Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 11: what you’re looking at

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

~~ umes —— ---—-—-- = - dione at the first; swearing that he was not going to be defrauded of his share of the treas- ure. ‘*Come on, Senor Reed!” he now called out, in a most determined tone; “* we will have the gold, or die fighting for it. Follow Pedro— gold, or blood! Flourishing his glittering knife in the air, the Mexican rushed toward the San Pedro. But, be was very particular not to run so fast as to prevent Reed from keeping up with him; and the latter, as they neared the hovel, be- came much less eager to proceed. His face was pale, and his manner apprehensive. Upon reaching a point from which they could gain a view of the jacal, the two men peered toward it. Now, Pedro thought, was the time to begin. It would affect Reed less, than to have him discover in oae brief moment that all was lost; 0 he whispered hoarsely, and with a perfectly furious expression: ‘“‘ By St. Iago, Senor Reed, they have enter- ed the jacal! See, there has been a hole broken in the thatch!” **“May Satan burn them!” yelled Rodney Reed. ‘‘Follow me, Pedro—they shall not have the gold! ** Tl kill ever ** Follow me, mother’s son of them! edro Pernales!” CHAPTER XIII. FOR LIBERTY AND LIFE, No human. being could have suffered more torture than did Clarence Coleman, after the > and excitement had somewhat subsided, e had left the beautiful city, which had been, and he had trusted would be, his home, as long as life lasted, behind bim, perhaps for- ver! He had left, under the saddest and most hor- rid circumstances that could be imagined, the beautiful maiden, who was the one bright dream of bis life! Thus he felt, as he lashed his horse onward. He had escaped the mad mob who were howl- ing for his blood, he had escaped an ignomini- ous death; but he was a fugitive from yp chi in the eyes of the world—an outlaw, with every man’s hand turned against him! Innocent, honest, and upright, had he been through life; but, what bad it availed him? He was now branded as an assassin, as one who had, in a cowardly manner, stabbed his employer to the beart, in his own home, The proofs against him were convincing—they were ay FR even to himself, vo late had he realized the utterly depraved, Sphere and fiendish character of Rodney sed. Most cunningly, indeed, had the miscreant planned and executed bis premeditated, and most horrible crime. He now perceived that Reed bad hurled the stone, which bad knocked him senseless by the side of Nora Norrington, in the bottom-timber, with a two-fold end in view, Tt was, that his head might be bruised and hioody, when he would be found beside the «orpse of the murdered man; and that the old bunker might be clutching the stone in the death grip, as evidence that he had fought for life, and had succeeded in wounding bis mur- derer on the bead. The stone, the stolen knife, bis bruised and bleeding head, and blood-stained hands, were all-sufficient evidence against bim; especially as he bad been found alone with the corpse of Norman Norrington. And then, no one knew that he had been engaged in copying during tbe night. it was true be had been accosted by some loungers around the Piagza Bar, as he had left the bank; but that would be against him, more than in his favor. It was terrible, to think of the banker, brutal- ly murdered in his own library. It was more terrible still, to think of poor Nora, as he had last seen her, senseless, and deathlike; her face stamped with a horror and anguish, that were fearful to contemplate. t really would be a mercy—so it seemed to the young man—if the poor girl’s consciousness were never to come back to her in this world, rather than she should recover, to suffer the anguish, grief and horror, that would be hers. arence reasoned that Nora, after the ne- groes had repeated bis words, as he had bade them do, would not, and could not~even bad she previously entertained any suspicions in connection with his agency in the murder of ber father— believe him to have bad a hand in the horrid deed; and that, altbough she bad seen his silver-handled bowie projecting from the breast of the co : He had before his mind’s eye, almost con- stantly, two pictures, The one was of Nora, as she came to her senses, fastened in her chair, and beheld her murdered father, and bimself all blood-stained. The other was, as he bad last seen her, so pale, and still, and deatblike, upon her couch. No wonder was it, that Clarence Coleman was forced to the very borders of insane despera- tion, by such agonizing visions and thoughts, He had never been of a quarrelsome disposi- 11 Descending the tree, Clarence stole through the mesquites, and placing the note, within which be had placed the key to the safe, in the middle of the road—taking care to address it to— ** Bob Barnes, Sheriff of Bexar county,” and to put on one corner— ‘*From