Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 154 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

Joaquin, the Saddle King. 21 but that the cries and shrieks of one being put to the torture might reach the ears of his ser- vants. An investigation, open or secret, would be made, and Joaquin run the risk of losing the reward he was toiling for, even at the last mo- ment. Joaquin did not long stand in doubt. Cutting the bridle reins of his dead horse, he rolled Don Manuel Camplido over upon his face, then drawing his arms back bound them firmly at both elbows and wrist. His rough and .ready method of handling served to restore the ranch- scattered senses, and he began to struggle eebly. ““ Quiet, dog!” and Joaquin’s foot bore heavi- ly upon his neck, pressing his face deep into the loose sand. ‘“‘I have humored you for the last time. Attempt to make me any more trouble, and, by the virgin of Atocha, I swear to cripple ou so that any further offense will be impossi- le!” The tone in which they were uttered, more than the words themselves, quelled the prisoner, and as his stiffened muscles relaxed, Joaquin re- moved his foot, stooped and grasping Don Man- uel by the collar, raised him to his knees, ** Now listen to me, Don Manuel Camplido, and bear in mind that every word I now utter is as good as sworn to. ‘‘l am about to convey you to a safe spot, where you cau -be made to confess all, if you re- main obstinate and refuse to make a clean breast of your own accord. You shall tell the foul plot from beginning to end, shall acknow]- edge the black lies which you have caused to be spread about me, and you shall give me full in- formation concerning tae Senorita Carmela Felix, her present whereabouts, who holds her in charge, and with what force. There may be other questions put, but these are the princi iso. ts If you confess openly, so much the tter for you. Refuse, and you will bitterly curse the hour of your birth, for all the tortures that human brain can invent, or mortal hands inflict, will be showered upon you. You will be given no respite until you have confessed, and if necessary the torture will be F Vkcitha ai not only for hours, but for days—and each mo- ment shall be even more bitter to you than death itself!” Joaquin paused, but’ Don Manuel made no reply. Indeed his tongue would have refused him utterance had he made the attempt. He could only tremble and shiver as though under an icy shower bath, yet all the time bis throb- bing veins seemed filled with molten metal. Pee: colder, more measured tone, Joaquin a : “I teh you this without reserve, so that you may weigh the: situation well before the imo- ment comes when you must finally decide. Then there will be no argument. I will por oe place the alternative before you—confess all or die! The only point for you to consider is this: whether you prefer confession with torture or without. Turning on his heel, Joaquin strode toward the horse ridden by Don Manuel, but before he reached the an , he heard the fear-maddened villain leap to his feet and rush away at full speed. It was a foolish venture, for escape was impossible, and the young Sonorian laughed mockingly as he leaped into the saddle and took the coiled lasso from where it hung around ‘the high pommel. A touch of the spurs, and the horse stretched out in pursuit, and jaded though it was, the ham fugitive was rapidly overhauled. Swiftly the snake-like coils whirled through the m t and with a choking cry, Don Camplido was hurled to the ground, For one moment that devilish lust for blood overmastered the young Sonorian, and he wheeled kis horse to d away and drag his captive to death, but the pale face of Carmela rose before him, and the mad impulse fled, CHAPTER XIX. PUTTING THE QUESTION. As soon as he recovered his self-command, nuel Joaquin rode up to where Don Manuel Camp- lido lay, partially stunned by his fall, yet with consciousness enough lef to und d the words addressed him. “ Get up, os sternly cried the y Sono- rian, jerking sharply on the lasso, ‘ this convince you that escape is im ble—that you are doomed to suffer the full penalty of your e@rimes. Up, I say! else I will lash the flesh from eff your bones!” eebly the wretehed rascal arose, saaggering Bike a drunken maa, the of misery. But Joaquin was not touched by pity; mstead, the depth of degradation and despair into which his merciless enemy had been cast, was to him but a faint foretaste of the exquisite revenge in store. Leaning over in the saddie, he raised the lasso- noose from about Don Maauel’s shoulders and pow = ~ elosely around his neok, laughing fiexce- as he said: “ Last night I was led at a horse’s tail ina like maanner by your doubtless by your orders. ‘Be tables tarned new: see how relish medieina, Haner Bon Man- a dose of ‘own uel] Gar pitio? The miserable