The New Adventures of Senorita Scorpion

By Pro Se Press

PULP OBSCURA, an imprint of Pro Se Productions in conjunction with Altus Press, proudly presents new tales of the Masked Mistress of the Range written by three of today's best authors! THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SENORITA SCORPION! Created by Les Savage, Senorita Scorpion is in fact Elgera Douglas, a young lady who became a legendary outlaw defending her family's land and legacy, the fabled Lost Santiago Mine. Beautiful and deadly. A crack shot. A Fast thinking, daring fighter who is ruthless to those who threaten the land and people under her protection! Nancy A. Hansen, Andrea Judy, and Brad Mengel bring a classic Pulp character galloping back to life as Senorita Scorpion rides again in three daring tales of hard riding action and bold adventure! From out of the Past comes New Tales of Classic Characters from PULP OBSCURA! With an amazing cover by Mike Fyles and Format and Design by Sean Ali, ride alongside the mysterious blond bandit of the Old West in THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SENORITA SCORPION!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Pro Se Press
• Release date: Mar 26, 2013

Pro Se Press

Based in Batesville, Arkansas, Pro Se Productions has become a leader on the cutting edge of New Pulp Fiction in a very short time.Pulp Fiction, known by many names and identified as being action/adventure, fast paced, hero versus villain, over the top characters and tight, yet extravagant plots, is experiencing a resurgence like never before. And Pro Se Press is a major part of the revival, one of the reasons that New Pulp is growing by leaps and bounds.

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THE NEW ADVENTURES OF SEÑORITA SCORPION

Copyright © 2013 Pro Se Productions

The stories in this publication are fictional. All of the characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in writing of the publisher.

The Bells of St. Ferdinand copyright © 2013 Nancy Hansen

A Woman’s Touch copyright © 2013 Andrea Judy

Wanted: Señorita Scorpion copyright © 2013 Brad Mengel

Front Cover Art by Mike Fyles

Book Design, Logos, and Other Graphics by Sean E. Ali

E-book Formatting by Russ Anderson

The New Adventures of Señorita Scorpion is a work of the PULP OBSCURA imprint

PULP OBSCURA is an imprint of Pro Se Productions and is published in conjunction with titles from Altus Press, collecting the original adventures of lead characters featured in PULP OBSCURA titles.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE BELLS OF ST. FERDINAND

by Nancy A. Hansen

A WOMAN'S TOUCH

by Andrea Judy

WANTED: SEÑORITA SCORPION

by Brad Mengel

SEÑORITA SCORPION'S FIGHTING LEGION

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

THE BELLS OF ST. FERDINAND

by Nancy Hansen

Josephina Carmencita Salazar Munoz ran the boar’s bristle brush one last time through her shining black hair, before twining part of it up and fastening with a tall mantilla comb of tortoiseshell. She let most of it fall in thick, soft waves that cascaded down beneath the intricate black lace veil and framed her high cheekbones and stubborn, outthrust chin. Her reflection in the silvered glass of the wall mirror pouted back at her, and she pinched her cheeks to bring a bit of an old rose blush to the olive skin.

You are still determined to go through with this, Señora Josie?

The short woman whirled on the russet-skinned, slightly-stooped servant in plain clothing standing behind her. Her snapping dark eyes narrowed dangerously for a moment before she sighed. "Yes, Ila, I must! We are almost out of money, and I have so little left to trade for favors. If we lose this land, I will have nothing; and I would die of shame. My father and mother are buried here. My husband and my brothers died defending it against rich and greedy men like Anse Hawkman—May he roast in hell forever!—and their hired vaqueros. She crossed herself and went on. I cannot herd cattle, nor can I pay men to do it for me. Unlike some women, I don’t have a gold mine; just this casa, some water, and a rocky hillside full of snakes and weeds. If I don’t find a way to make it profitable, I will be penniless and dancing the flamenco in saloons for whatever coins the men will throw."

The old Mestizo woman, who had been with her since the day she was born, pursed her lips and came over to help her dress. She adjusted Señora Munoz’s mantilla back a bit so that the ride into town wouldn’t tip it over, and then smoothed down the somewhat rumpled sleeves and skirt of her one and only best black gown. I have told Señor Anderson you are ready to go, and that he must drive slowly.

