Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 293 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

The major groaned at the mention of the name. | “This Lije is our man,” continued the scout. “ Broqnier knocked you senseless, when you 2 werestrangling the other villain; and, releas- | ing him, they all three galloped to the vicinity | of the ford, having stolen your horse, | | ‘*They have a fresh plot, and that is, to cap- ture this train, when we reach the frontier. Those two started this way, to bunt up some of their fellow outlaws, Do you suppose that Bro- quier would keep aloof in the wagon, had he not the greatest confidence in the success of this fiendish scheme? *T tell you, major, this train will be attacked; but my eyes are open, and we will be prepared | for it. They will be sharp, if they steal a 3 march on Stampede Steve. | Bh “‘Rest assured, Major Dale, that I am in this affair heart and soul; and that you will ere long | be happy, and free from all fear of the dastard, . who has, of late, cursed your life. I do not ask ) you to give yourself the pain of making any ex- planation in regard to the origin of this mat- ter. Let that rest—at least for the present. I ; have thus spoken, because I have been made _-—s tniserable, at being a witness to your constant despairing manner and appearance, ** Now, I hope to see a change in you, for the better. You ney entertain no further appre- _ hensions of any kind. Allow me to judge of the danger, and to do all in my power to ward it off. Do not mention a word of what I have said regarding tue anticipated attack; even to Miss Dora. __ *Good-night, major! And, to please me, re- . tire this time, to pleasant dreams—to a sleep un- disturbed by that which has driven sleep and Siw ot happiness from you, for so long a time!” Ps “Good-night! Good-nigbt, Mr. Speed!” said e old man, faintly; “I cannot thank you as would. My heart is full and I can say no . more, ar The old planter retired to his couch, and Steve kn-w, the etn morning, that his -. words had produced a good effect. Oe From that time on, the major had been a dif- _ ferent man; but the young scout realized that | although the old man had been greatly relieved __ by having an honest man share his secret, and believe in his innocence, he had withal little ss hope of Steve’s being able to prove that inno- ss @enee to the world. — —" - oat) —- = — » ; i i _— 7 “ne a* _ > ~ — « ; . - a oat BA ty Cee >a * *- *, —_~ re 2 ———— . . * « J aon er ok - During the trip, Dora and Steve, as may be > Wea” su , found little opportunity for love- making; but the tender glances each cast at % the other, the low-spoken words of affection, ss When others were not near, were calculated to Oe bind them together, and increase their mutual _ -—s affection, quite as much as if they had had the 23 SMe agile to stroll, arm in arm, or sit side by side, their hands clasped in close communion. _ And, as the train at length arrived within view of the serpentine line of timber, that _. marked the course of the Rio Frio, the emi- «grants gazed with longin eyes ahead; greatly relieved at nearing their , Pet iedics end. Dora Dale looked forward, rejoicing in the | thoughts of happy: most happy interviews with ug ats ‘ay? brave and a0 le er apse ate «Steve gazed at the timber keenly, and so did _ the major, both wondering if within the dark _ shades crouched the lawless horde which the _ two dastardly abductors of Dora had been dis- ~pat to collect together, awaiting their com- @ Fo _ And most fiendish was the face of Count Bro- er, as he strove to pierce the line of foliage; , too, casting sweeping glances up and down the river—anxious, most anxious to discover me indications of the presence of Lije and Te: he cowardly villain was now anticipatin mr the ery Say victory which he soon believe tbs ' tc CHAPTER XXI. 2d ae GOING ENTO CAMP. oie - » Warn Count Broquier had séught the inter- ___- View with Major Dale be had felt confident that | it would terminate in the old planter’s agreeing ah once to the marriage of Dora with bimself. oe eo, ee eeace. had sought this meeting at a time me when he felt sure there would be no interrup- v n, and he had made up his mind to force the | man to’ the wall by frightening him nearly rata te Se eoiniaegs as he had on previous occasions, b - Co 7 amare when be had failed in his ob- Rtce ject. and decided that it was through the in- ‘fluence of Stampede Steve that the major had ; 20 _ been induced to treat his demands with indif- ag ference, Broquier, fearing that this had been ‘re: _ prod. by the finding and destroying of the | - ¢riminating document which he had lost, was atc furiously mad, The young scout, and none ‘ other, he felt assured, could have picked up the Tye mi 4, Ying ve wy ~y Bat ury and thirst for vengeance knew mo bounds, when he bad found himself hurled I yver the bushes into the slimy pond, r Retiring into bis wagon, the villain foamed at the mouth and tore bis hair in his insane we ry and baffled rage; for he