Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 194 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

i -—_———— The caution availed nothing; she did start, and a cry fell from her lips. ‘* Don Sombrero!” she gasped, “Yes, Miss Austin.” ‘The road-agent?” ‘““So they call me, miss, but I beg that you will not think of me as such. Look upon me as your friend, for such I am in good faith.” “T cannot believe you,” she said, ‘‘ You are a my courage.’ “Ah! would to heaven it were so, lady, I wish that I was a better man, that my reputa- tion was as spotless as yours, but it is not so. Although your sincere friend and humble ser- vant, I am still Don Sombrero.” ‘*You do not seem like an outlaw,” she said, CHAPTER XIII. ‘(WE SHALL MEET AGAIN!” Don SOMBRERO’S voice was earnest and pa- thetic, and Octavia felt a pang that such a man should be an outlaw. ARS - your great work is a noble one,” she said, ‘‘surely some one will freely loan you money to acsouipie it.” ‘The venture been unsuccessfully made.” ef Perhaps—perhaps my brother would help you. Don Sombrero started violently. 4 No, no!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ I would not go to m . “And why not?” ‘*T must not go to any one near Mount Tabor,” hi ——— c] —-—— - co = ee ee so strange as this affair?, She tuought not, and so wo those bave thought w.o had oftem coljed her peoed and gold. ps bs 1 é eHeve you, She simply sai “A thousand ha a rh Austin. Now, \, regret to say, that we must part, but I must go back or fall into the hands of the explorers. From here your path is safe and short, and with the torch to guide you, you will soon reach your friends,” again. “Good-by, Miss Austin,” he said, She gave him her hand. ‘-Good-by, for now, and all my good wishes go with you,” she answered, “ Heaven bless you!” he said, huskily. touched by his chivalrous gentleness. he answered, but she felt. that it was an eva- “ Still, Sheriff Roberts has offered a reward | sion. ** Remember !” for my capture, dead or alive.” ** Better that than to commit crime and run ‘*T will, until death.” ‘There must be some mistake. You surely are not the bad man they think you.” ‘T trust [am not so black as they paint me.” “Yet, you acknowledge that you are Don Sombrero, and he is a—a—” ~ Highway robber. 1 regret to say that that part is true,” : s4 a you regret it, why do you lead such a life Somehow, Miss Austin no longer felt a fear of the road-agent; she began to feel an interest the risk youdo. You know the placard in the village reads, for your arrest, ‘dead or alive,’ and many men would shoot you in the back to gain the reward,” Don Sombrero laughed lightly. ‘‘T defy them. The bullet is not molded as yet for me. No, I have no fear, My only anxiety is that you shall not think of me as a terrible outlaw.” ‘You can easily prevent it.” “How?” | Again he pressed her hand to his lips, then wheeled, bis tread was heard for a minute and then—Don Sombrero was gone! Octavia dared not pause for reflection, She hurried on through the passage, and after. fifty, yards, suddenly emerged into the main cham- r of the cave. As she did so she came face to face with Judge Austin, who bad been summoned from the valley, and the glad look whieh mounted, to his face, showed how troubled he had been. in him and, woman-like, a desire to show him ‘* By arty 1 Word was at once sent to recall the searchers, the wickedness of his ways. He looked at her steadily from under the | who had failed to find anything in the abyss, ‘Fate drives me to it, lady, a fate whichI | great hat and she could see that, his e were | when they made the descent, and all were soon. ar, he but can not defy. If you will listen, I | large and handsome. More, it struck sf | then | assembled in the cave, except Theodore Ri willgive you some idea of my situation, but, | that they were familiar, Had she some time Octavia bad told her story to her shan before I do this, lei me explain how you came omitting much that was said, for she was re- here and how I intend to speedily return you to y our friends,” ‘*T am listening,” she graciously said. ‘‘ Well, then, to be brief, I was in the cave when you entered, and your advance drove me along the very ledge from which you fell. I was in the front when the ledge gave way, and after the accident occurred I descended by a ath down the chasm, found you insensible and broti ht you here to recover,” ‘* You must have been here before,” she said, glancing at the couch, which was of. fine branches