Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 188 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

Birdie wi h a wife | him from jail.” | Had a bombshell fallen into the crowd it could not bavecreated a greater momentary ex- citement, and it was very evident that the ma- jority sympathized with the man who had done so much and played his part so well to serve a triend in trouble, As for Dave Perry, he laughed lightly, and Ben Fanshaw looked dumfounded: but Ram- sey Preston said, a t. ‘You shall answer me for this, sir, boy though you be, and I'll make you play ghost in na right, ‘B I be ‘I “AU right. Bianca— @ pardon, I mean Ramsey Preston,” was the retort. But it caused the ranchero to look: like a man suddenly struck a severe blow, and in a dazed sort of way he turned to go, and, with a light laugh. the Dandy Sport said: ould you see me now, Mr. Preston?” es. ‘‘ Lead, and I follow,” and again the Dandy Sport laughed as he followed the cattle king toward his hotel. CHAPTER XXXTII. CARTER CONRAD ON THE TRAIL, TRUE to his determination to win his bet, and to ran the Phantom Mazeppa to earth, Carter Conrad, the afternoon following his wager, mounted his splendid racé-horse, and well +. ‘4 armed and equipped for a week’s trip set out from North Platte in search of the ghostly steed and mad rider. Learning from those who professed to best know the nocturnal habits of the Phantom Ma- zeppa, where he would be most likely to find her, be headed across the north. branch of the Platte river and bore away toward the Loup. Just at dark he came upon a small clump of cotton woods, and here halted for a rest for his horse and supper. From this place he could get a wide sweep of the prairie for miles around, and, as soon as the moon rose, he hoped to catch a glimpse of the weird steed and rider. W batever the faults of Carter Conrad, as a fast man about town, and persistently hiding his secret marriage from the world, and bring- ing sorrow upon his beautiful wife, Pauline, who, the reader will remember, prevented his duel with tron Arm, be certainly could be called a brave man, and, scouting the idea of the supernatural, was determined for his own satisfaction to solve the mystery attending this nocturnal and ghostly prowler of the prairies. After watering bis borse and staking him out to feed, Carter Conrad partook of bis own sup- per, which was tar more juxurious than what a regular plainsman would have enjoyed. Then, lighting a cigar, he leaned back against a tree and began to muse aloud, for he knew no one Was within ear-shot: ‘Is will be a feather in my cap to run down this pretended phantom that is crazing the su- rerstitious, ‘** But what can it be, and how strange it is that only at night itis seen, $ Well, I care not, for I shall go for he, she or it wherever I find he, she or it,and if I go un- der | have but taken my chances. ‘‘Ah me! this quiet prairie scene, with dark- ness settling over the prairie, no sound being heard save the chirping crickets and that in- fernally dismal houb dreds some wolf, sets me to thinking; and I don’t like to think, for then, asthe poet has it: “* The vision of all my. past life Is an awful thing to face, Alone with my conscience sitting, ~ _ In this solemnly silent place. For I think of my former actions, Of the Judgment Day to be; But sitting alone with my conscience ms Judgment enough for me.’ ”’ For a moment he was silent, and then he musedagain: | ‘*] wonder what has become of poor Pauline? “She was a true and noble little woman, and it was cruel of me to use ber as I did. ‘*But then I loved ber when I asked her to be my wife, and thougbt one day to acknowledge her as such before the world. ** Bat then the old man has his heart set on my n ing his millioneire chum’s daughter, and did he know I had recently married Pau- line he would cut me off with a sixpence, for I know the governor intimately, having had ex- perience with his freaks, and be is as firm as the Re:+k of Ages, to which girls are always clinging in the cheap chromos | have seen. ‘Birdie Taff is an awful sweet girl, and I think loves me, and her father is worth a clean two millions, has the gout, and is liable to die at any time, and she is an only child. ‘This, with what the governor settles on me. and Jeaves me when he ‘climbs the golden stairs,’ and ‘puts on the golden slippers,’ to ‘walk tie golden streets,’ will give me an in- come that will support @ yacht and a racing stable. ‘* But there looms 2 Pauline; I cannot marry ving, as the law steps