Clarence Coleman,” he returned to bis lookout in the pecan-tree. As he bad supposed, his pursuers were in- spired with great zeal, and much encouraged by the finding of the note, for they were posi- tive they would have observed it had it been lying ou the road when they bad passed down. They at once scattered and gulloped in every _ direction through the mesquites, with revolvers keep his oath to the letter; and that the knife, in hand at full-cock, ready to pull trigger the with which Rodney Reed had committed the | instant they discovered the fugitive. cowardly assassination, should be buried in the , But ere long wer returned to the spot miscreant’s own breast, and by no other hand where they had picked up the note, some of than his! them baving passed beneath the very tree Not fora moment did the thought that this | witbin the branches of which was concealed dastardly murder had left Nora free to wed the | the very man whom they wished to find. man of her choice, occur to Clarence Coleman; | Then they took a different view of affairs. and he would have banished the thought, had it | They unanimously concluded that the missive been born in his brain, with self-contempt and | must have been lying in the road when they self-abhorrence. | first passed along the same, not having been ob- Indeed, there appeared to be little hope of bis | served on account of all being riding at full ever again seeing Nora Norrington, even did she | speed, and not watching the road, but inspect- believe him innocent; for, public opinion would | ing the mesquites which bordered it on each side. be too strong against him, to allow of their ever They were satisfied that they bad done their again meeting, until even the slightest suspi- | whole duty faithfully, as faras they bad gone, cion of guilt, as far as he was concerned, bad | and their consciences were at rest. been banished. | Not so their appetites, however. The only way to clear himself, the only hope | They all returned up the river, anxious now that remained to the young man in life, was, | above ali things to allay the cravings for the through forcing Rodney Reed to confess the | liquor of which their long ride bad caused them murder. But this was too unreasonable an an- | to deprive themselves. ticipation to be entertained for a moment. Clarence Coleman again descended the tree, It seemed that there had been no one whobad | mounted bis horse, and rode on in the direction witnessed the deed. There had been, it ap- | of the Rio Medina, where. amid the dark shades peared, no one near except the murdered man’s | of the bottom-timber, he felt that he could find a daughter; and she had been chioroformed, | secure retreat in which be could rest and think previously, by the assassin, It was barely pos- | over the details of bis truly awful position, sible that Nora might have recognized Reed, be- Had be remained in the tree but five minutes fore the drug bad entirely stupefied ber; but | longer, be would have seen twree villainous there were slizht grounds for supposing this, as | looking Greasers with swarthy and repulsive the villain had evidently proceeded with the ut- | faces, spur out from the the mesquites after the most care and caution in every detail, else he | passing of the party of Texans, and urge their would not have consummated his fiendish | Conese down the road, keeping their animals on scheme, and escaped. the grass-grown sward, to prevent the sounds It occurred to Clarence that Reed must have | made by their hoofs from being beard. visited the office and suspended the key to the But a little distance bad Clarence traveled chandelier, expressly with the object of ascer- before the three hired emissaries of Red taining if he would have time to commit the Reed were satisfied that they bad struck the crime and escape before his fellow-clerk could | trail of the man they sought, for they caught a reach the mansion with the Ene papers. Probably Rodney Reed had long been waiting around the mesquites, at a bend in the trail. for an opportunity to do the deed, with the Clarence Coleman was indeed under a derk view of getting rid of a rival forever, and at | cloud, and one that threatened to inclose him the same time, of the father of the maiden, who | and extinguish hope and life! he had resolved should be either his wife or bis | CHAPTER XIV. The Crimson Coyotes. a a ae —— - ——— ——_—— > ——_ ee ae _— -———__—_- - —-———- oo eee —_———_—_ tion. He had avoided, most religiously, ¢is- cussions of all kinds; and he bad a holy borror of the desperate characters of Western Texas, | who were given to whirling the festive revolver about their heads, and to take a snap-shot at | any man who so much as looked cross-eyed at | them. But, he began to actually detest bis fel- | low-mav, the moment he heard the fierce yells | and denunciations of the mad mob, and their howls for his life. | He had left hope bebind him, and nothing but | black