Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 380 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

— 3 ——_ SS por Dios !” you, my friend. Come! shall we effect a com- promise? . ' ‘Let us fly together. We will retain our re- spective dresses, so that if we are taken [ can prove my innocence, If we escape, when we are ina place of safety you shall be released from so uncomfortable a situation.” ‘Tn all, Iam to dance attendance upon your pleasure?” ‘‘Come! Iam more generous than you. You would make me the scapegoat for your terrible crime. I only ask security that justice shall be done if the worst befalls us. If we escape with life, shall I not have to rest under the odium of this deed which I never committed? Is that nothing?” Don Giacomo sat panting with baffled rage. He could see no way but to succumb, galling, as it was to his vanity. This woman had twisted him about her finger from the first. Accursed be the day when he had first yielded to, her spe- cious reasoning! But if he must yield now, he would have re- vengel—oh! he would have revenge! A da surely comes which makes all things even! He is a good hater who is a good waiter. When that day came for him! How could he requite this ignominy? He would have all the interven- ing time to study up something that would sat- isfy his hatred. “You consent?” asked the Golden Serpent. “ Needs must when the devil drives!” quoted | Don Giacomo, in Spanish. ‘Turn your back to me, then.” He complied. ‘*‘ Now drop your weapons on the ground,” “How! Lam to go unarmed?” “Do you think me foolish?) This is an un- avoidable inconvenience. You might take a notion to turn the tables on me, my friend.” ‘ But I swear to you—” “‘ Oaths are breath! Drop your weapons, as I tell you!” He yielded with a fierce muttered oath. “Good! You will have to look to me for pro- tection until it is safe to restore your arms to you. Now we will begin our flight together. When it is necessary for me to sleep I shall have to bind you, so that you shall be unable to play me a trick; but, believe me, I shall put you to no unnecessary inconvenience.” All day long they fled; and at night true to her word, the Golden Serpent bound her victim securely. ; He had looked forward to this operation for a chance to spring upon and overpower her, But she out-generaled him. She first made him bind his own feet securely, and fasten them to tbe trunk of a tree. Then, while he lay upon his face, she put a noose about his neck, and tied the other end of the rope to another tree. He was thus unable to move, while she at her leisure tied his hands held behind his back. zg: In the morning they resumed their flight; but before the sun was two hours high they were sighted by their indefatigable pursuers, A yell, and the race began. ; ‘“My weapons!—my weapons!” cried Gia- como, . ; ““T fear your revenge, my friend!” said the Golden Serpent, coolly. ‘* Santo Dios! and will you leave me helpless? But, how my revenge? Could I betray you into their hands, when it must be apperent to all that I did the deed?” ‘Oh, no! there is no fear of your proceeding so clumsily. But you are ill mounted.” “Therefore the greater need that I have some means of defending myself, if I am overtaken, yourself, you might “But, unable to cape se me a sharer in your take the notion to ma fate. Misery loves company, you know; and [ confess that I am somewhat in your debt! Or you. might even be so ungenerous as to insist upon an exchange of horses!” “Curses on you! You have been ay, evil genius ever since I yielded to your fatal influ- ence ! I have suspected and feared you from the first. ‘* And loved me a little, my Giacomo? Come! it will be your last chance for the tender con- fession. And the Golden Serpent laughed. ‘‘You are the Siren—that loathsome monster who feasted on those who had the fatuity to love her!” groaned the Spaniard. . “Took you!” cried the Golden Serpent, with sudden fierceness. ‘I have no cause to love men overmuch. has been a game of wits between us. They have sought to please themselves, with little care as to the final result to me. If they occasionally find themselves caught in their own snare, have they just cause to condemn me? Dio mio! they are as coward- ly as stupid! of patis, my friend! it will be unfortunate for you if you can get no greater speed out of that animal. This one is capable of much greater effort.” ‘* How! dod you threaten to abandon me, when the very horse you ride is mine? ‘at ave to commen your judgment