Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 346) (1884 03 11)
The text was read from the page scans by machine (OCR), so it has mistakes and its columns may run together. See the pages · About this title · At the Internet Archive
Page 1
— wy a J “A r=. @ y J! \ y \ ot! nc nt AS 3 a . TU WR WY BW, OURBs>Go ye | as SS ———— AK SS Oil I 2 4 oa a NS tel iss ab a : AW ae tae mee | | lott Lo Ul a $2.50 a year. Entered at the Post Office at New York, N. Y., at Second Class Mail Rates. ec, Copyright, 1884, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, March 11, 1884 Single PUBLISHED WEEKLY BY BEADLE AND ADAMS, Price, Vol. XIV. Number, No, 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. 5 Cents. No. 34 , — RAPIER RAPHAEL: or, THE SWORDSMEN of ZACATEGAS. BY MAJOR HENRY B. STODDARD, Ex-Scout, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ NECK-TIE NED,” ‘‘PONY, THE COWBOY,” ETC., ETC, SE LE EF soe ees BUT THAT TERRIBLE BLADE WHISTLED TWISTED, FLASHED IN A HUNDRED DIRECTIONS: IT SEEMED TO MULTIPLY AND BECOME RAPIER, CUTLASS, SWORD AND FALCHION IN ONE. | ES BINGE %
Page 2
x aP 2 Rapier Raphael; The Swordsmen of Zacatecas. — BY MAJ. H. B. STODDARD, Ex-Scovt, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ NECK-TIE NED,”’ ‘‘ PONY, THE COWBOY,” 2 ETC., EIC., ETO. CHAPTER I. ONE AGAINST THREE, In the province of Zacatecas, Old Mexico, on the banks of the Rio de Nazas, stands a ruined castle, surmounting a stony hill, one siae of which 1s abrupt and precipitous, bathing its feet in the waters of the river, which rolls, rapid and yellow, at this point. The castle antedates the memory of man, and was made up of walls crumbling to dust, three or four towers oy into ruins, a park overgrown with the brush of a hundred years’ growth, ditches half- filed with mud. During windy nights the rusty wind-vane creaked in a lugubrious manner, while the owls, fit com- panions of the doleful surroundings, flitted on silent wings in and out of the open casements, the shut- ters of which scarce hung by one hinge. In the years 1868 to 1867, the surrounding country was swarming with French and Austrian troops, while in the unsettled state of the country the Mes- tizoes, the Gachupines, the Zambos and the Chinos roamed almost at will, robbing and plundering whatever of traveler or dwelling they encountered. For, influenced by Louis Napoleon, Maximilian of Austria had become inflated with the idea that he could win a crown, and had invaded the country with that intention. How fruitless his efforts were, is shown by the shots that rung out on the plains of Queretaro, by the long and never-ceasing insanity of Carlotta, the would-be emperor's wife. During the years mentioned, the almost ruined castle was inhabited by a band of youths, six in number, who, leaving the United States in 1862, being too young to enter the army during the great Civil War, had gone to Mexico to work one of the old silver mines with which that country abounds, This mine had been the propesty of Mr. Raphael Douglass, who at his death had bequeathed it to the sole surviving member of his family, his son, Ra- phael, junior. The latter, barely fifteen whenjhe reached Mexico, _ had ' been recalled from Europe by his father’s death. The boy Raphael had been sent abroad while yet a mere child, and, educated at one of the finest schools in Switzerland, possessed a thorough knowl- edge of both French and German, besides being a perfect master of that difficult science—fencing. Young as he was, there lay concealed beneath his white skin, muscles and sinews of steel, and when he stood on guard, with his rapier lightly yet firmly grasped, the point at the hight of his eye, his body resting solidly on his left foot, he was considered by both the masters and pupils of the school, as well as hy the officers of the garrison in the town, well-nigh impregnable. ; And Rapier Raphael, as he was called from his pro- ficiency with his favorite weapon, bad instructed bis five comrades in the art of fencing with so much diligence that this, added to the interest that they took in the exercise, made them nearly as much the masters of the weapon they favored as was their instructor himself. When, back to back they stood, with their swords hissing, whistling, bending in the air, and darting out their needle-like poiuts in seemingly. twenty different diréctions at once, a hollow-square of bay- onets was easier to break through. On the evening on which the reader is introduced to Mount Desert,as Raphael had named his home, calling it after the island off the coast of Maine where he was born,a number of men, evidently French and Austrian officers, were gathered in front of the gate, or rather door which gave entrance to the castle yard. ; This door, strongly made of massive oak,.and crossed.in every direction by bars of iron and heavi- ly studde! with iron bolts, was well-nigh impregna- ble unless the attacking party wasarmed with bat- tering-gams or the more modern artillery. The Officers, unacquainted as they were with the ruined mansion and its inmates, and receiving no re- sponse to their oft-repeated summons, became more and more impatient as the door remained closed and no one appeared in answer to their knocks, Finally one of the number who seemed to be the highest in authority, turned to a young officer at his right and spoke: . *Maurigot, my friend, look about and seeif you can not find some means of climbing this accursed wall. We cannot stay here all night, and as the house seems deserted, we will, forsooth, take posses- sion. You will probabiy be able to open the door from theinside. Go, and good luck go with you.” By an“oversight which did not long .remain un- punished, the man of all work retained by Raphael to attend to the garden and horses, had left a ladder leaning against a tree near by, he having used it to trim the decaying branches of an ancient oak, which threatened to fall and do serious injury to the wall. Maurigot’s eye fell on this ladder, and, dismount- ing from his horse, he quickly procured the ladder, and leaning it against the wall was soongat the top, pooring, into the darkness of the garden and shrub- ry below. 4 ee LLL, Rapier Raphael. The massive pile of the ruined castle rose dark and stern against the sky a short distance back, but not a single ray of light broke from its somber ex- terior. All was mysterious and gloomy, yet the young Frenchman was made of the st heroes; so, carefully straddling the coping, that he ‘you do not know the first’ principles of the noble — art of fencing. Now for the other!” And turning, he faced the third intruder, who was | no other than the leader who had first sent Mauri- that produces | might avoid the bits of broken glass which protect- | 5 edi and leaning over said: “Not a sign of life, either in house or park, Not even a dog. asleep!” “Well then,” said he who seemed to be the leader, “leap into the park and open the door. It’s get- ting ontoward supper time and I am ravenous!” Maurigot disappeared, and the others could hear | t : | was glancing like a flash toward the Frenchman’s | right side, and as he, thrown off his balance, was un- him as heecrashed through a bush and landed on the turf inside. The fall was a hard one and the young officer was fora moment stunned, and remained for an instant immovable. ‘* Well, by my faith, a rude shock,” he muttered. “But I will open the door, and perhaps, the next time some one else will be sent ahead!” _ And stepping to the door he examined its fasten- ings. These consisted of a heavy iron bar, held in its socket by a large padlock, which rendered it im- movable. “Heuh!” grunted Maurigot, ‘after playing acro- bat must I now become a lock-smith? Well, here goes!” and, having a knife in his belt, he drew it and, forcing the point of the blade into the padlock, tried to break it open. “Wor the honor of Bacchus, hurry!” cried one of the officers from the outside; ‘“‘do you want us to | ‘ | be obtained. starve?” But Maurigot had no time to answer him; at that moment he received a terrible blow on top of his head. This crash, which seemed to descend direct from heaven, was the stroke from the handle of a sword, t, giving a lastlook he turned to his companions | If the cote contains a pigeon the bird is | ga | slight advantage gained by Rapkael, through ap acca | under which the light fatigue-cap of the officer | crushed as if it were an egg-shell, while the French- man half-turned, completely stunned for the mo- | ment—so stunned, in fact, that no voice was left him | to call for help. A young man stood in front of him, who thrust in his face the point of his naked sword, seeing which, Maurigot, stepping back a pace and leaning against the door, drew his rapier. “You hound!” spoke out a clear and vibrating voice, ‘‘as sure as my name is Raphael Douglass, as sure as you are nothing but a midnight marauder, I am going to spit you to that door!” Dazed as he was, Maurigot was not exactly in a condition to do himself entire justice, and calling on his comrades to come to his aid,.he crossed swords more feebly than was his wont. On the other side of the wall, the officers awaiting the opening of the door could hear the click and ed of the steel blades as they clashed against each other. “Gentlemen,” said their leader, ‘‘ Maurigot has fallen intoanambish. What shall we do?” An Austrian, named Schombrun, brave as most of his countrymen are, and always willing to assist a companion, answered for his comrades: ‘Let us to his rescue! It will make us forget our hunger for a moment, and I, for one, do not propose to leave behind us the shelter of these walls, for you see, gentlemen,” and as he pointed to the west a — of lightning split the heavens from zenith to orizon. In — these last words he was half-way up the ladder. Atthis time Raphael and Maurigot were fencing with all the fury of deadly enemies, and twice the sword of the former had scraped the breast of the Frenchman and brought blood. , But Maurigot, who by this time had recovered his entire senses, being one of the best swordsmen of his regiment, gave Raphael about all that he could attend to, and finally, making a feint, half-dropped to the ground, glided’ under Raphael's arm, and tried to plant bis knife, which he still held in his left hand, in the young American's side. But the boy, quick as the lightning, lifted his arm and then let it fall, and a second stroke of the han- dle of his sword fell on the doomed head of the Frenchman; he let both sword and knife drop, and fell, insensible on the ground. But at the same time Schombrun appeared on top of the walland prepared to leap to the scene of combat. “Ah! ah!” said Raphael, ‘‘so there were two of them!’ But as the Austrian leaped, another figure took his place, and the “ continued,falling into that rather fantastic form of expression which contact with foreigners had taught him. ‘“By the honored ashes of my father, it fairly rains officers, to-night! Well. good enough! I'll try and play sun, awhile, and stop this shower!” and thus talking to himselt, the boy backed up against the door, and threw himself into position with all the assurance that his many. victories abroad had given him. Schombrun was brave, as has been said, but of that bravery a little blind, a little brutal, a little rash that is characteristic of the race to which he belonged, and as serious as a mule in a cornfield, he advanced on Raphael, and arriving within reach, threw himself on his adversary with the blind fury of a wild boar that turns on the pursuing hounds, and crossed his sword with him impetuous “e 4 “ As for you, my noble friend from the Danube, laughed the boy as twisting his steel like a snake he threw the rapier of the Austrian, with a jerk, ten paces away, into a smali pond that was thera i lenges lige sees i got to his defeat. _Ina few moments Rapliael found that up to this time al! of his fencing bouts had been child’s play compared to his present experience, for never had he encountered an opponent who so excelled. For five minutes or more it was nip and_tuck, and neither of the two swordsmen seemed to be able to gain any superiority over the cther, and but for a dental stumble of the other, caused by his foot catch- ing in a projecting root, the result might have been different. But as he stumbled the rapier carried by the boy able to parry, the steel slid into bis shoulder. pass- ing through up to the hilt, and the officer, fainting from the excruciating pain, fell heavily to the sward. . 3ut the Austrian had meantime ‘stoien behind Raphael, and throwing his arms around him, while his attention was distracted by the fallen Frenchman, held bim as in a vise; for Schombrun was built in a huge mold and was a perfect giant alongside the slim American. And so the boy found himself perfectlypowerless and hélpless, the more so that by this time the three officers who had remained outside had entered the park, and, ae to the Austrian’s assistance, aid- ed him in binding his prisoner. Then as their leader appeared. to be seriously if not dangerously wounded, they decided to push on to their camp, where the services of a surgeon could So two Jong poles being procured and fastened to | thestirrups of two saddles, a comfortable litter was quickly made by means of a large military cloak, and the wounded man being placed there.n, “the | cavalcade prepared to set out. Raphael was to walk, his hanes being securely tied, and was placed in charge of Maurigot, who had re- covered from the effects of Raphael’s second blow, except that his head ached tenibly. The gate was thrown open, and Schombrun, in the lead, was about to por out, when a tall and slender horseman barred his passage and a clear, quiet voice challenged the party. The Austrian, turning to his comrades, said a few | words of warning and then drawing his sword, rode | down on the new arrival like a thunderbolt. As surely as his enormous Norman horse had struck the slight Andalusian animal ridden by the stranger, the shock would have been fatal, but the latter bounded out of the way as lightly as a ga- zelle, while the Austrian, unable to check his steed immediately received a sword-thrust in the back which made him roar like a wonnded bull. Turning he rode back. to his opponent, who await- ed him with the utmost sang-/roid. CHAPTER II. FIVE AGAINST ONE. Bur as the huge Austrian rode down upon him, the unknown, touched his mare lightly in the flank with his spur, which caused’ her to leap forward to the encounter, and met the Austrian half-way. : _And as he rode down upon Schombrun, the light- ning which Lee in zig-zag across the torn clouds, the viper which coils itself while hissing, give but an imperfect simile of the manner in ah ot the sword of the new-comer acted. 7 With an upper cut to the right he placed officer Schombrun comp}ttely out of the combat for a few moments, as the razor-like edge caught him just over the eyes, while the stream of blocd which 5 ae from the gaping wound, blinded him com- etely. * ind, then turning, with the white brightness of his sword dimmed with the crimson fluid, he leaped like the mountain torrent down upon bis remaining adversaries. And as the light hoof-beats of his nervous Spanish mare barely crushed the green grass that carpeted the park, he fell like an avalanche, his sword raised high, his eye aflame, in the middle of the quartette arrayed against him. With a hghtning-like twist of his arm and wrist, he Slashed the ear off of the side of Maurigot’s hea sinking the steel deep into the flesh and muscles o the French officer’s shoulder, and disabling him for weeks to come, y Before the others had recovered from their sur. prise each of them had received & more or less serious wound in the chest and sice; it seemed as if Satan himself had taken a hand in Raphae?’s rescue. However, Schombrun having tied his handker- chief about his forehead and thus checked the flow of blood, and the others having recovered from | their surprise, and perceived that there was but a single swordsman opposed to them, they formed in line and essayed to give him battle. _ But that terrible blade whistled, twisted, flashed in a hundred directions; it seemed to multiply and become rapier, cutlass, swordand faichion in one, while his nervous little mare. which flashed fire from eye and steam from nostril, seemed equally interest- ed in the combat, rushing against the other horses, meee and striking out viciously with her fore-legs. Raphael’s rescuer bad not received a single scratch, while his opponents were in a most pitifu) state and half helpless from the superstitious fear that overcame them. “Save yourselves!” cried ove of them. “It is Beelzebub in person, and not a human being that we are fighting with!’ and Spurs to their
Page 3
-Hlorses they fled ecross the plain as if they really a —_—__—__—1_ ~ay, ¥ . with Raphael and the two wounded iv». ~ that it may be palatable, ‘believed that the Evi! Spirit was after them. In a few moments the unknown remained alone Payiug no attention to the latter | .© horseman | rode up to Raphael, and stooping over aud using his sword, still smoking with the blood ‘at stained it, cut the cords that bound the boy’s :..nds, and left | him free. Raphael, lifting his hat courteo:-!y ‘owed and thanked the unknown for the asaisia © © udered, then noticing for the first time that his .cs.uer wore a mask. “How can I repay you, sir, for your assistance?” began the American, when a gesture from the rider stopped him. ‘*No thanks are needed, yet I came to ask your aid. If chance has so favored me that I have been able to aid you, so much the better. Is your house empty?” “For the moment only,” replied the lad. ‘My companions will return within the hour. In the mean time will you enter and partake of our rude fare? It.may be coarse, yet will beso freely given | And these men must. be attended to.” And, followed by the stranger, Raphael led the way to the house, the horses bearing the litter and the wounded Maurigot following instinctively. Within a short time the two sufferers were comfort- ably couched and their pains allayed by a rude sort of surgery displayed by the stranger, aided by some oe ointments that Raphael kept constantly on and. Not many hours after the unexpected rescue of Raphael, the door of the park again opened and a party of horsemen rode out onto the pluin. They were of the number of seven, and their lead- er, recognizable by his mask, which covered all the upper portion of his face above his mouth, could readily be distinguished as the wonderful swords- man who had wrought such havoe with the rapier. The six who followed him were Raphael and his five comrades, who had returned to the castle from the mines a short time after Raphael and the stranger had seated themselves at table. Each of the six lads was armed with a long rapier which slapje against his left thigh as he rode, and arevolver, for iu those days and times and districts, most of the encounters which took place between tke officers on either side were settled with swords after the most approved style of dueling, handed down from the rloricus days of yore. Riding at a rapid pace the little band were not long in reaching the outskirts of the village of Du- *rango, and here they halted, four of the lads being left with the horses, while the stranger, Raphael and _the lad who might be called his first lieutenant, ‘Rob Stanhope, proceeded quietly down through the back part of the village to a dark and noisome street one side of which gave upon the river, while the other was bordered with low, squatty houses of evil appearance. But few lights shone from any of them, and wherever a ray appeared, over the door or Window through which it shone was sure to be seen bang- ing the swinving sign indicative of liquor for sale. nd in these places the thieves, the robbers, the murderers—all of the criminal horde of the good village of Durango were wont to assemble and drink pulque, the most villainous decoction that ever made a man rob his own trunk, The three arrived in front of one of these dives over the door of which hung a greasy-looking red lantern, when suddenly from the interior arose a perfect pandemonium of shrieks, cries, howls and oaths, a regular infernal tumult. ; Behind the windows, of painted glass, could be seen shadows pesos. from time to time, although no one could be distinguished through the opaque anes And then the cries continued, some despairing, others joyous, mingled with oaths, blasphemies and drunken songs. In themidst of these vociferations, & woman's voice, supplicating and full of agony, could be heard, rising above the clamor, and plainly distinct to those outside, The three stopped and listened, their blood chilled 24 A og agonizing cries of the despairing creature inside. Raphael, at length could listen no longer and as the ry: ‘*Help! help!’ came to his ears with re- doubled force, he turned to the masked man, whom 0 a ecreae as his temporary leader and spoke to “Sir, is your business so urgent that it will not admit of our stopping for an instant and rescuing pnt eal creature from her tortures, whatever they are?” The unknown shrugged his shoulders and then, ‘without a word, turned to the door and struck it three thundering blows with the handle of his sword. . In a moment one of the windows close by opened, and a villainous-looking face appeared and de- ™manded: _* Who is there?” : bb, ae instantly,” returned the stranger, ‘‘ or, al- though ’tis an insult to my good sword, I’ll pin you like a blue-bottle to the wall when we enter!” An oath was the only response, and the window was closed, . saennel and Rob never understood exactly how it ‘was done; but the stranger stepped back, measured ‘the distance with his eye, OG senetiant ta tens ene nk e three were inside, and a strange and terrible picture presented itself to them. A post, supporting the floor above. rose from near and as he leaped, the door OEE EE eee tenn , = ait a ‘ + 2 x ~~ " is 9 i Rapier Raphael. 3 the fire-place, wherein an ardent fire was blazing, | lotions having been applied to the feet ef the | and tied to this post ina sitting position was a young ; suffering giri, she soon became more conte iable, and beautiful girl. | and able to inform the two lads of the tecrts +f ver Kneeling beside her with an iron bar in her hand, | being a prisoner, and being put to the 10) the bar being evidently used as a poker, knelt an “The bandits in whose hands you jound & ile ancient hag, approaching the red-hot end of theiron | began, addressing herself moro pili vt sy to to the bare soles of the young girl’s bare feet, which | Raphael, ‘are mercenaries, and in tie pay Ol Maxi- were already seared ana scorched by the contact of | milian, although they are Mexicans, the metal. ‘*A price is set on my father’s head by the Avs- At a tablenear by three men were seated, drink- | trians and the French, and these three men, ing, singing and blaspheming; while if the poor girl | who to-night expiated their crimes, made an it- who was being tortured cried louder than usual, | tack on my home, thinking to find my father therr. one of them threw a glass of pulque in her face, say- “ He had, however, just left the house, and I was ing: there alone,” and the girl gave a shudder at the 1e- “Shut up, and don’t destroy the harmony!” collection of her thoughts, as these horrible crea- The fumes of the sickening decoction they were | tures found her defenseless, _ drinking, the vile odor of the villainous tobacco they “They abducted me, thinking to make me by smoked mingled with the horrible stench of burning | threats or torture, reveal my father’s whereabouts. . flesh, all combined to make up a fit atmosphere to ‘* But this I refused to do, and the Blessed Virgin surround the scoundrels in their crimes. alone knows what would have been the result had As the three passers-by burst into the room there | you not arrived so vt ge emma : was a sudden silence, which lasted several seconds, And as she ceased speaking, the lovely girl cast when suddenly the three men rose to their fe t, | another ‘look of gratitude at the two boys, and tak overturned the table and barricaded themselves be- | ing her father’s hand, kissed it gratefully. hind it. But while her lips were still pressing the hand she One of them, a perfect giant, and the same who | had raised, the door burst open, and a file of French had spoken to them out of the window, having no | soldiers, headed by an officer in full uniform, entered other arm, reached back and secured the iron bar, | the room, and remained, with finger on trigger, at a until now used as an instrument of torture. ‘fready.”” 