Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 241 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

— —— ee hurled headlong over the head of his death- stricken horse, striking the ground with terrible force, rolling over and over, then lying in a bleeding, quivering heap. Nearly half an hour had elapsed when he re- covered his senses, to find himself alone, with not another soul in sight. Bewildered he stared around him, mechanically feeling for his weap- ons—but they were missing. ee He remembered then what had occurred, and | scrambled to his feet, an oath of mingled anger and wonder breaking from his lips as he caught sight of a scrap of paper which some band had pinned to his breast while he lay unconscious. He tore it from its frail fastening, and read; “GALLANT LikvTEeNantT:—You came out for wool, and will return shorn. I would kill you, even as you would slaughter me, did I lay as helpless at your feet, but that I know you will feel this sort of re- venge even more bitterly. I content myself with taking your weapons. When you wish to redeem them, call on Yours, to command, ' “Frep BioopGcoop, alias Winpy JEss.” The outlaw had judged truly. Those words were very bitter for the Ranger to swallow. It may be doubted whether he wou'd not have chosen death itself in preference, had he been given the option. Defeat alone would not have been so hard to bear, but this was adding insult to injary. Disarmed, his life spared through seeming contempt; that was bitterest of all. And he took an oath to never know rest until he had wiped out the insult with the heart’s blood of his ct ; Stiff and sore from his bruises, Mark Boyd removed the equipage from his dead steed, and with it slung across his shoulders, set out along the back trail leading to the ranch, As he neared his destination, he saw a little knot of the cowboys who were employed on the ranch, seemingly listening to something that was going on within doors. As they ob- served his approach, several of them hastened to meet him, with eager countenances, but before they could speak, he cried: ‘‘Catch me up the best horse you can find, and half a dozen of you prepare for a hard ride, That infernal Windy Jess wants to be taken into camp—” ‘Then it was him?” eagerly cut in one of the cowboys. ‘* But you go in thar—Genteel Guy is in trouble—” Mark Boyd waited for no more, but casting his saddle and bridle toward the speaker, he hastened into the building, to witness a peculiar- iy exciting scene. The troubles and tribulations of Genteel Guy did not end with the discovery of Windy Jess seeking safety in flight. As he saw that his hated foe had escaped his hasty shots and was now beyond range, his overtasked brain gave way for the time being, and he sunk down amid the grass clumps, in something very like a swoon. How long he lay thus, he never knew, but when his senses began to return, he staggered to his feet, his sudden appearance startling the cowboys who had been drawn to the vicinity by the rapid rattle of firearms, without being alte to discover what occasioned the alarm. Scarce pausing to reply to their eager queries, Genteel Guy hastened into the house, startling the two girls and the new-found beir, with his abrupt entrance and disordered looks, So overjoyed was he to behold Lucille, safe after all the terrible calamities bis tortured brain had pictured, while lying helpless in the dasert, that now he started toward her witha glad cry, bis hands outstretched, his blood-shot eyes glowing; only to recoil, as the startled maiden shrunk away, her face turning very pale as she motioned him to forbear, “[—your father—where is he, Miss Debo- nay?’ he stammered, scarce conscious of what he said, but mechanically moving toward the room where instinct told him the ranchero was to be found at all hours of the day. ‘‘for shame, Lu!” whispered Ora, sharply, from where she lay on the couch, her blue eyes flashing indignantly. “The fellow is drunk!” muttered Lucien Debonay, his dark face very pale, but with an indignant light filling his lustrous eyes as he stepped before his shrinking sister. nteel Guy heard neither of them, saw nothing of their actions. Indeed, it may well be doubted whether he knew the presence of the youth whom Windy Jess had introduced as his brother, at all, Like a man in a waking dream, or under the inflaence of pan - liquor, he opened the door of the room In which Pierre Debonay sat, his face buried in bis hands, pondering over the strange and terrible story which Windy Jess, as Fred Bloodgood, had poured into his startled ears, For this purpose, he had sent the youth out to rejoin the women, that there might nothin interfere with his whirling, dizzied brain; and now he looked up with a frown, as Genteel Guy staggered across the threshold, his clothes torn, his face stained with blood and dust, very unlike