Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 150 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

El Rubio Bravo, King of the Swordsmen. 8 Such it is to be among e who fight for the love of fighting. bio Bravo was changed from a prisoner to the hero of Trux- illo, and a courier was sent off post-haste to Guartiola to tell him that the king of all swords- men was in Honduras. The whole town went mad over him as soon as they heard that he was a famous fighter, and he was at once escorted out of the by the whole garrison, with drums beating— anuel did that—colors flying—Captain Senas carried it—and trumpets sounding—Don Ra- fael Balderamos did the blowing—till he was safely installed in the private mansion of Bal- deramos bimself. CHAPTER II. THE WOMAN IN THE CASE. A rew days after the fight in the castle, Bal- deramos came to his new friend in a great state of excitement. “Tt is all arranged, my hero. President Guartiola bids me offer you the post of In- structor-General of Arms to the forces of the State of Hofduras, with the rank of colonel, Your fortune is e,” : Olaf did not seem to be very much impressed by the news. In fact, since his release from the castle he had been, if ible, a little more restless and uneasy than before. ‘What will the pay be?” he asked, witha awn. me The pay, my dear friend? Anything you want;yanything. We adore you.” Olaf yawned again as he answered: **T don’t want much; only the same as I got in Cuba, The glory is not much here.” Balderamos coughed as he asked, timidly: i an how m did you get in Cuba, colo- ne “Two hundred dollars in gold a month and three rations, with fo ” answered Olaf. The major’s eyes opened wide as he ejaculated: ** Eh, to Dios! “Two hundred in gold a month. Why, the whole State of Honduras could not pay such a salary. Be moderate, my friend. The prime minister only receives fifty dollars a month, and President Guarteola twice that sum.” Olaf yawned worse than ever, as he retorted: ‘“‘So much the worse for Honduras. I shall not take service here. By the by, bave you in your Me rich State such a place as Teguci- galpa rf Tegucigalpa? Certainly. The President is chere now. Olaf looked more interested, and he pursued: *‘ Are there any Spanish merchants there? I mean real Spaniards of the old blood.” Balderamos ht a moment.ere he replied: ‘‘Only one, and he came very recently from Spain with his daughter.” Olaf looked decidedly interested now, ‘‘ 4 daughter! What is his name, if you re- member?” ‘His name—let me see—oh, yes. Don Carlos —Carlos Ximenes. Ney laid his hand on She, other's arm. re ** You are sure n Tegucigal and daughter, too? at is he doing ina ‘“* He is a trader in indigo, and makes © good deal of money, they say, by -controlling all the crops of the State. President Guartiola treats him with great favor, and they do say that—” The maar hesitated. ““ What?’ asked Olaf, with a singular glitter of his eyes. ‘Well, they do say that the senorita plays her cards for her father, and treats Guartio like a fish on a hook, with smiles and— Why, what is the matter?’ He started back at the sight of the other’s face, which was working with a ion, the in- tensity of which fairly appalled Balderamos. The dark men of the South are quick to anger, but their rage is not deep, and their lack of self- control deprives it of dignity; but when the cold, reserved blonde of the North shows his — in his face, it is apt to be very fierce and ‘Ous. Olaf’s eyes were glaring at Balderamos, the red veins in the corners standing prominently out, the face pale as ashes, and strong jaw m standing out like bun showhee the firmness with which the teeth were clenched. ‘‘ What is the matter, senor?” faltered Balde- ramos. Olaf’s face instantly resumed its usual iron Tit ia nothing I hadat of ' ‘ a twi of pain from an old wound. Go on, demas Y oe that "President Guartiola makes the Senorita Ximenes his favorite in public, shows favor to her father—” $9. es. He gives all sorts of m lies to the old man, and the daughter leads the \blic balls, and sits in Guartiola’s box at all all- igi Of course this is not all done for turned away his head and lighted acigar 