Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 188 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

ee a rc --- - - a f - . ree a Tr — a ee ee ee > — e * ~~ ~ ~~ . * . » 6a ee 2. ae eR Sade See x . d A * / It wag all be said, and they rode on in silence together, until the quick eye of Iron Arm de- tected some moving forms in the cottonwoods ane willows that fringed the banks of the Bird- wood. ) Instantly he drew rein; but a moment after moved on once more, saying pleasantly : ‘Come on, Mr. Mabrey, for they aremy Tex- ans,” and he added in a low tone: ‘* Now the doom of Grizzly Gabe is sealed.” CHAPTER XXXVIIL OUT OF THE QUICKSAND, Tue reader will remember that after the es- eape of Grizzly Gabe and Bedrock Mose from the jail, that Tiny Tim, the Dandy Sport, had coolly pocketed a handsome sum of money, by telling who had impersonated the Phantom Ma- zeppa, and then, af a threat from Ramsey Pres- ton, had, as though by mistake, called him bya name that had caused him to start suddenly, and then seek an interview with the young With a sinister smile Tiny Tim faced the two, when they were alone in the hotel to- getber, and asked: ‘* How liked you the lapsus lingua I made?” ‘* You called me by the name of one whois a terror in Texas. ‘Yes, and you were that terror until Texas t too hot for you, and you came here, Bianca, the Hyena of the Chaparrals,” was the bold re- sponse. — Pe And in Satan’s name who are you?” asked . the ranchero, in fierce tones, while his face had turned to the hue of a corpse. ‘*l am one who started out with splendid rospects in life, but found my possibilities for ovikdoing greater than for good, and I went to the bad, aud I keep it up from sheer deviltry of nature, a love of revenge and an intense desire for the excitement which wickedness and dan- ger bring.” “Your face is strangely familiar to me, but your words do not tell me who you are.”’ ‘* Well, perhaps before we part company you will know; invite m» to your ranch with you, Bianca.” ‘*Curse you! don’t call me by that name.” “ Very well, Ranchero Preston, [ have a de- sire to become your guest for a few days.” “Return with me then to the ranch for a run afrer elk.” “*T will go with pleasure; when do you start?” ** Within the hour.” “I will be ready, Bian—ah! I forgot—I mean Ranchero Preston,” and with a light laugh the Dandy Sport left the room. But an bour after he wa; s°ated on his horse in front of the Overland Rest, and being joined by the cattle king the two set off for the ranch of Ramsey Preston. Hardly had they crossed the Platte and borne away to the north, when a party of horsemen were visible in the early dawn coming down the river; but one party only saw the other, while the ranchero and Dandy Sport little dreamed Crossin entered the town in the — , and halted in front of the Over- land Rest, when one of their number dismount- on and going to the sleeping-room of Dave erry kn ; It was opened by the proprietor of the Over- land, who, with his usual caution, covered the visitor with his revolver. — “Tt is I, Perry, and I have come for you to acco y us. “Saints. sing Psalms! De Leon, it is you gen by feared you were dead; come in, old ‘*No, thank you, for I have not time; my Texans are waiting yonder, and we have a chase on hand, and I wish you to be in at the death.” Impressed by the manner of Tron Arm, Dave Perry called to his Chinese servant to get his horse, and hastily dressing, was soon at the head of the Texans, and learning from De Leon the cause of this strange move. “You ee toners have been strange things ing on upin the vicinity of the Birdwood,” said ron Arm, ** for Carter Conrad, who went hunt- ing for the Phantom Mazeppa, found a wife on his trail, and bas since then niade some interest- ing discoveries, through the aid of Don Gila Al- colo, a Mexican, who has been a kind of servant to Ramsey Preston, but who in reality is an ex- iled conspirator of good family. ‘*Then, that accursed Grizzly Gabe ran off with Miss Arta Preston, but I rescued her, and captured him, and my boys have postponed hanging him on the principle of the more the merrier, and they ny oe to get more, ‘It is to Gr'zzly Gabe I also owe my disap- pearance, and in my wanderings [ made im- portant discoveries that you will find develop with interest all round.” ** And where is Gabe?” ‘*Some of my boys have him in our Camp near Mr. Berkley Preston’s ranch.” ‘* And Miss Preston?” ‘‘Is with her father at their ranch, and, by the way, the old gentleman got lost while hunt- ing, but was found by my