Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 154 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

eee Joaquin, the Saddle King. eS 13 Josefa was, to some extent, a patmleged char- acter in the Camplido household, coming and going as she chose, giving an account of her ac- tions to no one, treating even the master himself with disdain should the course of his inclinations run counter to that of her own. Despite the cross in her blood, Josefa was a beauty, of the purely material sort, who might have stood as a model for a Southern Venus. Her shape was lithe and graceful, 7% voluptu- ously developed. Her hands and feet were small and shapely, her jetty hair a marvel of luxuriance, her even white teeth gleaming like twin rows oi pearls, her great black eyes, at times soft and gentle as those of a timid fawn, then fiery and menacing as those of the enraged jaguar. Josefa had frequently visited the Santa Anna hacienda, and while there had made the ac- uaintance of Joaquin Murieta. The young onorian had not been wholly unmoved by her sparkling beauty, and something of a flirtation grew up between them, for Joaquin was no misogynist, as his after record in California plainly evidences. But this was before he rescued Senorita Carmela Felix from the in- furiated bull; after that, to do him justice, he may have uttered friendly words to Josefa, but never more speech of love. The beautiful young savage must have suf- fered intensely, for she loved Joaquin as only she, and such as she, can adore, but she gave no outward sign of the tortures that racked her heart. Her love for him, instead of weakening, grew the more intense; her hatred was all re- served for Carmela. She was at home when the encounter tovk lace between Joaquin and Don Manuel, but earned the whole story by nightfall. ven better than himself, she realised the peril that threatened the young Svunorian, and calling all her cunning into requisition, she sought to foil his enemies, Unfortunately she knew nothing of the orders given Pedro Canales and Jose by Don Manuel before he returned home, and she only suspected the truth when she recognized the horse which bore the prisoner, whose face she had been unable to see. Josefa followed the kidnappers into the build- ing closely enough to see that they went to the dungeon. She dared not follow lest they sur- prise her and suspect her purpose, but her wits were keen, and worked swiftly. ‘‘Tf it is he, they will make oe to report to ‘he master. He is in his room—I must hear ‘at they say!” And when Jose was giving in his report, very word was breathlessly recorded by the ualf- breed girl. More than that, Jonaton wrought up to such a pitch of excitement that she forgot all personal fears, followed the ruf- fians when they visited the prisoner, and with her ear at the key-hole, overheard the jeering taunts uttered by Don Manuel, As she listened, Josefa grew calmer, and when she learned that Joaquin was in no immediate danger of death, she stole silently away, know- ing that should she excite suspicion, his only chance would be ruined, Through the rest of the night Josefa brooded deeply over what she had heard. The diabolical plot against Don Felix gave her little uneasi- ness, rather the contrary, and though there was ample time for her to convey a warning to the Felix hacienda, the idea of doing so never once occurred to her, Let Don Camplido triumph thus far. By doing so a dangerous rival would be removed from her path. Only for Carmela, she felt that “feng am could not long remain insensible to her love. Her whole mind was devoted to the discovery of some plan by which Joaquin might be set at liberty. Before day dawned a body of horsemen left the rancho, led by Don Camplido in person, and Josefa had no trouble in guessing the motive of their mission, Pedro Canales was left in charge, and the half-breed girl knew not whether to rejoice or be sorry. or months the burly groom had been fiercely in love with Josefa, and it was the partiality shown by her to Joaquin that caused him to hate the 4 ee Sonorian so bitterly. He had not spared his taunts and reproaches, ceenny since Joaquin became infatuated with Carmela, and more than one sharp passage had, taken place between him and Josefa, for which she now had deep cause of regret, She frequently crossed the groom’s path that day, but instead of accepting the chances so adroitly, yet with such seeming unconscious- ‘\ ess, thrown in his way for a little flirtation, Pedro Canales persistently avoided her. She knew what this meant. e feared to betray his master’s secret. But Josefa smiled as she saw bim drinking freely to strengthen his resolu- tion, for past experience told her that after ssing a certain stage of intoxication, Pedro Fanaies was as well-worked clay in the hands of an experienced potter. Eagerly she watched for that period, but the burly groom was also well aware os his wes oe, Ane hen his eyes began glaze an 18 [00 grow unsteady, he wagged his head gravely