Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 389 — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

"Ia > in ——— =— vr Throops and Jep Jones and Walter Brandis, he saw that it was on fire at the end, and that the fire had gained considerable headway. He ran down there as fast as his legs would carry him, shouting an alarm as he went. As he ran he saw two men standing near the fire, and in the light the figures and faces of both of them were plainly visible. Ike Sanders knew that neither of them was an inmate of :he house, and was sure that one of them was a man who had come there before for no good purpose. He had only his revolver with him, but did not hesitate to bring that into use immediately. The two men started and ran as soon as they heard his cry, and he fired at them again and again, but seemingly without effect. In a few minutes the galloping of horses told him that they were out of his reach and in full flight. The shouts and shots had instantly aroused the sleepers in the house, and Jep Jones and Walter Brandis ran out to sce what was the matter, The blazing fire told them much, and lke San- ders told them more. “Two scoundrels have set fire to the house,” he said. ‘I fired at them, but they got away.” The distant galloping of horses comfirmed this statement. There was no time for any further explana- tions, and no chance to pursue the incendiaries, as the fire demanded ail the efforts of the men. It had been well started, and had caught so effectually that the entire end of the house was already in a blaze, The light and dry wood burned like tinder, and water was a scarce commodity. It was at once evidens that it would be impos- sible to extinguish the flames, and that all ef- forts must be devoted to saving the contents of the building. Ike Sanders’s mates had also been awakened, and the sight of the fire gave wings to their feet as they hurried down the slope. Etta was of course awake and out, as cool and active as anybody. George Throop was first carried out on his cot, and was taken to a place of safety, Then all devoted themselves to the task of sav- ing as much of their property as it was possible to save, atom hands made quick work, and nearly everything of value was removed from the burn- ing building, in spite of the ranid ravages of the flames, Then they watched the speedy destruction of the tenement, while Ike Sanders pave such fur- ther particulars of his discovery as he had not yet related. Those particulars, though few, were import- antand startling. : ‘‘] knew one of the scamps who did that trick,” declared Ike. ‘‘ It was Colonel Double- edge,” This statement caused an immediate and un- pleasant sensation. ** Are you sure?” demanded Jep Jones, Tke was positive. ‘** [ saw his face as plain as I see yours now. It was the same tall and dark man who jerked you out from behind the woodpile when we had the fight here. If that man was Dick March, then it was Devil Dick who tried to burn your folks in your beds, the real Colonel Double- edge. The man who was with the desperado was a stranger to Ike Sanders, who described him as ounger and of slighter build than his compan- ion, and was sure that he would recognize him if he should ever see him again, This information se-tled the source as well as the nature of the infernal attempt upon the ranch, j Pie It was not doubted that the incendiaries had meant to fire the sheds and outbuildings as well as the house, and that they would have suc- ceeded in their evil intention if they had not been interrupted by the arrival of Ike Sanders, ‘I have been of the opinion that there was no good in Gonzalez whisky,” observed Jep; ‘‘but it has done us a service this time by keep- ing Ike e.way until just when he was wanted, If he had come in an hour sooner, he would have one sound asleep, and we would all have been ood for the flames.” The infamous purpose of the incendiaries was abundantly evidenced by the fact that they had first set fire to the house which was knowh to be occupied by the people of the ch. Tt was a question whether Devil Dick had been employed by Jack Koopman, or had done the dastardly deed of his own motion and to satisfy his own spite. The former supposition was probable, and the latter was possible enough. Ta any event it was apparent that the des- perado Was an enemy to be dr eaded, and that persons and property would not be safe on the ranch while he was alive and in the vicinity. Therefore he must be hunted down and caught, if his capture should prove to be within the range of possibilities. ; ; But nothing could be done that night, as it would be impossible to follow the trail of the scoundrels before