Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 328 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

ity ———s er —— eee ee etter aetna cinta ata ei en aaa - : —_ we —— ee eee - —- se r - - ~:~ “e+ 2s =r - = o a e ~ — — “ ae ‘= eo me “ es — ——— S —~— _ = -+-cer «& | ef Darin’ Dick an’thrr Tonk bev wipe] out ther 20 their condition was then a most sad and dep\orable one, Their clothing hung in tatters, having been torn by the thorny bushcs, and they were both very pale and dej.cted in appearance. Almost coustanily galloping, with little rest and less sle and this sleep, more of @ stupor, accom- panied by cold sweats and dread visions—had left them but the shadows of themselves. The spir.t of defiance and indignation, manifested on the first portion of the journey, had vani-hed. The poor girls were now equaily hopeless, and de- s airing of rescue. The distance they had travel-d from the Leon seemed four times as great. as it really was, through the sufferings of mind and body | they had experienced. The position chosen for the camp, by the outlaws, was ata point wh re the bank was perpendicular; | King Kent. they'll never see again, and no more will you, Lola Landers! ‘ But you shall see Daring Dick die. He shall die a lingering death before your eyes. I'll punish him for daring to love one that I had taken a fancy to. Yes, he dies—and by my hand! I have sworn it. ** i'm a desperate devil, Lola Landers, I shot my own father, after having robbed him of his gold. Expect no mercy from me, You are mine, and you cannot escape me! *Do you bear me, Lola? It’s my turn now. I pleaded for your hand in marriage. Now you shall, on your bend d knees in the dust, beg cnd plead to be made a wife—the wife of a parricide. Ha! ha! ‘* Excuse me, ladies; I must get a drin‘.” " he poor girls were silent in their agony. Their mental torture was t: r:ible. They could only cling to each other, in desperation | it being some ten feet from the surface cf the river, | and dread. acd where they could easily procure water, for cook- ing and drinking. The trees he. from he ground. It was, tuerefore, a most fayor- atle place to cncamp. | i Aloug halt had een made, during the hottest | pnw of the previ. us Cay; and this enabled the | bandits to travel far ivto the night, when it was | cool. Yet rest was pleasant, when it came. Fires were :oon blazing, tnere being dry wood in abundance, and immediately cooking was in pro- gress. The P28 captives were permitted to recline upon a number of outspread blankets, King Kent regaled himsclf with whisky, and ane the leafy carpet; at times peering around at Ina «nd Lola _ The paricide had been drinking to excess for such & leneth of t me, that he was now past «ating food; Wilder and more g.aring had his blood-shot ey«s become, and he was nervous and restless, starting at the slightest noise in his vicinity, In truth, he w s on the borders of :/e’irium tremenge, The bandi*‘s all knew this, and they kept closo watch upon him; especially Big Bill, who was act- ing chief, by the request of the majority, for they did not consider King Kent in a fit condition to rely upon in an emergency. They believed thet the rancheroes were on their trail, but they were confident they had traviled so far, and had had such sufficient start in advance, that they were safe until the following day. Then they could select a position c«asy of defense, and defy any force that might threateo them, In the midst of King Kent's pacing back and forth, he sudaenly halted; and a wild, unnatural h burst from his lips, c using the blood of Lola and Edna to chill with borror, and the bandits to cease eating, and stare at their chief, The maiagens were striving to eat, although they hed but little appetite. King K:ntseemed to have been suddenly struck | wits an agree: ble ides, though his laugh was far from agreeable to h: ar. e pick ‘«l up a canteen of whisky, and drank co- ' and bring to the front all thcir superstitious fears, - Then hestredeto where Lig Billsat upon | II io ihe ground, with Crooked Cerl and others, eating. * Bill ” .aid the | andit chief, ‘* how far is it {o the b’g bend, where Antonio was to camp with the mer 8s. and wait for us?" ‘*Tlit’s "bout a mile *bove hyer, Cap. We-uns ’ll strike hit in ‘her morniug,” ‘| reckon ycu've f rgot something, Bill.”’ “Whatair yer mind runnin’ on row, Cap?” ““Why, vou know well that Daring Dick followed the trail of the Greacers cnd the mares. Ho’s had | time before this to overtake Antonio. That inrernal Tonkaway was with him, and pe haps they have svot the Gveasers, turned the herd back anc toward the Colorado on the other side of this river an the timber. We couldn’t seo them, if they have. ‘*Now, by Hades! tkis won’t do. I'll have that Tick’s heart’s blood! I’ve sworn ft, and I don't want to be turned back fo the Colorad. to kill the upstart. Ireckon lv: better Jump my nag, and ride up river to investigafe.”’ **An’I reckon yer'd better not Cap. This air a ormigh y at gy bles section 0° ther country row, I[ tell yer: an’ thar’s no tellin’ what sorter danger yer moucht slov ri ht inter. ** Wait ontil morning, Cap. Don’t yer know thet Greasers, they'll hev ter lincer » couple o’ days. cn ’count o’ ther mares bein’ broke up arter tha'r long run?’ | | ‘** Darned if you ain’t right, Bill! We've got dead. woo | on that cussed Dick and his red parc, haven't we?"’ “Yer kin jist bet, Cap. Wa-al,I sbould cackle, an’ crow, too!”’ ‘*Hang me,if T don’t torture them both, before the very eyes of the girls!" *Come an’cat something, Cap. Hit'll co vera heap o’ good. Ye're gittin’ shaky "bout ther brain- bex an’ blue ‘roun’ ther gills, Ef yer doesn’t eat, yer'll go nlum lJunified.” * Thanks, Bill, but IT couldn't eat a bite. It would anche me. I'll drink though, as long as there's any whisky.” “Ef ther whisky gives out, yer'll go under, sure an’ sart’in, Cap.” ‘We'll get plenty on the Rio Grande. I'm goin to rush things and buy out come old Castilian, an livs in a cos, witha host of p.vo.e. We must push har! for Mexico.” ‘*We've pushed too blamed hard now, Cap. fer ther g cd o’ ther critters." But King Kent did not hear Big Pill’s last as- sertion, for he had turned around, and gone toward the inclosure where Elna and Lola lay. R moving bis sombrero, and bowing with mock politeness the bandit captain spoke: ** Ladies, I salute you, and trus: you sre as com- for able os can be exp°cted under the circum- stunces. Iam pleased to state that we! ave neared the point where Antonio, Juan, and Francisco were to await our ervivel, “Daring Dick went on their trail, and he has, doubiless; by this time, not only Ciscovered them, but probabiv bas shot all three of them, and gotten pescession of the horses. “The Tonkaway is with him, and I reckon they'll make the worl) hum, if thev’re allosed to gatherin the mares, and get back tutbe Leon. Lut the Leon rr a — - --— rone | | ging, tearing up the dead Jeaves with his fingers, | | whirled, and Then a sight met his view that curcled his blood, | | But he. ' ordered imaginatioz; and be grated his teeth. and | swore that d _ ward them came that dread thing in human yap eM c They feared the return of the dastard, and Edna | caught up a knife, she had in some way obtained; no limbs for at least fifteen feet determined to plunge the blade in King Kent’s heart, did he 1 approach them, Meanwhile, pipe, lit it, and sauntered to the upper side of the camp, and into the thickets. Reaching a log, he sat down on the ground beside it, and smoked; at times removing the pipe, and grinding his teeth. Thus he sat for some time. when he suddenly eeped above the dead log, and chilled the very marrow in his bones. fought back the fr ght and horror, having sufficient | sense remaining to rvcall the fact that, of late, he | had bcheld all manner of fearful shapes and un- _ earthly sights, which he knew were born of strong indeed, the sceut of the frying baccn mace him sick, | drink. That which he now beheld, he believed, upon a. moment's refle tion, to be aiso a picture of his dis- 6 would brave it—that he would ad- vance tuward it. until it vanished. What did he see? A horrible sight, indeed! It was neither more nor less than a score of hid- eously-painted and feather-bedizened Comanches, all upon hands and knees and with bows and arrows clutched, and snake-like eyes glittering from out the bars of vermilion and ghastly-white gypsum. These bileous heads were projecting from many thickets. and from out the green foliage or vines, their whole bodies being visible in some instanccs, and a few with bars cof silvery moonlight shining down upon them and giv.ng to them a still mure fiendish appearance. All had stopped in their slow, onward creeping, as the head of King Kent proj cteld ovcr the log, bis twitching facial nerves, his bloodshot and glaring eyes, tangl’d hair and corpse-like skin, together with his clinched teeth, from which the lips curled b ck—this strange sight. indeed, tending to awaken causing