Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 154 — page 25: what you’re looking at

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

ee —_+_——~_--- - manner, the pain-maddened steed ridden by Carmela could have covered much space in that interval. The truth of this began to dawn upon the young Sonorian as he dashed around the curve, only to find the course clear before him as far as the eye could mark its windings. ‘* She recognized me—she called me by name,” he muttered, his face darkening with a trsh fear. ‘‘Surely she would not have ridden so far, unless— — was beyond her control!’ Klis keen eye fell upon the bloody drops that marked the course of the runawa instantly divined the truth. A fierce impreca- tion grated between his clinched teeth as he lied his keen spurs mercilessly. None knew better than he what frightful peril threatened the maiden—how unmanageable becomes a wounded horse at times, or how often they plunge wildly to the death not only of them- selves but of their riders as well. A minute more carried him to where the sloping walls on eachside of the trail spread out abruptly and grew more level. Here also the trail along which he had dashed divided and offered a choice of nearly a dozen diverging aths. rf Mechanically he wrenched up his horse as his keen eyes anxiously scanned the rough but com- paratively level ground beyord. Tobis rapidly wing horror, he could see nothing of his oved one. It was as though the earth had opened to swallow up the maddened horse and its fair rider. But a more natural fear assailed Joaquin. ° ‘The brute has fallen and killed itself—per- haps slain her!” fell painfully from: his livid lips as a horrible vision rose before his brain— of that fair and matchless form lying in a shapeless mass upon the cruel rocks, perhaps crushed out of all semblance to bhunmianity by falling beneath the dying steed! For a brief space Joaquin was wholly unman- ned, reeling in the saddle like a drunken man, groaning aloud as he covered his eyes as though trying to shut out. the horrible vision his over- ta-ed brain had conjured up. But then his steel-like nerves regained their wonted elastici- ty. He flung out his bands and tossed back his head as though he could thus cast aside his tor- turing fears. His face was white as that of a corpse, tut stern and hard-set as iron. His self-control thus asserting itself, Joaquin ‘ eded to learn the truth with as much out. pr: ; wari composure as the veriest stranger could have exhibited. Where there were so many trei’:, any one of which the runaway horse mit have taken, there was nothing for it but to »ick out the trail by the drops of blood. This was no difficult task, and Joaquin set his teeth more firmly as he noticed how rapidly the tell-, tale Jrops thickened, for this served to confirm his worst fears. Steadily he rode along the crimson spoor, casting frequent glances ahead of him in ex- pectation of beholding the terrible sight that would crush his heart forever—and at length he bebeld the carcass of a horse lying in a mo- tionless heap at the foot of a huge rock, a hun- dred yards ahead. One agers leap his heart gave, then seemed to suspendits functions. Joaquin turned deathly faint, but outwardly he was cold and composed as his horse bore him up to its dead mate. A bloody mist was before his eyes, but he looked in vain for the mangled corpse of his loved one. Still he never dreamed that there was even the shadow of a hope left, feeling that his worst fears had come true—that Carmela had been caught beneath the fallen carcass and there crushed to death. — Joaquin dismounted, and agi Py oe | a the dead horse by the heels, With what seemed a supernatural strength, he rolled the carcass over, then staggered back with a gasping cry— a cry notof soul sickening horror, but of amaze- ment, for there were no signs of tho maiden! Again and again the young Sonorian rubbed his eyes as he stared stupidly around bim, un- able to solve the mystery—but then a glad hope sprung up in his breast, and he shouted aloud the name of bis loved one, thinking that | she had escaped uninjured when the horse fell dead; but only the mocking echoes from the surrounding rocky crags made answer, and | almost as scon as born, the new hope died. A single glance showed bim that Carmela could not have fled from there. Surrounding the carcass was a patch of smooth, moist sand, but only his footprints marred it. ‘‘She must have fallen cr been thrown off along the trail.” Such was J go thought as he turned back along the bloody spoor, though he knew that had such occurred, he could hardly have overlooked the fact while coming. Five minutes later he made a truly startling discovery. Hesaw that three horses had recently passed over that pepe of the ground, and that the third animal, by an abrupt angle, had left the trail and headed for the rocky hills, a milo away. % i saw only four—yet one of the cunning devils must have slipped by me, and overtaking Ha! the horse