despair seemed his prospective portion. | All this caused him to entertain the most bit- | ter and murderous batred toward the infamous author of all his and Nora Norrington’s misery. | Clarence Coleman resolved, that he would victim, He had no doubt that the wretch had, after A TANGLED WEB. committing the assault xh oy him, stolen up PEDRO PERNALES made an exuibition of dar- irg recklessress, indeed an extravagant bluster, the river, secreted himself among the vines near the veranda, and while there had heard | after pointing out the hole in the thatch of the jacal to Red Reed, the conversation between him and their em- ployer, which had decided the dastard to act, | Had the latter been less excited and furious and at once. atthe position of affairs, he might have con- All these reflections came bome to the mind | cluded, and with good cause, that, had not of the unhappy Clarence as he s on, pass- | Pedro known of the bole in the roof, he would ing the ruins of the ‘Eight Mile Mission,” | not now have perceived it; for, it was within and then dashing in among the dense mes- | the shade of the willows, and only discernible after the most careful scrutiny, Indeed, Reed quites. where he secreted the horse in a : thicket, and climbed a pecan tree in the adja- | did not distinguish it but took bis confederate’s word for the truth of the matter, cent bottom-timber, ou the border of the same. The latter had, upon mecting Reed, mani- Soon after, in a scattered manner, galloped the would-be lynchers, upon the horses of Nor- | fested great terror, and fear at being captured: even refusing to return, and fight for the gold, man Norrington, in pursuit of himself, and the when pressed in no gentle mapper todoso, In sight rendered the young man furious. consequence, he felt called upon to redeem him- He longed to gallop after them and drop a few from their saddles, but prudence prevailed; | self, and gain the good will and admiration of Reed, or at the least to regain the confidence and again he reflected that these men, half- crazed with drink, were not responsible for their | which, be feared, bis ‘‘ pard” had Jost in bim. He, therefore, dashed on ahead, knife in actions, nor were they capable of reasoning and cousidering bis character in the past to be | hand, in a desperate manner; bidding Reed re- in bis favor. main outside, and keep his revolver caps, It was quite clear to Clarence that the pur- | upon the aperture in the roof, while he en suers knew not whether they were on the right | the hovel. Thus they would make sure that track or pot, and that they bad become vere A none of the thieves would escape. disheartened, for those in the lead would balt The Mexican then sprung in, shut the door, and confer with those who dashed up. It was placed his back against it, and cried out: plain that all wished themselves back in San ‘Shoot every man that climbs out, Senor Capitan! I’m inside, and I’m going to drive Antonio. And Clarence was right. Shortly after, the | them to the wall!” discouraged party rode slowly back on their re- | Reed could hear the sound of the lock being turn, ; turned, and he began to fear that Pedro would But Clarence had seen them while some | be slain; thinking it pure madness for one man distance off, and he instantly tore out a leaf | thus to enter the jacal in the dark, and lock the from his note-book, and hastily wrote the fol- | door, when there might be several inside. lowing: ) | He did not dare harbor the thought that the “SHerivr BARNES:— robbers had secured their booty, and decamped : ‘Tam an innocent man, hunted like a dog. as the | he, therefore, held his revolver leveled, ready murderer of my employer, between whom and my- | to fire at the first head that should appear. self there had never passed an unfriendly word. Yet Rodney Reed knew that the report of his liv [ found him dead when I called upon him to de- | .ovolver would alarm the sleeping Greasers in er some papers, which I had been requested to | We tyr any ade: 4 sit up and copy for one Montgomery, a_ranchero. | the neighboring hovels—that it would even at- My knife had Bie stolen from me when I tract men from the Plazas—and this would un- in a senseless condition from the blow of a stone | doubtedly be dangerous for himself personally. thrown at me—as I would stake my life—by Rodney | But he was desperate, and thought only of the eed vast fortune that was at stake. It was a moment of the most intense anxiety to Reed, who little thought that the tale told him by Pedro bad been coneected in the Mexi~ can’s brain; neither had he any idea that: EoOmicbooks ST SS Se tsthstssnstssssesssssssssssssssssssssssstnsst om * HE IS THE ASSASSIN! ‘I send you the keys of the bank safe, in which is an immense sum in stocks, bonds and gold. I will send you the combination another time. ** CLARENCE CoLeMAN,”’ _ glimpse of a solitary borseman as they peered » 50) - " al ee I eo. xe — a ne ee ee eee a