Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

10 The Crimson Coyotes. i i ee + EEE eee oe SC til I regain my breath, and composure. But, first, hide those things, and quickly” Nita, however, did not remain leaning against the door until sbe felt more natural. A thought had suddenly struck her, which caused her to hasten, and change her attire for her usual costume, certained that the money and papers were gone and also the bloody clothing, they would not only be infuriated to frenzy, but terrified as well, from the fact that they could have no knowledge of the party or parties who had _ gained possession of them. She reasoned that, very | possibly, Red Reed, upon ascertaining that the treasure was gone, might connect her with the theft; and hasten to investigate matters. Should be arrive while she was in male attire, he would decide that she was the thief. Resuming her ordinary apparel with great haste, Nita then secreted the bundles of notes, and the tell-tale clothing, in an excavation be- neath her couch; which was a place that had long been used by ber mother and herself, for the reception of their money and valuables— quite a snug sum having been left, by the de- ceased American, to bis wife and daughter. This secret receptacle was covered with a rs flat stone, over which was spread a cow- | "Not until all this had been done, did Nita feel safe, and her excitement abate. She then kissed her still sleeping child, and bade her mother take a seat beside her. Mrs, Nichols had been greatly alarmed by the strange and unaccountable actions of her daughter, and much concerned at ber unusually | long absence. She had remained, standin and gazing at Nita, ever since the latter ha come in. The daughter explained the cause of her strange conduct and long absence, at once, and in a low tone; relating all the circumstances connected with her visit to the San Pedro, the original object of which had been so different. his, the mother remembered, had been, in order that Nita migbt have an audience with Pedro Pernales, the escaped peon ; and endeavor to prevail + eS him, to reveal all he knew of Rodney Reed, But it had proved the means of the determined young woman’s gaining much knowledge in regard to the miscreant, beyond \he worst that she bad imagined ; besides depri- ving him of a fortune, ard gaining a hold upon him, which placed the life of her betrayer in her hands! Mrs. Nichols was dumfounded, and greatly terrified as well, for she feared that Red Reed would in some manner find out all about ber daugbter’s doings; and since he had not hesi- tated to murder Norman Norrington, the ‘ wealthy banker, would have few scruples in 7 putting them all out of the way, in revenge and to hide his former crimes. He had proved himself capable of any crime, by aseiiela ating his employer; and not only tbat, but leaving proofs that would cause an- other, and an innocent man, to be thought the miurderer—doubtless, too, the robber of the office of the murdered man! it was terrible to think of! - 1t was really too much for poor Mrs. Nichois to bear witb any degree of composure. She was astonished at the strength of will and the reckless daring of her daughter in having accomplished with safety that which the bare thought of caused her to shudder with terror. What was to be the end of it all? But the poor woman became somewhat quiet- ed when she was forced to agree wiih her daughter that she had been chosen to right a great wrong. Then, too, she could not help er. that the girl had been wonderfully protected through it all, and that she bad, also, while getting evi- dence that would clear the innocent, been aven herself upon the res hee Chay dastard who tat blighted ber young life As for Nita, after she bad recovered from her excitement, and could hear no indications of any one prowling around her home, she became more resolved, more defiant and more vengeful than ever, encouraged by the consciousness that she was battling for the right, and to bring to justice one of the vilest and most cowardly of men. She had no longer any desire to compel Rod- nev ‘Reed to keep his vows. She cared not to have her child bear the name of an assassin. Better far that the little one should bear its mother’s name, and the disgrace for which it wasin no way responsible, than to have a legal ‘right to that of a robber, a murderer, a miscre- ant the most dastardly that could curse the earth. No, that was one wrong which Nita Nichols would not seek to right. Mother and daughter sat, wita their arms about each other, for fully an hour—they, at leugth, decidin that it would be safer to ury the