Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 283 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

— Sleek Sam, the Devil of the Mines. On they crept, until the masked chief found | one virtue: that of powerful love for bis own the lovg raw-bide lasso by means of which the | blood. horse kad been thrown to the ground, and rap- ** Come—the grave is waiting,” said the chief, idly drawing thisin and coiling it up, he led oe the way to the nearest point of cover to the Without a word Tomaso spot where that buman shape lay so silent and | dead in his arms to the excavation. motionless, It might be dangerous to move out into the | the hole; then the corpse was placed upon it, clear moonlight, and the masked chief had no | both hands folded across the bullet- pierced idea of incurring any strictly unnecessary risks. | breast. Crouching down close to the bushes, where | his form would blend with them, he deftly swung the noose forward. True to his aim, it fell over | the head of the corpse, and dexterously draw- | ing it tight, the chief motioned bis men to ap- | ply their strength to the free end, Slowly at first, then more rapidly as it was seen that the noose was firmly caught, then dragged the lifeless clay toward the covert, only pausing when the hands of Tomaso could grasp those of his brother. Silently but almost savagely he motioned them aside as he cast off the noose. Alone and | unaided, he lifted the corpse. Rapidly the masked chief led the way to the | spot where half a score borses were tethered, a | low, trilling chirp calling the remainder of the band to the rendezvous, Still alone, Tomaso G rguelez raised the re- mains of his brother to the saddle, then climbed Atas | the grave, The others formed a half-circle just behind them. Each head was bared and bowed as the chief spoke, —of the dead brother, pausing after each one’as though in expectation of the chorus which broke deep-toned from the band: ‘* We have beard, and it is true!” ‘* He came by his death while in the ance of his oath-bound duty, where the peril was greatest, he was the last to turn bis back when the band of fortune heavily against us. in distress, as to the call of rform- uty, his ears were ing noose—he was one whom we will sadly miss whenever there is bard or bloody work to be doue, Yet we have one consolation: he died in harness, true and faithful to the last!” ‘*We have heard, and it is true!” came the chorus. But the voice of Tomaso Garguelez did not unite with the rest on that occasion, ing bead was tossed backward with a fierce ges- ture, and his black eyes glowed redly, up behind him. The rest of the foot-pads held their animals by the bridles and moved away on foot, until at a safe distance from the scene, Then they mounted and rode on more rapidly. Not a word was uttered until their chief called a halt, in a secluded valley where the bowlders lay thick scattered around them, ‘* As well here as further on,” be said, swing- ing bimself from the saddle, ‘The shadows are too deep for those bloodbounds to follow our trail, and if they chance on the right di- rection, we will bave warning of their coming in ample time to give them the slip.” bound duty; but bow, and by whose hand? By we trusted and were serving?” “That is an enigma which remains for us to solve, my sou,” was the grave response. “ If mis A Tomaso failed to follow his example, | you have lost a brother, we have lost a comrade, and his voice was harsh and grating as be mut- und to us by ties almost as sacred,” tered: ‘“* And by those ties I call upon you to aid me ‘‘A man he lived, and a man he died! He | shall not have the burial of a dog while his | brother lives!” | The hand of the masked chief closed upon his arm, and there was something almost gentle in the tones that said: | ‘*It is only for one night, my son. He shall be konored in death, even as he was honorable, brave and faithful in life—I pledge you the | faith of a brother. But our work is not yet ac- complished. We bavea sacred oath to fulfill | before we can turn back, And more than that | —we have the mystery of his death to solve!” A somewhat curious speech, that last; but the bereaved brother s emed to comprehend its meaning, and he no longer hesitated, Alighting from the doubly-laden borse, he | lifted the bloody corpse of his brother in his arms, gently placing it on the grass beneath a scrubby tree, squatting beside it while the others of the band gathered ahout their chief. “There has been strange bhlundering or else in avenging bim!” boarsely cried the Mexican. ‘‘ Blood for blood! And all the more surely if that blood was shed by one of the League!” ‘Though it were the Great Father himself, he should not escape the dread penalty, once the crime is fairly proven!” ‘‘There lies the proof!” pointing to the dead corpse. ‘That a crime has been committed, but not at whose door it righfully