Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 209 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

= ee .such hints as they came along as 10 Mr. Warne was in San Francisco, buf was daily expected home. He rode back to the ranchlike a man in a dream, One thought only presented itself to his mind clearly—how should he break the news of the disaster to his cara Lueetta? : She read it in his face as soon as she saw him. She led him into the Louse and placed a chair. for him, in which he seated himself as if he was stupefied. ’ “Was it all true, then?’ she asked: *“*All,and more. The New Ophir mine is a failure, the stock is worthless, and I amruined.” She could not cheer him; but-she encouraged him to tell her the whole story, and he told it, not very clearly, but plainly enough for her to comprehend it. y **Then you are not a bonanza king, and I am not a queen,” said she, ‘**The castle in the air has tumbled down, and nothing is left but a hole in the ground.” ; **So it seems. It is hard to realize, but it must be so. The savings of years have been hey away, and we have now nothing but the and. sid ** And that belongs to Rose Warren.” ** Does it?” “Of course it does: You know that it is her property, as her father left no will, and that she ean Claim it under the law.” * The law bas not much to do with this:stretch of land,” remarked Rosalba. * But it will have. The country is settling up rapidly, and soon there will be plenty of courts and judges. There is but one thing that can save us now from being thrown out of every- thing in our old agé. Manuel must find Rose Warren and make her his wife.” ‘* He is looking for her.” * But he is making no progress. help him to find her.” **T will, and when I lay my hands on her sha shall not escape me again. I will do more than that. I mean to be revenged upon the men who have put me in this hole. I shall give them such a dose as will sicken them.” “Tf you do not, you are no sort of a man. But you had better be careful, Pedro, how you measure your wits against those sharp ankees.” “Tt will not be a contest of wits; my Lucia. There are rougher, readier and surer means. I[ know plenty of bravos who will follow where I lead. I will strike those men in many ways, and every blow shall count; It shall be war to the knife!” | ‘* Now you are talking like a man of sense and nerve. When you speak of the kyife and the pistol and the rifle, you speak of weapons that you know how to use. Use them, Pedro, and while you work your revenge, you may get back at least a part of what you have lost.” **T have sworn it, Lucia, 1t shall be war to the knife!” You must CHAPTER XII.) THE GREEN GUARD, THERE, were but two passengers in the Warne. ton stage, and they were women. There. had been two or three male passengers, but they had dropped out on the way, and only the two women were left to occupy the inside of the stage. This was a peculiar circumstance in itself, and more peculiar from the fact that the route had become a dangerous one to travel. The stage line was ‘owned by Farley and. ‘Warne, who were interested in the new town of Warneton, and had started the line for the pur- pose of building up their property there. (They ran an —— on the route, being responsible for the va were of the opinion that the daring band of road-agents who had lately been operating against the stages must have a spe against their owners. — Already the stage had been stopped several ‘times, and twice the express had been robbed, entailing a heavy loss upon the proprietors. Of course the two lone women could not have been aware of these facts, though they heard make them nervous: But they bad rode from the far East, and nothing had harmed ‘them yt oa they hoped to reach their journey’s end safety. 2 2 xt ** This is a tedious trip, Rose,” said the elder of the two. ‘** Yes, auntie; but everything issonmew and strange that it is almost delightful te me. I wish you had my youth and health, so that you could enjoy it as I do.” “ Tt is not only tedious, my dear, but danger- ous. “That is the spice of it. I dearly lovea taste of danger. I should think that you, aunti who drove Manuel Vincente from your door a the muzzle of a pistol, would be the last to speak of danger.” , ** Don’t eee at me, Rose. You know that I was nearly frightened out of my wits. But I could fight even a wild beast that would try to take me from you. Idohope that we will safely reach Warneton, if that is the name of the pes and that we will find there something fit eat and a decent bed