Beadle's Dime Library, No. 149 — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

a = = = —— he a —~—— —_< = == —= “i ‘ Ss a = — == = = ee oe 4 “ —— _ a 7 en gc oe ea ee < -~ _ —e -_~ a - . z > = . 7 =e 7 - - = * * a6 = : - - ‘ - ~ - we 12 The Border Rifles. a eee ** Yes,"’ she replied, ‘‘ here he is.” ithe man Ri a entered. He was of about forty years of age, with an intelligent and bold face; ne had on shoulders a magnificent deer, fastened much in the wey Swiss hunters carry a chamois, and in his right hand he held a gun. He gave alook of annoyance on a ade the young man; still, he bowed slightly him as he placed the venison on the table. “Oh, oh,” the Jaguar said, in a good-humored tone, *‘ you have had a good hunt it seems, Lanzi; are the deer pientiful on the plain?” “T have known the time when they were more nu- merous,” he replied, gruffly; “‘but now,” he added, shaking his head sorrowfully, ‘‘it is a hard matter for a poor man to kill one or two in a day.”’ The young man smiled. “They wil return,” he said. “No, no,” Lanzi replied, ““when the deer have been once startled, they do not return to the parts they have left, however much it might be to their benefit to do so.”’ “You must put up with it then, master, and take things as they are.’ ** Well, what else do 1?” he growled, as he angrily turned his back on the speaker. And, after this sally, he reloaded the game on his shoulders, and entered the other room. “Lanzi is not amiable to-day,” the J ob- served, when he found himself alone with Carmela, ‘He is annoyed at meeting you here.” The yo man frowned, “ Why so?f"’ he asked. Carmela blushed and looked dewn without answer- : Jaguar looked at her searchingly for a mo- ment, “IT understand,” he said at last; ‘‘ my presence in the hostelry displeases somebody—him, perhaps.” “Why should it displease him? he is not the mas- ter, I sup : si ae is true; then it displeases your father—is a ” ae gtr aep gave a nod es paren. lilacs e uar sprung u olently, and w u and ym. the socuh, with his bead down and. his arms behind his back; after a few minutes of this pong ones eniet Carmela ar satel with an Rigs 9 eye, stop suddenly ore her, raised ead and looked us her fixedly. ‘ “And _ my presence here, Carmela, displease you, ” girl remained silent. “ Reply," he went on, *“*I did not say so,"’ she murmured, with hesitation. “No,” he sai a bitter smile, ** but you think 80, Carmela, though you have not the courage to confess it to my face.” She drew herself up proyey. “ You are unjust to me,"’ she rep with vish exoitement, “ unjust and unkind. y should I—/, desire your absence? You never did me any harm; on the contrary, I have ever found you sendy to de- fend me; this 7 oy you did not hesitate to pro- tect me from the ill-treatment of the wretches who insulted me.” “Ah! You allow it’” “Why should I not allow it, since it is true? Do you consider me ungrateful, then?"’ “No, Carmela, you are only a woman,” he replied, tterly. wee | do not understand your meaning, amd do not wish to do so; I alone here defend you, when m father, or Quoniam, or any one else accuses you. it my fault if, org to your oeharacter, and the mys- ous life you , you are ocen beyond the pale o existence? Am I responsible for the si- lence you on maintaining on all that concerns ou rade yg noe You know my father; you know ow ’ and worthy is; many times he has tried, ay circuitous ways, to lead you to an hon- orable explanation—but you have always repulsed his advances. You must, therefore, only blame urself for the pores isolation in which you are eft, and the solitude formed around you; and do do the pabecul fas dared to sapport Fou agaiuet tll e su ou a “Tt is trae"! he answered, bitter! y man. I acknowledg tt “gre re) @ my wro w 0 r- mela, for you say truly; 4 all this world, ing alune have constantly com onate for the reprobate—for the man whom the general hatred pursues.’ “Hatred as foolish as it is unjust.” “And which you do not share in—is it not so?” he exclaimed, sharply. “No, 1 do not share In it; still, I suffer from your obstinacy; for, in spite of all that is said of you, I believe you to be honorable." k you, Carmela; I wish I had it in my power to prove mmediately that you are right, and ve a denial to t who insult me like cowards d my, back, and tremble when I stand before them. nfortunately, that is impossible for the resent; but the day will come, I hope, when it will rmitted me to make myself known as what I aay am, and throw off the mask that stifles me; en—"’ “Then?” she re , seeing that he hesitated. ain he hesitated. “Then,’’ he said, in a choking voice, ‘I shall have @ question to ask you, and a request to — maiden blushed, but recover herself di- rectly. «You will find me ready to answer both,” she murmured, in a low and inarticulate voice. “ Do you mean it?” he asked, joyfully. “I swear it to you." A flash of happimess lit up the young man’s face like Ye sunbeam. * “My _— Carmela,’ he said, in a deep voice “when the moment arrives, I shall remind you of ycur promise." She bowed ber head in dumb assent. TbLere was a moment of silence. The maiden at- tenged to her household duties with that bird-like aes and pl to women; the aguar walked up and down the room with a pre- occupied air; after a few moments he went to the door and looked out. Sh aun ey tinted glance, e€ gave a scru “ ” she said ng _ “Yes; then be kind enough to order Lanzi to pre- ‘ pare San would feel disinclin do it. I fancy I can see I am no longer in his 3.” ‘*T will go," she answered him with a smile. = young man watched her depart with a stifled si % What is this I feel?’’ he muttered, as he yn Leg’ powerfully against his heart, as if en call love? I am mad!’ he went on, directly after; ‘*how can I, the Jaguar, love? Can a reprobate be . dy oy if I told him so myself be good ressed e sud- | beloved?"’ A bitter smile contracted his lips; he frowned and | muttered, in a hollow voice— ‘morning, you will grant “Every man has his task in this world, and I shall know how to accomplish mine.”’ Carmela came in again. “Santiago will be ready in a moment. Here are your vaquera boots, which Lanzi begged me to give rou. ” “Thank you,”’ he said. And he began fastening on his legs those two pieces of stamped leather which in Mexico play the part of gaiters, and serve to protect the rider from the horse. While the young man fastened on his boots, with one foot on the bench, and his body bent forward, Carmela examined him attentively, with an expres- sion of timid hesitation. The Ja noticed it. “What do you want?’’ he asked her. “ Nothing,” she said, stammering. “You are deceiving me, Carmela. Come—time presses—tell me the truth,” ‘““Well,”’ she replied, with a hesitation more and more marked, ‘‘ I have a prayer to make to you.”’ “ yee quickly, Nina, for you know that, what- ever it may be, I grant it to you beforehand.”’ “You swear it?’ “é ] do.”’ “Well, whatever may happen, I desire that if you meet the captain of oons who was here this “5 yous er e young man sprung up, as ung by a viper. “Ah, then,”’ he shrieked, ‘“‘ what I was told was tru en?’’ **IT do not know what you are alluding to, but I re- t my est. a do not know the man, since I did not arrive until after his departure.”’ “Yes, you know him,"’ she continued, boldly. “Why seek a subterfuge, if you wish to break the romise you made me? It would be better to be r o ‘It is well,” he replied, in a gloomy voice and a tone of biting irony; “ reassure yourself, Carmela, I will defend your lover.” And he rushed madly from the venta. *Ohb!"’ the maiden exclaimed, as she fell on a aeeautie’ bie wre ge A ag pot ae Q — oy: is ro n aguar! he a ‘s heart in his bosom.”’ She buried her face in her hands, and broke out Into sobs. At the same moment the rapid gallop of a retreat- ing horse was heard. CHAPTER XI. CARMELA, Brerors we continue our sto for us to give our readers n important and necessary details about facts that have to come, Among the eS a of the vast territory of New , there is one, the most eastern of all, whose real value pred. pal Avo me of the Viceroys con- stantly igno This ignorance was kept up by the Mexican ublic, which, at the period of the pro- clamation of independence, did not think it worthy of being formed into a me rersee State, and, without dreaming of what might happen at a later date, neghaen y allowed it to be co by the North Americans, who even at that od seemed infected by that fever of encroachment and aggrandizement which has now mea es of eudemic mania among these worthy citizens—we refer to Texas, This magnificent country is one of the most fortu- nately situated in Mexico; territorially regarded, it is immense, no country is better watered, for con- siderable rivers pour into the sea, their waters swol- len by countless streams which fertilize this country as they traverse it in every direction; and these cur- rents and rivers being deeply imbedded, never form , it ts indispensable those wide ex of water by their overflow peices 4 in other countries are transformed into fetid marshes. The climate of Texas is healthy, and exempt from those frightful diseases which havo given such a oe celebrity to certain countries of the New ork. The natural borders of Texasare the Sabina on the East, Red river on the north, to the west a chain of lofty moun which enters vast prairies, and the Rio Bravo del Norte, and lastly, from the mouth 4 pe latter river to that of the Sabina, the Gulf of We have said that the Spaniards were almost ig- norant of the real value of Texas, although they had been nt gst ren with it for a very lo ime, for it is almost certain that in 1536, Cabeca de Vaca trav- ersed it whem he proceeded from Florida to the northern es of Mexico. one the anc A the -f eh rn ny a pg in ne coun ongs ineontestably to france. In fact, the unfortunate and celebrated Robert de la Salle, ordered by the Marquis de Siegnelay to dis- cover the mouth of the ee! in 1054, made a mistake, and entered the Rio de Colorado, which he descended with countless difficulties, till he reached the San Bernardo lagoon, where he built a fort be- tween Velasco and Matagorda, and took salon of the country. We will enter into no er details about this bold oxmere, who twice attempted to reach the unknown lands to the east of Mexico, and was traitorously essassinated in 1687, by villains who belonged to his band. A later reminiscence attaches France to Texas for it was there that General Lallemand attemp in 1817 to found, under the name of Champ d’ Asyle of French refugees, the unhappy relics o cible coke i of the first empire. This col- ony, situated about ten bp = na from Galveston, was utterly destroyed by the orders of the Viceroy Apo- daca, by virtue of