the entire perty to halt staring wildly. And then, to the dread horror and dumfounded amazement of the Comanches, over the log came the terrible head, arms, body, legs—and then, down up»n the earth, cn the side toward them! Slowly, an] with eyes fixed and bulging, on to- The sup-rstitions savages were chained to t postions paralyzed; when suddenly, panther-like, ng Kent sprung upon tho nearest brave, expecting tat his hand; would meet Lut «mpty air. + But w' env he struck a warm, quivering, solid body, which sprung upward. the jightninz is scarce qui. ker than were the movements of the p»rricide. \\ ith the mos’ piercing shrieks of terror he bound- ed back over the log, tearing througb the thickeis and into the cap: There he fell to the earth, writhing and strug- gnashing his tceth and f aming at the mouth, ie eyes glaring like those of a wounded panther at ay. ' ut not a sound had left thelips of the Comanches to betr Pi t*eir presence, Indeed, their tonrues bad been powerless and oe muscles rigid with the extreme of superstitious error. CHAPTER XXVII. A CHANGE OF CAPTORS. Tue bandits. as toe unearthly shriek of their lead. r sounded with terrific distiuctn ss,echoing in a most startling manner through natural arch and dome, and sounding up and down the limb-car- opied river, sprung to their feet in the utmcst amazement, not unmixed with apprehension, al- though they bad looked for some violent outbreak from their chief. They at once rushed to the sufferer, and Big Bill called loully for a lariat. T e rawhide rope was at ence produced, and the giant bandit i »mediately secured on* end about the bouy of Kin Keut, under his arms, crying out: “Pick him up, boyees, an’ heave him over ther bank inter ther drink! Hits ther only way ter fotch him *roun’ ter biz."’ This cr ‘er was sh een obeyed Ths struggling, howling parricide was hurled afar out from the bank into the dark rollivg waters. The two captive maidens had sprung to their feet in horror, as the shrievs of their brutal persecuter reached them; and they now stood, locked in each other's arms, eaping or support against a tree and trembling violently, while their eyes were fixed upon the dastard who had so wronged them; as he darted from the undergrowth in fright and hor- ror. The arms of King Kent were extended forward, as he kounded on. as if all the furi s were after bim; his hat being gone, his long unkempt bair flying in the wind created by his speed, and his repulsive face being almost corpse like. As he was rushing thus directly toward them, they still retaining in their minds his recent most insulting and threatening words, their alarm was great indeed; end, at once the power of articula- | tion was frestored to them, Loud cries came from | each, Edna clutching the knife she had secured, | ane nerving herself to plunge the weapon into his | reast. ! But King Kent fell in a fit before he could reach iit EE TC s/t —— he miscreant, having procured a_ ee the inclosure of saddles, within which his captives stood; and the maidens gazed in horror at bis con- tortions—soon being relieved, however, for they be- lieved the miscreant was in the death-strupgle, A horrible fascination beld the gaze of Edna and Lola, weak and trembling as they were; and both watched each movement of the outlaws a: the atl King Kent into the watcrs of the Rio San aha, But no sooner had this curse of their young lives disappeared over the bank than the srell was broken; and the gaze of the maiden was withcrawn from the river-bank, only to euccunter a more dread ' and hormble spectacle. This was nothing else than, as it seered to them, bLundreds of hiceous. print-daubed faces, | crowned with hair and flaunting f atheis; with pig- ment-smeared breasts. bows and ariows, ana bl. ck | glittering eyes, nad with revenge and b.codthirsty in expression! Thi s* came crawling from the thickets from which King Kent | ad sprung in his terror, As the horror-stricken maidens gazed they saw the red fiends rise stceaithily to their feet—saw arrows quickly fitted to bow-strings—and then Edna. quiv- ering and shricking, grasped Lola in her aims and forced her down beneath the well cf saddles and provisions. There both the girls lay deathly sick and weak as infants,in fearful apprehension of what was to follow. All this was in a moment's time, while yet Bi Bill and many of the outlaws stood cn the bank, an watched for the reappearance of King Kcnt above the surface, Just then, one of the guards rushed from the *“ open” where the horses were staked, and Leheld the Comanches, who were pazing toward the group cn the river-bank, with bews half bent, and the drawing breath for thir terrible war-whoop; the superstitious fears having been dissipated, by watch- ing the contortions of King Kent, and the prumpt actions of the outlaws, Instantly the bandit guard gave utterance to a Sing yell of warning, jerked bis revolver, and opened e. At the same instant. the bandits on the bank whirled about, and the dread, blood curdling war- whoop of the Comanches, frcm every savage threat, rung and echoed through the timber of the San A flight of arrows hurtled and glinted in the fire- light, through the outlaw corp. The rattling dis- charge of revolvers immeciately followed; big Bill dropping the rope, to which King Kent was secured. Then followed a most termble sc ene—one that was, indeed. horrible, while yell, and whoop. and death-howl sounded, amid clesh of steel, and the re pid tramping of booted and moccasined feet, in desperate struggle for life and death. ib dole blades slashed through flesh and bone and Llood spurted through tbe air, and over the leaves; all this. accompanied by the splashing of waters, ag the terror-stric en bandits sprung into the river, to escape the certain death they saw before them. Completely apralled were ine by the hideous In- dians, who were furiously maddened by their losses cf men and mustangs. The desperate fight was of short curation. Then the victory whoop cf the Comanches rung Icud and exultant—noct a bandit beirg within view except the dead and dying. wlo lay with the dead and dying red-men; mecnctonous and eguttural chants sounding weirdly abcut the scene of Ceath! Proudly and exultantly. Rolling Thunder stood, with blor d-drivping | nife and reekirg scalps in big hands—the corquering red king of that savage ecene—the whocp of victory scunding hoarse and deep as the roar of a buffalo-bull, l.ud through the shades of the Sn Saba. Ten bandits lay, stark, gore-em:«aree and gashed inaterrib'e manner. All were scalpless, and man with feathered shafts projecti' g from their booieg; their sightless eyes and horribly contorted faceg stamped with terror and agony. And fifteen Comanches lay also. here and there, slain with bullet and knife. or wcunded and dying; the latter having been reclined uyon the bodies o the dead, to chant their deat)-songs, ss the brights and verdant valley lay beyend the mcon, where the grass is ever green. the rivers always flow, gi me abounds in plenty, and the mustangs are as fleet «8 the wind—all this, revealed to their view; : nd, 10 reach which, they must traverse the “long dark trail,”’ with their beads urescalped, And. t»rough all this, Erna end Lola Isv tremb- ling in borror, anda dreed that wes de: thly; their breath coming and gciog in gasps—they still un- seen by the Indians. But they dared not rise, and attempt to ercape; fearing discovery and ceath, the momc nt their headg appeared above the wall of seddk s. olling Thunder end bis braves did rot lose sight cf the fact that they were without Fors:s, Irdeed this was upp+1 most in their mines, a1 d velved their crms for most desprrate fight: and et once the chief o'dered a dozen cf his braves to scatter through the timber. in search of the bandits, A signal yell. preceded by a cry of agony, proved that they had not only discovered the horses but had slain the remaining puard, who ] od doubtless been asleep. The warriirs who remained ip the carp, tore the arms and clothing ficm the slain bandits: hacking the serrelers cley with savage ferocity, aud then Lurled the muti ated cor:ses into the river. Their own dead were placed, side by side, at the south of the camp.and their wounded laid upon the blankets of the bandits; their Lerds and s} oul- dere supported ty seddles, which were takin from the little walled irclosure, witLin which were the terrified T.ola and Exlna, It was when the breves went for these raddles that the captive maidens were discovered, Red Snake having reported that they were ¥ ith the party of whites. But, as they had net beer seen, they were supposed to have been s'ain; #s ag were known to be captives. through the epics having watched the bandits, since the latter reached the Colorado, An exultant yell eal'ed the attention of Relling Thunder, and he strode to the inclosure, nttering a “Uh ’ of su prise and joy, as he beheld the white sq awws, ‘Both maidens tottered to their feet, and leaneé Goimichbooks.co