Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

= i = . “ a” . en, a oo — = - — a 4 eo ss * = —s —_ — ——— —— > -_s-e EelhlheCrrrr in many respects. My poor father wcu!d, most probably, bave had objections; but only on ac- count of Mr. Coleman’s want of means. He intended to go elsewhere and carve out a for- tune, before asking for my band. wee + -_-—---+ ee le t— Ce ‘* But all that is past, and it is I who am now | far beneath Clarence. My home, and every- thing that is here must be sold, to satisfy the claims of those who left funds in the bank, and of which it has been robbed. But, !et us speak no more on this subject, ‘* You have relieved my mind greatly, Nita, by this visit, and what you have told me; and I thank you more than I can express. If there is any one on earth, who needs relief of mind more than myself, I think they must go mad. **My anxiety for the safety of Mr. Coleman, so unjustly accused, has somewhat counter- acted, or controlled the anguish, grief, and borror, consequent upon my terribly sudden bereavement. I will pot now ask you the nature of your proofs, as I really am not equal to listening much longer to matters in connec- tion with the occurrences of the past most aw- ful night.” ** And [ had not intended to add to the strain upon your mind, Miss Norrington, but torelieve it,” returned Nita, **[T shall, at once, proceed to seek Mr, Lyons, and shall give him the proofs to which I have referred. ay you be strengthened, Miss Nor- ese to bear your sad afflictien !” - Rising, as she spoke, Nita Nichols hastily drew her rebosa over her bead. “Thank you, Nita—I thank you very much for all that you have said. I bope, too, that you may have strength to bear patiently your own sad lot. “It is terrible to think of the disgrace and misery that have been caused by that vile and bardened wretch. You must call and see me again, my poor girl. Anything that liesin my power to do shall be done for you, Nita. You have my sympathy and my prayers.” The Mexican woman strove to grasp Nora’s band and kiss it as before, while the tears streamed down her cheeks; but Nora impul- sively stepped forward and placing her arms about Nita, embraced ber. + Tremblingly Nita Nichols tottered to the oor Fierce and revengeful as any of her mother’s race, yet kindness and sympathy melted her; causing ber proud form to bend «and tremble, and her keen black eyes to be filled with tears, She would have turned the world over, so to speak, for Nora Norrington after that brief in- terview, Nora was much relieved and benefited by having seen Nita, and received such intelligence from ber; for she believed the wronged woman spoke truly, and that she had, as she said, proofs positive against Rodney Reed. CHAPTER XX, THE PLANS OF PEDRO. Tue day that followed was one of great ex- citement to mauvy who vainly sought for Rodney Reed throughout the city. It was a day of torturing anxiety and bodily pain to Clarence Coleman, bound with lariats, and jested and cursed at by the Greasers, who stole into the thicket where be lay, under the guidance of Augtstine. There, in bis presence. they talked boastingly of the robbery by ‘El Capitan Reed” and Pedro after the murder. Clarence now felt that, regardless of bis pro- testations, and his having sent the key of the safe, he would be thought the thief, tor there was no other key, and even had there been, it would have been useless without the combina- tion, Reed must have had a duplicate key, but in what way could he have become possessor of the combination; unless, indeed, he had heard a speak it that night when concealed in the Little less tortured in mind was Rodney Reed, for, after awaking from a troubled slumber in the limestone ridge north of San Antonio, a Mexican, sent by Pedro Pernales, brought him information that caused him to foam at the mouth and rave like a maniac, lt was to the effect that the jury bad found him guilty of the murder of Norman Norring- ton, and that Lyons had accused bim of baving robbed the safe. The messenger reported that the citizens were howling for bis blood, and seerching high and low for him, and that Pedro had declared he would have been found and hanged had he re- mained intown. He cautioned bim, therefore, to remain quietly where he was for the present, as the only safe course. eed now cursed himself bitterly. He could not account for having been sucha foo) in small matters. The leaving of the key in the safe, and the written warning of Clarence upon the floor; the burling of the stone at Lyons, and leaving the brandy-flask at the scene of his crime—such things had been idiotic, as he now saw them. But it was easy to see mistakes, after they had been