Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 156 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

5 de Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. oo - ee —_—___ — -_ 2 ee And all Purgatory saw Hayes, the miner, fall dead in his tracks, a bullet in his foreh while Mad Myra had coolly walked away, an from that da n allowed full right to her min | e. That she had been in the valley before any one had emigrated there was certain, and that she peace to range the mountains huntin to working her mine, was also the truth, an this was all that was known of the strange creature, whom both Velvet Face and Muriel gazed upon with such deep interest. In answer to the invitation of Velvet Face to ride behind him, she turned her gaze full upon him, and said, in her rich tones: ‘‘T thank you, but I care not to go to the valley, as I have a home in these mountains; ou heard my name, Mad Myra of the Moun- in? ‘Yes, and have heard of you before, from train-men and guides; but you are not mad,” said Velvet Face, kindly. “Tf having sworn an oath to accomplish one deed in life, and not to die until I have done so, but then to end my existence by my own hand, be madness, then J am mad. ‘Tf, to live away from my fellow-men and women, to roam these wild haunts alone, to avoid bloodshed, but to kill when I have to, be madness, then ] am mad.” She spoke with an impressiveness of voice and gesture that caused pity to well up in the hearts of those who heard her, and Muriel an- swered: ‘] wish I could win you away wild life, and have you come to me.’ ‘*Ah, me! that can never be; duty calls me here; but I warned you, lady, not to cast your lot in life in this far-away land, and you heeded not my warning, and already has danger over- taken you, for know that the Danites had you in their power.” ‘You know this?” asked Muriel, with a slight icion in her tone. ‘Yes, for I met their leader, Jean Leo, and he told me that he had snatched a brand from the burning, and had sent a fair Gentile to Salt Lake City.” ‘*Ah, you know him, then?” ‘Yes, as Jean Leo, the chief of the Danite League; I meet him often in my wanderings; but the shadows of night come on, and your train is by this time in the valley, and I must leave you, but once more beg you to heed my warning,” ** Alas! I cannot.” **One question! do you know Jean Leo?” **T do not.” ‘Then I will be your friend, and we shall meet again; farewell,” and, with a wave of her hand, Mad Myra strode away, while Velvet Face and Muriel Merle rode on down to the valley, both of them deeply impressed with the weird creature whom they had so strangely met, , from your ’ CHAPTER [X. ON THE TRAIL. To say that Paradise Valley was. excited is no name for it, when Ralph Reno, the guide of the emigrant-train, rode into the settlement, and informed the people that their population was to be increased a hundred souls, and that there were a number of fine families in the com- ing settlers, nce before Ralph Reno had guided a party to Paradise Valley, but they were mostly men to work in the mines, and not such as would be- come settlers there after they had dug out of the generous earth all the rich ore it would yield them. The excitement in. the had been ordered for punishing the guilty ones in the settlement, had caused those not joinin in the Vigilante meeting to ‘‘ strike work,” an hence a fair-sized sae had quickly assembled to greet the coming train, which was aug- mented considerably as the band of law-makers broke up, after the hanging of. the two miners brought in by Velvet Face. As the sun cast long shadows across the val- ley fully three hundred. people had assembled upon the banks of the river, which the Guide had selected as the encampment. of the train, and the Vigilantes having come in from the canyon all were prey rg iscussing the strange maiden seen on the cliff, and who had been so mysteriously px, Petey while it was the opinion of every one who ad seen the Strange char- acter known as Velvet Face, in his knife-duel with Captain Carl, that he would retake her from her captors. Who she was none knew, as the Guide had returned to the mountain to h the train into camp before dark ; but that she belonged to the coniing outfit none doubted. _ ter a long and impatient waiting a cheer broke from the crowd, as out of the copse of pines at the mountain base suddenly appeared @ wagon, followed immediately by another and another, until in a few minutes a Jong line of “*prairie-schooners ” were heading toward the canyon, where a trial camping-ground. tthe head of the train rode Ralph Reno, Guide, and by his side was Malcolm Merle, eS Sa ae See RO EE EEE EE noe aa en | whom the reader had last seen in his sumptuous New York home. Presently past each wagon dashed a lady on horseback, and the settlers saw her] halt by the two horsemen, to whom she seemed to com- municate something in an excited tone. Instantly they came to a standstill, and the three wheeling suddenly started back in a —— gallop. topping by the first wagon, the Guide satnted. out the coraping eins to the teamster and then continued rapidly on, until the three disappeared from sight in the pine thicket. But here they halted not, and up the steep mountain road they urged their horses, a look of anxiety upon each face. he of thelr’ eyes By each wagon they passed were emigrants mounted and afoot, and searching keenly the while, until at last they swept by the tail of the train, the cattle and led horses, and came to a halt, for the herdsmen had told them that no one was loitering in the road ‘Great God! my child! my child! where can she be?’ cried Mr. Merle, in alarm, while the Guide said, nervously: “We certainly have not passed her on the way. ‘“No, that was impossible; what can have nae! her?” ‘tT hope nothing, uncle; when I last saw Mu- riel, we rode up to her, as she sat on her horse gazing down into the valley.” ‘““Where was that, Camille?” and Mr. Merle turned eagerly to his niece, a brlght-faped, fairy-formed maiden of seventeen, with eyes of dark blue, and hair that rivaled the rays of the sun—one of those joy-hearted maidens who win hearts of both men and women at the first glance. ‘“TIt was on the cliff, uncle, where we ob- tained the first view of the valley Mu seemed distrait about something, and rode on ahead, I thought to join Mr. Reno, who I know so likes to show her the beautiful scenery,” and Camille Conrad cast an arch glance at the handsome yoons Guide, whose face colored, while he said uickly: q “She did not overtake me, Miss Conrad, so cannot of course be in the valley; Mr. Merle should advise that you ride on to the settle- ment, and if you do not find Miss Merle, organ- ize at once a search party to come to the moun- tains, while I will remain here and leave no nook or canyon unlooked into,” **T will do as you suggest, Mr. Reno; Camille, and God a we find m and now thoroughly alarmed Mr. niece rode rapidly wrist easing the Guide seated upon his horse, and meditating deeply. “Great God! I dare not give vent to the thought that Jean Leo’s Danites may have kid- napped her; but the accursed devils have be- fore this taken young girls from trains, and carried them to their city as wives for their Prophets, and what they have done they will do again.” For a few moments the Guide seemed dazed by the thoughts that oppressed him; but after a while he cast off his moody manner, and rousing himself to busy action, began his search with energy, for, in tho long march from the East, he had learned to devotedly love aa a ade girl, who had ever treated him so indly. come, oor child,’ éerle and his A man of. fine appearance, bedarree Sae ila and a gentleman by education and birth, ad- versity had driven him to the border, where he soon became a noted plainsman, and western- bound wagon-trains were always anxious to se- cure his services. Ms Recognizing in the family of Mr. Merle peo- ple far above the condition in life that generally sought homes on the frontier, unless driven thi- ther by poverty or the committing of crime, Ralph Reno had naturally attached himself more eaiaa at to their party, and from the day they pulled out of their first cam , had de- votedly gw ee silently, loved Muriel Merle, while she had admired his bravery and skill, and was pleased by his manly nature and re- finement, and often rode for hours with him in advance of the train, in contrast to her pretty cousin, Camille Conrad, who one day was scouring the prairie with the herders, another driving a team, again associating with the children of the emigrants, or going off with her uncle and the hunters to kill game. With his love increasing each day of the long march, and the hope in his heart that Muriel would return that love, it was no wonder, then, that Ralph Reno was nearly crazed with the dread that some dire harm had befallen the maiden, Rapidly he wended his way back to the spot where Camille had said she had Jast seen her cousin, and knowing the hoof-track of her horse, from some peculiarity he had before noted, he observed that she had gone in down the mountain toward the valley. “* There is another place she would likely ride to, that she might have a view of the valley,” he muttered, ard he spurred out to the point where the cliff overhung the canyon, and, to his delight beheld the tracks of Featherhoof. But