covered over with a bearskin. ‘“‘T have slept here more than once. An out- law’s home is usually among .the rocks, you seen him without a Cinguigne or were they like those of another man she had somewhere met? ‘*Tf IT should reform,” he slowly said, ‘‘ how would you then regard me? Would it be as men look upon a convict who has served his time, coldly and ‘sneeringly, or would, you be willing to call me your friend?” The color deepened on Octavia’s cheeks, His pointed question and bis earnest manner were enough to confuse her, but, beyond the flush, she remained calm, ‘*T feel sure that [am justified in saying you would be worthy of any woman’s friendship,” she answered, , He caught her hand and pressed it to his lips, ‘‘Forgive me!” he humbly said, as he released solyed that no one should know her secret, and, she was about to repeat it, when the missing man entered from the way of the valley, ’ He was drenched to the skin and had a few slight bruises, but was otherwise u . and after Octavia had related her experience, he told how, when he fell, he bad fatlen into. stream, too swift to be successfully fought, an been carried to the outer world, There was much talking and wenn Gr nero day had furnished two startling adventures, and Octavia’s, at least, had been, most.remwark- able. Lt Rivers had listened attentively to, her story,’ and though she merely said that Dom Som- know,” it. “‘Iought not to have ventured so far, but'| brero, without showing ‘any rudeness, had con- ‘Tt must be a dreadful life,” your goodness overpowers me, If you knew, | ducted her to safety when she recovered, her ‘‘Té is not pleasant, but I hope for better | Miss Austin, how much I care for your friend- | senses, he believed he could understand why the things. But, to resume, you have now recov- ered, and,in a short time, Iwill will see you safely with your friends,” “ But what of Mr. Rivers?” “* 7 think he must have fallen into the stream | you think so kindly of him. than Don Sombrero. iJfit were not for—” | and been carried down, but he will escape with- ‘Sir, do not let your reform be partial; re-| His musings were mcerrupted when some one out injury. Donot fear for him, Now, if you | solve here and now to forever abandon the call- | addressed him, and he told his own story. ra will be seated, 1 would like to.explain, or, ing of a road-agent.” modestly, : : rather, give you some idea why I am acting uhe ‘lam a victim of fate!” he groaned, An ong the whole party there was only one : part of a road-agent.” ‘You are a man, with a soul to save and an | who felt no gladness at the way the adventure Octavia felt that she ought to return to her | honorable future to grasp, if you will,” had ended. Sheriff Roberts had been strong in friends at once, but, surely, it would dono harm ‘* More than that, l am a man who would risk | the faith that the Cavalier had * a violent to listen to this courteous outlaw, and she | his life for you, Miss Austin, unworthy asI am.” | death, and, now that he ha eo ten in safety, might be the means of rescuing bim from his'| With these words he abruptly arose. he could hardly keep a scowl] from his face, wicked life, So she sat down upon a bowlder, and Don Sombrero took a similar position at a respect- ful distance. ‘Miss Austin,” he abruptly said, “‘the part ofa road-agent is an unmanly one, as I will freely admit, but, can you not think of a case where such a thing might be a necessity? Ifa man had a great work which he wished to per- form, would he not be justified in using the means at his command?” ‘* Nothing could justify him in using lawless means. A road-agent is a robber, and robbery is $ rama he spoke rebukingly, plainly, but there was no harehieds in her eae rs ship, your. esteem, you would not wonder. Ex- cuse me, but I dare make no Fy ay though you can rest assured of one thing—Don Som- rero will never be a desperate outlaw while “Tt is not safe for us to remain here any longer,” he added. ‘‘Come, let us go to your friends, I will conduct you near them and then vanish,” ‘Will you not promise first?” at soul through their eyes. He took both her hands in his. ‘“‘Tnside of two weeks I will spe vw again and give my answer. I must have time to think, for Iam being pulled two ways at once by forces of mighty power, On one is my life work, on the other, your face, your eyes, your—regard.” ‘‘ Let the latter win,” she said, in a thrilling tone. ahen were standing face to face, soul looking road-agent had been so