Beadle's New York Dime Library, Vol. II, No. 15 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

“‘Tt is worth six thousand piastres,’’ Cu- charés said, examining it like a connoisseur. Don Martial handed it to him. “*T give it you,’’ he said, “What am I to do for it ?”” ‘* First hand me the letter,” ‘* Here it is.”’ Don Martial took it, and tore it into frag- ments. ** Next?’ Cucharés continued. * Next, I have another diamond like that one at your service on one condition—” ‘*T know it,’’ the other interrupted, with a significant sign, “Ts ita bargain ?” ** My word upon it, he shall never trouble you again,” *“*Good! But you understand that I shall need proofs.” ** You shall have them.” **Good-by, then.” The two accomplices separated, well satis- fied with each other, A nod was as good as a wink in such acase. We have seen how Cucharés acquitted himself of the mission intrusted to him by Don Sylva. Don Mar- tial, alter his short conversation with Cu- charés, went to look for horses. Two hours later he had returned. He not only brought excellent horses, but had hired four peons, or men who called themselves so, to act as escort. The haciendero comprehended all the delicacy of Don Martial’s conduct; and though the air and garb of his defenders were not completely orthodox, he warmly thanked the Tigrero for the trouble he had taken to supply his wants. Reassured as to his journey, he breakfasted with good ap- petite. As soon as the meal was over, the little band, well armed, set out resolutely in the direction of Guetzalli, where Don Sylva expected to arrive in three days, if nothing thwarted his calculations. CHAPTER XIX. ON THE PRAIRIE. Don Syiva dE Torres wished to reach the colony of Guetzalli again so soon as pos- sible, and by the most direct route, Unfor- tunately he was obliged to cross, as the crow flies, a large extent of country through Which no roadran. Moreover, owing to his topographical enoranee of the prairie, he was compelled to trust in Don Martial, an excellent guide in every respect, whose ga- city and thorough knowledge of the desert e did not for a moment doubt, but in whom he placed but slight confidence, while unable to explain his motive even to him- self. Still the Tiger-Slayer (apparently at least) gave proofs of his entire devotion to the ha- ciendcro, leading him by the most beaten tracks, making him avoid difficult passages, and watching with unequaled care and s0- licitude over the safety of his little band, Each evening at sunset the party encamped on the top of an open hill, whence a large uantity of ground could be surveyed, in or- der to guard against any surprise, On the evening of the fourth day, after a fatiguing march over an irregular tract, Don Martia reached a hill where he proposed to camp. The haciendero greeted the offer with the reatest pleasure, for he felt extremely fa- igued, After a frugal meal, Don Sylva wrapped himself in his zarapé, laid down with his feet toward the fire, and fell off al- most immediately into a profound sleep. Don Martial and the young girl remained for some time silently opposite cach other, their eyes fixed on the haciendero, and un- easily watching the i: of his sleep. At length, when the Tigrero was persuaded that Don Sylva was really asleep, he bent over her, and muttered in her car with a gentle voice: x “Dona Anita, will you ever forgive me ?” “For what?” she asked in surprise, é ‘“‘ Because of your suffering through me. “Egotist!”? she said, with an enchantin sintle, “is it not through myself too, as love you ?”’ ‘Oh, thank you !”? he exclaimed: ‘You restore to my heart that! courage which I felt dying out. Alas! how will all this ad?” ‘Well, Iam convinced,” she said, quickly. “We must be patient. My father, believe ’me, will soon change his opinion about .. The Tiger-Slayer smiled sorrowfully, “Still,” he said, “I can not carry you about the prairie indetinitely. “That is true,” she remarked, despond- ently. ‘What is to be done?” “T donot know. For the ‘ast two days we have only been moving round the colony, from which we are scarce three leagues dis- tant, and yet I can not resolve to enter it. “ Alas!” the girl murmured. ‘* Why de- Jw fe God is good; He will not fail us. 2 know not what He has in reserve for us: tet us place our trigst in Him!” . In their excursions upon Indian borsilorg The Tiger-Slayer. “Still,” he replied, shaking his heed it is impossible to go on at hap-hazard. Your father, in spite of his ignorance o. the country, will at lecgth perceive that I'am deceiving him, and I shall be hopeless] ruined in his opinion. On the other hand; by proceeding to the colony, I place you in the hands onee more of the man t ive are to be forced to marry. Oh! I would joyful- ly give ten years of my life to know how I ought to act.”’ At this moment, as if Heaven had heard’ his words and hastened to reply immediate- ly, the Tigrero, whose eyes were mechani- cally fixed on the prairie, which at this mo- ment was buried in obscurity, saw, a short distance off, in the midst of the tall grass, a luminous point arise to the air twice. At the same moment Don Martial’s practiced ear heard, or fancied it heard, the suppress- ed snorting of a horse. ** It is extraurdinary,”’ he muttered, as if speaking tohimself. Whatcanitmean? Is {t a signal? Still we are alone here, Through the whole of the past day I have ee caught sight of a single trail; but that ight—”’ ar Weaat is the matter, my friend?’ Dona Anita asked, anxiously. ‘‘ You seem rest- less. Can any danger menace us? Speak! You know I am brave; and by your side, what can I fear? Hide nothing from me. Something extraordinary is taking: place, is it not?” ** Well, yes,”’ he replied, resolutely mak- ing up his mind, * something extraordinary is really happening; but calm yourself, Ido st believe there is any thing for you to ear,”’ ** But what is it? I saw nothing.” “Stay: look there!’’ he said, quickly, and stretched out his arm. The girllooked attentively, and saw what the Tigrero had noticed a few moments pre- viously—a reddish dot sparkling in the gloom, and describing interlaced lines. *’Tis evidently a signal,” the Tiger-Slay- er went on. ‘‘Somebody is concealed there,” ie Do you expect any one?’ she asked sim. “No; and yet, I know not why, but I fancy that signal can only be intended for me. ** Still, recollect that we are in the prairie, and probably without suspecting it, sur- rounded by bands of Indian hunters, They may be corresponding with each other by cans of that light which we have seen twice gleaming before our eyes.” ‘* No, Dona Anita, you are mistaken, We are not, at any rate for the present, sur- rounded by any Indians; we arealone, quite alone.’’ ** Tow can you know that, my friend,since ou have not left us for a moment togo and look for trails ?”’ ‘*Dona Anita, my well-beloved !”’ he said, in astern voice, ‘‘the prairie is a book on Which Heaven's secrets are written in inef- faceable letters, which the man accustomed to desert life can read currently. The wind’ passing through the branches, the water murmuring on the river sand, the bird fly- ing through the air, the deer or buffalo grazing on the tufted grass, the alligator slothfully wallowing in the mud, are to me certain signs in which I can not be mistaken, For two days we have scen no Indian sign; the buffaloes and other animals we kLuve passed growled calmly and without distrust; the flight of the birds was regular; the alli- gators almost disappeared in the mud which covered them. All these animals scent the approach of man, and specially of the In- dian, for a considerable distance, and, so soun as they have doneso, disappear at head. long speed, so great is the terror with which the lord of creation inspires them, I re- peat to you, that we are alone here, and therefore that signal is intended for me. Sve, there it is again!” i - is orb I — sath” ‘I must know what the meaning of it is,” he said, seizing his rifle. . ' “Oh, Don Martial, I implore you, take care! Be prudent. Think of me!” she add- ed, in agony. ‘Reassure yourself, Dona Anita. I am too old a wood-ranger to let myself be de- ceived by a clumsy trick. I shall return shortly.’ And without listening further to the young girl, who tried to retain him by her entreaties and tears, he proceeded to the slope of the hill, which he descended rapid- ly, though with the utmost prudence. On arriniag in the prairie the Tiger-Slayer stopped to look around him he party were encamped about two arrow-shots from the Gila, nearly opposite a large island, which is in reality only a rock, bearing some resemblance to the human form, and which the Apaches call the master of the life of man. the red-skins never fail to stop at this island and deposit their offerings. the ceremony conslst- fair was settled, am not sorry 27 ———- ing in throwing into tne water, with danc- ing, tobacco, hair and birds’ feathers. This rock, which offers a most striking appear- ance from the distance, has two excavations in it more than twelve thousand feet in length, and forty wide, the roof being of an arched form. The fact which had aroused the Tigrero’s curiosity, and caused him to undertake the serps of discovering the ineaning of the sigual, was that it came from this island; and this he could not at ull account for, be- ing aware that the Indians felt for the rocka veneration mingled with a superstitious ter- ror so great, that no Indian warrior, how- ever brave he might be, would have dared to spend the night there. It was the know- ledge of this peculiarity which urged him to examine into the mystery. Tall and tufted grass grew profusely down to the river’s edge. Concealed by the thick- ly-growing mangroves and shrubs, inter- twined in inextricable coufusion, the Tiger- Slayer glided cautiously down to the bank. So soon as he reached it he let himself hang from a branch, and entered the water so quietly that his immersion produced no sound, Holding his rifle over his head to keep it out of the wet, he then swam with one hand in the direction of the island. The distance was short; the Tigrero was a vigorous swim- mer, and he soon reached the spot where he wished to land. So soon as he was on the island he crawled through the shrubs, listen- ing to the slightest sound, and trying to pierce the darkness. Hesaw nothing, heard nothing; then he rose, and walked toward one of the grettos, at the entrance of which he could see a fire blazing from the spot where he stood: near it was seated a man, quietly smoking. Don Martial, after attentively regardin this man, had difficulty in is dag ashou of joy, and walked toward him without fur- ther attempt at concealment. He had rece- ognized his confidant, Cucharés, the lepero. At the sound of his footfall Cucharés turned his head. ** You have come at last,” he exclaimed, “For more than ap hour I have been rack- ing my brain in inventing fresh signs, to which you would not deign a reply.” ““Ah, my dear fellow,” the Tigrero joy- fully replied, ‘‘could I have suspected it was ou I should have been with you long ago; ut I so little expected you—” “You are quite right, and in such a country as this it is better to be too prudent than not sufficiently so,” “There must be something new ?”’ the Ti- pedis pa said, as he sat down to the fire to his clothes. *Caspital if there was not, should I be here ?”’ ‘““True: and what have you to tell me? I am anxious to hear all the news. But, be- fore beginning, one question,” “Well ?” **[s the news good ?”” “Excellent: you shall judge.” ** Carai! as it is so, take this ring, which I was not to have given you till our little af- ut do not be frightened: when we balance our account I shall tind something to please you.” The lepero’s eye glistened with joy and avarice; he seized the ring, and sent It to join company with the one he had received a few days previously, ‘Thanks !’’ he said. ‘* Heaven keep me! there is a pessnrs in dealing with you.” “* Now for the news.” ‘Here it is, short and good. The coun rendered desperate by the disappearance o his betrothed, whom he supposes to have been carried off by the Apaches, has quitted the hacienda at the head of his company, and is now crossing the desert in every di- rection in pursuit of the Black Bear.’’ “By all the saints! that is the best newa you could bring me, And what do you in- tend doing ? I fancy it is not 8o easy to find him now. ‘** Well, you are mistaken, caballero, and | to tell yon 80. During the few hours I spent at the hacienda I made in- quiries, and, as I announced myself the bearer of a most important mission, no one made any bones about answering me. It seems that the Apaches, instead of pushin on, were so thoroughly beaten by the Fyroveh that they are returning on the desert del Norte, in order toregain their Villages. The count is pursuing them, is he not? “You told me so.” “Well, in all probability he will not dare to enter the desert,” ‘“‘Naturally,” the Tigrero said, with a shudder, in spite of his tried courage. ye then, he can only stop at one 8 ‘ ‘At the Casa Grande!’? Don Martial ex- claimed, quickly, “Quite 2 hie ite Hight! I am certain of finding Eboo cS C (e) ' com —— = ‘ —_” oe ——