Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 154 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

=" ne a Oo we Joaquin, the Saddle King... 27 irl for charge of the estate. I will offer the elay, I ransom. If they refuse, or make any will restore her to them—piecemeal!!” “Listen, old friend. know what bitter cause you have for hating the Felix family, but a man is a rank fool to cut off his own nose to spite his face.” ‘* What do you mean?’ sharply demanded the other. ‘Just this. You have a glorious chance now to gain both revenge and gold. You might gain the last by surrendering the girl to her friends, but unless she was delivered up un- harmed in the slightest particular, you would be foiled. Now why not ask the same reward from my master? He would pay it—after I ex- plained the impossibility of rescuing her in any other way. You would have the ransom money and the sweetest of revenge besides on the girl who was the means of your being treated so barbarously, three years ago, for she*hates Don Manuel so intensely that I verily believe she would take a poison-blind rattlesnake to her bosom in preference!” Black Lopez gazed keenly into the face of his brother rascal, but Sanchez was bold in the novel confidence of speaking the truth, and his single eye never flinched. : “If you are lying to me!” began Lopes, threateningly, but Sanchez interrupted him with a sinister laugh, at_the same time pointing to where Carmela knelt beside Joaquin, “Don Manuel Camplido is her betrothed husband, and he means to marry her—but look yonder! A blind man could see that those two are lovers—that her heart is bound up in him. Satan himself could not devise a more exquisite pat a for her than to make her Bon Munuel’s wife.’ Black Lopez was convinced at last, but he suffered no signs of this to appear upon his countenance, and his voice was harsh as ever when he spoke: ‘¢ Business is business, and these three years of waudering from pillar to post have taught me to value good gold even above revenge. I will put the girl up at auction, and the highest bidder may take her. Say no more, for my mind is made up.” ** Concerning her, all right; now for the man.” ‘He shall never trouble Don Manuel, never fear,” and Black Lopez aughed malignantly. ‘* He is a bold dare-devil, such as does my heart good to meet, but she Joves him, and that is enough to damn him ten times over. While waiting for the bids to come in, I will amuse the dainty lady by putting her lover through a course of sprouts—” : 4 “And, by so doing, drive her mad, or kill her outright! True, you would have a taste of re- venge, but where would your gold be? Don Manuel would hardly pay much for her then, Instead, he would raise the whole country in arms against you. You would be hunted to death like a mad-dog!” He paused for a moment in order to let his words have their full effect, then resumed: “Come, old friend, listen to reason. In Don Manuel’s name I promise you a reasonable ran- som. for the man, too. It will increase his tri- umph and add doubly to the torture she will feel to have the marriage nee 1: iy aya before hiseyes. You can realize that?’ Once more Black xe was convinced by the Satanic ingenuity of the keener-witted in, and reluctantly admitted as much. ““Good! I ntedue you my honor that you shall receive fifty onzas for the fellow. I will take him back with me as a token to Don Manuel that you mean to deal squarely with him, and that the stony I tell isa true one. Don Manuel will return with me to settle the other matter. We will find you here?” “Tf you two come alone, yes. But beware! If any treachery is attempted, I will know who to strike first!” ‘* Sheis your safeguard. Keep her securely hidden in some other spot until you finger the gold,” laughed Sanchez. His men were signaled by Black Lopez, and Carmela torn shrieking from the side of her lover. Joaquin was borne down the hill, bound securely upon a horse, then Sanchez gave the word to ride for the Camplido rancho. CHAPTER XXYV. TRAILING A FRIEND. THOUGH silenced, the two woe a were not convinced by the reasoning of J oaquin Muri- eta, and they saw him depart upon his perilous mission with many forebodings. Their fatigue was forgotten, and lighting their pipes, they squatted down by the fire, opposite each other. As was natural, Serapio did the most of the talking. ‘ : 5 ; ‘*We did wrong in listening to him, Miguel, cr if we listened, then we should not have obey- ed. Don Joaquin is young and headstrong. He is the soul of honor, brave and generous as the Cid Campeador—but he does not always know what is best for himself, eh, Miguel?” The giant grunted, whether in assent or disap- roval none save himself and Serapio could have old, but there was an anxious light in his great dark eyes as the talkative comrade. rested upon the face of his wre to