Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 20 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

The Canadian had reflected that the time the gold-seekers would occupy in making up their loss would be so much gained to em. The maidens reached the river-bank at the moment when Dick and Harry were finish- ing ee a, horses. They mounted at once, the Canadians placed thenmselves at their side, and the fugitives forced their horses into the river. : Fortunately, the water was low; and hence, although the current was rather pow- erful in the center, the horses managed to cross the Gila without obstacle. It was about eleven in the evening when the fugitives landed. So soon as they were concealed in the tall grass, so as not to be seen from the island, they drew bridle to let their horses breathe after the rade passage they had just made. ** Let us profit by the hours wo have pefore us to travel the whole night,’’ Harry said, in a low voice. “Our absence will not be observed till sunrise,’’ Dick observed. ‘‘ The time spent in seeking us on the island, and in pbten | some substitute for the bridles, will give us twelve or fourteen hours which we must profit by to get away as far as possible.”’ ** Task nothing better,’’ Harry said; ‘‘ but, before’starting we must choose our road.” ‘Oh!’ Ellen said, ‘‘ the direction we must follow is easily settled: we must only go straight to the north-west.” “Be it so,” the hunter went on; ‘one direction is as good as another. Our princi- al object is to get off as soon as possible: ut why north-west rather than any other quarter of the wind ?’’ Ellen smiled. “‘ Because,”’ she said, “‘a friend you know —the Indian chief whoformed part of the band—left the camp before us, in order to warn his warriors, and bring us help in the evout of an attack.” “Well thought of,’’ the hunter said. ‘‘Let us be off, and not spare our horses, for on their speed our safety depends.” Each bowed over the neck of the horsés. The little party started with the speed of an arrow in a north-western direction, as had been agreed on. The four riders soon disap- eared in the darkness; the footsteps of heir horses ceased to re-echo on the harder- ed ground, and all fell back into silence. id-seekers were peacefully sleeping on the island. —— CHAPTER IX. THE PRAIRIE CAVE, WE will now return to Valentine and his: companions. ' The six horsemen were_still galloping ih: the direction of the nro maiitine: and, about. midnight, they stopped at the base of an enormous granite mass, which rose soli- tary and glow ing in the prairie. ‘‘ This is the spot,” said Bloodson, as he dismounted. His compaaions followed his example, and Valentine took ascrutinizing glance around, “If what I suppose be true,’ he said, # dwelling might be an eagle-nest.’’ ‘Ora vulture’s,’”’ the stranger hoarsely answered, ‘ Wait a few seucuile:® . — then imitated the ery of the tiger-ser- n coembenla’ as if by enchantment, the mass of granite was illumined from top to bot+ tom, and torches, shaken by vague and in- distinct forms, ran rapidly along the slopes, bounding with extreme velocity until they arrived close to the astonished travelers, who found themselves all at once surround- ed by some fifty men in strange garbs and | The Bandit at Bay. preceded by several torch-bearers, was al- ready escalading the abrupt sides of the ‘granite block. The ascent was ruder still. It was easy to recognize the steps of a stair-case, beneath the roots, creepers, and brambles that over- grew them. The travelers were plunged in the utmost astonishment. Valentine and Curumilla alone affected an indifference which caused their host to pon- der. When about one-third up the mountain, Bioodson stopped before an excavation made by human hands, through whose gaping en- trance a thread of light emerged. “You did not perhaps expect,” said Bloodson, as he turned to his friends, “‘ to find in the Far West a fort as strong as this.’’ ‘*T confess,’’ Don Miguel said, “ that I did not expect it.’’ ‘*Oh, my friends, your memory fails you, I fancy,” Valentine said with a smile; ‘‘ this mountain, if [am not mistaken, is nothing but a Teocali.” ‘*Tt is true,’’ Bloodson said, with an air of annoyance he tried in vain to hide, ‘‘1 have laced my abode in the interior of an ancient Teocali.” “There are a good many about here; his- tory relates that it was in this country the Aztevs assembled before finally invading the plateau of Anahuac.’’ **For a stranger, Don Valentine,’’ Blood- son remarked, ‘‘ you are well acquainted with the history of this country.”’ ‘*And with that of its inhabitants,’ the hunter replied. They went in, and found themselves in an immense hall, with white walls, loaded with sculpture, which, as Valentine had stated, must date back to the epoch of the Aztecs. A great number of torches, fixed in iron gt spread a fairy-like light over this all. Bloodson did the honors of this strange abode, a3 a man perfectly versed in the habits of civilized life. A few minutes after their arrival, the hunters enjoyed a mea) which, though seryed in the desert, left nothing to be desired as ag the delicacy of the dishes or the order in which it was served. The sight of Shaw had involuntarily in- spired Valentine with a secret distrust of ‘their host; the latter, with the penetration and knowledge of mankind he possessed, at once noticed it, and resolved to get rid of it by a frank explanation between the hunter and himself. As for Curumilla, the worthy Indian ate with good appetite, as was his wont, not ut- tering a word, though he did not lose a syl- lable of what was said around him, and his piercing eye had already scrutinized the most secret nooks of the spot where he When the supper was ended, Bloodson Bsa a signal, and his comrades suddenly isappeared at the end of the hall, where they stretched themselves on ar of dry leaves which served them as beds. The hunters remained alone with their host, and at a sign from the latter, Shaw took a place by his side. For some time they smoked in silence, until Bloodson threw far from him the end of the cigarette he had been smoking, and took the word. * “Friends,’’ he said, with a tone of frank- ness that pleased his hearers, ‘‘ all that you see here may reasonably surprise you, I » allow. Still, nothing is more simple; the men you have seen belong to all the Indian tribes that traverse the desert; only one of them is a white man, and that is Shaw. If Tsun Pablo will be kind enough to reflect, he ‘men so clever and determined as 9 formidable, isemployed by me to act as the police of the desert; repulsed by the world, I resolved to revenge myself on it by pursuing and destroying those pirates of the prairies who attack and plunder the caravans that mss She desert. It is a rude task I have undertakea, I assure you, for the villainies are numerous in the Far West, but I wage an obstinate war on them, and so ong as heaven permits, I will carry it on without truce or mercy.”’ ‘“‘T have already heard what you say spoken of,” Valentine replied, as he held out his hand sympathizingly; the man who thns comprehends his mission on earth must be one in a thousand, and I shall gyer be happy to be counted in the number of his friends.”’ “Thanks,” Bloodson answered with emo- tion, ‘‘ thanks for your remark, which com- pensates me for many insults and much mis- comprehension, And now, comrades, I place at your disposal the men who are de- yoted to me; do with them whatever you please, and I will be the first to offer the ex- ample of obedience.” ** Listen,’’ Valentine replied, after a mo- ment’s reflection; ‘‘we have to deal with a thorough-paced villain, whose principal wea- pop is cunning, and we shall only succeed D cong ering him by employing the same. A considerable party is soon tracked on the prairie; Red Cedar has the eye of a vulture and the scent of a dog; the more we are, the less chance we haye of catching him.”’ “What is to be done then, my friend ?”’ Dou Miguel asked. “This,’’ Valentine went on; ‘“‘surround him—that is to say, inclose him in a circle whence he can not emerge, by securing allies among all the desert Indians; but it is un- derstood that these allies will act separately, until we have so well succéeded in tracking the villain that he must surrender.” ‘ “Yes, your idea is good, though difficult and dangerous in its execution.’” ‘* Not so much as you suppose,”’ Valentine responded warmly. “Listen to me:. to- morrow, at daybreak, Curumilla and myself will go in search of Red Cedar’s trail and I swear to you that we shall find it 4 ““Good,”’ said Don Miguel: ‘and after wards ?” *““Wait; while one of us remains to watch the bandit, the other will return to warn you of the spot where he is. ceric | that time you will have formed alliances with the Pueblos Indidits, and be in a coudition to force the boar in its lair.” _....