Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 322 — page 9: what you’re looking at

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

a -~ primitive manner; but neatness and good taste were noticeable on every side. Both house and furniture indicated that the dwellers were of the better class of Mexicans. Let us enter. Seated beside a white-spreac couch, is a beau- Ee os The Crimson Coyotes. sombrero, further disguising herself by throw- ing a serupe of brilliant colors over her shapely shoulders, Leaving her sleeping babe and her anxious mother, who had neither the will nor character to control her daughter in the least, Nita lighted before abandoning ber purpose, Much relieved, but still greatly mystified, was Nita, at that which followed . 9 | ever; even resolving to risk ber life, if need be, The Greasers, as they came up, gave utter- ance to peculiar whistles, which caused Pedro tiful woman, who is watching the slumbers of | a shuck cigarette and, leaving her home, pro- an infant with maternal solicitude. It is the | ceeded down the street south, and then turned same evening on which took place the interview | toward the San Pedro Creek. to open the door of the jacal, and rusb out, re- volver in hand, beneath the very tree in which Nita was concealed. between Clarence and Nora, near the river. It is a girlish-looking, but fully developed fe- male that we see before us; and her appearance and surroundings show ber to be beyond her class in many ways. A book lies open near her, and on the fly-leaf | moon, is written in a masculine hand, ‘‘NITA NICHOLS.” ‘‘Tre Girt or Ropney REED,” Nita Nicbols is the nameof the young woman —a name which denotes the truth; that is, that the one who bears it is the child of an American father and a Mexican mother, At times the soft and maternal expression upon the young mother’s face would change suddenlv, her lovely features putting on the look of a fury, an expression not unusual among the daughters of the land of the Monte- zumas. It was plain to see that Nita Nichols had ‘,od eause for anger, for she was one who had en trained to keep ber passions under con- trol, Nita had enjoyed the advantages of the ex- cellens scbools of the Alamo City, and spoke English as fluently as she did Spanisb! Sue bad been infatuated, deceived and dis- aced by none other than Rodney Reed—de- uded with the promise of marriage, which bad, from time to time been deferred, under various pretexts, Her patience wes at length exbaust- ed, and she bad that day vowed that the father of her child sbould attend her to the padre, reel ge the little one a name, or die by her at And she was the one to keep her oath. In the adjoining apartment wase middle-aged woman, with traces of fading beauty. This was the mother of Nita. The husband and father had long been dead. Juanita Nichols felt the disgrace of her posi- tion much more than would a pure-blooded Mexican girl of the same station in life, and that, for the reason that she had associated a great deal with Americans. - The villain, who really feared the girl whom he had so shamefully wronged, had always soothed her anger by well-chosen words, assert- ing that he would soon be in a position finan- cially not only to make her his wife but to pur- chase an elegant and even princely home for herself and her widowed mottier. But so many flattering stories bad the scoun- dre] poured into ber ears, which bad proved but as the winds that blew, that Nita gave the last no more cred‘t than she now did the first, Being naturally of a very passionate and jealous disposition, she bad formed a suspicion that her seducer had some other maiienin view as a prospective wife. Her love, in fact, was now fast changing to hate, and had it not been for the sake of ber child, she would not have entertained any longer the thought of linking her life to such a villain. As it was, she had not the slightest in- tention of living with Rodney Reed after the ceremony was performed. . At the time we introduce Nita Nichols, she had satisfied herself that Reed had some scheme of villainy on foot, after the cousummation of | ee ee OO EEO She passed over the little stream, and when not observed, down along the bank of the same beneath the willows, By this time, it was dark in the thick shade of the trees, but beyond, it was lit up by the All was dark, too, inside the miserable jacal which she sought; but Nita believed that the Mexican was within, and she therefore con- tinued her course very ceutiously. She climbed a tree, and ensconced herself among the branches directly over the thatched roof of the little jacal. For a long time, the patient young woman remained in hiding, bearing no sound within; when, suddenly ber attention was attracted by the stealthy