Beadle's New York Dime Library, No. 500 — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

yt as a Ps nt * - “5 parently without hesitation or remonstrance, in the villain’s company! ** What influence is it that Endicott possesses, PAs ee eed =e a ~, ea) — , d - S—o o> Z y, \ ate Ee . ry, re A wid o - 7 3 ’ Foxes was conferring with his adherents in re- gard to what they allagreed in considering the easy job that they had before them. No second what strange magnet power? And why is it ' meeting had taken place between Quevedo and that this mysterious strength of will seems to exist only among the vile and unprincipled? Miss Davenant, I am persuaded, would never of her own free will have accompanied that scoun- drel—would never willingly bave met him, Whatever she knew of James Endicott, be it much or little, must have been to his disadvan- tage. And, so help me high Heaven! she shall know all there is to be told ere many days have passed !” W bile the Bilberry pasts led by Texas Thad, and accompanied by Dolores Davenant were slowly nearing the Alamo City, and Vivian Fairfax was, at last setting out impatiently on their trail, two more parties were making ready in San Antonio to meet them. The first of these starting in advance of the other—though this part of the programme was carried out in secret and entirely unsuspected— consisted of our friend Butternut Ben and Prairie Pink; ostensibly in the employ of James Endicott and supposed to be enacting the part ofa pair of Indian hostiles for the furtherance of his diabolical scheme, they were yet the planners of a plot deeper than that of the man they pretended to serve. othing however was further from the minds of the brave scouts than this aiding the villain Endicott. They were setting out having some hours the start not only of Endicott but of the counter-plotters whose project Pink had dis- covered; and their sole purpose was to ride out and meet the immigrants going simply in their own character to caution them in regard to the danger that was before them, and if necessary to join the party for the remainder of the jour- ney. eT don’t reckon,” said Ben, ‘‘ thet ther pil- grims ‘ll mebbe need much backin’ from what “Ste hes see’d o’ ther hellyuns what "tends ter uck ag’in ’em. Them two dog-goned Greas- ers don’t count much an’ ther durned card- sharp Max, air a leetle more so. The cussed egal pirate Quevedo—an’ drag me ter ther one-yard, but bit gits me ter think o’ thet high- toned cuss bein’ ther cap’n o’ ther Frio Foxes!— air ’bout ther onliest *pology fer a man in ther hull outfit, Ef ther pilgrims can’t lay out sich a or’nary four humans as thet, they must be ther tenderest kind o’ tenderfeet, dog’d ef they mustn’t!” “Same time, pard, ef yer opines thet they mought need a extry COLT er two, an’ a few blue whistlers I air ready ter volunteer. Ther only difficulty air, bit mought be crowdin’ things a leetle.” ‘*Time enough,” answered Pink, ‘‘ter settle thet air when we~uns sees what the’r caliber *mounts ter.” ‘** Some o’ these yere trains might as well bea _ gals’ bo’din’ schvol, fer all ther sand they hes aboard. Then yer sees, d, they hes this crowd, 0’ kaliker-kivered humans erlong, an’ they is boun’ ter take skeer et ther fu’st sbot an’ _ make more durn fuss nor a batch o’ settin’ bens. That sorter ting allers demoralizes a man when thar’s any fightin’ ter be did, an’ hit seems like thar hain’t more’n two thet’s square on ther shute, an’ one o’ them’s a nigger; fer ther two young roosters I don’t reckon is more’n sproutin’ thar tail-feathers, an’ can’t be relied on in a ’mergency noways.” ‘* Hit looks, Pard Pink, like they mought git - galerwated arter all,” remarked Ben, a at ‘*They mought,” was the reply, ‘‘ but yer see they won’t, not much. Onc’t me an’ you reaches ther outfit, an’ takes tha’r measure, we kin cal- kerlute accordin’; an’ what they needs in ther way 0’ backin’, we-uns is mor’ly boun’ ter s’ply ’em with.” “To be sart’inly,” said Butternut'Ben. ** An’ come ter think o’ bit,” resumed his pard. *“T reckon hit air our best play, no matter how ther keerds runs. This yere condemned kiote Quevedo air a area cuss, an’ we wauts ter nab ther varmint: leastways ter git him kerral’d so thar won’t be no chance o’ his ’scapin’ an’ sottin’ up ag’in somewhar es ther grand hidalgo from ’crost ther Grandee, “ T swan ter my granny, I done thought ther Foxes had all been smoked out twelve moons o, an’’ter think thet cap’in hisself hes bin holdin’ out all this time in San Anton, an’ put- ting on more frills than ter, Ole Boy, r’iles me mightily; dog’def hit don’t. ‘* Thet little game o’ his’n hes got ter be stop- ped right thar; an’ now’t I hes got my peepers on ther locate of ther sneakin’ cusses, I reckon hit won’t take many days ter settle tha’r hash. Hit’s ther fu’st time in I don’t know when, thet I diskivered more on a lone scout nor I'd see’d sign fer.” _ “* Wa-al,” chimed in Butternut Ben, “ ther job hit *pears air a double-breasted one so to ** We hes ter sarcumvint this skunk Endicott an’ we hes ter eucher ther Foxes outen th’ar leetle game, ’sides nabbin’ ther cusses, er least- Ways runnin’ them inter tha’r holes.” : ** Prezactly,” assented Prairie Pink. At the time the two- scouts were starting to - meet the wagon-train the Captain of the Frio the two outlaws in the Menger. He was too shrewd for that. No suspicion must be allowed to fall upon any act of his in San Antonio. Nothing must be permitted that could in any way militate against the character and posi- tion of the wealthy Castilian ranchero from the Rio Grande. El Captain accompanied by his chief fugle man and bottle-holder Monte Max, bad ridden out to a rendezvous, a short distance from the city which had been agreed upon by the four for their future meetings, At such times as Quevedo met the two Greasers ubout town, no recogni- tion on his part, or at most a very patronizing one, was accorded them. Their place of meeting was in a clump of chaparral, inclosing a small opening densely shaded on all sides and having but one narrow footpath leading to it; so that it was not ne- cessary to place any one on guard while they were holding their secret consultations as the eye could readily command a view of the only approach, ‘““That this party of immigrants bave con- siderable money and valuables with them,” the bandit chief way saying, ‘‘ I have no doubt from the information that has reached me—” Quevedo knew nothing whatever in regard to this, but it was above all things necessary that his son should be made two believe this, henee he did not hesitate to give the needed assurance. He then went on to say, generously: ‘* All that, my men, I leave to you, as I hap- pen to be more concerned with the capture of the young lady. Now Ido not intend that my followers shall sbare in the gold which I feel confident her ransom will bring us. But that is something to be considered later. This Endicott has money, I have no doubt; and if he has not, it is all right anyway.” ‘* But bow all right, captain, if the Gringo has not the gold?’ asked one of the outlaws. ‘* Rither he or the senorita has it,” was the eply. ‘* And what then?” inquired Jose. ‘* What then?’ repeated Quevedo. “*‘ Don’t you see that the ransom is sure inany case? And what does it matter who pays it, so long as the eagles come in to the Foxes? I shall take care that the senorita, once she is in our clutches, goes only to the highest bidder. She may have friends who will be willing to go Senor Endicott one better.” Monte Max laughed. a had not thought of that, El Capitan,” he said. @uevedo looked serenely contemptuous. ‘*T do the thinking for my band,” he replied, in his loftiest manner. ' ** Well,” remarked J uan, ** there does not seem to be any difficulty in the’ business, E] Capitan. We ride out to-night, getting the start of these two braves of the Bexar tribe, secure our game, and then, I suppose, if we feel like it, remain long enough to give the imitation warriors a first-class scare.” ‘‘There will be no danger in that, I fancy.” ** Just as you like about that,” said Quevedo, carelessly ; ‘‘ only let me get away with the se- norita, and you can amuse yourself with what remains in your own way, always remembering, however, to be on the alert. It will not do to have the presence of the Foxes even suspected in the vicinity of San Antonio.” This was arranged by the second of the par- ties, instigated by Endicott, the second plan to frustrate that far-seeing gentleman in bis de- signs. At the very time that the bandit chief and his men were on their way to meet the coming train, the chief plotter was preparing to set out fromthe Menger in warlike array, but, as be bad arranged it with Prairie Pink, without ammunition, to make his great coup d’etat in the rescue of Dolly Davenant from lir Indian cap- tors, Strange to say, at this moment, when he felt that success was’ virtually his, James Endicott was visited by the first semblance of a con- scientious scruple that had troubled him in ears. ’ It must have been that the love with which Dolly Davyenant bad inspired him was the most powerful feeling of which bis depraved nature was capable. — ‘* There is one thing,” he soliloquized, ‘‘ which I am not sure, after all, that I am able to do, ‘“Can I wed Dolly—for my wife she must be —without telling ber everything? I mean of course in regard to Rose—that affair of Dare’s she must never be allowed to suspect. ‘* But how can I do sucha thing? If I confess to Delly Davenant what I am, and I have done, all hope will be over for meatonce. How could I bope to make her my wife, with the knowl- edge her that another has a claim to that title? _ * No, she must learn to love me, as I know she will first out of gratitude; and loving me she must also respect me. Besides, where is the use of half-confidence with her? I cannot tell her everything and I will tell her nothing. [ was mad even to think of it. r nee & 4 we ia “C1 e' se / oo _- sciatic gta eit LLL LLL LES elie ; y a sad *.