Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 150 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

El Rubio B ravo, King of the Swordsmen. 5 ‘which the abashed creolesof Tegucigalpa began to hand over their money to the little party of Mexicans, and Senor Ximenes, with the sourest of faces, said to Olaf: ‘The President’s wager is yours, senor. I ‘wish you luck of it all.” The Dane took the of money and called to his Indian servant, whom he bid take the bag of huge ‘‘copper dollars” wagered by Guar- tiola, to his quarters, while he put the gold back into his pockets and whispered to Carmelita: ‘‘Our little firm pr fast. We shall have enough to marry on before we leave this country.” And Carmelita only swung her fan and said: “* Quien sabe, who knows ‘Then the assembly broke up with glum faces, and aes Ximenes called roughly to his ter: “ Carmelita, come hither; I wish tosee you.” The girl a ne pag look at her lover, but obeyed quietly, and as Ximenes went away he began in a low a tone: How often am I to tell you you must not en that ? you may be the first lady in the State if you play your cards well, and make me a naire, and here you are commapcomniotng yourself with an adventurer who has nothing but his sword. [ will not per- mit it any more. Do you hear?” “Yes, papa mio,” she answered, with the most sonidos humility. ‘* Just as you shall be best pleased. ge kave told you that I can- not marry that rtiola. He is a miserable aed ae (half-blood) es va me we ore our sangre a ue . You would not have me sully our name.” The handsome se face of the old man flushed slightly, as he answered in a tone of im- patience: ‘“ What do you know about it? You are a child, who would throw herself away if she had no one to take care of her. I wish you to marry him, and drive off this reckless espa- -dachin Why, we do not even know who he is or where he comes from.” ‘*T know,” she answered quietly. He shook her arm. ‘Hold your tongue, I tell you. I am your fath d it is your place to obey me.” “Yes, papa,” And she did not say another word till she was alone in her room in the large old-fashioned house which had come down from the days of the old Spanish occupation, and cost about ten dollars a year rent. Then she went softly to the window and put a candk in it for a moment; then withdrew it and repeated the operation thrice, after which she blew it out and watched. The house faced on the plaza and was just opposite to the large mansion devoted to the suite of the Instructor General at Arms of the State of Honduras, otherwise known as El Rubio Bravo, who, on a sal of thirty dollars a month, (and pickings) already supported three horses and five or six servants. No sooner. had Carmelita’s light pisspneased ‘than a tall figure wrapped in a cloak left the door of the swordmaster’s house and strolled across the plaza in the dusk; for it was already erening, and tropical twilight is short at the He came under the lady’s window and a little white note came fluttering down at his feet with which he stalked away past Guartiola’s lace and so into the town, where he was sud- enly jostled by an individual who said in En- glish and Spanish mixed: : ‘‘ Excuse me—I mean—what the deuce is it in this blooming lingo—oh yes—xéil pardonas, senor—muy—muy—oh I wish I knew the con- founded stuff—very sorry, I mean.” care looked ~ him closer and “z bg gent takable face of an Englishman, fat, rosy an fair-haired, and he exclaimed: Pe bon possible? I thought there were none ‘but Greasers in this place. Why, how are you, 7 and who are you?” bhman, as far as he could be seen in the dark, was a burly heavy-built man, and he at once answered: ‘Well, by Jove, this is an une plea- sure, you know. isn’t often a fellow can see a and when it comes to these bl Greasers, ye know, why they’re enough to turn your when you've seen as much of them as I have, My name? Oh yes, I’m Dr. Brown, licensed last year, ye know, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and ‘all that sort of thing, you know, and, by Jove, I came out here to seek my fortune. And whom have I the pleasure of addressing?” Olat and he shook bands as the swordmaster ‘said, gayly: “Tam not an ee pg but IT am of the race that gives England all her strength. I am a Norseman, sir, and we are all one. Iam Olaf Svenson, a Danish Yankee, by the great roost of St. James. Now we must find a for you and I cannot part without cracking a bottle ther.” When two men of the so-called Anglo-Saxon Wace meet in a mrenie pce, their first