the prisoner. ————— ee ee “Don Joaquin is in love, too, Miguel. That will not render his brain clearer or his eyesight keener. A man in love is only half a man, at best, but worst of all when he is on the trail of his lady-bird. He is blind, then, to the signs that would have spoken to him in his sober senses louder than thunder. You know how cunning and wary an old buck is, Miguel—but you know, too, that when he is ‘running’ that same wary old buck would not leave the scent though a dozen hunters stood on the trail.” , . Well?’ uttered the giant, his brows contract- ing and a look in his eyes as though he thought the garrulous Serapio was losing time in beating about the bush. ‘“‘[’m fearing it is bad, not well,” added Ser- apio, the puffs of blue smoke coming faster than ever. ‘* Don Joaquin is something like that old buck. He is on the love-trail, and signs that he ‘would have read easily enough at any other time, he overlooked now. See, brother Miguel! is not that the face of a snake?’ he cried in a tone of intense earnestness, bending forward and: pointing one finger at Don Manuel Cam lido, who had been eagerly listening to their words. The wretched prisoner closed his eyes, unable to withstand the fiery glitter of one pair of eyes, the lurid glow of the other. ‘He lied to us—bis tongue is double forked! He thought we all three would go to redeem the lady, and he made a false confession, hoping still to baffle us all by slipping away while we were absent. He has sent Don Joaquin to meet his death in a trap—” ‘* No, no, I spoke the truth, gentlemen!” cried Don Manuel, but Serapio continued without noticing the interruption: ‘We cannot stay here, Miguel, idly suckin our thumbs while Don Joaquin, our friend an benefactor, is risking his life through the treach- ery of this man-snake. If our fears should prove mistaken, he may reproach us for leaving this man-devil alone unguarded—” The giant arose and with one stride stood over the helpless prisoner. One hand eaeee a lon knife, and the red glow in his eyes as he stooped and felt for the heart of Don Manuel with the other, could not be mistaken. Serapio laughed softly, but a word from him caused the giant to pause. ‘* No, Miguel, not that. A touch of the knife would indeed insure us against his escape, but Don Joaquin would then have solid cause for complaint. Besides, where would be our ex- cuse then, for following his trail? Be quiet, fall back and listen. I must have your evidence, too! Withovt a word the big scalp-hunter replaced his knife and stood aside. In the hands of Se- rapio, he was like a little child, until the mo- ment of action came; then he was a human tor- tem that naught mortal seemed able to with- stand. ** Don Manuel Camplido,” slowly uttered Se- rapio as he knelt beside the captive, holding the keen point of a knife against his throat. ‘‘ Con- fess that your words were false—that you lied to Don Joaquin Murieta—” “* I spoke the truth, so help me—” The knife-point lowered until it pierced the skin and cut short the trembling protestation. “Think again, my dear sir,” and Serapio grinned down into the fear and pain distorted face of the ranchero, with a diabolical cunning littering in hiseyes. ‘‘ Your confession was a ie—you sent Don Joaquin to meet his death in a hidden snare—stop! Your brain is confused, and you do not fairly understand me. Unless ou confess, freely and frankly, I will measure he thickness of your neck with this bit of steel. Remember: one false word, and yon die! ‘* Now answer: your pretended confession to Don Joaquin was a false one. The lady he seeks is not at the spot you described. Instead, there is an ambush planted there for the purpose of — him. Speak—am I not right? At length Don Manuel began to understand what was e ted of him, and he faltered out an assent. ; ith a short, mocking laugh Se- raplo rose erect, his eyes blazing with triumph as he turned to his fellow scalp-hunter. ‘You hear, Miguel? Don Manuel Camplido, of his own free will and accord, without force or intimidation, acknowledges that he imposed upon Don Joaquin with a confession, that he has sent him to his death, unless we can save him from falling into the snare, by following and warning him.” The giant nodded, his face grave as that of a judge, but there was a humorous twinkle in his ig eyes that told how eer eS he ap- reciated the cunning ruse of his comrade, ow they were thoroughly armed against the displeasure of Joaquin Murieta. He could not blame them for their disobedience when they could swear that Don Manuel admitted his con- fession was Only the plausible cover to a deadly snare! Thus far, Serapio had acted with an almost annoying deliberation, but now he sprung to work aa'livel as a cricket. ‘“Buckle down to it, Miguel, my son!” he cried, forming a gag which he dexterously ap- “We're going