¥es,”’, Bloodson remarked, ‘‘that plan is ay and for that very reason must suc- a It is a struggle of cunning, that is ‘‘ Yes,’’ General Ibanez objected; ‘ but ‘why should we not go on his trail also 9” *“* Because,’”’ Valentine answered, “‘ though you are as brave as your sword, General, you are a soldier—that is to say, you understand nothing of the Indian warfare we are about -to carry on, a war composed entirely of, am- bushés and treachery. . You and our friends in spite of your well-known courage, and { might almost say, on account of it, would prove more injurious than useful, owing to your ignorance of the country in which we inky the manners of the men we have to ght.” : ' “That is, true,” Don ae said; ‘our friend is in the right, leave him to act: Iam convinced that he will succeed.”’ “And so am I,’’ Valentine: exclaimed, ‘with an accent of convietion; “* that is why I wish to be free, so that I may act as I please. “In short,’? the General went on, ‘‘in a game so serious as that we are playing with ose we have to fight with, nothing must be left to = with sinister faces. rendered even more sinis> will tell you that the man found in the accident. Iresign myself to inaction; carry ter by the reflection of the torches which streets of Santa Fé with a knife in his chest out your schemes as you think proper, Don the wind drove in every direction. was saved by me.” Valentine.” , , ‘‘These are my men,” the stranger said, ‘**In truth,”’ the young man said, “ Father ‘“*Pardon me,”’ Don Pablo exclaimed, hot- neatony ) Seraphin and myself picked up the poor ly. ‘*My father and you may consent to re- : ‘“‘Hum !’’ Valentine remarked, ‘‘ you have wretch, who gave no sign of life. You only main here, for I can understand that your = « formidable army.”’ could recall him to existence.” age and habits render you but little Atti _“ Yes,’ Bloodson went on; “for all these ** All the Others are in the same case; pro- for the life you would be obliged to lead; men are devoted tome. On many occasions, scribed by tribes, menaced with instant but Iam going. Iam strong, able to stand fa- I have put their attachment to rude trials. death by their enemies, they have sought a tigue, and long accustomed by Valentine % They will let themselves be killed at a signal refuge with me. There is now another himself to the terrible demands of the de- from me,”’ point, I desire to clear up, in order that tio sert life you are ignorant of. My sister's . _ “Oh, oh !”? the hunter went on, ‘‘ the man cloud may exist between us, and that you safety is at stake:' we wish to rescue her \ who can speak thus is very strong, espécial- may place the most perfect confidence in from the hands of her abductor; and hence es Fe ly if he wish to gain an honorable end.”’ me.’’ | | , I must join the men who are going in search «Fis Tie stranger made no answer, but turned His hearers bowed respectfully. of her.” | .é A his head away. “For what good ?”’ Valentine said; “every Valentine gave him a glance full of tender- . ¥ Where is Shaw ?”? he asked. man in this world has his secret, and we do ness. | | Here Lam,’’ the man he had asked for not ask for yours. Weare connected by the “Be it so,” hesaid to him. “You Ww , meneame himself, y nts ot bond that can attach men, a com, come with us, Pablo: this will complete f t!”” Valentine exclaimed, “Red mon hatred for the same individual, and the | your initiation into desertlife” = = Gedar’s son! desire to take a striking revenge on him— ‘Thanks, my friend, thanks,” the y t ‘Yes: did Lnot save his life which his what more do we want en man said, gladly. * You have removed an a brother sought to take? By that title he ‘Pardon me: in the desert, as in the civil- immense weight from my heart. Poor sis- belongs to me, Now,” he added, ‘ come, ized life of towns,” Bloodson said with dig- | ter! I shall co-operate, then, in her deliver- 2 may guests, do not remain any longer out- nity, ‘‘men like to know those with whom ance !”” ye | f side. I will show you my domain.” Shaw, accident has brought them into relationship. “There is another man you must take with ! Aore take the horses, Tam anxious you should know that the foreé | you, Don Valentine,” Bloodson said, ‘= omy - oe : ' ‘aa 0 S comicboo