Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 283 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

‘of business cut; a single diamond ] _ both ee ~ Sleek Sam, the Devil of the Mines, musical tones filling his ears, that strange feel- ing of repulsion fled as though it had never found birtb. A few minutes later the horse paused in front of arude two-story building not far from the railroad track, and Talfourd leaped from the saddle as nimbly as though he had never known what it was to be wounded, rapping sharply at the closed door, repeating the summons again and again in his eagerness. ‘¢ Coming!” growled a husky and harsh voice, as the shuffling of feet within became audible. ‘* Who’s there?” ‘‘Open, Diego Zarate! Lively, man! It is J—Randal Talfourd—my wife and daughter are — here!” he coor was flung open by a thin, weazen- faced manin greasy, ragged garments, holding a light in one band ashe bowed low and re- peatedly before the man who brushed past him. “My wife and daughter—where are they?” Before Diego Zarate could reply, a more wel- come answer came to the impatient father and husband. With joyousexclamations of delight, two women darted through the dimly-lighted space and precipitated themselves upon the neck of Talfourd. Delighted cries, half-smothered between eager kisses; little sobs of joy at meeting after a long separation; a group of three, forgetting all the rest of the world. Such was the picture on which Sleek Sam and Hector Ajax gazed, standing on the threshold; and a doleful sigh broke from the shaggily- bearded lips of the elder man: ‘Good Lawd! sech luck as some mortal crit- ters do hev! It jest beats the Dutch, an’ the Dutch beats the— Sarvent, mem!” With little exclamations the two women ceased their affectionate demonstrations when that husky voice broke upon their ears, and as they gazed in blushing confusion at the odd figure which, hat in one hand and the other tug ging at a lock of gray hair, stood bobbing be- nignly before them, they involuntarily shrunk back from the strangers, But then the light of the oil lamp shone upon the little rills of half- dried blood which streaked the face of Randal Talfourd, and all else was forgotten in. their solicitude for bis welfare. ** Merciful Mother!” gasped the elder of the ladies, her arms again wreathing themselves about the form of their loved one. ‘‘ You are’ wounded—killed—” With a light laugh the injured man cut her agitated exclamation short. ‘‘ Nay, only a scratch or two, dear, and noth- ing to awaken alarm in your breast. Only for these kind friends, though, it might well have been more serious. They risked their own lives to save mine, and I have brought them here, against their will, that you might join your thanks to mine.” ‘*He tee us more credit than we can jastly claim, ladies,” spoke Oswald, stepping inside the door, removing bis hat and bowing low. ‘‘His own strong arm and stout heart were uite capable of beating off the cowardly la- drones witbout our assistance.”’ ‘Not so,” impulsively cried Talfourd. “I was down, with a cracked pate, when you came up. But come in—we can’t talk here. Nay—lI insist!” here was little resistance made to his earn- est urgings, and preceded ay the agitated ladies, the party passed through the gloomy hall into a lighted room. en Randa! Talfourd gave a hasty account of bis almost fatal adventure, giving his two friends in need full justice. In strong contrast the two men thus compli- mented -looked as they stood “in blushing silence” beneath the compliments which were so liberally showered upon them by the warm- hearted man whom they had rescued from ril. aed Oswald, whosometimes bore the omin- ous title with which Long John Dement’s aston- ished exclamation of ‘‘ Sleek Sam ” was supple- mented by the man himself, was apparently a trifle under middle age, of astout, compact figure denoting no rg ek eagtee of physical power, His long, curling locks of hair were dark brown soft and silken. His eyes were blue, large an lustrous. His features regular without bein strictly classic in contour. His face was smoot sh bis smile peculiarly winning, despite the thin lips and square, powerful chin. He was neatly dressed in a suit of dark gray, his }i bh kled the ttle fin " nen; another spar on ttle finger of his left hand. Hector Ajax, as he bad given his name, was almost the opposite of Oswald in every respect. Tall, thin almost to emaciation so far as could be told through bis shagey hair and fluttering rags. His face was ed amid a mass of shagey, grizzled beard, leaving only the thin, curved nose and keen blue eyes visible. A bat- tered soft felt hat hung in one hand. The rags of a red woolen shirt, of a dirt-colored of corduroys, and the divorced uppers