Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 560 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

8 The Man from Mexico. name by which the man had been known, and | the date and reason for his sudden taking off. These ‘‘ inscriptions” were both unique and | forcible, and at a pinch might stand also for an | obituary of the deceased. A shed in front of the cabin was termed by courtesy a ‘‘ piazza,” and under this shelter was | my idea is had you not been ‘¢ You have searching eyes, senorita, and took in the situation at a glance,” ‘* Oh, I knew Desmond, and was sure he meant to kill you, and he is a dead shot, and a plucky fellow too,” ‘‘ He showed nerve that night, certainly; but resent he would a rustic seat on which the Mexican seated him- | not have faced death as he did.” self and gazed upon the five graves not ten feet away, and which seemed to stand forth in bold relief asa warning to the latest inbabitant of the Doomed Man’s Den. The view from the spur was particularly fine, for far up and down the valley the eye could roam, and beyond to the mountain range miles away. The river and camps were in plain view, with the Hash House rising portentously below, and the neat home of Landlord Sampson and his daughter near by. Half a mile away, on a ridge was Hallelujah Roost, and the number of white beadboards dot- ting the burying-ground showed that Last Chance had been visited with an epidemic of bullet fever which had been fatal in most cases, A few wesks after his coming to Last Chance the Man from Mexico had become thoroughly at home. He had moved into his home on the mountain spur, and had made himself comfortable there, He passed his time to suit himself, riding about the country by day, gambling by night, and almost invariably mining. He was generous, always treated the crowd, and never cared to play with a man of limited means, Whenever Dick Deadly Hand played with him, he named bigh stakes and others drew out, and left the twoto gamble together, and the Mexican seldom lost, though strange to say when the miner wasina game with others he was invariably the winner, The Mexican always dressed with the greatest neatness and elegance, seeming to be as particu- lar in having his picturesque costume look as well in every-day life in a mining-camp, as though he were in bis refined society in Mexico. He was courteous to all, yet reserved, and | sought no friendships, and, to the delight of | Dick Deadly Hand, did not seem to seek the so- ciety of Stella Sampson, or to curry favor with her father, as he did. Since her forcing him to obey her the night of the arrival of the Man from Mexico in Last | Chance, the miner had been more than ever de- voted to the maiden, and she had, on the con- trary, bsen more reserved toward him, Still the desperado did not look upon the Mexican, after the first few days of his stay in the camps, as a rival to be feared, until the af- ternoon he came suddenly upon the two riding together along a mountain trail. Dick Deadly Hand did not know that the meeting bad been accidental, and he scowled at the Mexican as they passed, but received a po- lite bow in response, Tae Man from Mexico had met Stella but a - few moments before, for he had seen her horse ‘* Well, Iam convinced that he means harm _ to you, so I advise you to watch him as though he were your deadliest foe.” ‘‘T am always on my guard, Senorita Stella; | bat I thank you, and would again ask why you did not answer my question awhile ago?” ‘* And what was that?” ‘* You said I threw a lasso like a Mexican.” ** Yes, and you do.” “And I asked you if I was not a Mexi- can?” P se looked him squarely in the face, and said rmly: ‘“No, for we have met before, Senor Merl!” CHAPTER XIII. STELLA’S DREAM, AT the words of Stella, spoken with a signifi- cance which could not be misunderstood, the Mexican glanced quickly toward her, and she thought that she detected his face change color. ‘* You say that we bave met before, senorita?” he asked, in a tone of surprise. sé Yeas,” ‘* Never before I came to Last Chance,” se Yes. ” ‘**Tt is remiss in me not to recall you, senorita. ‘* When were you in Mexico?” ‘*T never was in Mexico in my life, senor,” ‘* Ah! [ have been for awhile in Texas and New Mexico—perhaps it was in Santa Fe I met you, though I see not how 1 could forget you, once meeting you.” She flushed at his words and replied: ‘*No, Senor Merle; it was not in Texas nor in New Mexico that I