to sleep in.” uables they carried, and some people. spite, t well |, | owner of a mine! and go hth ’re worth et em for all they’re w and armed Buck Farley, the Bonanza Prince ** No doubt. of thet, auntie. Iam tcld that is is quiece.a nice lithle town. And cur fortune is there, )ou know,,. Lam erazy to get. my fingers on the Little Ruby mine.” “To think that you should actually be the It seems so strange.” ‘** All due to luck and, Buck Farley, princi- pally the latter, The Bonanza Prince must have thought that he owed me something, as be has done so mueh; for me under the rose since that rough deal in New Opbir.. After my splen- did stroke’ in Nevada Si?ver, for which I con- sider nvyself indebted to him, be let me into the Little Raby, serding me anote to tell me that it was a valuable property to be sold fora song. I sung to the tune of. twenty thousand dollars; but that is mothing to what the value of the mine must be.” ‘‘If it should prove. to be all. your fancy paints it, my dear, still we are women, and we can’t be bonanza kings,” ‘But. we. may be queens or. empresses, auntie,” ; At the nearest station to Warneton—the nearest, though fifteen miles away—the. stage made its last stop. The, station was but.a small house on. the plain; yet there were six passengers waiting for the stage, and, to the surprise, of Mrs. Outram and Rosina, they were all women! - 3% Six women! Six tall, awkward, “ gangling’ créabures, with such ugly and ill-fitting gowns, such horrid coal-scuttle bonnets, and such thick and clumsy vails! ‘Cam. these horrid persons really be women, auntie?’ asked Rosina. ‘* Hush, my dear!.maybe they are Mormons.” Five of these outlandish women crowded into the interior of the stage, where they adjusted themselves rather awkwardly, and the sixth climbed up on the seat with the driver, and the heavy vehicle lumbered away. The new passengers kept their vails down; but Rosina could not. complain of that, as hers was drawn closely. They had nothing to say, though she tried to draw them into a conversa- tion by asking a few cami to which they replied briefly and gru y: ‘What coarse yoices.they have!” whispered Rosina. ‘' Did you ever, hear the like?” Mrs. Outram suggested that they might be the wives of some mon elder, who com- pelled them to seclude themselves from “the world’s people.” ‘*I do believe they wear boots, auntie, and they are more like men than women,” ‘*T am. sure thet I wish they were men, my dear.” **So do I. feel shaky.” Rosina’s shakiness.. developed .into positive nervousness as the sun was setting, and the steno rolled down a hill into a heavy piece of timber. Suddenly there was a knock, or a kick, on the front.of the vehicle, that attracted instant attention. ) Mrs. Outram screamed, Rosina shivered, and the five other inside passengers straightened themselves up, and began to handle awkwardly their outlandish gowns, . Then there was a hail without—a man’s voice, in clear and commanding tones, clearly heard by the passengers—and the stage came to as “Fling down that express box, and be quick about itl? ordered the same Ci manding voice, “Thar ain’t none here, paid the driver. ‘*The — ther ain’t! Cuss yer stage owners for. a set of sneaks! We'll. go through. the. pas-, anger fnead ; tw le ike od n’t. got. nothin’ but women,” said the “‘Phunder.an’ benzine! Trot them out, boys, I confess that I am beginning to . Come down from box, you two, and step lively. We've no time for fodlin’.” evr ly A hurried glance showed Rosina a number of rough-looking, men about the stage, masked rifles and revolvers. The two doors were open, and the, pomp ngane mrcte ordered forth, .. .,. 4... _ The: five outlandish women gathered up their skirts, and stepped and stumbled out of the vehicle, and the robbers hardly seemed to know whether to, be most, amused or dismayed. ‘* This beats me!” exclaimed the leader, ‘‘ It’s a touch above any tea party I ever struck, It’s no use, boys, to. tell these critters to hold up thar hands, and I reckon the wealth they kerr a would sea’ecely do to start.a bank on. But thar’s } no tellin’, Go through them, boys!” _ Mrs. Qutram and Rosina had crouched down in a corner of the stage, not because they hoped to escape unobserved, but because of an instinct that prompted them to hide. ** Come out.o’ that!” was ordered in a rough Soles as @ bearded brute looked in and saw em. Suddenly they were startled by quick and continuous dischar of firearms without, mingled with oaths, shouts and yells, This sharp and rapid firing lasted