Beadle's Dime Library No. 490: 'The Lone Hand in Texas' — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

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" LC A i 3 a & = ee be .. x a ee el 7 oY uM! he Lone Hand in Texas. => 7 s @.tf 1 Se, Ch ae . : he (SS SSS ern Texas to aid him, he would have been forced } to give up the greater part of his enterprises.” Well, well, you did draw a dismal picture!” exclaimed Mercedes, laughing at the idea. . “Yes, but mind you, I did not admit this all | at once, but allowed Mr. Moreno to draw it from me little by little, and I amused myself by | | watching how his ardor in love-making seemed | to decline in proportion to my revelations of my | father’s want of success.” | **Most certainly, Delia, you are the greatest humbug that ever breathed the air of ‘lexas!” Mercedes declared. *‘ Oh, no, not half so big a humbug as this dashing Mr. Moreno, who talks so carelessly of . his family estates in Mexico, a trifle of three or ) four thousand acres, with countless cattle and horses, and three or four gold mines thrown in, too, I believe, not very big gold mines, but just medium-sized, nice, little kind of pocket gold mines,” and then the girl burst into a fit of | laughter. ‘*T never would have thought of playing such a trick.” ve ‘‘ No, of course not, you old sobersides. No | one but a wild imp of mischief like myself | would have done it. “Then, too, as [ so innocently revealed the story of my father’s want of prosperity, I men- | tioned, just by accident, you know, how rich 5 your father was, and what a large property you : would inherit’one of these days, three or four tt millions I put the figures, if I remember a rightly.” ** Oh, how could you?” ** Well, I had tired of him and wanted to see if I could get him to transfer his attentions to you, and the scheme succeeded beautifully. ‘* When he discovered that there was a proba- bility that some day you would get millions to my thousands, be quickly transferred his allegiance; deserted from me and knelt to worship at your shrine.” **T am sure that I do not want him, even if I was satisfied he was attracted by myself and not by my money.” ‘* By the way, have you seen these two gen- tlemen who rescued your father from the out- laws?” ** No, not yet; although I confess I should like to very much, for father’s description has ex- cited my curiosity.” ‘Well, I have had the pleasure of seeing them twice, and they are just perfectly splen- did! ** How you go on!” ** Oh, it is the truth, and you will say so when you see them. They have passed the house twice to-day, but as I wasn’t dressed for con- quest, I did not show myself.” ‘* Ob, if any one who did not know you should hear you talk what would they think?” ‘That I was a charming girl, too sweet for anything and all that, of course!” Cordelia ex- claimed with an outburst of laughter. ‘Do be a littie serious for once in your life!” Mercedes cried, laughing im spite of himself at the odd speeches of ber friend, **T will be a little serious—as little as I can,” the other replied demurely. ; ‘** But now for these two gentlemen. I found out all about them from father, while I don’t . believe you asked your aged sire a question.” * ee we ew ~e < a ‘Oh, yes, J did. ‘‘7T will bet you what you like that you did not ask one question to my hundred!” Cordelia exclaimed. ‘* T should not be surprised if that was true.” yi “Well, I have found out all about them—that a is, I mean as much as anybody knows, The # tall, manly-looking fellow, who is the very beau | ideal of the ancient cavalier, is a Mr. Hand; not a very romantic name, is it?” ‘No, certainly not.” y “But the gentleman is romantic-looking enough to make up forit. He is justthe man to suit you, for be is a quiet, sober fellow, and as I don’t want bim—he isn’t my style—you can have him.” 2G “Tam really very much obliged to you for ! your kindness,” anc the girl made a mock bow. ‘ ‘But are you sure, dear, that I will want him after I see him?” , “Oh, yes, I do not think there is any doubt about that. He is just the kind of fellow to suit you.” - oh ‘But I may not suit him.” “Well, if he canresist your charms, his heart must be steeled to womankind.” ‘** Ah, what a base flatterer you are!” “On, it is the truth and you know it! Well, to resume my description, the other gentleman is named Webster—Leonard Webster; there is a pretty name for you now. He’s a Yank, and I am dead in love with him at first sight.” ** Nonsense!” ‘Oh, but I am; it is a clear case, I never : felt so in my life before, avd just think, ‘a be Yankee too. Isn’t it dreadful?” “T do not really see what difference it makes.” ‘Oh, well, you are half Mexican anyway; a4 you are not a real old, dyed-in-the-wool