of Shoughte is to take a drink, and our friends ere no exception to the rule. As for Olaf, in his excitement he actually for- got all about the note he had in his bosom from his adored Carmelita, till he and Dr. Brown were sitting by a table with a bottle of Spanish wine beside them, in a humble posada or inn, when the Dane suddenly started and said: ‘* Excuse me a moment, while I read a letter. It is from a lady you know.” The English doctor—he was quite a young fellow, now he was in the full light of a lamp—smiled. ‘““Aha! An adventure, I see. All right, old boy. Count on me if you need any help.” ‘I certainly will,” answered Olaf, cordially. Then he opened his note and read in Spanish the following effusion: “My Sov_:—My father is determined I shall marry the infamous Guartiola, and I can only depend on your courage and address to save us both. ty are hatching a plot to get rid of you. Be on your guard, and always believe in the undying love of * Your own ** CARMELITA.” Doctor Brown kept his head discreetly turned away while his comrade was reading, but when Olaf had finished the Dane struck his fist on the table with a force that made the glasses ring. ‘*Itis my Danish luck. Always a fight and always a whitehead for a comrade. My friend, can you shoot and box?” The big Englishman stared and laughed. “* As for boxing, I can take good care of my- self as well as the next man. As for shooting, I can hit a silver dollar every time at twenty yas, Do you expect to do any shooting re te One never knows what may happen, doc- r. CHAPTER V. OLAF’S STORY. Dr. Brown — better known among the creoles as Dr. Carlos, his Christian name be- ing Charles, was little more than ptens'y PS a old, and his passion for roving had sent , as a medical student, to the climes of Central America, where he at once dropped into a lucrative practice. He worked when he pleas- ed, had the whole State of Honduras to him- self, got ten dollars a visit, and had the honor— if honor it was—of being court physician to the amiable Guartiola. And still he was not happy, for he had no one to whom he could talk his native tongue, and he made but a poor fist of Spanish. Being full of animal spirits and strength, he was very fond of drinking and boxing, while he was surrounded by temperate Spanish Americans, who never drank akything strong, and who had a horror of what they called ‘‘ La Boxia.” He had heard of El Rubio Bravo, but had never imagined him as anything but a Span- iard, and had not been present when the Dane fought his duel with Gemez, though he had afterward been called om to treat the fallen espadachin. for a sword thrust through the right lung. is meeting with Olaf, therefore was like a godsend to him, and he could not tear himself away from the Dane. ‘*‘And how gets on my friend Pepe Gomez?” asked the swordmaster, after they had exchang- ed confidences over the third bottle. ‘Is he go- ing to be able to travel to Tabasco in a hurry?” ‘Not under six months if he does well, you know,” answered the medico a little thickly ; ‘but then, you know, the beggar’s got a devi a temper and keeps tossing and cursing, so he’s in a hot fever half the time, youknow. He wants to send a message to a lot of his relations out in Tabasco, but as the brute can’t read and I can’t write Spanish, it’s pretty bard lines, you know. Olaf told him what he had heard about the ho gaa Seven of Tabasco and the doctor pur- sued, **Oh, I say, you know, I didn’t know that, you know. The black muzzled thief! So he wants to set the whole gang on you, does he? Not if the court know herself, which she think she do. He can carry his own blooming message when he gets well, and I’ve a good mind not to treat im any more.” ; ‘Ob no. Treat him and cure him for my sake, my dear friend.” “Well, I will, but I hate to. And how do you like this blooming country, colonel?” ‘The country is grand,” cried Olaf; ‘‘ but the people are—well, you know.” | ‘IT should think I did. A lot of rascall Greasers, with only one aim in life, to cut eac other’s throats, you know! Even the women go to see cock-fights and bull-fights and holler as loud as the men.” ‘* What! do they have bull-fights here?” ‘Yes. What they call bull-fights, but bless pou soul, Doses like the real thing you know. ame bulls, and they saw their horns off, you maae., es a blooming mg i . ** Still, every one goes, I suppose. ‘‘Oh yes. Every Sunday, you know. To- morrow’s Sunday, by-the-by. Are you going?” ‘*Of course, my friend. We'll meet there. Now it is time to say