Beadle's Dime Library No. 147 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

“Why, Clarice, what ails you?’ he asked in- diffe : “Tam not well: I do not feel exactly my- self,” she faltered. ‘‘Tt were better for you if you were not your- self; but never mind, cheer up, and and tell Colonel Eldred that you recognize in The Gentile- man from Texas none other than the famous Prairie Serpent.” She made no reply, but motioned him back with her hand, and almost gered toward the door, out of which she quickly disappeared. The sentinel came forward and saluted, as he would to a superior officer; but bowing her head she walked quickly away, to start sud- denly as she heard: ‘My dear Mrs. Conrad, I was just going in search of you, being alarmed by your long sta it was Colonel Eldred, and, by the greatest effort of her will, she subdued her emotion, brought the color back to her face, and said in her sweet way: “You were kind, colonel, to think of me.” ‘‘There are so many things said against the prisoner, that I really felt a dread of evil to ou. ‘‘ You wrong him, asI have done: he is not the Prairie Serpent, nor is he the White Jackal.” ‘Indeed! how know you this?” ‘‘T have met him before, and find he is a friend of my late husband.” “Thank God for this, for I really like the man; you have saved him, my dear Mrs. Con- rad, and I will at once go and release him from durance vile.” She started, and said quickly: ‘* May I accompany you, colonel?” Certainly, and he shall know to whom he owes his life. Come,” and the colonel led the way back to the guard-house. CHAPTER XII. THE HERCULES MEETS HIS MATCH. Tue Gentleman from Texas gave a glance as he saw who it was that entere prison, and he seemed about to widow hastily said: ‘‘T have brought the colonel to see you, Sir Gold Spur.” ‘‘T am happy to see Cobonel Eldred,” was the calm ay ‘Gold Spur, our charming little friend here, Mrs. Conrad, has led me = regarding you, and I regret exceedingly that you have been cast under suspicion; but you know out here, we have to be careful with whom we deal, and our daring release of Sergeant Sylvester, cer- fain! brought upon you censure.” “Tam content, Colonel Eldred, as it is: Syl- vester was innocent of wrong doing, 1 am as- sured, and I aided him, and am willing to abide the consequences,” was the calm reply. ‘‘ Well, we will drop the matter, and I now release hes from imprisonment, as Mrs. Con- rad has taken from my mind all doubt of you.” “Mrs. Conrad is very kind,” was the reply, and the woman ized a sneer in the worde, and her face flushed; but she said in her win- ning way: ‘Recognizing you as one [had known in the past, sir, it would have been cruel in me to allow you to remain under suspicion of the grave charges against you, when a word from me would banish such suspicion.” _ ‘‘Mrs, Conrad’s tender heart is too well known for one to doubt her doing otherwise,” was the response, and again the woman recog- nized the sarcasm of the words, but remained silent. ““Come, Gold ee by the way, madam, you did not tall me t ay tte name of our friend?” and the colonel turned to the widow who me yor the warning look of the Texan, an answ with consummate ease of manner: ‘‘Gold Spur the Ranchero,” is about all I re- member hearing him called, colonel, excepting also by the name of Scout.” ‘* Ah, yes,a Scout too? Well, that accounts for his misty cognomen, as these bordermen seem to prefer a certain queer style of name to their own. Well, Mr. ld Spur, I will give the quartermaster orders to furnish you with an undress army suit, as the sergeant io worn our very handsume Mexican dress off with im. ‘“Thauk you, Colonel Eldred, I have another suit in my quarters, for I travel with rather heavy baggage for a horseman ; I am then, sir, to consider myself free?” ‘“You are; but I warn you not to tam any more with my prisoners, or even the widow may not be able to save you; but honestly, Gold Spur, lam not sorry that Sylvester escaped, for he is a man I prcetly some and respected, and his whole course, since he has been under my command, proved him to have seen better days in the t, and I cannot believe that he had dese while his execution would have brought a fearful sorrow and blight upon his 1 daughter.” "a w ou, Colonel Eldred, and I feel that t Sylvester will one day prove his innocence