Beadle's Dime Library No. 204 — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

EO ‘‘We can well believe that,” was the rather angry retort. ‘‘None of us ever saw sucha villainous looking human in East Texas, unless atacircus, But itis quite evident that you knew something of him before; and as we are engaged in an enterprise which may cost us our lives, it is nothing more than fair that we should know all the ins and outs of it.” Frank Ames began to realize that he had already gone too far in disclosing secrets, and that he must now explain everything, or risk | | | befmg deserted by his old comrades in riot and © dissipation. ‘Can't you fellows give me time to think over what I have just learned? Of course I intend to explain it allto you, We are in the same boat, and all have a right the course we are sailing. and, 1 should judge, a paid assassin, in the service of Dudley Duncan, You see that he has recently bad a severe blow in the face. Who do you suppose gave it to him?’ The three men naturally gave it up. ‘Tt was George Adler that struck him.” “Then George is in San Antonio?’ asked Burke, ‘‘He is in San Antonio,” said Ames, in a decided tone, ‘‘That means heavy business ahead on the trail,” said Stephens, “ Frank, you had better not venture on the plaza until we know that he bas left.” ‘Boys, we must disguise ourselves,” put in Barnes. ** But how can we do it?’ inquired Frank. ‘Put these clothes in our saddle-bags, and get some cheap rough togs. Then shave off our mustaches, and get some heavy false beards—” ‘‘You forget,” interrupted Ames, “ that nearly every ai in West Texas wears long | hair, and ours Is cropped so close that an In- dian would slip us by in the scalping biz.” “Don’t joke on that subject,’’ said Burke. ** We may lose our hair, short as itis, I heard a ranchero on the Plaza say that the Com- anches were On the war-path, and coming down country.” ‘‘This must be attended to at once. Iam g)ad you spoke of it, John,” said Frank. ‘It is dark now, and pretty late. Burke, will you go with me? We will awaken some Jew, and give him a chance to make a few dollars,” “Yes, Pll go,” agreed Burke, ‘‘for I begin to see that things are getting complicated. But how came George Adler to go for that Mestizo?”’ ‘‘Why, Dud. Duncan sent the spy bere to lay for Adler, and kill him. By some means, he has received information that George bas followed the Bowens, or else it was a mere sus- picion that he would do so, and sent this half- breed to kill bim.” ‘‘Tt seems to me that Duncan must have some c¢xtraordinary means of ascertaining the movements of people at a distance.” ‘* Boys,” said Frank in a hoarse whisper ap- proaching the lounge, ‘‘have you not often heard of Capitan Caramba, the bandit, who was at one time leagued with Cortina, the scourge of the Rio Grande?” “Certainly,” said Burke, “Who has not? He is a Texan, but has leagued himself with the. most desperate Mexican outlaws, It is not long since he stopped a coach on the San An- tonio and El] Paso line, and. went through the pas-engers, besides slashing the mail-bags, and carrying off the safe of the Express Company. I tell you, he’s a terror.” “ Pards,” whisperel Frank, ‘Dudley Dun- can and Capitan Caramba are one and the same man!” | The young men were silent in their astonish- meng, ‘‘T should have told you this before, boys,” That man is a half-breed, a spy, | Bie Foot Wallace. their horses, without once thinking of the pack- mule and provisions they had engaged Martin Campbell to purchase for them, the four pards in iniquity galloped away from the Alamo City, until they were balf way to the Medina. 