Southern a girlaslam. I was kind of brought up to hate a) all Yankees; when I was a little girl I regarded 7 _ them asa species of hobgoblin, but during the ee last few years I have been getting bravely over oy a Yah hE “ te C 7 q " . -* . a it, and now [ am clean gone on this young Yankee. That is awful slangy, isn’t it? I am getting dreadful.” ‘**'You had better be careful or you will not succeed in catching your Yankee,” the other warned. “ Oh, [am all right if I don’t open my mouth, but when I do, as the saying is, 1 generally put my foot in it. ‘* But to return to my Yankee, He is from Boston, a Yankee of the Yankees, you see, and he has just got over a long fit of sickness, so he looks real pale and interesting, and he is ex- pecting to get a place as clerk in old Moses Oppenheim’s store.” ‘*T should not think that would be a very agreeable position for him.” ** Neither should I, and I can just tell you, Delia, that after I get acquainted with the gentleman, if he turns out to be all my fancy paints, and I feel sure he will do so, I am going to talk to my respected dad and make him find some place on the ranch for him. *“* Pa needs a bookkeeper, or an overseer, or something, whose work will be light and pay good, 1 am sure, and if there isn’t any place, one must be made.” ‘* At what a rate you go on!” *Yes;\but you will not be able to corral your cavalier in that way, for he is a speculator and doesn’t need a position. If you like him, though, after you became acquainted, you might sug- gest to your pa that the work is too bard for him, and that it would be a good idea to sell this stranger an interest in the ranch.” “Oh, you are incorrigible!” ‘*'Yes, I know it, but I’m awful cunning, too! But come, let’s go to the store, I want some rib- bons, and we can see if that dear, pale Yank is there.” Mercedes finally consented to go, and the pair visited the shop of the old Jew, where Webster had the pleasure of waiting upon them, and the impression he made upon the girls was extreme- ly favorable, and he himself was struck with the beauty of the pair; but the lively mayor's daughter made more impression upon him than the quiet Mercedes. The two left the store, feeling decidedly pleased with their interview with the new clerk. ** What did I tell you?” exclaimed Cordelia, te the homeward road. ‘‘Isn’t he just delight- ful? ‘*He certainly seems to be a thorough gentile- man,” Mercedes responded. ‘*He is my Yank, and don’t you dare to make sheep’s eyes at him! Iclaim him on the origi- nal discovery. But, I say, [ will help you out with your cavalier. I will tell your father that I am just dying to make his acquaintance, and ask him to invite him to dinner, and ask me, too, sol can meet him,” **Oh, what a giddy thing you are!” ‘*T will do .it the very first time I see your father!” she declared. ‘In fact, I will go home with you this afternoon, for I really am anxious to meet him.” And the girl was as good as her word. CHAPTER XTX, A VISITOR TO THE HALF-BREED, Tr was about four o’clock in the afternoon of the same day that the events related in our pre- vious q apters took place. Ben Jackman, the marshal, and Moreno were standing conversing in front of the mayor’s office. Moreno, in passing, had encountered the mar- shal, and stopped to 44 Bite if all preparations had been made for the lynch attack. “Yes, I have got the rope and the masks ready, but I haven’t notified all the men yet,” the marshal replied. ‘You see it is pretty risky business giving out a thing like this to ten or fifteen men, for some one of them might get a little too much bug- juice on board and then go and give the hull thing away.” ‘Yes, such a thing is not improbable.” ‘You bet! Iam onto Slab Kellogg—I know Slab from ’way-back and he is just the kind of man that, if he got wind of a picnic of this kind would be apt to get his back up and rave roun for to make trouble,” ‘*} should think so from what T have seen of him, although | am not well acquainted with Kellogg.” ‘* He is jest that kind of man to be ugly as sin if he took the notion into his head. ** You see, he would be apt to git the idee that we hadn’t any right to play roots on him in no sich way.” ‘Very likely.” **The calaboose is strongly built, Slab is well- armed, and if we don’t get the deadwood on him by taking him unawares, the chances are a thousand to one that he would be able to hold the calaboose ag’in’ an army.” ‘*'No doubt of it!” ** Now, we don’t want to kill Slab, neither do we want the galoot to lay any of us out. P Certainly not!” So I sha’a’t pass the word around among the boys "bout jining in this surprise-party until about nine o’clock. ‘ By that time Slab is generally as tull as a goat, for he has his bottle of