captive made no answer to this taunting speech. For the time being his spjyit was utterly crushed. Shortening the lariat so that Don Manuel was forced to walk close to the horse’s heels, Joaquin cast one keen glance around him, then another at the twinkling stars above them. These evi- dently gave him all the information he needed concerning the course he must pursue in order to reach the goal he had in his mind’s eye, for he urged his horse forward at a rapid wal » Paying not the slightest attention to the wretched being who was forced to exert himself to keep from being dragged from his feet and suffocated. A more exquisite mental torture could hardly have been devised for the proud, haughty Spaniard. In like manner were sometimes punished refractory slaves and the lowest class of criminals. A thousand times be was tempted _to fling himself down and end it all—but as often his ingrained cowardice restrained him. Yet there was not one ray of hope to which he might look forward for encouragement. He was hel less in the power of a man whom he had deeply wronged and ruthlessly abused—a man whose capacity for hatred and love of revenge was at least equal to hisown. He knew that Joaquin Murieta had not uttered an idle threat when he swore that the only alternative was confession or torture. In either event he felt that his death was assured, yer he could not muster up courage enough to end all at once. The craven wretch felt that life was worth living, even with a rope around his neck, and being thus led at a horse’s tail As the horse he bestrode gradually recovered its wind, Joaquin pressed along at a more rapid rate, keeping Don Manuel at a rapid dog-trot, and only slackening his pace from time to time lest he should defeat his own ends by strangling his prisoner. It was a barbarous revenge, and one ibly not wholly justified by the facts given, but the young Sonorian had suffered terribly both in body and mind. It was a retaliation in kind, strongly characteristic of the day and country. For two hours or more the journey lasted, when rough and broken ground was reached, where the horse was forced to pick its way ata slow walk. This respite was most welcome to the wretched captive, who was now more dead than alive. Only the awful horror which he felt of death had enabled him to bear-up so long. His limbs seemed heavy as though composed of lead, yet every motion sent acute pains tinglin along each nerve and muscle, until he Soult have shrieked out in agony, only breath was so predons and his parched throat would only suf- er faint, ing groans to pass. At length . 5 Sorae drew rein, and the instant he did so, Don Manuel fell in a hea , utterly ex- hausted. Even to save his life he could not have risen to his feet unaided. “Good!” muttered Joaquin, as he glanced down at the miserable creature. ‘‘It will make our work easier when we come to put the ques- tion. Now if they are only at home!” Putting a finger in his mouth, Joaquin gave vent to a long, peculiarly modulated whistle, then, after a brief pause, uttered the cry of the prowling jaguar, twice repeating the startling sound with marvelous fidelity to nature. Before him. rose a near! pempen anlar: mass of rock, wreathed and atom with climbing plants, and midway up this the eyes of the oung Sonorian were fixed. There were no vis- ible signs of a human habitation, yet he evi- dently expected an answer to his wild signaling. Nor was he disappointed. From above, apparently at or near the spot on which his impatient regards were fixed, there sounded the spitting snarl of a wild-cat. ‘* Enough, sc —Serapio!” Joaquin called out. “ It is 1—Joaquin Murieta—and im need of your help.” An eager exclamation greeted this announce- ment, and the form of a man shot swiftly down the face of the rock. His hand grasped that of the young Sonorian with an ardor that evi- denced the power of the friendship existing be- tween them. ‘‘ Miguel is up yonder, asleep, senor,” said the man, at the same time giving a glance of curi- osity to the shapeleas mass at the end of t lasso. ‘‘ You were lucky to find us at hom We only got in from a long hunt at sunset. But we are set and equal to whatever service you may sure of that!” His tone was h as his words, and Joaquin knew that he could place full depend- ence on them. ‘“‘[ knew yeu would not fail me in time of need, old friend. Ido not think the task wiil be a hard one, though the results may be of the greatest importance to me, and to one far dearer than even my own life. You see that nS ee Tw = “Not enough to turn my hair what you wish, and it is done, even ask for his scalp, hide and all!” “It may come to that in the end,” seriously answered the young orian. ‘‘ But first, let. us get him up tothe den. Then I will explain all to you and Miguel.” Serapio said no more, but cast off the