2 t y ; His two companions, drawing each a long and The officer, removing his cap with that innate po- vicious-looking Knife from his belt, ranged them- | liteness peculiar to the French, advanced toward selves alongside him. the center of the room, and bowing, made known As his eye fell on the young girl who was under- | bis errand. oing this cruel torture, the unknown, who still wore ‘General Juarez, I have orders to arrest you, his mysterious mask, uttered a piercing ery, and, | wherever found, and remove you to the citadel, theie drawing his sword, at one boand cleared the over- | to await your trial and ——— for ‘having turned table and leaped toward the fire. caused several of our French and Austrian officers The hag, deprived of the poker, and evidently | to be shot. r fearing that her prey would escape, sprung upon the ‘* Will you follow me, or must I use force?” yf poor child, and grasping her delicate throat in her It seemed useless to resist, and Juarez, for he it sinewy hands, buried her thumbs therein to strangle | was who was disguised with the mask, merely res her. quested that time he allowed him to see that his As the mask reached her side, his sword was rais- | Gaugnter was comfortably settled. ed high in the air, and descended, whistling. This was readily granted as soon as the cruelty Yet it did not ki!l. practiced on her had been explained, the French- The unknown, doubtless remembering her sex at-| man displaying much righteous indignation and that moment, changed it in mid-nir, and instead of | anger. cutting deep into the flesh, she received a blow with In the mean time but little attention was paid to the flat,of the weapon which raised a welt an inch | the two American lads, who, risirg, strolled to the wide, and caused her to release the girl on the in- | window, which was not far from the ground. stant. ‘ When within reaching distance they leaped as by As the man stooped to raise the fainting girl and | cne common impulse, and arrived safe at the pave- cut her bonds, the giant turning hurled the heavy | ment below, and hid in the darkness around the cor- iron bar he held straight at the other’s head; but | ner of the bouse. the intended victim avoided the blow by a side mo- Once there Raphael, placing to his lips a peculiarly- tion, and the bar, striking the wall, fell with a loud | shaped whistle, blew a long, low-pitched blast which clang harmlessly to the floor, resounded far down the street, and seemed to bring. And this was the last act of his vicious life, for as | an echo after it. an echo to the clang of the falling bar, came the re- ] ut this apparent echo was but the answer to his port of Raphael's pistol, and the giant, vomiting a | signal, and in a moment his four comrades came 1orrible blasphemy, together with a torrent of blood, | galloping down the street to meet him. fell to the floor in his death-agony, shot through The French officer had descended and barred the and through the body. door at once after the escape of the two friends, And then clearing the fortification that had been | fearing that they would give the alarm and arouse made of the table, Raphael and Rob attacked the two | the inhabitants, who would surely flock to the res- men behind it, sword in hand. cue of their beloved General Juarez. The contest was a short.one, and the two men, The garrison was small, and strict orders had been } foreed to retreat to the side of the room, reached | given to do their utmost to preserve the peace, and the wall, fought desperately for a moment, and | under no circumstances to have recourse to pow- then, stuck through and through the body, fell for- | der, but to use bayonet or rapier solely if needs ward dead, almost before the two lads could with- | must. draw their swords. This will explain certain gun-shots that appear te The aspect of things was completely reversed, and | be leckirg, and which the soldiers were aching to of the late occupants of the hall but two remained | fire, being restrained solely by the strict commands living—the victim and her tormentor, they had received. The woman who had been so cruel, now half-crazy Immediately upon the arrival of the rest of his r from the pain caused by the blow of the flat‘of the | band, Raphael explained the situation to them, well sword, was now crouched against the wall, whence | knowing that the Americans would on this occasion she regarded the three friends with savage glances, | side with the Mexicans against those who were try: like a wild beast which at length turns upon hunter | ing to establish an empire on the free soil of Norih and dogs. America. ° The measures taken by the stranger had well-nigh Two of the lads had found an ax and a heavy iron restored the fainting girl, when, catching sight of | bar, the use of which was not em and with her late tormentor, she gave way to a second and | them began an attempt to batter down the door. much more severe fainiing fit than the previous Leading his horse to below the window of the one. room where Juarez was confined, Raphael, standing Noticing this, Raphael catching the parchment- | on the saddle; leaned against the house, while Rob, faced old woman by the Ghouleré: Ted her othe door, | who was the lighter of the two, climbing on his and there, pushing her into the street, turned her | shoulders, tried to reach the sill. loose to find the fate that would certainly overtake But as he was drawing himself up one of the sol- her in the end, saying: diers struck him such a blow on the head with the ‘*Go hunt the gallows that surely awaits thee!” stock of his gun, that Robert trembled, turned half- And then, casting a last glance of disgust at the | around, and fell to the ground with such force that horrible picture presented by the dead bodies and | Raphael thought him dead. the other surroundings of the drinking room, the But the young leader was not discouraged. three took up their departure, accompanying the He wore, that night, beneath his cap, a skull-ca) young girl, tenderly carried in a chair. of steel, lined with cotton and wool, that he h “Gentlemen,” said the stranger, “this is my | bought in France, and this sort of helmet was strong daughter!” enough to support almost any blow that it might receive, The door still resisting the blows of ax and bar, he CAF Aer el called to one of his friends, who immediately placed ‘ AN IMPORTANT CAPTURE. himself on the saddle, standing, and allowed Raphael Ar this announcement, the two lads removed | to climb on his shoulders to the window. their caps and bowed low to the young girl that As he reached the sill a similar blow to the one they were assisting in carrying, and who smiled | which had Jaid Rob low descended on his head, but, i upon them both with that sad smile of mingled | thanks to the excellent quality of his steel cap, he ; pleasure and pain, which denotes internal suffer- | escaped unhurt. f ing. He wavered for a moment from the crushing And then in her-soft'and musical voice, she spoke | force of the blow, but did not fall. and giving a vigor- to them in the melodious Spanish which was her | our Jeap, landed in the room, burying his sword te native tongue, thanking them for their aid both in | the hilt in the breast of the astonished soldier, who her own and her father’s name, could not understand how a man could receive the ~ _Proceeding down the street, the quartette soon ar- | blow he had dealt and live. rived at an inn of modest appearance, which prom- As — sprung into the room he found himself ised clean beds and palatable food, and at the door | confronted by three men, armed with drawn d of this inn the stranger knocked, his summons being | swords. Juarez and his daughter had disappe: ; quickly answered. as well as the young officer and the rest of the” __ A few moments after, the little party were com- | soldiers. ; . fortably installed in a pleasant room, and cooling | ‘Surrender, sir,” said one of the soldiers, evident — 3 E ie aie, ie ae) + = 5 Mae ; . - ‘ ay z SR RS. PERK eS eee EE ee eee Oee ibd ae ; if \ 6 = 2 s ", a: Bie ++ ve ry “i 3 ‘ tee 4
Page 4
out her fears, he had found op _ 6 ae eer ly a sergeant, judging from the stripes on his sleeve. “Three against one is too many.”’ *“ Ah, you think so,”’ Jaughed Raphael. not know that I am called Rapier Raphael, or the reason therefor.”’ And, backing against the wall, he whirled his sword around, making it hiss defiantly in the air. The combat lasted five minutes, and Raphael re- ceived three wounds and gave eight, one of his ad- versaries being wounded in the arm, another in the shoulder, the third in the throat, these being also touched in various other places. But Raphael was alone and had been deeply wound - ed in the chest by the sergeant, and his shirt was all crimson, while the blood flowed in torrents. But for this Raphael cared little, and after act- ing for a moment on the defensive, suddenly he as- sumed the offensive. “Ah, gentlemen,” he cried, rushing on his adver- saries, * I’ll show you how well I deserve my name of Rapier Raphael!” and despite the bravery and ad- vantage of the three soldiers they hesitated a mo- ment and each stepped back a pace. Raphael had become a perfect lion, and his eyes as well as his sword gave out sparks of fire, and sud- denly he lunged out at the sergeant, who, in turn had retreated to the wall. Despite the well intended parry, the glittering steel crept under the guard, and, pierced through and | through, the soldier remained standing, for the sword had entered so deeply into the planks behind him, that Raphael, strive as he might, was unable to withdraw it. For a moment he gave himself up for lost, but just then the wounded sergeant yielding up the ghost, his sword dropped from his nerveless hand, and had scarcely clanged to the floor before it had coed Shaina by Raphael, and he was again on guard. The fray lasted but a few moments longer, for one of the soldiers was quickly disarmed, while the other was so severely wounded that he was unable to stand, and Raphael, securing their swords, went to | the window to see what was going on there, and bs 4 no assistance had reached him, The matter was quickly understood when he saw his four comrades fighting with fury against an | equal number of soldiers, while three or four of the latter lay bleeding in the street. It was a beautiful moonlight night, and every- thing could be seen as distinctly as by day, and Raphael, seating himself on the sill awaited thejresult ae: He had but few fears for the outcome, knowing, as | he did, how thoroughly trained his companions were and how perfectly familiar with their weapons, And the conclusion was as he had expected it would be. In a few minutes more the Americans had the | | removed her rosary from about her neck, where, field to themselves, all of their opponents who were neg or seriously wounded having taken to ight. Juietly descending to the street by the staircase, and unbarring the front door, Raphael rejoined his companions, and as there seemed no hope of rescu- ing Juarez, counseled immediate return to their home, as a large force would invariably be sent from the garrison after them, This was certainly the best plan, and quickly adopted; Rob, who was still suffering from the blow he had received, being assisted to mount and to ride slowly home, Arrived there, Raphael proceeded to the room where the two wounded French.officers were, and finding them much ro ct nga congratulated them warmly, then continued: al ‘*Gentlemen, I regret to inform you that for the present, at least, you are my prisoners. As soon as circumstances alter somewhat I shall be glad to re- lease you, ‘But we had alittle difficulty at Durango, and I shall have to hold you as hostages until we see our way clear. “In the mean time, everything that I possess is at your disposal—except freedom—and I shall try and make your captivity as light as possible.” And Raphael then retired to his own room, to ob- tain some much needed-rest, and to have his wounds attended to. | This she was not long in finding, and soon was rid- so much were they feared and respected by all around. It was not a very long ride from Durango to Mount Desert, and the distance was soon traversed by Donna Pachucha, who urged her steed to its fastest gait, so anxious was she to consult with the possible saviors of her father. The watchfulness of the garrison was exemplified the moment she drew in sight of the castle, for a horseman rode out at full speed and came toward her, each being distinctly visible to the other in the bright moonlight. 1e young American on guard was a stranger to the Mexican girl, but a few words explained who she was and what her errand, and she was quickly con- ducted to the usual reception-room and requested to see until Raphael could be informed of her ar- rival. To her soon came the wife of the old man-of-all- work, desiring to know what service she could ren- der, and soon after a heavier step was heard, and Raphael, bowing low entered the room, looking some- what pale and tired and requested to be informed as to her commands. n CHAPTER IV. AN HEREDITARY MESSENGER. RAPHAEL was soon in possession of all the facts re- lating to Juarez’s capture and confinement in the citadel and the conversation then turned on the best manner of effecting his release. It was useless to think of attacking the fortress, for the force at the boy’s disposal would not admit of this and, bound as the girl was by her oath, no Mexican troops could be sured for from any of the camps. But as the conversation continued an idea began to germinate in the lad’s mind and aided by a few suggestions from the bright girl who was talking to him, finally took deep root and sprung into full life and being. But it was absolutely necessary to communicate with Juarez, to bid him be of good cheer, and not to despair, even though the day of execution shonld arrive, and no sign have been made that his friends were on the alert. Raphael mentioned this necessity and added that he despaired of finding any means of communication that would remain undiscovered. On receiving this announcement Donna Pachucha smiled with an air that seemed to say: ‘‘ Leave such matters fo a woman’s wit,” and turning to the boy, like most devout Catholics, she wore it at all times, handed it to him and asked him to examine it care- Bid and thoroughly. : e could discover nothing, andshe then told him its history, with which her father was perfectly familiar. \ This rosary, which the girl wore about her neck, and which seemed so innocent, had terrible and a criminal history, and had descended from father to son, and from him to daughterfrom the XVth cen- tury—the century of Catherine di Medicis—second Lucretia Borgia of Italy. i Rene, the Florentine, favorite of Catherine after- wards, at one time kept a perfumer’s establishment, and had already acquired considerable skill and rep- utation as a poisoner of respectable merit, Into his store one day entered a monk—or a pre- tended one—so completely hidden by his hood, that it was impossible to distinguish one feature from an- other, and thus spoke: "Have the walls ears here?”’ ‘For me alone,” replied Rene, ‘ ‘Well, it is to you I wish to speak—close the oor.” The monk spoke with a certain accent of author- ity which did not fail to impress the Florentine. Be- sides he opened his robe, as if by accident, and | Rene saw the butts of two pistols and the handle of While Raphael and his band were seeking to gain | entrance into the little inn at Durango, the o hnarin friends. arrived, and fearing hurried Juarez and his daughter out of the house by the back entrance, and leaving only three men | inthe room he vacated, took the rest with him as an escort. Arrived near the citadel where the troops were garrisoned, he sent back some of the soldiers to find out what had happened, and these were the ones Raphael had seen in combat with his companions. eantime Juarez was confined in one of the upper rooms of the fortress and his daughter given free leave to depart whenever she might desire. She was made to swear that she would not reveal her father’s whereabouts to any of the Mexican troops, or to any one who might betray it, and this oath being taken, was, after bidding her father adieu, —, never to. see him alive again, conducted to e door of the citadel, and then after she had declined an escort, set out alone on her way. As she had leaned on her father's neck, sobbing rtunity to whisper a word to her which bad given her some little hope. “tng she felt confident that if anythi and painful That word was ‘‘ Americans!” recollected their brave actions of that even- could be done toward saving her father, these lads would do it, as her feet were, she set out to walk cer, | the tramp of horses’ feet, as Raphael's | an attempted rescue, | a poniard glisten in his belt. sf ‘What does your holiness wish?” he asked, hum- y. ‘* Close the door!” repeated the monk, and Rene obeyed. Upon this the monk drew from the pocket of his robe, a rosary with large beads, the same one which Donna Pachucha had now in her possession. ‘Here is,’’ said he, ‘a rosary which it is desired should become, some day, the property of a certain religious person.” “And you need a go-between?” “One moment, if you please,” and through the opening of the hood Rene caught a glance that sparkled as with an infernal light, And the monk continued: “It is desired that this rosary be soaked with some sort of chemical, the effect of which would be—”’ and he stopped; but the Florentine, under- — instantly and completed the interrupted phrase: TP ec vsacincal said he, “which would kill—in me. “‘ Alas!” sighed the monk, “‘ this person has enor- mous wealth from which no one derives any benefit whatever.” “ In 1’? “And of which the heirs are in great need!” and speaking thus the monk placed a huge sack of phar leather, and very heavy, on the table before ne. The sack was tied up tightly, but the leather was ! ! | | / } / i = rapidly as possible until she could procure a | worn here and there and Rene coul’ see that it was | horse. ~ * You do | | ing rapidly over the plains in the direction of Mount Desert, the ancient castle where the Rapiers had | made their home and where they lived, unmolested, full of gold, and in turn he addressed the ni.nk, “Do you wish that the result should be long de- ferred, or—well, are you in a hurry?” ‘Oh, the matter can rest a month!” Rene examined the rosary and discovered that the beads were hollow. ‘One of them unscrews,” said the monk. ‘* And which?” ‘“Gness.” and Rene examined them one after the other but could discover nothing, and ended the } search by saying: ‘It is impossible that it si ould ’ be so!’ ‘I will prove the contrary,” said the monk. ‘Count the beads through your fingers, slipping one after the other, commencing with the one to which the cross is attached.”’ ‘*'Well?”’ ‘*Stop at the number 47,” and Rene stopped there. “ Now, take the bead that you have in your fin- gers, turn each of the ovoid extremities in contrary directions.”’ Rene obeyed and divided the grain in two parts, leaving exposed in one of them a cavity large enough to contain anything the size of a dried pea. ‘One question,’’ said he to the monk. ‘“‘Do you suppose that it would be possible to pierce this bead with a fine needle?” “Nothing easier.” : Rene left the monk for a short time, entered his” laboratory where he remained perhaps ten minutes and then returned and said: “The hollow bead is filled with an almost imper- ceptible powder which the person wearing the rosa- ry will breathe in, little by little, if a hole is made with a needle as I suggested.” ) * And—this—powder?”’ “Will bring about, in fifteen or twenty days, the ! happy result that the heirs so earnestly pray for.” “T count on your word, Rene,’ said the monk, ‘and if your prediction is fulfilled, you will be am- ply recompensed.”’ ‘‘Ah!" hazarded the Florentine, ‘‘you area monk of high estate! You do things generously!” “In one month, if your powder has any virtue, you will hear from me,” continued the monk. Rene bowed, ‘In one month, day for day—hour for hour!” and the monk departed with the rosary. And day for day, hour for hour, one month after- ward, as he had promised, the monk returned and said: “Rene, your powder was efficacious, and I am come to keep my promise,’ and he placed on the table a second bag, filled to overflowing with gold,’’ and with no furtber word he left. Such was the history of the rosary that was re- lated to Raphael, when the young Mexican explained that it had come down to her through various family ramifications. The hollow bead was shown, and it was added that a note could be concealed therein, and the: rosary sent to console her father during his last hours on earth, should hé be condemned to death. It would pass without suspicion, but her father, pay: familiar with its secret, would wait until alone, and then read the note. | The plan was simplicity itself, and after confiding the brave girl to the care of the old woman who served as cook, Raphael bade her good-night, and they separated, to carry out the plans already’ matured, on the morrow. And in the morning, after further deliberation, the: old servant was sent to the citadel, with the rosary and a note that read somewhat as follows—the note being unsealed that the commander of the fortress might read it, and thus suspect no plot: “My Dearest FaTHER:—I am convinced that death is to be your portion—death for having put others to death under guise of reprisal. “Knowing this, and knowing that you will need all of the consolation our blessed church offers to the dying, I send Phe a rosary, blessed by the Holy Father, and which will extend to you all of the res- ignation necessary to enable you to support your last earthly cross. : “I send you, then, this rosary, and pray that you may have strength to support this ordeal. “ Lovingly, ‘* PACHUCHA.” Arrived at the prison, the old woman delivered the note and the rosary and returned to the castle. The commanding officer took the rosary, which was of large-sized beads, such as pilgrims bring back from the Holy Land, and, after reading the unsealed letter carefully over, announced to the officer of the uard: ® **T will take it to him myself.” Entering, the commander addressed the prisoner: “General, the court-martial has rendered its ver- dict—oné of the shortest ever handed in, and the ver- dict is—Death! “To-morrow, at sunset, you die!” “Thanks, captain,” returned Juarez, imperturb- ably. ‘But is it for this alone that you visited me? Would not to-morrow have done just as well? and I could have had twenty-four hours of peace yet.” “But, general, your daughter ’’—and at, her name Juarez trembled, but ever so slightly—‘‘desires me to hand you this,” and the captain, somewhat hurt in his dignity, handed over the rosary and left the room where the prisoner was confined. Juarez maepee the rosary, examined it, suppressed a cry of delight, and suddenly his ,eye glistened; he stood erect and, drawing closer to the window and mak certain that he was unobserved, began to count the beads. ; Reaching the forty-seventh he stopped, and then,
Page 5
_ _— wwith extraordinary precautions iscovered, he unscrewed the bead. An infinitesimal sized ball of a greasy gray fell out into his trembling hand and thence to the floor. Stooping and picking it up, Juarez unrolled the morsel of parchment and found it covered with cipher writing. ut this cipher was well understood by the Mexi- can general, and, arranged according to their key, the two lines read thus: “When on thy way, watch for the swinging cord. Fear naught; your frienus are alert, and at the last hour you willbe saved. Courage!” And then, reading the open letter the captain had handed him, he understood that his daughter was moving Heaven and earth for his release, and that she had found friends—perhaps the same to whom he had applied. And the day passed calmly and quietly, and his sleep that night was sound and peaceful But his rest was broken by the sound of the bells tolling to mass those who would pray for the repose of men’s souls, and his heart could but fail him as he thought of the fearful odds that were arrayed against his re- lease and escape. For what could a frail girl and half a dozen mere lads do against the combined power of the Haps- ‘burgs and the Napoleonic dynasty? The combination seemed too strong, and Juarez began to look his coming death squarely in the face and to nerve himself so as not to flinch before the enemies of his country, when the lean barrels should be leveled and only word would be wanting to make them pour forth avol:ano of fire and smoke and cruel lead which would waft away his life as the smoke would drift awayon the evening breeze; as the echo of the shots would die away in the distant hills; as the smile of scorn would die away from his set face; as yonder sun would soon sink for him— forever, * But these thoughts—only, alas! too often the vis- itors of the condemued man—crowded bitterly upon him, the sound of footsteps in the corridor outside aroused him from his reverie, and as the key grated harshly in the lock he became himself again—the stern leader of the Mexican forces, who, not many years after, was to pronounce sentence of death on Maximilian—ay, and execute it, too! Yet as the door swung open and the admitting officer gave entrance and lowly salutation to the visiting monk, who thanked him in low and melo- dious tones of perfect French, the countenance of Juarez rell, for he thought that this was but one of the luguorious harbingers of death. Yet only fora moment was his eye downcast, for, happening to peer beneath the cowl of the brother, he recognized the speaking countenance of Raphael Douglass, who, posing a finger on his lip, counseled greatest prudence. against being CHAPTER V. THE RESCUE, THE sun was sinking low in the West, as the gates of the fortress flew open and the detail, who were to fire the shots, that were to usher the prisoner into eternal night, marched out, Juarez, with bare head and hands bound behind him, walking proudly in their midst. Beside him walked the monk who had appeared to him in his prison cell, and who, with his cow! still hanging over his face so as to completely conceal his teatures, bent low, and seemed to be murmuring the prayers for those about to die, while Juarez handled, nervously, the famous rosary which had ‘been sent to him the day before, bearing words of comfort. The news of the coming execution of the Mexican general bad spread about the village, and the nar- row streets were crowded with the curious while pee overhanging window had its quota of spec- ; rs. As the mournful procession moved on through the ‘by-ways which led to the spot chosen for the execu- tion, the crowd grew deuser and denser, until, at length, SO narrow was the passageway left in the middle of the street, that the soldiers were forced to Songer form into fours, then to marechin double Je and in some instances, singly. The result of this was that Juarez walked some distance ahead of the main body and of the officer in command, who vainly endeavored to press to the head of the column, the Mexican general being thus surrounded only by the death-detail, whose guns were unloaded. " For that nv soldier might shirk, the bullets were nct to be dropped into the barrels until the place of execution had been reached. _ Thus no friend of the victim could possibly ex- ‘tract the ball and hold himself guiltless of his possi- ble death, for that reason, even if he should aim to The rd was kept busy thrusting back the en- croaching crowd with blows from the butts of their ‘uns, or thrusts from their bayonets, and succeeded perene @ narrew lane open. At length they reached a cross-street, and just as Fanatee and and ay gre guards hed a y i uge on, drawn by two yoke of.oxen, and pile high with sacks of grain, cut the procession in two as me down from the side alley, and, extending completely across the narrow street, entirely blocked the way with its bulk. The main portion of the guard as well as the _ officer in command were thus entirely cut off from _ the prison, and so high was the vagon so hi iled with rain, that all view of even the upper ouses was cut off. the sacks of stories of the thet ‘It is hardly necessary to state that the driver of Rapier Raphael. this obstructing vehicle was one of Raphael’s friends, who was carefully disguised as a peon, and had so exactly timed his arrival as to intercept the proces- sion precisely where he wished. ; So soon as the oxen, obedient. to his command, had come to a stand-still he dropped his goad and, mingling with the crowd, was at once out of dan- rer, Just past the corner stood a building of three stories in hight that had at one time been used as a sub-convent, but being abandoned some time before had been used as a storehouse by a hay and grain- dealer of the neighborhood. , From above one of the upper windows projected a short, stout beam, through one end of which a rope passed, working over a pulley, aud used to hoist sacks of grain and bales of hay to the upper stories. As Juarez surrounded by the eight men detailed to shoot him, and standing next to the monk, stopped to see what would be the result of this interruption, the guards pressing about the Mexican general to pre- vent his escape, the monk suddenly encircled the prisoner with his robust arm, while at the same mo- ment the end of a rope, thrown from one of the windows overhead, fell at his feet. The monk, li@lding Juarez about the body with his left arm, seized the rope with his right hand, twist- ed it once around his arm, and the cord tautened, the monk and Juarez were lifted up and drawn rapidly to the window from which projected the beam and pulley, until they reached the sill. And there half a dozen nervous hands grasped them and drew them into the room, through the window, out of sighe of the howling, seething mob beneath. And the soldiers below stood, open-moutheé, more comprehending, even yet, what had hap- pened, ; At the same moment a shot rung out on the air, and a bullet, burying itself in the window-frame, splintered the wood ina dozen fragments, but did no other damage. The commanding officer, crushing through the crowd, had crawled under the wagon, and risen to his feet, just in time to see the abduction, and, level- ing his pistol with an oath— **Malediction!” he cried, ‘at least they shall not save him alive!” and he fired; but the bullet flew wide of the mark, and despite his efforts, the prison- er was, for the present at least, safe. Amid the roar and confusion of the crowd began to be heard the cries and shrieks of the wounded, as beaten and thrust back at sword and bayonet- point, they crowded in t> door and passage ways and crushed and crowded back into the side street. At length the main body forced its way to the building into which Juarez had been lifted and at- tacked the door with vigorous blows of muskets: but the lower part of the building was of stone and the door remained firm in its stone casing, so for a time their efforts were futile. ’ But at length, beneath the blows rained upon it, the door gave way and fell back to the floor with a loud crash, while the captain of the garrison, fol- lowed by a crowd of his soldiers, rushed into the room and up the stairs, searching on every floor and in every nook and cornér for Juarez and his rescuer. The warehouse was absolutely empty, and not a trace of the fugitives was to be seen, save the dis- carded robe of the false monk, which lay in one cor- ner where he had thrown it in his flight. And then the bare room echoed to the sound of oaths and rage, as the soldiers found that the men they were in search of had really escaped; and the officer, realizing what disgrace would attach to him for his neglect, was wild with anger. “Surround the house!’ he cried, “and then set fire to it. They must be concealed somewhere here- in, and we will drive them from their hiding-places like rats from their holes!” . And in obedience to his orders, the bulding was soon concealed in a cloud of smoke, while the flames leaped high aloft; yet, tho the cordon of soldiers gathered close about the house and not a loop-hole of escape seemed left, the wall finally fell in, and nothing was left but a mass of glowing ruins, while of the fugitives not a trace Had been discovered. As Juarez and the monk swung into the window, they were greeted by three of the comrades that Raphael had stationed in the warehouse the night be- fore, and who had thrown the rope and then lifted the two by means of the pulley to the hight of the window. Not a word was exchanged; but Raphael, hastily throwing off his monkish disguise and buckling his sword belt about him, rapidly descended the stairs, and proceeding to a back room paved with square stones, counted five from the door, and kneeling be- side the one designated, drew his sword and _ in- serted the point in a crevice at one side and near the corner, ‘TI trust,” he muttered, “that the monk was not romancing!” i He referred to a secret confided to him by a for- mer inmate of the monastery, whom he had saved from a band of fout-pads who were about to torture m, But his mind was soon at ease, for as he pressed the stone shook and, moved by some concealed spring. half-turned over, and remaining with upturn- ed edge. left uncovered. a yawnin hele the depths of which were black as midnight, while at the en- trance were to be seen the first steps of a stone stair- case. “ Excellent!) remarked Juarez. ‘‘ The monks were well provided for in case the abbot refused them perniiasion to go out!’ and he laughed quietly to himself, with the air of a man who feels a heavy load lifted from his breast. One of the Americans was provided with a lan- tern; and this being lighted, Raphael, taking it in his hand, ied the way into the subterranean passage as it seemed. These steps, however, led only into a cellar of about ten feet square, and once arrived there, Ra- pee turned and awaited until the last of his fol- owers had closed the trap, so that nothing could be perceived by any one entering the room above. Then walking to one corner of the room, where stood an empty hogshead, he rolled it to one side, disclosing a small iron door, fastened by a bolt, which being shot back allowed the door to swing easily inward. As the door opened, a. puff of air, fresher than that of the cellar, struck their faces, ahd through a long, low, narrow passage, dug out of the earth, could be seen a glimmer of light some distance away. The door being drawn to and fastened on the outside with a heavy bolt, the little party of rescuers and rescued proceeded down the passage, which sloped gently, and finally arrived at the end, which was just above the water's edge, the opening being hidden by a massive clump of the luxurious vegeta- tion of Mexico. A little bay had been dug just at the mouth of the passage, and herein floated a row-boat, large enough to carry half adozen persons, and seated init wasthe false peon who had driven the ox-team. In a few moments all had embarked, and as the shadows of the evening-came down the boat shot out into the stream, and propelled by two pair of oars, proceeded rapidly with the current down the Rio de Nazas, in the direction of Mount Desert. And as they sped away safely, the sky was bright with the reflection from the burning warehouse, and they could hear the hoarse cries of the soldiery as they searcbed hither and thither for the fugitives, who laughed at their efforts as every. moment brought them nearer to Mount Desert and carried them further away from Durango. ' At length the grim walls of the castle loomed dark: ahead, and soon the prow of the boat grated on the gravelly shore, and leaping out, the little band gath- ered about Juarez, and congratulated him upon the successful termination of their enterprise. But with a wave of his hand he hushed them, and then spoke, requesting that not a word be said until he had thanked Raphael and his comrades, through him, for their couage and devotion to him, which had saved him from the bullets of his enemies. A mutual interchange of compliments took place, and.at length the party proceeded toward the cas- tle entrance, thinking soon to be seated before a hearty meal, of which all stood in much need. But as they drew near to the spot where such bril- liant feats of swordsmanship had been performed, a hoarse and unknown voice hailed them in French, and at the same moment, the click of a cocked mus- ket was heard. As the remainder of the phael, stepping forward an swered in his purest French: ‘The officer of the guard!” And advancing stili closer, as the sentinel demand- ed the countersign, with that same blow of his sword-hilt that he had practiced on his opponents of a day or two before, he laid the sentry flat on the grass before he could utter a ery. But, as he fell, his finger, which was on the trigger of his gun, involuntarily, or rather mechanically ° eee it, and the report followed, sounding doub y oud in the quiet of the night, broken only by the rushing waters of the neighboring river. ° At the flash. Juarez and the rest of the Jads sprurz to assist Raphael, but the latter turving to tiem, spoke rapidly: “Retreat to the boat and cross the river, ma enough noise to draw the guard after you; will enter the park and reconnoiter, and then join you. And turning, he leaped to the door beside which he crouched, undistinguishable in the darkness, and the shadows cast by the wall. In a moment the tramp of the guards was heard, accompanied by the clash of arms, and the door be- ing thrown open, a dozen men, with an officer at their head, marched out of the park. The burried retreat of Juarez and Raphael’s com- panions was then plainly heard, as, making as much noise as they could, they retreated toward the anna obedient to the instructions they had re- ceived. Hearing this noise and thinking of no treachery, the officer ordered bis men to follow, and, waving his sword, he started in pursuit of the fugitives, who could not be seen, so dark was the night, and who, ceasing to disclose their whereabouts by making any further disturbance, disappeared as completely as if the earth had opened and ingulfed them, The soldiers, therefore, after searching for some time, gave up the chase and returned to the castle not doubting that, during their avsence, Raphael had profited by it to slip into the park and hide in the shrubbery near the house. The sentinel who had been so rudely felled was arty stopped short, Ra- drawing his sword, an- |, found to be still insensible, and was carried in and laid on a cot, while the gate was left in charge of a double guard, with orders to shoot any one down at sigh ee even challenging them or Waiting for a word. One or two sentinels were also placed inside to prevent surprise, but more were not needed, as the castle on three sides surmounted the prec rock round which circled the whirling waters of the Rio de Nazas. ' And soon all within the castle seemed to sink inte JNA
Page 6
slumber, and Raphael was left free to pursue his investigations at ease, fearing nothing from the sen- tries, whose attention was entirely turned to the exterior of the wall, and who feared no inside foe. Still it was with considerable caution that he pro- ceeded, for the night was so intensely dark and the shadows from trees and shrubbery so dense that, familiar as he was with the ground over which he was walking, he feared stumbling and making some noise which would betray him. Suddenly he did stumble and fell headlong, and as ie = so barely checked a cry of horror as it rose to is lips. ; His foot had caught in the curb of an old, unused well, which tradition said was almost unfathomable, and he had been saved almost by a miracle, for, as he fell, the point of his scabbard had caught in a erevice of the stones and flung him violently to one | side. Without this interposition, which seemed direct from above, he would have plunged headlong into the yawning gulf below and none would ever have known his fate. It was not before some little time that he recover- ed his nerves, for the shock had been great; but soon he was on his feet and preparing to make the effort he intended when he had left the Mexican general outside and entered the park. He had been looking for the well when chance had nearly thrown him into it and made it his tomb, and after such a narrow escape it seemed as if he would | shun it like death; but feeling around the curb a moment, he caught the firm edge of the stone | | one of the huge beams which supported the upper securely in his hands, and letting himself down, felt with his feet against the slimy sides of the pit. CHAPTER VI. A FEARFUL DEATH. ANY — unfamiliar with the surroundings of Mount Desert would have thought that Raphael had taken leave of his senses, and that, disgusted with life, he was about to commit suicide by throwing himself down the well. but any such idea was far from his thoughts and he had not forgotten his intention of entering the castle; yet as it was occupied by his enemies and it would difficult to pass in through the front door, he de- cided to use other means of ingress. When he had first taken possession of the castle, he had consulted with his intimate, Bob Stanhope, in regard to the best means of circumventing any | attacking-party that might bring siege against the | house, and had come to the conclusioa that one of the best means to adopt would be to perfect several secret entrances, and this was done. There were half a dozen different ways of pene- trating within the building, and it was as full of secret hiding-places, of disguised traps, pitfalls for the unwary and hidden passages as any old chateau. of the X[ith Century. And in piercing one of these underground en- trances, Raphael had utilized the old well, which had so nearly been his tomb, as the place where en- trance and exit coull be well effected, as no one would suspect its existence if a passage were pierced on one side and far enough down As he hung far down, feeling with his feet, they finally encountered an obstruction which projected out from the stones that formed the sides of the well, and which was firm and solid under the pres- sure it received. This was one of a series of spikes driven solidly at intervals of two or three feet, and down which Ra- | phael descended with as much ease and safety as if they had been the steps of a wide and smoothly- | carpeted amie, ere were probably forty of these iron steps, and when the last was reached the water in the well ——— far below, showing to what a tremendous epth the diggers had gone when they sunk it, far | | the heavy curtains which hung over the windows, back in the dim years of the past, Just below the last spike was a narrow ledge, | giving rest to the feet and no more, and here Ra- | phael’s downward journey ended and his next course would be lateral. As he stood thus on the platform, still holding on to the spike above, there was, just in front of his breast, a black spot, which, where all was inky, de- noted an opening, and into this he thrust his hand, which there encountered an iron bar, stretching across the hole a couple of inches from its lower | side and about two feet from the entrance. Grasping this firmly and stooping, he was able to thrust his head in the hole and tthen draw his \ body after him, and thus proceeding, soon found | himself in the passage which gave access to the | castle, The tunnel had a decided inclination upward, and it was no easy matter to drag himself along, par- ticularly as the hole was barely large enough to allow lis body to 4 through—for a larger person the passage would have been impossible, the boys hav- fae reserved the use for themselves. The journey was a long one, and more fatiguing on account of the intense heat and want of ventila- tion, yet in time it was accomplished, and Raphael stood erectin a small room, dug out of the earth, _and which, apparently, had no other outlet than the one which Raphael had just left. et it had its secret, and with this Raphael was fayniliar. : In one corner was a pile of earth, Jeft there evi- dently by the wees, and not thought worth remov- fg. and approaching this, the boy putting his foot against it, and bracing himsef against the wall, renee with all his strength. The whole heap aftera slight resistance yielded and, turned slowly around, lea bare a square h large enough to admit his y, and half a _flozen feet deep. # 4 ay! ae tr 8 ¥ ae et a ie <i ; jis ps ag ah Tate ry "4 x 4 a as, » holding the rope, removed a Rapier Raphael. The earth had been piled on a board which turned | her clothes he assisted her to reach the rafters on a pivot, mixed with a little mortar to make it firm, and left to hide the opening beneath. The boy, after pulling the earth-cover back in its place—what seemed a useless precaution—pulled on arope which hung ina shaft in front of him, and raised to his level a sort of an elevator, raised and ; lowered by an endless rope traveling over a pulle | above and passing through the center of the shelf. Stepping on thisshelf and pulling hard on the other rope, he mounted rapidly, quietly and smoothly, and with very little exertion on his part, there evidently being a balancing weight attached to the rope. The shaft through which he was passing was cee in the wall of the castle, which was tremen- dously thick and built according to the architecture of the feudal ages. : Arrived at a certain hight he ceased pulling, and eg in the side of the shaft which he had felt for, and applied his eye to the opening left. He could scarce restrain a cry of joy. The room into which he was looking was the one which adjoined his, and was used as & common sit- ting-room by all of the boys. And there with her head resting@pn her hand, plainly visible by the light of a lamp which burned at her elbow, sat Donna Pachucha, in deep thought and alone. Scarcely ee om to replace the peg, Raphael hoist- ed himself still higher up to the roof of the castle, and here fastened his elevator, and then, crawling out on structure, clambered lightly to the floor, raised a trap in the ceiling over his room, and which was ingeniously contrived to appear as the center mold- ing, dropped to the floor, and in a moment more had opened the connecting door, and stood, cap in hand and finger on lip to enforce silence, before Donna Pachucha. And the girl started to her feet with a half-hushed ery of susprise and joy, while a skilled observer would have been able to judge, from the deep blush which suffused her cheek, that only the rson ae she had been thinking of now stood before er. But there was time for nothing but explana- tions, which were rapidly exchanged, and Raphael learned how it was that the soldiers were in posses- sion of the castle. Maurigot, the wounded Frenchman, had managed to escape from his room by the window, to scale the ' wall and reach the citadel of Durango, the com- | mandant of which had ——— twenty men at his w disposal. returning with om he had no difficulty in capturing the defenseless building which Raphael bad imagined the troops would consider beneath their notice. But the harm was done, and now the question was, how to rectify it? The first thing in order was to rescue Donna Pa- chucha, yet as he recollected the narrowness of the subterranean passage, and examined her flowing dress, he almost despaired of aiding her to escape. Yet a thought struck him, and returning to his room, he soon returned with a complete suit of clothes belonging to himself, and which he had never worn, and explajning the necessity of the change requested her to don them while he made a tour of insp2ction through the castle. The brave girl, recognizing the pressing need which —— such a request, acquiesced, and Raphael, opening the door and cautiously closing it after him, Feo ygeony on tip-toe down-stairs, His good luck or his good sense guided him direct to the person he most wished to see, now that he had met Donna Pachucha. Seeing a bright light streaming from a half-opened door, and which was concealed from the outside, by he Eh eer and cautiously looked in, A there, seated at table, and facing the door was the only one of the band who had not assisted at the rescue of Juarez—Rob Stanhope—he having been per fet ors by a blow on the head dur- ing the attack on the inn, and unable to join the party. Opposite Stanhope, with whom he was playing cards, sat the French officer Maurigot, with his head bound up, and utterly unconscious of anything extraordinary passing behind him; for Raphael, knowing well that he could depend on Rob's nerve and self-control, had quietly stepped inside the room into full view. ‘ He had not been mistaken in depending on his friend, for although he raised his eyes as the in- truder entered, not a muscle quivered, and it being his turn, he played as coolly as if deliverance were not at hand. And in an instant that deliverance came, for Raphael, in an instant more had leaped on the offi- cer,and with one hand over his mouth, garroted him so completely that the man could not utter a single cry before he was helpless. Rob's feet were bound, yet he staggered around to Raphael’s assistance, and aided him in binding and gagging the Frenchman, whom they then cast in the shadow of a corner, where he lay as helpless as a trussed fowl. Cutting the cords at Rob’s ankles, the two then remounted to the upper story, where they scratched gente on the door, which was immediately opened y the blushing Donna, who looked particularly lovely and lovable in the handsome costume that er had provided was no time for explanations and Stanho took everything for granted as followin the air who was preceded by the young leader, the latter carrying a small bundle the Mexican had made of above and thence the elevator. As this would bear but one at a time, Rob de- scended first being followed by the girl and she in turn by Raphael who had reserved to himself the post of danger and who remained behind in case of” an attack. But none came and nothing happened to them as they crawled down the narrow tunnel to the well, feet first, the girl making the passage as bravely as her companions and a herself the worthy daughter of a brave father. Nor did she flinch when the most dangerous por- tion of their journey confronted her; Bob going first she preceied Raphael who encouraged her dur- ing the perilous climb, while her delicate but ner- vous hands — the spikes until the iron sunk deep into the tender flesh, and her tiny feet were planted as firmly as if she were walking on her na- tive plains, She realized now how wise Raphael had been in advising her to change her dress, for incumbered by female drapery she never could have climbed that fearful hight. At Jength the trio’reached the top in safety and emerging cautiously from the mouth of the well, crawled away a little distance and lying flat looked carefully around to see if any straggler from the house was in the vicinity; but all seemed silent and they proceeded toward the wall. Once arrived there it was a simple matter for the two boys to aid the girl in surmounting the wall, which was done without mishap and it was not long before they arrived at the banks of the river where the long. low hoot of the night-owl, uttered to per- fection by Raphael, brought a response from the other sidé and soon after the boat appeared. Crossing over Donna Pachucha was soon in her father’s arms, who was well-nigh overcome by this: unexpected gift and could but feebly express his thanks to Raphael. Not far away was a small shed used as a tempo- rary shelter for the hay that was cut on the river- banks, before it was carted to the castle and to this Donna Pachucha and Juarez were directed for rest. In this humble edifice, lying on the sun-dried grass and with a heavy cloak over her, guarded by the Americans who were stationed around outside, the girl slept as quietly as if in the most sumptuous: apartment. of her father’s mansion, while he, pac- ing to and fro, or seated in deep thought, pondered. far into the small hours of the morning. But Ra: hael, who could not remain idle while « foe was in his home, called to Stanhope and, askin, one of the boys to row them across the river and then return, while they tape to the castle to endeavor to learn from the old man-of-all-work the, number of troops quartered there. As the abandoned well offered the most secure means of reaching the interior of the building, now . that Raphael knew that the room nexé his own was, untenanted, he resolved to make use of it again, de- spite the fact that he was well-nigh worn out and. that the ascent of the tunnel was tediousand fatigu- z. So, followed by Rob, whose head was still sore from the effects of the blow he had received,. Raphael once more climbed the wall, avoided the sentries and reached the mouth of the well without. any adventure whatever. Arrived there, the lad ook yr Stanhope to re- main concealed near by and await his arrival, as he could watch for any new developments, and in case Raphael did not return in a certain length of time, could return to the party, and inform him that their leader was captured, which would be the case if he were not back in two hours The others, in this event, could then take measures: looking toward his rescue. Rob was at length convinced by these arguments,,. although he preferred sharing his friend’s peril, so leaning over the curb he listened as Raphael de- scended the spikes until the slight rasping, as each. one was struck by the sole of his shoe, was almost lost in the distance, Rob was about to turn away, convinced that the other was safe for the present, at least, when there came from below, a sharp snap, a piercing cry ina. second or two a heavy splash, and then all was still. One of the treacherous bits of iron had snapped in his hand and Raphael had been hurled to a certain death at the bottom of the fathomless pit! CHAPTER VII. IN THE JAWS OF DEATH! Tue piercing cry uttered by Raphael as he was: dashed to the bottom of this fearful tomb, gather- ing strength as {it surged upward through this enor- mous speaking-trumpet, leaped from the wouth of the well with a volume that made it sound like the ery of forty men instead of one. Stanhope, horror-stricken as he was, remained gece to the earth, his feet seeming like lead and 00 heavy for him to lift them in flight. Yet the attention of the sentries had been attract- ed and three of them came running toward-him, leaving one on guard at the gate for fear of an at- tack. As the soldiers, who were indirectly the causes of his comrade’s fate, came near him} he lost his head already weakened by the stroke at the inn, and drawing rapier he rushed on them like a whirlwind, the fire of insanity in his blood-shot eyes. Nothing human could stand such an — and the unfortunate wretch who was in the lead ad better have been in his own dear France, that bore him, than there that night, for the bayonet thrust was turned aside as if the heavy musket had been a. wheat-straw in the hands of a child, while, with the a ee
Page 7
