Beadle's Dime Library, No. 261 — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

re I ee a a ne Ne aoe ne ee oe a ee = mre = fury i ——s ~~ 6 . Black Sam, the P airie = SS NS: OF EES Ge 9 I BE Se ett Se Thunderbolt. EOE EEO ooo ee ee ———e —— ‘‘T admire your attachment, Senor Jim, I really should not have expected it in a man of your character.” Moore felt the point. At the same time an uneasy feeling crept over bim that instead of deceiving this man he was himself being fooled. Tle dismissed the idea, however, as ubsurd, and bravely retorted: ‘‘I hope, captain, your profession has not deadened in you all humen sentiments or feel- ings of friendship. I should be very sorry in- deed if it had.” It was the bandit’s turn to wince. A frown contracted his pale brow, while he passed one hand lightly across his forebead. ‘‘ Let us waive that,” be said slowly. ‘‘ When do you start?’ ** This instant, if I wish to make the distance in time.” **T will not detain you longer, then. well, senor, and a prosperous poecnse He extended his hand. oore grasped it, then with a slight bow left the tent. Was it fancy, or did be really bear alow, sar- donic laugh from within, as he stepped rapidly beneath the dense shadows of the trees? Fare- CHAPTER IX. DISAPPOINTMENT. So sudden was the onslaught upon Sam, and so taken by surprise was the lieutenant, that bis horse, frightened by the strange proceeding, had welloped fully a rod before he was brought to a stand, Then Moore’s first impulse was to dash back upon the waylayers, whoever they were, and rescue Sam at whatever risk to his own person and liberty. But as he turned and looked back through the obscurity he could see no trace of Sam’s captors or of Sam himself. They had vartished from sight and hearing as completely as though like phantoms they had faded fnto air. Then he reflected that this capture was evi- dently a a Pig ec on the part of Bal- boaz, originating in an intense desire to make Sam an addition to his band of followers, and therefore that no personal danger to the negro scout was involved in this summary attack. Further, he need not greatly concern bimself as to Sam's temporary loss, for would not the whole band atten pt a crossing at San Juan the Moore had commenced telling bis adventures at breakfast, and during the brisk morning ride to San Juan had ampl? time to finish the narrative. . It took less than two hours to make the jour- ney to the small mad bamlet of San Juin. The town was built in a depression of the steep bluff that formed in this section the winging bank of the Rio Grande. The colonel avoided entering the town, peo- pied as it was by a few hundred of the rough | ordermen, witha plentiful mixture of ‘: Greas- ers.” He knew that a large number of these men were secretly in alliance with the cattle-raiders; or, indifferent so long as they themselves were ’ uninjured, “ He therefore made a long detour, and being on high ground, while the town lay under the bluff, be readily avoided being seen, About a mile from the town a varrow defile ; opened into the high ground, through which ? herdsmea were compelled to drive their cattle te reach the low ground, and the ford of San uan, Both sides of this defile were clothed with He dismissed the thought, however, ss fantas- | very next day? And should he make all baste | bushes and thick-branching trees, forming, an ¥ tic, and made all baste in bunting op Sam who | with his news to Colonel Harrison and bis s juad admirable means of concealment for any one had been left to make friends with the dusky | of cavalry, would they not all be entrapped in | wishing to intercept a party bound for the ford Apaches and their white allies, the very act of escaping with their ill-gotten | below. He found most of the band asleep, lying on | plunder? lt was amid these bushes, and along the rug- the fresh smooth sward, some wrapped in blan- Sam would thus have a speedy release—the | ged sides that our colonel posted his men, So kets, some with no covering at all. Several | stolen herds be recovered—and Balboaz, with | cleverly were they hidden by the thick screen fires had been built for broiling venison and | bis savage band, be either slain or captured. of vegetation, that not a blue-ooat was visible, fresh buffalo steak shot the day before. This, Such was the prospect which tbe lieutenant Moore was sent out upon the plain to re- with the dessert of ripe, luscious peaches hang- | flattered himself there seemed every reason to connoiter, and announce the approach of the