Beadle's Dime Library No. 237 — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

a 14 i own residence, the spy’s hopes began to a , The colonel walked rapidly along the road without looking behind him, but as be neared ¢he old mission his pace slackened and Max re- doubled his caution. Abreast the ruined building Barstow turned | and directed an earnest gaza down the road, but he did not s e the dark heap which Jay at | mo side. Max had promptly prostrated him- | self. Then the pursued turned to the right and | went up the bill directly toward the ruin. ‘What now?” muttered Max, crawling after | him like a snake. ‘‘Can he bave an appoint- ment, or why does he seek this tumble-down old den?” It was a timely question, for, after another glance, the colonel disappeared through the main doorway. The spy was tempted to rush forward and discover what he was doing, but prudence came to his aid and, since he was directly in front of the building, contented himself with making a circuit by which to gain the rear. In this he succeeded, and, moving forward, he reached the wall. All remained silent within, bat he knew Barstow was still there. After some trouble be succeeded in gaining a foothold, and ascended to the top of the wall, but he seemed no nearer a solution of the mys- tery. He could look down into the confused pile of in-fallen masonry, but in the darlsness nothing was visible. The old mission had for a long time exerted a deep influenc over his mind. From tbe hour when he saw the pantomime on the broken wa!l —the strange movemements of the ghostly monk and his female victim, he had felt that ae deep mystery was connected with the ruin. Too sensible to believe in the specter theory, ho believed that some strong motive must exist for the affair. Plainly, some one desired the people in geveral to keep away from the mis- sion, toshun the spot through actual fear. Now it seemed that Barstow was one of the schemers, and he wondered what was the object of that astute plotter. Resolved to investigate, whatever the risk might be, he finally swung over the wall, and as to the interior. is situation had become gloomy and, per- haps, dangerous. The desolation of the ruin was in itself no trifling matter, and to this must be added the ghosts and the more substantial forms be believed near him. With his weapons ready for use, he glided along near the wall with a cautious step. He was in what bad once been a spacious room, but the floor was now littered with shapeless blocks and broken pillars, which in some places formed stumbling-blocks, and in others, formed low passages where he bad to stoop to pass through. Despite all this he kept on, slowly and care- fully, and at the end of half an hour he be- lieved he had explored every foot of the inte- rior. ‘“What the dickens has become of Barstow?” he muttered, as he at last paused near the door. ‘ Has he left the place, or is he still here and in some secret room? It would not be at all odd if such rooms existed, and in the present state of affairs it would be almost impossible to locate a hidden room.” Reluctant to abandon his work, he sat down on a broken pillar, and awaited with what pa- tience he could. He was anxious to be in the village, witb the alcalde, but still greater was his desire to know aewe 2 of Barstow. The man who was to be bis own chief witness against the colonel—he who had seen Ernest Baldwin murdered—had not yet arrived at Nue- vo Madrid. He was expected every bour, but his illuess might have proved more obstinate than was expected—he might even be dead! The last thought was too unpleasant to be en- tertained. Without him, he could not bring Barstow to justice, Just as he was beginning to believe that the colonel had outwitted him by entering the mission as a ruse, there was a sound of voices only a few feet away, and two men came out of the darkness, Keeping his place, Long-Haired Max looked and listened eagerly. He recognized the voice of Barstow at once. “Once more,” he was saying, ‘‘ let me impress upon your mind the necessity of haste. You must see Captain Peters before he leaves port; a fai’ure might ruin the Black League, ahd bring some of us into a bad fix. Unless the stay of the soldiersis longer than I expect, the Water Witch must keep away from the coast while they remain. That Mellough is a block- head, but he may get an idea by chance.” ‘*Cuss ther man w’ot sent them byer!” “That man knew what he was about,” said the colonel, sharply. ‘Don’t be afraid of the soldiers, and, above all, don’t have any trouble with them. They are my friends, and I can wird Mellough around my finger. If all works as I hope, their work may enable the Black lenge to labor openly.” “In