Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 202 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

' rh ’ A” ' hag eT -_ Cactus Jack, the Giant Guide. Again he wheeled and went on, and_the | life to find myself in a motte at the foot of a ; | ' young people followed more moderately, Nola resting her hand lightly on James’s arm to guide him through the darkness, CHAPTER XII. A BIT OF MYSTERY. JAMES could not so much as see his hand be- fore him, and, once, a recollection of the moun- tain outlaws flashed upon bim, but he discarded the half-formed oe gE and went boldly on where Old Prospect led. They seemed to be in a narrow passage, but after going a hundred feet a ligbt appeared in advance and a little further progress brought them to a spacious room in the rocks. James flashed a sweeping glance about and saw a place some forty odd feet square and nearly as high, all the work of Nature, it seemed, but the rudechairs and tables scattered heré and there bespoke a more modern use of labor. ‘Ha! how do you like it?’ Old Prospect asked, rubbing his hands briskly together. “You seem to have quite a home here,” James answered, and he was really surprised at some things which he saw. ‘‘We do not livs like barbarians, if we are in the mountains. Many people at Black Bend are less cosily situated.” His guest thought of some of the miserable hovels of the town, dirty and vermin-infested, and echoed the assertion, There was comfort it not pomp in the home of the strange pair. Nola put her rifle away on a shelf of rock, and then all sat down ether. The chairs were not wood, but slabs of stone arranged on small bowlders and covered over with bear- skins or pine boughs. That which had fallen to James proved as easy as a big arm-chair, and he almost began to envy these people their com- for*. “'Te1 me how vou get into trouble with the red thieves,” said Old Prospect, suddenly. Nola oboyed, arid he listened attentively, in- troducing numerous exclamations as she went on. “It’s lucky both of them were killed,” he said, when she finished. ‘* We should never be safe if the Apaches knew of our cave.” ‘“What if they should learn who killed their braves?” “They will never even know what became of them,” the hunchback chuckled. ‘ The chasm into which I flung them will keep the secret well.” ‘Do you often expose yourselves to the dan- gers of the outer air?” James asked. ‘* We are out every day.” ‘Isn't it rash?” . ac Why ad “You run risk from the Apaches and the masked robbers, and even the miners and peo- ple of the village are none too honest.” ‘Why should they care for us?” ‘Those two bucks seemed to care for your daughter to-day,” James retorted, The man’s face darkened. “Tt is the way of the Apaches, and I expect to fight them to the day of my death. I always have fought them, and I hate them bitterly. Do you know they did me a bitter wrong once | and that I don’t know what it was?” ‘‘How was that?” the younger man asked, a little startled by so insane a question. “T can hardly explain, but you ey as well know now that that portion of my life dating back of fifteen years ago is all a blank to me. { know that I then resided somewhere on the outskirts of civilization, but I do not know where. Moreover, I have a dim recollection of a happy home, a wife and one child—and no more. My new life, or, rather, the part which Irerember, began one morning when I awoke to consciousness in the midst of a strange scene.” Tue narrator paused, glanced nervously round and then continued: ~~ ** Let your imagination paint a broad prairie, and in its center a ruined cabin, reduced to ashes, almost, by the fire fiend, a scene of deso- lation always hard to behold. It was in such a scene that | came back to life, weak, dizzy, my face covered with stiffened blood which had flowed from a cut in my head. ‘‘ Near unto death was I at that moment, but one idea came to me vividly—the Apaches had done this deed of horror and might at any mo- ment return, As the idea struck me I stag- ered to my feet and looked wildly around. A ew yards away 4 horsé was cropping the green grass. I would secure him and flee to safety. “T had started forward when a feeble cry arose from the grass at my feet. I looked down and saw an infant stretching Up her arms to me. Then it flashed upon me that this was my own child, and that ber mother lay dead and scalped—burned—in the ruins of the house. “The sight maddened me and I sprung for- ward like a madman. I seized the cbild, leaped upon the back of the horse and rode away. I dimly remember driving the spurs into the borse’s sides, and I know I rode like the wind. I was mad then and