bundle an packages, of whose value they were ignorant, in the back yard. And as there was no time like the present, they, after recon- noitering the vicinity, thus disposed of it—dis- posed of, as they thought, ever Fhe connected with Nita’s visit to the San Pe Mrs. Nichols in vain endeavored to dissuade her daughter from all thought of returning on the following nigat to the scene of her late ad- venture for the gold that she had bidden in the mud. The gir] argued that, after the robbers had as- The garments could be easily identified as be- longing to Red Reed, and neither the assassin nor his accomplice would dare remain longer at the jacal for fear of being counected with the murder and robbery. Very reasonable were these conclusions. They showed that Nita was capable of carry- ing out ber plans through a previous careful consideration of the manner in which she should proceed. Brave, determined and revengeful as was the wronged girl, she was a dangerous foe for the man, who bad sought to tread her under his feet, to encounter. CHAPTER XII. BREAKING IT GENTLY. PEDRO PERNALES, contrary to the belief of Nita Nichols, had not the slightest suspicion that any human being would dare enter his hovel. Indeed, there were none except Mexicans re- siding in ‘that portion of the city, and they were the last to be suspected of such a thing, for they knew Pedro’s desperate character, He returned hastily, however, for he recol- | lected that he had le t the candle burning, and it might be accidentally overturned and set the hovel on fire. When he saw that all was apparently in the same condition in which he had left it, he began to ponder over the latest development in the case. It began to look as though Reed thougbt bimself Jiable to be arrested for the murder if Coleman escaped, and thus had a chance to send some written testimony to the town officials, Pedro thought tbe capture of Coleman very — and, if so, bis own position was du- ious He began to think it best that he should take care of ** number one.’ He had now in his possession a large fortune, which he could easily appropriate, and then fly to Mexico, living the remainder of his life in luxury and elegance. This possibility was very enticing—indeed, the Greaser felt that the one grand o portunity of his life was within his grasp. Never again would it be in his power to appropriate such a ° vast sum. Was be not entitled, in any event, to one-half of the plunder? Thus thought Pedro, and he decided that San Antonio was not a healthy town to abide in, and he would therefore cross the Rio Grande. Having arrived at this conclusion, he began packing up his tt soe pemtaery But, the | most astounding and infuriating discovery of | bis whole life awaited bim. The instant he stepped behind the cow-hide screen he saw the open chest; the next, the sack that had con- tained the treasure, flat, and seemingly empty! At once the Mexican halted. He stood staring, bis mouth agape. Then, with a terrible oath, he kicked the bag, as though he could not believe his own senses. Yes, it was empty. The gold was gone! Reed, the murderer, was gone also, and that bundle of clothing would prove Coleman inno- cent. This was terrible! The lips of the Greaser curled away, in a beast-like manper, from the white and gleaming | teeth, and he clutched his cuchillo, and cat the | empty air insanely, all the time rattling off deep, dread curses, Soon, however, this changed to superstitious terror; and he gazed around the but, as if ex- pecting to see some awful shape, holding on to the banker’s gold and the bloody bundle! Next, a slow above his head drew the wretch's beeaudiont and then all was plain to m His oaths now increased in number, and iii terrible meaning. There had been a — upon him and Red Reed, and fortune bad favored the skulker. In his brief absence the gold, stocks, and clothing had been taken. Instantly it occurred to Pedro, that Reed would suspect bim of having removed the trea- sure, and the clothing also—that, through the latter, he might have a hold_ upon him. His brain was now in a whirl. He must, in some manner, gain time to form some plan of action in the niatter, ae fury of Reed would, undoubtedly, be ter- ri 1 On the impulse of the moment, it was im- possible to say what the foiled villain might not do. Thus the Mexican reflected, and although he did not fear Reed, he did not wish to kill him, or to create any disturbance, situated as he now was. Had he funds in plenty, as be had just “ete Peg 9 d and believed, be would not have e In that case, be would have plunged his knife 2 into the beart of Red Reed, when tbe latter