Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

Se ee —— — eee we ee that brandy-bottle a rest; I'll prepare you a cup of strong coffee, That will put your stom- ach and nerves in good condition. ‘* Pedro, you’re a brick! Ill do as you say, Let them howl—what do I care? Some of them will give their last howl, if I get a chance to pop into them to-night. ‘But is that all the news you have for me? ‘You have been in town all day, and you must . have carried out your programme, or a part of it. What have you accomplished! Have you any opening that will pay, where we can get gold before we levant?” ‘‘T bave worked hard, capitan, and have run great risks. Those three men who came from Mexico I have spotted. I know where they will sleep to-night. It must be their last sleep.” “«Sou're right, Pedro. Their gold must be ours, Bat what of our missing treasure? Can we not recover it? Was it Nita Nichols who corraled it?’ “If you promise to remain here, until [I con- sider it safe to return to San Antonio, I’ll tell you all that [ know,” said the Mexican. ‘*[ promise, old boy. Fact is, I don’t banker after a raw-hide necktie; and 1 don’t intend to rush biz to any dangeruus extent. Speak out!” ‘*T have but little to tell you, Senor Reed. I have collected a dozen good men, They will meet us in the mesquites, an bour after sunset mounted and equipped. Nita Nichols took the gold, but what she bas done with it I do not know. * She has been to see the Senorita Norrington to-day. One of my spies saw her, She bas, of course, told her all that she knows, Perhaps she will take the gold there to-night. If she does, my man will be on the watch for her.” “The she fiend!” exclaimed Red Reed, in a fury. ‘*‘ How do you know that she stole it, Pedro?” ‘-| went to her casa, and stole her boot. It and the mud of the fitted the prints exactly San Pedro was still upon it,” ** T’ll choke the life out of her this very night!” yelled Reed, ‘She shall give up the gold, and die whether she does or not!” The wretch paced back and forth, bis fists clinched, and he absolutely foaming at the mouth. The Greaser, who bad been sent as a messen- ger, hearing the voice of Pedro, crawled from his covert, and assisted in preparing the coffee; gazing, with no little apprebension, at the furi- ous and nearly insane wretch. “Capitan,” said Pedro, reproathfully; ‘I bave told you that 1 have found men—twelve men. I have found out who took the treasure, and also where those three Mexicans sleep to- night, and that they have much gold, ‘* T have worked bard, but you have no thanks. All you seem to care for, is yourself, and your revenge. You stay here, and get half drunk, while I risk my life all day in your interest; yet all you do, is to curse, and talk of having your revenge. ‘*[ am more than half sick, for I have bad no sleep. I do not like this business, I think by the way you talk, you can clean out San An- tonio alone; and you may dv so, for all Pedro cares!” With a great show of incignation, the Greaser delivered this speech, His patience was, in reality, exhausted; for he believed that Reed would be unfit for the desperate work of the coming night, through the liquor that he bad drank, In truth, Pedro was afraid of his Texan pard; and he was surprised at bimself after he had spoken, for having been able, in word and man- ner, to keep up his assumed indignation and ex- hibition of wounded feeling. He had not, however, the slightest idea of abandoning his confederate, The Jatter stood, riveted in bis tracks, gazing at Pedro, in the very extreme of astonishment and concern. He well knew that, not only his revenge, but the gold, indeed his very life, depended upon his yellow-skinned associate; and be was dum- founded, the more so because the Mexican had never before spoken in such a way to bim, As a matter of course, Pedro had always ad- dressed Reed as a superior; but his manner and words, at this time, were those of an equal. Considering the state of mind in which the miscreant was, it bad been a dangerous speech for the Greaser to make; but the latter had come to the conclusion, that he might as well risk bis life in that way, asin the company of a lunatic, in the desperate work that was before them. Besides this, be was watching every movement made by Reed, and he was prepared to get in a shot as quickly as the latrer did, should his experiment turn out to be a life and death matter. For full balf a minute, Red Reed stood speechless. Then he strode forward, with his right band extended; saying, in the most on manper, and with an apologetic “Pedro Pernales, you astonished me greatly by your words, at first; but, upon a momert’s ee ee | | — — ea eee ee ———™ The Crimson Coyotes. ees ee ae eee