and soles of cowhide boots, served in a measure to con- eal his ee aeed ‘ , repulsive as he seemed, the two women, utiful beyond the ordinary, neatly, almost richly dressed, as Talfourd finished his account, gratefully grasped his grimy hands and brokenly uttered their heartfelt thanks for the great service he had rendered them in serv- ing the one so dear to their hearts. And the eldest even bent ber proud head as though she would press her red wm to those rough hands! “Now don’t ye do it, mum—don't!” he gasped, hastily drawing back and whipping the dingy paws bebind him. ‘ The likes o’ you an’ the likes o’ me—good Lawd! ef it don’t make me want to bunt my hole— Say, you!” turning appealingly toward Talfourd, who seemed to be hugely enjoying his ludicrous dis- may. ‘Call’em off—git me out o’ the wilder- ness afore I go clean bumfusticated— Now Lhev done it!” he groaned, as the ladies stared won- deringly at him, unable to comprehend bis strange actions and stranger speech. ‘““He is too modest, darlings—thank bim -all the same,” said Talfourd, seriously, himself tak- ing the hand of the oddity between his own and pressing it warmly. Most dutifully wife and daughter obeyed, and so kind were their tones, so gentle their words, that the old man soon recovered from his con- fusion, and his tongue began to wag freely enough in all conscience. Talfourd turned to Oswald, speaking to him low and gratefully, but the man who had given himself the chilling title of the Devil of the Mines, kept his keen eyes on the face of the rag- amuffin, a cold smile playing about his lips, ‘Waal, I should remark!” drawled Hector Ajax, gradually expanding beneath the warmth of his reception. ‘* They was well-nigh onto a thousan’ of ’em, jest dead loads o’ guns an’ pis- tils an’ butcher-knives onto ’em, an’ the bull kit- an’-boodle a-climbin’ all over the boss yender, when I fust hearn the rumpus. Most men would ’a’ felt like huntin’ thar holes an’ gittin’ out o’ the wilderness in jest t’other way from that one whar the circus was goin’ on—but the ole man didn’t; be ain’t made out o’ no sech rotten timmer as them—not mgt He jest girded up his lions an’ sailed in fer all he was wuth. An’the way them p’izen reptyles did skin out o’ Galilee was a caution to Judas Car- rots!” | ‘They fled—and he was safe—my father?” “Them that could go, did, you're mighty right! Butall of ’em didn’t. Some stopped be- hind fer want o’ motive power.” ‘You killed them?’ with a little shudder of a itcoas awd love ye, miss,” with a pompous flin outward of his dirty paw. <3 Oe ieemapiobet more’n a dozen, all told! I didn’t want to be too hard on the pore cusses—” His voluble speech was abruptly cut short as he chanced to catch that keen look and peculiar smile, and the ladies took the occasion to turn to their loved one, Still smiling, Oswald tapped Hector on the shoulder: “T congratulate you my dear friend! You are coming out amazingly, and show to won- | i; Ce drous advantage in your true colors. Never | again say that you are a coward, or deny that you are the one real bero of this little adven- ture. By the way—bow many of the ladrones did vou say you wiped out?’ ‘Not a durned one,” muttered the old man, flinching under the silken touch. ef anybody was killed, you. done it, an’ I'll sw’ar it onto you ef it takes a leg!” CHAPTER III. A ‘‘ SWEET-SCENTED’’ CROWD. LYING with bis head beneath a scrubby bush, his body concealed among and by the thick valley grasses,a few yards up the road above the spot where Randal Talfourd’s horse was so adroitly tripped, the chief of the night-rangers closely scrutinized the horseman as he came nearer, making sure that he was the one they sought before giving the signal for his men to spring their trap. Unsuspectingly the rider = by. Swiftly the snake-like streak across the road sprung up and ee around the fore-legs of the almost- broken-down horse, casting it heavily forward upon the stones. And out from their lowly am- bush the footpads leaped, while their cunning chief also broke cover, and darted forward to make sure that their work was well done. But, chief though he was, his was the voice that sounded the signal to beat a retreat when those ragged bullets began to whistle so vicious- ly overhead, and his the first feet that turned to take their owner to cover in headlong flight. Yet even as he did so, a savage, wondering ery escaped his lips, and scarcely had the bushes closed behind his form when he wheeled and took a mage we? back toward the road, his white teeth showing against eyes flaming, his red lip like the sharp fangs of a hungry wolf, From thence he was a witness of the peculiar scene which followed; of the blind stumble of the old man over the fallen horse, and the dash- ing