lies,” was the inter- jection, ‘‘ Be satisfied, my son, that the guilty one shall not escape.” Uplifting his clinched right hand, the masked chief chanted in a sepulchral tone, followed word by word by the band: ‘By the Burning Cross—by the running stream—by the ashes of death and the broth of hell—I swear to never know rest until the mur- dered Son of the Fiery Cross is fully avenged! Tf an alien shed his blood, he shall die the death of a dog! If one of the Sacred League com- mitted the crime, we will give his body to the Fiery Cross, his ashes to the running water to make broth for the demon who tempted him to prove false to his sacred vows!” Weirdly impressive was the scene, dimly vis- ible under the partially-intercepted rays of the silver moon, despite the vein of extravagance which permea it all. And had there been any looker-on, he or they would have felt firm- ly convinced that each and every word uttered then and there by those grim, masked figures, was pronounced in deadly earnest. “There was one name uttered which I caught,” muttered Tomaso, as the props were knocked from under the bowlder and the heavy and see if any of those drunken dogs dure take | mass permitted to fall over the corpse. ‘“‘It is our trail, ake sure whether they are on the | branded on my brain in letters of fire—Sleek trail, or simply running at random, if you see Sam! He shall die first, then the others, when or hear anything of them. Then” hasten | found out!” back.” | Before any reply or comment could be made Without a word the burly ruffian thus ad- | to this flerce speech, Pueblo Dave came gliding dressed took his departure on foot, stealing _ back from his espial. away as silently as though nothing more sub- | “The hounds air afoot, an’ workin’ this way, stantial than one of the many shadows which | boss!” he bastily uttere® as he gained the side surrounded the outlaw rendezvous. of the chief. The masked chief glanced around bim, then | partic'lar trail, but they’re runnin’ bot foot, an’ strode to a heavy bowlder which rested beneath mought stum’le atop o’ us, ef we don’t levant.” a small tree. Tapping this with his hand, he Cool and composed, the masked chief directed made a sign which was reealty Fuerye cred. the men to lift up the blankets of earth and Ranging themselves alongside, the black-faced carry them to a distance, then scatter the par- eriminal treachery in this job, but we are none of to blame,” he spoke, qe ney harshly. ** We are bound by oath, and we w ll continue to perform our duty to tbe end. Then we will learn the whole truth of this night’s work, and never know rest until our murdered brother is avenged!” A hoarse muttering in chorus answered him. One listening to them would have thought them honest men who had suffered some terrible wrong, instead of having lost by death a fel- on foot-pad in the exercise of their evil voca- tion. ‘*' You, Pueblo Dave, will take the back track met stoo together and epee their strength | ticles so es to escape casual attention. in one m ighty, prolonged effort, slowly raisin This was quickly done, then he added: the bowlder on one edge, and the chief prop ‘Mount your horses and scatter, leaving as it so that it could not fall back before they were in readiness for that to take place. With knives and their hands they scoo out the earth, carefully placing every particle upon blankets which they spread for that purpose only pausing in their labors when a muttere word from the masked chief told them their labor was sufficient for the purpose in view. @ passed over to where crouched Tomaso | Garguelez, bis bloodshot eyes fixed upon the fair, smooth face of tbe dead brother, his own countenance, revealed by the removal of the “ black mask which, in common with his fellows, little sign behind you as possible. But do not forget that our work is far from being com- plete, and fail not to meet at the rendezvous in ample time for the second act of our liitle drama.” Nodding their understanding, the members of the masked band leaped into the saddle and rode away, leaving the dead alone to inhabit the little valley. CHAPTER IV. THE LOST CAUSE.” SLEEK Sam did not deign to make any re te had until then worn as a safeguard against | to the whinin threat of the r uffin, but possible recognition, aight : hard and stern- | seeing Randal Valfourd sink into a chair, while set, Though possibly the only one, he po:se:sed | the two ladies bent over him with agitated arose, carrying his from him, one of the band placed a bleskoet in | 5 cries, he strode swiftly across the room and t them aside, his voice very soft, his smile pleasant and cheerful, yet so full of a ten- der solicitude that he ran no risk of irritating their exaggerated fears for their loved one. ‘* Permit me, ladies—my hands are better fit- ted for such work. You need not fear; I have gently served my apprenticesbip in the