Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 209 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

ao = -o rt eft 0n ta ap- > & ET Ce cr — —_ LATS I et sepa a og Oe Buck Farley, the Bonanza Prince. — ST ‘scale to be defeated by a small and unorganized force. Before leaders could come forward and rally the citizens to meet the emergency, the raiders had finished their work, and were ready to de- camp. The men who were in the bank came out, and all mounted their horses. After firing a parting volley to scatter the citizens who were gather- ing in their rear, they dashed away up the lane, where there were none to dispute their passage. The stranger who had waited at the office door mysteriously disappeared. John Warne reached the station near the Small Hopes mine, only to learn that the mes- sage he had received was a hoax or something worse, He thought that he might as well go on and visit Captain Durkee, and was ebout starting for the mine, when he received a dispatch from Death Gulch, which caused him to take the first train back. ut Atalate hour of the night succeeding the raid, Pedro Rosalba and his wife and Manuel were seated in a room at the ranch, with the doors locked, and with sentries stationed all around the house. They were sorting and examining stacks and packages of papers, which they took from coarse bags. ost of these papers they threw into the fire. A few were laid aside for preser- vation. ** This has been a great strike,” said Rosalba, **and I doubt if we could have hit those infer- na) Yankees a harder blow. I fancy that the loss of this pile of papers, to say nothing of the money the boys got, will cripple them about as badly as their New Ophir swindle crippled me.” ‘*They will be as mad as hornets,” said Man- uel, ‘‘Itis to be hoped that none of our men will go back on us.” a Oh, they are too well paid to want to split.’ So the work of inspection and destruction went on. Deeds, leases, contracts, notes, accounts, all sorts of valuable papers and documents, were ruthlessly sacrificed, while the destroyers laughed and chuckled over their vile work. At last Pedro Rosalba got hold of a docu- ment that caused him special delight. ‘* Here it is!” he exclaimed. ‘* Here is the very deed that the San Francisco man told us about, from Henry Warren to Buck Farley. It is just sueh as he described. Look, Lweetta mia! does that seem to be the signature of your dead husband?” ‘*[ don’t know,’ replied Senora Rosalba. ‘It ‘is so long since I have seen his signature that I have forgotten what it was like. But this is of course a fraud.” ** Whatever it is, [have got hold of it now, and am tbat much ahead of the game. Shall I burn it? No, I will keep it, and the time may come when I shall be able to expose the swindle and punish the swindlers.” CHAPTER XXII, STRIKING AT THE HEAD, Buck FARLEY, the Bonanza Prince, at Bluff- - ton on business for Farley & Warne, received by a messenger from the nearest telegraph sta- tion a dispatch from the managing clerk of the firm, giving bim the news of the alleged disaster at the Small Hopes mine. ‘That is bad,” said he; *‘ but I don’t worr about the mine, as I had never expected muc from it. Poor Durkee! it is a pity that his am- bitious hopes should have such an ending. ‘Warne has gone to see him, and of course will do everything that can be done for him. But I must finish my business here, and get home as soon as possible.” Before he was ready to start there came an- other dispatch, not from the managing clerk, and with grief and chagrin he read these lines: ‘Fifteen masked men entered town and captured the office this morning. Sacked completely. Money and papers all taken. Runnels shot dead. Raiders all rode away unharmed. Warne gone to Small Hopes.” No request to return was added, as that would have been unnecessary. The news was enough to cause Buck Farley to hasten to Death Gulch as rapidly as ble. He at once inquired about the stage. It was expected shortly. When it arrived he took his seat in it, with two other passengers, Along the Bluffton stage road a solita traveler was riding at a moderate gait, thoug he was mounted on a fine horse. He was quite a young man, and his pale face had a drawn and pinched expression, though it was not at all unpleasing to look at. His neck was short, and on his back was a perceptible hump. He was dressed neatly, carried saddle- bags, and there were pistols in his belt. _ As he was riding along slowly, with his head drooped, and his mind in a reverie, be was Startled by the sound of the trampling of horses. . Looking up, he saw the road blocked by three horsemen, _As it was dusk, and he was short