was running away | ally. ! | distinguish her words. steed, and he | See the horse, snatched poor Carmela from the sad- dle!” he muttered, as he turned aside upon the new trail. ‘‘God grant that she still lives! _ And may Satan have mercy upon her abductor when we meet!” Rapidly Joaquin followed the trail, leading his horse, and when two-thirds of the distance to the hill was crossed, he uttered a wild cry of joy —for there, upon a rock, wreathed with vii.es, he beheld Carmela, gesticulating frantic- ally. He could hear her voice, but failed to He leaped into the sad- dle and dashed toward her at breakneck speed. He saw her suddenly sink down as though in a swoon—and then! He saw the coils of a lasso settle about his horse’s neck, and before he could do aught, he was hurled from the saddle! CHAPTER XXTII. ‘‘ FROM THE FRYING-PAN INTO THE FIRE.” In the mean time, what had befallen Carmela Felix? She had swooned away on recognizing Joa- quin Murieta, her overtasked nerves being un- able to bear the almost ecstatic joy following so Closely upon the heels of utter despair. She had believed him helpless in the power of that fiend incarn.te, Don Manuel Cumplido, subject to his infernal malice, and the sight of him here, alive and at liberty, generously speeding to her rescue—the shock was too great for her weak- ened powers to bear, and once more her senses reeled, once more her nerveless form drooped forward, only kept from being hurled to the ground by the high pommel and the instinctive eeeey of her fingers on the heavy mane of the madly flying borse. On and still on the maiden was borne in that wild race that was toend in death—it might have been for hours of time and leazues of space for aught she could tell. But then, as once be- fore, her brain began to recover before her weakened frame showed any signs of rallying. Faint and indistinct, her brain recorded the rapid thud—thud of a horse’s hoofs—not her own, for the strokes annotmced a shorter and more rapid stride. Like a flash returned the vision she had beheld fora moment, She be- lieved that Joaquin Murieta was riding to over- take and rescue her. She sought to raise her head—to utter his name in a glad, encouraging cry—but her faithless body would not obey her active brain. Truly, a strange experience, but one not with- out its parallel. Her brain could work, but her body was benumbed by a trance. Nearer and nearer came the echoing hoof- strokes, and so little doubt did Carmela feel that it was Joaquin speeding to her rescue, that she wondered and even felt a little burt in her mind that he uttered no sound, called not her name aloud in encouragement. She knew that ony a few feet separated them. She could feel the hot breath of the horse puffing past her bared arm, and with all the power of her brain she sought to throw off that horrible numbness, so that she might arise and greet her noble lover as he de- served. . Then—a strong arm stole around her, and she felt the steel-like muscles strain as she was lifted clear of thesaddle. She was drawn against a broad breast, and then the strange spell which bound her was shattered. a ‘eg! Ce pe hero—my god! Thanks to the blessed Virgin, we are once more united!” burst from her lips in an ecstasy of joy, and the long- pent up tears rained from her eyes. But it was only for an instant that she nestled against the broad bosom of her rescuer. Some subtle instinct warned her of the terrible mis- take—and a faint, gasping cry of horror came to her lips as she raised her eyes to—not the face of Joaquin Murieta, but to a forbidding visage heavily bearded, from which two bleared an SA ly eyes looked gloatingly down upon er! “Quiet, girl—would you commit suicide?” came a deep, harsh tone, and the muscular arm tightened around the distracted maiden as she struggled frantically to free herself. ‘“‘ A fall on those rocks at the pace we are riding, would shatter every bone in your dainty body ” Almost fiercely he held her, and Carmela felt her senses ree'ing as a band of steel seemed to crush in her ribs. And then once more came a merciful blank. “The devil be thanked for that, anyhow!” growled the abductor, cautiously relaxing his pressure until assured that Carmela had indeed swooned away. ‘‘I dare say I am a bloody fool for taking somuch trouble— Ha!” For the first time he obtained a fair view of the face of the maiden, and despite its pallor, despite the deep-drawn lines of care and pain, despite the blood marks which stained her coun- tenance, an exclamation of recognition broke from him, followed by an oath of delight. “Ye gods!” he cried, a satanic exultation written upon his truly villainous countenance. ‘**Surely my patron saint put it into my head to play them all this little trick! Who would have dreamed of finding her here, and in such an extremity? How did it happen? Whowere those fellows in chase? Not friends, since they were firing upon her! \:\] the other? A true J oaquin, the Saddle King. \ 2 es ee ee 25 dare