same motion, Stanhope turned the point of his sword against the other’s breast, and in an instant the blade had passed through cloth and flesh and | bone, while the clash of the guard against the but- tons on the soldier’s coat, showed what power had been put in the thrust, Not stopping in his headlong rush the boy jerked the smoking steel from its human scabbard, and dropping to his knees—for often the strength of in- sanity lies in is cunning—avoided the two bullets | which whizzed over his head and then, with a bound, gave attack. His sword darted and flamed and flashed, parried and cut and thrust, until the soldiers, sore and wounded and believing that a demon was attack- ing them, turned and fled, only to be pierced by the cruel blade through the back, between the shoul- ders, one after the other and to fall, weltering in their blood, dying within a minute of each other. Grasping the gun which one had let fall, he pur- sued his headlong course to the gate, where with a descending blow of the musket he broke down the guard of the sentry crushing in his skull like an egg- shell. Ina few moments he had reached the river-bank | and plunging in, swam to the other shore with such , that the soldiers in the castle, roused by the spee abote, searce had arrived at the gate when he was sal e. Then falling like a thunderbolt among his startled companions, and having become more collected dur- ing his passage across the river, he told his mourn- ful tale of the awful fate that had overtaken Raphael, amid cries of sorrow, anger and expres- sions of vengeance. Some were in favor of making an immediate at- tack on the castle, but wiser counsels prevailed, and General Juarez finally persuaded them to at least wait for daylight before acting, and promised to re- inforce them from among his friends and aid them before rejoining the army. Not least among the mourners was Donna Pachu- cha, who wept far into the night, for her gentle heart had turned toward the young American, and it was with feelings a little more than kind that she regarded him. But at length the camp resumed its former aspect. save that the lads were, most of the time, gathere together, discussing what they had best do, and re- Sa the numerous lovable traits of character hael possessed. t early dawn a messenger was dispatched for some provisions of which they stood in much need, and all action was deferred until after a hearty breakfast, which er were about discussing it being nearly eight o’clock, when a movement of the bushes just at the water’s edge, on the opposite bank attracted their attention, while in a moment more they, each and every one, arose to their feet, with aloud cry of terror, mingled with joy and as- tonishment, forgetting all about their breakfast and their hunger, which,a moment before nad veen ravenous. As the spike by which he held broke in his hand, the shock which came so unexpectedly, threw Raphael out toward the middle of the well, and as he grasped at the smooth surface,as a drowning man is said to clutch at astraw, the only result was the yaoi, of bis fingers and nails until they bled. It was then that he uttered the ery which had sounded so horribly to the hearers above, as he re- alized that all hope was lost and that he was de- scending, with ever increasing speed, toward a cer- tain and horrible death below. The fall, which lasted but a few instants, yet seemed to him the duration of centuries and the pic- tures that memory presented were like instan- taneous photographs, so realistic and so varied were they. Yet, the last of the many ideas that flashed through his brain, came the recollection of the love- ly Mexican girl and the thought—* How I might have loved ber, and how happy we might have been! ’ And at that instant, as even in that fearful mo- ment he was dropping through space with the speed of a comet a smile was on his lips at the vision of her beauty, there came a shock, so sudden and so severe that a thousand flames danced before his eyes, a sensation of icy chillness struck to the very marrow of his bones, while in an° instant the pleasant picture conjured by his memory van- ished as by magic, and he was restored to conscious- ness of his present condition. The well into which Raphael had been precipitat- ed, dug as it was in a hill, naturally had to reach be- low the bed of the adjacent river, in order that a constant supply of water might be maintained, and to assure this supply in case of siege, a small drain had been cut from the well to the river. It had probably happened that the river was un- usually high at the time of the sinking of the well, for it was very certain that no sound of running wa- ter had ever been noticed by any of the boys, which would certainly be the case, had the communication between the river-w ter and well stil] existed. And it was also possible that the men engaged in constructing it had mistaken their calculations —cer- tain it is that the small amount of water the well contained came from drainage from the hill or the showers that fell, And this water saved Raphael; for instead of fall- ing, as was to be supposed, from the long drouth that had existed, on the almost bare rocks that formed the bottom, he plunged, feet first, happy into about twelve feet of fluid—for it was certainly not pure water, Never used, never stirred up, with all manner of rubbish accumulating for so many the mass at the bottom was nauseous, fetid, ill-smelling, Rapier Raphael. sewer-like, and more of the consistency of mortar than water. But this was in his favor, for it broke the shock better than a purer fluid would, and, although when, | striking out vigorously, hfe arose to the surface of this unsavory mess, his eyes, nostrils and mouth were full of the foul stuff; yet his life was saved, and who would not submit to a few disagreeables to attain such an end! It was with much difficulty that Raphael sustained | ; himself on the surface of the offensive matter which | enveloped him;. but by thrusting the blade of his ran far into a crevice in the rock he was able to 0 80, After further efforts he found a like place in which to lodge his rapier, on the same level with his knife, and placing a floating bough from one to the other. he made quite a comfortable seat, the rocky side o the well serving as a back. It was still night as he could tell by looking up at the mouth of the well, far above his head, but a grayish light was stealing over the sky and he knew that day could not be far off. He would have given much for a mouthful of bread—more for a cupful of water; yet as these were unattainable, he took matters as philosophical- ly as possible under the circumstances, which did not present very flattering prospects. But he knew that he had firm friends; and that, even at the risk of having to surrender to the pos- sessors of the castle, they would return and search for his body to give it better burial than it had found at the bottom ofthe abandoned well of Mount Desert. But as the day dawned a ray of light, which sure- | ly did not come from above, danced on the side of the well opposite where Raphael was sitting, but much higherup, and attracted his attention instant- ly; so turning and bending out as far he could, he saw that it streamed from a hole some distance above his head. He then recalled the traditions he had heard of a connecting opening between the river and the well, and a thrill of hope—the first that he had felt since his fall—lit up his heart as the ray of sunlight overhead lit up the noisome vapors and shadows of the foul pit that entombed bim. Atonce he began to act, and drawing from the filth at his feet a branch that was sound and strong, he fashioned it into a number of short, stout, wedges, to the number of a dozen, and then began hisupward journey, sinking and driving the sharp- ened edge of the pinsinto the cracks and crevices with which the rocks were seamed and split and scarred in all directions from the action of the air and showers, As he neared the beacon light which guided him to freedom, his task became easier, for below it were numerous holes drilled by the openers of the drain, to support their platforms, and into these it was a simple matter to thrust his pins. And so he crept slowly up, sometimes not making six inches at a time, sometimes gaining nearly a yard, until at length he was on a level with the i ogg st and he could see, dancing in the sunlight, the rippling waters of the Nazas, which made a bend below and could be traced for a long dis- tance. The means of escape offered him were narrow— fearfully narrow; but with life and liberty beckon- ing to him from the other end, every faculty was on thealert to reach them; while, toadd to his wish to soon be free, he distinguished on the opposite bank a little band who he was sure were his friends, and amid them the flutter of a mantilla denoted the pasemice of Donna Pachucha, she having assumed 1er own attire. By crawling on his stomach, by removing a mor- sel of rubbish here and there, tearing his clothes to strips, scarring and scratching his shoulders, lacer- ating his fingers until they bled, he at length arrived at the end of the passage and, emerging into the open air, parted the* shrubbery and stepped to the water’s edge, which was just at his feet. It was at this apparition, which had so startled the pry who were about to breakfast on the opposite ank; and truly he presented an appearance well- calculated to terrif y the stoutest-hearted beholder who might thus confront him, issuing thus as he did, apparently straight from the bowels of the earth Covered from head to foot with a thick coating of greasy black slime, with torn clothes, blood drip- ping from twenty cuts and scratches, received while falling and in his passage to the open air, Raphael was a hideous sight. Yet, despite this disguise that so completely envel- oped him from head to foot, there was a certain something about him, his carriage or his figure, that was recognizable, and not 2 soul on the oppo- site bank failed to know_him the moment he ap- peared, save, perhaps General Juarez, who nei- | ther knew him intimately, nor had his heart inter- ested. But their joy at seeing him alive, was tempered by the proofs he bore of the sufferings he had undergone, and this accounted for the various emotions expressed in the cries that they had ut- | tered, However, feeling much better already, from the effects of the fresh air, after breathing the noxious vapors distilled from the putrescence into which he had fallen, Raphael plunged mid-deep into the river, and after thoroughly bathing his facejandjhead,drenk deep of the cool liquid, and then, not awaiting the arrival of the boat, which was putting out from the opposite shore, and coming to his encounter, he Gore far out in the stream, and swam to the other e. A dozen hands aided him to land, and half as nrg 9 ET ee — ————— ——— — Se ee ee ee ee ee eee Se ee a ae re ee ee eee ee ee many voices welcomed him, congratulated him, and plied him question upon question, all speaking at once, and not awaiting the answers they seemed so eager to receive. At length he procured silence, and begged a little time, saying that he was famished and in sore need of new clothing. Without a word, Donna Pachucha arose from where she was seated on a log, and going to the shed returned with the clothes she had worn, and handed them to Raphael, who had stepped out from the rest, and gone toward her. “What, not a word from you.who would add more value to it, than all this I have listened to?” he half whispered. And prettily murmured, and accompanied with rg confusion, came the answer in softest Cas- ilian: “1 cannot say what I will—I will not say what I can!” Enigmatical, perhaps, but apparertly perfectly satisfactory to Master Raphael, who walked off, around the bend, to finish his ablutions and perfect his toilet. And when, seated at breakfast, he gave them full narrative of all his dangers and escapes, many were the exclamations of wonder and pity yet none seemed as valuable to him as an occasional tea> that sparkled in the eye of his Mexican neigh- bor, a stealthy look of pity that so often stole toward him, or a glance of admiration, surrepti- tiously bestowed by the same fair donor. ‘** And now, gentlemen,” said Raphael, ‘‘‘ By Saint Denis.’ as my ancient professor of fencing was wont to say, I am off to recapture Mount Desert, though there were a regiment of Frenchmen there! ‘Who follows me?” “T,” ‘“‘And 1,” “ And I,” came from each of the heer ag companions that knew Raphael so well and oved him; but Juarez shook his older head and counseled moderation and patience, but the young brains would not reason, so he had no alternative but to {join them, first making them promise that they would at least wait until they could procure horses, their own being at the castle. This was such excellent advice that they agreed to it and Rob and another were sent in search of mounts for the party, while the rest waited impa- tiently for their return, except Pachucha and - phael, who, strolling off together, seemed to find the time pass pleasantly and rapidly. CHAPTER VII. HAND TO HAND. Tuer boys returned unsuccessful frem their mis- sion, for the country had been scoured by the hos- tile troops, and not a horse was to be found any- where in the vicinity of the seat of war. But this decided Raphael that they had best move at once on the castle, as nothing could be gained by waiting and much depended on their promptness for at any moment reinforcements might arrive and the force in the castle be so augmented that any her mpt to recapture it would surely result in de- eat. So half an hour later Raphael, Juarez and the five boys had gained the interior of the park by a hidden gate, let into the wall, and which so resembled the moss-grown stones that no one, unfamiliar with its whereabouts, would have suspected that such an entrance existed. As Raphael crawled toward the house he was re- joiced to encounter the old servant, who was gath- ering wood in the park, and who informed him that a sub-officer had left for Durango, a few moments bc fore, taking several men with him, so that the garrison now consisted of but nine men, all of whom were at this moment gathered outside the Be ~ leaving no one inside for they expected no at- ck. Maurigot had been discovered and released, but could give no account of Rob’s escape, and it was not known how it had been effected. Hastily summoning his friends, Raphael advanced apidly yet quietly toward the main entrance, and shipping along the wall, slammed the gate and fast- ened it before the soldieis were aware of his pres- ence, and noticed that, by some unaccountable over- eet the guns of the guard were stacked not far or. These he ordered the old man-servant to carry into the house, one of the boys being sent to seout up and down that the enemy might not come upon them unawares, if they should succeed in scaling the walls. This left them to the number of six to protect the ate against the attack of the nime men outside, but phael considered that number sufficient. At this moment the heavy oak door trembled be- neath a thundery blow that nearly drove it from its hinges but the blow had also broken the trunk of the small tree that had been used as a battering- ram, which had been brought from near by, and rendered it useless. As Maurigot was looking about for another piece of wood which would serve his purpose, an Alsatian, a veritable giant spoke to him. > “Allow _me, my captain, to try my shoulders. The door has yielded some,,and in Italy I broke in more than ene gate, stronger than this is, without any trouble.” And at a sign from Maurigot ke put his shoulder ogain t the gate, and stooping, exerted an enormous pressure; yet the hinges still held. “Wait a moment,” murmured the Colossus. “Yl fetch it yet," and he changed his position so as to place both of his broad shoulders against the oak and pushed, and torn from its fastenings, the door, massive as it was, fell inward,
Page 8
oh FEE Eee ee a De to “chaff ee But the unfortunate Alsatian also stumbled back- ward as the support gave way, and, as one of the boys, fearing his efforts, had just then passed his sword through an opening in the wood, used for the parpose of seeing without being seen,the steel pierc- ed the soldier through any through the boy, and, voniting a guttural German oath and a flood of froth and blood, he fell to the ground a corpse. y _— left,” muttered the boy, “‘ and we are six. I would not give much for their chances!" and he ranged himself alongside of his companions as the | scldiers, furious at the death of their comrade, rushed through the open gate with drawn swords, and made for the Americans. But as the sokliers advanced, the sentinel who had been stationed outside, and who was the only one armed with a musket, stopped, aimed and fired, and the boy who had wrought the death of the Alsatian fell to the ground with a bullet through his | heart. And Raphael’s blood boiled. ; “Ah!” he cried, ‘that shot was the death-signal for all of you!” and his eyes aflame, he fairly leaped on the Frenchmen, his sword circling, followed by the others. Juarez had replaced his mask, not wishing that it should be known that the Americans had reseued him, and leaped beside Raphael, and placing him- self in front of Maurigot, lt» crossed swords with » At the same instant a jet of flame shot from the window of the castle, and the sentry who had flred the fatal shot, leaped into the air, and, turning half round, fell dead; the old servant had avenged his young friend’s death. But Raphael called out and ordered hith to fire no more, for as the boy who had been sent to watch the wall had returned, the number of the Americans including Juarez, was six, while the others had been reduced to seven, and Raphael thought that the chances were equal. He found himself confronted by Schombrun and a a soldier, while his friends had but one opponent each, Maurigot and Juarez still fencing furiously, for the Frenchman had, by the mask, recognized his opponent of a night or two before, and was mad for revenge. But Juarez was as cool while fighting for his life and liberty asif dancing a fandango wii some belle of the capital, and, assuming a grim smile, began ” Maurigot. “Ah, ah, sir; so we meet again. Your head seems a little unbalanced. Permit me to cssist you,” and with amarvelous turn of tbe wrist and a stroke of electrical quickness, he sliced off the Frenchman’s _ remaining ear, close to his head, ‘The pain maddened the officer still more, and Hearne 3 on the Mexican with the fury of a wild beast, he used all of his effort to slay him; but the latter seemed encompassed by a network of iron, so rapidly did his sword whirl and circle about him, e might have dallied with the Frenchman for some time longer, butas he leaped aside to avoid. a more savage thrust than usual, he saw Raphael, who up to this time had kept his two adversaries at bay, suddenly slip and fall’on the grass, the ground being «uade treacherous by the blood of one of the fatten men, w! ich soaked the turf where he stood. Seeing the urgency of rescue, he stopped, crouched, and his snake-like rapier, gliding under Maurigot’s arm, pierced heart and lung and ended the young officer’s career forever, while turning so rapidly that Raphael’s enemies had no time to take advan- tage of his fall, he placed himself over him and guarded him with his superhuman skill, And in an instant the lad was on his feet, and at- tacking the soldier while Juarez’s steel clashed against the sword held by the Austrian, Schombrun. And Raphael, having now but one adversary, con- tented himself with twining his rapier, tierce on tierce, with that of the soldier, and with a turn of the wrist sent his antagonisi’s sword flying twenty a the air, over the wall onto the plain be- ond. . Then lowering his sword, he turned to the Mexican and saiuting his adversary, said: “Two against one would be unfair, so [ leave this beer barrel to be tapped by you, General Juarez!” But at the name of the redoubtable Mexican, who had become a terror to all of the invaders, Schom- brun Jost his head, and uncovered himself, and the sword of the other sheathed itself in his heart, pass- ren the body to the hilv. The lad and the man who had saved him a mo- ment before, then turned tol ok after the others. The three lads had escaped with a few not very serious wounds and had killed two of their adversa- ries, while the third, almost frightened to death was scampering over the plain, in the direction of Du- rango, for dear life’s sake, being kept company by the soldier whom Raphael had disarmed. Y The boys remained complete masters of the field, and returning to the house attended to their wounds, while Raphael and the Mexican, the best friends in the world, for in turn they each were continually aiding the other, went in search of Donna Pachucha, ad remained in the shed where they had d the preceding night, and who was more than overjoyed to see the two whom she loved best in the who _ world alive and unhurt. They were soon at the @astle, and the girl proved herself the best nurse in the world, and won a un- g gratitude of all by the tender manner in which she attended to the different hurts, proving herself a wordy soldier’s daughter from the nerve with which she remained unshaken as she bathed and dressed the ghastly cuts and stabs which some of the lads carried. __ Andas she flitted about the room, light-footed and tight-finge red , ber father’s eyes followed her with a , a Pe " Ra Raphae é pairs to his steel cap, which had received more than subdued smile visible under his mustache, and it was evident that he was building up a happy future for these two. But suddenly he turned to Raphael. ‘Body of Bacchus, my friend!’ he cried. ‘It ' seems to me that we had best seek shelter else- eM Layee! : OE PR . where until this storm blows, over, for the whole | ; garrison of Durango will be sent here, as soon as they receive the news froin our two escaped friends, whom, I think, it would have been wiser to dis- patch, “TI know a senor, whose ranch is not far distant, | who would receive and shelter us, tho’ Maximilian himself attacked us.. And he has retainers in abun- dance, “ What think you, my brave?” Perhaps had Ravbasl beat alone with his friends he might, with his usual reckless bravery, have de- fied the united powers of both France and Austria; | but he remembered the tender girl who was partly under his charge, and he dared not expose her to all the horrors of siege, assault. and possible defeat. So he promised to accede to the general’s proposi- tion as soon as the last sad rites could be paid to his dead comrade, and decent burial given to the men outside, who, if enemies, were at the same time | officers and gentlemen. And soonas the narrow trenches were dug, and the dead, wrapped in their cloaks, reverently laid therein, they all aear ger to the spot, and stood with uncovered heads while the bronzed veteran spoke a few timely words, that came from the heart and were born of the*knowledge that he had that any of those who stood around him’ might at any moment fill a soldier’s unknown and unhonored grave, And then the earth was shoveled in, and nothing but the silent mounds rose above the manly breasts which, such a short time before, had beaten so high with hope and courage. But the time for action had come, and ‘shaking off the morbid feelings which the solemn ceremony had given rise to, and directing an old servant to see that head-boards should mark the graves and distinguish them by name, Raphael, foilowed by his com- panions, returned to the house to prepare for their journey. The horses were saddled, and a smal] covered cart prepared for the girl and the party, bidding adiey, perhaps foreyer, to t e old mansion, rode off slowly down the plain toward tLeriver, the course of which they were to follow for some distance before reach- ing a fording-place. The horsemen surrounded the little wagon in which Donna Pachucha was seated, holding the reins, while Raphael and she forgot fora time, in animated conversation, the dangers through which they had passed, and those which still might threaten them, the more to be feared, perhaps, for the reason that they were unknown, a Meantime the two soldiers who alone had escaped from the sanguinary conflict which had taken place inside the park, arrived at the citadel of Durango, bleeding, dusty, panting and all but fainting from fatigue and weakness Immediately upon their arrival they were ushered inio the presence of the commanding officer, who, grizzled and scarred veteran that he was, started to his feet in dismay at the sight of these bloody dis- turbers of his mid-day meal. A glass of wine was given to them, which some- what restored their strength, and then, they being seated on account of their weakness, the stronger of | the two related the terrjble experiences of the morn- ing and how he had heard one of the combatants ad- dressed as General Juarez. Then the officer bounded to his feet with a thun- dering ejaculation at the knowledge that’ thése ‘‘beardless striplings,”’ as he chose to term them, should not only snatch his prisoner from the fate that had been prepared for him, but also attack and ea ag sword and steel, the flower of his regi- ment. ‘ And hastily summoning his officers to counsel, they Ba pee a plan which the younger men pro- posed and which was, at length, agreed to. As these “youngsters,” as they dubbed the Americans, Jaughed at their muskets and used against the soldiers nothing but steel, so the officers, twenty in number, experienced swordsmen all, vowed that they would ride after them and bring them back, taking with them nothing but their rapiers and matching their skill against that of these demons of Americans. f And so they rode out, in gallant array, laughin and chatting, and enjoying the expedition as muc _ if the end lay ina ball-room of their dearly-loved aris. CHAPTER IX. A LIF£-AND-DEATH STRUGGLE, Soon leaving the open plain, and branching off for a time from the river, to reach it later on, Raphael and the rest of the escort entered an immense forest that extended for some distance to east and wesi, and the cool shade of which was a pleasant relief after the beating rays of the Mexican sun. They were ie to proceed at full speed, and Juarez regretted more than once that he had not had asaddle-horse prepared for his daughter, the vehicle which was occupied by her preventing their going faster than a trot. And they had not penetrated very far into the forest, when a muffled sound,as if from some immense drum, was borne to their ears by the wind which / ¥ blew on their backs, and which sound became every moment more and more distinct as they rode on. Attracted by this unusual noise they finally drew rein, and stopping, listened attentively for a few morirencs, ‘It is nothing more or less than the hoof-beats of horses,” at length said Raphael, ‘and should ema- nate from a party of horsemen who are pursuing us, But they are stillsome distance away and the best beg for us to do is to hurry on as rapidly as pos- sible,’ And with a blow from the flat of his sword he | urged the horse driven by Donna Pachucha to its most rapid trot. Yet the pursuers drew rapidly nearer and nearer and it was certain that within a mile or two they would have caught up. “General,” said Raphael, ‘ride on as rapidly as ossible and let Donna Pachucha drive with you. My friends and I will stop a little further on and en- deavor to check these rough riders long enough to enable you to reach your friend's house, where you can obtain assistance and come to our rescue. It is the only means left and, remember how the French treat their captive women!” And so it was done, the Mexicans riding on and the five Americans stopping in a glade that opened out inthe forest and there awaiting the arrival of their pursuers, who rapidly drew near, and soon rode in sight. Raphael turned his horse toward the advancing troop and on either side of him his companions ; wheeled into line, two on each side of their leader, and, like him, drew their swords and awaited the attack, ; Raphael spoke but three words as, erect and stern, he sat, awaiting the shock of battle.- ‘**Remember your revolvers!’ and he half drew his to see that it was loose and free to his hand, for he well knew that steel alone would not serve them against such tremendous odds, And as the officers rode into the glade, the boy shouted, raising bimself high in his stirrups: “Charge!” and like arrows from the bow they sped against the soldiers. Raphael hewed his wey through them, cutting and thrusting on every side, followed by his com- yanions, and in the living Jane they had made they lett five dead men on the ground to mark the fury of their course. The combat was short, but terrible. _ The gap made was immediately filled up, and then one of the officers, he from whose hands Ra- phael had rescued Juarez, recognized the lad as the one who had enacted the monk, his cowl having fal- len back as he was lifted to the window on the day of deliverance, and rode straight at him, crying to his comrades: ‘‘ Leave this one to me!”’ Then between these two men began a combat terrible, furious, and as has rarely been seen! In the manner in which their swords met, clashed, turned, whistled, followed each other through the air, hissing, could be distinguished the movements of two perfect masters of the weapon, actuated by the same deadly passion! A treacherous stroke from one of the officer’s swords had kilied Stanhope’s horse under him, but he still fought on foot, and seeing an officer rid- ing down on Raphael to stab him in the back he drew his revolver and fired, but the horse swerved and the ball, instead of striking: the rider, pierced the neck of his steed and brought him to the ground, and as he arose and placed himself on guard, Rob was before him and with three passes of his sword, added him to the list of killed. . Of the other three boys, one had been killed dur- ing the first charge, he having received a sword- thrust under the left armpit as he delivered a death-blow with his right hana, while the other two, though sore wounded held their own, bravely. A riderless horse galloped by and Rob, grasping his bridle, leaped lightly into the saddle, and, revolver and rapier in hand, rode down on the crowd of swordsmen who surrounded Jack Swift, firing as he advanced, and placing two of the officers hors du com’ at. In a moment he was alongside Swift, who had just emptied two saddles with his Pao the possession of which he had forgotten uutil Rob spoke, and the two fought desperately like the heroes of old, deliv- ering blows that no mortal could withstand, and’ leaving a path of blood in whatever direction the rode; the other boy had fallen, mortally wounde .) a moment before. ? ; Raphael still fought with the officer, whom he had wounded three times and whom he had forced to re- treat far from the other combatants, and who saw that his hour was rapidly med pagectpc ,. but who was too proud to either surrender or call for help, Rob and Jack, both wounded, both well-nigh ex- hausted by the superhuman efforts they bad made, were now confronted by nine men, and could not long continue the unequal a agdld the time must soon come when their strength would give out, and then—well, until then they wculd do their devoir like brave American boys and if they must die, they would have numerous company to attend them, And they redoubled the force and fury of their strokes! But a moment after Rob‘s sword broke off short, just at the hilt, he having dealt a severer blow than usual which had glanced down, causing the blade to light on the horn of the Frenchman’s saddle; and his revolver was empty. And aimost at the same instant Jack’s pdec eh Rede was laid oe from wrist tg shoulder, rendering useless, palsying his muscles and causing his rapier to fall to the ground from his nervelesshand. _ The two Fare themselves up for lost; but Ra’ a who with last lunge had pierced the ‘off :