had not the slight- hs est doubt that be had been thus tctyee op he ic’ treated by Steve Speed. More than this, it was ae: iso beyond his endurance to think that he had on Fe: e a : r ee oe cA te 20 "be —_———— a ———— ‘to strike the timber about a —— ee ee Ce i a ell . Stampede Steve. Oe been thus humiliated, thus outrageously as- saulted before the eyes of Major Dale, whose fears of him seemed to have become changed to a cool disdain, since Steve had at first mani- fested these feelings so plainly on the morning of Dora’s abduction. More closely the plotter confined himself to his wagon, after that involuntary bath in the slime and mud, nursing his rage and fury, which were now like a seething volcano of mad- ness in his brain, Had it not been that he fully depended upon and trusted his tools, Lasso Lije and Bill Bowers, and was without doubt, in regard to revenge, most devilish, being soon in his power to sow broadcast—had it not been for this con- solation, he would probably have lost but little time, after his being thus insulted, in attempt- ing the assassination of the scout, disregarding the danger to bimself, in his ungovernable ry. So utterly given up was his mind to the ven- geance he had sworn should be his, and that soon, that he lay for hours planning the tortures he would inflict upon the young Texan when the latter should be in his power. Rroquier was not equal to witnessing the, to him, most maddening spectacle of Steve Speed riding upon his superb bay horse in front of the train, and Dora Dale, upon her prancing black beauty, Nero, cantering by the young scout’s side. No more beautiful sight could have been im- agined, as the handsome pair, galloping at times over the flower-bespangled prairie, Dora’s silvery-laughter serving to cheer and banish fatigue even from the stoical mules. But no scene on earth could have produced more in- se rage and mental torture to the count than this. For this reason the miscreant kept back be- neath the wagon-tilt; which fact was a source of rejoicing to the people of the train, and more especially to those in whom we have be- come most interested. As the wagons approached the Rio Frio tim- ber, a sudden idea seemed to strike the mind of Broquier. He reasoned that it would be perhaps a diffi- cult matter for him to leave or enter the camp without notice, and that the keen-eyed scout would, being suspicious of any movement he might maké, follow bim. Thus his confederates, Bill and Lije, would be discovered, ond their plans frustrated. Reasoning in this way, the count resolved that he would have his wagon separated from the train, and encamp by himself some distance south of the main encampment. From the fact that he had studiously held himself aloof from all during the trip from the Guadalupe, such a proceeding might not be considered strange by the people of the train, who, Broquier well knew, would, in place of being offended, feel relieved and pleased at his absence from their midst. Humiliating and exasperating as was this fact of his unpopularity, Broquier was forced to the conclusion that each and every one looked upon him with aversion, and even hatred. For this, too, he vowed he would be avenged. Another reason for leaving the train, was brougbt to his mind. At that far frontier, the camp would be in danger from roving bands of peak and con- sequently the wagons would all placed in corral, to be more readily defended; thus serv- ing as a refuge in case of attack, but which would place the wagons all in danger of: being burned, should the assailants be Indians, For the same reasons the guards would be doubled, and more vigilant; thus causing it to be a difficult matter for hitn to leave the camp, or return from kis meeting with his pards, without discovery. Suspicions, then, were sure to be aroused, as to his night wanderings. By separating frum the train, he believed he would be more protected from an attack by In- dians, his wagon and freight in less danger, and he bimself free to go and come as he wished, Besides, it was necessary to have bis wagon free from the others, in the event of his being forced to carry. Dora away to Mexico, should he adopt the secret abduction plan. The count, therefore, ordered the negro dri- ver to turn obliquely from the train, southeast, uarter of a mile below the point that Steve Speed had chosen for the encampment. The negro, who was a slave of Major Dale’s, was greatly astonished, as well as frightened, at this unlooked-for order; but, as Broquier in- formed him he need not remain with the wa- gon, his face and mind were cleared of all fears. When Steve discovered this new departure, he called the attention of the major, Dora, and the teamster, to the lone wagon, saying: ‘It is just as 1 expected! Dusky Dick bas be- ot to think there will be too many eyes watcb- ng him here—that it will be no easy matter to pass the guards,.going in and out: and conse- quently, it may interfere with his little game. ‘* But we shall see what we sball see. “T reckon, if he camps