ing from every bough made a palatable meal | hope for, provided he hastened on and made no | raiders. for these free and easy rovers. delay in a Quixotic attempt to rescue his negro It was full noon by the time these arrange- The fires, however, bad been suffered to die | friend. ments were completed, down as the night following the bot autumn Imagine, therefore, Ricbard Moore again There came a long and weary season of wait- | day was warm and sultry. started with fresh speed on his long night-ride ing; am is at length found amid a group of three | of twenty miles. Across prairie aad and water- our after hour passes. Two, three, four —two Indians and one Mexican—entertaining | course he gallops tothe promised rendezvous | o’clock, and still they wait, them in his own quaint dialect, with a recital | with Colonel Harrison and his two bundred The hot sun pours down through the leaves | of some of his adventures. cavalry. upon the heads of the weary soldiers—pours A large heap of the rich fruit, collected from The colonel, faithful to promise, had led his | down till it becomes almost insufferable, and the trees around, is piled up before bim; and | company about forty miles up the Rio Grande | there is a general unbuttoning of waistcoats and the rapidity with which fbhat pile diminishes | early that same morning, and was now en- doffing of caps, ; shows that Sam’s mind is equally divided be- | camped on &lonely but picturesque bluff over- Four, five o'clock, and still no sign of the . tween talking aud eating. * | looking the broad river, catile-raiders, v “Come, Sam, we must be movinz,” said the The wearied troopers, wrapped in blankets The colonel becomes furiously impatient. He lieutenant, who could not restrain a smile at thé | or buffalo robes, their heads pillowed on sad- | has already sent a fulldozen times to Lieutenant scene before him. dles, bad passed the night on the bare ground, | Moore. ; Sam, seeing the lieutenant was in earnest, | here covered with a short growth of dry, mes- At length seven o’clock shows itself on the immediately rose and bade adieu to his new- | quite grass, face of the colonel’s gold watch. , found acquaintances; not neglecting to cram bis The dry, sultry night made this exposure The gang of raiders are as invisible as though y pockets with peaches, and to heavea parting sigh | rather agreeable than otherwise. they had no existence. ” that he must leave so ,»much good fruit be- A faint, roseate light had just hegun to ap- Darkness has fallen like a soft mantle over ® hind, pear in the east, and one early riser after an- the broad prairie. Thethoroughly disheartened ‘“Where are the horses, Sam?” was Moore’s | other, among them the colonel, was slowly | colonel is about giving up in despair, when a first question... stretching bimself awake or briskly jump- | sound reaches his ear that thrills his heart with “VYourn am out at de edge of de grove. As | ing up, when the gallop of hoofs sounded from | expectation, | j or ? Jim he amin glory, [hope. .Leastways | the north. It is a borse’s gallop—nay, there are two of | e flanies has done fur him,” A few minutes, und Richard Moore on his | them—the hoof-beats sounding in swift unison. | Y ‘You must be furnished with a horse, Sim.” | black mare came galloping into the startled | And the next moment two dark forms plun ‘‘ Dat am gospel trufe; ’n’ seein’ as how Misto’ | camp, effectually rousing those not already | into the defile, and rein up before the colonel, Bilboes bab 'propriated a good menyy widouten sent, He gives a cry of surprise, | lebe, I move we in’stutean akshun fur rekub-| An eager group soon crowded around him, | One is Richard Moore, the other Sam, with- { | ery as de lawyers bab it,” mid these the tall, commanding figure of | out coat or hat, and mounted on a wild mus- **You mein we shall take one of the stolen lonel Harrison soon appeared, the men re- | tang. Oo “3 spectfully giving way on either side. ‘‘No, sah. It would take a deal too much | _.