Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 154 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

oe Me 2! cee 8m — Oe DT. oe ee ee ee ee | | ; ; ) ———= eee 8 Joaquin, the Saddle King. he is at present filling a lowly position, more through choice than necessity.” ‘* Knough—the matter was closed last night,” coldly said Don Felix. ‘There is nothing more to say on the subject.” “Yes, there is this much to say,” cried Car. mela, in a low, but intense tone of voice. ‘I will go down to my grave a virgin unless I[ can wed the man of my choice. Hither death or Joaquin Murieta will be my bridegroom!” “There is no choice between the two. Dear ‘as you are to my heart, Carmela, I could rather see you robed for the grave. There would be ‘sorrow, deep and lasting, but there would be no feeling of shame, no bitter necessity for erasing even your memory from an aching heart.” ‘* Yet you are willing and even eager to see me the wife of Manuel Camplido,” bitterly cried the maiden. The old man’s face flushed hotly, then the color died away, leaving him more pale than before. “Not eager, only willing,” he stammered. ‘*‘Have I ever urged you—ever exerted my authority—” ** And why? shall I tell you? Because oe down in your heart of hearts you feel that suc an unholy alliance would be a mst, pi Only to‘avoid a still deeper disgrace could you have given your consent.” “Stop! speak not the words!” cried Don Felix, terribly agitated. ‘‘What know you— who has dared to tell—” His emotion choked him. He leaned back against the tree-trunk, gasping for breath. Car- mela filled a cup with water from the spring and handed him. He drank, and when he was more calm, Carmela spoke. ‘*T know all. No matter how I learned the truth, but I knew it all before you suspected the bitter shame. I knew not then that [ had a heart, and to save Luis, I consented to sacrifice myself. I saw that Manuel Camplido was wel- comed in good society, made much of and flat- tered by those highin power, despite the well- known fact of his poltroonery displayed on the field of battle, of his being a heartless rowe and a confirmed gambler. I[ did not know then what love was, and foolishly thought that I could endure an existence with him where so much was at stake. But now—if forced to be- come his bride, I should first slay him and then kill myself!” Before Don Felix could make reply to this ionate outburst, the rapid clattering of a orse’s hoofs in swift gallop came to their ears, and through an opening in the foliage they caught a momentary glimpse of the rider, who was headed for the motte. The eyes of hatred no less than those of love, are very keen, anc Carmela’s dainty brows contracted as she re- cognized the horseman. Talk of Satan! if not the foul fiend himself onder comes his favorite lieutenant, Manuel amplido!” “Treat him kindly, daughter. Remember how much depends upon his good will!” bur- riedly whispered Don Felix. It was very seldom that the proud don stooped to entreat where be was wont to command, and Carmela knéw from this how powerfully he had been affected by her words. She gathered fresh courage, and inwardly resolved to carry the war into the enemy’s country. Little ng eer the nature of the reception which was being prepared for him, Don Manuel Camplido dismounted, and turning his horse over to the care of one of the escort, hastened to the spring where father and daughter await- ed his approach. The welcome given him by Don Carillo was all that the most exacting could wish for, but Carmela only bowed coldly, not noticing the hand he extended to clasp hers, then turned away and résumed her seat, carelessly toying with the grass blades beside the water. A quick frown wrinkled Camplido’s brow, and insensibly the rebuff gave a sharper tone to his voice than he intended. | ** You must pardon my intrusion, Don Felix,” he said, seating himself. ‘‘ Late last night a message came to me from the city—a summons that can only be answered in person, and of a nature that may compel me to start for Spain at a moment’s notice. I rode over to your house the first thing this morning, but you had already started on your journey, so there was nothing left for me but to follow.” Don Felix bowed, but said nothing. Deep down in his heart was a sincere regret that nr oer could have found time even for this | brief dela: Camplido eyed him keenly, then added, in a colder tone: ‘* You surely can guess why I have stolen this time—why I was so determined to see you be- fore leaving for Mexico?” “To make your adieux—you are very kind,” muttered Don Felix, scarce conscious of what he said. “That, of course, but only in addition to more important business. As I hinted, I may be called to Spain almost immediately, and there is no guessing how long I may detained there, The voyage will bea pleasant one, and a more appropriate wedding-tour could scarcely be devised. I have been very patient, as even you must admit, and think I have fairly earned the right to ask when will the Senorita Carmela make me the happiest of mortals by suffering me to wed her?’ ‘* Never, Don Manuel Camplido!” came in quiet but resolute tones from the maiden, who barely deigned to turn her dark eyes upon the fellow—eyes that emphasized the scorn and dis- like that curled her ruby-red lip. The gambler flushed hotly as he met that glance, but as he read the unpleasant truth thus conveyed, the blood fled back, leaving his face a sickly, ashen gray, relieved only by the ugly fire that blazed in his eyes. ‘**You are pleased to jest, senorita,” he said, slowly, as though he found trouble in managing his voice. ‘* You surely could not have under- stood me. You are my betrothed. I amon the eve of leaving this Seamed for an uncertain length of time—it may only be months, or it may be for years. Is it to be wondered at that Iam anxious to have all settled before I de- part?” “That need not trouble you long. One word will settle it forever, so far as you are concerned. Take your departure as soon as you please— ‘‘Carmela!” exclaimed Don Felix, appeal- ingly. “Do not interrupt me, father,” cried the maiden, es -anbor cart arising to her feet. ‘‘ You heard him say that he was anxious for a settle- ment—and I am even more impatient than he. ‘*Don Manuel Camplido, you know that I re- fused your suit, not once but many times, only yielding when you threatened revenge such as no man with a spark of honor in his compo- sition could even have dreamed of, but through it all, I never professed to love you, never even tried to disguise my aversion. I thought then that I could make the sacrifice, because I did not then know my heart—scarcely knew that I had one. But one day it awoke—bah! why should I fear to utter what I glory in! I learned to love—” ‘*That accursed hound, Murieta!” ‘That nature’s nobleman, whom you are un- worthy to name!” spiritedly cried the maiden, her countenance aglow with a generous love for the absent. ‘* You dare to curse him, now that he is distant, but your tongue ran not so freely yester evening!” The taunt was a bitter one and struck heavily home. A sickly smile curled the villain’s mus- taches, but he could not articulate a word, and Carmela, anxious to end a scene which she saw was inexpressibly painful to her father, added rapidly: ** Once for all, let me tell you that I will never wed with you. Death, preceded by the most atrocious tortures, would be ten thousand times preferable. If you are cowardly enough to at- tempt putting your former threat into execu- tion, settle your worldly affairs before you launch the thunderbolt, for truly as God reigns in the heavens above! your life will not last long enough for you to triumph over the down- fall of the house of Felix!” Delivering this speech with a fire that is but poorly represented by the words as recorded, Carmela turned haugtily aside and passed deeper into the wood. Pale and ghastly, Manuel Camplido followed her with his eyes—eyes that each contained a raging devil—until the undergrowth inter- vened, then turned to the agitated father, with a short, harsh laugh. ‘““A tempest in a tea-pot, truly! However, it will soon expend itself. When one of the dainty creatures flies into a rage, the wisest wh is to let them have their say out, and not make a bad matter worse by attempting toargue the point with them. But, with a man of the world, like yourself, senor, the case is different and so I repeat my question:—how soon shall the wedding come off?” ‘You heard her answer,” muttered Don Felix, uneasily. ‘*But [do not choose to accept it, senor,” a little sharply, ‘‘ What a girl says in a fit of petty apioes goes for nothing. She is my be- trothed, solemnly plighted to me, and I do not propose to relinquish my rights for a mere whim.” ‘‘Carmela was in bitter earnest; you must have seen that. She will never consent.” “Tt is not her consent that I am seeking, but yours,” coldly, almost insolently retorted Cam- plido. ‘ You have but to exert your paternal authority, and she must yield.” , Don Felix flushed hotly, and despite the mag- nitude of the stake they were playing for, his indignation got the upper hand of his pru- dence. “My authority shall never be exercised in that shape, let the consequence be what it will. If you can gain her free consent to marry you, my blessing will be given you both; but no com- pulsion shall be used, and any further hint on that score from you, senor, will be esteemed as an insult by me, to be resented accordingly.” Camplido gazed steadily into the eyes of the peed old don as he spoke, but the haughty lood of the istadores was now fully aroused, and Don Felix faced the ex-captain of | ——————E — sss ness lancers unflinchingly. Then a harsh, unnatura! laugh parted