lasso from around Don Manuel’s neck, then cast the limp carcass over his shoulder with an ease that seemed interedible in one of his medium bufld. Advancing to the foot of the cliff, he gra the rude rope ladder by which he had descen ed, and slowly mounted upward, holding the hody steady by fixing his strong teeth upon Don Manuel’s clothing. Joaquin stripped bridle and saddle from the. jaded animal, feeling assured that it would not wander , then followed Serapio up to the strange dwelling of his friends, He found guel awake, replenishing the fire which had been allowed to smolder, and re- ceived from him a warm but respectful wel- come, such as a man gives a loved superior. It was a strange habitation, and still stranger men who lived there. A long, narrow hole in the solid rock hill, the entrance hidden from casual view by a pendent screen of vines. A contracted neck, through which a man could enter only in a ironing posture, but which made an abrupt curve to the left before spread- ing out into the chamber where the men lived, thus guarding perfectly ageinep betrayal by in- tercepting all rays of the fire or torch light. The two men were both beyond the middle stage of life, and Mexicans, as indeed their names indicated. Serapio was of medium hight and build, Miguel was almost gigantic; but. neither of them carried an ounce of su uous esh; each one might have stood as a model for a sculptor in search of varying but still per- fect types of muscular manhood. Neither was what could be called handsome in the face. The lines were graven too deeply, the expression too stern and even sangui 4 Both were men whom even a novice would have felt led no common life, whose earth] ence had been won in no ordi school. eir garments were rudely made, of tanned skins throughout, and bore many stains of varying darkness, but all seemingly made = the same agent. The broad belts about the waists were full of means, richly ornamented and of the finest quality, while many others hung against the walls—pistols and guns, bows and arrows, knives and lances. But there was one other object to be seen, more noticeable than all the rest, and which, if inspected, would explain all the rest. uspended from a cord, bapgeng in the smoke bh ie from the fire, was a bundle of human SC The mystery isa mystery no longer. Serapio and Miguel were professional sag: se on What had induced or driven them to adopt this terrible pursuit, no living mortal save themselves could tell, even Joaquin Murieta being kept in ignorance, though on every other int they were frank and open as day toward itn. They two would set out together and penetrate to the very heart of the Indian country, rarely returning without a Upon share of trophies, whieh in time found their way to the governor’s office, where they were paid for in good round terms. Such were the men to whom Joaquin Murieta turned for aid in his hour of need, knowing that they would not fail him, In silent, close attention they listened to the y. Bay ough you fore them, their aa bearing closely resem- bling that of the human game which they so mercilessly hunted. Not until Joaquin ceased king did the faintest change come over their stern faces; then Serapio, who seemed to be the usual spokesman for both, said: ‘““Don Manuel Camplido knows something which he refuses to tell you. Heattempted your life and failed. In turn you took him captive. That makes his life*yours, and life includes the tongue, brain, h and all. If he refuses to speak what you desire to hear, you have the right to crush his obstinacy, and by the use of such means and tools as you deem best.. Miguel and I are your tools. Do you put the questions, and we will see that they are oe 9 “ Too h talk,” it igs ay, nag the giant scalpiunter, grasping Don uel Cam- plido by the collar, raising him clear of the floor and givihg him a short shake as thoug‘a to clear the Hin, ar of both body and mind. ‘Mercy, gentlemen!” the wretched villain. “‘Spare my life andI wifi make you rich—I will pay any ransom—” sha than before eee with a more violent : until you are ques- wt" tioned, then speak. “A man, is te” and Berapio bent over the | The giant kieked his feet from under him and shapeleas mass. ‘ He looks as though he had | laid him down on his back, close besitte the fire, hard times— Soul of the devil! it is Don | then squatted beside him, looking expectentiy Mauuel Camplido! he exelaimed, with a | toward young Sonorian. _ Sk of Feopaie whise sctlied. over the brailed “‘Ay! Don Mannel Camplido, and my dead- | look espair w settled over tle liest enemy,” cooly uttered Joaquin. ‘“‘ The | face of his enemy. service I ask of and Miguel is conneeted “Por once, Manuel] Campplido, . frighten you Your ‘boasted wealth ean avail you nothing. oung Sonorian as he placed the situation fairly | AMIE OCC) (E() S) (C (0)