kin mill Ko dis ‘He would have been a brute indeed had he not been touched by her beauty. A face like hers ought to soften and redeem.a worse man The hour was growing late and the whole parts soon deserted the cave, returned to their orses and began the return to Mount Tabor. It was after dark when the village was reached, and, thoroughly tired, they at once broke up and sought their respective 8, Octavia was subjected to considerable | humored jesting from ber nieces, but she. all composedly, and: when they ‘suggested that Don Sombrero might yet enter the Austin fam- ily, she said that some one must soon come P the rescue, or there would be on maiden lady 8 As ‘ ; : ; rey i hed at her reply, but if would have eurprited, tom bad iy ‘known, how, 09g o remained @ 0 | teadtastly at darkn ) He gave her the torch and their eyes met i ‘True, bus, pose be intended to return ‘‘No more, no more, or you will drive me | night and gazed s ess, every penny of the money thus secured when | mad,” he hoaneely answered. ‘‘Do not fear to oo 7 such a thing became ble? Would not that | trust me; I—TI think all will be well. Come, let CHAPTER XIV. u a change the case materially?” us go.” Work: oo tr oat > ne ‘Perhaps it might, in one sense, but his Indescribable emotion swayed the judge's fair THD TRIAD 47 . forced loans, as they might be called, would still be robbery, and he would be as guilty as ever in the eyes of the law. Other men would not accept his plea. Moreover, I do not think his resolutions of restitution would be kept.” Ree pu what if he had solemnly vowed to keep em sister. To save such a man as this road-agent seemed to be would be a great work—to enjoy his friendship would be— But was he not a road-agent, she the daugh- ter of a proud old house? Ay, it was so; but, weak, unwomanly, mad as it might be, no man had ever before moved THE evening before, the me on to. mountain, as Pablo Diaz was 6 a his me in the Casino, a m at down. at, the, side of the table and noddec i ar t ida a a Seeoend i and whiske mi , dressed as a miner recognizing kim answered bis sal a mouth for Sie ain’ you ; “Now, you place me in a hard position. You | her like this masked stranger. He must be| ‘“ Got quai do not convince me, and, if I repeat my former | saved. sirppeert the miner queried. 5 ae assertion, I seem to doubt your word.” ‘“When and where am I to see you?” she “My said Pablo, surlily. “ was man “True, and 1 think Iam asking too much in an you to argue the question. We will let that drop. Now, if we remain here much longer, your friends are liable to appear, so we will cnt the interview short; but, before going, I wish to tell you just what Don Sombrero is— all but his real name.” “Al! you intend to withhold the most im- portant part of all.” earnestly asked. ‘*T cannot tell now, but.ib shall occur inside of a fortnight. I will find a time and place. During that fortnight, Miss Austin, you ma often see me when you do not suspect the fact, Ay, I may even be in your prenanog and give you nosign. I may even talk with other ladies and seem to admire them, when_I would much’ rather goto you. If such should be the fact, it ” mind your own busin of the window,” growled th mouth Hs my hareit ** Any more where it. os What is that, to.you?” a f i, widl ; ‘, ; Hg, Nothing, only Tim do paxquit,.of informa, 0 “Then L will inform you that. unless you will tbraw you out e Mexican. ‘‘ What’s the matter with the hia ba Pablo started up with a curse; but the miner ‘‘T ain obiiged to do so, but, some day, you | will all be for a purpose, began to laugh. ha 9 i toe 6 shallknow ms asTam. Until then, I beg that | ‘ You leave me in deep mystery.” ‘‘ Don’t you know me, Pablo?” he asked. you will not think of me harshly. I have a| ‘It must needs beso foratime, but the cloud | ‘‘Caramba/ it pela an't be ig 7 y zreat work to perform, as I said before, and I | will some day lift. Until then, believe me, 1} _ ‘ Yes, it can; La, 5 eader of the Tria ack money. To obtain that, I act the road- Excuse my impertinence, Senor Di will be thinking of you, and your face will keep me from crime.” His passionate words went to her heart and met a responsive voice, but was ever anything * the agent, but I keep an account of every dollar thus obtained, and, some day, I swear that I will make full restitution,” the Ee scene SS a a) ee a a_a_— jG |} ] 00100} }##} (tT nn dU U EEE oe wanted to try m oe eet Now tl han décetv os 1 you I think it_will be too much for MIGoOO (E(©) «Si. (C com