2€ os off nearly half the cigar with a sna hat he smoked with a furious energy that a disturbance of some sort in his And the major, not being deficient in pene- tration, at once divined that there was a lady in here, in other words that El at some time been acquainted e hesitated, stammered, and finally asked: ‘Ts the lady a friend, senor?” “* No!” was the blunt response. Balderamos pe *“Indeed. It t—” “Think nothing. I wish I had never come to this accursed country.” Olaf was evidently in a very bad humor. ‘*But, senor, if you choose to accept the President’s very liberal offer, your fortune is made.” “TI don’t want such a beggarly fortune.” The major again. “It might be prudent to accept it, colonel” e ag oo angrily. , y* WSiniply because, if you do not go, I have orders to arrest you on the spot, if it takes all the people in Truxillo.” Olaf stared angrily at him fof a moment, and then gave a peculiar scornful laugh. ‘**Balderamos, you are a fool; so is Guartiola. [ will go. I was only joking. But some of our fightin men will wish I had not come be- ore I go, have no money with me, but I have in my chests nearly five thousand dollars’ worth of arms, clothes, jewels, and soon. Have you a money-lender in town? If so send him to me so I can go to Tegucigalpa as becomes a swordmaster.’ Balderamos smiled as affably as ever, as he said: “Certainly. There is an Italian Jew called Baroni who will.accommodate you at once.” 4 I get a decent horse here?’ pursued Olaf. ‘It istrue lam aDane and was bred a sailor, but I can ride a horse too, and I like a good one.” Balderamos rubbed his hands and chuckled. ‘You shall have a wonder, for a hundred dollars, a regular angel of a horse, who can trot and amble and nite and stop at full gal- lep inside our castle flag.” ‘ Be it so.” And the Dane threw away his cigar and lit another, when he fell into a brown study, from which Balderamos did not venture to disturb him, so the major went away to find the Jew BP ky ' ge thus alone, Olaf began to mutter to lf. ‘I t a fool am I to come here in pursuit of a coguette. I might have known she would not live like a nun for my sake, and there is the father, who hates me, against me too, But if it be true as this infernal Greaser hints that Guartiola— Bah! it is afable. She can ey with these fools of the South and ‘wind them round her finger—but if—if—” He ground his teeth so that they could be heard in the next room and growled out: ‘‘ Let them all look to themselves. When my race strikes, it slugs hard and is remembered. Car- melita Ximenes, if you play me false, so much the worse for you and yours.” He went out into the town to cool off his ex- citement and strolled down to the beach. A few naked Caribs were fishing from their canoes outside the breakers. He beckoned in one of them, and went out into deep water, where he amused himself by tossing his last silver coins overboard and watching the little Indians dive | them and catch them before they van- is He was roused from his abstraction by the vo of Balderamos, hailing him from the ore. ‘*Senor Coronel, news, news. Come in.” The fact was that Balderamos feared El Rubio was trying to escape, and wanted to have him safe in. Olaf came in, and was saluted with cordiality. ‘* Baroni will lend you all you want, and you can beon the road to-morrow morning. But I have more news than that. Pepe Gomez is at Tegucigalpa and has heard of your arrival.” ‘‘ And who the deuce is Pepe Gomez?” Balderamos stared as if he hardly believed his ears. ‘“What! have you never heard of the Gomez brothers, the Terrible Seven of Tabasco?’ Olaf yawned. ‘‘ Never, on my honor.” ‘Oh, Jesu ia! what a thing is fame? Why, they are seven Mexicans, brothers, from the State of Tabasco, and the most famous of all the espadachins in Spanish America.” Olaf looked more interested. rf re yong ao mean swordsmen?” ‘Of course. They have killed—some say— as many as two hundred peoples | ‘* Oh, come, nonsense, e off half.” “Not a man, senor. You see they have very wonderful advantages.” “Indeed? What are they?’ ‘Well, you see, in the first place, they are all powerful men, strong and supple.” “Granted. ” So areother men. But two hun-. ” “You forget there are seven of them,” ** Well, what of that?’ ? Simply this, that no man can fight seven.” s Of course not all at once; but singly, why “There it is, senor. Any man who touches one of this seven touches all of them. If he wounds one, he has to fight all the rest.” ** And if he kills one?” “That is impossible. At least I have never heard of its being done.” ‘*Plainly, or they would be no longer seven. But goon. This Pepe, where are his brothers?” “In Tabasco, Pepe is the oldest, and has come out to coax a few duels out of our people. The others stay home, and if Pepe comes back all right, with plenty of money, well and good. Another goes out.” ‘Plenty of money? How does he get it?” Balderamos shrugged his shoulders. ‘** By betting. He will wager a thousand dol- lars of our money—that is about two hundred of your Yanqui dollars—that he will disable the best man in a town. If he wins, well and ‘*T see: he is a prize-fighter.” “Yes, senor, with a sword. But if he gets hurt, and comes back without money and with wounds, then the other six vow the death of the man who has hurt him, and they all go out in a body te kill him,” Olaf looked thoughtful. **So your brothers are assassins.” “Yes, senor.” “Very well, Balderamos. I see a way to beat them. This Pe ., mast not be allowed to go home. That’s all. “How prevent it, senor?” ‘‘Simply by killing Pepe. It’s a hard thing to do, and one I’ve never done in my life; but self-preservation before all, my friend.” Balderamos smiled. “Oh, if you can only beat the Terrible Seven, you will be a hero, and all the people will wor- _ you.” | he Dane smiled slightly. ‘‘ They are after all only the heroes of a little province. I have beaten the best men in En- os Come, Let us go.” ey strolled along toward Baroni’s, and next day at dawn, Colonel Olaf Svenson, El Rubio Bravo, was riding on his way to Tegucigalpa on a splendid horse, dressed in all the bravery of a Spanish-American cavalier. CHAPTER ITI. THE biome vot Tepuciga ; full f great square of Tegucigalpa was fe) people in the cool of the afternoon, when the shadow of Mount Matador covered the city and everything was pleasant. In the midst of the crowd an open space had been cleared beside a platform, and on the plat- form were seated President Guartiola witb all his ministers, and a little group of ladies in the picturesque costumes known as the “‘sayay vail of: manto,” a short skirt, and a coquettish black lace. : Beside Guartiola sat 5 Pee beautiful may of slender, graceful figure; whose large dark eyes, oval face and pure profile showed her to be of a different race from the flat-faced ‘‘Greasers” around. This lady had the smallest feet in the neatest satin slippers ever seen, and she flirted her large fan with a languid and haughty grace that was inexpressibly provok- uartiola, a fat, sensual-looking man, with a cruel mouth, seemed to think so, for he was evidently infatuated with the lady and con- stantly appealed to her decision on all sorts of ints. | Below, in the open ce, was a po bronzed, powerfully built men, who nit’ catricd huge swords, and were dressed ina eittering costume, much resembling that’ worn by bull- ters. n the midst of these was one man whose frame was heavier than that of his fellows, and brutal — whose face wore an expression of triumph as he said: ; “You've no oa ote in this town. They are all babies. , bere are a thousand good dollars in this bag, and [ll claim no stakes if I don’t disable my man.” | He jingled a leathern bag of silver as he spoke, and the other espadachins looked at each other as if they would like to take him up, but dared | not. At last one said im asurly way: ) ‘‘We haven’t got that much money; but for the honor of Tegucigalpa, I'll go a hundred.” “6 I" © the other ey Seb 5 ‘**Pepe a Gomez is well satisfied to make a hundred when thousands are scarce. Out with the money.” The eer rather slowly a a sullen gy out his little bag of m n laid it at the feet of President < smiled and said: : ‘‘ Fight hard for the glory of 0. “ Now and senoras, you shall see P Gomez slash this fellow to pieces in five min utes. Gomirehboo ‘SEO - >