the instant after his face clouded, for he @ -_-— saw two swinging forms beneath him, and felt that doubtless she had witnessed a tragic scene neath her, that had given her cause to fear ife in the mining region. Then Ralph Reno’s face became still more clouded, as he beheld other hoof-tracks on that mountain spur, and following them crossed the ee aud disappeared in the thickets be- ond, "i Now and then he saw the well-known tracks of Featherhoof among others, which his craft told him belonged not to any of the horses in the train, ard at last he came to a halt and said in smothered tones: ‘“*Curseson you, Jean Leo, you have her in your vile power.” After a moment’s thought he determined to return and meet the party, which Mr. Merle had organized for a search, and then continue on in pursuit, for to go alone he knew would be madness. As he sadly turned backward he started; for there came to his ears the sound of approaching hoofs, and quickly he sought shelter behind a buge bowlder. moment after two persons rode in sigh and a cry broke from the lips of the Guide, an he said joyously: . “Saved! thank God! and, as i live and. breathe, that is Velvet Face, the Border Bravo. ‘But why is he here, and what has hap- pened, I wonder? “’Well, I shall soon know,” and he rode out: from his hiding-place, to be instantly covered by the revolver of Velvet Face, whose move- ment was as'quick as lightning. “Hold on, pard, don’t shoot an old friend,” cried the Guide, 4 ‘Not for the world, Reno; but I was caught napping awhile since, and am on my guard now; but I am glad tosee you and learn trom Miss Merle that you are the guide of ber train,” and Velvet Face and Ralph Reno clasped han warmly, while the latter said: ‘** Yes, and I am glad to find the truant, about whom we were all so anxious; may I ask, Mis tae how you escaped from Jean Leo’s Dan- ites! *‘Ah! how knew you I had been their pris- oner, Mr, Reno?” asked Muriel, with a smile, “8 We of the border read signs, Miss Merle, as Velvet Face will tell you, that seldom lead us astray, and I saw where they had kidnapped ou, and had followed your trail thus far; but need not ask who rescued you, when I see whom you are with,” “True, a band of masked men whom I know now are Danites, did seize me, and to this gentle- man I owe my rescue from a fute to which death would be preferable; but does my father know of my absence?” ‘Oh, yes, and has gone on to the valley to organize a search-party.” Then let us ride on rapidly and relieve his mind regarding me,” said Muriel, and with a cavalier upon each side of her she dashed on, and reached the valley just as the shadows of night fell upon it, though a glance upward showed that the mountain-tops were yet bathed in the golden light left by the sun. “There comes the rescue-party,” said Ralph Reno, as he saw a band of horsemen approach- ing, and the next moment she was affection- ately welcomed by her father, while the band of two-score mounted men, after a cheer of joy at her safety, bent their gaze upon the man ot ber side, whose advent into their midst had already been fraught with so much good, In a few words Muriel told what bad hap- pened, as they rode*to the punErent cam where the fires were burnin itly, and that night the denizens of Paradise Valley were dis- cussing until a late hour the exciting scenes of the day, and the arrival of the new emigrants. But there was one whose heart was heay for another than himself bad rescued Mariel Merle from peril, and that other was one who would prove a most dangerous rival, thought Ralph Reno, as he lay on his blanket wear the camp-fire, for slumber refused to close his eye- lids and banish by bright dreams his bitter thoughts against Velvet Face, who lay wrapped in his serapé not ten. feet from him, as motionless and silent as the dead. — CHAPTER X. RALPH RENO’S OATH. ERE a month had gone by in Paradise Valley quite a change had come upon the scene, for the new emigrants were not idilers, and half a score of rude, but comfortable bouses had been built and one of more than ordinary pretensions ha been erected upon the river-bank, not far from the mouth of the canyon where the six ‘“ fur- reners” had so nearly been hanged for not being natives, the Vigilantes having forgotten that two of them, tbe Indians, held a prior claim to the title of Americans to themselves; but then mobs never stop to reason when swayed by passions, It wasa charming spot for a house, looking up the valley to the far-away mountains be- yond, within a stone’s throw of the cr stream that drained the vale, and beneath the towering crags of the lesser range of hills, while le. (OMNI OOO KS fcom