Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 256 — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

— eee | eS , *¢ Ps a , 5 in . . > ‘ rs @*; pet er) , abs . . - —- err » - : 4 ~ 4. ; — ce “* = Re 3 t. oF. F ‘ ~~ Be 7, wet oft * . 7 ‘ = ~ 28 oo Double Dan, the Dastard. for the father of such daughter to be—and he and I are certain to be firm friends for life; but I do not think that he suspects anything, or has the least idea that we have ever met before to- night.” ‘And that horrible Le Grand?” questioned the maiden, with a shudder. ‘‘ Where is he?” ‘* Where he will get his just deserts,” was the reply. ‘‘ He is a captive to the Apaches, as is also Antonio, who was the driver of the wagon that served as your prison; but we will speak of these things hereafter. 1 will merely say that Le Grand will never again trouble either of us; for he will undoubtedly be put to death, by some fearful torture, at the hands of the Indians, ‘* How far in our rear are our friends now, Rosa? I shall dart into the camp, in two min- utes, from which you escaped, from the wagon, ‘The San Miguel is close at hand.” ** Papa and the other gentlemen are closing ,” answered Rosa, in a relieved tone of voice; **they have been reserving the strength of the animals, and are now coming at terrific speed.” ** And the Apaches?” “They are lashing their mustangs unmerci- fully. Ob! how borrible those red demons ap- pear in the moonlight! They seem frantic with fury, and show no indications of giving up the race. ** They have lost many braves by our bullets liosa, and they may possibly chase us beyond tne San Miguel. They are insanely eager for revenge; but we willescape them, be assured.” The instant that Roy ceased speaking, bis horse dashed into the bottom timber of the San Miguel, thence on into the ford, and across the same; when our hero halted for a moment, at Rosa’s request, but spurred on, as Big Foot im- — signaled him to proceed. The scout, Japtain Ray, and the young planters now dashed down intoand over the ford as quickly as possible. disappeared from view with Rosa, and Big Foot ordered a halt, shouting his orders to his comrades: “Jerk out yer long shooters, an’ plant every chunk o’ lead inter red meat,an’ then skute agin! Ther hellyuns air chuck full o’ hyder- P obic, an’ hankers fer bleed an’ ha’r; but I oesn’t reckon they'll dar’ run vs fur t’other side oO’ hyeraways. Thar comes ther painted piruts! a ‘em arter they gitsin ther middle o’ ther ink! As the giant scout thus spoke, the horde of Apaches lashed their snorting, panting, foam- flecked mustangs from the undergrowth on the opposite side of the river, down the bank and into the waters, with a sounding splash and tier; their snake-like eyes striving to pene- trate the foliage in their front, which they prob- ably suspected screened their white foes from view. Their suspicions were quickly changed to actual and most forcibly proved fact; for the simultaneous discharge of five revolvers as one, ruog through the arches of the timber, and as many braves gave horrible howls, Three of them with upthrown arms fell over the hams of their mustangs into the rolling river, and two more sunk forward reeling in their saddles, while they clutched at the manes of their terri- fied steeds to prevent themselves from falling, in a desperately wounded state, into the stream. Toe yell of madness and vengeance that came from the bronzed throats of the survivors was terrific, and caused the blood to chill in the veins of Captain Ray and the young planters as, at the order of Big Foot, they again poured a volley of bullets into the desperately infuri- ated savages. The latter now lashed their “steeds through the waters; their eyes blazing with a thirst for blood, scalps and victims for the torture, Again our friends drove spurs, soon clearing the timber, and discovering Roy and Rosa on the plain ahead, galloping fast toward the Rio aand safety. But these were not all that they saw; for, on to the north of the fast-riding pair, and not two miles distant, were the wagons of Le Grand; doubtless driven by the slaves, who had all, ee been captured by the bandits of San iguel, who had been sent for the purpose by Antonio, under the leadersbip of Double Dan. Big Foot no sooner discovered the wagon- train than he gazed quickly in the rear, toward the ford that they bad just crossed. The Apaches, yelling like fiends, were just lashing their animals from the timber in pur- suit; this fact causing the giant scout to give a yell of satisfaction and delight. Then he cried t: ‘* Pards, jist gaze yunder! Thar comes ther wagons, an’ ther t/others o’ Cap’n Antone’s gang. We-’uns must kinder hedge ’em in, an’ eep em on thar reg’lar gait; shovin’ ’em up on ther balf-shell, for ther ’Paches ter sculp an’ tortur’. Ef we kin, we must save ther niggers. “This air jist ther bestest kind o’ fun, an’ air comin’ out purty esapink. Dang my eyes, ef thar ain’t a few ranchers arter