appeared, and tben fled toward the Rio Grande. ut there was no time to be wasted, and Pedro’s plan for immediate action was quickly made. He secured the door of the hovel, after having extinguished the candle, and then rushed at once toward the Norrington Mansion, by the same roundabout route that the three Mexicans had taken; reasoning that Red Reed would, at the first opportunity, start for the jacal, and. by way of the mesquites, beyond the outer line of the town, Not half the distance was passed, when the two confederates met. The pair were greatly frightened. ** Caramba !” exclaimed the Greaser. ‘*In the name of Satan, where are you head- ed for? Whats Ppt Speak, man!” ‘*Come, Senor Reed, and quickly!” returned Pedro, grasping him by the arm; “ there is dan- ger at the jacal. Some one followed ag from the Casa Norrington. There were fully balf-a- dozen Texanos in the willows when I stole away just now. Come!” ‘You're crazy!” was the reply of Reed, tear- ing bimself loose from the grasp of the Mexi- cap; “Il know that my movements were not observed. Don’t dare tell me you have madea botch of this biz. Ill have your heart’s blood, if anything bas gone wrong! ‘But, there; don’t mind my words, Pedro! I know you have acted with discretion, But, it oe strange there should be men around the jac ‘* We must steal back and remove the golii. Yes, and—by all the fiends!—tbose infernal clotbes are there. You must be crazy, indeed, to leave those proofs of my connection with the murder, even for a moment, in the jacal! What does the gold amount to in comparison‘ It would do me no good after I had been strung up! “Senor Reed, the clothes will never be seen | again. I buried the bundle in the mud of the | Sen Pedro.” The Mexican, having started by lying, found be had to continue in that line, Indeed, he would have sworn to anytbing that would keep Reed from going vear the hovel. *‘Good boy, Pedro! Thank you for that mucb. But we must bave the gold now. We must take it down the river, and secrete it in the ruins of one of the old Missions. . You see, we may be forced to fly at any moment, “Coleman accused me of the murder. He had many friends, and the cuss aln’t captured hc by a jugful. Let us go back for the dv ‘*Senor Reed can go,” said the Greaser, with evident terror and determination, ‘‘ but Pedro thinks more of bis life than of ‘gold, They will shoot us. Let us wait until yon cloud hides the moon.” Rodney Reed saw that he could not influence the Mexican to return; so he threw bimself upon the swerd, not caring to proceed alone. He was suffering great tortures, for he knew he was standing on the verge of a precipice. Clarence Coleman knew nothing of the rob- bery, and, should be be captured by tbose of the lynchers who had gone in pursuit, there would be no evidence of it to be found about bis per- son. This would direct suspicion toward bim- self, although he was supposed to bave bad neither key nor combination, As this last thougbt burst upon him, the as- sassin sprung to his feet and thrust bis hands into bis pockets, one after the other. ‘*Hell and furies, Pedro!” he exclaimed, ‘‘ _have lost the key to the safe, or else, in the hurry and excitement, I must have left it in the lock! Curse me if I know which ead my head is on! ‘Devil take the luck! I thought everytbing bad been planned and executed to run so smoothly as to defy detection; but my luck shenentl? from the moment I emptied that safe, I do believe. I declare I’m all mixed up now, and I don’t know which way to turn, or what to do!” “Keep still, and think, Senor Reed! If you rush matters, you are lost.” Pedro was satisfied that all was lost, as it was; for the gold was all he cared for, and his bead was busy in planning bow to recover it. He believed that. by daylight the trai] of those who had carried it away could be discovered. The soft soi] of the San Pedro would betray their footprints, and possibly some clew might be found that would lead to success. However, the Greaser had little confidence, through fear or otberwise, in being to prevent his confederate from going to thejacal, Reed, it was evident, would not rest short of it, But he bad gained one point. It was the one at which he bad aimed, from the moment that he set out from bis but, He had succeeded in delaying Reed; and he could pretend, later on, that the gold bad been taken while tbey lin gered. Having accomplished this much, and delayed a sufficient time, to allow the jacal to be enter- ed and robbed—supposing there to bo any one lurking around it with that purpose.—Pedro assumed as much indignation as Red Reed had (ECO MANICG! ON ONO) SS —