Don Manuel’s lips. ‘**Doubtless you have well weighed your words and fully counted the cost, senor, but I will not hastily accept your answer. In a few days I will return from the city, and then will do myself the honor of calling on you. Until then, adios, senor!” Turning away, Don Camplido mounted his horse and rode swiftly away from the motte. ‘** Ten thousand curses on the punctilious old fool!” he snarled, as he glanced over his shoul- der and saw that only the extreme tops of the trees forming the timber island were in view. ‘Had his heart been 7 half in the scheme, he would have exerted his authority quickly enough, and never have given it a second thought.” _Wrenching savagely at the bit, he wheeled his horse at a sharp angle, and plying spurs, galloped swiftly on. ‘Bah! what matters, after all? The other way is the shortest and easiest, be:ides giving me a good chance of killing two birds with one stone—winning a peerless bride, and forever ridding myself of a dangerous rival. Ha! ha! could dainty Carmela have known the whole truth, would she not have sung smaller?” Long and loud this reckless villain laughed, his tones, his face, and above all the light in his eyes, being those of a veritable demon. At length he drew rein and leaped to the ground, tearing up the withered grass and plac- ing it in three aie after a careful glance at the position of the sun, He struck a match on his boot sole, and touched off the three piles of grass in succession, laughing once more as he stood with folded arms and watched the smoke curl upward in three columns. CHAPTER VII. WHAT THE SMOKE SIGNALS MEANT, THE rejected suitur had hardly left the tim- ber island before Don Felix called up Tio Ton.as and bade him get all in readiness for a resump- tion of the journey. The veteran retainer re- ceived his orders in silence, bowed and w ith- drew to at once carry them out, but there was a shrewd, humorous twinkle in his eyes that told he was not wholly at a loss to understand why Don Felix bad abandoned his purpose of remaining in camp by the spring until the heat of the day was past. An ardent partisan of the young Sonorian, Tio Tomas had not been over particular to keep beyond ear-shot of the spring, and the angry frown worn by Don Manuel Camplido when he hastened from the motte was no enigma to him. ‘Don Felix looks as though his dinner did not agree with bis stomach!” muttered the vet- eran, chuckling in his sleeve. ‘‘Glory to the dainty little lady-bird, and the Virgin grant she may have back-bone enough to hold fast to the position she has taken!” Carmela also had an idea of the truth, for she believed their departure was being hastened to avoid any further discussion of the troublesome point, and while she raised no objection to abandoning the grateful shade of the motte, she inwardly resolved that this unexpected changa of base should not avail her father aught. And scarcely had the cavalcade cieared the timber island before she opened her batteries, showing the already demoralized enemy no mercy, ‘*T remember hearing a proverb fall from pane lips, long years ago, father,” she began, eaning forward with a charming smile and stroking the smooth neck of the horse he be- strode. ‘“‘Itranlike this: A true gentleman never forgets the respect and reverence due to venerable age or beauty. Weighed in this balance, your friend, Don Manuel Camplido, this day proved woefully lacking.” ‘He is no friend of mine!” hastily uttered Don Felix, then paused abruptly and flushed hotly as though _conscious of having made a damaging admission. Carmela averted her head to conceal a smile of gratified triumph, for this success was more than she had even dared to hope for, and she began to feel that complete victory lay in the path she was following, if she could only pa- tiently bide her time and avoid making any false move. Yet she could not resist the tempta- tion to use the caustic once more. “TI rejoice greatly at hearing you say that, dear father, for the friendship of such a thor- ough-paced villain would disgraceany man with ~ even the slightest pretensions to respectability. _ You have not heard of the part he played ap be recently at General Santa Anna’s rancho? thought not, yet you should, for it showed doughty ex-captain of lancers up in his true colors. Tio Tomas, come hither!’ she said, turning and beckoning to the veteran, who had been riding close behind them, then adding as the old man respectfully his head in the presence of his master: ‘‘ Cover yourself, Tomas, then tell us what you know concerning this affair between Don Manuel Camplido and— I forget his name, but that does not matter; the facts are all we care for at present.” There was no need of the quick, warning look which flashed from her eyes. Tio Tomas was no fool, and her cunningly chosen words gave him the necessary clew. CORMCEOOOKS (eo)