Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 217 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

| 22 : —— —, — So eee = The Serpent of El Paso. _ ——-- = ee ee ee ee 0 we ee ee ee ee - This, the old chief readily assented to, and | grand barbecue was soon being prepared near , her betrayer to death from bunger and thirst; ‘the next moment, with nearly fifty braves at his back, Muchacho charged into the gates of his own home. To his su: prise, there was not a single human being to ve seen. Loud rung the bottom timber. ; By request of Celesta, who was able to sit, the latter being rendered ten-fold more tortur- ing and agonizing by the sight of the sheet of pepeen up by pillows, the gallant and Frontier | limpid water flowing before his eyes. rank, after removirg the stains of battle, met the Apache war-cry, but otherwise all was | Marietta and Dolores in her presence, and the silent. This, however, was of but short con- | tinuance. Suddenly the gates closed with a loud clang, a huge bar of iron slipping from one tower to the other, and at the same moment a rattling discharge of carbines mingled with et a ae of command and the Apache death- yells. Muchacho del Noche had been outwitted, and he well knew that old Cochise, if the latter escaped, would be furious at having been led into such a scrape. The young chief raged and tore about, eager to do some desperate deed; but there was no such thing as forcing open the gate, and he and his braves dashed about in their fury like caged panthers. So much were they startled, when they heard the sound of battle, and realized that they had been trapped, that, after the fire of the ns from the roof, they galloped madly among the magnolias; and all this time Frontier Frank was shooting down upon them. Then, at a favorable moment, when there were none near at hand to observe him, he bent downward, rasped the belt of Muchacho del Noche, and orked the young chief into the tree, stifling the warning yell by quickly thrusting a wad of buckskin into his mouth. Knowing the desperate nature of his at- tempt, the scout brought every muscle into use, and rapidly bound Muchacho fast, hand and foot, to the trunk of the tree, some twenty feet from the ground. Just then a sheet of flame came from the rear roof of the casa, and many of the braves fell dead from their mus- tangs, the survivors galloping into the magno- lias. Outside, the din of battle waged fast and furi- ous. } ee rr Throughout it all, Frank crouched among the | dense branches, having issued his orders for everything that was being done. The volley from the rear of the casa roof had been ordered by Francisco, to force the Apaches back under ate magnolias, in compliance with these direc- ions. Gliding from limb to limb, Frontier Frank, at an opportune moment, dropped into the flowering shrubs beneath the tree, crept into the arbor, where still hung the hammocks of Marietta and Celesta, although many of the outer strands of silk were now holding Mucha- cho del Noche to the tree above. The scout grasped the jaw-strap of a riderless horse, rung upon its back, and shot like a flash of light toward the gate; the way being now clear of Apaches, _ Drawing the bar and pulling the gates open, Frank dashed out before the Indians in the gar- dens could gallop upon him; the peons on the roof opening fire upon them as soon as they saw the scoué gallop around the court. As Frank urged his stolen horse out from the shrubbery, and got a view of the plain, he gave a loud ery of relief; for the gallant boys of the Second Cavalry were just approaching the hacienda, while over the plain sped a dozen braves, or more, flying for their lives. The ground near the gates, and beneath the ‘trees, was strewn with dead and dying Apaches; and, through their midst, Frontier Frank rode on to meet the scouting party, knowing that an avalanche of savage fury was behind him. On came Lieutenant Morse, his face pale and his head bandaged; every sign of suffering upon him, As he rode up to the scout, he called out in an anxious voice, his whole manner showing what he felt. ‘For the love of Heaven, tell me where is Dolores?” A strange light flashed in Frank’seyes. There could be no mistaking the manner of the lieu- tenant. He loved Dolores—that was plain—and the scout placed his hand upon the shoulder of aoe, when he reached side, while he re- ed: “* Dolores is safe, pard. I rescued her before the ight commenced, Come, boys; now for one last ! Down with the red devils!” A cheer rent the air. All saw that the casa roof was lined with women and chil- dren, among whom wero a group of ladies, wa ie their handkerchiefs, e scout rose in oy ; dle, and waved his revolvers above his ead. On, without a leader, came the Apaches to death and destruction; for thrice their number could not stand the terrible charge of the “‘ boys in blue.” One, two, three—the rattling volleys burst from revolvers, then bright sabers flashed in the silvery moonlight, and a terrible hand to hand conflict ensu Nano soon crowned the sight. Buta remnant of that brutal band of old Cochise, flying, with bated breath and terrified gaze over their shoulders upon the back trail, toward the Rio Grande, told the tale of the attack on Rancho del Laguna! Great was the joy, as the gallant defenders entered within the walls. The cavalrymen ep- eamped epposite the main gateway, and a . LS. sissies 0 a scene was one long to be remembered by each; | Francisco, as a mutter of course, being present as well. | Drawing bis bowie, Frank cut Don Martinee loese, and grasping the old man in bis arms, ram out under the festoon of skulls, and down inte and across the crater, quickly leaving the peak- _ bound cavern of death bebiond bim. Frank excused himself, at the first oppor- | he bad built for Luny Lize, and there nursed tunity, and proceed: d at once to the garden, climbing up the magnolia, for the purpose of unbinding his captive, and placicg bim in a more comfortable position. The scout reached the limb, and found but a few silken cords dangling from the rough bark— all that was left to show that there had been a man bound there. Muchacho del Noche was one! . All that Frank had planned and accomplished to gain the savage boy, and secure to bim his birthright, were as nothing. Utterly discour- aged, the scout descended the tree, having as- certained beyond a doubt that the cords bad been cut by a wounded brave, who must have observed the capture of the young chief; the drops of blood, upon the limbs and leaves, prov- — s he had promised Marietta, Frontier Frank