, and the other nodded, so he said: “Well, Captain Rutb, the man _ we trailed, pardon us for saying apything unpleasant, was —was Devil Dick.” ‘* What!” and the face of the woman turned as pale as death. ‘Yes, miss, it was Devil Dick.” ©