morning. Colonel Double-edge. —— ee — ——— + + - CHAPTER XX. ‘AND THEY EVEN KILLED HER!” Tue first thing necessary was to put Etta Throop in a place of safety, together with her | down there, Lieut. Cripps and 2 = eee es cee eget — —-= te oe 15 and steadied him while the others rode down to the hut. Before Jep Jones and Chinquapin had got Valter Brandis brother George, who was slowly recovering | had entered the frail tenement and came out of from his wound, but was yet quite helpless, Chinquapin was mounted on a good horse, | and was sent to Gonzalez to procure a wagon in which George Throop eould be suitably transported to that town. He was also instructed to report the occur- rence of the night to Lieut. Cripps. The others busied themselves in storing in one of the circus sheds the property that had been saved from the burning building, in pre- | paring quarters for themselves and in attending to the comfort of George and Etta Throop. In the morning Chinquapin returned to the ranch, bringing a spring wagon and a driver. With him came Lieut. Cripps and two of his men, one of whom was reputed to be an excel- lent trailer. The arrival of the cavalry officer was not altogether agreeable to one person in the party, and that person was Walter Brandis, Lieut. Cripps had visited the ranch shortly after his interview with Jack Koopman, had seen Evta Throop there, had been invited to come again, and had very cheerfully promised to do so, It was evident that he had hastened to avail himself of the first oppertunity to keep that promise, This display of alacrity was somewhat dis- pleasing to young Brandis, who had fastened upon Etta as his own property, and was already beginning to be jealous of the cavalry officer. He had not taken any steps to secure or assert his claim; but he ianred the the young lady his by right of discovery, and had not seriously regarded the possibility of outside interference, The appearance of Lieut. Cripps on the scene awoke in him asense of the insecurity of his position, making it evident that he must speak and act for himself if he meant to gain the prize, Just then, however, the question was which of them would serve her best when her person and property needed protection. Both were equally eager, and the cavalry officer speedily made the fact manifest that he had come there for business purposes only. George Throop was laid in the wagon on the best mattress that had been saved from the burned house, protected as well as possible from jolting by blankets and pillows, and he and his sister were sent off to Gonzalez in charge of the driver and one of the circus men. Two others of Jep Jones’s assistants were de- tailed to take care of the ranch, and the rest started in pursuit of the incendiaries, led by the trailer from the cavalry command. The discovery was soon made that the trail was an easy one to follow at the start, as it was spotted rather plentifully with blood. It was clear that one of the shot: fired by Ike Sanders had counted; but there was no telling at the start whether it had struck a man or a horse, This doubt was settled when the blood disap- peared from the trail, as a man’s wound would be bound up, while that of a horse would be let. alone, One of the men had been hit; but it was sup- osed that he was not seriously injured, as the wo horses had traveled rapidly, not slowing up until they were at least three miles away froin the Throop Ranch. Then the trail ran up into the hills and he- came more difficult to follow, though the ti ailer who had been brought by Lieut. Cripps, preved himself a good 2 re and seldom failing to strike it beyond them, As the party threaded ravines and mounted ridges, cradually nearing the high and dry re- gion, Chinquapin became restless and uneasy, looking anxiously ahead, and frequently riding so far in advance of his companions, that it was necessary to restrain him. His agitation became so manifest that Jep Jones asked him what was troubling him. ‘*T am afraid,” answered the lad. ** Afraid of what?” ‘* Afraid for Zarita, my sister. This trail is taking us straight toher, or straight to the place where she ought to be. If they have found her— He could not finish the sentence, The suppo- sition was too terrible. If those desperadoes had found that solitary and defenseless girl, her fate was beyond the power of words to express. Jep Jones was silent, He could offer the poor lad no consolation, as the same fear had struck a chill to his heart. The trail passed over a ridge, and descended into a deep but lovely little valley. As the party raised the crest of the ridge, they saw in the valley a solitary hut. It was an evidence of human occupation, but