approach of some one. Soon, sbe recognized in the man who neared the hovel, her villainous betrayer. She felt that ber coming had been most op- portune, She was positive she would now be able to gain much information of the character that she sought, Nita heard plainly, so near was she, the pecu- liar taps upon the door; and she impressed the signal upon her mind, She heard, too, the challenge of Pedro, and the opening and shutting of the door; and she stole down from the tree, and crouched by the corner of the jacal, placing her ear to the space between two of the upright pickets, which formed its sides. Thus posted, ske heard every word that passed between Reed and Pernales. She knew tbat the former had murdered Nor- man Norrington! Sbe also beard all in connec’ion with the proposed robbery of the safe, and the story of Reed's hurling the stone at Clarence Coleman. Having heard previously of the suspected in- timacy between young Coleman and the bank- er’s daughter, Nita was not long in deciding, that the enmity of ber seducer against bis fel- low clerk was caused bythe jealousy of the former. He had now murdered his employer, for the purpose of removing bim from his path; but, principally, that he might fasten the guilt of the crime upon Clarence. The next step would be, to marry Nora Norrington, or else add her to the list of his victims. Nita was borrified. Still, she was even more resolute than before, in her pu She still remained concealed in the tree: regaining ber position when the two miscreants left the goon . Pedro, she knew, would soon return with the proceeds of the projected rob- bery. Tt she could but secure this ill-gotten booty Nita Nichols felt that it would go far toward the accomplishment of her revenge; and, could sbe also get possession of the blood-stained clothing of tbe assassin, she would have proofs indisputable of Rodney Reed’s guilt. Then, too, when the villain would no longer have the means wherewith to reward his tools, they would be ready to turn against him. Therefore it was, that Nita, in her disguise, awaited the return of Pedro; but a portion of her time was well occupied, for she succeeded in removing with her dagger, from the opposite corner to that in which the two men fer g eo which she believed his intention was to leave | during the sage Fae Reed’s apparel, a por- the city forever. Her mind had become greatly | tion of the dry reed ecitated upon seeing him enter the mansion of Norman gat a beautiful young lady. After this discovery she of male attire, and disguised in it, bad played the spy upon her recreant lover, following him, but never except when the shadows of night bad enveloped the earth. : Nita bad found out but little, bowever, in con- nection with Reed’s plottings, but she had ascer- tained that be had closely associated himeelf with Pedro Pernales, whom she knew to be a lawless Mexican, who had a particularly bad reputation. Indeed, Pedro was the ackno.|l- edged leader of a party of ladrones, who fre- y 7A ne San Antonio by night and had a ren- ezvous at the most miserable locali'y on the San Pedro in the western part of the city. Upon mentioning this to her mother, Nita was delighted to learn that Pernales was an escaped on from the estate of her own grandparents on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, A consultation between mother and danghter resulted in the latter’s deciding to seek out Pedro, and gain from bim al] the information possible in regard to Ro2ney Reed. Nita was pow waiting for the evening shades, in order that she might with more safety seek pa age of Pedro Pernales, ot long had she to wait. She attired herself in the costume mentioned, twisting her abundant bair compactly on the top of her head aad then covering it with the atch. Through the space thus made she was enabled to descend into the orrington, on the veranda of which | jacal, To conceal this opening, the cunning spy pro- bad procured a suit | cured a piece of an old cow hide, which she per- ceived lying beneath the tree, with which she covered over the opening; but, leaving it in such @ manner that it could be readily pulled from the aperture. She was much excited, upon the return of Pedro Pernales, with evidently a heavy burden upon his shoulder; for she feared the Greaser would search about his hovel for any lurker, having such poet cause to be guarded against robhers, the ty being now in his possession. Yet, dangerous as was her position, Nita again sprung to the grou:d, and listened: bein resulved to ascertain, by the movements o Pedro, in what portion of the but he had secreted the plunder. She had beard Reed tell bis confederate, that a large fortune would be secured from the safe of the old banker; and she fully understood the