Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 194 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

i he < AS ‘ \ >> - 28 ‘Don Som , brero, the California Road Gent. — ; = TOEHOCTEHEHTOTCOCOC oNBFPTEHOHOHOEOETeeTeETEeETea“50M CT 0 eee eee ae aoaoeoqja™Sa=—_00SSS— ooo -and, from the time we first met, when boys of ten years, we were like Damon and Pythias, ‘never quarreling, and sharing each other’s joys ‘and sorrows. ‘*In due time, both of us married, and when two daughters were born of my marriage and two sons of his, we often laughingly declared ‘that they should marry when of proper age. ‘*Now comes the tragical part of my story. } Ten years ago, Caldwell and I were one night on board a steamboat bound from Memphis to New Orleans. We had lived the usual life of Southern planters—one of conviviality often - carried to excess—and on this occasion we had ' Mr. R partaken of a good deal of wine. “In this condition, we sat down to a table to play cards, and, for a while, our gayety was unbounded. Just how the change oc- curred I never knew, for the wine was all in my head, but James and I quarreled about some trifling matter and went from words to blows. “Of course, with our hot blood and false no- tions of honor, but one result could arise from this, and a few minutes later saw us facing each other on the hurricane deck, pistols in hand, prepared to fight a duel.” Austin paused with & sigh which was almost a groan, and Rivers hoarsely said: ‘Go on!” ** We fought, and he fell dead at the first fire. ‘What followed I do not know, but 1 remember that, in my wine-madness, I exulted over my horrible work and acted like a demon. Oh! what a fatal night that was, and how I have suffered for it since!” The judge pressed bis hands over his hot fore- head, while his listener sat with a face like ble. ‘What followed is still more horrible,” con- tinued the dying man, ‘‘and I dare not dwell upon it. Caldwell’s wife went insane, and she died two years later in an_asylum. er mur- der, too, ison my hands, I was not enough of aman to make a move to aid my victims, and the younger son was taken to Texas where he had an aunt, The elder boy was at sea when his father fell by my hands, and, as he was never heard from again, it is supposed he perished there.” ‘It was an ill-fated family,” Rivers huskily id. , ““And I was their evil genius, their de- stroyer.. But for me, all would have been well, but I made myself doubly an assassin, Now, . Rivers, I will tell you why I sent for you. Do yeu think the boy who was sent to Texas ean be found?” “* Very likely he can.” “Then, sir, [ wish to have it done and one- half my whole fortune given him, that being all the recompense I can offer. Will you, Mr, Rivers, act as my agent?” CHAPTER XLIII. THE MASK REMOVED. Austin looked anxiously at his companion, ‘but the latter’s face was not easily read. * Will it not be digging up old wounds to find this boy and tell him the story?” he asked. “He can know no worse of me than he al- ready knows, and, as for me, I would give a thousand dollars to have him by my bedside now. “Why so?” “*TIn order to humiliate myself, to drag my: self in the dust at his feet, as it were. I would not dare ask his forgiveness, but I would give ouch to see his father’s son before I die.” ‘‘Then, sir,” said the Cavalier, in a strange voice, ‘* your wish shall be gratified.” ‘Impossible! I can not live until he arrives,” “You are mistaken, for he is even now in this town.” Austin started a little from his pillow, with an eager face, but quickly fell back again. ** Tt cannot be,” he declared. ‘Tt is so, Judge Austin, for Iam Ralph Cald- well!” A wild expression crossed the dying man’s “ You?’ he incredulously .cried. “Yes, Listen to me, sir, for I am speaking the truth, I am the younger son of James Caldwell, and the name of Rivers does not in _ any way belong to me. I came to Mount Tabor with my identity disguised for the express pur- pose of seeing you, and so the man you have so often harbored is the very one you now wish to see.” udge passed his hands several times across bis eyes and then locked fixedly at the speaker. Even in his weakness, his iron nerves predominated over all else, and, though nothing else earthly could have surprised him so much, ‘he showed less excitement than would have been seen in the average man in health. \ “JT never suspected this before,” he said, and, even now, | can see little of your father’s looks. Your eyes and forehead are the same, but you are larger and stronger.” That is the result of my wild, out-door life in Texas and Mexico.” We need not dwell on what followed, but, in @ short time, a complete understanding had ' | | been established between them. The Cavalier did not think it necessary to tell how he had come to Mount Tabor for the sole purpose of seeking revenge on the man who had shot his father, only to be turned from his resolve by Laura’s fair face, and, wher the judge fully realized that he was James Caldwell’s son, he ' clung to him as to a rock. In a husky whisper he explained that the istol on the table had been the one which shot is ill-fated friend, and that the cigar-case had been a present of their happy days together— articles he had always kept, though he knew not why—and then they were put away from sight. ‘* You make a mistake,” said the Cavalier, anon, ‘‘in thinking that Walter, my elder brotber, was drowned at sea, though I was my- self of the same opinion until a few months ago, He has all these years been living a rover’s life on the sea, in India, Australia and other places, but he returned to this country a short time before I came to California. He is now in Texas, and it is likely we shall soon meet again, though I was in his company only a few days when he first arrived.” At that moment there was a knock at the door, and ‘‘ Rivers” answered it to see Laura. She announced that a gentleman was at the outer door who wished to see him, and, while she took his place ati the bedside, he went quiet- ly down. Opening the door, he saw three men, the first of whom was Duke Dorval. Then he started with surprise, for, seated on a horse’s back, was a man in a big hat and cloak —one he could not fail to recognize as Don Som- brero, and by his side, standing grimly erect, was Joe Pike. ““T’ve got ther creetur’,” the veteran abruptly said. “How did you do it?’ asked Rivers, as we will still call the Cavalier, in amazement. ‘“We met by chance, ther usual way, an’ I proved ter hold ther trump keerds. He is tied up, hand an’ foot, an’, ef you say ther word, I’ll let you see who he is.” / ‘* Do so,” Pike lifted the horseman’s bat and mask, and the face of Ben Braxton was exposed. After deserting Roberts he bad tried to ‘‘ make a raise,” only to fall into the power of the miner. Rivers expressed his surprise, but the veteran soon interrupted him. ‘‘T want ter see you one side,” he said. ‘‘ Dor- val, will you guard ther prisoner?” ' You bet,” was the prompt answer. Pike and Rivers went a few rods away and then paused. ‘““Do you rerhember ther placard Don Som- brero posted in ther village, sayin’ that thar was some rascal usin’ his identity fur malicious mischief?” 4s Yes. ” “Wal, Braxton is ther counterfeit Don Som- brero, an’ ther man who shot ther pilgrim in ther stage-coach., Shall I show you ther real an’ only genuine Don Sombrero?” “Yes,” again said Rivers, his wonder in- creasin Pike he now unrolled it. donned a large hat, a cloak and a mask, and another Don Sombrero stood before the Cava- had carried a bundle under his arm, and In a moment more he had er. The latter, however, was confused and un- certain. : “The road-agent was never before known to have a beard,” he said. Joe Pike cast off his hat and cloak, fumbled for a moment about his head and then his jong, gray beard and hair were cast to the ground, and he stood before Rivers, a young and stal- wart man of handsome face and form, It was not that, however, which made the Cavalier ery aloud. Despite the change in his looks, he had recognized him, “Walter!” he exclaimed. “Brother!” answered the metamorphosed TAD, and their hands crossed in an earnes clasp. The sons of James Caldwell bad met again! Excited and earnest words were spoken, but Walter soon recovered his calmness. ‘‘This is a profound surprise for you, I take it?’ he said, smiling faintly. ‘Tt is, indeed, and I do not understand—” ** What?” ‘‘ Are you the real or a counterfeit Joe Pike?” ‘*T think I am the only one of the name. So far as I know, no other has ever figured in or near Mount Tabor. My disguise was perfect since it deceived you, though the fact that we have. only been in company for a few hours during these long years is a sufficient rea- son why you did not recognize your brother in the whiskered Joe Pike.” ‘*« All that is true, but I have never until now suspected that you were in California.” ‘You need an explanation and you shall have it. You will remember that when we met in Texas and I learned what Judge Austin had done to our parents, I proposed an elaborate would from time to time furnish what was necessary. ‘* When you came here all your money went into yonder ranch, and then you began your work of torturing the family by refined cruelty. Thank heaven, not even the first step in that