his usual trim, neat self. ‘“‘T did notring. Why are you bere?” sharp! demanded the ranchero. ‘‘ Leave me—I wis to be alone!” | This address, so sharp, so unlike what he had OEE eee ee ee _~ -— oe ever experienced before in his intercourse with his employer, ected like a sudden douche of oa the co- yours, water on the young man, clearing awa whirling mists, and enabling bim to spea herently and straight to the point. In swift speech, he rela the more promi- Spitfire Saul, King of the Rustlers. — 19 er - -_——— ‘Good enough!” cried Genteel Guy, bis eyes flashing, his graceful form drawn erect. ‘ You have said it! I am no longer a servant of and now I tell you that I will take the trail of this wretch, and never return until either he or I have drawn the last breath of nent events of that afternoon, regardless of the | life!” black frowns and sharp exclamations with which the ranchero sought to interrupt him. | | ‘* Stop!” cried Lucien, springing forward as Genteel Guy was turning on bis heel. ‘‘ You “T can swear to his identity, if necessary, | have something else to answer for before you though he is so cunningly disguised,” he added. | run away. ‘‘ He has deserved death a thousand times over, and with your permission, I will set out in pur- | or I’! suit of him at once, taking with me enough of the hands to make sure of holding our own, should the cunning rascal have any of his fellow cutthroats lurking near.” ‘You will do no such thing, Mr, Abbey,” said Pierre Debonay, rising from his chal:, and moving toward the door. “ You are in my nil oo I believe, and therefore subject to my orders. You will oblige me by returning to your proper business at once, and letting this affair drop just where it is.” Confused, bewildered, the foreman followed his employer from the room into the apartment where the young people were congregated, The sight of Lucille’s pale countenance recalled to Genteel Guy’s memory, the insulting speeches of the outlaw when he had him helplessly bound and at his mercy, and gave him the courage to add: ‘** You surely do not understand, Mr. Debonay! I tell you that fellow is the very outlaw who—” He paused abruptly, staring at the youth, who stood beside the couch on which Ora rested, gazing coldly into his face. ‘* And there’s his partner!” Genteel Guy sud- denly cried, pointing with quivering finger at the youth, ‘His brother, that infernal villain said! What is he doing bere?’ “You forget yourself, Mr. Abbey,” said Pierre Debonay, icily. ‘‘That gentleman is my son.” Little cries of wonder broke from three pairs of lips, and the newly-found heir was the center of as many widely-opened eyes, Pale as death, but showing no otber trace of emotion, he drew his slight form erect, giving back the surprised stare of Genteel Guy with a dangerous glitter in his dark orbs, that plainly spoke of both hatred and defiance. ‘“'Your son?’ slowly uttered the foreman. “Yet he was in friendly company with that scoundrelly cutthroat and robber! Windy Jess introduced him as his brother—I can not under- stand it at all!” *T do not p*y you to understand it, Mr, Abbey, but to overlook my men, and see that all goes well with the stock. You will please confine yourself to those duties.” Genteel Guy drew himself up stiffly, bowing low, then said: “IT will try and remember, Mr. Debonay. But a part of my duty consists in guardin your property against cunning plotters, an with your permission, I will set out in pursuit of this thieving Rustler—” You will do no such thing, sir!” hotly cried the ranchero. ‘I absolutely forbid you takin the men from their duties to join in any sue wild-goose chase—” “Then I will take the trail alone, and—” “That, also, I distinctly forbid. Return to voor duty, sir! That man will not trouble the stock ‘“Mr. Debonay,” said Genteel Guy, curbing his hot passions and speaking slowly, deliber- ately; ‘! believe I have served you faithfully, ever since I entered your employ. You never had to utter an order or word a request the second time. I knew my place, and I have re- ligiously keptit. Am I right?” ‘*Until now—yes. I have no complaint to make.” “This rascal, Windy Jess, as lam prepared to take my oath be is, though so cunningly dis- guised, took me off my guard, and knocked me senseless from bebind. When I recovered, it was to find myself bound hand and foot, dis- armed, wholly at the mercy of a malicious bloodhound. ‘“‘He taunted me as [ lay thus, with his schemes for the future. He spoke of your daughter in terms which I care not to repeat, Knowing him by reputation, you can, perhaps imagine something of what he said. He offered me my freedom, it | would pledge my honor to remain away from the ranch until to-morrow morning, to keep silence concerning all that had happened, to give neither word nor sign which could interfere with his plans. I refused, of course. Then he