Beadle's Dime Library No. 237 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

24 ee eee = — It was an hour later that Max pushed open | the door of the alcalde’s office and found that worthy man just preparing to desert the “ bou- | still quite weak. doir of justice” for the night. ‘‘ Hullo! be you back ag’in? Forgot suthin’ you didn’t remember afore, I take it. Second thoughts is sometimes the best, though not al- ways pleasant. Set down an’ address ther jar7.” “Tam going out of town ten minutes hence. I’ve ordered my horse, and I’m going to reach San Lopez in an hour,” said Max. ‘‘Durnation wild-cats! be you non mentus compass ? What in thunder be you goin’ ter San Lopez fur?’ “Ty save the man Marcy from the plots of Barstow. You remember it was he who saw ; | showed signs of his military life; and, when he heard that he was hunted by Barstew’s men, | Long-Haired Max. They did this, and Max found bis witness | looking rather better than he expected, though He was a bluff, heavily-builf man, who he would have expressed himself forcibly and my father murdered. He bas recovered suffi- | ciently from bis late illness to start for Nuevo Madrid by easy stages, but my enemies intend to murder him atSan Lopez.” ** An’ thai thar is ther reason you’re goin’ on this Bill O’Sbanter cnet You’re right, my boyee, parfectly right. Don’t spare hoss-flesh, an’ ef you want anything more, all the resources o’ this hyar jewrisprudence is at your command, But how did you Varn all this?” Max explained that a woman calling herself Miss Smith had visited him at the hotel, and also told all he knew about her. The interview was not prolonged, but, before they went, the alcalde presented Max with a flask of whisky, taking pains to assure bim it was for medicinal purposes. Shortly after the cavalier left the village and went south by the San Lopez road at a gal- lop. He read the voice of the heavy clouds and troubled air well enough to know that a storm was near at hand, and he feared it might strike before he reached shelter. Accordingly, he dashed along at full speed, anil the gallant horse stretched his clean limbs for the twelve mile gallop. Half an hour passed and the horse was still going finely, but lower and lower hung the clouds, while a stiff breeze had sprung up whick was blowing directly toward the east, Occasionally, when the road passed near the shore, the rider could see the water of the ocean, for the wind was driving it so furiously against the land thata long line of foam was every where visible. A bad night for vessels that were not in asafe harbor. Max pressed on without pausing and, at mid- night, neared the first houses of San Lopez By this time, however, the fury of the wind bad greatly increased, the great billows broke on the shore with a tbunder-like sound, and several great drops of rain warned the rider that the storm was at hand. He dashed into the village and up to the soli- tary hotel just in time, but he had barely gained cover when the rain struck in all its fury. is horse had been led to cover, and in the shelter of the bar-room, Max could well afford to Jaugh as he heard the storm roaring outside. The landlord was a bluff, honest-looking American, and as they were alone in the room, the cavalier resolved to talk somewhat. ‘‘Huve you many guests to-night?’ he asked. ‘‘ Jest three, Twoo’ them are Greasers, an’ t’other ‘un are a white man, like ourselves, though he’s rayther shaky on bis pins on a’count o’ a fever he has had,” ‘* Ha! what’s his name?” *“*[ dunno, but you'll find it on ther book thar.” Max went to the register and read the entry, which was in a bold, though irregular, hand. ‘* Ben Marcy, Callao, Peru.” ‘‘ Just as I hoped,” he said. ‘This gentle- man is a friend of mine and | would like to see him at once.” “Waal, I s’pose it can be did, though ther hour is a leetle off o° ther hooks,” the landlord admitted, ‘* He will be glad to see me.” Max glanced at the names of the Mexicans on the register, but as they were unfamiliar he de- cided that the owners were either strangers or else passing under false names, He was about to follow the landlord when the door again opened, and two men camein. One was an American, while the other, though aps middle-aged, was but a boy in size, and is peculiar looks betrayed a strong sprinkling f Indian blood. Both looked surprised at seeing Max; but they would have said nothing had not he ad- dressed them. He recognized the two men recommended by Alealde Jones, and who had been sent south to look out for Ben Marcy on his way to Nuevo Madrid. A short conversation showed that they had hung persistently on his track, watching