‘‘ You are sooner than I expected, Moore. CHAPTER X. trouble ter ketch ’m, not ter speak ob saddlin’ | What news?” “= | an’ bridlin’ ’n’ mebby breakin’ ’im in arterwards **Good and bad, colonel. [ have found out SAMS NARRATIVE, ot as dev are mostly wild colts,” where Balboaz will cross this very day; hut | THEY were—in truth—the two scouts, “But, Sam, it would hardly be according to | Sam is left a captive in the brigand’s hands.” Richard Moore first spoke. the law and constitution to take one belonging “That is unfortunate; but, if your first re- ‘Colonel, I bave come to tell you that I’ve. to the band,” port is true, it can easily be remedied. Where | been fooled—most outrageously fooled. I shall | ** Neces’ty am de law out hyar, Mars’ Moore. | is the crossing-place?” be a laughing stock at the post for a year to» Spechially when dere am sich a lot ob rogues as ** At San Juan.” come.” ce dese to deal wid.” ‘San Juan!” repeated the colonel. ‘‘ That “ Why, what’s the matter?” asked the coi- “Well, Sam, we'll try it. Where are the|is but ten miles further up. But can we get | onel, horses hitched?” there in time? Do you know when be will ar-| _ ‘‘Sam bere will tell you. Out with it, Sam. ‘* Outside de grove.” rive at San Juan?’ Don’t be afraid of hurting my feelings.” ‘Is there any guard?” ‘Some time between noon and night. Not| The tone with which all this was said showed “No, sah. All de guard am wid de stolen } sooner, with the immense drove they have on | that the lieutenant’s feelings were hurt con-. a,” their hands.” siderably. ‘“'Phen the sffair will be easy enough,” ‘Are you certain that your information is Sam started in reluctantly. eee | They proceeded to the eu.d of the grove indi- | correct?’ ‘Shoah, it war a big swindle allroun’, But | cated, wh«re the horses, nearly a hundred in “ As certain as that I am alive, colonel. The | I bet this mustang ag’inst nothin’ dat nobojy number, were hitched in rows to.the trees. circumstances were such tbat I could not be | else would ba’ done enny better; no not Tim ae As Sam bad stated, there was no guard and | mistaken.” Carson hisself,” he concluded earnestly, ° there would be no difficulty in selecting a steed | ‘1 am anxious to know those circumstances. *“Go on with the story, Sam. Never mind te fitted to the negro’s size and weight. Butthere is not a moment to waste. We will | smoothing it over,” said Moore, es Se | -_ The moon, also, was beginning to sink in the east, and the darkness was more intense. “Nevertheless they stepped cautiously amid the dease shadows. ae soon found his own steed and mounted. m’s horse is at length chosen—a large, dark bay of splendid mettle and strength of limb. t took but a moment for Sam to mount his already saddled steed, and side by side the two rode ata tle pace away from the grove. They rode along the river-side southward. . They were just increasing their pace to a gal- lop and imagined themselves safely away when a startling interruption occurred. Out from a thicket, right on the river’s bank, came hissing a long, slender rope ending in a noose, “ That noose encircled Sam’s body, falling down over bis breast, and ere he could form a thought of resistance or struggle, the tightened lasso dragged him to the ground, while the frightened horse galloped away over the plain. reserve your adventures till we are in the sad- dle. Meantime, to breakfast; doubtless you are both hungry and tired?” ‘Spell them with capitals, colonel, and you will come near it,” laughed the lieutenant. Richard Moore did not exaggerate. The ex- citing adventures of the day before and his long night-ride bad told severely even on his strong, youthful frame. He dismounted and followed the colanel to an appetizing breakfast of broiled steak and corn-cake, washed down with pure, coll water from a spring that gushed forth at the foot of the bluff. His horse was carefully groomed and fed by willing hands, and in half an hour, the time al- lotted for the morning meal, all were again ready for the saddle. } The word to mount and away was given, and the whole troop of near two hundred were soon in marchiny, order, the colonel and Richard Moore taking the lead. ‘Wal, tocome to the p’int, yer euchered com- letely, kurne], Dat sarpent in human form, ilboes, am crossed two hours ago, ten miles up. i The colonel was silent a moment, astounded by these ill tidings. “Ten miles above,” he at length repeated. “What fording-place is that?” ““One bery little used. A man by de name ob Lester libs clost by, wid a large family, mostly gyurls. He did bab de biggest ranch ’n’ de mostest cattle ob enny man in dis section, But Jerusalum! didn’t dat ar’ Creole turn things topsy-turvy ?” How so?” ‘ ‘* Fust be drobe off all de cattle—knocked de old man senseless; then wound up by carryin’ off de oldest darter who am purty as a picter.” ‘* And you—how did you manage to escape?” | The negro drew a ng breath, and continued: Ei “Wal, in de fust place I s’pose you am *quainted wid how I wer’ drug off’n my mies eet | r ia Can = b ‘ come 900! ‘<SuGOmM *