Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 948 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

14 his Mexican wife, but had been led to be- lieve that she had deserted him, all through the plotting of Miguel Munoz, and ¢hat he had learned of her death and soon after married an American lady. But Miguel Munoz still dogged him with his revenge, for the two children of the American officer by his second marriage had been kidnapped from a fort on the Rio Grande, and the sorrowing parents had never been able to find them since, nor could Munoz give any clew to them or their fate. Such was the confession of the dying Mexican, and Wild Kid promised that he would seek the American officer, then a colonel in the United States Army, and stationed in the Northwest, and place be- fore him the papers and proofs’ of the story told, and also let Henrico Sanchez know of the fortune in store for him. Calling Doctor Delmar and the others into the room, Wild Kid resumed his seat by the dying man, and there remained until the spark of life had fluttered away into boundless space. CHAPTER XXVIL. THE MEETING. If Wild Kid was impressed by the re- markable scene through which he had passed with the man he had Eilled, his face did not show it. There rested upon his countenance the same determined, reckless, half-bitter look natural to him, and he turned from the dead Mexican to have a talk with Doctor Delmar. With the latter he felt his way as clev- erly as he had with Brimstone Bill, and from what he got out of the latter, then from the dying Mexican, and last from Doctor Delmar, he felt that he had ma- terial enough to act upon, and act he would. He first expressed his determination to return to the Don, according to promise, and tell what he had done, as requested, aml bear back. the news of what the doctor and Brimstone Bill intended to do as re- garded Buffalo Bill’s coming to El Monte. A long talk was held, and then Doctor Delmar said: “Tell the Don of the death of Munoz and how the killing of El Monte Ed, Mus- tang Matt and Half Breed Jose, and the capture of Panama cut us down to him- Self, Juan, and the peons at the old mis- sion, Brimstone Bill—four men here and myself, in El Monte, and you, Wild Kid, for I do not suppose we can count on Sanchez, now he is'an heir, and there is no time for you to get Calder and Goldsby to help us. « “But Brimstone and his men will go with me to head off Buffalo Bill on his return from the fort, and we will ambush him in Black Rock Canyon. “If we miss him, why, we will come on to El Monte, and the Don and Juan, and you, must meet us here two nights hence, and we'll show that the great scout can be killed as easily as any other man. “Now, you will start back to-night, of course ?”’ “Yes, Doce Delmar, at once; and if Rico Sanchez does not get the big head when he hears of his fortune, he’ll come with me ready for business. If you don’t down Buffalo Bill on the trail at Black Rock, why. it can be done in El Monte.” “Tt must be, for that man knows enough to hang half of the men in FE! Monte,” was the emphatic reply. Half an hour after, having had a mid- night supper, and with his pony well rested, Wild Kid was dashing along di- rectly for his ranch, He arrived before dawn, his advent be- ing signaled by the barking of the two Buffalo Bill’s Snap-Shot. dogs. What he had to say was the cause of three horsemen dashing. away from Lookout Ranch in the early gray of dawn, leaving the dogs only in charge, for the three were Wild Kid, Henrico Sanchez and Sabte. There was a led horse along, a splendid animal, who carried not even a saddle, The ride Was a hard one, no halt being made, and several hours after. sunrise they: had ridden twenty-five miles and drew rein at a secluded spot on the trail from Fort Rio to El Monte. There the horses were stripped of their saddles, as soon as Wild Kid had closely examined the trail, and the party partook of a cold breakfast. Hardly had they finished when hoof- falls were heard, and soon after a horse- man appeared in sight, riding at a canter. at Was Buffalo Bill. He was ready to fight the instant he caught sight of the three youths, but, recognizing Wild Kid, he came on. ‘I’m behind time, Wild Kid, for I was delayed by a brush with redskins a few miles back; but this is not where you were to meet me?” “It’s a better place, as six men are lying in ambush for you at Black Rock Canyon, half a dozen miles ahead. . * But I’ve got lots to tell you, as soon as you know that this is my Mexican pard, Henrico Sanchez, and this is Sable, the boss of all the darkies I ever crossed the trail of. We are all here to fight it out with you, if you say the word, or to do just as you think best, for we are in it to stay.” Buffalo Bill smiled, shook hands with the young Mexican and Sable, and said: “I think it is for you to say, Wild Kid, from aH I have thus far seen of you. “Now, what is the racket? Spit it out and