good-night.” But the doctor insisted on seeing the Dane home, and. would not leave him they had sworn eternal friendship, while he was round at the other’s quarters in the morning long before ha ast, and did not leave him for the rest of e day. Yet Olaf noticed, with all the young doctor’s hard drinking and reckless ways, that be was a perfect gentleman. He had never asked the Dane a avo private or personal question, though he would not have been human had he not felt some curiosity as to Olaf’s love affair. He ag waited till the other was ready to tell him, which occurred just after the people were coming out from mass and while the tor- readors were fixing up the bull ring in true creole style. ‘* My friend,” said the Dane, “I want your help, and to make you understand things, I must tell you a story.” ** All right, old fellow, I’m ble,” was the truly British reply, as the doctor lighted a cigar and composed himself to listen. ‘*You must know,” began Olaf, “‘ that there is a lady in the case.” ‘*Of course. There alwaysis. Pretty?” ‘* As an angel!” | _ The doctor gave a heavy puff but said noth- ing. Ry on have seen her,” pursued Olaf, ‘Who? I?’ ‘Yes. You know Don Carlos Ximenes?” ““Old Indigo. I should say so. Came here only six months ago, and is worth more than any man in Honduras to-day.” ‘Very well. His daughter is the lady.” Brown whistled. ‘By Jove, I say, you know, you’ve dashed taste, you know, and all that sort of thing, ut then—” “Phen what?” “Why, you know, Old Wickedness is sweet there, and you’ve no chance.” ‘**Who’s Old Wickedness?” Brown lowered his voice. “By Jove, you know, it’s risky to talk too loud about him. I mean Guartiola.” ‘Why do they call him Old Wickedness?” ** Don’t you know?’ The ruddy face of the young doctor was a trifle pale, and his voice sunk to a whi i ‘** There is not a bigger black this side of the hot place down-stairs. y he’s— Never mind. icture murder—his own brother, one of the poor fellows—robbery—he called it con- fiscation — poisonings and all sorts of crime against men, with a record on the woman side too horrible to talk of. That’s Old Wicked- ness. There’s nothing bad he hasn’t done, I believe.” ‘* How do you know all this?’ “*T hear it everywhere. doctor or a priest, you know. on that girl, he’ll have her.” Olaf frowned slightly. ' ‘* By the t roost ef St. James, he’ll not.” ** Ah! you don’t know him, colonel.” ‘*On the contrary, he does not know me. A man who has beaten Czar Nicholas on his throne is not likely to be beaten by a Greaser like Guartiola.” Brown looked obstinate. ‘* He’ll have you assassinated.” “Tf he can catch mein the dark unarmed. But I don’t go about in that fashion.” “All right, colonel. revolver and all.” The doctor threw back the loose coat he wore, and showed a pair of navy revolvers in a belt at his back, Olaf smiled approvingly. . ‘Our race stand by each other. Now I'll tell you all about this.” * T am listening.” coed ‘‘Three years ago I met XMimenes and his daughter in Spain. I was a colonel at court, and had ee, of money; he a rich Cuban on a visit to Madrid. I went to Havana in the rem ship with him as Instructor to the Cuban orces. ricane, and the senorita, who insis on on deck, was washed overboard by a ae took a life-buoy and jumped after her in all the tempest, Well, we were saved, and she loved me a little. At Havana I beat all the fencers, and fought nine duels for her. At the ninth she loved me entirely. Then I took the yellow fever, and one of my rivals, a féncing-master of Havana, bribed a barber to bleed mein sucha way as to disable me, while I was d When I recovered, the tendon of my right arm was cut nearly through, and it healed up short, so that I bad to give up my situation. Then, when I was penniless, Ximenes, who had fawned on me in my pen turned against me, forbid me bis house, and finally carried off his daughter to Honduras, leaving me, as all berg ja a cripple for life.” ‘Hard lines,” observed Brown, sagaciously. “Yes, indeed. But my race are hard to beat. My arm was shrunk up, but I set to work to get it straight.” # asked the doctor incredulously. “By hard work at it. Oh, how it hurt at first. When I struck out I had to my teeth to keep from yelling out. But I kept on at it, and about a month ago got the tendon he’s set. eyes (Elo) BJ Gomicbooks People confide in a — T'li stand by you, the voyage they bad a hur- 4 a. i } 1 4 ‘Ft Fl ; "a | 7. iu ' i « =" ; . f — pa - tial sient . i‘. * < a » é ae) ot as = EPP 3 ops: a . * \ +. : ; Mm). - | *, * 4 Ped