that case, 1 reckon ther profits wouldnt Se eee a a - lS SSS *S ee big fur me’n ther boys,” was the quick reply. ‘** Nonsense! it would be just the same,” said the colonel; but Max detected the annoyance in his tone. Plainly he had said too much. ‘I | give you my word tbat Ill not go back on on be continued, ‘“‘and not one of the 3rethren can say that Iever Jied to them. But, enough of this. Hasten to Jabez Peters, and deliver my message. Don’t forget a word of it; it is too important to be forgotten, and, as I said before, too important to be risked in writing.” Barstow led the way through the gate, and Max, following to that point, saw the two go as far as the main road and then separate, The colonel turned toward his home; bis messenger glided away toward the village. The spy made no attempt to follow, though, had it not been for Barstow’s closing words, he would have attacked the lesser villain with a hope of gaining some clew. is work had not been without a perceptible gain, however, for be had gained conclusive evidence that the colonel was connected with the mysterious Black Leage—more, that he was a leader, if not the superior of all. At any rate, Jabez Peters held his directions in sufficient respect to obey. The purpose of the mysterious band became more and more bewildering to Max. For one moment he bad thought the schooner and her crew might have a political meaning, but Barstow had swept away that idea. Barstow had re a ome a hope that the work of the soldiers might result in good to the Black rr so it was clear he was not in a political ot 0 = Since the men of the coast were not conspira- tors, chy nor pirates, what were they? Beyond ea shadow of a doubt, they had a secret, unlawful ote A but to save his life the cavalier could not have guessed it, He did not delay at the mission a great while, but hastened to the village to see Alcalde Jones. That worthy man was sitting alone in his office, fanning his flushed face with his hat. ‘‘Durnation wildcats! I’m glad ter see you, right glad. I’d begun ter think you’d va- mosed.” ‘‘I’ve been busy, alcalde. What of the sol- diers and their prisoner?” ‘‘Ther last critter is in ther Bustile o’ this city, an’ ther sojers are quartered in Sim Slo- cum’s new buildin’. It has never b’en ther policy o’ this hyar jewrisprudence ter bev ’com- erdations fur sojers, an’ it never will be while I sit in ther boodwah o’ jestice. I kin defeat any measure lookin’ ter that cend, even ef ev’ry two- legged gopher in town votes fur it, cause it are my bus’ness ter count the votes.” His honor spoke with emphasis, for within the last few hours the United States military force had fallen low in his opinion. ‘‘ What do you think of all this hue and cry?” gravely asked the cavalier, who was becoming accustomed to Mr. Jones’s peculiarities. “‘ Jest what any loyal man would do, sir. I don’t b’lieve in bevin’ a single feather plucked out o’ ther tail o’ ther American bird o’ free- dom: but ther to‘in’ o’ these byar critters inter my jewrisprudence is an insult which would make Blackstone an’ Cook turn green ef they wasalive. Ain’t I able ter run this hyar city? Ain’t I allays stood hyar like a bulwark 0’ sacred freedom?” The alealde bad arisen, and with bis left hand on his hip, he stretched out the right in such a fashion that, somehow, his arm and spreading fingers reminded Max of the Mississippi river and its tributaries, ‘*You have done nobly,” said the cavalier, ‘‘ but there is yet more to do.” “Durnation wildeats! I hope more will be did. Ishball sleep mighty sound ter-night, when I go ter bed, an’ ef any armed mob arises an’ attempts ter storm the city Bustile, as ther Is- reelites did in France durin’ ther reign of George IV, I sha’n’t wake up. Nary wake, now you kin sw’ar!” Max managed to gather the alcalde’s meaning out of this chaos of history, but also afraid that some spy would do the same, he manaved to get the indignant official back into his chair, and secured a promise that he would moderate his tone. ‘**T suspect a plot,” he said. “So dol. Isuspect half a dozen on’em, an’ each is wuss than t’other.” “But I think Melloungh and Barstow are in collusion,” A look of awe passed over the alcalde’s face. “In what ?” he faintly asked. “Collusion. In other words, I believe Bar- stow knows more about what sent the soldiers here than he has confessed, and I believe that he and Mellough have some secret and dishon- orable end in view.” “Right, my bovee, right. No doubt they are in collision. Durnation wildcats! they are jest ther critters fur plots, cabals, an’ sneakin’ tricks. But, give me your views in full.” Max told what he bad learned by watching Colonel Barstow, explaining how he had