made, . w here, Lyons and Barnes were agreeably surprised, present when Pedro returned from rob | | = = sss The Crimson Coyotes. en - - _————e —< ~ It was now too late to remedy any one of them, The die was cast! He was a hunted outlaw, doomed, if caught, to an ignominious death; and, so wild and un- natural was the manover of the miscreant, and so fearful his curses, that even the ruffianly Mexican, who had been accustomed to villains and scenes of villainy all bis life, crawled _ away from him and hid himself in a thicket. A sad, sad day it was to poor Nora Norring- ton, with her murdered father’s body in the room below her, and ber lover she knew not indeed, greatly rejoiced, at the visit of Nita Nichols; who delivered the bundle to them, which contained the clothing that had been worn by Rodney Reed when he murdered Nor- man Norrington. These clothes were recognized by them as having been worn by Reed, and, as they were smeared with blood, they were the strongest evidence yet brought forward. There was no more proof needed, however, after Nita bad told ber story; she repeating the words that she bad heard pass between the ac- complices, after the commission of the murder. But she said notbing about her west been bing the safe, or anything whatever in regard to it. Lyons wrote tbe words of the young woman down, and having gained her promise to do all in her power, and to testify at the trial—should there be one—whichb, however, seemed doubtful, as it was believed that Reed could not be lodged in jail, if caught, as the people would almost certainly resort to lynch law. After this agreement Nita returned home, to be surprised, and not a little alarmed, by the news that awited ber; her mother informing her that Pedro Pernales had just been there, but had not recognized her as the daughter of his old master in Mexico. Nita was greatly frightened. She felt that Pedro would not have called at the bouse unless he had in some manner ascer- tained that it bad been she who was at the jacal, and who had taken the bloody clothing and the stolen treasure. ‘* What excuse did he make, mother,” the girl asked, in much agitation, “for calling bere? He must have traced me from the San Pedro, We are lost!” ‘*He asked for something to eat,” demanded Mrs, Nichols, in her turn considerably alarmed, ‘saying that he was very hungry. But he did not appear to be, judging from the little he ate,” ‘‘Did you leave the room while he was here?” This question was put very anxiously. ‘* Yes, Nita; I went to the kitchen for the food.” Nita clasped ber bands, and looked wildly about the room. Then, as if recalling some- thing, she darted to the bead of the bed, and peered under it, Uttering a cry of apprehension, she reached beneath the couch, and pulled out a smal!-sized top boot. “We are lost!” she exclaimed. ‘‘Ob, my oor baby! That wretch will kill us all. other, there is but one of my boots here, Pe- dro Pernales bas the other. He has seen my trail, on the bank of the creek, has found out that I have good reason to hate Rodney Reed, and has inferred that I am the one who has re- moved the treasure. ‘‘To make sure of it, he has stolen my boot, to fit into the foot-prints that I made. But, he shall not win. I am going now, to tell Mr. Lyons, Then, the wretch will be captured, and we shall be safe. “They are searching for him now, Lock the doors until I return. I must go at once!” Sv saying, Nita Nichols ran from the casa into the street, and down the same to the Mili- tarv Plaza, Thence,she burried to the office of Sheriff Barnes, where she found Lyons and related her story; which was, this time, in con- nection with the safety of her mother, her child, and berself, Lyons immediately sent two men to the but, to arrest Pedro; and then, baving assured Nita that she need fear no harm from the Mexican, she returned to her home. The Greaser, however, was not one to be caught napping. He reasoned that Nita would soon return, that she would be suspicious when she heard of his visit, and perhaps discover that the boot had been stolen, That she would, sbould such be the case, at once inform the officers of his presence in San Antonio, he felt certain, Now that he was positive who it was that had made off with their booty, he began to be- lieve that Nita must have seen him at the jacal ; and, if so, he was in great satay 5 Indeed, it appeared strange that his house had not already been visited and searched, for the purpose of ar- resting him. Perbaps this tad been done, though luckily for bim, during his absence. There was no need fcr him to spend more ee Me Fy Ee ee ae em se than a moment or two in the vicinity of hi; hovel, to compare the