Beadle's Dime Library No. 237 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

“You had better not, for you’ve piled up enough of the wrath to come already,” was the fierce reply. ‘‘ Make another attempt to run and we will riddle you with bullets,” ‘*T beg your pardon,” said Max, still coolly, ** but I think you are laboring under a mistake. Iam not the man you have been pursuing. He alarmed at sight of me, has taken to the top of the ridge.” The previous speaker burst into a laugh. ‘“Wouldn’t you like to make me believe that?” he cried, scornfully. ‘‘It won’t work. Here, men, seize him without delay.” ‘‘Again I say to you that I am not the man you take me to be. If you are after a criminal, you are allowing him to escape Py anls delay. As for me, I am an American. y name is Baldwin; and I can prove an alibi up to within half an hour ago.” These remarks had been made while the sol- diers, several of whom had dismounted, were maely grasping bim; but he bore it calmly. ‘*You are wasting breath,” said the leader, who wore the uniform of a lieutenant. ‘‘ We know you well, and we can’t be fooled. More than that, you shall tell us the name of your ac- complice.” ‘*Permit me to ask who I am?” * Your name is Eduardo Castro,” * Wrong, lieutenant, wrong.” ‘Don’t you dispute with me!” roared the of- ficer, in a fury. “I'll take the starch out of you! Here, Smith! get out your lasso, andwe'll swing him up.” ** Don’t see no tree right hyar,” answered the man addressed. ‘‘What’s that to you?” shouted bis superior. ** Your place is to obey; mine to command.” The lasso was produced, but the vicious lieu- tenant then saw that he was indeed wrong. The neck and the noose were at hand, but not the tree. Then it was that the Heutenant showed bis hasty and dangerous nature. Drawing a re- volver from his belt, he presented it at the cav- alier’s head, ‘* Where is your accomplice?’ he thundered. “Tell me his name, or L swear, that I will blow out vour brains!” There was no mistaking the nature of the case. The officer meant just what he said, and for Max to repeat what he had already said would be but to precipitate his fave, Luckily, however, he did not lose his wits in the emergency: ** He is at the village,” he promptly replied. ‘I don’t believe it!” roared the lieutenant. “Tf he could reach there, why couldn’t you?” ‘* There was a horse by the roadside, and the coward seized it and fled, leaving me to m fate,” explained the cavalier, throwing consid- erable passion into his voice, “Ha! did he, though? Well, I’m notsurprised, Rascals are always traitors; and vice versa. But, see here! can you lead me to bis den?” ‘* Yes,” said Max, grimly thinking of Alcalde ones. ‘ Yes eg oTfol Virgin! Vl him f ‘Yes, by the Ho irgin m for his treachery !” he Miklarat de “‘ Away we go, then! Here, Thompson! give bim a place on your horse,” Max was roughly helped into a saddle—or, rather, in front of one—and away clatiered the troop, which was composed of two-score blue- coats. The cavalier began to lose whatever fear he had felt, for he knew that Napoleon Jones would soon make the rough places smooth and prove his alibi; but be was still in the dark as to the cause of the blue-coats’ anger. Who was the man they had pursued and what bis crime? The village was reached in due time, and, un- der the cavalier’s direction, they went at once to the mayor’s office. That worthy man was standing in his doorway, and he looked at the troopers in speechless surprise. ‘« Alcalde,” cried Max, at once, * will you tell these men who I am and what you know of my movements this afternoon?” Mr. Jones found his tongue at once. _“ Your name is Max Baldwin an’ you’ve be’n right hyar in this office with me until an hour ago,” he replied, The lieutenant turned white with anger. It’s false!” he shouted. ‘‘This man is Eduardo Castro, a Greaser, and we have chased him ten miles; who are you who dares lie to save him?” The hot blood of the great official flamed in an instant. “My name is Napoleon Jones, an’ I am ther alcalde an’ mayor 0’ this hyar city!” he thun- dered. ‘Durnation wildcats! who be you what calls me a liar? Open yer mouth ter say them words ag’in, an’ by ther Etarnal I'll com- mit ye fur contempt o’ court. Vl presarve ther dignity o’ my office an’ arrest any two- legged critter that dar’s ter kick up a row in my jowrisprudence!” CHAPTER XIV. THE SOLDIERS’ MISSION. Tax worthy alcalde towered aloft in righteous ion, and Long Haired Max felt a thrill _Long-Haired Max. $e eee of exultation which was in no way decreased as the pompous lieutenant sprung from bis horse and bowed before the great civil officer. ‘* Are you indeed Mayor Jones?” he asked, in a@ manner showing that be knew of the man, though he had vever met him before, ‘* Napoleon Jones, alcalde an’ mayor,” amend- ed that gentleman. ‘** And do you indeed say that this man is not Eduardo Castro?’ he asked. ‘*T say an’ affirm it, an’, furdermore, I kin sw’ar ter bis presence right byar as before specified.” The lieutenant’s face grew still longer. ‘You now see that I told you the truth at the first, sir,” said Max. ‘‘ Your man ran up the hill to, or past the old mission, and while you fooled around me, he made good his es- cape.” The lieutenant changed color several times in deep mortification. He was a young fellow, of remarkably small stature for one of his calling, and his efforts to grow a beard, to add to his dignity, had only resulted in a few scattering hairs on his upper lip and another line beside his ear which looked like a very weak abatis. Long-Haired Max, with his skill in reading men, at once mentally pronounced bim a gentle- man not long away from the Jove like walls of the West Point Academy. ‘‘[ am Lieutenant Mellough,” he said, and bis name, as pronounced, with the accent on the last syllable, had quite a musical sound. “I amin pursuit of one Eduardo Castro, charged with an attempt to create an ivosurrection in California, with a purpose to bring the Terri- torv again under Mexican control. As the military and civil authorities should work together, I call on you for your co-operation in the case.” “Et ther American eagle is in danger, I'll buckle on my broadsword an’ helmit. Incen- diary plots can’t exist in this jewrisprudence. Jest you ketch the hare, Lieutenant Meller, an’ Vil cook him.” ‘My name is Mellough—the accent is on the last, not the first, syllable.” “Don’t stop fur sech trifles. When ther American eagle is screamin’ fur belp, it don’t matter a durn whether you’re meller or not. Whar’s this Eduardo Castro? Bring him at once ter ther boodwah o’ jestice! Never put ae till to-morrow what you kin do this prox mo. The alcalde, standing in his doorway and waving his hand majestically, made a some- what imposing picture, before which the arm of military law wavered, but he did not forget his business, **T wish to see you alone, sir,” he said. ‘Walk inter the boodwah o’ jestice. No- body shall be thar except my clerk. He must take notes,” The alcalde waved his hand to Max, and, obeying the hint, the cavalier followed the others, found paper and ink on the table, and prepared to perform the part assigned him. Lieutenant Mellough, as Max had surmised, was a recent graduate of West Point, and it was Washington influence only which had made bim so. By nature effeminate and a dandy, he had been pushed through the Academy by in- fluence. Timid as a youth of straw in his first year, he bad been a tyrant and an unmerciful ‘hazer” in his last. Later, when influence made him a lieutenant of California troopers, he hadat first been a most unpromising char- acter; but after a little experience, he managed toconceal his actual timidity, poor judgment and want of general knowledge under a mantle of arrogance, pomp, and ridiculous dignity. Such was the lieutenant of the troopers. Once closeted with the alcalde, he explained that a plot was afoot to wrest California from the control of the United States, and then he had been sent to overawe the plotters. The Eduardo Castro before mentioned was one of the most active of the plotters, though nearly all the Mexican residents were supposed to be implicated. “Wal,” said Mr, Jones, remaining practical throughout the narrative, ‘all yer kin do is ter wait till ther next proximo, an’ then find this hyer Castro. Bring him ter me—bring him ter this boodwah o’ jestice, an’ I'll show him that it are durnation resky ter meddle when ther bird o’ freedom flops his wings.” “You have one of the most dangerous men right here in Nuevo Madrid,” sai Mellough. ‘‘ We must atonce— Hal! I have it, I have it!” The lieutenant’s face brightened, and he brought his fist down on the table. The fist was small, and made little disturbance, but its owner was plainly excited and jubilant. ‘‘ Durnation wildeats! what hev you got?” the alcalde demanded. ‘‘ [ll have Castro yet. Why didn’t I think of it before? Ramon Victoria is his uncle, and one of the leading plotters, and I'll bet a month's pay Castro is now concealed there, Here, you clerk, lead the way to Don Ramon’s ” at once. , Mellough had Jeaped to his feet, but the al- calde put out his hand. ; it Hole on, thar; goslow. What’r