Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 150 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

-—- ees es oe ee El Rubio | Bravo, K / oe ing of the Swordsmen. 7 The Don took out a pocket inkstand, a pen and some paper, as if he had come fully pre- , and sat down. ‘‘ How shall I begin? To whom shall I write?’ Pepe’s eyes glistened. “To General Isidoro Bragamonte, at San Miguel.” | arcia wrote. ‘* What next?’ ** Write this; ‘My dear cousin.*” . “* My dear cousin,” repeated Garcia. **T have been hurt by an American who fences like a devil. His name is Olavo Sovensone, and they call him El Rubio Bravo. He is here now. He isa man on whom to try your private wrist trick. Tell the brothers, and come uickly ” . “Is that all?’ asked Garcia, after a good deal of scratching away. ‘That is all. e will know.” “But you must sign this.” Pepe took the pen and made a cross at the bottom of the paper. ‘*That will do as soon as my cousin sees it, He will not escape from Bragamonte’s sword. How will you send it?” ‘By a special messenger.” Pepe grinned, but presently he said: ** How is it that you are willing to do this when this man is in the service of your own government and a friend of the President?” Don Ramon smiled slightly. ‘*Who knows? Perhaps the President is tired of him; perhaps he fears him; perhaps he is jealous. of him. Anyway he is dangerous, and we must get rid of bim.’ 7 nodded. ‘He shall be got rid of. B monte will tell the rest and he cannot escape all.” ‘*Your brothers will waylay him?’ said the minister in —— Pepe shook his head, frowning. “No, no, — are not assassins but honest hins. hey will challenge him when they meet him, one after another, and then let the Rubio look out for himself. Every one has a different style.” ‘* How do you mean?” ‘‘] mean a different style of fighting. There is Pedrillo whose forte is the creep and spring; Jose Jesus and Jose Maria who do it by main strength; Gil, whose best point is with the knife, and in throwing it; Domingo whoexcelsin the rally; Martino, who has lamed all his oppo- nents, and Bragamonte, whose wrist trick is effective, against the best fencers particularly. Between them, they can kill any man alive.” Don Ramon nodded, as one very well satisfied and rose to depart just as the full moon looked in at the window. ‘* Keep up your spirits, ag and you shall be avenged,” he said, and then he went away. Being after sunset, and twilight being over, it was already dark in the shadows of the moon, but the minister was surprised to see in the moonlight, a man stealing away from behind Pepe’s cabin, in whom he thought he recognized the figure of his own vaquero, Pedrillo. How the man came there he could not im- agine,.as his duties led him to the city only on a holiday; but he could not be sure it was Pedril- lo, for when he called to the stealthy , it ran on and was soon lost to sight in the shadows of a side street. Don Ramon returned to his own house, buried in thought, peisiamy : ‘“‘1f that man was Pedrillo, he heard our talk. But what of that? Heis my peon, and if he is too open-mouthed I may have to shut it and him up together.” Already the town was sunk in repose, for the people were early sleepers, except when there was a ball on foot. The only beings awake were the lovers, who were tinkling mandolins in the gardens and singing confidentially to each other. n Ramon went to his own house full of virtuous tability, found everything as quiet as could be, and went over to smoke a cigarito with his neighbor, Don Carlos Ximenes, when the two old gentlemen discussed the uly sance of having the Americanos in the State; and the Honduras Don confided to the Cuban Don the fact that another Gringo, that English medico, seemed to be more than a little e- able to little Pepita, ‘‘my child, senor, and one whom I destined for my friend, Don Isadoro Bragamonte, chief of cavalry in the service of San Salvador; but since that big Rubio has come here, she thinks of nothing else but learn- ng 4 English ‘ tongue, and teaching him ish. NT ben you sbould forbid him the house,” said the Cuban decidedly, ‘‘That is what I did when my daughter showed too much favor to Rubio.” : “ But this fellow is the court physician, and a great favorite of Guartiola’s. ere is no way to get rid of him exce t—except— Except what, my friend?” Don Ramon lowered his voice. ‘“‘ Except a prononciamento and another revo- lution.” , Don Carlos threw up his hands in horror. ‘‘By no means. I have put all my mone Postpone it, my friend, till next month at the very least. Give me time to realize.” ‘* But in the meantime my daughter may run away with this maldito Gringo.” ’ “Not she. Leave it to me. I[ will devise a scheme by which we will keep this big lubberly Rubio from coming near your house for months to come.” ‘*But in a revolution, my friend, we could kill him and get rid of him for good. ou see half the army would follow me, and all are tired of Guartiola. It is only necessary to kill him first, for many fear him.” ‘‘And who would be the new President?’ asked the Cuban curiously, . ‘“* Hard to tell. You see I should issue a gener- al proclamation, calling on the people to revise the constitution and proclaiming an election. Then the troops rise and we kill Guartiola. Then the people vote, and generally choose the man who has killed the last ruler.” ‘Then you would be President,” said Xi- menes. ‘*Possibly. In the meantime try another of ay puros. They smoke well.” hus they tranquilly discussed revolution for the sake of breaking off a love affair, and after quite a long conversation went to their ham- mocks in tranquillity. . Don Ramon went to his own house by a back way through the garden door, and was-sur- prised to find it wide open. Instantly suspected an intrigue he went back for Don Carlos; called him; and the two old gen- tlemen, one carrying a long knife, the other a sword-cane, began to prowl about in the shrub- ney of Don Ramon’s house, but all in vain. They could see no one and hear nore ae ‘* Waita moment,” quoth the Prime Minister, and he ran up to his daughter’s room, which he found empty, and then came down stairs pale with rage, hissing: ‘She has gone to meet thisGringo. Where are they?’ ‘How should I know?” quoth Don Carlos in a testy way. ‘‘I don’t keep watch.over your daughter, it is enough to look after my own.” “They are great friends,” whispered Don Ramon. ‘‘ They may be in your garden now. Let us search.” The supposition was too much for the Cuban. ‘In my garden? Then that cursed Rubio mas 2 is at the bottom of it. Come, let us go They hurried round to the next wall, and as they had begun to expect, found the door of the garden unlocked. Softly they stole in, and presently Don Ramon pulled the sleeve of Ximenes. They could hear the murmur of voices among the leaves of the orange trees. Presently the sounds became plain and this was what the two old gentlemen heard. First there was a deep powerful male voice talking in execrable Spanish, then came a sweet girlish treble giving out broken English; and they seemed to be rehearsing a lesson. The male voice spoke first, ‘* Yo ti amo—is that the way to say it?’ ** Si, si,” with a little giggle. ‘‘ Yo ti amo, otiamo. You say eem ver’ vell. Dat mean loaf you in Ingles.” ‘Say it again, Pepita, You didn’t pronounce that right. Say ‘I love you.’” ‘* 1 loave you,” said the girl’s voice, and then they Heard a slight osculation. ‘‘ Now Iet’s get on to the rest of the lesson,” said the male voice. ‘‘What do you call this in Spanish?” ‘* Mis manos,” said the girl. en ingles, Carles, mi vida ?” ‘‘Those? Those are my hands, Pepita, my hands,” ‘* Mai andes—ah! dat is not eet—Ma handos —no—’ow you say ’eem?” ‘*My hands, Pepita; no, I mean your hand, that is to say it’s yours now, but it will be mine very soon; so I may as well kiss it for luck.” ** Ah, Carlos!” Then there was another little giggle and Don Ramon ground his teeth. _ They stole forward and beheld in the moon- light among the orange trees Dr. Brown, his hat off and his flaxen curly head gleaming in the light, while one arm was around the waist of a very pretty Spanish girl, whose black hair was lying all over his white jacket; for Charley Brown dressed in the coolest of tropi- cal garments, loose and easy. ‘‘] wonder,” remarked Dr. Charley presently, ‘‘ whether Ole and Carmen are enjoying them- selves asmuch as you and I, Pepita. hey’re quiet enough over it, if they are.’ ‘Vat you say En , for she answered, -: Me you mean, Carlds? Say eem in Es- ) Charley scratched his head, “Quiero decir—I mean tosay that Ole and Carmen are very quiet—muy—muy—what do you call quiet?” The answer was not destined to be given that night, for Don Ramon could no longer contain his fury, and he rushed forwerd witha string of Spanish imprecations to grasp his daughter’s into indigo, and have not a bag shipped yet. | arm, while she jumped up with a shriek, and ae at evidently did not understand all his 4 Charley caught her to bis breast and whipped out a revolver as quick as a flash, crying: “ Halt, you blooming Greaser assassin! are you trying your tricks on?” ‘‘ Oh, Carlos, es mi padre!” faltered the girl turning deadly pale, and Don Ramon, who saciid before the muzzle of the revolver, out. . ‘* Yes, sare, her mA ha ‘ear? her fader— Gif-a me ma dautare— Carajo!” Charley Brown put up his weapon. ; ‘Of course, I don’t want to burt you, sir, I expect to have you for a father-in-law some day, but im the meantime I can’t let you hurt this young lady. It’s not our way.” The creole did not understand fully, but he repeated more quietly. ‘* Gif-a-me ma dautare.” a And Pepita—not half so much afraid as she might have looked, came over to him and was. about to be carried off, when Don Carlos: Ximenes uttered a cry of rage, and dashed into a pete ihorig: thicket, where he found Carme- lita and the Danish swordmaster, sitting wi their arms around each other, looking on quietly through the screen of leaves, The old Cuban rushed at his daughter and shook her soundly, when Charley Brown dashed. after him and tore him away saying: | ‘‘Come old fellow, you're not going to be my father-in-law, so I ean handle you. Leave that lady alone. Ole, do me the same favor, you understand?” The quick- witted Dane jumped up and ran after Don Ramon whom he brought back to Charley with Pepita on hisarm. * ‘‘Take care of your own girl, Charley,” he . ‘“*Tll take care of the old man.” “And I'll take care of yours,” was the reply. ‘*'You’re not supposed to punch your own father-in-law you know; but you can punch mine all you like and vice versa.” Then was bebeld a curious spectacle. Doctor Charley had Don Carlos Ximenes by the collar with one hand, while he wrenched away from him with the other the sword-cane which the old man was too nervous to use. On the other side El Rubio Bravo had Don Ramon Garcia by the hair of the* head with one hand while he threatened him with knife he had just taken from him. And thus it came to pass that on one side Pepita Garcia was on her knees to Olaf implor- ing him to spare her father’s life, while Carme- lita Ximenes, on the other, was saying: | ** Ah, Senor Don Carlos, do not hurt him. He is my father.” sg But both men were inexorably stern and deaf to the voice of the charmer, perha they did not dare to do otherwise exciting jealousies. As for the two old men the situation was full of hardship to them, for each was in the er Who or fear of of a man who could strangle him ard over whom he had nocontrol. And the only way of escape for either was to call on his d ter’s lover for help which each hated to do. Thus matters stood for about half a minute when Charley Brown cried out in English: “I’m going to thrash your father-in-law, Ole.” And the Dane retorted: ‘Then I shall pommel] yours, Charley.” And they both began to shake their victims till Don Carlos screamed out: “Help, Don Olavo, this English brute will kill me. Quick! quick!” Olaf only shook Don Ramon harder till the old creole cried to Charley for help. Then both men dropped their prisoners and sprung to the assistance of the old gentlemen, and in a moment all was peace. Ten minutes later the garden was em and two men were entering the quarters of El Rubio Bravo, followed bya third, who was tell- ing them something. third man was Pedrillo, the vaquero. CHAPTER VIII. EL SEQUIDOR. Scunpay had come; mass was over; pone 4 og of Tegacigalpa had dined, and the bull-ring, with its rows on rows of seats, one above the other, was packed with bright colors from the palisades to the top boxes. , Rancheros and indigo raabink with their wives and daughters, in picturesque costumes, with velvet and gold jackets for the men, silk skirts and black lace mantillas for the girs, crowded the bull-ring. Conspicuous above all was President Guarti- ola’s box, full of brilliant uniforms and brigl.c dresses of ladies. Doctor Charley was there in uniform as surgeon-general to the armies of Honduras, for titles were cheap at Guartiola’s court. But around and below all were the real mas- ters of Honduras in the people, who felt thet they could always change their government when they pleased, by the simple process of revolution, Guartiola, with all his rapacity, cruelty and murders, with all the forms of outward respect that surrounded him, yet realized that he wis but a servant to the mob that surrounded Lim EOMIGDOOKS i. ’ Sa co . , “ 7 as , a or. e ” ¢ ry al