of intentional desertion,” and with a uick his , when the 13 oe vee = 7 “-. e ; Bail Gold Spur, the Gentleman from Texas. _ bow the Texan left the cabin, to be instantly halted _ the sentinel —— i Se ; pass, es e gentleman is no longer a prisoner,” ordered the colonel, and the susnicieed soldier obeyed, though, as the Texan walked away, and the commandant and the widow slowly followed, he muttered: ‘‘That’s the work o’ them handsome eyes, I’ll bet my month’s pay on it: well, women 1s queer critters, and the more prettier they be, the more queerer they are.” With this philosophical remark the trooper still kept up his monotonous walk on duty, though his prison was empty. But suddenly he heard an outcry, and turned quickly to see one man spring toward another and seize him. It was Lieutenant Hiram Hale, The Hercules, and The Gentleman from Texas who had met, and the sentinel distinctly heard the cry of sur- prise from the lips of the former, and what then followed. ‘Ha! my jail-bird, you have friends here to release you, but I’ll return you to your pen,” shouted the lieutenant. ‘“‘ 1 was freed, sir, by Colonel Eldr calm reply. ‘*'You lie!” shouted The Hercules, and with drawn sword he sprung upon The Gentleman from Texas, who was wholly unarmed. Then a hundred eyes, and among them the colonel’s and widow’s saw the result, for Gold Spur met the attack more than half-way; the sword he held was seized and torn from his grasp, and then came a sharp snap as it was roken in twain and the pieces cast aside, and ,;” was the the gripe of the Texan upon the throat of his assailant bent him back with a strength that was irresistible and hurled him, giant as he w to the owes with a force that would have killed a less powerful man. Instantly Gold Spur walked away, continu- ing on to the quarters that bad been assigned him upon his coming to the garrison, while Colonel Eldred and many others hastened to the severely punished lieutenant, who was slow- ly rising to his feet, his face livid with fury. Seeing his commander he said quickly: ‘* Did you set that devil free, sir?’ “] released The Gentleman from Texas, Lieu- tenant Hale, and he has justly posrnes you for your insulting words whic was the stern response. ‘‘' You have set a man free, Colonel Eldred, who I can prove is the White Jackal.” ‘Bring me proof that he is such, Lieutenant overheard,” Hale, and I will have him hanged within an hour after.” ‘* |] have the proof, sir.” “Show it me and I will keep my word; but if you cannot, 1 warn you to beware of The Gentle- man from Texas, as with all your strength, you seem but a child in his arms,” and Colonel Eldred walked away, leaving the Hercules to goon to his quarters after the prone he had said he possessed, that Gold Spur was the White Renegade of the plains in disguise. CHAPTER XIIL BUCKSKIN MOSE STRIKES A STRANGE TRAIL, WHEN Colonel Eldred rejoined the pretty widow, who had been a deeply in looker-on of the scene described between ‘The Gentleman from Texas and The Hercules, he found her pale and nervous, and said pleasantly : ‘Do not be frightened, for there was no harm done, other than to have The Hercules know that he has met his match, and I hope it will prove a wholesome lesson.” ‘‘The matter will not end here, Colonel EI- dred, for Herbert is not a man to take the lie tamely.” The colonel turned quickly toward Clarice and said suspiciously: ‘‘Herbert? You do then know his name?’ She was equal to the occasion, for she answered with the utmost sang-froid; ‘* Why, is his name not Herbert?” “*T am sure I do not know, my dear Mrs. Conrad.” ‘* An officer under your command, and Sg do not know his name? For shame, colonel!” ‘“‘ Ah! you were speaking of one person, and I another; I refer to the Texan and not The Hercules.” ‘“* Hercules ! ah, that is the name of the lieu- tenant, and he deserves it from his magnificent size; don’t you think he will follow up the affair for having been given the lie?’ and Clar- ice looked as innocent as a child. ‘‘Tt was The Hercules who gave the Texan the lie; but I don’t wonder you are confused for itis no sight for your pretty eyes to gaze upon; but here we are at your brother’s quar- ters, and I must leave you, for I see Buckskin Mose awaiting me,” and with his suspicions, momentarily tetg ore wholly allayed ty the widow’s manner words, Colonel Eldred hastened on to head- where the —— was awaiting him, and, at the same time ing the recruit g a of recent date, some marvelous stories of red-skin butchery and tor- ture of soldiers whom ‘* Well, Mose, as soldiers with your gpl le yea ketedly ep — mae said the colonel, pleasantly, as ea ‘““T was jest tellin’ him, sir, about the red- skins, so thet he’d be ust to the’r ways when they capters him,” replied Buckskin in- nocently, as he followed the commander into his —. uarters. ‘Well, Mose, you are too good a scout to quarrel with, if you do frighten my i half out of their wits; but what news have ou?’ ‘* T hev jist come in off o’ a trail.” “So I know.” ‘I don’t like what I seen.” The colonel saw that Buckskin Mose had something to tell of more than ordinary impor- tance, but knew that the best way to get at it was to let him speak in his own way, 80 re- plied: , ‘‘What you don’t like, Mose, must be some- arn) - disagreeable, indeed.” | ‘‘T are a lovin’ kind 0’ a human, thet are a fack, kernul, an’ has ther disposish 0’ a Su school teacher; but thar be things as 1 don like, an’ sich I hes seen ter-day.” ‘How far did you go on the trail, Mose?” ‘“‘Down on the Republican.” ‘* And there you saw it?’ ‘‘ Yas, kernul, I did; an’ what does yer s’pose it were?” ‘**T cannot tell.” “ A man.” * Red, white, or black?” “ His heart are black, his face are white, an’ I’m no jedge ef his hand hain’t red.” “Tt must have been the renegade chief, wa Ne ang ait fer they do h heur “ Nary, kernul, ter the say he are an’ thet Ther Gent from Texas aré he,” ‘*T have proof to the con on ‘*‘T hope so, but things looks bad.” ‘* What do you mean, Mose?’ asked the colo- nel, impatiently. ‘““T means thet I seen Sergeant Maurice Syl- vester at the head of ther band o’ red-skins thet foller ther White Jackal,” Colonel Horace Eldred sprung to his fee white with anger, and cried: ‘ the truth?’ “T hopes yer doesn’t doubt it, kernul, fer ef yer did, I’d hitch with yeref yer was ther Pres- would have doubted that he would be as as his word, for under his buckskin hu - was all honesty and nobleness. ‘* No, Mose, I would not doubt you; only col aap ou hopes I is, kernul, but I isn’t, fer I hes gint Maurice Sylvester ridin’ at ther head o’ er Dog Soldier Sioux band.” “On ther Republican.” ‘* But where? want ter pull it up arter me when I seen’em coming.” “ Within a lariat’s length. ‘* And the sergeant was at their head?” “Dressed how?” ** In his uniform.” as he said. hastily: ‘“‘T wasin hopes it was a mistake, Mose; woe wit ** Buckskin Mose, do you ident,” and none who knew the fearless scout shirt and rough exterior, he had a heart fear you may be mistaken,” said eyes as don’t go back on me, an’ they seen Ser- ‘Where were you, Mose?” “Up a tree, kernul, and durned ef I didn't ** And they passed near to your” ** He were.” Ab t smile crossed the face of the colonel, the sergeant, you know, changed dresses The Gentleman from Texas.” ‘*T knows that, but he had more clothes.” — “ But did he take them?” | Pe thinkin’ he did, fer he went off well The colonel made no reply, but rung a bell, nit Gaias tae ake qeactaan obedience ~ e rs 0 t § . clothing he period with ter, and see w a The rderly saluted and e order departed, and the oamexnaet band slowly to and fro, his brow clouded, while Buckskin Mose gazed in wonder at the little articles of bric-a-brac about the room, wondering what possible use they could be put to. Présmtly the orderly returned, and made his report: M Sorgenet Sylvester took with him, sir, his horse, saddle, bridle, a pair of saddle-bags, his arms, and all of bis extra clothing.” ‘““ Well, Mose, it looks as if the one you saw might be the sergeant, for he had several uni- forms, as he was a very dressy man; but I hope ng is some mistake, for I have always liked im. “T saw more, sir, for I knows ther track 0’ his horse,and when they struck the river, he rode him to the bank and watered him, while the Injuns went further down the stream.” “ And you examined the hoof-track?” “I did fer a fact,” | jc een ee een Ae ser gueain Rae “ Fer Gospil truth it were, an’ then I know’d they captured. — thar were no mistake. ) usual, dantorétning my ‘‘ How many Indians had he with him?’ JOO /— com G SC : * - 7 he ~ a Pah = ° . x ’ ~ 4 . a ak ba - mei: s » & a. i > nf iy “ae a 2% om =