and beat a retreat to the private chamber of Don uel. In desperation Josefa stole after him, only to hear the key turned and the massive bolts shot into place. For a moment she hesitated, her black eyes glowing like those of a baffled then hastened at once to the secret loophole through which she had seen and heard on the past night. It was lucky that she had lost no time, and only by biting her red lips until the blood flowed freely did the girl keep from uttering an excla- mation that might have ruined all had it reached the ears of the drunken groom. Pedro Canales was standing in the middle of the room, eppering himself against the table, his gaze fixed fishily upon several keys lying before him. ‘* Senor Don Pedro Canales, you’re drunk—and a fool.” he uttered huskily, seemingly unconsci- ous that he was uttering his thoughts aloud. ‘*There’s the keys—Don Manuel said never loosen my grip upon them—but I’m getting drunk, and that little devil-of-an-angel—there’s mischief in ber eyes or I never saw it before. She bunts me, instead of I her, to-day. Why? Devil knows, not me. Maybe she suspects— maybe she wants to bamboozle me—maybe she wants to get these keys and set Joaquin Dog- of-a-devil free—maybe I’m a fool on top of a fool, but \t won’t do any harm to be on the safe side. Dl hide the keys, takea nap to steady my brain, then pretend to humor little Josefa, and who knows? A live dog is better than a dead lion—before he came, she used tosmile on me /” Had the stake for which she was playing been less great, Josefa could have heartily en- joyed the scene. Pedro spoke by fits and starts, oh tana by frequent hiccoughs and devia- tions from the perpendicular, which was only recovered by spasmodic efforts, each one caus- ing the vertebrze of the drunkard ;to creak and his teeth to snap together like those of an alli- gator. But she had thoughts only for Joaquin and his danger, and eagerly watched Pedro Canales as be looked around for a secure hiding- place in which to stow away the keys. A pair of soiled, well worn riding boots stood in one corner of the room, and as Pedro noticed them, he nodded so M sama, that he was only saved by the table from topp ing over headlong. Recovering himself, he took the keys and man- aged to place them in one of the boots. Drunk though he was, Pedro Canales was no fool. No one would |think of looking in such a place for what they sought. .. Satisfied that he had performed his duty, he lay down on the floor and almost instantly fell asleep. Josefa stole silently away, already ,devisin some plan by which Pedro could be enticed from the room long enough for her to gain pos- session of the keys, without which all her efforts must be in vain. Yet she was in no haste to accomplish this. She knew that it would be impossible for Joaquin to escape, even when set free from his irons, from the dungeon and house until after dark. So long as Canales left the, keys in the boot, they were safer than in her possession. One point more Josefa learned. , Jose was on guard before the dungeon door, and she hardly knew whether this fact was to be regretted or the contrary. Jose was that rarity of the Mexi- can race: a man who cared little for liquor, and who was never known to get drunk except on his ‘‘ name-saint’s” day. On the other side he was even more suscepti- ble to the charms of the gentler sex than was Pedro, without more than a moiety of that ras- cal’s shrewdness. He, too, had yielded to the bewildering beauty of the half-breed girl, though as yet he had ventured only to worship her in silence and from afar. Josefa had formed her plans, and was impa- tiently waiting the proper time for setting them in motion, when she was startled by the rapid trampling of hoofs and then excited voices yond the large gate. Old Blas, the warder, rushed in calling for Pedro Canales, who soon made his Spreapenre, Josefa, though strongly interested by the few words she had managed to catch, at onee took advantage of the confusion to enter Don Manuel Camplido’s chamber and secure the precious keys. With these safely hidden in her bosom the half-breed girl mingled with the excited servants as they listened ia breathless horror to the words of the two blood-stained horsemen whom all recognized 1s servants to Don Felix. Their party had been waylaid by Indians, Don Felix killed, and Senorita Carmela carried into captivity. osefa waited to hear no more, but, glad of a panes excuse, she hastened at once to where ose stood on guard. Terror and horror were in her face, her voice trembled as she poured out the tragic news—a truly admirable bit of acting which reached the climax when her limbs failed her and she sunk limply into the arms of the ard. on It brings it all back—the terrible story my mother used to tell,” she faltered, moving her head slightly so that her warm breath fanned Jose’s ch her red rig uting just below his. ‘I thought I should die; but I feel safer now. You will protect me, dear Jose?’ Pedro Canales might have seen somethi strange in this unusual emotion, for which there was such slight cause. But not so Jose. He saw only the rich beauty of that face—those tempting lips—and, with an audacity that caused his brain to whirl dizzily, he her. The world did not come to an end, nor did Josefa seem mortally offended. , She strug- gled a little to free herself, but ceased her ef- orts wheu she felt Jose relaxing his arms. A faint sigh, as.she nestled a little closer to him, was enough. Again his lips fastened upon hers, more ardently, ost fiercely, and then Josefa ieeied eel-like from his embrace, for she knew hat her purpose was gained—that Jose would be like wax in her hands after this. ‘* We will be seen—some one will come to tell you the news,” she said hastily, as the amorous rascal sought to ooo embrace her. ‘' When you are off duty this evening, then I will see you again.” A sullen curse broke from the fellow’s li ‘*T am fixed here as though chained hand and foot,” he growled. ‘That cursed Canales is so stuck up because the master left him in charge, that he refuses to stand his turn, and I dare not call any one else to relieve me.” Jose paused abruptly with a suspicion that he was saying too much, but Josefa smiled like a siren, and looking upon ber charms, the suspi- cion fled from his brain, **I must go—there would be talk if any one were to see me here,” she murmured, the picture of maidenly ange a _ “What matter? Let them talk, The answer is plain—unless you are playing the fool with oa and a fresh suspicion crept into his thick ull. ‘*Wait—there is no time now. As soon as all is settled for the night,,I will come again, to keep you company for a few minutes. And then —then,” she added, with a charming confusion and a glowing side- lance, that sent the hot blood tingling through Jose’s veins, ‘‘you may fish what you began saying.” Light as a fawn sbe leaped to his side and daintily touched her lips to his, then gracefully eluding his clumsy grasp, she glided away. Could Jose have seen the expression of utter disgust that rested upon her face as she gained her room, and there used soap and water, rub- bing her cheeks and lips until the red blood seemed on the point of bursting through the skin, perhaps his castles in the air would not have been so full of bliss. It was now nearly night, but Josefa had weary hours to wait before she dared make the desperate attempt to free the man whom she had loved so hopelessly. The news of the Felix tragedy was the cause of high excitement, and the usual hour for the household to retire. ar- rived without any signs of their dispersing, for fresh tidings came to them just then, Several of the escort who had escaped. being massacred, had come together, and venturing back; had found Don Felix still hiving, but ter- ribly injured and scalpless! And more—one of the retainers swore positively that the attack- ing party was composed of whites, led by none Siher than Joaquin Murieta! From the covert into which he had crawled, he saw them close- ly and heard them conversing; there could be no mistake, Josefa dared wait no longer. She knew that Don Manuel Camplido might return at any mo. ment, when all her plotting would be frustrat- ed, And so, with the keys in her bosom, and a small flask of powerfully drugged brandy in her pocket, she hastened to where Jose was still on gard, his grim face looking more than usually orbidding in the ruddy glare of the rude lamp suspended from the rock ceiling. _. At the first glance Josefa saw that Jose had been doing some sturdy thinking since she left him, and with notalittle anxiety for the re- sult, she addressed him: Lwin ‘That terrible story has so excited them all, that there is yet no thought of set down for the night. I hardly dared come—only I prom- ised; and even now I am endangering my good name, very foolishly, I fear, for one who scorns me. 5 drew himself up sturdily and shook his head. ‘* That sounds mighty nice, pretty one, and I would give a good deal to be able to believe it, but the change comes too sudden. First it was Pedro Canales that filled your eyes, then that cursed dandy Joaquin came in for your sweet- est smiles. All the time, an hon devil like me, you would not look at—” ‘‘ And why?” quickly demanded Josefa, draw- ing closer. ‘‘ Bah! you stupid men are so blind! You never spoke—and then there was that fat Lucina singing your praises all day long—swear- ing that you had promised to wed her ere long. What could a poor girl do?” Jose started forward and her by the arm, a light in his eyes, a look upon his face, such as had never been there before. His voice was husky and strained as he spoke: ‘Girl, if you are playing with me now, you had better never been born! You have stirred my heart and awakened ons that I did not dream I could ever feel. I love you so madly that I could almost tear you to pieces, so that no other eyes might look upon you. Just what I feel, I can not put into words now, but I know ore ete ee IGOMIGEDOOKS (C (E(o)