importance of her erro | at her post, But the consternation of the young woman mav be imagined, when she perceived three ruffianly-looking Mexicans, rushing toward the jacal and her place of concealment, Although it was absurd to suppose that her presence was known, yet she trembled for a moment; but soon she braced herself, and drew her dagger, awaiting, with bated breath, the events that were to follow, More determined, if possible, was she than In a basty manner and voice, one of the men explained the situation. hey wanted horses and money, as they were to start in pursuit of Clarence Coleman, wbo had escaped the lyncbers. Red Reed was at the Norrington Mansion, witb the mob; and all would be lost, if Coleman got away scot free. Pedro, at once, ordered each of the Greasers assirng them, hur- e then locked the door, and bidding them follow bim, they de- to take a saddle and bridle; riedly, a handful of gold, parted in haste. CHAPTER Xi. NO FURY LIKE A WOMAN SCORNED. Nita NICHOLS was nearly wild witb excite- ment, after hearing the words of the trio of Mexicans. She knew that Pedro had gone with them to rocure tbe required borses, and that be was iable to return in a very few minutes, There was not a moment tos . Her life would be in danger while sbe remained in the hovel, yet the heroic and determined girl did not hesitate. Indeed, she descended the tree at once, and climbing another, dropped from the branches upen the thatched roof. To ber great joy, sbe saw thata cardie was burning behind the screen of bides in the corner, where Rodney Reed had changed his attire. She sprung down, and ran toward it. Pedro, in the baste and excitement, caused by the arrival of his three confederates, who had been totally unexpected, hed left the candle burning, by mistake. He had also left the sack, containing the proceeds of the robbery, plainly in view. The first examination made by Nita, revealed itb a shudder, the bundle of bloody clothing. she clutched it, and runnin through the aperture upon back, pushed it up e root. Then, with rapid movements, she grasped bundles of papers, and small bags of gold, hurl- n ing them out the same manner. n avery short time, the treasure wae all re- moved; and then, almost instantly the daring oung woman was upon the roof, beside the Saale that she had taken. and they were in the shade of the willows, pee in regard to she knew was too heavy to be carried away. One after another, she pressed the bags beneath the soft mud of the San Pedro, near tothe bank; and the current washed over, leaving nothing to show that it Already had been disturbed. she had formeda the bulk of the gold, which The next instant, ehe Retaining but one of tbe bags, which she at- tached to her belt, Nita took the bundle of clothes, and the arm; and, with ckages of pa er dagger in her serape hiding all from view, she to start. rs, on her er right hand, ready left At that very moment, she beheld the form of Pedro Pernales, stealing toward the jacal; and she darted south, along the bank of the San Pedro. After a time, she balted; but there were no sounds of pursuit. She now felt safe, and sure of success in ber scheme, Nita Nichols had often seen, and she had heard much of Clarence Coleman; and she knew that ct and esteem of be was one, who had the res all. tinguish between true and false manhood, She bad moments, when she could not forgive herself—when she looked back, with a feeling that she must have been insane, to have ever put confidence in such a villain as Reed. Too late, the poor girl bad learned to dis- Yet, she bad sworn, that the father of her nameless boy should never wed another while she lived; and more, that she would yet bury her dagger in bis heart! But, while the wretch liv: ; she would torture bim. This very night, she had been almost mira- culousl favored, toward the accomplishment of her oath, and it gave Nita great joy, to picture to herself the fury of ney d, when be found that the wealth, for which he had risked so much, had already been wrested from him. She believed that. when Pedro informed Reed, that the gold, which they had stolen, had been s‘olen from them, the oiled miscreant would charge his accomplice with the deed, and would strive to kill him. Such were the thoughts, that flashed through the mind of Nita, as shes ‘* Madre de bomeward, Dios !” exclaimed her mother, as she dashed in, through the rear door, and threw the pac then whirling about, and barri This done, the es which she carried, to the floor: the door. rl stood with her back against the same, panting, and with flushed face and blazing eyes. ‘Don’t say a word, mother!” she exclaimed, in a hushed voice, and with difficulty, for she was pearly prostrated with fatigue; ‘‘ wait un- com (S JOO cS (Elo) —— ee