whis- soldiers, while the lieutenant occupied the al- / es o_O ee ——— OE fo calde’s attention, and thus gained a chance te whisper to \he prisoner, ‘‘ I will save you;” and, afterward, all that had occurred at the eld mis- sion. Napoleon Jones was delighted. He saw all the men he hated clearly branded as dishonest plotters, and his wrath arose to such a pitch that he would have gone out to accuse them at once had not Max prevented him. The alcalde was impulsive, but he was no| fool, and he soon saw the necessity of careful work. To accuse Mellough and Barstow of double dealing on the strength of the cavalier’s word would be to lose the battle; one was an army officer and the other an ex-officer who was now a rich man; they must be sttll-hunted to earth. ‘* We will be wise as serpents and as silent as scorpions,” said Mex. ‘‘ Mellough, I take it, is but a tool in Barstow’s hands, but the latter has such extensive plots afoot that he must yet make a false move. I, of all men, wish to bring him to ruin—I swear that I will do it—but it’s the silent chase that catches the bare,” ‘*Right you are!” Jones declared, and they clasped hands on their offensive and defensive league. CHAPTER XIX. BARSTOW MAKES A PROPOSAL. THE night passed peacefully. No armed force arose to storm the *‘ Bastile,” as Alcalde Jones termed the one-story adobe prison, and when men arose in the morning they took up the thread of their lives without finding that any strands had been spirited away during the night, Still, there were few happy oor in Nuevo Madrid. The Mexican population cordially hated all men in blue, for they bad wrested the Pacific coast from Mexican contro]; and the Americans, knowing that there had been trouble between Jones and Mellough, unanimously gave their sympathy to the former, As a result, the little lieutenant bad the doubt- ful pleasure, whenever he went ‘abroad, of see- ing the Greasers scowl] at him and handle their knives suggestively, while bis own countrymen showed no respect, and, like the alcalde, per- sisted in placing the accent of his own name on the first, instead of the last, syllable, thus trans- forming him into ‘“ Lieulenant Mellow,” or, worse still, ‘‘ Meller.” A man may learn in time te be reconciled to a lack of personal beauty, but even to the da of his death he will resent a mutilation of his name. Being very sensitive, Mellough hated the peo- ple of Nuevo Nadrid as long as he lived, Immediately after breakfast, the blue coats were in the saddle, and, leaving only ten men at the jail, Mellough led them away on an ex- pedition whicb was understood to mean a search of houses near the town. Long-Haired Max did not remain in idleness but, baving stationed Tim Foley where he could watch the jail and see if the prisoner, Castro, was meddled with, the cavalier bimself went to the ruined mission and lay down on the broken wall where he could watch Colonel Barstow’s house. The result showed the correctness of bis judgment. At the end of balf an hour the colonel came out and advanced along the road. Whither was he going? With his face south, it might be to the mission, to Don Ramon’s casa or to the village. He soon passed the mission, however, walking with a business-like step. Once he glanced to- ward the ruin but made no pause; and Max leaped from the wall and burried along the ridge, keeping in the cover of the rocks, but never losing sight of Barstow for any great length of time, The latter, however, moved openly, and hav- ing reached Casa Victoria, turned at once to- ward the gate. ; ‘‘ Aha! so that is is his objective point,” mut- tered the cavalier, exultantly. ‘* So it seems!” . The words were spoken just behind him, and wheeling suddenly, he confronted her who had uttered them. Her, for it was a woman. Long Haired Max was surprised at the en counter, wholly at a loss to know who the wo- man was, and not a little troubled because she had seen him spying on Barstow, Recovering his self-possession, be touched his bat politely. oe me, but I believed I was alone,” he said. ‘‘ Your hint is gently given, but if I have listened to what was not intended for my ears, it was not todo harm to you. Why should I? You have followed yonder man from the ruined Very well, J have followed him from his house!” Max started slightly. Her last words re- called to his mind the mysterious woman whe had given bim warning on the night when he bad visited Barstow, and be believed he saw a similarity about their forms. While speaking the last words, the eyes of the woman had been on the colonel who, by his pered to Mellough, how be had mixed with the | route, was passing near them. His own gaze was on the casa and he did not look toward the ECORNIELOOO KS (eC)