in select- ing him. I shall probably owe my life to him to-day. It is to be regretted tbat you had to } | | The Golden Serpent. take Adam Farley’s worn-out beast in effecting your escape. ‘* But must I immolate myself because you are taken? What good can my company do you? Good-by. I see that those fellows are not dis- posed to spare horse-flesh.” And she urged her animal ahead, followed by the hoarse curses of the man she abandoned. CHAPTER III. A CLEVER LIAR! ““TrHat infernal coward has shook her!” cried Tom Cosgrove, who was riding beside Ham Losier. ‘* Blast the Greaser! after!” replied Ham. ‘** The don has got a streak o’ greased lightnin’ under him. See! he’s walkin’ away from us hand over fist!” ‘** She knocked over Ad to take up with him,” said Losier, doggedly, as if that was the only point of importance. ** An’ now he’s shook her! By thunder! that’s the Spanish of it!” It was plain that the Golden Serpent, whom they mistook for Don Giacomo, was distancing the pursuit; but the fatigue of the horse which the miserable don indeed rode, was becoming momently more and more apparent, ‘*She’s bound to git the last jump out of him,” said Cosgrove. ‘Jest look at that! She’s the devil, through an’ through!” This comment was called forth by the mad desperation with which Don Giacomo was goad- ing his horse with whip and voice. The humili- ation of being caught In women’s clothes drove him frantic, even more than the fear of that ignominious death which was at worst the fate of men. But all was vain. His horse at last sunk under him. His enemies were upon him! He was lost! ‘*Good Lord, boys! what’s this hyar?” cried Tom Cosgrove. ‘‘Why, it’s the don in petticoats!” shouted another. He stood at bay. The worst had come, Wondering grins greeted him on all sides. ‘‘The don!” muttered Ham Losier, with a discontented frown. Though no one suspected it, his hatred was a personal one. -Under his er sea zeal to avenge Ad Farley, was the desire to settle an account of his own. His real purpose was to get the Golden Serpent in his power. The wily siren, seeing that he played jackal to the better man, and that he might serve as too faithful a watch over her, had befooled him, leading him on and ou until he had fatally com- mitted himself in treachery to his superior. Then, holding over him the threat of exposure, she had molded him to her will. That had turned his passion to that fiercest of hatred. He longed to get even with her, ‘* What in Cain air you doin’ in this fix?” he asked, angrily. ‘* Why, don’t you see?” cried Cosgrove, ‘It was him, an’ not the Golden Sarpent, that salt- ed Ad Farley!” ‘The deuce it was!” growled Losier, who was not so ready to see his would-be-victim slip through his fingers in this way. ‘* Didn’t you yourself say that it was the Golden Sarpent?” ‘Yes; an’ I thought it was. Don’t ye see that he’s got her clothes on? Put a mask on him; an’ Pll bet you couldn’t tell ’em apart. By jingo! he looks like her anyway!” But Ham Losier had unintentionally suggest- ed to the don, a way of escape from a part of his peril. The humiliation was inevitable; but he might yet ward off death. ‘*T am the victim of a most dastardly out- rage!” he cried, affecting such indignation that he could hardly speak. ‘‘ Accursed be the name of woman! From her first treachery in the Garden of Eden to this last infamous betrayal, she proves that she was conceived of the devil, and sent into the world to bring misery upon men! ‘Waal, shoot- me ef that thar ain’t good!” shouted Tom Cosgrove, roaring with laughter. ‘* What air ye tryin to git through ye?” de- manded Ham Losier. ° ‘* You see this nameless humiliation that has been put upon me?” cried Don Giacomo, gesticu- lating wildly. ‘‘I am made the laughing-stock of the world! And_this is the work of the vilest of her sex—of one who scarce an hour ago lay with her head on my breast, and swore that all of earth and heaven was in my arms! May all the fiends, assembled from the uttermost bounds of the infernal realm, pursue her!” This, thickly interlarded with sounding Span- ish oaths, madea very melodramatic execration, ‘““The leetle man’s riled!” declared Tom Cos- grove, nodding humorously to his companions, The grins with which they received this satire showed Don Giacomo that so far he had hood- winked them cleverly. They believed in the genuineness of his indignation. vam Losier’s frowning visage alone did not relax. ‘** You’d better be makin’ arrangements with It’s the woman we're “at (C(O) 3 heaven fur yourself,” he said, ‘‘ than to be send- in’ others down below.” **T am in your power,” said the don, ‘* But do you fancy that the fear of death weighs in comparison with this humiliation? Do you think that I remember Adam Farley’s rage when I think of the woman who has betray me even worse than she did him? Let him come! The worst that he can do is nothing) now,” ‘‘Him come!” repeated Losier, in astonish- ment. “Is it not the custom of you Americanos to avenge your own injuries?” asked Don Giacomo, ‘*In such a case as this, one would say it was a strange office to delegate to a friend.” “Why, the blasted Greaser!” cried Ham Losier, who, seeing the drift of the don’s words, was led, by his prejudice against the Golden Serpent, to yield a ready credence to this new view of the situation which began to dawn up- on him, ‘* What is it?’ asked Tom Cosgrove, who was slower of comprehension, ‘“ Why, curse him! he thinks that Ad could ’a’ come himself, if he’d wanted to!” ** And why not?’ asked the Spaniard, ‘ Does he care nothing for the loss—” ‘Why, blank your eyes! he’s dead!” “Dead! And how? Ah! Mother of God! you do not mean to say that Pipa is his murderess? No! no! this is too infamous! She flies from him to another. That is well. Butit is needless to kill him!” The men began to stare at one another in- quiringly. All felt that they were getting at cross-purposes somehow. ‘You infernal stoughtonbottle!” shouted Tom Cosgrove, angrily, ‘‘ you Jaid him out yourself!” “T?” cried the Spaniard, starting back aghast, and staring blankly into the faces of his ac- cusers, Then suddenly he threw up his hands, turn- ing his eyes heavenward. ‘Ah! Dios santos! I see it all!” he cried, ‘It is infamy blacker and blacker!” Then he sprung upright, looking fearlessly in- to Ham Losier’s face, and speaking in clear, ringing tones, **Look you!” he cried. ‘TI will not be a vic- tim to this woman’s unparalleled treason! Un- til now I did not guess its full measure, Listen all, and be horrified! ‘*Tlovedher, Thatis true! I did not respect another man’s claim! Come! how many of you are better than I in that? 1 begged her to fly with me. Farley was away. She would take advantage of his absence, and we should be be- A ce before he discovered bis loss. ‘With this understanding, arranged three days ago, when I was with her for an hour—” “That’s so. He was thar,” admitted Tom Cosgrove. ‘“Tt is well. You bear me witness. Gracias!” said the Spaniard. ‘‘ For two days, then, I am arranging my affairs. On the morning of yes- terday she comes to me, “Come! she cries. ‘You weary me with delay, Look you! Ihave taken the initiative! I have fled from the bondage that was grown too hateful to me to be endured longer. Do TI go alone, or are you ready to accompany me?” ***'You lead me to heaven!’ I replied. ‘But your horse is exhausted.’ “ ‘“** He is such as I could get,’ she said. Santis- sima Maria! do you parley about horses? Have we nothing better to do? It is Adam Farley you are Mh for, then! . ‘*Shall I pause to reason with a woman?— above all, with a woman who has just left her home for me? “Come! IT said. ‘I am caviling while the angels hold the gate of heaven ajar for me!’ **So we set out. All day long she is angelic. She knows nothing of fatigue, although I my- self am worn with rapid riding, and our horses show their exhaustion. “T attribute her haste to a natural fear of pursuit. Her agitation is caused by nothin more terrible than the specter of an ehraced husband. Ah! had I known that it was a spec- ter indeed that haunted her! ‘At night I would have slept ready to lea into the saddle at a moment’s warning. thought it strange that she laughed at my fears, and urged the discomfort of sleeping in one’s clothes. **But in the o PORDAS IE rock ** Well, was not the night, insufferably hot? For the rest, here was mountain moss which would make a couch fit for a King Finally, it was her whim. Should I wait to be persuaded? A fine gallant, truly! “Enough! I obeyed! . ‘‘ Finally I slept the sleep of profound exhaus- tion. But this was not pnOUE Ne Anxiety might make me wakeful, and so defeat her pu She gave me hot wine. I? How should I sus- pect that it was drugged? So I lay at her n air, with no roof but an mercy. | ‘“T woke. What was my profound astonish- ment to find her full-dre in my clothes! ‘It was a gay joke toher, Por Dios/ it was no joke to me. I insisted upon a restoration of that attire, which became her so ill, a iS MIGDOO (C (eo)