met you,” ‘Then you are mistaken, senorita--it is a re- semblance,”’ Senor Merl, I do not wonder at your not recalling me, for I only remembered last night that we bad met before, and [Il tell you how it was, and if it is not as I say, tell re,” ‘* Certainly, senorita.” ‘* When I first saw you, your face came to me as one I had seen before. ‘* Tt appeared to me like the face of one I had opece known well, and yet I could not recall when and where we had met. ‘*] then decided that you reminded me of some ons I had known, and yet who that some one was [ could not even remember. ‘*So your face puzzled me, until last night the mystery was solved,” ‘Ab! ane you recall the one [resemble now?” ‘*T recall you, senor.” The Man from Mexico smiled incredulously, and Stella went on in her low, earnest way: Y Let me tell you something of myself, will ? eS ee eee Seem ‘** My preserver ordered the yacht then run in to an anchorage near our home, and my father being away, the servants were told of what had occurred, ‘** Then my rescuer departed, and in vain was it that my father tried to find him, for he never could even learn what yacht it was, ‘* The body of my mother was found days af- ter and buried, and it was said that she had be- come insane and taken her life, trying to take mine at the same time, “To my father only did I tell of that man bearing a letter to her, but he could not under- stand it, and the note was not found with her.” ‘Do you recall the scene I have drawn, Senor Mer]?” ‘* Why should I, senorita?” was the quiet re- sponse of the Mexican, who had listened with deep attention to every word uttered by the young girl, Tl] tell you why. ‘Last night I had a cream, Senor Merl, and I lived over vividly the scene of my mother’s death. ‘“‘T was young then, very youug, but it made an impression upon me which I can never efface from my memory. ‘‘In my dream last night I lived over, as I said, that fatal scene. ‘‘ When in the water, dashed about by the waves, I had such perfect confidence in the brave man who had come to my aid, that I seemed to feel no fear. ‘*T gazed up into his face, and every feature became stamped upon my memory, ‘‘He said but little then, only to cheer me, and to tell me he thought my mother would be saved also, ‘‘Last night in my dream [ heard his voice again—Senor Merl, it was your face, your voice I saw and heard,” ** How strange,” ‘Oh, no, it was not strange, for you are the one who saved me from death that fearful day.” ‘* But how can it be, senorita, when—” ‘Senor, it is useless for you to attempt to deceive me. ‘*'You are my rescuer, and, I saw your face last night in my dream, as I had seen it then, and I heard your voice, ‘‘Then there was the same accent in your voice as now; it had the very same tone, and when I awoke I knew when and where we had met before. ‘Do you still deny it, senor?” ‘*Senorita Stella, strange things are dreams and yours has impressed you with the belie that I was your rescuer. ‘*‘Tam a Mexican, senorita, and your friend was doubtless aa American,” Stella shook her bead and replied: ‘*Sonor Merl, I seek not for your confidence, nor to pry into your life. ‘*] know only what you tell me now about yourself, but [I am firmly convinced that you are my brave rescuer. **Some indistinct memory comes to me that the man who brought that note to my mother I ‘It would give me more than pleasure to lis- afterward saw on the yacht as a seaman, and | know be put right off into the Sound, so must have been picked up by your vessel.” ** My vessel?” . ‘* Yes, for I must cling to my belief, senor, dashing along riderless and had skillfully caught him with his lariat, which he always had at his - gaddle-horn, e dreaded evil to the beautiful girl, but she had called out to bim a moment after, and he ** Once, when I was a wee girl, my father was a rich man, and we had a lovely home upon the Long Island Sound. ‘** | remember it so well, for it was such a dear saw her standing over adeer which she had | spot to me, and I never tired of looking out upon é shot. ‘*Red-skin played me a shabby trick in run- ning hy Senor Merl, and I thank you for catch- bim. ‘* You throw a lasso like a Mexican,” she said, had seen him catch the animal. ‘**AndamI not a Mexican, Senorita Samp- son?” he asked, quickly. She did not answer the question, but said: ‘** Please help me with my game.” He raised the deer in his strong arms, and threw it across the back of his horse, behind