the despotic system, constan a colon the inv . | | felt a sudden n; “can it be what people | ——EEE eeeEeEeEeE———E——EeE followed by the Spaniards of the New World, of not allowi Gvangete. under any pretext, to establish themselves on any point of their territory. We shall be forgiven these prosy det readers reflect that this country, scarce twenty years free, with a superficies of one hundred thousand acres and more, and inhabited by two hundred thou- sand persons at the most, has, however, entered on an era of prosperity and progress, which must inev- itably arouse the attention of European Govern- ments, and the sympathies of intelligent men of all nations. At the ae when the events occurred which we have undertaken to narrate, that isto sayin the later half of 1829, Texas still belonged to Mexico, but its glorious revolution had begun, it was - gling valiantly to escape from the ee ee of the central government, and proclaim its pendence. Before, however, we continue our story, we must explain how it was that Tranquil, the Canadian hunter, and Quoniam, the negro, who was indebted to him for liberty, whom we left on the Upper Mis- souri leading the free life of wood-rangers, found themselves established, as it were, in Texas, and how the hunter had a daughter, or, at any rate, called his daughter, the lovely fair-haired girl we have presented to the reader under the name of Car- mela. About twelve yéars before the day we visit the Venta del Potrero, Tranquil arrived at the same hos- telry, accompanied by two comrades, and a child of five to six years of age, with blue eyes, ruddy lips, and golden hair, who was no other than Carmela; as for his comrades, one was Quoniam, the other ar ae half-breed, who answered to the name of Dn The sun was just about setting when the little party halted in front of the venta. ? The host, but little accustomed to this desolate country, close to the Indian border, to see travel- ers, and especially at so late an hour, had already closed and his house, and was getting ready for bed, when the unexpected arrival of our — forced him to alter his arrangements for the night. t was, however, only with marked repens and on the repeated assurances the trave made him that he had naught to fear from them, that he at length decided to open his door and admit them to his house, Once that he had resolved to receive them, the host was as he should be to his guests, thatis to say, lite and attentive, as far as that can enter in e character of a Mexican land! a race, be it noted in a parenthesis, the least hos in exist- ence. He wae a short, stout man, with cat-like manners @ certain when our oke de- and crafty looks, already of age, quick ont aster —— When the earns nen pages their horses in the corral, before a good of alfalfa, and - selves supped with the appetite of men pal ma them aad the hos, thanks to the fow tran of Gate em and the hos e fow re) lonian refino, liberally offered b the Oona and y the conversation went on u a footing of the cordiality, while the little girl, truest carefully u in the hunter's warm zarape, oT ot I y as calm and simple carelessness age when the present is all all, and the fu does not exist. “Well, gossip, Tranquil said ire he poured out a glaas of refino for the host, lead EY sa life of it here,"’ “Hang it, yes; you go to bed with the bees, and I feel certain you are oe hurry to get up in the morning.”’ “ What else can I do in this accursed I have buried myself for my sins?" . ore earenera se pare S at ‘Yes and no; epends on meaning the word.” pee Grre “Confound it! there are not two meanings, I cy you must desert, where should fancy." “Yes, two very distinct meanings.” ** Nonsense! Il am curious to know them.” “That is easy omg ap there is no lack of vaga- bonds of every color in the ery | Vee if I liked they would fill my house the whole day; but they would not show me the color of their money.” “Ab, very good; but these estimable caballeros do not constitute the whole of your customers, I resume?” ‘No; there are also the Indios Bravos, Comanches, Apaches and Pawnees, and Heaven alone knows who else, who prowl about the neighborhood from ars he Ith kward neighbo ‘* Hum ose are aw nD rs, and if have only such customers, I am beginning to Z ‘of your opinion; still, you must now and then receive ge 3 ewes ver " 1s, from time me, st ging travelers like , of course; but the roll care ar from cov e expenses. Rite: i ‘* That is true; here's your health.” “In case, though, allow me a remark which indiswreal a a appear to you on ; Speak, ballero, we are lends, 60 have no chance of offense.”’ re. a You are right. If you are so uncomfortable here, why the deuce do you remain?” 3 won’ where would you have me go?” ‘Weill, I do not know, but you would be better off anywhere than here."’ “Ah! if it only depended on me,” he said with a Have you anybody with you here?” “Well, w prevents you go en?” “Kh, earamba, the money! all J .2 tin bu ae that was not much, was this house aad installing myself, and I could not have manag it had it not n for the peons.”’ ed “Is there a hb here?’"’ ‘Yes, the Larch-tree hacienda, about four leagu off, so that, you understand, if I go, I must give —— my * Ah, ah,” Tranquil said thoughtfully; “ goon. Why not sell it?” a yi "very good, pe Wis chip the buyers? Do you fanev it so easy apout FP om, 5 A =) em ae. ee *