dignation, as much as you merit my thanks for your faithfulness to me to-day. ‘*T know, as you have truthfully said, it has veen at the risk of your own life, ‘* Here’s my band! I have been selfish, I ad- mit; but, bear with me, for 1 am nearly wild with thé way in which everything has gone against us, and which I did not think possible. ‘*We are pards, you andI, I hope to the death! Let us sink, or swim, together. If I get a little wild and unreasonable now and then, excuse it; and consider how all my plans have been frustrated. I am a hunted outlaw, ou tell me, and I believe you! ‘* But, I'll follow your advice in regard to the brandy, taking no more than is actually neces- sary; for I begin to see that, by drink, I am not only jeopardizing my own life, but the lives of my friends, ‘Shake, pard Pedro! some coffee,” The Mexican at once extended his hand, with a look of gratification and pleasure; as near as his villainous face could express such feelings, and returned— ‘* With pleasure, capitan; and, if you con- tinue to feel as your words bave just expressed, 1 reckon we sball skin through to-night, ‘‘ Now that you seem to have reg»rined your senses, I feel much relieved; for I tell you frankly, it will be no easy night for us, If we see to-morrow’s sun without having accom- plished half what we have laid out for ourselves, we'll be lucky men, ‘* We'll say no more, however, but drink our coffee; and then it will be time for us to be moving. I have three horses, fully equipped, near at band; and we mu:t make a half circle around the city, and a wide one at that.” ‘You're right again, Pedro. I begin to feel better already. Remember, we stick together, through thick and thin. If one goes under, both of usdo. Now, all being understood, we'll win, or die trying!” Silently, the trio partook of the evening meal, each busy with thoughts of tbe night's work ahead; which, after eating, was talked over, Reed appeared rather more like himself, al- though his aa a was strikingly wild and desperate still. After sunset, all three mounted their mus- tangs, and, keeping within the cover of the mes- quites for some distance, until their forms could no longer be recognized, hey proceeded to the rendezvous: meeting the twelve Greasers whom Pedro had hired, in the chaparral, south of the Alamo City. This bad been previously ar- ranged, By that time, darkness bad settled upon the earth; and the accomplishment of darker crimes ruled the brains of the ‘‘ Crimson Coyotes,” under the leadership of El Capitan Reed, the cowardly seducer, robber, and assassin! CHAPTER XXII, )} ESS HUMAN THAN BRUTES. A MORE desperate party of villainous cut- throats than the ‘‘Crimson Coyotes,” were probably never gotten together. Nearly all of them were attired in tattered garments, they being mostly Mestizoes, or balf- breeds, and the most vicious looking of their class that can be imagined. It was evident to Rodney Reed, at a glance, that they bad been ‘‘night-birds,” of the Alamo City for a time only; having come from the Rio Grande, and squandered all the money they bad at monte, and in liquor. Reed knew that, sbould it come toa fizbt, on a forced retreat towa:d the Rio Grande, t! ose vagabonds would desert him, unless their pock- ets were lined with his gold. He realized the necessity of proving himself a liberal leader, and able to reward his followers; and his fury was intense against Nita Nichols, for baving taken the vast fortune be had risked so much in obtaining. As soon, therefore, as he had shaken the hand of each of those, who were to serve under bis leadership, he bade Pedro to direct them all to remain as they were; keeping good watch, until he returned. Then, with his Mexican pard ph liad pena him, the pair proceeded as near as was possible to the casa of Mrs. Nichols, with the horses, and not betroy their approach. They then left the animals, secured to the mesquites, and crept, in a stealthy manner, to- ward the dwelling, approaching the same at the rear, The treachery cf Nita toward bim greatly maddened Reed; for he had believed her to be utterly incapable of wronging him, in the least. The nearer be came totbe bouse, in which be believed she was—and, as he hoped, the lost booty as well—tbe more his vile and vindictive nature was aroused. ‘*What skall we do to gain an entrance?” in- quired Pedro, *‘ Smash in the door, if they don’t open it! We must rush things, right on the jump. Come! Blood, reverge and gold; and then, for my beauty, Nora Norrington!” Both darted, knives in hand, and revolvers And now, let us have thought, | begin to feel that 1 deserve your in- slipped to the front on their belts, ready for use, -2--—— —-- ~~ — toward the rear door of the casa; but, without making