Beadle's Dime Library No. 807 — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

LO A ET: A ETT et CR. TS aR Be * Wild Bill, the Wi ld West Du ll, Me elist. dead, and if so, it will be best; but, should he not be, then it need only be known to you, sir, and those now present, unless it is forced upon us to reveal the truth by deeds which he may be guilty of as Elmo Valdos.” ‘*You reason well, Mr. Valdos, and it ‘Shall be as you wish, for 1 am sure Major Canfield and Wild Bill will keep the secret.” ‘* Both bowed acquiescence and the col- onel continued: ‘“Now I do not like your going alone, for Wild Bill can accompany yon.” ‘‘No, thank you, colonel, but I know that he is to guide Miss Turpin to her father’s mine,”” , ‘Tf I mistake not, your you fora day together,” . ‘Tt will, colonel, from what I learn of the place where the battle was fought,” said Wild Bill. ‘Well, you ean go that far with Wild Bill, and either overtake him and continue on to the mine, as an extra escort to Miss Turpin, or return to the fort, just as you please, but may I. ask if you have any means of identifying your brother’s body?” ‘‘ Do you observe that the small finger on my left hand has but one joint?” All looked at the finger designated and no- ticed that it had but one joint from the socket. ‘‘1t is certainly so, and is a remarkable peculiarity I never met with in any one else,’’ said the colonel. e ‘* My brother is thus marked, Colonel Mon- astery, and his hand will reveal it, if he lies in one of those graves, aud | will search each body for the proof,” _ ““T believe you are wise in going, now that I know what proof you have, Mr. Val dos, whether your broth@r was slain or not. ** Now let meask you, sir, if you are sup- _ plied with funds, and if 1 can serve you in any way?” “Thank you, ‘no, sir. I have ample money, for the timely arrival of Wild Bill at my ranch prevented my man there from sending off another remittance he intended to dispatch soon to my brother. | ‘Then, too, LLhave other funds and prop- erty he did not learn of, it seems, through some oversight of his.” . ‘* You are fortunate in that; but will you now mect my daughter, and Miss Turpin, who is here?’ ‘ . ‘‘Thank you, sir, I have not yet gotten off the dust of the long trail we followed, so beg to pay my_respects at another time,” and the Texan bade the colonel good-nieht aud de- . parted, accompanied by Major Canfield, who was to show him to his brother’s quarters, where de wis to pass the night, politely de- _¢lining the invitation of both officers to be. come their guest until he could get settled trail will lead —— he 3 - Oe ae ~s i > ~-< eT + F ee "> = = 2 ~« : SS 4 = Zs '_- + > _ - ae Ss i” * = - Oe - - _ ~~ = oe /* , — _— . 5 > . 4 » at 4 - acad . le <7 * ‘ —— og ge - a ~ a ye = ——_ es eS Ss hE | > 2 < —) Ny * +, + *? —s — .~ —— a “ ae ee ee . DS pte ” ¢ %. . i eae ~w on = 7 a = ve o> 8 a — __ rs — I" ot ”« ey et ‘Pa - _ a i ee yt) © and feel at home. ; Me vie saul: ide sight of the major coming in with -t|) Adrian Valdos, nearly stampeded,the “ stri- x at ker” who had believed Captain Valdos dead *)}} © and buried, but he was quickly rallied and ~} ~~ told that the one who then appeared would R ykin be master of those quarters, though not until ne 8) a a AN the departure of the major and Wild | maa Bill, when it was explained to him how it }iL, * \happened, did he regain his nerve and seem a |) eames ed to remain, i 1 Ke . 5.¥" ‘ —— A GTRL'S ROMANCE. | Bee ‘What a fatality has been mine,’’ mused a - Adrian Valdos, as he was ey alone in his % ~=©=—._ quarters, after his talk with the man who had been the servant of his brother, and from whom he had gleaned much more in- | pie) formation regarding his life and methods ‘}j) than from any one else. ah Ji}... * \ He did not appear to care for sleep, but _. gat down at his brother's desk andylooked over the letters and papers there. Then he looked through his wardrobe and other things in his quarters until he had acquainted himself with all that was there. , Pi at i | ne, 80g Selecting a new fatigue suit which had he put it on, and it fitted eee o perfection, and his forage cap did the te gal ie i | . , ‘ ' - ae nd 4 5 ta ek hal, Dy ol y, "sy ive pe LAS y, 7 7 | ere ¢ #"} ke rt irae 4 : S iy 4 7 ' iL ss) ty 4 bed * Sy . a a! Pe a r * 7 - ; t . ‘ | |) | a os _ There were