over him when he knew nothing about it, =) they 0 ccumuniieeee ee En i | in a loud voice, had he not been prevented. Solvo was the only one of the party who did not seem satisfied with the condition of affairs. He soon took Max aside, and expressed the opin- ion that the two Mexican lodgers were there to assassinate Marcy, and at his suggestion a trap was laid for them, in case his suspicions were correct. Marcy was removed to the bed in an adjoin- ing room, which connected with the first by a door, and then a dummy wes skillfully made by the half-breed, and placed where he had first en. After that, what little noise they had made ceased, and darkness was over the whole house. Max and bis American ally had taken their quarters with Marcy, but Solvo crawled under the other bed, with only a pillow beneath him. The night wore on and the storm still howled outside, No such night had been seen in that region for a long time, The rain descended furiously, driven by the wind, and between the two the old hotel greaned dismally. Max had availed himself of half of Marcy’s bed, and as he was thoroughly wearied he soon fell asleep. When he awoke, it was to find a kand on his shoulder. “ Basy, mister—easy!” said the voice of his American ally. ‘* Ali is lovely, I reckon, but thar has been a leetle rumpus in t’otber room, an’ I thort you would want ter investigate.” While the man spoke he had been striking a match, and by the time Max was on his feet, the flame had been communicated to a lamp, Just then there was a tap on the door, and Max opened it to see Solvo, ‘‘T was right, senor,” said the half-breed, as quietly as though speaking of a trivial matter. ‘* Ha! has there been an attempt—” ‘‘One of the Mexicans came in and thrust his knife through the dummy, but I was there.” The quiet remark did not prepare Max for what he saw when Benson advanced with the light. Upon the flocr lay the body of a man whose dress and features were strongly Mexican—his body, only, for it needed but one glance to show Max that he was done with life. Fifty men had preceded Max to the spot and all were looking out over the white whirlpool | of waters to where a vessel struggled helplessly | against odds, The cavalier’s first glance showed bim that | the craft was a topsail schooner, and then she disappeared for a while in a trough of the | ‘*T take it those men are in great danger,” he said, to a stout man near him. “Right you are,” was the reply, ‘‘an’ never a chicken on ’em will see another night.” ‘Ts it so bad as that?” ‘ **Don’t you see they’re drivin’ straight onter ther rocks?” ‘What is to hinder their working down the coast and making Horseshoe Harbor?” ** Fu’st of all, I reckon ther schooner is about gone ter pieces. She seems about as helpless as | a tub, an’ it’s likely she bas sprunga leak. Next, no sails could hang in such a gale; they'd be tored inter ribbons, “Well, if they are helpless, how is it about us? Can’t we aid them?” The map looked at his questioner as though he | thought be bad gone crezy. | *Do you s’pose a boat could live in them waters?’ he demanded, pointing to the white | succession of billows. ‘*No: it would be flung back to land before it | had gone twice its length. I can see that, but | is there no other way?” ““None at all. Them critters is doomed, jest assure as sbootin’. Ther schooner are goin’ ter smash on ther rocks, an’ it’s likely most o’ ther men will do the same, Some on ’em may reach shore alive, but I wouldn’t give a short bit fur their chances.” Max looked more earnestly at the schooner. She was nearer than before, terribly near when the lives of those on board were con- sidered, and each billow that lifted her on its feathery crest bore her further forward. Suddenly the cavalier started. He wes not a sailor, and to him all schooners looked alike, but in this imperiled craft he saw some strangely familiar points. Waiting until she arose from a trough of M6 dei, he looked keenly and could no longer oubt. The schooner was the Water Witch. Surprised and anything but pleased, he stood ' and watched the laboring vessel. He had hoped | to some day seize tue craft, men and all, and force from them the secrets of the Black League, but it now seemed as though no mor- Across bis breast lay Solvo’s knife, but its | tal ears would hear their coufession. blade was no longer bright. Max had not expected such summary work, | he mingled with the but when he bad heard the half-breed’s story, he said nomore, The Mexican, wbo was none other than the man Benito, had entered through the door and crept to the bed, and, seeing what he thought to be a man thereon, had driven his knife