That got her an approving look. Good! The later in the day we get to that banker, the less likely he will be sober! Drunken men are always easier to deal with.

The patter of the older woman’s flat feet in worn huaraches followed the determined tap of her mistress’ dark leather boots. They waited in the mixture of sunlight and shade of the portico of arches that ran the breadth of the front of the adobe structure. It was a modest casa, but well-built, in the old Spanish tradition with the covered walkway out front shading the rooms inside, and a breezy inner courtyard with a small garden planted around a water cistern, accented by many potted plants.

Ila pursed her lips and said quietly, Would it not be better to ask Señorita Douglas for some money? Surely she should pity another woman trying to remain independent on her own land!

That is exactly why I refuse to do so! Josephina snapped at the last remaining, and most-loyal of her servants. I don’t desire the charity of an outlaw. And besides, she said with a superior smile as she watched the old buckboard driven by her neighbor bumping up the semicircular drive, Men are far easier to coerce to more favorable terms. She would not be dazzled by my presence, and so would expect to be paid back on time, with interest. A wicked gleam was in her eyes, and a small smile of triumph touched her lips as she lifted her skirts out of the dust and carefully stepped into the baking glare of midmorning.

Ila watched her mistress swish imperiously out to greet Jake Anderson, the quiet spoken, large and brawny young man who farmed the rugged little plot next to their piece. Josie always treated him like he was far beneath her, even though neither one of the two had a peso to spare. They were not ranchers in a land where cattle were everything, and water rights were meaningless unless you made use of them. These two had more in common that not, as they were both dirt-poor and yet proud people, but they could not seem to find any mutual understanding, though it was not for lack of trying on thoroughly-besotted Big Jake’s part.

The old woman watched with sad eyes as his tall and bulky form jumped down heavily and tipped his battered slouch hat. He gently lifted the slight weight of the woman he respectfully called ‘Miz Jo’ onto the seat, before climbing back up himself. The springs sagged beneath his weight as he clucked to the old plow mare, who picked up her head wearily and put her weight into the traces, lifting one huge hoof after another as they bounced down the other leg of the drive and out onto the rutted road to Boquillas.

***

Elgera, you’re heading into town? Nativdad’s voice drifted out of the deep shadows of the mouth of the Lost Santiago mine.

The burnished sheen of the palomino mare picked up the streaming sunlight as his long-legged, equally-golden haired rider reined him up. They waited in the opening, haloed and silhouetted against the gray-green of the vale behind them while the slightly bowlegged young man strode up. Even after coming from full daylight outside, Elgera Douglas’ observant blue eyes scanned her surroundings for potential trouble. After losing most of her cattle and having her spread devastated in the raid that all but ruined their lives the past season, and having been repeatedly betrayed by friends, neighbors, hired hands, and partners; the woman known as Señorita Scorpion had learned not to take anyone or anything for granted.

For the day, yes, she said with a careless toss of her head that set the cascade of filmy blond waves shimmering over her shoulders. You need something there?

Nah, I was just wondering why the sudden trip, he said in a voice that sounded too old and tired for someone as young as he was. You’re supposed to be overseeing the rebuilding, he added with a trace of irritation. I have all I can do here, just keeping these fellas working on shoring up that side dig before it caves in on them. Her only surviving relative, her brother Natividad Douglas was tall too, but dark-haired where she was blond, with similar blue eyes that were far too world-weary. Like most of their small circle these days, he wore a gun everywhere he went.

Avarillo can see to that Natividad—he’s a mining engineer after all. He’ll be up here in a few minutes. Her voice softened. It’s been a hard year for both of us. I need to get away for a bit, and so do you. Why don’t you go down to the valley, get something to eat and wash off in the creek. You’re the boss today, so go take the afternoon off; maybe watch them make bricks or something.

He squinted at her suspiciously, and then a slow smile started from one side of his face and spread across to the other. I might just do that, he said with a quiet chuckle.

Good. I’ll be back before moonrise, she