path of crime has ever been taken. ‘*T had said that I would remain in Texas, but I never intended to do so, I was maddened by our parents’ wrongs, and, though I dared not tell you so, was resolved to raise money by fair means or foul, so that you might suffer no check for want of capital, ‘‘ By moving rapidly I reached California be- fore you did, and came at once to Mount Tabor, On my way here I had an adventure, I[ had stopped at a hotel for the night, when I learned that San Antonio’s band of robbers were about to pounce upon and go through a gentleman who had just left the hotel to ride by night to this town. ‘I did not know who he was, but, resolving to aid him, I saddled my borse and gained the road ahead of them. I found their intended victim, and together we baffled them. When the danger was over I learned hisname, Ralph, I had saved the money, perhaps the life, of Hd- wards Austin. He invited me to his ranch, but I declined, and we parted then and there. “The night’s adventure, however, gave me an idea. Road robbery seemed to flourish around here, and I determined to assume the role of an outlaw to raise money. Thusit was that I became Don Sombrero; but I found the work not agreeable to my conscience, and | have kept an account of every dollar taken, wee the idea of refunding it at some future ay. ‘Since I was working secretly, even toward you, I had to assume some disguise in which I could trust myself while abroad by day, and it was this fact which gave birth to Joe Pike. A false beard and wig and a little dye to bronze my skin did the work, and no one has suspected that the old ’Forty-niner was*otherwise than he seemed, or that he was really Don Sombrera.” The Cavalier began to see more clearly, but it needed some further conversation to entirely clear away the vail of m patery. ‘* We are together in Mount Tabor,” he slow- ly said, anon, ‘‘ but, for my part, my vendetta is ended. Judge Austin lies dying in yonder house, and it seems like a horrible nightmare when I think of the dastardly course I Intended to pursue,” Walter promptly held out his hand. ‘‘ Our vendetta is ended,” he firmly said. ‘There is a spice of devil in every man’s nature, and ours was running wild when we planned this work, Thank Heaven, it will never be car- ried ous, But, Ralpb, if Austin were as well as formerly, it would still be the same,” ‘* Are you sure?” “Tam. We came here with evil thoughts in , our hearts, for revenge is not for this world, but a spell was found which was slowly but surely casting out the devil.” ‘*T think I understand.” ‘‘Two words will explain—Laura and Oc- tavia. We met them, their goodness conquered us though we knew not of it, and we should have been saved in any case.” ‘* You are right,” said Ralph, thinking of the fair face of the girl he loved. ‘* We will talk of these things at for I have now other work to fe, take Ben Braxton to the village.” ‘For what purpose?” ‘* He stole my role of Don Sombrero for selfish ends, and it was he who shot the man in the stage. Now, I will deliver him to the authori- ties, and as he likes to play Don Sombrero, he shall shoulder all of that man’s sins and meet a deserved fate. He has been a wholesale mur- derer, and he shall die as he has lived—by vio- lence. Thus will disappear all signs of Don Sombrero.” The speaker picked up his false beard and wig, put them on and became once more hum- ble Joe Pike. ‘Go back to the house, Ralph, and do all you can for the family,” he said, ‘‘ and I’ll take my prisoner to the village.” a later day, The following morning the Cavalier heard startling news. Judge Lynch had been abroad in the v nage and two men had been hanged without trial. It was a shocking affair, but they were guilty enough, for they were Sheriff Roberts and Braxton. Unexpectedly to himself, “Joe Pike” had conducted his prisoner, still disguised as Don Sombrero, straight into the midst of the mcb that had seized Roberts, and the partners in villainy expiated their crimes together. Mayor James tried in vain to save them, but his sor- row at such lawlessness was somewhat lessened by the fact that San Antonio was not molested. That noted road-robber died in bed the fol- lowing day, and it may be he was better at heart than many who had held their heads above him in life. After the work of Judge Lynch, Don Som- scheme of vengeance; and you will remember | brero was seen no more, and none of the villa- that when you opposed my plan because you had not the money to carry it out I declared that 1 their indictment of Ben Braxton. gers ever suspected there had been a flaw in I’m going to. One man > Z com (E 0\(0\(0) S)