ther wagons an’ Greasers! Thet’ll save we-’uns the trouble o’ roundin’ in on ther yaller scums. Le’s skute a leetle more east’ard. Roy, I see, bes tuck ther siterwation in, an’ is playin’ bis keerds right whar they b’long.” As the words of the Pog peoge pards saw the wagons and a of horsemen ; the latter ealineing bisa of the mules, and urging their animals at headlong speed; while, in the rear of the train, on in seeming pursuit, dashed a half-dozen riders, also spurring at ter- rific speed. It was evident to our friends, that neither of the approaching parties had observed the Apaches; although the bandits had caused the train to be turned more westerly, to avoid con- tact with the Texans under Big Foot Wallace, and prevent themselves from being hemmed in by enemies, Roy, knowing well that the Mexicans with the wagons would endeavor to shoot him and recapture Rosa for their chief, spurred his horse to qpencen speed, turning more to the east- ward, If the Texans from the Medina joined him, Big Foot was confident that they could not only hold their own, but give the Indians heavy pun- ishment, He hoped, however, to be able to turn the latter upon the bandits; thus pitting the two parties of their foes against each other, Although the savages were insanely eager for revenge, the scout believed that, when they dis- covered more Texans beyond the wagons, they would give up pursuit, and attack the train, that they might secure the mules and the stores with which it was probably laden. These conclusions were fulfilled to the letter; end, in ten minutes after swerving to the east, the Texans from the Rio Medina joined our friends, Roy and Rosa included; and all sat their horses on the moonlit plain, watching, with the most intense satisfaction, the fast- flying wagon-train, and terrified bandits, under Double Dan, pursued by ths blood-maddened Apaches. he Greasers urged their horses away from the wagous, toward the San Miguel, in hopes that the Indians would halt at the train, and thus give them time to escape. Then it was that the terrified slaves were observed by our friends, to clamber from their mules, along the wagon-tongues, and disappear beneath the white tilts. This sight nerved the scout to action. ‘*Come on, boyees!” he yelled. ‘‘ We'll save ther wagons an’ niggers from ther red hell- yuns, The giant scout drove spurs, followed by the Texans from the Medina, the three young planters, and Roy—bhe having placed Rosa in the arms of her father—and thus, twelve de- termined Texans in a line were presented tu the view of the Apaches; the whites going ina course to reach the wagon-train, just ahead of the savages. Perceiving that the force of their foes was now doubled, the Indians were not slow to avoid an encounter, swerving southward di- rectly toward the fast-flying bandits, led by Double Dan, When the negroes perceived that the Texans had saved them, they sprung from the wagons upon their mules, and brought the train at once toahalt. Then it was that the attention of all was drawn toward the San Miguel. A hell of sounds and sights that caused the blood to congeal in the veios of the observers, followed the meeting of the Mexicans and the Indians, It was a mingled mass of men and beasts, struggling madly for life, terrible to witness; aud the whites heaved sighs of relief when the mad tumult ceased, and they knew that the bandits were all dead, or bound as cap- tives for the torture. With exultant yells the Apaches now lashed their steeds toward the south, and soon all dis- appeared from view within tbe dark shades of the San Miguel bottom timber. ‘“‘Now,” said Big Foot, ‘‘Le Grand an’ Antone better say thar pra’rs, fer they’ll be tor- tur’d afore sun-up, Ther band o’ yaller cut- throats air all cleaned out, sure an’ sartain. ‘*T reckon we-uns better glide Medina-ways, fer ther circus air over fer tera Sich hefty biz cu’dn’t be ‘spected ter last long. But I’m feared ther leetle gal won’t git over this fer a month o’ Sundays.” ‘‘God bless you, friend Wallace!” said Hoy, | feelingly, as he extended his hand, “and all « you, my friends. [ shall never forget this night or those who bave joined Captain Ray and myself iv our search for Rosa, ‘‘Le Grand deserves all the tortures the Apaches may see fit to inflict upon him. But, come, let us join the captain and his daughter.” To describe the joy of Captain Ray, when Rosa was placed in bis arms, would be beyond the power of any pen or of the strongest imagi- nation, The fair girl clung to her father’s neck and they both wept tears of joy and thankfulness, and joined in calling down every blessing upon Roy, the scout, and the noble young men who had braved every hardship, and even death, to rescue ber from tbat inhuman fiend, Louis Le Grand, When the camp was reached all except two of the rancheros, who volunteered to stand watch, rolled themselves in their blankets to re- store their overtaxed brains and bodies to sleep, a soft couch being