devil, to take a ride like that! But what matters who or what, Black Lopez—hold ye your gripe on the prize, for there’s both revenge and still sweeter goldin the air!” A wild laugh concluded this muttered solilo- quy, and then Black Lopez, as he entitled him- self, plied his spurs vigorously, sending the mag- nificent animal which he bestrode, along tie winding trail almost with the speed of wind. lf the truth was written upon his features, then indeed had poor Carmela fallen from the frying-pan into the fire, for his look was that of a satyr as his blood shot eyes rested upon her pallid features, Swiftly Black Lopez urged his horse on, only slacking his pace as he neared the rocky emi- nence, raising one hend with a quick gesture. As by magic nearly a score of men leaped out from the thick cover which lined both sides of the trail, all armed to the teeth, all looking in- quiringly at the rider, as though awaiting or- e rs. ** Back to cover!” cried Plack Lepez. “ Guard the. trail, and # any one follows, take them alive, if possible, but fake them dead or alive. Not one must escape you!” Like magic the armed men vanished. Black Lopez loosened the reins and sent his spurs home. Like a ‘flash the cream-colored horse darted ahead, following a sharp curve in the trail that led around a shoulcerin the rocky hight. Once more came that sinister laugb, for now the evil- browed rascal “fet «ssured that his bastily formed scheme would prove successful. Alighting from his horse, he left it to feed at will, and carrying the senseless maiden with apparent ease, he nimbly ascended a steep path which appeared to have been frequently trav- eled by either human or animal feet. In a few minutes he reached the t for which he had been aiming, and lowering’tiia limp and lifeless burden to the ground, he leaped upon a vine-wreathed rock and gazed eageily down upon the comparatively level ground. He took in the scene at a single comprehensivo glance, Far away he beheld three riderless horses dashing madly along the back trail as though frantic with fear. Beyond these he noted a number of horsemen who were buddling to- gether as if thrown into confusion by the ‘tear. fully sudden fate which had overtaken their better mounted fellows, Only fora moment did he devote to these— then an oath of strangely mingled surprise anger and admiration hissed through bis tangle beard as his gaze rested upon a single horseman who was dashing swiftly along the trail, bend- ing over in the saddle, but casting many quick glances ahead. ** That dare-devil, break-neck rider! <A differ- ent horse, but the same man. Ye gods! who and what is he? Not one man in a thousand would have dared taken that ride—not one in ten thousand could bave escaped a broken neck —but this fellow not only accomplished the feat, but he must have whipped those four men —killed them all, by the Eternal!” he ex- claimed, as his keen eye roved back and rested fora moment upon the scene of the combat, without much difficulty distinguishing the bodies of the four outlaws, Reckless dare-devil though he himself wes, a sober frown settled upon the face of Black Lopez, for be had seen enough of the chase be- fore taking a part in it to feel assvred that the mad rider was seeking to rescue Carmela from her enemies, and he now saw enough to con- vince him that the enmity of such a man was to be dreaded. But only for a brief space; then an angry light crept into his bleared eyes, and his stained teeth showed themselves wolfisbly. * With that man as a partner, I could sweep the whole country, but be musty’t interfere now. I'd hate to see him die, but if he picks out the puzzle 1 have laid for him, bis docm is sealed! Revenge and gold totb—I can’t give them up to satisfy an idle fancy for a Lrave man.” A low cry from Carmela caused Black Se pis to leap down from the rock and hasten to her side. She had recovered her :enses, and the ruffian laughed harshly as she shrunk away, putting her bands to her eyes as though to shut out some disagreeable vision. 3 “You recognize me, then, Senorita Carmela Felix?’ he sneered, his red eyes glowing, his harsh features rendered even more than usual] forbidding by the foreed grin which distorted them. ‘ You have not forgotten Black Lopez. the faithful servant of your honored father? You still remember that day, when the lashes fell thick and heavy—when the knife of the” butcher was br-ught into play—when the hounds were held ready to be turred loose on the trail of a man, instead of a wolf! If you have forgotten, / still remember! Nor have I et forgotten the oath which I recorded, on my handed knees, that night, after I had thrown the blood-hunters off my track. Not a day since then, though years have passed, have [ forgotten to repeat that vow of bitter ven- geavine. Every thing worked against me, and each month seemed to put the fulfillment of m oath still further from me, but I never despsirec. I knew that the day would come, soon or Irter - MICELOOC) (E(0) (E ‘S (EO)