mustangers.” ‘And Ramsey Preston and that queer little —— Sa Sport, or Tiny Tim, have gone to- night to the former’s ranch,” sai Daven ‘Yes, we saw them cross the river, but they were not as quick-eyed as they might be, and failed to see us; I erm! rege them with my glass in the moonlight! but, hark! is not that a cry from the river All drew rein and listened, and distinctly came the cry, as from the shallow waters of the North Platte: ‘*Help! Help!” “There has some one Spi caught in the quicksand,” cried Dave Perry, and, like one man, the half-score of horsemen bounded for- ward, and were soon crossing the river toward tie other shore. About one-third across, and some little dis- tance below the. regular crossing, was visible a dark object in the moonlight, ‘‘It isa horse and rider; ck, and we may save him, for he saw us and called for help,” cried Dave Perry. On the Texans went, but warned by Daye Perry, who knew well the treacherous nature of the sands, they halted in the regular crossing, lariats were tied ghar and one of the herd- ers slipped from his and rode tothe rescue. To save the man was comparatively an easy task, for he was only in the quicksand up to his knees, and was soon drawn out; but the task of saving the horse was a difficult one, though at last accomplished, and steed and rider were soon landed upon the shore from which they had started. There they halted, and the rescued man said, in suppressed tones: ‘*Lucien De Leon, to you, and your friends, I owe my life.” *“Yes, Merton Mabrey,” was the quiet reply, though [ron Arm s deeply moved. ‘*T have known that of late years you have sought my life, De Leon,” said Merton rey. ‘Yes, I have longed to meet you.” ‘* And is it war between us now?” ‘* No, for I find I have wron you, Mabrey.” “Thank God you at last w the trut ~ was the earnest ejaculation, and the two men grasped hands, and, as they rode on together, Merton Mabrey heard that from the lips of his old foe that brought joy to his heart. CHAPTER XXXTX. UNINVITED GUESTS, Wira the exception of seeing the Phantom Mazeppa dash by them in the moonlight, with the same wild neighing of her horse,-and her mocking laughter, and being in ncwise anxious to pursue her, Ramsey Preston, the Ranchero, nd Tiny Tim, the Dandy Sport, arrived af the ranch of the former without adventure, Sancho, with his hand in a sling, and his face pale, welcomed them, and then set about pre- paring supper, as well as he could with his wounded arm, and which wound he accounted for by saying a pistol had gone off and shot him “You certainly have shown t skill in remark dressing it by yourself,” the ranchero, with suspicion. ‘*The Sefiorita Preston rode over this after- noon, and kindly dressed it for me.” ‘*Ab! that accounts for it; how is my sweet cousin?” ‘Quite well, sefior; she said she and her fa- ther would perhaps ride over to-night, or in the mer hope they will; th th Dand ope ; they are the o Sport, you se? Pah for the : Sadie whic had killed your per? Mabrey, I believe was his name; well, ancho is supper about ready ?” ** Yes, sehor,” and the two sat down to their meal, which was certainly a most tempting one for a prairie repast. After supper Ranchero Preston smoked his jipe in front of the cabin and chatted with iny Tim, while Sancho busied himself with the household duties, but quite often went to the rear of the cabin and glanced out over the prai- rie. At last he seemed to discover what he was looking for, as he returned to the cabin mutter- ing: “They are coming ; now for the curtain to rise upon a tragedy. A few moments after Ramsey Preston and the Dandy Sport sprung suddenly to their feet, both with their hands upon their weapons, for around the corner of the cabin rode two persons, “ Ah! it is you, cousin, and you, too, Arta; Lam both honored and delighted by your com: ing,” said the ranchero, and he arose to aid Arta to dismount; when, from around the other end of the cabin darted a number of forms, and in an instant the ranchero and the Dandy Sport found themselves in clutches they could not shake off, ‘What! villains, whoare you? Cousin Berk- ley, do you stand there and look calmly on this outrage?’ cried Ramsey Preston, savagely. ‘That gentleman, sir, will explain whether it is an outrage to place you in bonds,” replied Berkley Preston, sternly, and he pointed to Lron Arm, who stepped forward from the group of Texans who had, with him, bound both the ranchero and Tiny Tim. ’ ‘And who are you, sir, that commits this outrage?” demanded the ranchero. i re ee. Re eee ** Mencall me Iron Arm, the Ranchero, sir, but my nameis Lucien De Leon. [ama Texas cattle- and I have been on your trail ever since eight years ago you pillaged my father’s home, and made my half-sister and myself fatherless ; do you know me now?” ** No, for you are mistaken in the man, .Tam Ramsey Preston, the cousin of that gentleman, who knows me well,” and he poin to Berk- ley Preston, ‘vho answered: “Yes, you are my cousin, I shame to say it, but you are not Ramsey Preston, but his twin- brother, Bianca, whe went to the bad when a boy, and whom I believed dead long ago,” said Berkley Preston. ‘Tt isalie; J am Ramsey Preston,” shouted the man, in a fury. “‘Then wlio am I, Bianca?” A man came forward and confronted the ranchero; a man startlingly like the prisoner, only that his face was white and rd. *“Good God! does the grave give up its dead?" groaned the bound man. “No, for yonder grave on the prairie never held my body, Bianca, as, when you shot ms down in cold blood, the bullet glanced on a rib and did not kill me, while, thanks to tiris kin‘ Mexican, the grave was filled in, and I was hid. den away in yonder outhouse, and nursed back to life, that now I might confront you,” ssid Ramsey Preston, as he is now known to bs, speaking in a low, sad tone. be say you lie; Jam Ramsey, you are Bian- ca ‘* Ah, brother, it is useless for you to say this, for you remember long ago, when boys, to know us apart, our dead motber put our names on our arms in India ink; here is the name of Ramsey on my arm,” and the speaker raised his sleeve, and the name was easily readin the moonlight, while the prisoner groaned aloud, as his brother continued: ‘*You, Bianca, wronged me in childhood, and, possessing an ev.] heart, became worsé as you grew in years, until you fled from homea murderer. “Returning, in my absence, you married the very maiden to whom I was engaged, for, as I had been away for a year, you deceived her into the belief that you were me; finding out her fatal error she clung to you, hoping to re. deem you from your evil life; but you sunk lower and lower, and at last I sought to find ber, ‘“* At first she would not listen to my entrea- ties to leave you; but at last yielding we fled from you and came hither, and that you should not find us ever, we inhospitably turned from our door all who came. ** At last, through this man, Don Gila Alcolo, whom you know as Sancho, and sent on our trail, you found us. “We felt we had wronged you, notwith- standing your wrongs to us, and we were con- ja accept the penalty; but oh, what a penal- “To defend your ranch from a prowling band of Indians, you shot me down, and be. lieved me dead ; but before that you tied on the back of her own horse the noble woman whom bs had so deceived, who rightly should have n my wife, and sent her off to die on tha prairie, . *‘ And, with her horse chased by wolves, and frightened by the way his mistress was. tied upon him, he would have taken her to her death had not— “Great God! then she is not yet dead?’ groaned Bianca. ‘No, Bianca, the Hyena of the Chaparrals, the man whose name is a terror in Texas as an outlaw, and who came here to hide himself under the name of his brother, I am not dead,” and there suddenly swept before the vision of the frightened man the slender, graceful form of Alita, his former wife. ’ ‘* Alive! alive!” he almost shouted. ‘Yes, thanks to this gentleman, whose horse was the only match tlat Phantom ever met, and who ran me down and saved me from death, “Then, to punish you, I arranged, with bis aid, a harness to support me rec & upon my horse, and, able to rise at will, Phantom was no longer afraid of mé, and I guided him at will, and have I not made thy craven heart tremble with superstitious fear, Bianca? ‘““And in making you wre [ have felt ex- quisive he prairies, and joy, as I sped over now Iam Lire to see pre die, for yonder men are Texans, and they know no mercy, for they came here to Nebraska to hunt you down: dis- guised as cowboys, for they drove their ca tain’s herd here, you did not recognize the Rengers who had so often hunted you on the prairie, among tbe mountains and in the chap- arrals; but they will be in at your death, Bian- ca, the Hyena, ’ The woman seemed to triumph in the hate she felt, and the revenge that would be gratified, and the man groaned pitifully: ‘‘ Among you all there is not one to pity me. ‘It is said, Bianca, that misery loves com- ny, and you shall have it, for a man here, no ess the villain, but less the polished devil you 0)(0)(0)|,<S Gomme a — wee