Page 9
4 He oe ne Fee oy San eal S > r a) mh ' * d Ww; hey @, UT Fits ‘ plunged in an Egyptian darkness. Raphael tossed about on his bed, in an agony of unrest, cause by the unconquerable thought that he was doomed to a horrible fate! And the hours rolled on until finally, worn out by mental suffering, the boy fell into a brokem slumber, e a es 42
Page 10
~mdewe Pp Be tales was full of dreams that were worse than the reality, Suddenly he leaped from the bed and, staggering, listened, with every sense onthe alert, every nerve quivering with suppressed emotion, and again he heard the muffled sound which had startled him from his dreams; a sound which seemed to come from the bowels of the earth, and seemed to resem- ble that caused by a pick-ax striking into the earth. Throwing himself on the slippery bottom of the well, he glued his ear to the earth and listened intently. The noise seemed to draw nearer, and at the same moment he noticed a slight upheaval of the earth, and as he arose and leaned against the side of the well the dirt crumbled away as if an opening had been made beneath, and Raphael, sliding into the hole, fell into the arms of Rob Stanhope, while near by was Jack Swift, the latter holding a dark lantern. In a moment they were outside, for the entrance had been effected by piercing the slope of the hill which formed this side of the park, and which was so abrupt at this point as to be almost a bluff, and it had taken but a few hours’ work to penetrate beneath the dungeon, the distance and direction being known. A few words of explanation were sufficient, given as the three were riding away at full speed on the horses the boys had brought. It appeared that Rob and Jack had, after the fight in the forest, ridden for Mount Desert, and it was not until they had traveled for some distance that they perceived that Raphael was not following them. They stopped and would have returned to his assistance had they not realized what folly it would be to try and rescue him, unarmed as they were, besides being nearly exhausted. So they continued on toward Mount Desert, there to rest and arm themselves, and attack the French- men as they returned to Durango with their prisoner. But the soldiers did not appear, although they learned that the officers had frightened the old Mexican woman into telling them what direction Raphael had taken after leaving the castle, which accounted for the soldiers overtaking them so soon, Anxious as they were about Raphael, and keeping watch through the night, they heard, toward morn- ing, the rapid gallop of an advancing horse, and soon he came into view, bearing a female rider who, Rob swore, was the loveliest creature that ever Mexican sun shone on, In a few words Mile. Ange (for it was she), ex- pay rae what had happened, and that her love for er mother’s countrymen would not allow her to remain quiet, even though she thus became a wit- ness against her father, so, lowering herself from - a horse, she had ridden to her window, and securin find some of his friends, Mount Desert, to try an and warn them, She had heard the creaking of the chains as the bed was lowered into the dungeon, and, knowing its terrible secret, realized fully what Raphael’s fate would be, and determined to save him if she could, Giving the ie full directions how to proceed, and advising them to wait another night, she departed, taking, it seemed to Raphael, Rob’s heart with her. : The boys remained concealed all peo during which the officers arrived and, not finding them, threatened to burn the building; but realizing that it would be useful as a garrison, changed their minds and rode off to Durango. At nightfall the boys had set out, and found on ar- riving that the task they had to perform was not so very difficult, the earth being soft and easy to pene- trate, so that they soon succeeded in finishing their work and rescuing their leader. And as they rode on Raphael related his experi- ences ‘to them, and vowed such reprisal upon his ex- ecutioners as would forever wipe out this cruel in- sult, while he added that the Chevalier De Pie- bracque, whom he believed insane, should be par- _ doned his connection with the plot on account of his daughter, the gentle Mademoiselle Ange. It was not a very long ride to the hacienda where Juarez bad taken shelter, although they were not exactly inf ed as to its location; but he galloped on until a safe distance from the Mansion ie- ' bracque, and then drawing rein, allowed their pant- ae hanes to proceed at a walk. nd then they spoke of their comrades who had fallen fighting so gallantly, and whom they would never see more, and they could but wonder whose turn would come next of the three that were left. But suddenly a human form darted in front of their horses, and as thev drew their weapons—Ra- oy having been provided with arms brought by } is friends—the stranger spoke a few words in me informing them that Juarez awaited los mer iva.0s near by, and if the senors would follow him they would soon meet him. He. was a peon of Durango. who was now working for Don Jose, the friend of the Mexican general and having often seen Raphael in the village, ha im sent to conduct the boys to his employer's ouse. The long. low, white buiding was soon reached, and in a moment more they were shaking hands with Juarez and his host, who had not retired, so anxious had they become concerning the safety of the boys. They were all soon seated at table and enjoying a bountiful meal, while Juarez was made acquainted with the events that had transpired since they had separated, the narrative being interrupted more than once by sibilant and deep-sounding Mexican expletives, - Rapier Raphael. But they all were sorely in need of rest, and the house soon became quiet, as one by one the lights disappeared, and the inmates retired for the ap ty They were rudely awakened not long after day- break by the barking of dogs, the calls of peons, the clashing of steel ana the neighing of horses; and hurriedly throwing on a few articles of clothing and grasping the nearest weapon, the two Mexicans de- scended to the front hall, where they found that the Americans had preceded them. Through the iron grating that formed the central portion of the door an armed body of a dozen horse- men was visible. CHAPTER XI. A DUEL IN THE DARK. Fora moment Don Jose hesitated, not knowing exactly what course to pursue, but was just about to give order to his retainers, looking toward the de- fense of the building, when Raphael, who had_ad- vanced close to the grating, suddenly slipped bolt and bar, and springing outside. cried out: ‘* They are friends!"’ and in a moment was among the new- comers, and shaking them by the hands. After greeting them he returned to the one who seemed to be the leader, and requesting him to dis- mount, invited him to enter and be presented to the Mexicans. He was introduced by Raphael as Tom Warner, who, with a half-dozen of Americans, was on the way to visit Raphael at his home, fulfilling an invita- tion extended the year before. A few words made the new-comers acquainted with the situation, and after they had partaken of some refreshments, a consultation was held which resulted in it being agreed that the whole party should mount and ride away to Mount Desert, and if the house was founa to be oecupied by the soldiers a formal demand for its surrender should be made. This being denied, they would see whether they could not enter, despite permission, and if hostilities ensued—well, they were willing. So the little band was soon on its way to Mount Desert, Juarez and Don Jose accompanying the Americans, and riding along as gayly as any of the boys. The wound that disabled Jack Swift’s right arm had become so painful as to render any movement a torture, so, much against his will he was left behind to be nursed by Donna Pachucha, who promised to take excellent care of him. Arrived in sight of the park, it was immediately discovered that the soldiers were in possession, fora sentry was pacing up and down in front of the gate —or the opening where the gate hao stood—and at sight of the riders, threw his piece to a ready and awaited their approach, But be was not long left in doubt as to their inten- tions, for, separating from his companions and rid- ing forward waving a white bandkerchief, Rob ap- proached the sentinel and demanded to speak with the officer in mening g The latter, who was not long in appearing.declined summarily to listen to any propositions relating to the surrender of the castle, and, being warned that an attack would immediately follow, retired to the interior of the house, followed by his sentry, and closed the door. At the same moment Raphael and his companions, waved Me | Rob, came galioping up, and before the soldiers had taken up their stations at the window, were so close to the house, under the heavy over- hanging ee of the door, that they were en- tirely protected from any musket-shots trom inside. But one report had been heard asa shot was fired from the inside, and the whizzing }oa)), strikin rein gl steel cap, whirred off harmles:iy throug the air. Raphael, armed with an ax, brought in case of such need as now arose, attacked the front door so vigorously that at every blow the splinters flew and the wood gave signs of succumbing to his vigorous blows, in a few moments more. But suddenly there was a brilliant flash, a sharp report mingled with the echoing blows on the door and a ball, fired from a musket thrust through a side window. struck one of the new arrivals full in the breast, killing him instantly. But another flash. another report followed the first, for Rob, drawing his revolver, took quick aim and the soldier inside fell dead in his tracks, his gun still smoking in his hands. , And at this moment, the door, flying into a hun- dred pieces, fell from its hinges and the br eg party, penetrating into the hall, found the sol- diers on the staircase, when a bloody combat com- henge. which soon made the steps slippery with lood. They fought with knife. with sword, with revolver with bavonet, and it seemed as if from the infernal noise, the cries, the lurid flames which belched from the fire-arms, as if Pandemonium itself had broken loose and that the demons were waging a war of ex- termination among themselves. : Raphael had received a cut on his forehead which, } bleeding furiously, rendered his face a scarlet mask, | while the crimson fluid, flowing into his eyes, nearly blinded him, and yet he fought on like a wounded on. But the soldiers had the advantage of pusition, and although the invaders gradually worked their way up the staircase, the others, sheltering them- | selves behind the doors, and retreating into the © upper stories, carried on the combat for some time longer, but finally succumbed to the irresistible at- tack led by Raphael and Juarez and surrendered. Mount Desert had fallen into bis possession, but | at what a price! Tom Warner was dead, stabbed to the heart by a bayonet-thrust, while of his comrades, but two re- mained alive, Don Jose had fallen just as the fight ended, cov- ered with blood and dying from his wounds; while — and Rob were both in sad case from their 2urts, But the loss on the other side had been even more severe, and the French officer begged of Ra- — permission to return to Durango, promising hat he would not endeavor to retake Mount Desert and giving his parole that one of the conditions of their release should be that the garrison at Durango also should respect his home. : To this Raphael readily agreed, and after the . officer and his men had aided in disposing of the dead, the soldiers rode off slowly to the village, to have their wounds attended to, while the Americans. endeavored to remove all traces of the late slaugh- ter, and attended to their own injuries. Then Raphael requested the two Americans and Rob to accompany Don Jose to his home, there to- see if such care could not be extended to him as. might save his life. uarez and the lad were to remain at Mount Desert and await their return, on the morrow, con- fident that the soldiers would not break parole and. attack them, and the boys rode off, carefully sus- taining Don Jose in an improvised litter, and leav- ing the Mexican general and his young friend at. Mount Desert. Toward midnight Raphael, sleeping lightly on account of the pain in his head, was suddenly aroused by a noise which seemed to come from the room beneath, and, rising and taking his long hunt- ing knife, proceeded down-stairs to investigate. ning the door of the suspected apartment, he could scarce suppress a cry of astonishment at see- ing, standing near one of the windows, through which came a few straggling moonbeams, a soldier, ey an officer, wrapped in a large military cloak. ; The lad stepped into the room, and saluting the stranger, requested to know his business, which, he added, ‘‘ must be very urgent that you should call at this time of the night and seek entrance through the window.” “My name, sir, is Schombrun, and my brother ’— here he faltered for an instant—* was slain by you or yours; and I have sworn to neither sleep nor eat un- til I have avenged his death. “I see that you possess no sword, and rather than. have you trouble yourself to go in search of it, 1 remove mine; and now, sir,” he continued, drawing a long, two-edged, pointed dagger, “‘I am at your service,” and stooping, he crouched as if about to. aba on Raphael, who, seeing that his adversary was built in the same huge mold as his dead: | brother, knew that to come in his grasp, would be almost certain death, But as the lad grasped his knife still more firmly in his hand, and watched his antagonist waril , the moonbeams, which until now had lit up the room, pen apes: hidden, doubtless, by some heavy cloud. “Tf you will wait a moment I will bring a lamp Se —_ ‘i sir, how dark it has become,’ hazarded nael, i The flames from our eyes will light us sufficient- ly!’ replied the other, curtly. “Well said!” laughed the boy. “I did not think hog deepens 3 Austrian capable of so much wit;’” but as he spoke the Austrian rushed on him, crying,. “| will give no quarter and expect none—this is a. duel to the death!’’ But the lad was agile and supple as a cat, and pst beg he Jeaped silently to one side and stood pone while the Austrian who had rushed in the irection of Raphael's voice, dashed up against the: wall of the room into which he sunk the point of his. dagger, so impetuous was his course. phael, who was crawling on hands and knees at the other end of the apartment, laughed and at the same moment leaped in the direction where the deep breathing of the Austrian sounded, and before he could t sunk his knife into the officer’s left shoulder. With a suppressed roar of rage and pain com- mingled the Austrian turned and hurled himself upon his young adversary; but the latter had meantime, sunk again to the floor, on knees an Hepa the result being that the soldier struck wild- ly with his dagger in the empty air, while his feet struck against Re phael’s body, And instantly, quick as the lightning’s flash the lad seized the Austrian’s knees, lifted the giant in the air, threw him backward on the floor. placed a knee on his chest, another on the arm that held the dag- er, pinning it to the planks and placed the point of is knife at the other’s throat. “By the Great Horn Spoon,” laughed the boy, “1 believe that I've got you now, my foreign friend!” ‘‘Then kill me,” cried the other, half-strangled . with rage. , ** And why not?—it is my right after your warning —I do not doubt that you would settle me in short order, if our positions were reversed. Yet Iam will- ing to release you, but on one condition: promise that you will not recommence this duel in the dark, and I set you free,” ‘*Never!’’ cried Schombrun, “‘ and I swear that if you spare my life I will not spare yours!” “Slightly insane, by my faith.” murmured Ra- Lee pressing the point of his knife a hair’s-_ readth into the skin of the other’s throat. ‘Dror | Mt *SShomorun, eruped his u ombrun, instead of obeying, his. weapon yet more tightly, although his fe a8 rey mained pinned to the floor and he could make rf * use of it. ; ‘““My dear Herr Schombrun,” continued Raphael .
Page 11
mildly, ** remember that in all probability there will bs a to-morrow and that then we can settle our little fferences with rapier or what you will.”’ And then eta sternly, ‘‘ Again I tell you: drop that dag- ger *Never!"’ yelled the Austrian, hoarsely, and with a mighty effort of his mighty frame, he half-raised himself, threw his enemy for an instant off his bal- ance and all but freed himself; but Raphael, alert and watchful, was in a moment {n his former posi- tion and held his adversary as firmly as before, Then his voice became grave and sorrowful, and again he endeavored to reason with the Colossus who would surely kill him if released: “ For the last time Lask you, Herr Schoumbrun, will you live and lot liver” “*T prefer death from your hands to any other gift, and sure as my name isSchombrun and that I aman Austrian, I will kill you this night,”” and he made another mighty effort to free himself. Raphael’s strength was rapidly giving out, weak- ened as he was by thesword-cut in his forehead, and he feared that another effort or two on the part of the robust Austrian would change the present as- pect of affairs, when he knew that his own death a aa follow, for the man was evidently raving mad. “By “ag d faith,” he sighed, ‘‘ better kill the mad- dog than be bitten!’ and raising his hand he said: ty, bs know a single praver—” “May Satan claim and_ receive your soul!” “7 Dae the Austrian, as the foam flew from his ips. Raphael’s arm fell, the knife-blade entered the throat of the prostrate man to the handle, and a jet of blood spurting from the gaping wound bathed the lad's face with its warm and crimson flood. The Austrian struggled for a moment more, then his movements became less nervous, then quieted, a sigh was heard, and the man lay motionless—Schom- brun was with his brother! Raphael arose, drawing his knife from its human scabbard, and stood fora moment like a statue, ae his face covered with blood, holding in his and the weapon which had just opened the gates of eternity to the unfortunate foreigner, And then murmuring: ‘“‘ Poor fellow; how he loved his brother!” with a sigh left the room, and seekin Juarez, related to him the particulars of the awf woh vis that had taken nay in the room below, and how, to save his own life from the frenzy of a aoe he had been compelled to take that of the other. And the moon which had hidden its face rather than witness these scenes of human anger and mad- ness, and strife, stole from behind the cloud, and peeped into the room, But her beams glittered in a pes of red, red fluid, and the white face alongside became still paler in her rays, 80 drawing the mantle of the night again before her face, she sailed on to more peaceful scenes, ; CHAPTER XII. " TREACHERY. THE next morning, as Juarez and Raphael were enjoying their breakfast, the servant brought a note to the former, which she said had been fetched by & messenger who awaited an answer. The note contained the words: “T have collected much important information, and await your coming to impart it. Follow the bearer of this and he willconduct you to where I am, You can depend on his fidelity. InzEz.” A few words to Raphael explained matters, Inez being a Mexican girl who was of great assistance to the Mexicans, collecting much information from various sources, and acting as a ar Raphael suggested that it might be wise for him ‘to accompany the general at least as far as the door of the house where Inez was, for fear of treachery, when two swords would be better than one. This was agreed to, and the two, mounting, rode off after the guide, a youth of oe ey years, who was as idiotic as ignorance, stupidity and super- stition could make him. A rapid ride of a couple of hours brought them to a little village where a dozen houses comprised the entire place, and up to the most pretentious of which the guide rode, and descending, rapped on the door of the yard, ; Entrance being had, Juarez was soon ushered in, and the boy guide returning, requested Raphael to roceed to an inn a few doors down the same street, here to await the general’s coming, which could not be long deferred. Entering, Raphael found himself in a long, low room, with whitewashed walls and ceiling, with benches and tables for the benefit of customers. The room was empty save for one sole occupant, who with large sombrero and voluminous cloak, had the air of being a well-to-do Mexican, who was rest- ing during the heat of theday. ~ Raphael saluted him courteously, which salute was returned, and the American, calling the inn keeper, who was engaged outside, orcered a small bottl» of the light wine of the country, and invited the Mexican to join him in e glass, which invitation pe eg tae ‘ @ two conversed for some time, until at length, Raphael, becoming somewhat uneasy at the »dong-continued absence of Juarez, made his ex- -cuses, and was about to leave the room, when the ‘ sup Mexican, somewhat peremptorily, insisted : on og taking another bottle of wine before he with- 'rew. - Raphael declined, the stranger insisted,until finall Athe latter, rising from his seat, exposed the ores A ‘bard of a sword, and placing himself in front of the _ Rapier Raphael. door, vowed that the American should not leave so vom og drawing his long Damascus blade as he spoke. Raphael saw that he had fallen into a trap, and that if he wished to leave the room, it would be necessary to dispose of his adversary before doing so. And pass he would, for the trap certainly included Juarez, his friend, the savior of his life, and the fa- ther of Pachucha, the latter position being by far the most important. . The combat lasted but a moment; Raphael thrust, the blow was parried, when the boy lunged out with full force, the Mexican leaped to one side, and the blade of the American’s sword, piercing the door, stuck fast there, leaving Raphael disarmed and completely at the Mexican’s mercy. In an instant the latter’s sword was at the lad’s breast, and he was ordered to leave his sword where it was, and seat himself at the table whence he had just risen. There being no recourse, Raphael acquiesced, and the two were soon seated clinking their glasses— which had been freshly filled by the stranger, who, going into the cellar, the steps of which descended from the room where they sat, had brought up two more bottles, before their trouble, These were soon emptied. for Raphael carelessly upset them both before they were half-emptied, and apologizing, offered to get more if the Mexican would tell him in what part of the cellar the bin was. The stranger, stiJl between Raphael and the door, and holding his naked sword, agreed, and the lad, raising the trap, descended into the cellar, which, having no other outlet, offered no means of es- cape. n a few moments the boy reappeared, but in- stead of having two or three bottles under his arms, as might have been expected, he carried sn pages crock, which required the use of both ands, “Santissima Maria!’ cried the Mexican. ‘Do you expect to drink all that?” : “Doubtless,” returned Raphael, and passing around the table so as to be beyond the other’s sword, instead of placing the crock on the table, the lad, quick asa flash, raised it and, drawing back, dashed the contents in the other’s face, and the Mexican, suffocated, strangled, blinded, uttered a harsh ery and Jet his sword fall to the floor. Instantly, like a cat ona mouse, Raphael sprung over the table, placed his foot on the sword, seized the Mexican about the neck with both hands, and, half-strangling him, threw him back on the floor, fainting. All this was done so rapidly that the stranger had no time to defend himself, or even to comprehend; and Raphael, gagging him with his handkerchief and tying him with his sword-belt, rolled him into a dark corner under a table, and left him there, carry- ing. with him the stranger’s sword as a prize, he noise of the struggle had attracted no one, and Raphael regained the street without being seen. In the mean time Juarez, following the directions ng by their guide, had proceeded down a rather ong corridor, and, arrived at the end, knocked on the door, when a soft, melodious vuice bade him en- “s Opening the door, the genera] found himself in the presence of a dark-eyed Mexican beauty, who, smoking a cigarette, | alf-sitting, half-reclining on a sofa, had assumed a position of most luxurious ease, Their greeting was cordial and their conversation of long duration, the general asking many questions and receiving prompt and specific answers, until at length, as darkness came on, the Mexican lighting a small lamp deftly prepared a cup of chocolate and offered it to Juarez. He, nothing loth, accepted it; but had hardly swallowed the contents of the be when he felt a sudden heaviness steal over his eyelids and a torpor cr eping through his veins which deadened his limbs and made them as weighty as lead. In a few momients more he had fallen over on the sofa where he had been sitting and lay, buried in a profound slumber—Juarez had succumbed to a nar- cotic and was powerless to defend himself. ; But the fair cause of his sudden slumber, casting a hurried look about the room and then, leaving it, locked the door, and placing the key in her pocket, was soon out of the house and far down the street. In another room of the same house seated over a large bottle of pu/que—that vile Mexican intoxicant —sat the guide who had led Juarez into the trap, conversing with a man somewhat older than he, of a most villainous aspect. From time to time the younger of the two arose, went to the wall, where hung a daub representing some local saint, and applying his eye to a hole pierced just below the frame, gazed with interest at something that was passing near by, d At length, after one of these periodical visits, he turned to his comrade with a motion of intelligence, and the two, the younger armed with a cruel looking knife, the other drawing a long rapier, stepped on tip-toe to the side of the room, and, ety on the frame of the picture it slid down, silently, leaving an opening amply large to give them passage. Through this opening could be seen General Juarez, sleeping heavily, overcome by the drug, and the two assassins, leaping lightly through the open- ing, advanced upon the defenseless man with up- raised weapons. It took Raphael but a few moments to traverse the short distance which lay between the inn and the house into which Juarez had entered, and arrived at the latter he tried the door. It was fast, and not wishing to arouse suspicion 11 be knocking, he looked about for some other means of entrance, making a complete circuit of the hous¢ in his search. The rear of the building gave upon a garden, the wall of which was broken on the coping here ang there, and he found no difficulty in scaling it and leaping into the garden, which stretched for some distance in all directions. Once safely landed inside he immediately saw that the whole house was dark, with the exception of one window, which was on the first floor, and through which a light shone dimly. Arrived near it, and hearing no sound, he quieted his steps and listened attentively, but as the silence continued he stepped to the window and looked in. Lying on a sofa, perfectly motionless, he saw Juarez, and seeing also the apparatus for manufac- turing chocolate on a side table, he feared, for a moment, that the Mexican had been poisoned. But at the same moment he saw a portion of the opposite wall sink down, whilein the opening thus made appeared two sinister figures, weay on in hand, end leaping up onto the sill of the window he broke it in with his foot. As the young assassin advanced on the sleeping- man, Raphael leaped into the room, stunning the trait = ike a clap of thunder, and he stopped in his tracks. Raphael had sunk his sword up to the hilt in his breast, crying: ‘‘ Ah, villain, I am in time!” and the would-be assassin fell to the floor, writhing im agony and vomiting a flood of bloody foam; but neither the cry he uttered nor the noise of his fall awakened Juarez. But Raphael was not yet free from danger, for the second of the two men, who was a little behind, advanced on the American, waving his sword and, — within reach, attacking the lad vigor- ously. He was disguised as a common laborer, but from the way in which he rolled up his coat-cuffs, and from the manner in which he placed himself on guard, Raphael could easily perceive that he was thoroughly familiar with the weapon. The two crossed their weapons and a combat be- gan, which for a few moments left the result a mat- ter of doubt, each of the two fencing with fury endeavoring to creep under the other's guard and plavt a couple of inches of steel in his breast. At length the gliding point of Raphacl’s sword slid over the opposing steel and wcunded the false peasant in the shoulder, but so lightly that no ad- vantage was gained; yet it angered the man, and drawing a dagger, stepping back and ot tyme ps Bee a tiger, he slipped under Raphael’ssword and ed a blow at his side. But Raphael was not to die on that day. The sword-belt that he had taken from the man he had overcome at the inn was embellished with a. , large brass buckle, and the point of the dagger striking this slipped, and did no damage except slightly tearing his coat. t the same moment es repeating the blow that had so well served him on the day the sto’ opens, swung his shortened rapier high in the air and brought the hilt down with crushing force on the other’s head; and as the other fell to the floor he placed one foot on his chest, while the poirt of his sword threatened his throat. Then giancing at the prostrate man and at Juarez, still sleeping, he reflected: “This man probably has accomplices, who wilk come to hi assistance in a few minutes. I have neither time to make terms nor to parole him or bind bim. A traitor’s tool and an assassin, he de- serves nothing but death. It isa cruel thing to kill aman, but he is a venomous serpent who may sting me later—” And Raphael, pressing still harder with his foot, leaned on his sword, and the man bad not even time to call out before the weapon entered bis threat; he struggled a moment, shivered with one or two ae convulsions, then quieted, stiffened, and lay still. Then Raphael, seeing that both of the assassins. were never to be feared again, lifted Juarez onto the window-sill, leaped into the garden, and taking the unconscious man on his shoulders, was soon in the street and on his way to the inn. His revolver in his hand, be soon had the inn- keeper at his feet and a room prepered; carrying the Mexican to which, he placed him on the bed, and sitting beside bim. watched through the night. The man he had left bound below had loosened the straps which held him and escaped, CHAPTER X1IL RETRIBUTION. Don Josr had gone to his forefathers and his home was deserted by his retainers the only per- sons there present being Juarez and his daughter, Donna Pachucka, and Raphael, besides the old ser- vant that had been sent for to Mount Desert. The house was plunged in darkness and silence and nothing abouf the premises gave ary sign of life. Hidden in the woods not far away were five per- sons, Donna Inez, the assistant at the atrem ase sassination of Juarez, and four men, one of whom was her husband, Miguel Vegas, the others being renegade Mexicans and desperadoes. They had learned that Donna Pachucha was alone atthe house, but were unaware that Juares and Raphael had ridden over that day. not wish to leave* her alone; and the object of Vegas his party was to abduct Juarez’s daughter— believing him dead—and claim a handsome ransom. Inez was to remain in charge of the horses, while the men, one of whom had possessed himself of a z : Ta 7 ie, m . : ht eae “AF 5 he ea eat! RT, hey poe j atypia be * he th Lela, aX" Lely Ve 1 poe “ume ee. — ty + r S ct a MS ss = Oey 2 4
Page 12
— see ee 9 aps 4 ‘key to the side door, which gave entrance to stairs leading to the second story, were to enter the house ‘and carry off the defenseless girl. Miguel preceded the party tor a short distance, but was then joined by the most vicious of the Set, a one-eyed desperado called Pedro, who was the evil-spirit of Vegas and had won him and Inez from their allegiance to Juarez. Reaching the door, Pedro, who had at one time been connected with the household of Don Jose, turned to the two members of the party who fol- ale and, taking the key from his pocket, said to them: ** The staircase is narrow and we will only be able ‘to go up one at atime. But if any resistanceis to be expected it will not be found inside, but will come from the outside should any passers-by be attracted by the girl’s screams.”’ ‘Very true,” interrupted Vegas, ‘so remain out- side, you two, end do your duty in case of attack, one on each side of the door, pistol and sword in hand,” and striking a match he ligbted a lantern that he carried. Then, the door being opened, he began to ascend the stairs, followed by Pedro, both being armed to the teeth, and, arriving at the top of the steps. were relieved to find a second door, to which they had no key, wide open. aos Vegas stepped over the sill of this door, into ‘the corridor beyond, while Pedro, who was follow- ing, and was a stair or two below, endeavored to foilow him; but at the moment when he was step- ping onto the top stair of the staircase, the door was slammed in his face, and he cried out involun- | tarily, on finding himself thus imprisoned in the staircase. Vegas, hearing the door shut, and turning, found his lantern extinguished at nearly the same moment by agust of wind, leading him to think that the same blast had blown the door to, and so called out to Pedro; for, having no key, the door could not be reo ened, being furnished with a spring-lock. egas knew that at the end of the cortidor where the stood was another door, leading to the main hall, and taking this direction he still hoped to be able to reach the room where Donna Pachucha Avas sleep- ing, and carry her off despite this accident which at first seemed to threaten to ruin his plans. But at that moment he heard a sound at the foot ‘of the stairs he had just ascended, the clicking of swords and one or two pistol shots, mingled with cries and oaths. While he was thus shut in the hall, his companions had been attacked on the outside and he was powerless to aid them, Rushing to a window he looked out and saw, by ‘the dim light shed by the waving moon, four men, two of whom were stretched on the ground, while ‘the other two were engaging each other with swords, and in these two Jatter he recognized Pedro and his antagonist of two days before at the inn—Raphael. And mad with rage he drew his revolver to kill the lad in his tracks, when a sharp blow on his arm sent ‘the weapon flying to the ground below, while a deep voice said, almost in his ear. “Tt is our turn now, sir!’ and, facing about he waw, by the light of the lamp he held, Juarez, who regarued the traitor with an eye that flashed fire, while his naked sword glistened like that of the Avenging Angel. In an instant the steel flashed in his face, but that instant had sufficed for him to place himself on guard and the blow was parried. He knew his sword pretty well, but in the face of ‘the man at whose attempted assassination he had assisted his nerve forsook him and he was as a child in the hands of Juarez, The oaks clashed a dozen times, and three times the blood of Vegas flowed, until at length, like the darting tongue of a serpent and with a hiss that sounded like the serpent’s, the sword of Juarez flew out ani when it was withdrawn it was smoking and red with the blood of the dead man lying at the Mexican general’s feet. And while this was in progress Raphael, in his usual manner, had Attacked the two below and be- fore Pedro could reach them had stretched them both on the ground, SeOe PINE. by a miracle the pistol- shots aimed at him, and, upon Pedro's arrived, had attacked him so viciously that the Mexican was dead before he could utter a pore: Raphael had been wakeful and his window bei near the door by which the would-be abductors ef- fected their entrance, had been able to overhear therm and,jinforming Juarez, suggested the slamming of the door that the general might wreak his ven- gence on the miserable wretch who had sought his e. One of the midnight visitors being yet alive, con- fessed the proximity of Donna Inez, and before she was aware of their sppecach she was seized by Raphael and Juarez, blindfolded, and secured in one of the rooms of the Don Jose mansion. She was informed that her husband, Vegas, was also in their power, and promised that she should see him on the morrow, and a few quieting words being said to Donna Pachucha by her father, the lights were again gps dost and the house, with the exception of the ever-watchful Raphael, sunk to slumber again. The next moraing the party set out from the scene of the preceding night’s combat, and, Inez being cautioned that a word from her would result in a dagger being planted between her shoulders on the instant, proceeded to the Chateau De Piebracque, Raphael being disguised as a peon, and Tiecteen stained of so yellow a hue that he was entirely unrecognizable. Arrived there, Juarez, who was unknown to the ghereles. requested to be aliowed to rest during the ' the day, with his daughter and two servants, which was readily and courteously granted, and the rest of the party entered, leaving Raphael to lead the horses to the stables in the 1ear, Juarez ordering him to come to him after he had seen that their animals were provided for. Inez, as soon as they were alone, again begged that she might see her husband, and was promised that the meeting should take place that night, pro- vided she did not betray the party. The day passed away, and, as night came on, Donna Pachucha feigned a sudden indisposition, which gave Juarez a pretext to request further hospitality; the old chevalier immediately placing everything he possessed at their disposal and send- ing Mile. Ange to attend tbe sick girl. At length all was quiet, and Juarez, descending to the stables, took ene one corner a sack that Raphael had carried across his saddle, and that might be supposed to contain grain for the horses; and throwing this across his shoulders re-entered the castle. Before leaving the Don Jose mansion, Juarez had confided to Raphael ano‘her of the secrets of the De Piebracque house, whic had been confided to him by an old servant of the chevalier. Pierced me under one of the towers—sixty feet below the sur walls of which were of a thickness of five feet, and built of solid stone. This dungeon was reached by steps, which were eighty-seven in number, the entrance being hidden under the hearth-stone of one cf the upper rooms of the tower, which stone was moved ie setting in motion certain mechanism concealed in the mantle. The entrance proper to the dungeon was closed by an iron door, which was held in its place. when shut, by three spring-bolts; and on any one crossing face of the earth—was a dungeon, the | the sill of this entrance and setting foot on the floor | inside, anywhere within three feet of the sill, the door lifted on its hinges and swung to silently, imprisoning whoever was inside as surely os if | they were buried a thousand feet avalanche. At midnight, which rolled from the huge bell in one of the loftiest towers, Raphael, followed by | Inez, proceeded to the tower chamber, wherein was concealed the mysterious staircase, Arrived in front of the chimney the boy soon found the ornament which, being pressed, released the hearth-stone, and this slid quietly and smoothly underneath the fire-place, disclosing the first half- dozen of the steps of the descending staircase, visible in the light of the lamp which Raphael held high over his head. Far below glimmered, like a glow-worm in the aan afaint spark, and pointing to it the boy said: **Donna Inez, you will find your husband there /” and thinking no ill the Mexican, stooping, began the long descent, while the boy, lamp in hand, waited. The descending footsteps grew fainter and fe nt- er, the spark below disappeared as ler body inier- cepted the view, until finally a fgint ery of Joy came from the depths as she. caught sight of Vegas lying there, apparently asleep—“ Miguel!” and then came the sullen, hollow clang of the iron door, as it swe to and imprisoned her with her dead hus- and, A thrill of horror ran through Raphacl’s frame, as if the noise below had found an echoing chord in his body; but as she was a treitor and an assassin in will, if not in deed, he hoped that the Jesson would be a salutary one and prove of benefit to her after her release. Food and drink sufficient for her present needs were there in abundance, so that her sufferings would be mental and not physic 1; and Raphael, re- closing the hearthstone, started to-return to his room, He wore no hat, and the yellow stain was removed from his face, while be was in no manner disguised, for all necessity for concealment was past, as they Were to leave the next day,and he was perfectly willing and even anxious that the father of Mlle. Ange should know that his last vietim was alive. The corridor which he was following was dark and cold, and his footsteps sounded hollow, as if he were walking over a grave, while the lamp he carried shed but adim light, barely disturbing the shadows about him; while he wrs ©o pale from recent Joss of blood, want of sleep and the recent excitement that he had just undergone, that he looked like nothing so much as a walking ghost. As he turned a sharp corner and entered into the main hall, he came face to face with the Chevalier De Piebracque, who, unable to sleep, was wandering about like some uneasy spirit whose remorse for deeds of evil prevents repose. At the sight of Raphael, whom he thought déep buried beside the murderer of his wife, the chevalier uttered a ery, while his hair fairly rose from_his head, his teeth chattered, his knees shook, and an oy sweat stood in beads on his forehead. hen he stepped back into a short passage that seemed to lead nowhere, for at the opposite ex- tremity was nothing but the dead well; and while Raphael, not imagining that the chevalier supposed him dead, gazed at him in astonishment, the unfor- tunate De Piebracque, taking stiil another step to the rear, with a wild ery threw up his hands and disappeare’). One of the stones with which the hall was paved had turned onits center and precipitated the che- valier into one of those horrible pits dug to receive any unfortunate whom it might be desirable to dis- pose of, and from its yawning depths arose the sound of a body crashing into this unknown abyss. For a moment Raphael stood, stunned by this aw- ful calamity of which he had been the in i t au beneath an | | below, not the slightest sound arisin thor, and Proceeding cautiously to the edge of the —™ down, turning the stone, which had set- pit, looke tled back into its former position, as he knelt, with one hand, while he held the lamp with the other. But the feeble ray could not penetrate the hun- dredth part of this awful chasm, and all was still that could show that death had been aught but instanta- neous, And the lad, knowing that nothing could be done to in any manner aid the poor chevalier, returned slowly to his room, without disturbing any one, re- flecting how strange it was that he who had fallen victim to De Piebracque’s wrath should unwittingly be the cause of his death. His bad news would keep until the morrow, and in the mean time he would let the poor orphan gin, so lately and suddenly bereft of her sole earthly protector, sleep on, this night at least, in happy un- consciousness of this sad blow. And glad he was the next day that he had de- ferred the news, for the grief of the girl was_ some- thing terrible, gently as the tale was told to her by Juarez, and kindly as he soothed her, By his advice the fact that Raphael had been in- directly concerned was withheld from her as from all, for although he was perfectly innocent, still she might look upon him as the murderer of her fatber; and his death was explained by the fact of his cane being found lying alongside the balanced stone, and her knowledge of his nocturnal wanderings, But along rope was procured and Raphael was let down to the bottom of this tremendous pit bearing a lantern, and there, on the bottom, pierced in a dozen places by the iron teeth placed below to receive the victims, he found the eold body of De | Picbracque, and taking il g ntly in his arms, was raised to the surface, and that afternoon the old Frenchman was given burial in the graveyard of the chateau, beside his dearly-beloved American wife. And Mile. Ange remained, alone, heiress of his im- mense estate, CHAPTER XIV. BURIED ALIVE! THis unexpected death of the olc chevalier caused Juarez and Raphael to postpone their departure, for they could not think of leaving Ange De Piebracque alone in her distress and in a house without a com- panion. They decided to remain for three or fcur days at least, and Juarez suggested that Raphael ride over to the castle and inform the boys cf the reason of their absence and request them to remain where thoy were for a few days and await their coming. Shortly after: dusk the boy returned. and as he approached. the chateau through the wood, and hidden by the shadows of the trees, he was sur- prised to hear voices of men talkiug loudly, and im mediately « ismounting, fastened his horse deeper in the forest and then, taking advantage of every inequality of the ground, every bush and tree, crept close to the band of strangers. After a few moments of listening he discovered that it was a party of officers—among whom were some of those who had borne him a prisoner to this same chateau a short time before and condemned him to a cruel death, He recognized the voice of the young lieutenant who had so openly .expressed his admiration for Mile. Ange, and who had conduct: d the party to the chateau. And in a few more words he learned that there was a traitor in the household, in the person of Mlle. Ange’s maid, who had been bought over by young De Villeneuve, as the lieutenant was named, and be- tween them they had a ranged a plan by which the young girl was to be abducted, He was to come with his friends and so couch hig demand for admissicn as to arouse there of the old chevalier, and thus be refused entrance. and while the others kept on reiterating the demand De Villu. neuve was to steal to the rear of the cl ateau, where arope would be swinging from one of the upper windows, by which be was to gain entrance and carry off Ange while she was undcr the influence of a narcotic, administered by Chiquita, her maid. In a moment Raphael had stolen away, and, mak- ing a considerable detour, arrived at the designated point before the lieutenant. and there, swinging along the wall, he could distinguish a dark fing: Ww ee he knew must be the rope that had been men- tioned. Knowing, as he did, that Ange had kept the seclu- sion of her room and had her meals sent thither, he saw how easily the plot matured by the officer and the maid, could be put into execution, and hestarted to climb the rope, A But a moment's reflection convinced him that such a course would be unwise, as he might not reach the window before the arrival of the officer, and would thus betray the discovery of his plans; so, hiding in the shadow of the wall, he awaited the coming of the other. 3 : Far above him was a window in which a light was burning, and as he watched it, the sash was opened and a figure, leaning out, took the cord and shook it as if to be assured of its solidity, and, apparently satisfied, withdrew, leaving the window open, At the same instant a footstep was beard and the lieutenant, approaching rapidly, seized the cord, when the hilt of Raphael's sword, descending on his head with crushing force, sent him to the turf, stunned as a beef-steer falls to the earth beneatit the ae) 2 the yop ‘ And then, seizing the rope, after i sword in the scabbard, he climbed light epee clini raising his head from time to time and bokt my
Page 13
3 7 Spleens ” Se Pt ek 5 AS eS pa a = ge! = * SS wing Bee Sy o~= %) hy? Y ee ’ pen ih a*t nied 9) ‘sat ioe Bh ior er Pe oe ; 15 yy va. a ii eee ain £4) ian a ‘ a a Rea a ea $02 er’ , tlh i SS sy oy . foes) 4! a : Be No eam sa i s if’ ¥ 1. ON cok! {1 uM 1 + pA ~ | ea aoe the light, whieh still burned steadily above, like a light-house, serving as his beacon. Suddenly the light was shaded for a moment, and the fi . but it was so dark that ic was impossible to distin- ' guish any one’s features and Raphael had no fear, neh leaned out once more and looked down; | but continued to climb until he was within twenty | feet of the window, when the figure disappeared | and, a moment afterward the light was extin- guished. | guilty of the murder of Inez! This was exactly what Raphael would have | wished, and, reaching the stone sill of the window, | he ¢limbed in, and, as he stepped to the floor a voice whis' at this moment Raphael’s hand was placed over her mouth and he seized her so tightly that any effort to | escape would have been futile. It did not take long to secure the trembling girl, who was half-dead with fear, and gagged and help- less, she was thrown into the corner, while Raphael, striking a light, and glancing around, soon discov- ered Mile. Ange sleeping quietly in an arm-chair, un- disturbed by the noise that he had made on entering and during his struggle with Chiquita. Fearing that Juarez might betray himself, but trusting to his discretion not to do so, believing that he would send one of the servants to parley with the officers, he hurried in search of the Mexican, whom he soon found and reheved of much anxiety on his own account, Juarez fearing that the boy might have fallen into the hands of the officers. The servants of the house had not betrayed the presence of strangers within, nor had the tioned the death of the chevalier; for, at the first rude speech made by the officers, the old door- keeper—a Mexican himself—had slammed the wick- et in their faces, and refused to hold further parley with them. Raphael related his adventure, and assured Juarez ‘that he had so modified his blow as not to kill De Villeneuve, but only stun him, and that he had so often used this famous stroke of his, that he knew exactly how long a person would remain uncon- scious. ‘We have an hour before us,” he added, and then began to consider what had best be done. e officers numbered twenty or twenty-five, while they were two, there being no dependence to be placed on any of the servants, who were, for the most part, aged and infirm, so that any idea of en- deavoring to fight their way out, on account of Pa- chucha and Inez— Had they been alone!—and the two exchanged a smile which seemed to say: ‘Ah! that would be different.” . “ Still,” said Raphael, ‘I will go to the door and see if there is any chance of the officers retiring and allowing us free passage; for, maybe they will aban- don their design when they learn that M. De Pie- braecque is dead,”’ and, sword in hand, he descend- ed the main stair-case, threw open the door, and stepped out in full view of the assembled offi- cers. Astonished as they were at seeing an armed man thus confronting them, they were more amazed, when, as a vivid? flash of lightning rent the black pall of the heavens with a streak of gold, they recog- nized Rapier Raphael; but before he could utter a word, a lozen revolvers cracked, and as many bul- lets hurtled by the boy harmlessly, into the hall be- hind him, and at the same time the officers rushed on him with drawn swords. ** Back! back!” cried Raphael, and falling on them in the midst of the darkness, he distributed a score of sword-cuts and thrusts, right and left, which were followed by yells of rage and cries of pain, proof that he had brought blood from more than one of his adversaries; leaped to the rear, cleared the two or three steps at a bound, closed the door full in their faces, and slid the bolt. The stout oak door would, he knew, baffle their efforts to effect an entrance for some minutes, as they would have to find tools with which to force it, and he rushed up the main stairway four steps at a time, called on Juarez and Pa- - chucha to follow him, and soon reached the dress- -room of Mile. Ange, whom he found still sleeping. hen turning to Pachucha he said: “Donna Pachucha, there is but one road open to us,” and he pointed to the window. “Some of your father’s bravery must have descended to you—do you dare attempt it?” ; “What matters fe pees, rented. the intrepid ou irl, ‘‘ provided it leads to safety?’ and she Sealed to’ the window with Raphael, who, taking her in his arms stepped on to the window-sill, then, enlacing her with one arm, he clung to the knotted cord with the other, and swung off into spaee, : ‘Leaning out, breathless, Juarez followed with an anxious eye this human group, confiding its life toa cord fifty feet long, and did not stir until Raphael and his burden, scarce seen through the darkness, reached the ground safe and unhurt. | e young leutenant still lay motionless on the grass, although the first drops of the threatened storm were Pachucha and thanked her for the courage and coolness she had displayed, which had lightened his task more than half, and told her that he must now leave her alone for a few moments while he returned and succored Ange, fearing that Juarez’s age might have weakened his stren th, and would prevent his Ai iael climbed the rope and disappeared Canons b oF window. 3 e men- | ginning to fall, as Raphael turned to | ' red that Mile. Ange was asleep and that—but | | Rapier Raphael. - dear Raphael,” said he, ‘you are really too grasp- in ; you wish to perform all the gallant deeds your- self!” Valuable time might have been lost in this discus- sion; but, a sudden thought striking Rayhael, he cried: ; “So be it, general. the chevalier’s death. I was the innocent cause of By Heavens, 1 will not be Take Mile. Ange and escape. I will go and release the Mexican woman,” and as the blows still sounded on the door below, he bounded from the room, while Juarez, raising the inanimate form of the sleeping girl, attached her firmly to him with his belt, that he.might have the use of both hands, carefully grasped the rope and descended with difficulty. But as he neared the ground the cord, chafed by the edge of the stone window-sill against which it rubbed, parted, and Juarez and his burden fell heavily but unharmed to the ground, while the use- less piece of rope, dropping from above, coiled about him, as it fell, like some enormous serpent. Donna Fachucha’ uttered a short ery, which was, however, instantly suppressed, both on account of her father’s fall and because of the thought that now there was no means of escape left to her— lover; yes, that was the word, she used in her thoughts. But in an instant Juarez was on his feet, had loosened the young girl, who still ees on, despite the shock of the fall, and had crossed swords with De Villeneuve, who had returned to sudden con- sciousness and attacked the Mexican, almost before the latter wus aware of his presence. The contest Jasted but a few moments, but they were moments of rage—of fury, although Juarez re- tained his coolness while the other was blind with anger at seeing his prey escape, and endeavored, by a secret and treacherous thrust, to end the combat; but the stroke was parried, and he received a slight touch in return. And then his passion became madness, and losing all control of himself he rushed on Juarez, aiming a ferocious stroke; but his sword flew high in the air, while the Mexican’'s rapier, entering his eye, pierced his brain, and he fell like an uprooted tree, covering the turf with his blood. Wiping his sword, Juarez replaced it in its scab- bard, and lifting the young girl, gently, turned to his daughter and asked her to follow. ‘But, father,” she pleaded, clasping her hands, * Raphael—” The pause*was more eloquent than any words. “ To-morrow, my child, we will endeavor to aid him— to-night nothing can be done. Let us go to Mount Desert where he has stanch friends and there consult. Raphael knows this place thoroughly and will elude all search. Come.” Consoled by this last reflection, the girl followed Juarez to the stables, where they procured their horses, and rode off, undetected, just as the crash of the falling door and the triumphant cries of the officers, who had not thought.of De Villeneuve dur- ing their excitement, gave evidence that they had at last succeeded in effecting an entrance. Raphael, heedless of all else but the wretched woman in the vault below, immured with a fester- ing corpse, hurried through the corridors until he reached the room where was concealed the hidden staircase, and, op the concealed spring, the steps lay before him. He descended them three at a bound until he was half-way down, and then, e pempy ray that the officers would search the chateau for him ‘from turret to foundation stone,’ he hurriedly retraced his steps and slid the concealing stone nearly back to its place, the interstice being so narrow as to be hardly discernible, and as a precaution against its closing, inserted the blade of his knife in the crack so that the spring might not catch and inhume him, perhaps, forever. Then, being in total darkness—as indeed he had been before, he felt his way carefully down the steep stairway until his outstretched hand struck against the iron door of the dung*on, when, cfter a few efforts, he found the knob that shot the bolts from their sockets, and turning it, he drew the door wide open. com the Plutonian daziaess in which he, until this moment, had found himself, the light which now shone in his eyes dazzled and almost blinded him, so that, for a few seconds, he could hardly dis- tinguish an oo in the vault; but in an instant more his eyes became accustomed to the glare and everything within stood out before him in vivid dis- tinctness. Lying as it had been left, except that the nosition of its head had been changed, was stretched the corpse of Vegas, covered with a light shaw] that Inez had worn when she first entered the cell, while seated, with finger on lip, as if cautioning the in- truder not to disturb the sleeper, was his wife, the dead head of her husband in her lap. From the expression of her face, from the look in her eyes, Raphael learned at a glance that she was insane—the shock had been too much and her brain had succumbed. He stepped inside the door, his heart full of pity, taking care to avoid the treacherous stone which acted on the springs of the door, by stepping over it, when she recognized him1 The look in her eyes changed to a baleful glare, as she s ee to her feet like a tigress. and with a hy- yell leaped on him with clutching fingers. The sudden shock threw him baek and his foot trod on the perfidious stone, the door clanged to, In two words he explained his reappearance to | while, flinging her from him, she fell t the J z, who, however, laughed at the idea, and , table and overturned the lamp, leaving him in an looked at his vigorous bs and sinewy hand with | 5 Lapen darknessj and alone with a madwoman ace ion; ‘On my word of honor, my | and a corpse! a san é CHAPTER XV. TO THE RESCUE. Juarez, Donna Pachucha and Mile. Ange reached the castle without further adventure, and were warmly received by Rob and his friends, who were, however, unable to restrain their anger when the heard of the attack on the chateau and the accident that had befallen the only means of escape left to Raphael ey could picture to themselves his disappoint- ment when he returned to the room and, on going to- the window, found that the treacherous cord had parted; yet could but exchange congratulations. that no injury had resulted from this catastrophe. The Americans wished to endeavor at once to res- cue Raphael, but were dissuaded by the same argu- ments that had been used by Juarez in inducing’ Pachucha to leave the chateau, and consented to wait until the following day, whén Rob would ride Le the chateau and investigate the status of af- airs. He returned from his expedition with no good news, stating that the officers were installed at the chateau and had been reinforced by a company of soldiers, evidently determined to remain there in- nr campami and make a permanent barracks of the place. He had been able to learn nothing of Raphael, but hoped that in this case no news was good news, and that during the day the boy would turn up all right, having unbounded faith in his leader’s bravery and strategy. The sight of Mile. Ange, who was completely re- covered, drove the last remaining cloud from his brow; and looking in her eyes, and passing the hours in talking with the bright girl, the day wore rapidly away to night, and still there was no news of Ra- phael. Juarez was on thorns, and could not for a moment remain quiet, pacing up and down and endeavoring, in the deep tangle of his thoughts, to find some plan by which he might aid his young friend; while his. daughter was a prey to the keenest anxiety, and was even more restless and worried than her father. But the day waned: the night came and passed; another day and night came and went, until, on the morning of the third day the girl, unable to endure this terrible suspense any “bas 2 confided to her father a plan she had conce ved, and begged his. permission to put it into execution. And this was agreed to; and in pursuance of her idea, one of the boys—Jack Swift, who spoke French like a native—disguised himself in a soldier's uni- form and started off toward the chateau, to mingle, if possible, with the garrison, and thus penetrate to the interior; but before leaving he held along con- versation with Mile. Ange, who repeated to him over and over again sundry directions regarding the workings of some of the mysteries of the chateau, learned from papers she had found in her father’s desk after his death. And as Jack disappeared, van 4 an unspoken. prayer went up, asking that he might escape detec- tion and succeed in entering the chateau without exciting suspicion; Pachucha meantime, awaiting: the coming of the night with ever-increasing anx- iety, while the weary hours dragged their slow length along, as if each one was composed of a cy- cle of time. But at length the sun set behind a massed bank of clouds that was piled in the western horizon, and wlich was ever and anon split by a yellow fork that: flashed through its center; while as Carkness set in, the thunders rolled in deaf ning peals, and the hot lightning whizzed through the air in every direc- be bathing the landscape in a flood of flame-hued colors. And as the rain poured down in torrents, Donna. Pachucha, clad in the suit: f a Mexican vaguro, or herdsman, and wray ped in an immense poncho that protected ber slight form from the dashing rain, rode out alone from Mount Desert and took the direction of the chateau, her heart beating high with the hope that she might be able to penetrate within the walls. and, finding Raphael, succeed in releasing him. It was an enormous task that she had set herself, yet she had in her slight frame the material that en- abled Joan of Arc torise superior to the weaknesses of her sex, and lead the armies of France where a man might have hesitated to set foot. As the darkness settled down,and the impenetrable blackness of the heavens seemed to envelop the: earth, she entered the forest and allowed her horse to pick its way over the sodden grass, well knowing that the intelligence of the dumb brute would not permit it to go astray, and thus proceeded until the road leading to the chateau was reached, the shad- ows being less deep here, end enabling her to judge of her whereabouts. A short distance from the walls of the residence of the late yak sort Se she stopped, and, dismount- ing, tied her horse by the bridle-rein to a tree which was surrounded with a heavy growth of underbrush, completely hiding bim from the observation of any cbance passer-by, if indeed ang one were abroad on this fearful night. And then keeping some distance from the chateau, which blazed with light, nearly all of the front win- dows showing that the rooms were occupied, she cautiously circled until she arrived epposite the tower wherein Raphael had first been'confined, and this she rapidly approached. j Climbing with difficulty the steep bank which the boys had pierced in rescuing Raphael, she reached a point half-way up, and here, parting the bushes and crawling in, she found the opening, and lying flat on her face wormed herself inside. In a few moments, feeling above her as she ad- vanced, she discovered that she had finished the 4 J ; 4 4
Page 14
ee ee noe ; » fad ‘ as Fe i second stage of her journey, and rising, she lighted a dark-lantern that was hunf to her belt, carefully protected from the rain by her se7ape, and looked about her. The ray of light penetrated every nook and corner of the ngeon, as she turned the bull’s-eye in dif- ferent directions, and in a moment she recognized the locality from Raphael’s descriptions. There was the bed on which he had been so firmly held by the mysterious arms of steel that had so tightly grasped him; far above she could see the trap-door and the chains hanging a few inches below it, like the web woven by some huge insect to infold its victims in its iron links; and there—yes, there!— and she flashed the light into the corner with a shud- der, was that horrible grinning thing, those ivory white bones, those fleshless clutching hands—all that remained of what had once been a man! She shuddered as she gazed, and for a moment her courage almost forsook her, as she glanced in- voluntarily over her shoulder, fearing that some ghastly shape might be in the corner, gibing and ears at her with its ghostly lineaments, and he silence was so perfect, except the moaning of the winds which found entrance through the cavity at her feet, that she might as well have been in her grave, with her bones crumbling into dust—for aught that differed. The surroundings, the vault-like odor of the place, the horrible and ghastly visions conjured up by the sight of the skeleton in the corner tended to highten her fears and render her position almost unbearable and it required the utmost will at her command to nerve her to remain and wait. But the minutes glided Sila seemed to her that they crawled—until at length a slight creaking over- thead—so slight that it would not have been percepti-. ble had it not been for the deathlike stillness that infolded her—attracted her attention, and in an in- ‘stant all of her fears took flight, and turning the lan- tern she looked up. The chains above were descending slowly. link by link, creeping down with an almost indistinguishable progress, until, at length, the hook on the end of one ‘of them clanked against the iron frame-work of the bed, and seizing this she fastened it.in the ring op the leg and did the same with the others, and then, fearing the clasping arms concealed in the frame- ‘work, she leaped on the bed and, standing upright, steadied herself by one of the chains. A half an hour passed thus and then the bed be- gan slowly to ascend and move toward the trap above—the first part of her plot had succeeded, and Jack, thanks to his disguise, had been able to reach the mechanism and put it in motion. Slowly and silently it arose until, being nearly at the top, Pachucha crouched fearing to be crushed _against the seemingly immovable trap just overhead, and wondering if she were thus destined to diejust as she had begun tosucceed; but her fears were un- founded, for on nearing the trap, other machinery was evidently put in motion, for thé swinging doors fell silently down and gave free passage to the bed, losing beneath it as the feet reached the level of ‘the floor, when all seemed natural and nothing was left to excite suspicion. The chains were concealed beneath the floor, and the sliding panels attached to the trap closed the holes where the hooks lurked ready to seize the legs when the bed should descend; the steel arms, which at the first tremor of the framework had sprung out, settled back in their places, and all was once more uiet. - Donna Pachucha had closed her lantern; but now, Barta a needie-like ray of light to escape, she tooked for the door, hastened to it, and pulling hard, swung it wide open, shutting off the light and listen- ‘ing intently at the same time. the corridor—narrow and cold—into which she fooked all was quiet, and the hall was deserted; but the sounds of boisterous laughter, snatches of songs and clash of glassware could be heard coming from the rooms in front where the garrison were holding high revel, seated around glowing fires, for the air ‘was damp and chilly. Then, without hesitating an instant, with tread so light that not one of the slumbering echoes of the ateau was awakened, she passed soe through the corridor, and entering the larger hall into which it led, followed it to the room where was hidden the secret staircase. With palpitating heart she felt for the spring, and soon was rewarded by seeing the hearth-stone glide slowly into the space left for it under the fireplace, org oe staircase open. As the opening apenes something fell with a clash and a clang as of metal, and went sliding and clattering down the stone steps, stopping at the bottom with a dull thud as it struck the iron door. It was the sword Raphael had left to prevent the stone from sliding back into its place and shutting n. Reckless of all discovery, Pachucha flew, rather than ran, down the steep staircase, and in a moment had reached the doer, had found the bolt, and, pu)l- ing it back, threw the door open, turned on her dark- lantern to its fullest glare, and standing on the sill leoked inside. Crouching in the corner was Raphael, but so pale, so Wan, sO gard, that he was scarcely recogmiza- ble, while his unkempt hair, straying over bis fore- head in wildest disorder, his eyes sparkling with the lurid light which denotes a tottering reason, his ‘trembling hands and bleeding lips showed what un- told and unheard of &geny he had endured. ' Miguel lay as Raphael had found him, while, cov- ered with blood and the picture incarnate of an in- _ mate of Bedlam, Inez, cold in death, was crowded in another corner of the room, or rather dungeon. _Adter her first wild attack on Raphael she had burst Rapier Raphael. a blood-vessel, and the death-rattle in her throat was the last souna the boy had heard after the table crashed to the ground and the light went out. Besides the trembling of his hands, the only sign of life that Raphael gave was in his eyes, which flashed in the light of the lantern like two coals of fire brightened by the bellows—for sparks seemed to fly from them and leap into the surrounding dark- ness. At first he looked at the streaming glare with the stupefied curiosity, mingled with fear, which is no- ticed in a wild beast when a human being enters its cage, then suddenly, as Donna Pachucha turned the light fullon her own face, the boy utter dacry—acry impossible to cescribe—a cry of mingled savage joy and of a furious madness; then recognizing foe completely and realizing that this was no appari- tion, and raising his hands, clasped together, high above his head, he shrieked: “It is she! It is Pachucha!” and dragging him- self toward her he fell at her feet, to all appearances more dead than alive, while the girl, bending, said: “Raphael, I bring you liberty!” and she cast on him a look of ineffable love and pity. As the boy threw his weight on the stone the door swung heavily inward, but Pachucha had foreseen this and had prevented its closing by stopping it with her heel, so offering one hand to Raphael, she quickly drew him from the interior of the dungeon and once outside, shut the door, leaving the dea Mexican and his wife in their grave. A few mouthfuls of food—she was compelled to give him sparingly, as his hunger was like that of a ravening woif—and a swallow or two of brandy soon restored Raphael somewhat, and picking up his sword, the boy was able to follow her up the steps, slowly, it is true, but with considerable more strength than would have been expected a few short moments before. Arrived at the top the stone was replaced and all resumed its normal condition, while the two silently and cautiously retraced the path followed by Donna Pachucha a shart time before, and succeeded in re- gaining the ‘‘ Vauit,’* as the room riggs megs | the Spm ey bed was called, and here they found ack. Knowing that it would be impossible to leave the chateau on account of the guards, he had, after waiting for what he thought a sufficient length of time, lowered the bed and left it at the bottom, and then, carefully locking the room where he had found the windlass that worked the apparatus, had pro- ceeded to the * Vault,” there to await the return of Pachucha. A word and a grasp of the hand sufficed, and Jack, with Donna Pachucha clinging to him, de- scended by.means of the chains; for Rapheel, in his weak state, had to relinquish all thoughts of look- ing after any one but himself—and_ indeed it was difficult for him to reach the bottom in safety. But at last the three were reunited, and it was not long before they were outside, where the green grace, the waving trees, the fresh air, the stars linking welcome inthe sky—for it had cleared off, and now all was calm and quiet and peaceful—seem- ed to Raphael the incarnation of eedom; while the muttering thunder, rolling far in the distance, resembled nothing so much as the sullen complain- ings of some fleeing giant balked of his prey. nd now Raphael and Pachucha are mounted and have ridden away bonnily to Mount Desert, which seems more like Mount Oasis; while brave Jack Swift has set off hardily to trudge through marsh and through mire until home is reached. And if any one thinks that, arrived there, Raphael was not cuddled and eoddled to his heart’s content, and that Juarez and Ange and Rob were never done shaking hands and congratulating, and that Pachu- cha and Jack were not the heroine and the hero of the hour, then that ‘“ any one’? is much mistaken, and does not know how often honor is given where honor is due. But Time works all things, and a few days saw Raphael completely restored and ready to proceed with Juarez and his party to the Mexican camp there to seek a short respite from the dangers and troubles of the past few days. CHAPTER XVI. SELF-SACRIFICE. TuEereE were gathered in the main hall of the Cas- tle of Mount Desert, which blossomed like a rose in June, a party of three—Juarez, Donna Pachucha, and Mile. Ange had, that morning left, on their way to the Mexican camp—Raphael and his two friends —friends until death—Rob and Jack. The three boys had decided thatif any event arose in which their presence would'be necessary, it would be best that they should be united, and as many matters had to be arranged before they left Mount Desert, they had decided to remain and allow their three comrades—for the girls were as closely bound to them by the ties of danger as they were to each other—to proceed alone, hoping to overtake them ae many miles had passed beneath their horses eet. The boys, rapier in hand, stood waiting. The in- creased knocking on the door, the ever-culminating cries of the crowd beneath, had proved to them that the hour of supreme action had come: that now or never they must prove their bravery or else meet the death that awaited them below. False to their comrade’s oath; false to them- selves, the friends of Maurigot, of Schombrun, of De Villeneuve awaited them. forgetting that an oath had been sworn, a promise given, that Mount Desert should be left in peace, that the boy swords- men who claimed it as their home should be for- ever exempt from French or Austrian marauders. The room adjoining the one—or rather the hall in | | which the boys were assembled, was a larg’, square ™ apartment, in which it would have almost been pos- sible to deploy a troop. And at this moment blows were heard, resounding through the walls of the castle, which resembled nothing so much as chasms wrenched through the rocks of an eternal precipice, while the three boys, forming as by intuition a triangle, each point of which bristled with a sword, awaited the attack which was sure to follow. The windows, crashing into a thousand_ pieces, gave passage to a dozen soldiers; but for Raphael and h’'s two friends this was but a mouthful; the twelve privates fell, one after the other, as hens on the roost tumble to the grip of the fox, without hay- ing touched a single American. But Jack had received a thrust from a bayonet, which, disabling him for a moment, still allowed him to fight, sword in hand and revolver in belt; but at this moment reinforcements appeared—reinforce- ments for the enemy, who, now doubly strong, ad- vanced to attack the Americans. The latter, crying ‘* Maximilian and France,” ad- vanced straight toward the combatants and striking right and left,soon pierced a passage to the spot where Raphael and his friends were awaiting them or any other adversaries. Still it appeared strange to Raphael that wherever they moved a track of blood was to be seen in their rear; yetat the same moment amore than furious onslaught distracted his mind and he had no at- tention to divide with any thing else, for the band of new-comers. rushed on him like tigers, And the battle recommenced, terrible, maddening, and withou' breathing-spell. Raphaeland the leader had crossed their swords, and had succeeded each in administering a wound to the other, but the | urts were light and did not re- sult in either of them being placed in a position whence neither could continue. The combat lasted for perhaps an hour when Jack, who was fighting side by side with Raphael, saw one of the wounded, who, slightly raising him- self, drew his ones from his belt, and, aiming at his leader, fired. Jack, already wounded unto death, sawin a mo- ment what was intended, and, loving his friend more than his life. bounded to one side, leaped in front of Raphael and received the ball full in his breast, and he fell, bloody and dying at Raphael's feet, mur- muring, ‘‘ Rivals in love I could not beso in life; Raphael, I have won her gratitude!’ and then a name—a name of one loved until death strayed over his lips, and with this name ‘his breath exhausted it- self, and he died. And suddenly Raphael and Rob, panting, bleed- ing, slipping in the blood which strewed the floor— the blood of enemies, of traitors and of their friend, heard a thundering voice which cried to them and the others: “Peace, gentlemen! Lower your arms!” and Juarez, at the head of fifty Mexican gentlemen, en- tered the hall, while the drum-beat below announced the arrival of the army of freedom—the friends of Raphael. But a few words more. The reader has recognized in Juarez the famous Mexican general who was afterward President of the Republic. Has recognized in our hero, Raphael, his counselor and adviser throughout all his wars and political troubles: And is it necessary to relate the fate of the last two surviving members of the Swordsmen of Zaca- tecas? Is it necessary to describe the nuptials of Raphael and of Pachucha—ocf Rob? and of Ange? Suffice it to say that they still live, and that he who has thus related his experience to you will once again bP ine hear frem him, and if you have been interest in hearin ou have not been more en- tranced than has been TER RAPHAEL. THE END. DIME DIALOGUES AND SPEAKERS FOR SCHOOL EXHIBITIONS AND HOME ENTERTAINMENTS. Dialogues, Nos. 1 to 30 inclusive, 15 to 25 popu- lar dialogues and dramas in each book, Each ‘vol- ume 100 pages 12mo. Speakers, Nos. 1 to & inclusive. Each speaker 100 pages 12mo, containing from 50 to 75 pieces, . YOUNG PEOPLE’S SERIES Dime Book of Winter Sports. Dime Book of ier Athletic Sports, Dime Gents’ Letter Writer. Dime Book of Etiquette. ; Dime Book of Verses, Dime Book of Dreams, ; Dime Fortune Teller. Dime Ladies’ Letter Writer. Dime Lovers’ Casket. Dime Ball-Room Companion. Dime Book of 100 Games. } Dime Chess Instructor, Dime Book of Beauty, 2r The above books are sold b everywhere, or will be sent, post-paid, to any ad- dress, on receipt of price, ten cents each. AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William st., N. Y. newsdealers BEADLE ~ a ne aie hl a Rte em oe, ae po ae ih