in unpleasantly to prevent. Om ee ee + ee and therefore I played the Mazeppa and freed | ‘* THe, Pauline has left me, and gone, T know | of a ‘arias, which he made with deft fingers, EL a ee ————— not where. | : “She never divulged the secret of our mar- riage, and no one knows -t, and in the letter she left when she departed she said she would not betray me. “But should I meat ty See I know her Mexican blood would up, and then there would be the deuce to pay. ‘Tf Birdie Taff knew of mv little short- comings she would set me adrift, and her pious old father would go off with the shock, while the governor would give me a row up Salt river. while his eyes often roamed over the magnifi- cent sweep of prairie in his front. _ Sua y his eagle eyes fell upon seme mMov- ing objects far away, and he said si ply: i i Buffalo, or more cattle, for this country is settling up fast; yes, itisa herd of cattle, and they are following the trail for the Dismal.” . ludifferently he watched the herd, a couple of hundred in number, with a dozen drivers, the SrachiDg of whose whips distinctly reached his ears, and saw that they branched off te the left, when arriving witbin a league of the ranch. But soon he observed that one of the drivers ‘They know I am a little wild: sow my wild | had separated himself from the others and was oats, and spend considerable money; but the notice my editor friend on the Herald gives me every now and then of sending a handsome sum to convert the heathen in Afi ica, helps me out with old Taff and his daughter, and ac- counts to the governor for a good deal cf money I could not otherwise explain the going of, “Curse the heathen! ‘‘ No, no, I forget; bless the hsathen, for they are a blessing to me, ‘* But I would like to know where Pauline is, for I cannot hold off much longer. ‘“‘T hope she bas not gone to the bad. ‘“*Sbe had no friend in this ag at to go He and only a brother, I believe, in Mexico, an she had not beard from him for a long time. ‘“Ah me, I must not think of her, for I get aa and one of my nature should not get the ues. “Ah! there comes the moon, and I'll saddle up and be off on my search for the Phantom ppa. He arose quickly, collected ‘his i saddled his horse, and rode away across the prairie, now Panes by the rising moon. Hardly had he ridden a league, when bis borse gave a jJoud snort, and turning half round he started suddenly, for there, not a hundred yards are came the Phantom Mazeppa. beeling quickly he unslung his rifle, and brought it round ready for use. But, when the butt pressed his shonlder, he did not fire, and, from some impulse he could not account for, he lowered the weapon. Then, like one gone dazed, he sat and saw the ‘white steed fly by with a speed that was mar- velous, heard the wild neighing of the animal, the maniacal laughter of the rider, and beheld the form bound to the back of the borse, Away went the white steed, and Carter Con- rad had not made an effort to get a nearer view or to cbeck its flight. Suddenly, as the wild beast disappeared over a roll of the prairie, he came to himself, and with acry to his horse dashed off in pursuit. ““I will run alongside and see what that strange being is, for my noble horse will sdon overtake them. “What a fool I was not to shoot the horse; but I could not have fired then had my life de- pended upon it. ““Come, sir, come!” But though the Kentucky,racer went over the prairie at a pace that would have won applause at the English Derby, the phantom ead stead- ily gained on him, and in a very short time the surprised Carter Conrad drew rein with the re- | mark: ‘“Well, that passes belief, and almost per- suades me to believe that animal is from the spirit-land. ‘* Now, which way? ‘Go where you please, old fellow, and if the Sep again crosses our path I'll try cold ead.” And Fate led the racer by a trail that had a strange ending. CHAPTER XXXIV. THE LAST OF A RACE. | SANCHO, the Mexican, sat alone in the Pres- ton ranch, for his master had gone to the Platte with the prisoners, taken by the courage of Arta, his cousin. As one studied the face of Sancho, it would improve in character and looks, for there was that in it which gave the idea of strength, reso- lution, and yet not devoid of art, though it was stamped with recklessness, dissipation, and a Sere sadness, as though the thoughts were wont to go back to unpleasant scenes in the ast, rather than todwellin the present or hope or the future, : Some months before Sancho had reached the ranch, as chief cowboy of a berd driven up from Texas for Mr. Preston and had offered his gg as herdsman, and was accepted as such, He was found steady, industrious, quiet, and was liked by hisemployer, although there was something about him Ramsey Preston could not understand. He had represented himself as a half breed, his mother baving been an Indian, and bis father a Mexican, and more regarding his antecedents ——$—$——— | | | | ee { i ' | — ae coming on alone to the ranch. ** Who can he be?’ Not being able to answer his own question Sancho arose and entered the cabin, and re- turned with a spy-glass. Adjusting the focus he leveled it at the horse- man, and looked long and intently. ‘It is not the ranchero; no, nor do I know whoitis. . ‘Ah! it is not a man, but a woman.” He lowered the glass and paced to and fro for an instant, and then again took an observation of the stranger. ; ‘No, it is not the Sefiorita Preston; then who can it be? ‘Her face I cannot see, but her form looks youthful and she sits on a horse like a daughter of my dear sunny Mexico, aes she is vailed, and— Madre de Dios! should it be— No, no, no, there is no such joy for me; no Alcolo can ever again know joy, for dishonor is upon the name.” 7 He passed his hand moodily across his brow, and again paced to and fro, so deeply lost in reverie as to have wholly forgotten the stranger - coming toward the ranch. ; But the hoof-fall on the prairie catching his quick ear, ever on the alert for danger, he started, cast from him the mantle of bygone memories that had enveloped him, and turned his gaze upon the horsewoman, who was now within twenty paces of bim. She was dressed in a Mexican riding-habit, and wore a broad-brimmed sombrero, half en- circled by a black ostrich plume, while her face was securely hidden by a Spanish vail. Riding directly up to Sancho she looked him in tne face,as she drew rein, and asked in a low tone, in purest Spanish: ' “Is this the ranch of Don Preston, an Ameri- cano, and ranecbero?” “It is, sefiorita,” and Sancho. touched his sombrero and in vain endeavored to pieree the vail and see the face beneath. ‘* Dwells there with Don Preston a Mexieano, known as Sancho?” ‘‘T am Sancho, sefiorita,” was the low reply. “If I mistake not, here you are Sancho the Half- breed?’ ** Yes, sefiorita.” ‘There was a time when, as Gila Alcole, you had pride—”’ ““Ha! who are you that mentions that name, senorita?” he asked, quickly. “One who comes here as a friend of her whom you cast off; the friend of your sister.” ‘‘For the Blessed Virgin’s sake, tel) me of andy ang it has been long since 1 have heard of er. ‘*Do you love her still?” ‘‘Ay do I; what else have I to live for, for am I not the last of my race?” he said, bitterly. ‘* The last of your race; a great, a noble race, for well I know, Sancho the Half-breed, that thou art descended from the Aztecs on thy mother’s side, and in thy father’s veins flowed the purest Spanish blood. | ‘**Ob yes, thou art a half-breed, Gila Alcolo, but thy ancestors once dwelt in the Palace of Axuzco in the land of the Montezumas, and were lords in those days. ‘*‘ But thou, Sancho the Half-breed, art indecd fallen low when ttou dost hide thy name, and art content to follow in the trail of cattle.” - ‘* Nombre de Dios! who are you that thus speaks to mef’ and the Mexican’s face grew black with rage. ‘Thy sister; oh, Gila! do you not know thy sister Paulina?’ } Sbe threw herself from her horse as she spoke, and he caught her in his arms, while, tearing aside ber vail, he beheld her wondrously beautiful face, the eyes brimful of tears. For some moments neither spoke, and then, seating her by his side on the low bench at the cabin door, the man said: ‘Paulina, twelve years ago a cruel fate drove us, the last of our race, fromthe Axuzco Palace, the home of our ancestors for twenty generations. : _““] was one of the conspirators, as they called us who hoped to free our Jand from a tyrant, and I was condemned to die. ‘*Bat an Americano, a Texan, who was fight- ing on the other side, | bad one time saved from death, and he set me free. and | esca across he had nothing to say; but Mr. Preston soon | the Rio Grande, and, destitute, friendless, reck- found that he posses ed a fine education, and had evidently been born to a different life. Now, as he occupied his usual seat outside the cabin door, he was engaged in the manufacture | less, I joined a band of outlaws under the chief Bianca. ‘* And, Paulina, he, the Americano who had done me this favor, did more, for, a soldier of . GOmicboo S) (Go)