art of border | surgery.” The chief and the brother stood close beside One by one he recounted the virtues—so called | Ever foremost _ ressed | To the appeal of a brother | never closed, The bravest of the brave—the | surest knife, the deadliest pistol, the most unerr- | His droop- | ‘‘Ay! he fell in the performance of bis oath- | that of an enemy to the band, or of one whom | ‘I don’t reckon they’re on any | | his face toward Mexico. na 1 Randal! Talfourd laughed, rising up and play- ar pushing his wife and daughter aside, as Ee said: ‘“One would fancy I was already dead, or dying, at the very least! I’m all right—only a little tired.” ‘Anda trifle weak from blood-letting: but as you say, it is nothing serious— a mere baga- telle, to a stout, healtby man in the prime of life,” lightly uttered Sleek Sam, as he used gen- tle force to make the wounded man return to his seat. ‘‘At the same time, you will feel more comfortable, and look ten per cent neater if we use a little warm water and a few bits of court-plaster on that head of yours.” Reasonable as was this speech, the agitated, loving women would not give way until Tal- fourd laughingly commanded them to make way and permit the volunteer surgeon to ply his art. Providing him with scissors, rags and warm water, they fell back, watching his white, nim- ble fingers at work, their own faces pale, their iips quivering. Not the most propitious moment for a man like Hector Ajax to press his clumsy attentions upon them, one would fancy. Yet the old man cautiously. crept closer to where the younger woman stood, and gently touching her hand, left between the instinctively-closing fingers, something small and white. | She started at the touch, turning around with a frightened, yet eager > in her glorious black eyes, only to shrink back from the nod- ding. grinning, bert apparition, * The good Lawd love ye, honey! ’tain’t noth- in’ to git skeered at, A clip or two ‘longside the cabeza don’t count when a body gits oncet used to it. An’ he ain’t burt, to speak of, your ole man ain’t. He'll be pearter ’n a cricket in bot water when to-morrow comes—be jest will {” These were the words which both of the wo- men heard, but following them came a soft a which reached the ears of the daughter aione: ‘Watch yer chaince an’ read it when ye kin —then slip out ef only fer a minnit, honey !” A burning flusn suffused the cheeks cf the méiden and her lips parted, ber dark eyes glowed more Midge’ * than ever as she started toward the amuffin, only to pause with pal- ing face as he turned abruptly aside and entered into a rambling conversation with her mother. Who and what were these people? While Sleek Sam is ministering to the broken head of Randal Talfourd; while Hector Ajax is holding the wife of the injured man in close con- verse which her native politeness will not per- mit ber to terminate as abruptly as she might wish; while the lovely daughter of a beautiful mother is covertly watching the half-averted face of the odd old fellow, trying to solve ber doubts or confirm ber hopes; while all are so busily engaged, let us take a glance at the past record of those who have more or less promi- nent parts to play in this, our drama of wild life in the land of gold and silver. Randal Talfourd was a Southerner by birth and education. State pride was a legacy which was religiously banded down from father to son, ever since that State existed, and when the ugly clouds of civil war drooped over the land, the hot-blooded Carolina youth forgot the Union, forgot all save that his native State needed bis sabe arm. Father, son, cousins, even to the most distant relative sprung to arms at the first alarm, and those who did not fall on the field of battle, in the prison-pens or on the weary march, fought until the Jast faint bope was gone. And one—this same Randal Tal- fourd, a grim, bronzed veteran though still scarce more than a youth in actual age—fought on long after the most slender chance of success was wiped out, With a handful of others, stern and defiant as himself, be made bis way out of the toils, marching toward the setting sun, then turning bad no definite resolved never end in view; they were simp t last bumilia- to bow their proud heads to t tion. ‘‘They may wipe us froin off the face of the earth, but they will never hear the word sur- render from our lips!” | It was only a small squad of men—all that was left alive and uncaptured of Colonel Ran- dal Talfourd’s last regiment. In those days of glorious triumph and wide-spread exultation, who was to waste a thought on that pitiful, handful? If pursuit was made, it was unsuccessful. The devoted adherents of the Lost Cause crossed the border in safety, and then for the first time they paused to consult on their future course of action. Fighting and camp-life had become a sort of second nature to them, and remember- GOomicbooks (e(e)