foot-priuts with the boot, which be had now in bis possession. There was little need for even this, as he was positive that the boot had been worn by Nita Nichols, and that it would fit into the foot- prints on the bank of the San Pedro. So the Mexican argued, and he was correct. He esca into the willows, just as the men sent by Lyons made their appearance. No longer had he the slightest doubt in his mind, as to what bad become of the gold, But he knew full well, that bis future movements in the town must be very guarded and secret, He must steal off to the jacal of one of the men, upon whom be knew he could depend, and on whom he had a hold; and send this man to collect some of the lawless Mexicans of the town, who, with well equipped borses, must rendezvous at some poiut amcng the mesquites, to the south of the city, as soon as darkness set- tled upon the earth. Having accomplisbed this much, Pedro de- termined to seek the hiding-place of Red Reed, and there to form his plans for the nigbt. And, in the first place, he was bent upon re- covering the treasure, which be was positive, Nita bad secreted in or near her home. This must be done at once, or the girl might deliver the booty up to the authorities, The thought that she might bave done so al- ready, almost made tbe villain frantic. He believed that Reed would kill Nita, if she should refuse to give up the gold to bim, It, therefore, would not be prudeot to inform Reed of all his donbts baving been removed in regard to the person who bad teken the pro- ceeds of the robbery, until darkness had set in; for the miscreant would be so furious and revengeful, that he would perbaps at once rush into San Antonio, and to the bouse of Nita, and thus be captured. Red Reed was too desperate to be trusted with this important discovery. until the time arrived for them to act; and Pedro Pernales after the unexpected disappointments that ha already occurred, was resolved that he would have two strings to his bow, at this most im- portant crisis, He, therefore, obtained information of the movements of the three ree Mexicans, whom Augustine had reported to have arrived that day in the city for the purpose of purchas- we rye hey must have a large sum of money in their session, which would replace, to some otival. that which had been taken from the safe of Norman Norrington, should that be be- yond recovery. Nothing could be accomplished with the band of wandering and lawless Greasers, he intended to collect for ‘* El Capitan Reed,” Pedro succeeded in doing all that he wished, in the way of gaining the desired information, and making arrangements for the meeting of the outlaw Mexicans, without exposing himself to the view of those who were in search of him. Ais biain he proceeded on bis wey to join Red eed. CHAPTER XXI. THE BOND OF INIQUITY, ‘* So you’ve come at last, bave you?” growled Red Reed, springing to his feet, as his yellow pard stole cautiously from tbe thickets, first giving the signal that had been agreed upon. ‘*Satan burn me, if I would have remained here in this rocky hole an hour longer, even if I had to go to San Antonio alone! It has been the longest day I ever passed, or ever will pass. Do you hear me, Pedro Pernales?” It was a wild-looking place, and wild enough looked Rodney Reed, his eyes bloodshot, and his apparel torn and soiled, He appeared to have aged ten years within twenty-four hours, ‘Pedro is here at last, Senor Capitan, and lucky he bas been to get bere. You bave hed along day, you. Why did you not sleep? That brandy is bad for you. You will want steady nerves. San Antonio is wild to string you up to a limb!” ‘“May the fiends burn the last one of them! I don’t cere a snap of my finger for them!” re- turned Reed, scornfully. ‘“‘I shall win the game and sweep the board. Just you wait. I’m as desperate as the devil, and twice as revengeful! ‘Sleep, did you say? Hear the fool talk! I never expect to sleep again until I pillow my head on the arm of Nora Norrington. ‘*You look asif you thought I was a little ‘ off,’ but I never was more clear-headed in my life. Take a pull at the bottle, old pard. y shall owe everything to you, after all, and I will not forget it. I tell you, Pedro, you shall have Nita. She will just suit you. We can brain the brat, and take her along with us. Viva la Mexico !” It was evident that Reed had been indulging quite freely, and this would never do. 8 brain must be clear during the next twelve hours, or all would be lost. ‘*T want no brandy,” said Pedro decidedly ; ‘and I advise you to let it alone. I tell you, they are bowling for your blood in San Anto- nio, and every house has been searched. Give CE MMUCE rh cS JOO — - « — Eon