to the hilt in the dummy. It was his last stroke, for the sleepless Selvo had seen all, and before he could turn, the half- breed had seized bim and struck home in a man- ner equally prompt. Another of Barstow’s assassins had met a fitting end, but when they looked for bis accom- plice, they found tbat he had fled. Marcy had not been awakened by the affair, and as it was useless to alarm him, they said nothing about the tragedy, and Solvo and Benson quietly interred the body. CHAPTER XXXII1. THE WRECK OF THE WATER WITCH. MORNING dawned and the inmates of the hotel were soon astir. Marcy was feeling much stronger, and he laughed at the precautions the other men bad taken in removing him, for he believed the Mexicans had been but honest trav- elers, but had they led him to the grave made in the small hours, he would have been less skep- tical. Max had expecied to start for Nuevo Madrid immediately after breakfast, hut their horses were not ordered. The storm had not ceased, and he knew it would be imprudent for Marcy to go out in the rain and wind. The hotel-keeper, after announcing that he was a weather-prophet, declared that the sun would shine before noon, and Max resolved to wait, He had resolved to keep with Marcy if pos- sible, ; It was destined that the forenoon should have its element of interest, however, for, not long after breakfast, the men of the village were seen going down to the water, defying the storm, and none of the hotel party were sur- prised when news came that a vessel was in sight, in evident distress. and driven toward the rocky coast. The news was so interesting to Max, that he decided to go with the crowd and see that sight which is at once the grandest and most terrible would not have been so far bebind this night | of coast life. had it not been for an accident which delayed them. Max told of the new developments in thecase, and when Solvo, the half-breed, had beard the story, he became anxious, and suggested that they go to Marcy at once. Enveloped in a serape loaned him by the hotel keeper, he went down to the shore. The rain was no longer falling so persistently as be- fore, but the wind was blowing with as much fury as ever and the white mountains of water broke on the rocky shore with great violence. Stirred into new life by the thought, men and offered | generous awards to such as would help to save the crew, if not the schooner, but all echoed the words of the first speaker. | Under God there was no help for them. If it | was His will that they should escape with their | lives, it would be so, but if ten thousand men stood on the shore they would be helpless. Convinced at last, Max wrapped his serape ag around him and prepared to watch to the end. The crisis was not far away. The schooner was so near that, despite the spray which was beating over her deck, men could be seen here and there. They undoubtedly saw the crowd on the land; at any rate they saw the fate in store for them; but bravery or despair kept them from making a gesture, Silently they awuited the result. All of the old buoyancy was gone from une Water Witch; almost as unwieldy as a water- soaked log, she drove straight on to her doom. Pity enough was expressed for her crew, and there were men there who would have risked all had it been possible for a boat to live in such a mad chaos of water; but, as they had said to Max, the result lay beyond their midst. The fatal moment grew nearer. The schooner was approaching the deadliest part of the coast for miles north and south. Once let her be dashed on the pointed rock which lay in her very path and she would be held as in a vise and soon washed in pieces. Nearer yet, and then the watchers held their breath. Up on a gigantic billow arose the doomed eraft, hovering between sea and earth, as it were, and then, with a crash which was audible even on the shore, she was dashed upon the ine aint eres th be went no further; the sharp points had pierced her hull, and, firmly w d, she awaited the next billow.. a ay | It came, Ee her deck clear of every- thing, and when it had passed on the doomed men had vanished also, The watchers knew where to look for them, and in a long line they stood as near as the breaking waters would allow, Dead or alive, ved were sure to be driven ashore. ery soon they were dimly seen, advancing nearer and nearer, until at last the first was cast on the Mode beach. Quickly the body was borne back beyond the water’s reach—the body only, for the man’s life had been dashed out on the cruel rocks, Others came, one after another, but all dead, but Max Baldwin’s gaze had become fixed upon EOmMmicsooks (E() — _ oe ——_—<