13 *‘T believe that is what be has been doing.” ** How kim he ter gi’n yer thet handle?” George then related bis experience with the Mestizo, since bis arrival on the Medina, which caused both the scouts to give vent to their Then halted, and assuined their disguises; after | surprise. which they continued on, passing the ford a | little before the hour of midnight. CHAPTER XL | EL MSSTIZO. Witp Wo tF sat his horse like a centaur, his | supple and graceful form acting in unison with | each movement of his but half-tamed steed, his plumes of eagle-feathers flaunting and mingiing at times with the long festoons of Spanish moss. George Adler came on close after, and in a short space of time, the two men broke from the timber, and entered the clear space at the ford. The Waco chief halted, and indicated by a wave of the hand that George was to éo | _ surprise. likewise. Then he listened intently for a few | moments, “Waugh!” burst from Wild Wolf’s lips, in ‘‘Does my white brother hear any- | thing on the trail?” “No, [hear nothing,” was the young man’s | answer. ** Water Warrior’s head much bad. Come. Wait see who ride fast in night;” and the In- ' dian urged his horse back into cover, followed by George, who, upon coming to a balt in the bushes, distinctly heard the sound of approach- ing steeds, evidently coming up at a fast. gallop. Buta very brief time elapsed, when, up the wagon-road from the direction of San Antonio, dashed two horsemen at headlong speed, who, as they reached the open approach to the ford, jerked their steeds to a halt. air feelin’ ’zactly straight an’ plum—’thout I’m ter run ag‘in’ Wild Wolf.” “Dog-gone my great gran’mother’s old set- tin’ ben! I’gins ter feel nat’ral-like. I never a-stampedin’ on the wings o’ chain-lightnin’, | an’ chuck full o’ biz. I couldn’t sleep a wink, | es I tole yer, an’ I felt a crawlin’ at the ruts o’ my hair, what I allers feels when things is | goin’ wrong. l’d like mighty well ter know ef George, thet new squar’ an’ solid pard o’ | ourn, hev ’roved safe, an’ ef he’s hed ther luck | ‘“* We'd better skute down-stream, and see how things hes panned out, I reckon, ole pard; | or else, yer kin gi’n ther sign, an’ hoop up ther — red—” At this instant the Waco chief raised his’ rifle and struck the stem of a sapling a bard © blow. Like a flash of light ‘the two scouts sprung to the earth, on the opposite side of — their horses, cocked and rested their rifles over their saddles, and aimed at ‘the point where the branches still swayed. George Adier heard a low, pécuiiar sound, like the rapid and continuous gnashing of teeth, which he knew proceeded from his red comrade; and no sooner did this sound break the déathlike’ stillness, than the rifles of the scouts were withdrawn, and the hammers let straight up an’ hunky.” | said the King of the Post Onks. said Ames, “ but [ feared you might leave me | in the lurch, But you'll all stand to your compact won’t you?” down in the twinkling of an eve. understocd the language. *Wa-al, dod-blast yer, Wild Wolf! T hes gut a strong hankerin’ ter shoot one o’ ther feathers offen yer head, ertrim yer eye-winkers with a blue whistler. Break brush, an’ show yer purty pictur’, dog-gone yer!” “Great Jerusalem!” said Post Oak Bill: “ther red gi’n me a cold chill, clean through my spinal ’nattermy. [hed thet cussed half- breed in my mind, er I shou!dn’t ’a’ jumped from my critter, fer we bain’t struck a section | whar thar’s ary need 0’ keepin’ yer eyes peeled. Davg my pelt! Thar’s thet solid George, Big Foot ‘*Dang’d ef he ain’t, dead sure an’ Sartin,” | ‘* George, how does yer open an’ shut by this ‘time? Waco, what yer want ter bluff we’uns in sich a way fer? I thought that condemned Greaser “Come,” said Burke, “ we'll go for the dis- | war layin’ fer us.” guises. We havecome thus far and we'll see “ Want show Water Warrior how quick great | you through. Come, I’m desperate enough to | scouts act on war-path,” said Wild Wolf, in go in for anything.” Frank caught Burke’s hand in a shake of satisfaction, and the two young men left the ' reply. * i “Who, in ther name o’ Crockett, air Water | Warrior?’ asked Post Oak Bill. ‘ Hes yer gut | hotel; being directed to the establishment of | a red pard in ther bush? Ef yer hes, trot him | Uncle Jose, an old and well-known pawn- broker, near the San Pedro. From him they pur- chased the necessary disguises, then returned to the Menger House, and after a brief deliber- ation, decided to start without delay in the direction of the Rio Frio, in order to be on hand at the capture of the wagons. Ordering out. Let us see ther color o’ his paint.” George Adler smiled, as the Waco pointed | to him. ‘He, Water Warrior.” “Ther red hev gut a cog’ hitched onter yer aie Air thet hit, George?’ asked Big 00 | leetle Maggie, sure es yer is borned. “Ther balf- breed ain’! a doin’ all thet biz on his own “count,” asserted Big Foot. ‘‘ Yer kin gamble heavy on somebody else bein’ under the bush, a-urgin’ him on. Mebbe so ther four prim galoots what’s at ther Menger, hes know’d all ther time yer war ahead on ’em, ever since yer left ther Trinity. Mebbe so, they hes promised ther yaller cuss a stake ef he wipes yer out; but, es I said afore yer struck out, yer hes gut ter keep yer eyes peeled, er thet half-breed ’ll send yer ter kingdom come, on ther whiz. Ef yer runs ag’in’ him arter this, make a dead sure thing o’ hit, an’ don’t low him ter bluff yer on ther die biz. Hes yer see’d ther camp o’ ther Angel an’ her dad, since yer come so dang’d nigh bein’ choked offen ther yearth?’ ‘‘No. We were just going over to find out | in what direction they have gone,” ‘““What! Hes they levanted this time o’ | night?” ‘* Wild Wolf says he heard them start off.” **Did they see yer when yer was circussin’ with ther Greaser, an’ gut skeered?” ‘‘T don’t think there was any one awake. There was no one on watch, that I cculd make out; and I can’t account for their making a start at such an unseasonable hour.” ‘‘Ther ole curnil must ’a’ see’d yer, er heerd ther rumpus. Le’s splosb through ther drink, an’ ’vestergate. Whare’s Warnona, chief?” *Warnona at lodge. Black Bear at lodge. Ride fast frem Bandera Hills.” ** What in ther dickens air up thar, chief?’ ““Comanches on war-path. War-whoop soon sound on Frio. Mebbe so on San Miguel.” “Great Je-hoss-i fat exclaimed Post Oak Bill. “Ef thet air ther case, I must glide toward ther ranch at stompede, er ther cussed scarifyers ’!] kerral thet leetle gal!’ ‘Whar did Black B’ar say ther painted hell- yuns war p’inted?” asked Big Foot Wallace. *‘On prairie. Come toward Big Water. Rio Frio on one side trail. San Miguel other “Then ther murderin’ cusses air es liable ter strike fer ther San Miguel es any place. Bill, ole pard, we'll hey ter skute, an’ take keer 0? George, thar ain’t no danger o’ ther Amgel’s outfit gittin’ took in outen ther wet yit a while, on- less they p’ints west, which they hain’t gut no call ter do. ‘Yer bed better foller ‘em, an’ tell ‘em they must turn tail an’ come back, er lose ha’r. Pard Bill’s ranch air in datiger; an’ his _jeetle gran’daughter air liable ter be scooped in by ther seulpers; so we’ufs must glide ter ber ‘bout es fast es hoss-meat kin hump hitself, We'll keep atween ther Curmanches an’ ther wagons, an jine yer es speedy es we kin,” — Big ‘Foot Wallace rattled these explanations and instructions off in a decisive manner, while Post Oak Bill showed great impatience and concern, as he walked his horse back and-forth, eager to ford the river and spur toward the San Miguel, and little Maggie, whose mother Bill’s onty child, had been brutally tortured td death by the same tribe that now galloped eastward, on their fearful errand of death to the innocent and unprotected. Wild Wolf gave utterance to a prolonged yell, fired his rifle, and turning to George, said: ‘* Water Warrior tell Black Bear ride fast to Bandera Hills. Let him say to my braves, _ that war-path open on San Miguel,” George Adler realized that his: new-made friends were forced to leave him; that daty called upon them to save one who was near and dear, as well as helpless, and although he was deeply concerned in regard to the safety of the Bowens, he could not now ask the aid of the scouts, but he said not a word in regard to having any one accompany him; just the op- posite, for he urged them to make all haste to the help of the young girl at the lonely ranch on the San Mignel. Bidding Big Foot to rejoin him, with Bill and Wild Wolf, on the last mentioned stream, at a point west of the Fort Ewell trail, as soon as they could, George was about to shake hands all around, when another yell sounded, this time from the other side of the river, fol- lowed by the clatter of horses’ hoofs, and to his surprise, the two scouts and the Indien urged their animals at headlong speed, and | ; IJOO GOMNE cs ee re ee — eee (Eo)