to follow on Joaquin, but we must make sure of this two -] snake first. O cachet oll bold our game, squeezing!” The giant strode to the rear of the cave, and brushing aside some sand and gravel, inserted his fingers in an irregular crack, then raised up a long, flat stone slab, revealing a coffin-like cavity, half full of powder kegs, canvas-bags and other articles. All but the money-bags were removed, they being crowded down into the lower corners. Then Serapio steadied the slab while his herculean comrade picked Don Manuel Camplido up and crowded him feet fore- most into the singular cache. It proved to be a snug fit, and the miserable wretch must have felt as though in his ccffin especially when the heavy slab was lowered over him. He expected no less than death by suffocation, but such was not the purpose of the scalp-hunters. They knew that the irregular crack at the head of the prisoner would furnish him air sufficient, and that he would live through the ordeal, unless wr themselves were killed whilé seeking to serve their friend. ‘* And if we are, Don Joaquin will still be avenged,” chuckled Serapio. ‘' Unless we 7 ay n the treasure guess, with some it, that cache will remain sealed until the of doom!” “No loss, either! cold.” Well supplied with weapons and ammunition, the two scalp-hunters left the cave, descending by means of the shrubs and vines, lest the skin ladder, if left dangling in the wind, shoud be- tray the secret of the den to some prowling human. The giant turned toward the s Come—the trail will grow t where their i were kept hidden, when Serapio checked im. **Wecan make the trip quicker afoot than mounted. Besides, we are only to show our- selves in case Don Joaquin runs into danger. If mounted, he would spy us out belore we could dodge back. No need to use the excuse ¥e ee at the knife point, unless we are ok- Vigud said not a word in reply, but followed Serapio, who always took the lead until the moment of actual fighting came. Then no one man could show the giant the way. Knowing every foot of the ground, the scal hunters lost no time by forced detours, like Joaquin, but he had started a full hour ahead of them, and, as the reader has seen, pushed his horse on at breakneck speed. Hence it was that the scalp-hunters reached the rendezvous too late—for they were yet half a mile away when Carmela made her desperate break for libcrty. From the higher ground on which they stocd the two men noted the course of the chase, an they also saw ee Murieta riding hard to cut the outlaws off. A torrent of curses burst from Serapio’s lips, but Miguel said nothing. With one compre- hensive glance, he took in the whole scene, then set off at full speed, his long legs covering the ground in a wonderful manner, taking rocks and bushes in their stride. And at his heels ran we making up in activity what he lacked in length of legs. No horse could have followed the course they took, save at a walk, and few men could have kept pace with them, but the task they sought to accomplish was far beyond mortal powers in the limited time at their disposal. The chase led directly away from them, and at the very outset they were thrown far behind. Stil] they persevered, though reason told them that the end must come long before they could reach the From far away ier heard the firing which accompanied the swift and deadly attack made by Joaquin upon the four leading outlaws, but when they reached a point from whence they could view the ground beyond, it was only to behold their friend rushing madly to his fate, led into the cunning ambush provided by Black Lopez, through his love for Carmela, whom they recognized as she stood upon the rock. ‘*Ha!” panted Serapio, “there’s trouble ahead! she is motioning him back, but the blind or does not understand. Ah!” fierce groan burst from his lips as he saw Joaquin dragged to the ground by the of the ambushed outlaws, who rushed out and unced upon him like wolves on a wounded uffalo. For once Serapio fairly lost his head, and was about to dash madly forward, when the giant grasped his arm and forced him down behind cover. he iy “lf living, we'll rescue him; if dead—may the Blessed Virgin forbid!—we will bitterly avenge him. Until one or the other is doné. our lives are not our own to throw away, Re-: member that, and be a man, comrade!” This was a wonderfully long speech for the taciturn scalp-hunter to make, and it produced the effect intended. His mad. rage cooled, and Serapio was once more himself. From under cover they watched keenly every movement made by the enemy. They saw Joa- uin lifted and carried away, and this gave them new hope, for it was not likely that so much trouble would be taken for a dead man, Stealthily they crept forward, and exercising their utmost skill as scouts, soon succeeded in (C MICELOOC) .S..C (0) . (C(O)