¢ ** Rose will never claim me as a husband. I am sure of that. Her one great desire is to re- main unknown—to be only Miss St. Evremont, and that will keep her mouth sealed. **No, I have nothing to fear. Rosalind will never rise up in judgment against me in this world as my wife, so I will consider that secret as a buried one.” CHAPTER XXVIII. THE PARDS ON THE TRAIL. HAVING arranged all their plans to their own satisfaction, to thwart the plot of James Endi- cott and those who were also making a tool of him, Butternut Ben and Prairie Pink set out upon the trail that was to have an eventful end- ing for more than one person. The two men, as I bave said, were thorough plainsmen, and they knew the prairies and wilds of Texas as they did their mother’s face. They bad entered upon the plot against Endi- cott, and to save Dolores Davenant, and they meant to hold on like grim death until the end was reached, be thatend what it might. The scouts appointed a spot where the train was to be headed off by their pretended attack, and as James Endicott knew next to nothing about finding his way on a trail, they were to take him with them to a certain point, there to await the cpportune moment when he was to dash outand pretend to rescue Dolly from the enemy, thereby gaining favor in her eyes. He bad made up, in bis own mind, bis story to account for his presence there, how he had boldly ventured out alone on the trail to San Antonio, and seeing the two prowling horsemen, bad kept his eye upon them, and fortunately had thus been enabled to save her from a fearful fate. Having given Endicott all the necessary in- structions for his mock rescue, the two Prairie Pards, Butternut Ben and Pink, set out to ac- complish the double work they bad cut out for themselves, / Their plan was to strike the trail and warn Major Bilberry of danger, thus placing him on the alert, for not the remotest idea had they that their pard, Texas Thad, was along. Had they known this fact, their anxiety about the fate of Dolores Davenant would have been very slight. They knew that Quevedo and his companions, Monte Max, Jose and Juan, would expect to have matters all their own way, and they con- geratulated themselves upon the surprise they would give them when the attack would be made, As for James Endicott, Butternut Ben and Prairie Pink cared but little. His punishment, if any, must come later on; but evedo and his gang were the ones to be looked to first, uevedo, as the Captain of the Foxes of the Frio, already hada price upon bis head, He was * wanted” in both Texas and Mexico for crimes committed, and so far he had eluded all attempts to discover who and what he was, and just where he made his abiding-place. His band hed been driven from Batis to point, and none of their retreats had long remained undiscovered; but through all,the dering and mysterious E] Capitan remained unknown, and not a person was there to say that be bad ever seen him. But at last the secret was known to Prairie Pink and Butternut Ben. It was with matters arranged to their lik- ing, that they rode out cf San Antonio one night, and their comrade was the men, who, palleviat them bis hirelings, wasin reality noth- more than their aan They knew perfectly the trail that the train was following, and tbeir first duty was to find just where it then was. Then they bad to pick out a spot suitable for James Endicott’s little plan of a preter ded rescue of iclones Davenant, and place bim in position. Then they were to leave him and secretly warn Major Bilberry of bow matters stood and await developments. So out upon the. trail rode the three men, and the train was soon discovered, the situations for the coming acts located, and then Butternut Ben and Prairie Pink were left to themselves to consummate their well-formed plot in their own way. They had received their first installment of ‘““pay” from their decoy, James Endicott, so were amply repaid for their services in the good cause, though they would gladly bave acted without the slightest recompense v batever. Tbey considered tbat they bad a right to take a villain’s gold in carrying out a good end, and so they were contented with how matters stocd. And out upon the trail of the wagon-train of the Bilberrys started Quevedo and his men. They had the same one in view, viz. Dolores Davenant, that James Endicott had; but then they were elone looking for gold in the end, Monte Max acted for gold, and El Capitan expected to make Erdicott pay a handsome ran- som for the giving up to f nant, while Jose and Juan certainly anticipated sharing in the booty found with the wagon- train. And coming in the rear of the train, following - him of Dolores Dave- |