not. more than three minutes, and then aJl was quiet. | Moved by an irresistible curiosity, raised herself on the seat, and looked out, panic they desired _their gowns and bonnets with the ce erity of a formation scene to interfere with their opera- fC) — The outlandish women had disappeared. In their place were half-a-dozen men, all clothed entirely in green; and wearing green masks. Besides these men in green, and two bodies stretched on the ground, there were visible only the driver and one man who was evidently a prisoner. Directly the six men and their prisoner hastene\l away, and were soon lost to sight in the timber. The driver, with a pleased expression on his countenance, pitched into the stage the ugly gowns and horrid bonnets that had been worn by the six women passengers. ‘It’s all right, ladies,” be said, answering Rosina’s look of inquiry. ‘* You are safe enough now,” - ‘Who were those men?” she asked. *“Them’s the Green Guard, miss, They's Buck Farley’s men, who came along to clean out the road-agents, and they did the job up in mighty good style. Now we'll git to Warneton in a jiffy.” CHAPTER XITTt. NUMBER ONE. THAT portion of the encounter between the Green Guard and the brigands which Rosina did not witness had been more interesting than the scene that happened to come under her view. The six women passengers, when they were ordered out of the stage, had taken their posi- tions, as if by a preconcerted arrangement, in a line facing their foes, and a nod or gesture from their leader served them as a command. The sneers and jeers of the rough men about them had no effect upon them, and they stood tnere, silent, unmoved, and impressive in their ugliness. “Who the deuce are you, anyhow?” rudely demanded the chief of the brigands. ‘We are the wives of elder Quisby, of Salt Lake City,” replied she who had sat upon the box, in a cracked falsetto. : “If you half-dozen heifers have got any pockets, just turn them inside out, and save us the troubte of searching you.” ** We are under the protection of the Lord, and the ungodly cannot harm _us.” ** We'll see about that. Go for ’em, boys!” ‘* Sisters,” said the tall female, “let us unite—” Under their ugly gowns they were able to draw and cock their revolvers without being perceived. ‘In prayer |” This was the signal, and the fire from six re- volvers flashed in the faces ‘of the astonished outlaws. So rapid was the firing, and so deadly was the aim. of those outlandish women, that the brigands could not pretend to face it. With yells of terror and screams of pain those who could use their legs turned and ran, “Stop, you cowards!” shouted their leader, who had not been hit, ‘Are you going to run from a lot of old women?” But the old.women, as soon as their firing bad produced the erked off “ ligh ning change artist” in a variety show, and. there On Se stalwart men, clothed in a ei of k green, and wearing green masks, “The Green Guard!” exclaimed the outlaw chief, and he, too, darted away into the timber. The men in n had not allowed their trans- ns, and they secured from the general flight one. prisoner, who bad stumbled and fallen as he turned to run, ‘You may f° on now, Jonas,” said the leader of the Green Guard to the driver of the stage. ‘Tell Mr, Billings that he may send what ex- press freight he chooses on the next trip,” Two of the men in green tock the prisoner by the arms, two led the way, and two brought up the rear. Thus they moved throrgh tke Wnbes, silently and in military order. until they bad crossed a ridge and descended into a glen where six horses were hitched. Here they mounted, the prisoner teing tied behind one df the men, and roce away under the starlight, silently and swiftly. The course they were taking was not leading them toward Warneton, and the prisoner grew uneasy. yr ‘‘Are you takin’ me to jail, <trangers?’ he ‘*We are jail enough for you,” answered the er. . ** Ain’t you goin’ to give me up to the law?” ‘“ Weare the law,” was the stern reply. Then he could easily guess at bis doom, and knew that no efforts of his could avert it. The men in green finally came to a halt near the edge of the fearful chasm of Death Gulch. Here they hitched their horses, and formed in a circle round the prisoner. The moon had risen, and illuminated the bare plain and the scattered rocks and bowlders, but only deepened the darkness of the abyss. It shone upon the dark forms of the Green Guard and the moveless figure of their prisoner. It also lighted up weirdly a large tree standing MICOOOKS,(e Go (0)