arranged in one of the +, Eomic roved, his | wagons for poor Rosa Ray, who fell into a deathlike slumber, while a prayer of most earnest thankfulness was on her lips. CHAPTER XXXIIL THE WAGES OF SIN. On the morning foliowing the eventful nigtif, during which our friends passed through so much trouble and anguish, the sun shot up bot, blazing, angrily, as if, maddened at its forced pilgrimage on the opposite side of the world, be was determined to rule all beneath him more tyrannically in consequence, Within the bandit camp a horrible scene wes revealed by the bright, brazen rays—a scene to create horror and aversion most sickening, But six braves had been left in the camp to guard Le Grand and Captain Antonio, and they, maddened to frenzy by baving brought from the plain the corpses of their slain com- rades, who had been shot by our friends in their daring rescue of Rosa Ray, had since passed their time in torturing the minds of their cap- tives as much as was possible, They had driven firmly threo stout stakes in the middle of the camp in a line and some five feet apart. To the central stake they had fast bound the right ankle and wrist of one of the captives and the left ankle and wrist of the other, the remaining limbs being fastened to the outer stakes, and thus forcing each man in. to an X-like position between the stakes. The cords had been drawn tight and the mueci:s forced into a strained and unnatural position. This done each of the bandits who had bren slain by Big Foot and Roy were cut down from the trees, scalped and stripped of their clotti: g. Then, after being frightfully mutilated, thev were laid in a line, directly at the feet of the two captives. Hardly human looked the mn'i- lated slain as they were thus disposed, hacker and mangled most horribly. The two doomed men, by a dread fascination, could not remere their gaze from the frightful and repulsive scene. Horrible, too, was the appearance of the cap- tives themselves. The clothing of Le Grand was torn in shreds, bis swarthy skin now of an ashen hue, and his ate bulging from their quivering sockets, is long black hair was rs a and flowed wildly over his shoulders, while the scratches and bruises, received in bis fall from the tree, showed in strong contrast to his pallid skin. And, Capitan Antonio—oh, Heavens! The sight that he presented was most fearful. Where the ears of the bandit chief had been severed by Roy Randolph, the blood had flowed, and dried, and flowed again, as some fit of passion or exertion had forced the wounds into a fresh hemorrhage. His hair adbered, in snake like pendents, matted with gore. Unlike Le Grand, the expression upon the bandit’s countenance, in pace of the craven fear, the abject terror and trembling horror of the miscreant of the Brazos, was defiant and tiger-like. His coarse lips curled Bogard and downward, away from his teeth, wolf-like, and his facial muscles were drawn tightly. His black eyes glared and glittered, and the foam flew from between his clinched teeth, as he wrenched at his bonds, and shot out vile oaths, in his fits of fury that, at times, were most terrible to contemplate; while the veins and cords on bis visible flesh stood out swollen, a04 seemed to writhe like serpents beneath his skin, At times, the bandit would twitch his head quickly, gazing at Le Grand, and the motion would throw his gory locks in a horrible man- ner about his head; while the hellish bate, and thirst for revenge, that darted from his eyes in- to those of the man who had brought him to this condition, who was the direct means of the corpses before bim being what and where they were—those looks wou!d cause a sbriek of terror to burst from the trembling lips of Le Grand, delivered with all the strength within his pow- er. And this would cause the Mexican to give a Jaugh, so taunting and exultant, as if be was greatly gratified that, even though fast bound and condemned to torture, he could still punish the man who bad brougbt him to such a state. And the fiendish Apache braves would jeer, and taunt, and yell with joy, to witness the terror of the trembling wretch; as they thrust a pote in the earth near the heads of the slain andits, upon which they hung the gory scalps of the same. Time passed, and suddenly long-drawn howls sounded from the plain, a number of braves soon entering the camp with the dead warriors who bad been slain in the chase after the Texans— the sight of these causing those in the camp to howl again, and brandish their weapons threateningly. Then all the slain savages were placed side by side, in plain view of the captives, who now knew that their torture would commence upon the arrival of the main portion of the war- party, which must be soon. Had the miserable wretches been enabled to see beyond the line of and undergrowth that shut out a view of the open Plath, even Antonio would have shud dered at the sight, At full speed, the Apaches were now flying 9J00KS I —_———_