the slightest noise. The moon had not, as yet, risen; and, conse- quently, it was quite dark, Beneath the closed window-shutters of the room in which Pedro had obtained the boot, shone a faint light from a burning candle. The miscreants listened, but all was still. *‘T’'ll bet my life, she’s not inside!” bissed Red Reed; ‘she’s gone again to the Norringtons. By the eternal, 2’ll strangle her!” Pedro tapped lightly on the door. There was no answer. This served to increase Reed’s fury. Leaving against the side of the dwelling was a spade—the same that had been used by Nita and her mother, in burying the only bag of gold which the former bad brought from tha Ban Pedro, Thitber, the girl was now making her way, for the remainder of the plunder. Had this not been so, the villains would have met a warm reception. Mrs. Nichols had also left the casa, a moment after ber daughter, to discuss with a neighbor the dread occurrence of the previous night, When tbe door had been tried by Reed, and found barred, he uttered a terrible oath. Then, grasping the spade, be thrust it under the sbut- ter, throwing bis whole weight upon the handle. Instantly the blind flew outward, disclosing the fact that there wes neither sash nor glass. There was no one within. A candle was upon a table, burn’ng: and a curse burst from the lips of Red Reed, as he caught a view of the sleeping babe. Even Pedro was startled, when he saw the murderous expression on the wretch’s face. Could it be, thought the Mexican, that Reed would murder the innocent child—his own flesh and blood? It seemed impossible. Such an unnatural, inhuman crime could not possibly be thought of. But the desperation and fury of the baffled villain, seemed to increase every moment. He sprung inside, Pedro following bim. ‘Search every place in the accursed bole!” he cried. ‘‘ Why, tbe fiends, is it that bad luck follows us? This speaks not well for the night. I was positive we'd find Nita here, and cholze the truth outof her. She sball die, if 1 ever catch her. I’Jl prove to ber that she can’t play her tricks on Red Reed. She'll find proofs of my presence, when sbe returns!” be wretch wes now more like a madman than a sane being. Rushing toward the bed, be caught up the child, and drew his sharp bowie quickly across the little white throat! Pedro bad detected the intention of bis white pard; but, knowing that it would be useless to attempt to save the babe’s life, be rushed into the next apar‘ ment, muttering, in borror: ‘‘ Diablo! Mucho diablo capitan!” _ The superstitions Mexican, from tbat mo- ment, believed that everything attempted by them would be a failure; that a curse would be put upon Red Reed, and all who were with bim. Even to that depraved Greaser, the crime was horrible—muost horrible! Not a hope of recovering the treasure did Pedro entertain after that terrible scene: the knife of the inbuman monster bad necr’y sey- ered the head of the child from the body! It was a sight, to cause one to regret bavin been created in the same form as such a fiend. Even, in his frantic fury, the morster had drawn down the spotless covering of the couch, and wiped his bowie-blade upon the sheet, He then placed the tiny body in a natural ition and drew up the bed-clothes, thus hiding all treces of blood, or deatb. The face of the murderer was fearful to look upon. His teeth were clinched, and eyes fixed in a stony stare upon his fiendish work. But this was only for a moment, Then, with a fiendish yell, be bounded back- ward; the cry, so unearthly, bringing bis pard, - in alarm, from the other apartment. bat he beheld, was Red Reed, with bottle upturned, drinking as though bis life depended upon it. Pedro did not even glance toward the bed, or betray in any way that be was aware cf the hellish crime that Reed had committed; for be felt sure that the murderer would become more excited, rendering it more dangerous to bim- self, did he make any show of his abhorrence of the dastard deed. It appeared, as Reed shot a glance at Pedro, that tho former was Repel relieved; for he undoubtedly thought his accomplice was not aware of what bad transpired sence, “I know what you would tell me,” he cried out, gold. Here, drink; for the trail of blood*will soon oo The Rio Grande cattle-buyers must furnish it, if our own does not turn up.” Pedro took the proffered bottle, and drank; for the recent monstrous crime of his confeder- ate affected him strangely. 7 Well the Mexican knew that, for that crime, Red Reed would bave to die by the band of Nita Nichols, if by no other. She would fellow the slayer of her babe, even to the ends of the earth, for her revenge. | uring bis ab- EO gs) (E| O00) “You have not found any trace of,cur — (E(o) - oe ee