you gwine ter do?” 11 ** Arrest Don Ramon.” ‘*T reckon ye won't.” “Why not?” ‘‘ Because it can’t be did without an affidavid, an’ you don’t get none in this jewrisprudence. Don Ramon is a squar’ man from his boot-heels up, an’ an pen o’ ther American eagle, I’m ther alealde an’ mayor o’ this byar city, an’ I don’t give no affidavid.” ‘*Do you mean a warrant?” “That air is what 1 said, an’ what I mean.” ‘‘No warrant is necessary in this case. In case of treason, the military authorities have a right to seize whomsoever they choose,” Napoleon Jones stared blankly at his com- panion. ** Would you seize this hyar man without my consent?” “I certainly would.” ‘*Do it,” said the alealde, arising to his full hight, ‘do it, an’ by ther Btarnal [ll commit yee for contempt o’ court. Do you think you in kidnap men out o’ this hyar jewrisprudence? No, sir, an’ you don’t want ter make no insinua- tions. Remember, sir, you stand in ther bood- wah o’ jestice!” The wortby alcalde towered like a giant above his smaller adversary, and there was something really impressive in his attitude, de- spite bis illiterate speech. Lieutenant Mellough felt the force of bisargu- ment, and bis pompous manner vanished. ‘* But—bnt— See here, Don Ramon is sus- pected, and I mast lock after him. My duty must not be neglected. You would net see Mexico rule Nuevo Madrid again, would you?” ‘** No, and she never will, while I'm in my offi- cious capacity. But, wait; you say you believe this hyar Castro is bidin Don Ramon’s house. Jest wait an’ we will call thar an’ see,” The alcalde was not without shrewdness. He saw that he had gained the first round in the battle, but, well aware that Mellougb, with bis two score soldiers, could rule in Nuevo Madrid if he tried, and that he would be upheld by those who bad sent him, be perceived that the way for bimself to preserve bis show of au- thority was to accede to the lieutenant’s wishes to a certain degree, Consequently, bidding Long-Haired Max fol- low bim, ho prepared to goto Don Ramon’s with the blue-coats. He was strong in the faith that that gentleman would clear himself, for though he knew nothing of Eduardo Castro, said to be bis nephew, he knew the don to be devoted to the American cause. All the citizens of Nuevo Madrid had turned out to look at the blue-coats, and more than one dark faced Mexican restlessly fingered bis cuchielo as he watched them, but when Alcalde Jones Joudly ordered his borse and showed in every wa y that he was still in authority, even the skulking mendigo who bad the day before ascribed bis poverty to him, now showered blessings on his head. Hosies an American mayor than an American soldier, The party took their way toward Casa Vic- toria, and as the bour wasstill early, they found no trouble in gaining admission, though the gate-keep rstared in borror as the armed sol- diers crowded into the patio, Mellough was in favor of pusbing unan- nounced into Victoria’s presence, but Jones would not hear to it. Noone could Jeave the cas@ unseen by them, and he was resolved to proceed in a gentlemanly manner, As a result, he was at last ushered into Don Ramon’s presence with no companions except the lieutenant and Long-Haired Max. Victoria and bis daughter were alone but both showed surprise at the visit. The alcalde, forcing a jovial air he did not feel, greeted them warmly and then introduced his companions. For a moment, Long-Haired Max forgot their disagreeable errand as he bowed low before Donna Inez. Neither betrayed the fact that they had met before, but he felt a thrill of ex- ultation that their acquaintanceship could go on from that hour without great trouble. Don Ramon, never losing his courtly polite- ness, expressed his pleasure at meeting Mel+ lough, but when he would have called for re- freshments, the lieutenant, paying no heed to the alcalde’s imploring look, stopped him by a motion. “Excuse me, Don Ramon,” he said, but I have come on business, and in such cases a sol- dier should not feast and drink,” “On business?” repeated Victoria, a troubled look on his face, “Yas,” said Jones, quickly. . ‘On business, but nothin’ serious. You see thar is a durnation mistake—” ‘* There is no mistake,” interrupted Mellough, rudely. ‘‘I have come, sir, to arrest your nephew, one Eduardo Castro!’ ; CHAPTER XV. ‘THE BLOW. FALLS, Tis plain statement fell forcibly on all wha heard, but with different results. Jones was angry, Max anxious, Don Ramon’s troubled look increased and Inez became very pale. present, mygov 7> Mellough had not failed to note the result a Eomicboo Cc cS) Cc