new boots there also and these | Valdos, and to welcome you as one of us at matter that must reach nt a Were equally as good a fit, so that when the | Fort Blank, and you must be good friends ‘‘ Certainly.” om oe Mets, riker came in the morning to awaken the | also with my comrade, Miss Turpin.” ee: ; i cases | officer he found him all rigged out and the| Sue Turpin, thus introduced, offered her not, that Miss Monoster; = we yy ery eo nterpart ofhisbrother, = ~~ hand with a pre ty little sp in +h about girls. en, ‘to your brother?” me tne paces Vale tov eat. aN, tat § ii cu Many 7 rf ) ae Hd , ey! Lie = hy ys Mag ue Pe - 3 * gh * io s aA eo) ai aye t Wann! cs oats agi , rts A 1458 ee Ms i Naif. —y >) Fr ie f Ti +e ee Major Canfield called to take him to break- fast with him, and, as the story had already gone the rounds of. his arrival, and how he had been wronged, the officers at the mess gave hima most cordial greeting and he felt honored at his. reception and touched by its kindliness as well. Tid The major escorted him through the fort and introduced him here and there, taking him under his especial wing, while the colo- nel himself called upon him, inviting him to dine with him that day, an invitation that was promptly accepted, with an excuse for no better wardrobe than he.possessed. Major Canfield was the only other person invited -to dine that day at headquarters, and he called for Lieutenant Valdos at the appointed hour and found him with Wild Bill as a visitor, ; ‘“‘T came to welcome the lieutenant, sir, and we have been talking it all over, so that’ in the future 1 feel he will have ne more trouble,” said Wild Bill. ‘* Yes, itis to be hoped so, for certainlv you have had enough for one man. Valdos; but you are ready I sce, to go to the colo- | nel’s.”’ ‘All ready, sir,” and telling Wild Bill to call at his will, the lieutenant accom- —* _ always being the friends cf brave brothers, | and then the four sat down for a general | conversation until the coming in of Colonel | Monastery whose warm greeting of Adrian Valdos convinced him. that he had good friends at headquarters. And so the dinner passed off delightfully, the ice was broken to Valdos’s entrance into army life, and when the two officers took their leave Sue Turpin remarked: ‘‘He is just. lovely, Marcelite, but I can- not understand how Vice and Virtue can be such perfect counterparts as those two bro- thers,” —_—e— CHAPTER XIII. AN ENVIABLE SERVICE, —— oo ‘WELL, Valdos, I envy you your first as- sitgnment of duty, being the escort of those two beautiful girls down to the mines in New Mexico.” So said Major Canficld, as the two officers entered the quarters of the major for a quiet smoke before retiring. After dinner at the colonel’s, it had come up in conversation about ‘the going of Sue Turpin to join her father, for: Wild Bill had brought her a letter as well as one to the _— panied the major to headquarters. colonel, explaining the need of her going. Ri, The colonel was engaged in his office at | Then it was made known that Sue had Nek the time of their arrival, but two more | urged Marcelite to accompany her, for the | beautiful girls than the belle of the fort, | two had become most devoted friendsinthe and the Mascot of Moonlight Mine who wel- | time they had been together, and fond of " comed them could not be found. just such a trip as the long trail meant, the hf Their types of beauty were wholly differ- | the colonel’s daughter had readily assented, ent, Marcelite being a pronounced brunette providing consent could be obtained from and Sue Turpin a decided blonde, while the ' the commandant. former's figure was slightly above the me-| The permission was asked at the dinner dium height, and the latter was petite, and , table, and Colonel Monastery had demurred, both as graceful as gazelles, in their move- ; yet could not refuse to allow his daughter: — » be fe) r ments. Sue Turpin’s life iad been full of romance, for the only child of her father, he had taken her with him to the mines, and as success fell upon bim she had become known as ‘‘Beauty Blue Eyes,” and was also called the ‘‘Mascot of Moonlight Mine.” When he had wedded the mother of Sue, Hugh Turpin found that his brother Jack, a rival in love, had become his greatest’ foe, and years after, when a desperado in. the mining country, the