Page 15
a Q sae / ~ BEADLE’S*H ALF- DIME* LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers. ‘ - BY PHILIP 8. WARNE. 67 Patent-Leather Joe; or, Old Rattlesoake, the Charmen 175 Oaptaim Arizona; or, Patent-Leather Joe's Big Game, 198 Captain Mask; or, Patent-Leather Joe’s Defeat. 219 Despard, the Duelist; or, The Mountain Vempires, 888 A Tough Boy; or, The Dwarfs Revenge. 868 Little Tornado; or, The Outcasts of the Glen, 878 Little Jingo; or, the Queer Pard. 888 tle Oh-my $s or, Caught in His Own Trap, 401 Little Shoo-F ly ; or, A Race for a Ranch, 408 Little Leather-Breeches; or, Old Jumbo’s Curse, 481 Little Ah Sing or, The Curse of Blood, 451 Colorado Kate. A Tale of the ofines. 480 Three Jolly Pards. G17 Jim Gladden’s Deputy. BY CAPTAIN FRED. WHITTAKER, 15 The Sea-Cat; or, The Witch of Darien. 29 The Dumb Page; or, The Doge’s Daughter, 48 Dick Parling, the Pony Express Rider. 150 Lance and Lasso; or, The Children of the Chaco, 154 The Sword Hunters; or, The Land of the Elepbant Riders, 159 The Lost Captain; or, Skipper Jabes Coffin’s Cruise to the Open Polar Sea. 200 The Boy Bedoutnas; or, The Brothers of the Phamed Lance, 214 Wolfgang, the Robber of the Rhine. 249 Milo Romer, the Animal King; or, The Round the World Wanderer. 265 The Tiger Tamer; or, The League of the Jungle, + $81 Black Nick, the Demon Rider, $95 California Jee’s War Trail. BY BUCKSKIN SAM (Major Sam. 8. Hall.) 284 ta Roca “*Boyees 3” or, Benito, the Young Horse- reaker. 246 Giant Georges or, The Ang’l of the Range. 275 Arizona Jack ; or, Giant George’s Pard. 297 The Tarantula of Taos; or, Giant George’s Revenge, 807 The Strange Pari; or, Little Ben’s Death Hunt. 818 Ker-whoop, Ker-whoo; or, The Tarantula of Taos, 827 Creeping Cat, the Caddos3 or, The Red and White Pards. 882 Frio Fred; or, The Tonkaway’s Trust. 844 The Fighting Trio; or, Rattlesnake, the Tonkaway. B49 Wild Wolf; or, Big-Foot Wallace to the Front, B57 The Ranch Ralders; or, The Siege of Fort Purgatery, * $64 Snap-Shot, the Boy Ranger. 875 Chiota, the Creek; or, The Three Thunderbolts. 881 Bandera Bill; or, Frio Frank to the Front. 892 Romeo and the Reds; or, The Beleaguered Ranch. 404 Little Lariat; or, Pecan Pete’s Big Rampage. 414 The Dalsy from Denver, 427 The Three Trailers; or, Old Rocky on the Rampage, 442 Bluff Bills or, The Lynx of the Leona. 4565 Little Lone Stary} or, The Belle of the Cibolo. BY EDWARD WILLETT. 167 Asa Scott, the Steamboat Boy, 199 Featherweight, the Boy Champion of the Maskingum, 228 Ozark Alf; or, Reatherweight Among the Outlaws. 282 The Typo Deietine or, Weasel, the Boy Tramp, 295 Fearless Phils or, The King of Quartrville, 811 The Roving Sport; or, The Pride of Chuckaluck Camp, 822 Nemo, the Detective; or, Kit Kenyon's Vendetta. 840 Olip, the Contortionist; or, The Montana Vigilantes, BY J, 0. COWDRIOK, 860 Silver-Mask, the Man of Mystery. 869 Shasta, the Gold Kings or, For Seven Years Dead, 420 FS Detective’s Apprentice; or, A Boy Without a ame. 424 Cibuta John} or, Red-Hot Times at Ante Bar, 489 Sandy Sam, the Street Scoxt. 467 Disco Dan, the Daisy Dude. 490 Broadway Billy, the Bootblack Brave, $506 Redlight Ralph, the Prince of the Road, 614 Broadway Billy’s Boodle. 624 The Engineer Detective. BY JO PIERCE, B97 Bob o’ the Bowery} or, The Prince of Mulberry Street. 415 The Vagabond Detectives or, Bowery Bob’s Boom. 452 Hotspur Bob, the Street-Boy Detective. 460 The Lawyer’s Shadow} or, Luke’s Legacy, AT2 Inunty Joe, the Young Horse-King. 494 Surly Sim, the Young Ferryman Detective, 504 Five Points Phil. 609 Jack Jaggers, the Butcher Boy Detective, 516 Tartar Tim; or, Five’Points Phil’s Menagerie, ‘526 North River Nat, the Pier Detective, BY OAPT. MARK WILTON, 256 Young Kentuck} or, The Red Lasso. @70 Blizzard Ben; or, The Riot at Keno Camp. 286 Josh, the Boy Tenderfoot. BY OAPTAIN MAYNE RED. 78 Blue Dick; or, The Yellow Chios Vengeance. 8T The Lend Pirates; or, The League of Devil’s Island, 287 The He!pless Hand; or, Backwoods Retribution. O89 The Gold-seoker Guide; o, The Lost Mountain, BY BRAOCEBRIDGE HEMYNG. 89 Island Jim; or, The Pet of the Famiiy. 91 The Captain of the Club} or, The Rival Athletes, 101 Jack Markaway in New York. BY GEORGE WALDO BROWNE. 86 Dandy Rock, the Man fsom Texas, : 90 The Dread Rider; or, The Texan Duelist, 99 The Tiger of Tuoss or, Dandy Rock’s Angel 115 The Mad Miner; or, Dandy Rock’s Doom, 181 The Golden Mand; or, Dandy Rock to the Rescue, 164 Dandy Rock’s Pledge} or, Hunted to Death. 178 Dandy Rock’s Rivals or, The !iaunted Maid of Taos. BY OAPT. J. F. 0. ADAMS, 84 Oregon Sol}; or, Nick Whiffles’s Boy Spy. 46 Glass-Eye, the Great Shot of the West. 54 Ned Hazel, the Boy Trapper. 56 Nick Whilties’s Pets or, In The Valley of Death. 60 The White Indian; or, The Scout of the Yellowstone, ZO Old Zip’s Cabin; or, The Greenhorn in the Woods, 81 Lightning Jo, the Terror of the Prairie. 85 Buck Buekrams; or, Bess, the Female Trapper, 247 Old Grizzly and His Pets; or, The Wild Huntress, 251 Light-house Lige; or, Osceola, the Firebrand. 257 The Loat Hunters; or, The Underground Camp. 288 The Sealp King}; or, The Human Thanderpolt, BY ROGER STARBUCK, 25 The Boy Captains or, The Pirate’s Daughter. 114 The Black Schooner; or, Jib Junk, the Old Tar, 259 The Golden Uarpoon sy or, Lost Among the Floes. 848 Fire-Heels; or, Old Skinflint, the Death-Shadow. 854 Big Horn Ike, the Hill Tramp; or, The Odd Pards, 861 The Phantom Light-house. 870 Breaker Ben, the Reef-Runner. BY WILLIAM R. EYSTER, 19@ Dandy Parke} or, The Tigers of High Pine, 210 Faro Frank} or, Dandy Darke’s Go-Down Pards, BY COLONEL DELLE SARA, 108 The Lion of the Seas or, The Vailed Lady, 186 Cool Desmond; or, The Gambler's Big Game, BY HARRY 8ST. GEORGE. 80 Roaring Ralph Rockwood, the Ranger. 44 Rattling Rube; or, The Nighthawks of Kentucky, 59 Old Hickory 4 or, Pandy Ellis’s Scalp. 108 Daring Davy} or, The Trail of the Border Wolf, 166 Hickory Harry; or, The Trapper-Brigade’s Spy. 172 Thunderbolt Tom or, the Wolf-Herder, BY JAMES L. BOWEN 107 One-Eyed Sim}; or, The Abandoned Forest Home. 110 The Black Steed of the Prairies. A Story of Texas. BY ©. DUNNING OLARK. 185 Captain Pauls or, The Boy Spy of the Mountains. 280 The Yankee Rajah; or, The Fate of the Black Sheree, BY GEORGE 0. JENKS, 485 Git Thar Owney, the Unknown. 492 Git Thar Owney’s Pledge. 518 The Demon Doctor. * BY OAPT, ALFRED B. TAYLOR, U. & A. 191 beer Billy, the Boy Bullwhacker; or, The Doomed rieen. 194 Buffalo Bill’s Bet; or, The Gambler Guide, BY CHARLES E. LASALLE. 50 Hurt Bunker, the Trapper, 52 The White Buffalo. A Tale of the Northwest. BY JOHN J. MARSHALL, 40 Roving Ben, A Story of a Young American, 87 The Outlaw Brothers; or, The Captive of the Harpes. BY MAJOR E. L. 8T. VRAIN, 292 Sancho Pedro, the Boy Bandit, 801 Leadville Nick, the Boy Sport, 812 Redtop Rube, the Vigilante Prince. 888 Brimstone Bob, and His Lightning Horse Quartette, 852 Tombstone Tom, the Arizona Boy of “ Sand.” 859 Durango Dave, the Young Champion Wrestler. 871 Kingbolt Chris, the Young Hard-Shell Detective, 880 Avalanche Alf, the Foothills Guide, 890 Jaguar Joe, of the Mountain Mail-Line. BY WM. G. PATTEN, 489 The Diamond Sports or, The Double Face of Bed Rock. 519 Captain Mystery ; or, Five in One. BY MAJOR HENRY RB. STODDARD, Ex-Scout. 806 Neck-Tie Ned; or, The Dug-Out Pardes. 846 Rapler Raphael; or, The Swordsmen of Zacatecas, 891 Kid-Glove Kit, the Dandy of the Rockies. 898 Kid-Glove Kit and Pard; or, The Gold King. 406 a Mad Man-Hunters or, The Mystery of Golden S05 Powell’s Pard} or, The One-Armed Giant. BY MAJOR LEWIS W. CARSON, 278 The Three Trappers; or, The Mountsin Monstem 288 Indian Joe; or, The White Spirit of the Hills. BY W. J. HAMILTON, 68 The Red Brotherhood; or, The Twelve Avengers, 66 Bingle Handy or, A Life for a Life. 72 Mad Tom Weatern, the Texan Ranger. 887 Ben Bird, the Cave King; or, Big Pete’s Scoop, BY JACK FARRAGUT, 815 Ned, the Cabin Boy. 820 The Sea Sorceress; or, The Boy Skipper, BY FRANK DUMONT. 120 The Branded Hand; or, The Man of Mystery, 127 Wild-Fire, the Boss of the Road. 140 Blue Blazes}; or, The Break o’ Day Boys of Rosky Bam 171 Ebony Danj or, The Rival Leagues. 185 Evil Eyes or, The Vultures of the Rio Grande, BY LIEUT. H. D. PERRY, U. 8. N°. 176 The Boy Runaway; or, The Buecaneer of the Baye 180 The Sea Trailer; or, A Vow Well Kept. 192 Captain Kit; or, The Mystery of Montauk Point, BY NARRY WAZARD. 828 Arkansaw Jack; or, The Scourge of the Mines, 829 Red-Skin Tom; or, The Demon’s Trail, 842 The Mountain Devil; or, Yellow Jack, the Outlaw.’ BY COL. A. F. HOLT. 899 Black Buckskin; or, The Masked Men of Death Canyem 419 Kenneth, the Knife-King. 4865 Little Lightfoot, the Pilot of the Woods, BY J. W. OSBON. 469 The Rival Giants of Nowhar’. 498 Cactus Burr, the Man from Hard Luck, BY FREDERICK DEWEY, 818 Cimarron Jack, the King-Pin of Rifle-Shots, 478 Tangemund, the Desert Detective. MISCELLANEOUS AUTHORS, 4 The Wild-lorse Kiunters. By Capt. Meyne Reld and Frederick Whittaker. 9 Adventures of Baron Munchausen, 12 Gulliver’s Travels. By Dean Swift, 14 Aladdiny or, The Wonderful Lamp. 16 Robinson Crusoe, (27 Illustrations.) 18 Sindbad the Sallor. His Seven Voyages. 22 The Sea Serpent; or, The Boy Robinson Crowe. By Juan ewis, 88 The Ocean Bloodhound; on The Red Pirates of the Carribevs. By S, W. Pierce. 86 7s Boy Clown; or, The Queen of the Arena, By Frank . on. 88 Ned Wylde, the Boy Scout. By Texas Jack. 51 he Boy Rifles; or, The Undergreund Camp. By Archie + irons. 95 The Rival Rovers; or, The Freebooters of the Mississippi. By Lieut.-Col. Hazeltine, 98 Robin Hood, the Outlawed Earl; or, The Merry Men of Green- wood. By Prof. Gildersieeve. 105 Old Rube, the Hunter; or, The Crow Captive. By Captain Hamilton Holmes. 112 The Mad Munter}; or, The Cave of Death. By Burton Saxe, 124 Tippy, the Texan; or, The Young Champion. By George Gleeson. 128 The Young Privateers or, The Pirate’s Stronghold. By Harry Cavendish, 148 Sharp Samy or, The Adventures of Friendless Boy. By J, Alexander Patten. 227 Dusky Darrell, Trapper; or, The Green Ranger of the Yel- lowstone. By Edward Emerson. 261 verges Fearnaught, the New York Boy. By George L, en. 3 266 Killb’ar, the Guide}; or, Davy Crocketi’s Crooked Trail. By Ensign C. D. Warren. 298 Red Claw, the One-Eyed Trapper; or, The Maid of the Clif, By Captain Comstock. 817 Peacock Pete, the Lively Lad from Leadville. By Lieu- tenant Alfred Thorne. 828 The Sky NWetectives or, A Boy’s Fight for Life and Honor. 's By Maior Mickey Free. 850 Red Ralph, the River Rover; or, The Brother’s Re venge, By Ned Buntline. 865 Baltimore Ben, the Bootblack Detective. By A. P. Morris. 874 Fue pun Toms or, Ben’s Double Match. By George H. ore. 876 Califernia Joe’s First Trail. By Colonel Thomas Hoyer Monstery, 418 Billy Bombshell, the Cliff Climber. By F. 8. Winthrop. 440 Little Foxfoot, the Geld Bowie Kid. By Arthur C. Grissom, 475 The Black Ship. By John 8, Warner. : 484 Fomenche Dick and His Three Invincibles, By . 528 Wizard-Arm, the Dandy Sport. By Arthur F. Holt, A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Half-Pime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, five eonts per copy, or sent by mall on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York. ’ \ —=
Page 16
BEADLE’S*H ALF- DIME+ LIBRARY. Published Every Tuesday. Each Issue Complete and Sold at the Uniform Price of Five Cents. No Double Numbers, BY EDWARD L. WHEELER. Deadwood Dick Novela. 1 Deadwood Dick, the Prince of the Road. 20 Double Daggers; or, Deadwood Dick’s Defiance, 28 Buffalo Ben} or; Dewlwood Dick in Disguise, 85 Wild Ivan, the Boy Claude Duval. 42 Phantom Miner; or, Deadwood Dick’s Bonanza, 49 Omaha OL; or, Deadwood Dick in Danger. 56¢ Deadwood Dick's Eagles; or, The Pards of Flood Bar. 28 Deadwood Dick on Deck; or, Calamity Jane, the Heroine, Tt Corduroy Charlies or, Deadwood Dick's Last Act, 100 Deadwood Dick in Leadville. 104 Deadwood Dick's Device: or, The Double Cross Sign. 109 Deadwood Dick as Detective. 129 Deundwoed Dick's Double; or, The Ghost of Gorgon’s Gulch. 88 Blonde Bll; or, Dendwood Dick’s Home Base, 49 A Game of Goldy or, Deadwood Dick’s Big Strike. 156 Deadwood Dick of Deadwood; or, The Picked Party. 195 Deadwood Dick's Dream 3 or, The Riv Is of the Road. 201 The Black Hills Jezebel; or, Dexdwood D ck’s Ward. 205 Deadwood Dick’s Doom; or, Calamity Jane’s Last Ad- yenture. 217 Captain Crack-Shot, the Girl Brigand. 221 Sugar-Couted Sam or, The Black Gown. 282 Gold-Duat Dick. A Romance of Rough; and Toughs. 268 Deadwood Dick's Divide; or, The Spir.t of Swamp Lake. 268 Deadwood Dick’s Death Trail. 809 Deadwood Dick’s Big Deal; or, The Gold Brick of Jregon, 821 Deadwood Dick’s Dozen; or, The Fakir of Phantom Flats. 847 Deadwood Dick’s Ducuats; or, Rainy Days in the Dig- gings. 851 Deadwood Dick Sentenced ; or, The Terrible Vendetta. B6R Hosdweod Dick’s Claim; or, The Fairy Face of Faro Flats. 405 Deadwood Dick in Dead City. 410 —ver Ieick’s Diamonds ; or, The Mystery of Joan orter. A421 Deadwood Dick in New York; or, A “ Cute Case.” . 480 Deadwood Dick’s Dust; or, The Chained Hand. 448 Deadwood Dick, Jr. 448 Nickel-Plate Ned3 or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Defiance. 458 saamower Sam, of Shusta; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Full Hand. 459 Flush Fan, the Ferret; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Big Ronnd- ye 465 Phito ori of Phenix; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Racket at ‘laim 10. 71 Bozeman Btll; or, Deadwood Dick Jr’s Corral. 476 Humboldt | iurry, the Hurricane; or, Deadwood Dick Jr's Dog Detective. 481 Moll Myate.y; or, Deadwood Dick Jr. in Dendwood. 491 Prince Pistol, the King of the West; or, Deadwood Dick | Ir’s Compact. A96 Monte Cristo, Jr.t or, Dendwood Dick Jr’s Inheritance. 500 Deadwood Dick’s Diggings ; or, Dr. Death-Grip’s Swoop. 50S Deadwood Dick’s Deliverance, b1S Dendwood Dick’s Protegee. 522 Deadwood Dick’s Three. Other Novels by E. L. Wheeler, ! 26 Cloven Hoof, the Buffalo Demon, 82 Bob Woolf or, The Girl Dead-Shot, 89 Death-Face, Detective; or, Life in New York. 45 Old Avalanche; or, Wild Edna, the Girl Brigand, 58 Jim Bludsoe, Jr., the Boy Phenix. 61 Buckhorn BIL; or, The Red Kifle Team. 69 Gold Rifle, the Sharpshooter; or, The Boy Detective. 80 Rosebud Robs or, Nugget Ned, th; Kuteht, 84 Idyl, the Girl Miner; or, Rosebud Rob on Hand. 88 Phetograph Phil; or, Rosebud Rob’s Reappearance. 92 Canada C het 5 oF, Old Avaconda in Sitting Bull’s Camp, 96 Watch Eyes or, Arabs und Angels of a Great City. 118 Jack Moyle. the Young Sveculator. 117 Gilt-Edged Dick, the Sp rt Detective, 121 Cinnamon Chip, the Girl Sport. 125 Bonanza Bill, Miner. 188 Bose hob the King ot Bootblacks. 141 Solid Sam, the Boy Rond-Agent. 145 Qevtsia Ferret, the New York Detective; or, Boss Bob’s one JOO. 161 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Detective. 177 Nobby Nick of Nevada; or, The Sierras Scamps, 181 Wild Franks the Buckskin Bravo, 09 Fritz, the Bound-Boy Detective. 18 Fritz to the Front; or, The Ventriloquist Hunter, 226 Snoozer, the By Sharp; or, The Arab Detective. 286 Apollo Bill, the Trai! Tornado. 240 Cyclone Kit, the Young Gladiator. 244 Sierra Sais, the Frontior Ferret. 248 Sierra Sam’s Secret; er, The Bloody Footgrinisy 258 Sierra Sam’s Pard; or. The Angel ot Big Vista, 258 Sierra Sam’s Sevens; or, The Stolen Bride, 278 Jumbo Joe, the kyy Patrol; or, The Rival Heirs, 277 Denver Doll, the Detective Queen. 281 Denver Doll's Victory. 255 Denver Doll's Decoy ; or. Little Bill’s Bonanza. 291 Turk, the Boy_Ferret. . 296 Denver Doll's Pritt; or, The Road Queen. 299 A No. 1, the Dashing Toll-Taker. 808 ’Liza Jane, the irl Miner;-or, the [ron-Nerved Sport. B25 Kelley, Hickey & Company, the Sleuths of Philadelphia. 880 Little Quick-Shot ; or, The Dend Face of Daggersville. 884 Kangaroo Kit; or, The Mysterious Miner. 889 Kangaroo Kit’« Racket. * 848 Manhattan Vike, the Bowery Blood. 2 A o's $58 First-Class Fred, |e Gent trom Gopher. 8 Vreka Jim, the Gold-Gatherer 5 or, Life 872 Vreka\ Jim’s Prize. 878 Nabob Ned or, The Secret of Slab City. BS2 Cool Kit, the King of Kids; or, A Villain’s Vengeance. BS> Yreka Jim's Jokers or, The Rivals of Red Nose. B89 Bicyele Ben; » » The Lion of Lightning Lode, 894 Yreka Jim of Yuba Dam, 400 Wrinkles, the Night-Wateh Detective. 416 High Mat Harry, the Base Ball Detective, 426 Sam Slabsides, the Beguar-Boy Detective. 484 Jim Beak and Pal, Private Detectives, 488 Santa Fe Sal, the Slasher. 486 Sealskin Sam, the Sparkler, The Lottery of BY ALBERT W. AIKEN. 1 The Two Detectives; or, The Fortunes ofa Bowery Girl. 6 Abe Colt, the Crow-Killer. 9 Sol Ginger, the Giant Trapper. Joe Buck of Angels une His Boy Pard. New York Nat. A Tale of Tricks and Traps in Gotham. 8% New England Nick; or, The Fortanes of a Founding. Nimble Rick, the Cireus Prince, } Taos Ted, tae Arizona Sport. Cool Colorado, the Half-Breed Detective, Cool Colorado in New York. BY COLONEL PRENTISS INGRAHAM. ? The Flying Yankee; or, The Ocean Outeast, 17 Ralph Roy, the Boy Buccancer; or The Fugitive Yacht, 24 Diamond Dirk ; or, The Mystery of the Yellowstone. 62 The Shadow Ship; or, The Rivel Lieutenants. 75 The Boy Dnelist ; or, The Cruise of the Sea-Wolf. 02 Dick Dend-Eve, the Boy Smuggier, 11 The Sea-Devil; or, The Midshipman’s Legacy. 16 The Hussar Captuin; or, The Hermit of Hell Gate. 97 Little Grits or, Bessie, the Stock-Tender’s Daughter. 204 Gold Plumes or, The Kid-Glove Sport, 216 Bison BILL, the Prince of the Reins. 222 Grit, the Bravo Sport; or, The Woman Trailer. 229 Crimson Kate 3 or, The Cowboy’s Triumph. 287 Lone Star, the Cowboy Captain. 245 Merle, the Middy ; or, The Freelance Heir. 250 The Midehipraan Mutineer 3 or, Brandt, the Buccaneer. 264 : ne. Floating Feather; or, Merle Monte’s Treasure siand, 269 The Gold Ship; or, Merle, the Condemned. 276 merle Monte’s Cruise; or, The Chase of “The Gold Ship. 280 Merle Monte’s Fate; or, Pearl, the Pirate’s Bride. 284 The Sea Marauder; or, Merle Monte’s Pledge. 287 Billy Bine-Eyes, the Boy Rover of the Rio Grande. $04 The Dead Shot Dandy; or, Benito, the Boy Bugler. 808 Keno Kit ; or, Dead Shot Dandy’s Double. 814 oho Mysterious Marauder; or, The Boy Bugler’s Long rath. 877 Bonodel, the Roy Rover; or, The Flagless Schooner. 8BS8 The Indian Pilot; or, The Search for Pirate Island. 887 Warpath WIII, the Boy Phantom. 898 Seawaif, the Boy Lieutenant. 402 Iavdor, the Young Consptrator; or, The Fatal League. 407 The Boy Insurgent; or, The Cuban Vendetta. 412 The Wild Yachtsaman; or, The War-Cloua’s Cruise. 429 Duncan Dare, the Boy Refugee. 488 A Cabin Boy’s Lucky; or, The Corsair. 487 The Sea Raider. 441 The Ocean Firefly; or, A Middy’s Vengeance. 446 Maphazard Marry. ; or, The Scapegrace of the Sea. 4650 Wizard Will; or, The Boy Ferre: of New York. 454 Wizard WIIll’s Street Scouts, 462 The Born Guide; or, The Sailor Boy Wanderer. 465 Neptune Ned, the Boy Coaster, 474 Flora; or, Wizard Will’s Vagabond Pard. 488 Ferrets Afloat; or, Wizard Will's Last Case, ART Nevada Ned, the Revolver Kanger. 495 Arizona doe the Boy Pard of Texas Jack. 497 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. 508 The Royul Middy ; or, The Shark and the Sea Cat. 507 The Hunted Midshipman. pirrine Outlawed Middy. 520 Buckskin BIII, the Comanche Shadow. 5625 Brothers in Buckskin. ~ BL “«sIARLES MORRIS. 118 WII! Somers, the Boy Detective. 2 Phil Mardy, the Boss Boy. Picayune Pete 3 or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective Detective Dick ; or, The Hero in Rags. Handsome Harry, the Bootblack Detective, WILL Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. Black Beas, Will Wildfire’s Racer. Mike Merry, the Harbor Police Boy. WIIl Wildfire in the Woods. Billy Baggage, the Railroad Boy. A Trump Card; or, Will Wildtire Wins and Loses. Bob Rockett; or, Mysteries of New York. Bob Rockett, the Bank Runner, The Hidden Hand or, Will Wildfire’s Revenge. Fred Halyard, the Life Boat Boy; or, The Smugglers. 9 Bob Rockett; or, Driven to the Wall. 6 Shadowed ; or, Bob Rockett’s Fight for Life. 06 Dark Paul, the Tiger King. 212 Dashing Dave, the Dandy Detective. 220 Tom Tanner; or, The Black Sheep of the Flock. 225 Sam Charcoal the Premium Darky. 285 Shadow Sam, the Messenger Boy. 242 The Two “ Bloods; or, Shenandoah Bill and His Gang. 252 Dick Dashaway t or, A Dakota Boy in Chicago. 262 The Young Sleuths; or, Rollicking Mike’s Hot Trail. 274 Jolly Jim, the Detective Apprentice. 289 Jolly Jim’s« Job; or, The Young Detective. 298 The Water-Hound; or, The Young Thoroughbred. 805 Dashaway, of Dakota; or, A Western Lad in the Quaker sity 824 Ralph Ready, the Hotel Boy Detective. 841 Tony Thorne, the Vagabond Detective. 858 The Reporter-Detectives or, Fred Flyer’s Blizzard, B67 Wide-Awake Joe; or, A Boy of the Times. 879 Larry. the Levelers or, The Bloods of the Boulevard. 408 Firelly Jack, the River-Rat Detective. 428 The Loat Finger; or, The Entrapped Cashier, 428 Fred Flyer, the Reporter Detective, A482 Invincible Lagan, the Pinkerton Ferret. 456 Billy yey the Jolly Vagabond. 466 Wide-Awake Jerry, Detective; or, Entombed Alive, 479 Detective Dodges or, The Mystery of Frank Hearty. 488 Wild Dick Racket. 601 Boots, the Boy Fireman ; or, Too Sharp for the Sharper, RS at ee ek kk pk et pt SEBTEAINIGIS BY JOSEPH E. BADGER, JR, 2 Vellowstone Jack; or, The meget: 48 Black John, the Road-Agent; or. The Outlaw’s Retreat, 65 Murricane Bill; or. Mustang Sam and His Pard. 19 Mustang Sam 3 or, The King of the Plains. 6 Night-ltawk Kits or, The Daughter of the Ranch. A Dainty Lance the Boy Sport. 1 Panther Paul: or, Dainty Lance to the Reseue. 0 The Black Giant; or, Dainty Lanee in J.opardy. & Deadly Dash or, Fighting Fire with Fire. 1 The Boy ‘Trailers; or, Dainty Lance on the War-Path. 8 The Boy Pardsy or, Dainty Lance Unmasks. 211 Crooked Cale, the Culiban of Celestial City. 810 The Barranca Wolt; or, The Beautiful Decoy. 819 The Black Rider; or, The Horse-Thieves’ League, 885 Old Double Fist; or, Ube Strange Guide. 855 The Khog of the Woods: or Danel Boone’s Last Trail. 449 Kit Fox, the Border Boy Detective. kk PAaVSeS » BY EDWARD 8. ELLIS, 6 Bill Biddon, Pager, $ Seth Jones; or, The Captives of the Frontier. 10 Nat Todd: or, The Fate of the Sioux Captive. The Frontier Angel. The Boy Miners; or, The Enchanted Island. The Munted Hunter; or, The Strange 1 The Half-Blood ¢ or, Th Panther of the Plains. 271 The Nuge Hunter; or, The Steain Prairie Man, BY BUFFALO BILL (iion. Wm. F. Cody), 8 Kansas King; or, The Red Right Hand. 19 The Phantom Spy: or, The Pilot of the Prairie. 55 Deadly-Eye, the Dakncin Scont. 68 Border Robin Hood; or, The Prairie Rover. 158 Fancy Frank of Colorado; or, The Trapper’s Trust, BY OLL COOMES. Vagabond Joe, the Young Wandering Jew. The Dumb Spy. Antelope Abe, the Boy Guide. Keen-Knife, the Prince of the Prairies. Lasso Jack, the Young Mustanger. The Border King; or, The Secret Foe. Delaware Dick, the Young Ren, er Spy. Hawk-evye Marry, the Young 1 inpper R nger. Rollo, the Roy Ranger. : Sure Shot Seth, the Koy Rifleman. Scar-Face Saul, t! « Silent Hunts, Silver Star, the Boy Knight. Eagle kit, the Poy Demon. Little Texans, the Young Mustanger. 8 Old Solitary, the Herult Trapper. 182 Little Hurricane, th» Poy Captain, 202 Prospect Pete; or, The Young Outlaw Hunters, 208 The Boy Hercules: er, The Prairie Tramps. 218 Tiger Tom, the Texas Terror, 224 Dashing Dicks or, Iropper Ton’s Castle. 228 Little Wildfire, the Y ung Prairie Nomad. 288 The Parson Detectives or, The Littl: Ranger. 248 The Dixguised Guide; or, Wild Raven, the Ranger, 260 Dare-Devil Dan, the Young Prairie Ravger. 272 Minkekin Mike, the Boy Shurp:hooter. 290 Little Foxfire, the Boy Spy. 800 The Sky Demon; or, Ruinb-lt, the Ranger. B84 Whip-King Joe, the Boy Ranchero. 409 Hercules; or, Dick, the Boy Ranger. 417 Webtoot Mose, the Tramp Detective. 422 Baby Sam, the Boy Giant ol the Yellowstone. 444 Little Buckskin, toe Young Prairie Centaur, 457 Wingedfoot Fred 3 or, Old Polar Saul. 468 Tamarac Tom, the Big Trapper Boy. A478 Old Tom Rattler, the Red | iver Epidemic, 482 Stonewall Bob, the Boy Trojan. — ee et ee Ot ieee Redea Sepa cs a FEShaheee ee oe "a BY T. C. MARBAUGIE 28 Nick o’ the Night; or, The Boy Spy of 76. 87 The Hidden Lodge; or The Littl, Hunter, 47 Nightingale Nat} or, Tne Forest Captains, 64 Dandy Jack or, The Outlaws of the Oregon Tratt, 82 Kit Harefoot the Wood-Hawk. 94 Midnight Jack 3 or, The Boy Trapper. 106 Old Frosty, the Guide; or, The White Queen, 128 Kiowa Charley the White Mustanger. 189 Judge Lyneh, dri or, The Boy Vieiante, 155 Gold Trigger, the Sport; or, The Girl Avenger. 169 Tornado Toms or, Injury Jack From Red Core. 188 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. 3 198 Arkansaw ¢ or, The Que n of Pate’s Revenge, 207 Navajo Nick, the Boy Gold Hunter. 215 Captain Bullet; or, Little Topknovs Crusade, $1 Plueky Phil; or, Rosa, the Res Jezebel, 241 Bil. Bravo; or, The Roughs of the Rockies, 255 Captain Apoll, the King-Pin of Bowle. 267 The Buckskin Detective. 279 Old Winch; or, The Buckskin Desperadoes, 294 Dynamite Dan; or, The Bowle Blade of Cochetopa. 802 The Mountain Detectives or, The Trigger Bar Bullys. 816 O14 Eclipse, Trump Card of Arizona, 826 The Ten Pards; or, The Terror of Take-Notice. 886 Big Benson; or, The Queen of the Lasso. 845 Pitiless Matt; or, Red Thunderbolt’s Secret. 856 Cool Sam and Pard; or The Terrible Six, 866 Velvet Foot, the Indian Detective. 886 Captain Cutlass; or, 7 be Boccaneer’s Girl Foe. 896 Rough Rob; or, The Twin Champions of Blue Blazes, A411 The Silken Lasso; or, Tho Rose of Ranch Robin. 418 Felix Fox, the Boy Spotter. 425 Texas Trump, the Border Rattler. 486 Phil Flash, the New York Fox. 445 The City Sleuths; or, Red Rolfe’s Pigeon. * 461 One Against Fifty; or, The Last Man of Keno Bar. A70 The Boy Shadow; or, Felix Fox’s Hunt. ATT The Excelstor Sport; or, The Washington Spotter. ° 499 Single Sight, the One-Eyed Sport. 502 Branded Ben, the Night Ferret. 612 Dodger Dick, the Wharf-Spy Detective. 521 Dodger Dick’s Best Dodge. LATEST AND NEW ISSUES. 52? The Jolly Pards to the Rescue. By P. S. Warne. 528 Fox and Falcon, the Bowery Shadows. _ By T, C. Harbaugh. 529 Dendwood Dick’s Danger Ducks. By E. L. Wheeler. 530 The Buckskin Bowers. By Col, P- Ingrabam. 581 Daisy Dare, the Sport from Denver. By William G, Patten. 582 The Cowboy Duke, By Edwin Brooke Forrest. 588 Wrestling Rex, the Pride of the Sixth Ward, By Jo Pierce, - 584 Deadwood Dick’s Death Hunt. By E. L. Wheeler. Ready October 18. 585 The Buc «kin Bowers. Kendy October 25, 586 ™-oadway Billy’s “ Diffikilty.” By J. C. Gowdrick, Liuay November ly 5ST Old Buckeye, the Sierra Sleuth. By J. W. Osbon. é Ready November 8. Gg i] 7 et. 6 iss moder, Dik, {heDoo Forel, Dy CHa A New Issue Every Tuesday. The Walf-Dime Library is for sale by all newsdealers, five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt of six cents each. BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publishers, 98 William Street, New York. — y 4 By Col. Prentiss Ingraham.