Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains — page 6: what you’re looking at

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

4 THE LEAGUE and excited perhaps of any—was Captain James Bentley. He pressed forward ee to the car platform and shook Frank’s ) hand. ike ~ Eleaven be with you, Mr. Reade!” he i + ee cried, fervently ; ‘ bring me some news of Bes my son.” * Beek “I cannot guarantee to bring him back | to you alive!” cried Frank... “ But I will | bring you news of his fate.” Gat oy ae * Heaven bless you !’’ is The crowd cheered wildly, a band ee played and then the train moved. ES The journey was begun It was a swift aes run over the plains of Texas to Lone Tree. This was only a smal! station right in the wilderness. But it was the nearest point to the Star Ranch. Here the ie ania Steam Horse was unloaded. Be owe Skilled mechanics brought along by Frank, and who were to return on the next train, put the Horse together. at 1 Then Frank and Barney and Pomp Ss «sprang into the waggon, and as steam Ea was on, Frank pulled the whistle valve. ‘eee The Horse gave several prolonged ~. shrieks and plunged away across the > plam. Passengers on the special waved zs their handkerchiefs and the great trip to the Star Ranch was really begun. Barney ous Le =, “Ge looked back at Lone Tree station and _- heaved a sigh. It was so audible and Res deep that Pomp, who stood near, heard f. “What am de mattah wif you’, Pish ?” he exclaimed, in surprise, we “Shure, don’t yez interrupt an honest ip burst av emotion on the part av a gintle- * man,” retorted Barney. “Haven't ye ae better sinse P” | | Aa ‘“ Well,’ I declar’! What fo’ yo’ hab any. motion, Vish, eh ?” | “Be jabers, an’ phwy shouldn’t I? | Didn’t [ lave the flower av me heart, Pr } ¥ the dew av me sowl, and the in- ~~ einse av me dhreams behindt in the par- ~~~ lour ear Py Yer haven't sinse, naygur.” a “Oh, ho, ho!” roared Pomp. “ Yo’ ot RTS mean that red-headed Matildy Ann ¢ 9" Maguire, that yo’ hab been flirtin’ wid.all tag: de why, an’ who cum on de trip fo’ to see Re, ‘* Well, phwat av that °” . ae “Huh! don’tyou take no stock in dat 6 2 a gal, chile. She am playin’ yo’ fo’ a big ie a Sucker.’ a Ee as “Be javers, av yez say that ag’in, Ill _ 4 break the jaw av ye.” OF THE Bf ON | Out of the Readestown depot it ran.* PLAINS, “No yo’ won’, Vish.' TI jes’ fink dat youse am a fool, dat’s all. . But ’tain’t nuffin’ to me.” ‘‘ Howld an, yez son av agun;” roared Barney. “I want yez to undherstand that an drishman always stick to his wife an’ his dudeen fer iver.” “ A’right!” replied Pomp, with a de- precatory move of his hands. ‘“ Don’ know as it interests me at all. Fo’ mah paht, I wud sooner hab a nice leetle m’latter gal I know obh—” “Come here, Pomp!” cried Frank at this moment. “TIT want you to relieve me here at the dasher. I want to look over my maps.” “ A’right, sah!” cussion for a time. The Steam Horse kept on to the north- ward all that day. Good time was made over the level plain. This ended the dis- A night camp was made onthe banks — of a ereek, and all sleptin the waggon as snugly as if at home in Readestown. It was a beautiful evening, and after the evening meal Pomp brought out his banjo, and sang quaint melodies. — ‘It sounded rich and sweet upon the still alr a “Once [ had. a little yaller eal, An’ her name was Chloe May. One time a big brack nigger came, An tote my Chloe’ way. : “ Den good-bye, Chloe, it am done broke mah haht, But good-bye, Chloe, fo’ yo’ an’ T mus’ paht.” Barney, not to be outdone, brought out his fiddle, and played jigs and Irish airs gvalore. But at length both tired and dropped to sleep. Another day passed without incident, and the Steam Horse still kept to the northward. But on the third day, a series of inci- dents served to relieve the monotony. Frank felt assured that they were far into the Pan Handle now, and that the Star Ranch could not be far away. It was early in the morning, and Barney was at the steering gear, when he sud- dently cried : 4 | “ Shure, Misther Frank, phwativer wud yez call that ?” “Where ?” asked Frank: ‘Shure, out on the plain there, sor.” Frank took a powerful glass and studied a distant moving line upon the plain some miles distant. “Those are cattle,” he finally declared ; ‘this is undoubtedly a cattle ranch.” é¢ Shure, sor, hadn’t we ouchter be near rh to the ind av our journey, thin ?” - ’ a > > j j 2 ’ . ~ “ Y . > : : . - . > 4 t | |. 5 ne ‘ ; is y 4 ; at L a, a* eae ‘ - ‘4 “? . >. . é a «Fay . . : . b - ed * . . . mm 5 ‘ ) *- ~ ~~, Soa ei PA wy oni Sy a ‘j ue e. gd : +4 ie _ ae i > La 2 - SIP . e oa “4 S 4 we. A Dae | the a > ae books. a f VI . . 4 ae) “ . ; , - = ee ¥ is * ‘ , * atid ry , , a yi | = , 4 , 4 a - dl te AF « tae a Le? ani ui ie o . mn, F ' sy, 8 ’ 5 Mey ’ ° + A 4 4, yw ~ ‘A my” ; uy » Oa i ry 7 - ‘s . ie » a 2 a 4 Y ‘ ~ : a ' ‘ : ' 7 a’ , * f oy A t ye % “Al ‘a $ rr a 7 | RD | , - ia 5 he ¢ - . P. a” fs "a % ¥ Seng, ‘ : : is Py ie, re ery : thie es Meret a Se . ’ yi a oT a* 4 —— ht wy ' 7 , . . " eh ;