disappointed man had sought his revenge in kidnapping Sue and carrying her away where all search for her proved in vain. + It was Wild Bill who came upon the des- perado’s hiding place in the mountains, and in a personal encounter killed ‘‘ Black Jack ” as hc was known, and rescuing the young girl restored her to her home in her father’s cabin. ~ Dy ‘ Having found a fortune in the mines, Hug Turpin went East with his daughter to have ¢ her educated, and several years after return. ed to look after his mining iaterests and dis- pose of them, bringing Sue with him, The stage-coach in which they were pass- engers was held up by road-agents near Fort Blank, and once again Wild Bill was tlie rescuer, While with him was Major Canfield, who at once escorted the father and daughter on to the fort. => ‘a While Mr, Turpin went to his mines in New Mexico, Sue became the guifest of Col- onel Monastery and his daughter, and her beauty and lovely character won the hearts of all at the fort, while hag? ad Canfield found in meeting her a ‘‘ Balm in Gilead” for his wounded heart, hurt by the unrequited love he had felt for Marcelite Monastery. So matters stodd-at the fort, when Wild Bill returned from his successful trail of running down the mystery of Adrian Val- dos’s life, and reporting that, ag Mr. Turpin was forced to remain some time longer at the mines, he wished his daughter to come on and join him there, especially as her signa- ture was necessary in the transfer of several mines that had been placarded her name. _ he ng : It was Marcelite and Sue then who met and welcomed Adrian Valdos when they arrived at headquarters, the colonel’s daughter re- marking, with no reference to the slain brother whose life had been so evil: “yy, “Tam glad to meet you again, Lieutenant years before in’ to go where he permitted Sue to do so, even at her father’s request. | ‘My home will be like a howling wilder- ; ness, to deprive it at one fell blow ofallits = = attractions, yet Isuppose [cannot say no,” said the colonel, and so it was decided that — | the two maidens should ‘get ready to depart | oie is within three days. a Sh 3 Bae It was also decided, after the colonel and’ Adrian Valdos had had a long conversation = ‘aside, that Lieutenant Valdos should actas © escorting officer, to ‘join them at their first = night's camp on the trail, while Wild Bill’) was to go as scout and guide, witha ser- 4 * + =, + ' ti '*” : Ld seein corporal and sixteen troopers as a | uard, . tiie, 5 SO : In addition there was to be Marcelite’s \. quadroon maid, a negrocook and a couple of =) horse wranglers to look after the ladies’ horses and pack-animals, for a complete camp — 1 Ne outfit was to be taken along for their com- | Both the young ladies had been satisfied — ae with this arrangement, as far asthe officer 9 in charge was concerned, but made no it ei | ment upon the fact that-he was to jointhem = ‘the first night on the trail, and not depart from the fort with-them., | They seemed to feel t colonel had ment, | we es we >) eb Sl - y hat both he and the. * good reasons for this arrange- » -» Aa In answer tothe major's remark thatopens this chapter, Lieutenant Valdos had replied: *: Yes, major, I am ‘to be envied the pleas- ant duty, and ‘let me explain to you wh was given to me.” ACW) are 3 as Only if you really desire to do so, Va _ “T do, indeed, for you have proven your- self a devoted friend of mine already.” _ ‘“‘T have been only just and honest.” * Well; I like you for-it. (0 he ee ‘I suppose my being sent on this escort — will anger some of the young Officers, wh ee Bie would have been glad tohave gone.” ‘* Yes, especially Lieutenant Cameron Cole, — oh who from tle first, when you saved the cc ae ye mand in Texas, has been apparently hosti “ate toward you, though I believe the whole se- cret lies in his being jealous of the regard of 1 he Miss Monastery for you.” J dice: | tre 4 A 9 | She has ever been most kind when I. Pe have met her, and I owe my appointment, | you know, to her father and yourself.” ‘* You deserved it, | bets ae ;. ‘But, Valdcs, let me speak to you up On a) a. f te : = b j 7 * ©, your ears soon,” - /“T do not know that you are awar . eu ° . poe ; od? Fe wa) et >, ‘ i oy _- ies =f +n) bs) > os “4 ah * s/s 4 a eS 4 - * é 7 ’ ’ ® * by wf ) NIG xis al Cote baba ie iat bak | ee os > ’ tal ep