have little recollection of what followed. My brain was like molten a and I could only press the child to my breas d ride. on Another blank followed and I came back to | | mountain. On the turf at my side the child was chasing the bars of sunlight which fell through the trees and the horse grazed a little beyond. ‘We were saved, but how I never knew, nor could I ever find the fire-destroyetl ranch. [ searched long but vainly—in my madness I may have rode three hundred miles before my senses came back. ‘* But, sir, I did not intend to be so tedious. Suffice it to say, my Nola, my daughter, and I, have been all in all to each other ever since. We may or may not have living kinsmen, but we are happy in each other’s love and ask for no change.’ During this long narrative, the manner of the man had at times been wild and his utterance rapid, but he seemed calm and somewhat sub- dued at the end. James expressed his sympathy, and then added: ‘If it is a fair question, may I ask how you subsist in this wild lace?” “By digging gold. Those noisy fools who dig the stuff in the valleys below think they have laid claim to all the paying dirt, but ('ll wager something none of them singly make as much as do I with my solitary pick. I do not know why I tell you this, for no other man knows my calling, but your face impels me to trust in you.” “You shall never be sorry for it,” James firmly said. ‘IT believe you, young sir.” ‘You are the first outsider who has ever been in this cave,” Nola said. _ “We trust but few,” said Old Prospect, scowl- ing. f Confidence like yours makes me proud, and may my ‘arm be palsied when I forget the claims of the weak and unfortunate. No human being shall know of you from me. In return, I trust that you will allow me to como here again.” ‘Why not? I like your style and [ll trust you. Yes, come again when you will, but see to it that you are not followed. Nola,” the while I Fo to survey the outside world. I am not wholly at ease concerning the Apaches.” He went out, and the girl turned quickly to James. *‘Of course you understand all,” she said, sadly. ‘‘My father is mentally deranged, and has been ever since that dreadful night when he was wounded in the head. It may not be easy for you to separate truth from fancy in his ease, but except for his occasional outbreaks of wildness, there is little but what is sane. He knows what he is about at all times, but he often gets excited where others would be calm.” Of course James promptly echoed the senti- ments of the speaker. He would have been more than human if he had not. What man cares to dispute with a handsome woman who 0 so? Still, when he looked from her to the little, defurmed miner, aS he came slowly back, look- ing more repulsive than ever, the young man could not but feel that he was a millstone on her neck, Without him, she could seek a new life and make new friends; with him, she could never be more than what she was. Another hour passed peacefully, but James finally remembered that the day was fast speeding away, and prepared toreturn to bis home. He bade father and daughter good-by witha degree of regret which surprised him, but it was not the face of the old miner that floated before his eyes as he hastened along the moun- tain side. Instead, he saw Nola as he had last seen her in reality, and the picture was so pretty that he took no note of time until the sight of the village cabins showed him he was near home, And none too soon, if he wished to avoid darkness on the hills, for the shadows were rowing long and another night was about to all over Black Bend. James was hungry, and he went at once to the ranch, but not a word did he lisp of the afternoon’s adventure, CHAPTER XIII. THE BLACK MASKS STRIKE. NIGut fell ope over Black Bend and vicin- ity, and even in the heart of the small village few people were abroad. Some of the men had wandered over to the saloon kept by Dutch Hans, there to test his fire-water, but it was noticed by some of the callers that the two guides, Cactus Jack and Zeke Bozeman were not present. They had whatever the counsel, of life. 6 A —_—_—s- At Townsend’s all was equally peaceful. The shadows hung caressingly around the building, and nosound arose to startle them away irom their perch on roof, door or window. Black Bend seemed entirely within the arms of the spirit of slumber. Three miles away, however, there were signs Only one trail led from the Bend, and that was toward the next settlement from ace seals “aaa, aie ‘RP LLL LLL LL - | | which all supplies were received, all such sup- plies coming by means of rude wagons. The ‘‘ trail,” as it was called, led along the