benzine brought to ; , ' 1 j ‘ Pf f ~? Pa) ~EY) - * A> a “a > } ar = Ue j ‘ & . “4 ~-—- him regular every night *bout eight o’clock; his is dose is a pint, and arter he gits it into his hide he jest lays off ‘* Yes, yes, J see.” é ‘*So, by waiting until about nine there isn’t any danger of his getting into the thing.” Wh Isee you are working the trick <" ** Exactly! right up to the handle.” “Wal, if 1 can’t, I reckon thar’s no man im the town kin!” the marshal boasted. " At this point a stranger came along. : He was a big, overgrown, sloucny looking fellow, roughly dressed, and from the fact that he wore a pea-jacket very much the worse for r, wear, it would seem that the man had at one time followed the sea, and he bad a sort of roll to his walk too, which is natural to sailors, a | “Say, mates, kin you tell me whar’bouts im this hyer town I kin find the marshal?’ he asked as he halted by the pair. He was a tough-looking chap with a weather-~ beaten face, the greater part of which was bid- | den by a short, brushy black beard. A ‘* Wal, stranger, I reckon I kin fill the bill if | the town marshal is what you are arter.” ‘* Sho’! are you Ben Jackman?” ‘That is my handle!” | ‘* Waal, Iam right glaa to see you. My name : is Tozer—Bill Tozer; 1 am a blooming Britisher, ‘ Tam, although I am a darned long way from f, home.” * ‘** Yes, 1 should say so,” the marshal remarked, con seeing that the fellow expected him to say some- va thing. ‘‘Oh, yes, a long way from the town where ET first saw the light!” the man exclaimed, “Tm a brum, 1 am,a brum from Birming- ham, and when I war across the herring-pond used to do a little with my fists, being one of the coves w’ot loves a mill, jab, stop and get away!” _ And the man sparred at an imaginary antag- onist. ‘‘Oh, I was one of the nobs in that time, I tell you, and could hold my own with any of the ‘ lads in the division! ' ‘*In those days they used for to call me the Birmingham Infant.” (4 ‘*A healthy-looking infant you are!” the marshal remarked. ‘Ob, I bet yer! But I say, Jackman, m tulip, I have come to Pedroville on business this round.” a “Ts that so?” et “You bet! [have been working onaranch’bout forty miles up the Rio Grande, and I started from thar a couple of days ago tocome downto this section, thinking I conld do better. Iwas — well-heeled, you bet! a good hundred chucks in SY. my pocket and as fine a mule as any man should | want to ride, but when I got ’*bout twenty miles | from Pedroville, hyer, I had the misfortuneto fall in with a gang of the biggest scoundrels . al that ever ’scaped a white jail.” i ee “You don’t say so?’ exclaimed the marshal, __ now decidedly interested in the narrative, his ‘* Yes, sir, hoss-fly! Itisjestaslam a-telling — you, and if it ain’t true, every word of it, you kin knock me down for a liar!” , ** And the gang went for you, eh?’ ** Was it these fellows who call themselves the | Red Glove Raiders of the Rio Grande?’ Moreno ‘Them are the cusses wot got my plunder!” the man declared. ‘* They cleaned me out! I wish Imaydieif — they didn’t, and even took the mule, sol had to ~ hoof it.” we ** We have got one of the gang in the calae boose now,” the marshal remarked, an. ** So I heard, and that is wot brought me to | town, I came on purpose to see that cuss, 1 didf _ I jest want to see if it isone of the gang that — cleaned me out, and if itis, want tojestlet — = him know what I think of bim.” Hy Jackman laughed. The idea seemed a ridiculous one to him. pnt ** Waal, stranger, I reckon that won't money nor your mule back.” r ‘No, I don’t s’pose it will, but it will be a — heap of satisfaction for me to crow over the cuss a bit, you know. oa ‘* Yes, that is so.” : ‘‘T kinsay to him, aha, Mister Man, you are — one of the galoots that got me foul and now you | are foul yourself, and how do you like it® — Oh, I tell yer, it will be a heap of satisfaction!” — ‘“* And if the feller is one of the gang when he comes to be tried you kin give evidence ag’in® ~ ps im.” vat! “You bet! that is what I am coming at? — That is one of the reasons that fetched me hyer. _ If the cuss is one of the gang that clubbed me ~ I kin sw’ar it in ag’in’ him when he’s put om es: trial.” : sa) ‘‘ Come along down to the calaboose then andy — take a look at him,” the marshal said. | “That is jest whar I was going to take me!” the stranger declared. t- ‘‘T will go with you,” Moreno remarked. — iosity to see if the man is one get yer “fis u, se ax youto” ‘* For I feel a curiosity of the gang that robbed our friend here.” ‘“ Did he have ared glove on his left hand??? the oe os asked. : $ ‘‘ Then he is one of the crowd that got away * with my wealth,” best a 4 = ae of 5! » > comreboo — + bia , 54 for the night.” e ;