alone, it will cause that I can easily walk to his lonely retreat, and keep an eye on bis movements. ‘*] think the lasso is in this outfit, that will choke out his vile life, and serve to suspend his viJlainous carcass from the limb of a tree.” As far as Major Dale was concerned, he had, since his interview with Broquier, which had | terminated in so humiliating a manner for the | latter been in constant fear of the miscreant, who, he knew, would hesitateatnocrime. The | old planter, had it not been for the constant watchfulness cl the scout, would doubtless have sought Broquier, with the object of making a compromise with him. The young man was forced to reason with the major, and encourage him almost constantly; but all efforts of his, as regards dissipating the loom and despondency of the old planter, were ruitless. The fact that Broquier beld himself aloof, affected Major Dale greatly. He was in constant dread, at night, of assassination, be- sides, fearing, each morning to be told that Dora had been carried off by the merciless mis- creant, who bad made his Nfe a torment. When the attention of the old planter was called to the withdrawal of the count from the train, the major felt assured that the climax of the ruffian’s fury was at last reached, and that startling events would follow; for he fully believed that Broquier had been confident that his confederates would secure assistance, and thus be would carry out his nefarious scheme, on the Rio Frio, If this had not been the case, he argued, the villain would not have remained all this time secluded in his wagon. At times the major had almost decided to confide in Steve, even to reveal to Dora his dread secret: but his strength of purpose failed him on each occasion, for he feared that those who now believed in his innocence, and had re- solved to establish it, migbt be shaken, did they th the plain and indisputable proofs against im, Gradually Major Dale had become a broken- hearted and hopeless man, a mere wreck of his former self, through the constant persecutions of the count, who was, as the old planter felt confident, himself the criminal. The fiendish crime bad, by the strongest evi- dence, been laid at Dale’s door, by the very one whom he believed to have committed it. The consequence was that, although the young scout appeared so confident, and made free use of cheering words—as also did Dora, who believed implicitly in the success of Steve, in anything the latter undertook—notwith- standing this, the major uttered a Pincers of de- spair and dread, as he saw that Broquier had severed his connection with the train. The scout deputed Dora to watch and condole with her father, and then proceeded to super- intend the arrangement of the wagons, which were now placed within a horseshoe bend of the Frio; the heel of the same being but some ten yards across, As there were fully three acres of grass- grown sward within the bend,it was a most favorable place fora large encampment. The animals could be herded outside on the plain, and be driven into the bend at night. The camp could be easily guarded, as, with the exception of the neck of the bend, it was surrounded by towering timber. Beneath this was dense undergrowth, and the river-banks beyond were high and steep; the camp being prices | secure from attack by mounted men, except at the narrow entrance referred to. As the sun was yet some distance above the horizon, the scout ordered the mules to be herd- ed upon the plain. He then 4 en men, ps and down the river, to search for a favor- . dle garni for the animals to reach the water to rink, The fires were kindled in a circle outside of the wagons, and soon the camp presented a busy scene; jest and laughter sounding on all sides, The people of the train were relieved and joy- ous, at knowing they were near the end of their long and tiresome pects Soon the negro, who bad been teamster for Broquier, came into camp, and Steve at once interviewed him. ‘‘ Where has the count camped, Jim?” “Bout fo’ er five shoots from this byer, Mars’ Steve. Golly! T's mighty glad ter git cl’ar o’ bim, He too much like de ole debil ter suit dis chile.” ** What did he bave done with the mules?” ‘* Done made me stake dem outside de timber, Mars’ Steve!” ‘‘Is he going to attend to the animals, and do his own cooking?” ‘“Reckon he am, Mars’ Steve! He’s ugly es a painter. I war ’feard he’d chaw dis nigger up raw. I declar’ I doesn’t keer bout drivin’ fer him no mo’!” ‘* Did he tell you to come to camp here?” ‘*'Ya-as, Mars’ Steve; he done tole Jim ter skip lively. He said he didn’t want ter see me ag’in, ontil ter-morrer mo’nin’,” ‘All right, Jim! You'll have to take your turn at guard duty. How far into the timber did the count bave the wagon taken?” Ae but little regret in the train, and I am certain ‘* Cluss up ter de river-bank, Mars’ Steve; an’ ; ; ah ; r / ’ Sy a pe Nee eon nak ek eM GOMIGCDOOKS. CC Tis nia oe te ge oe ale '. se ba Vere Pad Le = t. A APE, —s st ates btn aX ; > : i te 7 ’ ie ‘= Fi ¢ 7 . 7 2 \ i J