there was no sign of human life about it. Chinquapin pointed at it with a trembling hand, Feo at ‘There it is,” he said, hesitatingly. the place—where Zarita—was.” He tottered on his horse, and his friend seized guesser by crossing the blind | it, and their faces told the story. No explanations were asked, and none were given, as they were not needed. Chinquapin straightenea kimself up on his horse and clutched his rifle, his dark face darker than ever. ‘** She is gone!” he cried, hoarsely. got her! Come on!” He took the lead of the party, and from that moment he kept it. He picked up the trail at once, and followed it so surely and swiftly that the noted trailer of the cavalry command yielded his place to the lad and dropped in bebind him. Whether the trail was plain or blind, Chin- quapin followed it unerringly, and as if by in- | stinct, until the party reached a spot where the incendiaries had made a temporary camp. The remains of a small fire were there, but the ashes were cold, and it was clear that the pur- suers were a long way behind the men they were seeking. The leaders were anxious to press forward believing that there was nothing to be gained by a longer stay at the deserted camp; but they were obliged to wait for Chinquapin, who had dismounted to look for traces of bis sister, His sharp eyes soon showed him what he scught, and he followed the trail until it led him to a gully ata little distance from where the fire had been made, A wild and piercing cry told his comrades ~ a terrible discovery, and they uastened to im. In the bottom of the gully, a wretched heap, shockingly bruised and mangled, lay the body of Zarita, An examination showed livid marks on her brown throat, which proved that she had been strangled to death. Whether the strangling had been intentional, cr merely an incident of worse brutality, it was certain that the scoundrels had murdered her, and after her death had thrown her into the gully, leaving her there to the beasts end birds of prey. hile the body of Zarita was carefully lifted by strong arms and tenderly brought up to the level ground, ber brother knelt at_the edge of the ravine, and hot tears fell from his eyes like rain. ‘* And they even killed her!” he moaned, CHAPTER XX. LOSING AND FINDING A TRAIL, WALTER BRANDIS and Jeptha Jones wished to place the body of Chinquapin’s sister on a horse and carry it back to the ranch for proper burial, but the lad insisted that she should be laid where she had lost her life. | Her brief existence had been lonely end desti- tute of «!l the joys ‘and comforts of the settle- ments, and in her death there was nothing that civilization could give her. So she was buried where she died, and a pile of stones both marked and protectcd her rave, When this task was ccmpleted, Chinquapin mounted his horse and rode on without casting a hackward glance at that pile of stone, He was then as hard and stoical as an Indian seated as firmly in his saddle as if there had been nothing to move him, and again he picked up the trail and led the party rapidly forward, Over and through the hills they went, de- scending them to,a broad, sandy plein, where the trail was nearly as easy to fcllow as if it had been written in fresh snow, They crossed the plain and entered a canyon, where they found not one trail only, but’ many, The tracks were new and old, going into the canyon ard coming out of it, from and toward various directions, so mingled that it would be difficuit, if not impossible, to pick cut and fol- low any one trail. Convinced that they bad found tke resort or hiding-place of the desperadoes, they pushed forward as rapidly as the nature of the ground would allow, until they came to the spot where Devil Dick and Ben Hillman had built their hut and made their camp, They had reached the end of their chase— there could ba no doubt of that. There was the hut which must be the shelter of the villains they were seeking. Yet it was necessary to be cautious, as Devil Dick was known to have been the leader of a gang, and it was more than possible that thoy might stumble upon a ncst of hornets, Therefore they dismounted silently, tethered their horses, nnd approached the hut with their rifles ready for immediate work, There was. however, no sign of life ahout the rude little cabin at the base of the rock, and no horses but their own were visible, It began to look as if the desperadoes had de- camped and this was soon discovered to be the ac Possibly troubled by a painful remembrance of their latest crime. and probably fearing a successful pursuit, they had taken the small “They've . FS IL HL SST OY Se pm ba —S OS —— — Sa. | COMME OO <S (eo) ve.