Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 948 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

— * a . a hed ee ee ae — ‘ fea () ee / ‘ “ - ' 6 LP) ¥ xX * a4n% 4 ~ af te G ges Ce Vs o7 /% me ' ' Same < 4 a ia * ; At + ae * e* ‘af € s ~* ¢ wy? a ad | Fhe’s fresh, and you're horse could never do ad “We took the wrong trail, and had to cross from the other one to this, and have pushed our horses too hard. “Juan, we must give it up, for they'd reach I] Monte before we could head them off. But you, Wild Ixid, can do something for me if you will,” said the Don. “You bet I will, for I have not forgotten the good suppers the senora gave Me when _I stopped at your ranch, Don.” “ Ail right.. Come when you will, for you are welcome. “In fact, Wild Kid, I’m anxious to have a talk with you some time, for there is money in it for both of us,” “Don’t forget me in the deal, Don. But what can I do for you now?” ‘*Go on to El Monte and tell Brimstone Bill that Buffalo Bill, the great scout of the Northwest, is the man that has Pana- ma a prisoner, and that he is not Fred Williams, as he calls himself.” “Ge! but I'd like to see Buffalo Bill!’ cried the boy, with enthusiasm. “You did see him, for he was the one you met with Panama.” “ But how was I to know it then?’ “Well, you'll see him at El Monte, and you tell Brimstone Bill that I sent you to say that Buffalo Bill stopped at My ranch last night, as did Panama, Mustang Matt and Half Breed Jose. “They had a’row of some kind to settle, and Buffalo Bill killed Mott and Jose, and took Panama a prisoner. “Of course, as I knew Buffalo Bill was a Government officer, I could do nothing, but you tell Brimstone Bill who he is, and that he is in this country for scalps, but to keep it dark, for if they don’t know who he is they won't know him as an officer of the army, and so if Fred Wil- jams gets killed it will be his own fault for not saying who he was. * Do you understand, Kid?’ “You bet I do, and I'll tell Bill.” “All right; but remember you tell no one else but Brimstone Bill that I sent you,” ‘*No one else but Bill, Don.” “Well, if you have any big news to re- port come out to-morrow or next day to the Mission Ranch and let me hear it, for you will not forget it.” “You bet I won't,’ and, wheeling his pony, Wild Kid dashed back on the trail in & Sweeping gallop. - CHAPTER XXI. THE THREAT. Wild Kid’s expression would not have pleased the Don, could he have seen it, as he rode back on the trail. The youth kept up his rapid pace as Jong as he was in sight of the Don and those with him, and then drew rein, going When he reached the hills he halted and waited. : _ _He wished to see if the Don would a walk. change his mind and go on to El Monte himself or send Juan. | ; ‘ - But he soon felt convinced that he had left the mission wholly in his hands, -» Then he mounted and rode slowly away to the right, muttering to himself: “Well, its about time I had something to eat, for yesterday's dinner Was my last wrestle with grub. “Now I’m glad I headed that gang off, _ for they’d have seen that the trail they were on led to the fort and guessed why, | and maybe they could have headed Buf- falo Bill off somewhere by hard riding, knowing the country as they do - * Now I'll go to ! - Ricoand Sable just what has happened, and Raneh Lookout and tell <ovhen T’'ve made up for lost time in eat- ee = = we — : Buffalo Bill’s Snap-Shot. ing, I'll mount Skip and make for Et} Monte to tell Brimstone Bill. * Oh, yes; I'll tell him all the Don told me, but in my own way, and I know a Bill I'll tell in the right way,” With this he urged his pony into a can- ter and kept him at it mile after mile. At last he turned from the prairie to- ward a wooded ridge, and just after noon came upon a little house nestling away under a cliff that ended abruptly at the prairie that spread out like the ocean from its base. There was a log cabin of two rooms, stoutly built, and with a stockade cor- ral -behind it. A spring flowed out of the cliff, and had been turned to run through the corral, which was a couple of acres in size. Along the front of the house was a brush shelter forming a piazza, and from there the country around could be seen from three sides for miles. On the prairie the other side of the ridge were a herd of a couple of hundred catile feeding and two dozen or more pores, Lying before the door of the cabin was a huge dog, that arose as the youth rode up, While upon the cliff, fifty feet above the little home, was a match for the savage brute below. The latter seemed to be on watch, for he kept his eyes continually roving around the country, and though the youth had come along the base of the range, the point of lookout had enabled him to see him when a long distance off. “Ho, Catehem, where are Rico and Sable?’ said Wild Kid, as he dismounted at the corral gate. But as he spoke a dark-faced, slender youth came from behind the cabin and Called out, with a slight Spanish accent to his Engtish: “Ho, Kid, I’m awful glad to see you, for we were getting anxious about you. “Watch signaled you coming half an hour ago, and Sable will soon have dinner ready.” “I’m glad, Rico, for I have had noth- ing since I cooked my own dinner in the mountains yesterday, but I won't com- plain, for I’m loaded to the muzzle with news,” and Wild Kid turned his horse loose as he spoke, while the young Mex- ican, who had a handsome face, that only his black mustache kept from being ef- feminate, said: “ And I have news for you, for Major Brasher, Doctor Delmar and half a dozen cowboys from the latter’s ranch were here after you this morning.” “What did they want with me, Rico?” quietly asked the youth. “They said that you had put up a game to pretend to kidnap Lady Beauty, so you might gain favor by a supposed rescue, and pretending to kill one of ‘the men, while the other two escaped.” “Is that the “latest lie against me, Rico?” asked the youth, while a bitter smile crossed his face. | “Yes, and they came after you, they said, to take you to El] Monte and have the Vigilantes take you in charge.” “I’m going to El Monte to-night, so _they can find me if I’m wanted, Rico.” “T told them that you were away, had gone to Hacienda del Norte day before yesterday, with some ponies to sell, and should have been back last night; but that if you had met the Senorita Brasher and reseued her from kidnappers, it was no sham rescue, as I would vouch for,” “What did they say then?” “That they wanted you to know they were aware of your trick to win favor with the senorita and her father, and they would drop the matter with a warn- jing that you would get into trouble if you ‘ ~*~ ~ ~ ey ~_s ‘ t a ~ P 4 Sm «t 3 . r ‘ » 4 e a e ie * >, > « . J ‘ ae 4 * j ?s pe - ¢ 4 _™ At ™ tae — = Pf,” IS ae ever went near Idlerest Ranch, or spoke to her again. ) It was Doctor Delmar who did all the talking and threatening.” “TI thought so; but I should have thought the dead man, El Monte Ed, would prove that it was no sham rescue, as well as Lady Beauty’s report of it.’ “Doe Delmar said no one was killed, that he and his men went to the scene and nobody was there, and that the man fell at your fire, pretending to be shot, while, of course, he said that I was in it With you, and our two ranch pards, Mer- ton Calder and Ham Goldsby.”’ “Rico, I'll tell you now that Texas is not large enough for that Doctor Duke Delmar and me tolivein. One of us must quit,” said Wild Kid, with deep feeling. CHAPTER XNITI. ABOUT EL MONTB AND ITS PEOPLE. Ere more was said between Wild Kid and the young Mexican, a negro youth ‘ame from behind .the cabin, whence an odor of broiling yenison«nd coffee had been wafted for some time. The negro was of stout build, had an in- tensely black face, teeth as white as milk and large, expressive eyes. He was of stout build, and seemed fond of dress, for he wore a Mexican jacket, buckskin leggings, stuck in top boots, and a sombrero embroidered in sil- ver, and with a stuffed rattlesnake around it as a cord. * Lor’, Mars’ Kid, I mor’n glad to see you back, for we was beginnin’ ter worry "bout yer, “ But dinner is all ready, and I guesses you is hungry, so comé right along, for I knows senor is ready and I allers is.” Wild Kid grasped the hand of the negro boy and they went to a sheltered nook behind the cabin and under the cliff, where a fire burned, and a rude table and seats were set beneath a shelter, Wild Kid needed no urging to eat, and the appetite he had brought with him was a surprise to both Rico Sanchez and Sable, But Propicions were plentiful in Look- out Ranch, and Sable was only too glad to see Wild Kid eat, helping him bounti- fully. The story of the youth’s adventures, from his returning from the Hacienda del Norte, and rescue of Marie Brasher, to. his leaving the Don and his party, whom he had turned back from the pursuit of Buffalo Bill, was all told to his Mexican und negro pards, the two listening with — the deepest interest. | “ Well, Kid, you have had a time of it, and I only wish I had been along, for I would so have liked to see Buffalo Bill, whom you have served so well, and of whom I have heard so much.” . “You'll see him before long, Rico, for he will come by here with me day afte to-morrow, when I meet him.” . “But do you really intend to go to El en to-night, Kid?’ , “a yes.” “ Better not, Mars’ Kid, for I reecom- member what d’em fellers is there—I doesn’t like *em a little tiny bit, and they don’t like you.” “That's all right, Sable, but I wish to. go particularly, to get on the trail of cer- tain things I have in mind, and which ’'l — call on all of you to help me in when I am ready to act.” “*T had Kid.” i alone, especially as I bear a m Don Trego to Brimstone Bill, and Yl start. ; pretty soon.” Ten minutes after, mo ee “s mee el ‘ ; 7 ~ ‘9 ° $ i. ey, . . a, : fs! “he .¢ “ee. ex 2, Py da Me > Be” < . na - : i. -e Ree ‘4 " os wa A oO ya “1; oa pigs a4 ut f af or - + 4 e, A Lt \ _ > Ka 4c Poh a } fe the, ‘ahh OP Fey: os 4 * ‘ ~ ~! : 4. “= > > Ld - eae liy er bg > , ~ » a — 4 @ A~ o>. . i - - eo . * i, ® eft oe La + better go to El Monte with ou, ; “No, Rico, it will be best for me to go icbooks.com