banks of the Mimbres, and with the exception of about a mile, if was a firm and even road. The excepted mile was where it wound through the hills which shot out eastwardly from the mines, decreasing in size to mere bluffs where the Mimbres cut through in its southern course. Through this place all was, of course, rough and rocky. At times the road passed acress a little ravine with open land on either side, but just beyond there might be a ridge where steep banks arose on right and left. Along this road, only a few hours after the return of James Townsend to the raneb, a ‘‘wagon-train” was slowly moving. It con- sisted of three prairie schooners, musteng- drawn, with one man at the head on horseback as an advance guard, three similarly mounted men at the rear, and two beside the drivers on the boxes—a force of nine in all. It was a somewhat peculiar sight for the region, for people seldom descend on towns of New Mexico in such a fashion, but one secing the train could not well avoid comprehending that Black Bend was about to receive a rcin- forcement of inhabitants. The party entered the bills and moved slow] along. Darkness hung over the earth, and all was remarkably pesceful about the little party. Even their own movements were languid us though they had no danger to fear. The peaceful air was deceptive, however, for without the least warning, as they were emerg- ing from a cut in a ridge, a score of horsemen emerged from the shadows and mixed with the miner added, turning to the girl, ‘‘ watch here | travelers with a quicl mess which was as remark- able as it was ominous, There were those in the party who were vet- erans in border ways, end when their first sweeping glances howed them that the strangers all wore masks, they set it down as an indispu- table fact that they were beset by robbers, and that, too, in numbers superior to their own; and they were uot so ready as usual to use their rifles, Quickly and in concert the masked men moved. Each one seemed to have some special duty assigned him, and while some seized and held the horses by the head, others covered the men of the train with their rifles and looked wickedly along the barrels. . One moment the train was in motion: the next, standing motionless and in a vividly has never done him a wrong and is not likely to | grouped way. ** Hold up, every gd ae cried one ne me e are your friends . masked men, sharply. if you will have us as such, and we mean you no harm, but if there is any shooting going on here we shall take a band in it.” “What is wanted here?’-.one of the emigrants demanded. ‘“* Booty, sir; nothing moreorless. Welive by our wits, and there is only one way todo itin New Mexico. Do I make myself plain?” ‘‘Am I to understand that you are road- agents?” ““That’s the exact size of it. road-agents, and we want vour worldly goods.” ** We will not be robbed!” cried thé enngrant, with natural indignation. | ‘‘ How can you prevent it?” The question was asked with a quiet calmness which enraged the emigrant, but he looked at, the grim horsemen, who could at one movement sweep every one of the smaller party out of ex- istence, and knew they were helpless. gEven his own head was covered by two rifles. ‘See here, stranger, ain't this a little rough?’ he remonstrated. ‘‘T suppose it is, but we can’t let such things interfere with our business.” “Tf you go through those wagons, you rob me and my friends of every dollar we have in the world.’ “That is rough on the mourners, but I can’t help it.” The man meant that he would not help it, but his victim chose to be deaf to the fact and launched into a torrent of eloquence. He plead- | ed his case well, but it was like talking to a rock and the man in mask at last became impatient. He calle] on such of his fo' lowers as were not busy to go through the wagons, and the \. ork of robbery was soon going on. It was a ver ne out a little after dark, but | diversified load, taken all in all, but the robbers mission, they kept their own | grew disgusted as they proceeded. They could not carry away housebold furniture, and that Within the fort the garrison rested as usual], | seemed to be the most numerous article of load- Except for the men on guard, no one seemed awake. Even Captain Brigham, after a day so pleasant at the Townsend ranch, had exchanged waking though ‘s for sleeping dreams, and the post was like a sleeping tiger, all claws well sheathed. ing. Still, they had not expected much, and they kept on, tossing aside such articles as pleased their fancy, and afterward binding them pre- paratory to moving. | In the meanwhile, a scene of more than or- Eom Yes, we are ebooks. com