tossed up a coin to see wheth- er be should cut my throat, or simply leave me hidden there in the grass, to live or die, as chance might determine. He did toss up, and fate decreed that I was to escape his knife, Then he left me, with still more biting taunts. **T have told you as nearly as I care to, in the resence of the ladies, what passed between us. ow, knowing all that I have suffered from this cowardly villain, do you persist in refusing me permission to follow him?’ ou follow him, you are no longer ser- ac f vant of mine,” coldly responded the ranchero, ; | | ES lst eee ou have insulted me, by infer- ence, if not in plain words, You shall fight me, The hand of the ranchero fell upon his shoul- der. “You are my son, Lucien, and I forbid your disgracing yourself by fighting a discharged servant—” Another interruption, another speech cut short. This time the one who interfered was Lucille, Powerfully agitated, she had listened to the swift interchange of words with steadily in- creasing excitement. Despite his ragged at- tire, his bruised and stained countenance, she felt that Genteel Guy had never before looked so handsome, so utterly a man, as now, and it bardly required the murmur of indignation which came to her from the loyal-hearted, im- pulsive Ora, to break down all barriers of maidenly reserve and false delicacy. She dart- ed forward, and standing between the two men and her king, she clasped one arm around his neck, crying: “This for their bitter insults, my king, my love!” and her red, ripe lips were passionately pressed to his, then as swiftly withdrawn, to utter: ‘‘I love Ripa ou better than life itself! And by that love, I h you to go— o without resenting their taunts, for remem- r, with all bis faults, he is my father!” For a moment the two men were so utterly astounded that get? could neither speak nor move, but then, with cries of hot rage, they forward, Pierre Debonay grasping Lu- ging her aver: but Lucien, knife ow at the heart of leape cille and dr in hand, aiming a vicious b the foreman, Ere the weapon could touch his breast, Gen- teel Guy caught the descending wrist, giving it a wrench that caused the bones to crack, then hurled the mad youth aside. It was at this moment that Mark Boyd en- tered, and taking in the details at a glance, he caught his friend and forcibl from the room; but in Genteel Guy’s ears rung the joyous words coming from Lucille’s lips; sss fove you ! Never Poros my darling—my ing | CHAPTER XIV. HOW KING SAUL CAME HOME AGAIN, Wira their heads just above the level of the desert, Queen Dixie and Lofty Dick glared, rather than gazed out over the level stretch of bare sands, in the direction of her extended arm. And as he made the same discovery which kad so unnerved her, Lofty Dick turned ghas pale, trembling in every limb like a wind- shivered leaf, a gasping curse of mingled rage and dismay escaping his lips. More than a mile away two horsemen rode along, side by side, their faces turned toward the desert sink. The refracted rays of the lowing afternoon sun caused the sands of the esert to dance and quiver, both magnify ing and distorting objects when viewed from a distance, and under ordinary circumstances, personal recognition at that long range would have ranked among the impossibilities, but this was no ordinary emergency, nor were those riders or- dinary men. ‘Holy smoke! King Saul! Back again!” Each couplet of words rai a 2 from the blanched lips of Lofty Dick in faint, explosive: gasps, and despite her own agitation, Queen Dixie turned sharply upon him, her eyes glitter- ing, her red lids parting in a murmur of wonder. She saw him trembling, saw the white line around his mouth and the pinched look about. his nostrils, and sometbing almost of angry con- tempt flashed athwart her beautiful face, as she hissed : “ Coward ! Brace up and a man! Show the white feather now, and [ll hate you—loathe myself for having thrown over a man like him for a craven puppet of your caliber!” Oae moment thus, looking gloriously beautiful Is this the way to face peril? -—- dragged him ~ ——eV—" in her hot rage and impetuous scorn; then a | complete change, her voice low and hurried, full of imploring tenderness, almost coaxing: “For my sake, Dick! Think—whatif he sus- pects the mad and terrible truth from your agitation? He can know nothing as re and we must act to throw dust in his eyes if he has any doubts. Godown—keep out of sight, unless you can regain your old nerve, for I know well that this is not cowardice. I could not love a craven! And I have proved how very dear you are to my heart. I have sinned—but go! Talk to the men, Hurry them up to take the saddle in behalf of King Saul. You only received the tidings this hour. I will remount and hasten to play my park I only came to warn the men—” While urriedly whispering, Queen Dixie was miecbooks) com