now lost no time in starting in search of Don Migu>l Martinez; and, as fate ordered it, struck the trail of Muchacho del Noche and the brave who had liberated him, tracing them by blood drops over the rocks. At last, however, he lost the trail and wandered until, eventually uided by wild whoops, he discovered the en- rance to the secret retreat of old Cochise, which has aJready been described. The yells roceeded from the interior, and Frank had but just time to secrete himself among the bowlders, when to his horror, from out the passage came Luny Lize, with Muchacho del Noche, appar- e tly dead, in her arms. Winding here and there, filling the air with mad and exultant shrieks, went the once beau- tiful Elizabeth Ellsworth, now the wretched, insane Luny Lize, clasping in her arms, the son of the man who had cursed her whole life! Whatdread project she might have in view, the scout could not decide; but he was soon to know, soon to witness a scene more horrible than anything he had yet been called upon to behold. The maniac woman urged her mus- tang up the scoria-like side of a high peak, which, toward the south, was one sheer preci- pice, two hundred and fifty feet in hight. Frontier Frank supposed that the woman, wi.om he had once so fondly Joved, intended casting Muchacho over the cliff; but he be- lieved the wretched boy to be dead. Thus far his thoughts went, and no further. He could not but feel relieved to know that the unfortunate youth was dead, for it was far better thus; but he would fain secure him Christian burial, although he feared to call out to Luny Lize, for the mustang, in the event of his rider becoming any more excited, might wre, a mis-step on that narrow and dangerous ath. Muchacho del Noche had returned to the re- treat of old Cochise; there, maddened at the loss of their braves through him—his white skin oing far to make them believe him to have n a traitor—the squaws had secured him to a stake, and thrown hatchets at him, until Luny Lize had come to the rescue. This much the scout already suspected; but, while he thus reasoned the madwoman reached a shelf that led directly to the dizzy precipice, where, giv- ing @ piercing yell, she thrust her knife into the ham of her horse. The brute sprung madly forward, Luny Lize, having torn a kerchief from her neck, cast it around the eyes of the animal, whereit was held in age by the wind of their speed. Just then the vrcout saw the arms of the youth tossed wildly about and he knew that he was alive. The next moment, there came another terrific shriek, and Frontier Frank’s blood ran cold, his heart ceased beating, for afar out from the rocky shelf, over the dizzy hight sprung the mustang, with Luny Lize an uchacho del Noche shooting down through that awful space! At last the poor demented creature’s revenge and life had ended. Fearing that after her death the youth might inso™:e way be returned to his home, and thus the accursed name of Martinez be preserved, she had thus taken the lost heir of Rancho del Laguna with her on the “Jong dark trail.” Throwing off his sickening horror, the scout darted up to the entrance, and discovering the slow-swinging string of skulls he bounded over the sheet of water, when the strange legends on the rocks met his eye: ‘** Paso Inferno !” **Carmeno del Muerto !” | As he read the inscription a heavy groan fell upon hisear. Drawing his revolver as he turned, Frank saw a sight that filled him with sympa- thetic anguish, and yet with relief. Bound fast to a small basaltic column, his feet near the water, his eyes fixed upon the same with a terrible longing, his lips parched and cracked, was Don Miguel Martinez. The scout knew at a glance that Luny Lize had condemned te di nnn ee A CR A EL The scout bore Don Miguel to the cabin that him back toa better state of health and strength; at which time they held a consultation, Frank revealing the whole secret of the alligator totem, but one-half of which had been told the old Castilian by Padre Jose. When Don Miguel bad been informed of the death of Lizzie Ellsworth, he was greatly re- lieved; and scarcely less so in regard to the de- mise of bis Apache-reared son. He now readil entered into a compact to will bis fortune equa)- iy between Marietta, Dolores, and Celesta, at the request of the scout. He was eager now to return to Rancho del Laguna, and his regard for Frontier Frank, who had again at the last moment saved his life, was approaching te adoration. Great was the joy at Rancho del Laguna when the scout and Don Martinez returned. Lieutenant Morse bad reported at Fort Quit- miman, and there met his commanding cfiicer, who gave him leave of absence. He, too, put in an appearance, serving to fill the party. We need only say, thatin thirty days after the recovery of Don Miguel Martinez, there was a triple wedding at Rancho del Laguna— Frontier Frank, or, as be now proved to be, Frank Farnsworth, of Galveston, Texas, and Marietta Martinez; Francisco Martino and Ce- lesta Cearasco; and Lieut. Edward Morse and Dolores Martinez, the latter having insisted on retaining the name given her by poor Elizabeth Elisworth. The secret of the totem remained stilla secret, except to Frank, Don Miguel, and Padre Jose. The scout interested himself more in the mines he bad discovered, and soon became rich, refusing to profit by his marriage with Ma- rietta, Francisco and Celesta shared the casa with Frank and Marietta, and together they strove to make the declining years of Don Miguel happy. If he bad sinned, be had also suffered. Lieutenant Morse left the army and settled in Franklin, where he row resides with his beeuti- ful wife, Dolores. Children flock around their board, and Don Martinez has given his daughter a dowry of a very large sum, with extensive herds; all of which greatly surprised her and her husband, she not dreaming that the old Castilian is her father. Frontier Frank buried Elizabeth Ellsworth and Muchacho cel Noche near the little cabin, in the secret opening in the vicinity of Wild Rose Pass. This he accomplished at great risk: and often after did he lead the van in fierce fights with old Cochise, breaking up the stronghold of the latter, and waging war against Lone Wolf, while he guided the Texan Rangers over bleedy trails in APACHERIA. THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS. Dialogues, Nos. 1 to 29 inclusive, 15 to % popu lar dialogues and dramas in each book. Each vol- ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakers, Nos, 1 to 24 inclusive. 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