sighted, he did not at first perccive.that they were masked ; but he did see the shiuing barrels of the revol- vers they leveled at him. . He started to draw a pistol, but was at once made aware of the uselessness of resistance. - ** None of that, youngster!” said a rough and stern voice. ‘* We’ve got the drop on you, dead, and the best thing you can do is to give in and take things easy.” At the same time some more men rode up and surrounded him, and he knew that hewas a prisoner. He was at once disarmed; but there seemed to be no disposition to harm him. ‘*T suppose you want my money,” he said, addressing the man who seemed to be the leader of the band. ‘I will give you all I have, and then [I hope you will let me go on.” ** You are mistaken, young pilgrim,” was the unexpected reply. ‘* We don't want your money, and we don’t paces to let you go on. You were on the road toward Bluffton. Was that the point you were striking for?” * Yes. ‘Well, my son, it will soon be too late for boys of your age to be traveling alone, and we have reasons for not wanting you to go to Bluff- ton just now. So you will please come to our camp, and see the boss of this nice little party, and make yourself comfortable for a while.” There was no refusing this polite invitation, and the youth accompanied his captors through the timber until they came to a small camp- fire, around which a few men were seated. As he drew near enough to see their faces, he started, as if he recognized them, and a deep shade of displeasure came over hispale features. Two of the men were Pedro salba and Manuel Vincente. ‘‘ Here is a young pilgrim,” said the leader of the horsemen, ‘‘ who was going toward Bluff- ton. We obeyed orders, and took him in.” “Uncle, it is Benito!” exclaimed Manuel, jumping up. ** You are right,” said Rosalba, with an oath. ‘Sot him down here, Bob, and let us take a look at him. This is a first-class find that ycu have made. If such good luck holds through the night, we will soon be solid.” Benito Rosalba dismounted of his own accord, and walked up to the camp-fire. ‘*T would like to know what right you have to stop me on the road,” he said. ‘‘ What right?’ replied the Mexican. “ Why you young scalawag, you are my son, though don’t pretend to be proud of you. A father has a right to catch and keep his runaway son wherever he finds him.” “IT was going my own way on my own busi- ness, and was not interfering with you,” said Benito. ‘You can gain nothing by catching me, even if you could keep me.” ** Perhaps I am the best judge of that. Man- uel, what ought to be done with this disobedi- ent aa rascal?” ‘He deserves hanging,” replied Manuel; “but I suppose a sound thrashing will have to serve him.” ‘**T will take him home, and then we will con- sider the matter and decide his case.” ‘* Perhaps you had better not do that, uncle— not just now, at least.” ‘We will wait until we see how this business ends. If we succeed, I shall know better how to deal with him. Now, Benito, whose name should be Maldito, can you tell me how your fine and wealthy patron, your Bonanza Prince, is getting on?” “That is none of your business,” coldly re- plied the youth. ‘Indeed it is my business, very muchof my business. I have made it my business, I can tell you, since he cheated me out of so many thousands with his accursed Opbir swindle. Well, Maldito, I can tell you something about him that may be news to you, and not ver pleasant news, either. His offize at Deat. Gulch, in that stout stone building, has been captured.” } < ‘Captured?’ exclaimed Benito, gazing intent- ly at the speaker. “Captured by a few bold men, who rode into town and took possession of it, without asking leave. I hear that one of the clerks, who tried to show fight, wasshot dead. He should have had better sense, poor fellow! The safe was robbed, and everything of value that the place contain- ed was taken away. Don’t you suppose that such a blow will be likely to worry your Bo- nanza Prince a little?” : ‘“Who were the robbers?’ asked Benito. *‘As you know so much about it, you can tell me that, I believe that you had a hand in the outrageous crime, yourself. If you did not commit it, you planned it.” **T don’t care what you believe. The men who could do such a deed are not the sort who are likely to be caught.” ‘* Where was Mr. Farley when his office was robbed?” ‘Far away at Bluffton.” ** Where was Mr. Warne?” ** Whistled off to Small Hopes. But they will et their dues, personally and particularly. he turn of Farley, that infernal swindler, will soon come. We are waiting for him now. He is coming from Bluffton by the stage. I mean — a ed to catch him, and show him that there is morv than one way to play a brace game.” ‘* How do you know that he is coming from Bluffton by the stage?” eagerly asked Benito. ‘*T know that a dispatch was taken to Bluff- ton to him, telling him of the doings at Death Gulch, and that will be sure to fetch him by the first chance. Oh, we have a sure thing, and we don’t mean to let anybody spoil our chances. That is why you were picked up, and here you must stay until the game is played. Come, now, you may have some supper with us, unless you consider yourself too good for our <2 a Benito said that he had no desire to eat. ‘Sit down, then, you young porcupine, and mourn for your Bonanza Prince, who will not be able to be a patron of yours much longer.” Pedro Rosalba and his companions squatted near the camp-fire, ard began to eat the supper which they had been cooking. Benito seated himself at the foot of a tree near them. ‘By the way, Maldito,” remarked Rosalba, “have you seen or heard anything yet of that precious step-sister of yours?” ‘* No,” ecurtly replied the youth. **So I supposed. You need not trouble your- self about her. Manuel and I know where she is, and we will soon have her in our bands, You can go to sleep and dream of ber if you want to. There is plenty of time. We do not expect the stage to come along much before midnight.” Although Benito was seated away from the Froup, he was but a few steps from them. hey were all armed, and his weapons had been taken from him, Besides, he was a bunch- back, weakly, and with a poor pair of legs, while they were strong and swift men. They had him under their eyes, and were sure that he could not escape, if be should be audacious enough to make the attempt, Benito thought differently. The liberty of Buck Farley, if not his life, was at stake, and he considered his own life of little value, com- pared with that of bis benefactor. Looking about, he saw that his horse, which had been insecurely fastened to a bush, was loose, and was standing still, with bis bricle hanging down, The other horses were tethered. Watching his chance, he sprung suddenly to his feet, and ran toward the loose horse, which whinnied as it saw him coming, His unable legs did bim g service. Never before had they been put to such speed. Before bis captors could guess his purpose, he reached the horse, and sprung into the saddle. Two pistol-shots were fired at him in rapid succession, one of them by Manuel Vincente, “Hold!” cried Rosalba, ‘He is a scemp but he is my son. Don’t shoot! Mount, and follow bim!” But a few seconds were lost in untetherin and mounting the borses, and Benito was gal. loping away, A ‘He will get off, and will warn the stage,” said Manuel. | **Curse him!” exclaimed Rosalba, him, then! Shoot him down, boys!” Rifles and pistols were aimed at the youth, and the reports rung out rapidly; but it is beard to hit a tlying mark when darkness has set in. ; Benito, crouching to his saddle-bow, Cashed away through the timber, and his furious cap- tors followed in pursuit. CHAPTER XXITL A RUNNING FIGHT. THE horse Benito rode bad plenty of speed and wind, and he was desperate, His own peril did not concern bim, as bis one thought was that he must stop the stage and turn it back, before Rosalba and his men could over- take him. He knew the direction of the road, and }is horse knew it, too. He soon reached it, turned toward Bluffton, and away he went at a break- neck gallop. His purpose was quite too plain to bis pur- suers when they struck the road, and a volley of rifle-shots was fired after him; but he was then far enough away to afford to laugh at them, and still be sped on. : ** After bim!” shouted Pedro Rosalba. ‘‘ Shoot him down, if you can get near enough! Any- how, we must burry on and strike the stage.” The question was then one. of speed and en- durance. It was evident that Benito’s horse was faster than any of the others, and that his pursuers could not hope to overtake him unless some accident should befall him; but if he should turn back the stage, they might reach it and attack it long before it could get to Bluff- ton, and thus accomplish the purpose which bad been so seriously upset by his escape. This was not so easy or so safe a plan as that of lying in wait; but it was the only one left to them, and they were forced to go on, as infor- mation of their purpose was preceding them. ; the horses of the pursuers differed in quality, they straggied along in an irregular line, but all at the top of their speed, Manuel Vincente in the lead, with his pistol in his hand, ready to fire at Benito if he should come within shooting distance. | , * Shoot > . Ghbooks (E() m (E(e)| mi