bis saddle, and made it fast. | Then he aided her to mount, and the three _ rode together toward Last Chance, to come ~ gsnddenly upon Dick Deadly Hand, who was also hunting among the hills, but on foot, ‘You did not answer my question awhile since, senorita?” asked the Mexican, after they had passed the miner. ‘‘ Did you notice Desmond’s scowl as we passed?” e Yes,” ‘‘ That man means mischief, for he bas been too pleasant since the nigbt of bis affair with oul ** And with you, permit me to add, for I owe -- you my life,” “Lam notso sure of that, from what I saw _ you do, for after all you might have killed bim, as you were watching him like a hawk, and looking for a chances to draw your weapon.” ‘* You saw that, then?’ ‘* Oh, yes.” | ‘** | wished to catch him off his guard for a second.” ‘‘And had you done so, he would have not now been alive.” © Perhaps.” ‘**T am sure of it, for your aim is quick, and | born in eras a young man. as he rode up with her runaway horse, for she | the blue waters, in calm or storm, and watcAing the ships sail by. ‘* My mother wasa Spanish lady, and I was Spain, for my fataer was a great travel- **[ remember my mother as a young dark- faced, beautiful woman, ‘*One day my mother and I were seated in a rustic arbor upon the shores of the Sound, when a boat landed and a man came toward us. ‘*He handed to my mother a letter, and at once went away, | ‘*T saw my mother’s face when she read it, and I recall ber look of anguish even now, ‘‘T asked her what was it thatburther so, and she said simply: ‘**Coine, my child, let us take a row upon the waters.’ **Tt was blowing fresh, and I wondered that she wished to go, but I of course went with her, and our little boat danced about on the waves until I was greatly alarmed, ‘* At last my mother ceased rowing, and be- an to weep bitterly. ‘** I tried to comfort her, but ber grief was ter- rible, and after awhile she suddenly seized me in her arms and sprung into the sea, ‘* We sunk from sight, and in some way I was loosened from my mother’s bold upon me, and when I rose to the surface I saw a beautiful schooner vacht very near, ‘Thad noticed dt before, but my mother’s grief prevented me observing it after a glance at it. ** T was sinking from sight again when a man leaped from the yacht’s deck and grasped me in his arms. ** The vessel swept on, and it was some time before it picked us up; but my rescuer was a splendid swimmer and upheld me easilv. **T was taken into the cabin, and every effort er LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL and I cannot but feel that perhaps that note to my mother you knew something of, , ‘‘T know not what has made the change in your life from then to now, for, by your own confession, you are a gambler now, a roamer at will; but you are the man that saved my life, and again we meet, and I owe you another debt of gratitude, as do all the dwellers in Last Chance. ‘But [see that you are determined to deny that you were my preserver in the long ago, so let us say nO more upon the subject, please, and yet remember that I am thorough y con- vinced, for my dream betrayed vou to me.” i The Man from Mexico smiled, and said, Bs You remember the lines, senorita: *** A woman convinced against her will Is of the same opinion still?’ ‘* But, may I ask if your fatber knowsof your dream?” ‘* No, for I have told no one.” ‘Then, pray do not do so, for it will onl bring up painful memories to him; but, shail we ride on more rapidly, for the sun is setting?” Stella’s answer was to urge her horse on, and soon after they rode into Last Chance together. That night Stella sunk to sleep, more than ever convinced that her dream bad trutbfully betrayed to her that ber rescuer of the long ago was none other than the Man from Mexico, CHAPTER XIV. AN ALARM. THE more the miners of Last Chance saw of the Man from Mexico, the more they were im- pressed with him. He beld an influence that the oldest miners in the camp bad not gained, and more, there wae that about him that commanded respect and admiration from all, There was no poor man in the camps that he » assure as death, Senor Merl.” was made to find my poor mother, but in vain, i a - — NESTE ' ud wey a eee i ‘ 9 ri ; A "ay ‘ es 4 ~ * ~ , 1 P s~\ : a » i er fe | wie A bpm aaa i | GOMIIGRDOGKS. CGO ~* ort ei . ; LJ a \d > i ; - ok “ : f* i-3 > . a 'y - ’ . .” .* = a, a“ ' . i { F ~__ “y ae a 2” 1 g j 3 ' * ee P ; é : a FP. Ai) oh 4 / rr fl } 3 7 —— - . —