Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 948 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

a he? ay “ be é = - .« cn ' rt. ‘ e a7 - ee oe home there. I suspect that they are some of the band of the Rio Grande Roughs.” The speaker was a youth of about eighteen, with a fine physique and a face that was a study, so much was there in it of deviltry, indomitable pluck and reck- lessness. It was a eGlear-cut, handsome face, scorched brown by southern sun, but il lumined by eyes that were large, lustrous and full of expression. : Looking alone at the eyes, one would say that the youth possessed a noble nature, but in the reckless expression of the mouth, with its cynical smile, young as he was, something that contradicted the look, almost pathetic, which haunted the upper part of his face. His dress was an odd mixture, but pic- turesque, for he wore fringed buckskin leggings stuck in the tops of high-heeled boots, on which were ringing spurs; a red silk shirt, black scarf knotted sailor fash- jon under the broad collar, and a velvet Mexican jacket, profusely ornamented with or tBany while his hat was an el- broidered sombrero. His hair was dark, worn long, but scru- pulously well cared for, and he was armed with an ugly-looking knife and pair of revolvers. Apparently having just awakened from an afternoon siesta, he had risen from a handsome serape spread upon the ground beneath the shade of the live oak tree, when his eyes had fallen upon three horsemen halting a mile away, just where a trail across the prairie entered the hills. Upon a lofty range himself, he looked down upon the three riders, and having decided by their suspicious actions that they were intending mischief, he gathered up his serape and was turning away, when his vision rested upon a horse and rider coming across the prairie at a canter, and following the trail which led to where the trio the youth was watching were now in ambush. At sight of the lone rider coming across the prairie, the youth started, uttered a surprised exclamation, and bounded back over the ridge. A short distance down the slope was a spring and a plot of meadow land, where the grass grew luxuriantly, and here a pony was staked out. Of the hardy and fleet race of Texas ponies, this one possessed extraordinarily good points, for he was as clean-limb d as a thoroughbred racer, and had indica- tions of being very fleet and enduring. Lying near were a handsome silver- mounted saddle and bridle, much lighter than was the customary equipments of — that kind, and a long lariat hung to the saddle horn. Quickly the pony was bridled and sad- dled, the serape rolled up tightly and strapped to the cantle, and the zeus was ready to mount. But before doing so“he took his lariat from the horn, saw that the coils were not entangled, and then looked carefully to his weapons. Pe Mounting, he showed that his carriage in | the saddle was peters he was at As he turned his pony does the slope ina direction that would bring him around ae One range toward where he had seen the wae horsemen dismount and gy into sh, where the trail entered the hills, muttered: — "Now, Lucifer, you have got to make o miles to another's one, for I am : cate Fae Me over yonder, and you must get me "4 while a look of intense reckless- ie passed over his young face, he eol- 1 count odds now, then I am not Buftalo Bill’s ee -_- Snap- -Shot. the daring devil men ¢all me; but I am Wild Kid, the Terror, and must keep up his reputation.” With this, having reached the valley, he put spurs to Lueifer and» went flying along the trail at a tremendous speed, CHAPTER IL. CAUGHT IN THE COILS. There was no more beautiful girl in the ranchlands of Texas than was Marie Brasher, daughter of one of the richest cattlemen along the Rio Grande. Where other ranchers had cattle and horses by the hundreds, Major Donald Brasher owned them by the thousands, Where the homes of other ranchers were comfortable, the major’s was luxurious, at least, for that far, wild land of the frontier. Where the daughters of other ranchers were pretty, Marie Brasher was beautiful and accomplished, and easily won the title of “Belle Marie,” and of “Lady Beauty, of Idlerest Ranch.’ To one who saw “Belle Marie’ as she was cantering along over the prairie, mounted upon a beauitful black mare, that arched her neck proudly, as though conscious that she bore the loveliest girl among the ranches, she would indeed have been considered beautiful both in face, form and carriage. She wore a becoming riding-habit of blue, trimmed with silver lace and buttons, a light, embroidered sombrero with a long black plume, while her saddle and bridle were worth a small fortune. A lariat hung at one saddle-horn, and in a holster upon the other side was a Ye- volver. Her face was cast ina seatiict mold, her eyes being large and expressive. Her hair hung ‘in two heavy braids down upon the saddle housing, and was tied with a blue ribbon. On went her pretty mare in a swinging lope. The expression of the young eques- trienne’s face was earnest and anxieus, 28 though she was bent upon some special mission. “Futher would be angry, I know, if he ascertained that I went to Wild Kid's cabin to see him; but would I be doing right to resist his urgent call to come to him, now that he is wounded and per- haps may die? “No; I'll take the consequences, for I have not forgotten that he risked his life to save mine the day the Indians shot ny pony and raided the trails. “Tl try and get back before stentfall but if I do not I will frankly tell father where I have been.” She had now reached a part of the trail where it wound from the prairie into the hill country, and drew her horse down to a walk, Ahead a few hundred yards was a cut through which the trail ran, the ridge on either side covered with small trees. *T am not suspicious, but I do dread passing through Death Pass, especially alone, for sO many times haye men Jost their lives there. I can see half a dozen graves yonder now,” and she glanced to the left, where was a little vale. In full view were a number of those little mounds, never to be Mmisjaken, and about which a weird interest ever hovers, even to the most callous observer. As she rode into the cut, the banks of which were now fifteen feet in height, there suddenly shot out into the air three small, dark clouds. They were coils of lassoes, which, aimed true, and spreading out as they ew for- “ward, settled down upon their vi 8, for wT the horse was caught. mt Pee: the maiden in the third noose. — . . ; With a snort of fright the animal had™ plunged forward, to be brought up with a grip that could not be shaken off, while the coil settling over the shoulders of Marie Brasher, had pinioned her arms close to her side. A startled, indignant cry broke from the girl’s lips, and her face paled as she glanced upon the banks to see who had thus captured her. Three forms instantly sprang into view, and two of them, slipping down into the cut, seized her horse and quickly slipped the fair rider’s revoiver from its holster to thus disarm her. “How dare you seize me?” cried the in- dignant girl, as she glanced from one to the other of her captors, seeming to realize as she did so that she was in merciless hands. * Gold is the reason, for we were paid to catch you, Lady Beauty, and we’ve earned our pay,’ answered one of the men, whose face Marie could not see, for all three wore red handkerchiefs tied over their heads, : with holes cut through for the eyes. “You are some of the lawless gang about FE] Monte, I know, but who is the master you serve?” “That owe master, as you ¢eall the one who pays us, will or will not make known to you as he pleases; but now, you go with us, Lady Beauty, and it will be a long, hard trail.I take.” The words were prophetic, for, as he ceased speaking, a bullet crashed through his brain and he started upon the long, hard trail of death! TS CHAPTER IIT. WILD KID CHIPS IN. “Hold ’em under sight, pards! We've got ’em corralled! Tl drop down!” These words followed the shot from the banks on the right, and down into the cut came a human form, catching upon his feet as nimbly as a eat, and with a re- volver in each hand, At the first shot and the fall of their leader, the two others, hearing the words which indicated that others were above, had dashed through the cut with the speed of deer, firing, but at random, as they ran. The one who had dropped into the cut was the youth who had been taking an afternoon siesta on the mountain, an hour before, and from his point of lookout had seen the three men go into ambush. His handsome face was lighted up with an angry flash in his eyes, and his reck- less mouth indicated that he was there t® ra all chances with the odds per him Released from the grasp of the men upon her bridle rein, the spirited and frightened horse of the young gitl darted forward with’ a bound, but the severe Texas bit was drawn upon hard, and the animal, thus reined to a halt, wheeled about, and, on a run, where the youth stood. “I guess she’s frightened of me, too, though she oughtn’t to be,” muttered Wild Kid, as he saw the horse bound away with its fair rider, and a bitter smile passed over his face. But, with a smile, he turned to the fal- len desperado, . and, bending over him, snatched the handkerchief from his. face that had sore 88 a vig meee As he did so he saw that Marie Brasher. was coming back, and turned to meet her, his face lighting up with pleasure as he. courteously raised his sombrero. — “ Bud Poisal, I believe you thought. E had deserted you, but it was my mare’s fault, for she nearly ran off with me, she was so frightened.” “And you were not frightened, Lady passed the spot * e* . a ~ 1 4 - oe 4 7 2 = * pe eo a f j