up of the second horseman; then of the lev- eled pistol, the shot, and the wild cries from the man. That savage snarl grew deeper than ever, and tightly gripping the checkered butt of a revol- ‘* 1 stick to it | ver, one hand was thrust through the leafy screen, Only for a moment; then the weapon was slowly withdrawn and lowered; the black- masked man cautiously drew back, and a low, muttering parted his thin lips: ‘* Let them settle it between them. I’ve done ei tena Silently as though shod with velvet, the masked chief stole away from the road and re- joined his men, most of whom had already reached the spot agreed upon in case an emer- gency like the present should arise, The shad- ows hung maf over the spot, affording the best of cover, though bad if been day, their every motion could bave been noted from the intin the road where Randal Talfourd bad n ambushed, And aided by the bright rays of the full moon, the masked chief was now re the movements of the triad in the road, ‘| don’t understand! He said nothing about —and if a friend, why was he shot at? And then, that reckless firing! The lead came dan- gercusly near—I could hear it whistle—” He turned abruptly, one band mecbanicall dropping to the weapons in the belt around his waist, asa sharp grasp was fastened upon his shoulder; but the stiffening muscles relaxed, as he recognized the face of a friend, rather than foeman. ; 7 What is it, Tomaso?’ he muttered, guard- edly. ‘* Perico—he is not with us, and—you hear what the men are saying?’ was the busky re- nse. The chief started, and «a low-muttered curse broke from his lips, for be could distinguish sullen hints at foul play, as they gazed out to- ward a bowlder, showing white in the clear moonlight. Mechanically bis gaze followed theirs, andfhis breath came ina quick, hot gasp, as his eyes rested upon that tell-tale sbape lying beside the rock, A hasty sign called them around him, and then, in tones that were barely audible to their ears alone, the masked chief called the roll. One by one, the members answered to their names, until only one was left unpro- nounced—that of Perico Garguelez, brother of Tomaso. ‘‘Dead—murdered—the victim of foulest treachery, he lies:out yonder!” grated the bro- ther, as the lips of his chief at last pronounced that name. ‘But Tl avenge him! Til bathe his grave in blood so deep—’ He snatched a pistol from his waist and seem- ed on the point of darting toward the figures in the road, but then the stern grip of the mask- ed chief was fastened upon his arm and throat, holding bim powerless. ‘* Fool! dare you fly in the face of orders?” ‘ Perico—murdered—” gasped the Mexican, writhing like a wounded snake, but unable to free himself, “ True, there has been foul play, or else a blunder scarcely Jess criminal. In either case, I promise you shall have full satisfaction— but not now. Swear to obey orders, and to bide your time, under penalty—you compre- hend?” Swiftly the masked chief spoke, his hissing lips almost touching the ear of the vengeful brother. Almost miraculous were the effects of that broken sentence. Instantly his wild ef- forts to free himself ceased, and he remained passive in tbe steel grip of bis superior, ‘‘Good!” grimly muttered the chief, sefting him free. ‘‘ You area wise man, Tomaso Gar- — a ee tes e paused abruptly, turning his in the direction of New Babylon, for the Lea? sound that had startled the traveler and his comipan- ions in the road, came to his ears, A savage nan was grated betwixt his teeth, as he mut- red: ‘‘ They’ve taken the alarm at town, and are pouring out to learn what is the matter. We must beat a retreat—” ‘* And leave him out _— for them to dis- cover and spit upon?’ hoarsely demanded To- maso, “You're right—I forgot,” was the hu reply. ‘“‘That would furnish them Xtra certain a clew for tho good of our health. Come with me, Tomaso, and you, Pueblo Dave.” — Moving ween te 4 et silentl eover, the mask y oe through the l chief led his two companions toward the road, pausing now and then to peer above the bushes at the enemy beyond. A short, grim laugb gurgled up in bis throat as he saw them move off at a brisk pace down the road in the direction from whence came those disconcerting sounds, ‘Good! they leave the coast clear for us to act, and in ten minutes from now, we'll be out of their reach, carrying that ugly bit of evi- dence with us!” Barely above his breath were these words muttered, and bardly intended for the ears of his companions. He kept within arm’s length Garguelez, watching him closely, ready to arrest any mad motion whicb bis bpederty grief and lust for revenge should urge him to make. ane - Tomaso GOMIIEDOO 2° i ee — © ee TI os gee = - = -_ - 2 ee en RERUN Ee 7 *. a ey ns - ——