I’ll know what to do,” and the four sat down for a talk. CHAPTER XXVIII. THE FIGHT TO THE FINISH. Buffalo Bill listened attentively to the whole story Wild Kid had to tell, of his meeting with Don Trego and his party, and how he had played his cards; of the visit to his ranch and ride to El Monte: of the duel with Captain Miguel Munoz, the dying confession, and his talk with Brimstone Bill and Doctor Delmar, end- ing with: “ Now I told you, Chief Cody, not to trust Doctor Delmar, and I meant it, for I’ve long had an idea he was playing a double game, though I could not spot him. “The major is not bad, I think, but the Doc has a pull on him of some kind, to make him do as he says. | “ Doctor Delmar, in my opinion, is chief of the American band of Renegades of the Rio Grande, with Brimstone Bill as his right hand man, Don Trego and: his gang as allies, and four men in El Monte as members, Panama being secured. and El Monte Ed, Mustang Matt, and Half Breed Jose having passed in their chips. “The Doc, Brimstone Bill and four others are laying for you, and if they miss you, the Don and his gang are to meet them in El Monte and do you up there, so my idea is that you go home with us, send Sable here on this led horse to the fort for a troop to come to El Monte, arriving at a certain time. We will all be on hand to go in with them and bag the game.” “Right you are, Wild Kid, and [1 write a note at once for Sable to carry to Colonel Gibbons, at Fort Rio: then we'll meet the troop and just take El Monte in toxmorrow night.” The note was written, Sable saddled up the led horse, and with his own following ee for & change, Started with all speed for l‘ort Rio. After his departure the scout and his two boy backers mounted, and under the guidance of Wild Kid they started for Lookout Ranch. Leaying the hills, they were crossing the prairie, when suddenly they saw a party of horsemen dash over a rise. Both parties halted, and Wild Kid said, coolly: % It’s all up, for it’s Doctor Delmar and his gang, six of them, and they see us.” ~ They were late in getting into Black Ok Which lies four miles west of 1em,”’ “ Then it’s a fight at two to one, boys— or is it a race?” asked Buffalo Bill, with a smile, “Id rather fight than run any day,” Wild Kid remarked. “I’ve fought odds all my life, Chief,” suid Henrico Sanchez. “Well, then young pards, we'll :nake forts of our horses and fight it out, Here they come!” With a word and a touch on the legs, Buffalo Bill’s horse dropped down flat on the prairie, he having left his pack ani- mal at Fort Rio as his base of operations. tions. The ponies of the two boy rangers obeyed the command of their riders, and lay down also, and the three dropped be- hind’ the horses, resting their rifles over their Saddles, for the six men were com- ing rapidly forward now, having recog- nized Buffalo Bill, and also that, as they psy lo fight, Wild Kid had trapped n. Buffalo Bill was upon the right, Hen- rico Sanchez next to him, and Wild Kid on the left, as they waited their coming foes, two to one against them. The attacking party began to fire at long range, their rifles, however, doing no damage, but when Buffalo Bill leveled his weupon he said, quietly: “TU reduce the majority, boys.” With the crack of his rifle Brimstone Bill fell from his saddle, and as the party, finding the superior range of the scout’s weapon, turned to fly, a second shot brought down Doctor Delmar’s horse, the death-stricken animal rearing and falling backward upon his rider. “ Up, boy rangers, and at them! our time Bill, as he rise, ~ Even as he uttered the words there came a shout in their rear, and there the three beheld Sable, guiding a troop of Cavalry. Instantly the troop deployed into a long line, and the four outlaws found them. selves hemmed in; but, trying to break through, were at ouce shot down. “Colonel Gibbons was anxious about you, Cody, so sent me with my troop to follow you to El Monte, and meeting your black courier, as your letter was open Ui read it, 80 he led us right back on your trail,” explained Captain, Plummer, as hel £3, pone Bill. “ You were in time to catch the . outfit here, sir, for I killed one, ant sak tor Delmar is badly hurt by his horse fall- ing upon him, I see; but these, my Boy Rangers, will guide you to Don Trego’s Mission Raneh, where four more of the outlaws await capture,” said Buffalo Bill Doctor Duke Delmar was found to be mortally hurt, but he would utter no word other than curses upon Wild Kid, who ap- peared not to heed them in the least. An hour after he had been crushed byt the fall of his horse he died, and with the It is to strike now!” cried Buffalo saw that the doctor did not other dead man was taken on to El Monte, while Captain Plummer, led by Wild Kid and Henrico Sanchez, and accompanied, + : ea , EA ‘ ; ° . ‘. 7 “ Tr f eda 4 . +ar 5 ~7 - , 6.4 ° ‘ ds fae : be eae, a 4A. a Bs fs ty ? a fh, de Saag Ate | « Kad % ve . - — - > e