Frank Reade, Jr., With His New Steam Horse Among The Cowboys; Or, The League Of The Plains — page 7: what you’re looking at

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

“Oh, yes.” “Tm glad av that, sor.” Frank e@on- tinued to watch the distant herd of cattle. fe Look like.” nae “ All roight, sor.” Barney obeyed orders, Forse rapidly neared the distant herd. nh Very soon it wes seen that two men with Boe mustangs were watching them. Cag The men were dismounted, and were of the cowboy type. | ~~... They viewed the approach ofthe Steam _ Horse with positive alarm and amaze- i ment. wag Though at first disposed to flee, they iinally held their ground. We Frank brought the Steam Horse to a eee halt not twenty yards from them. a As the two cowboys stood regarding _' the Steam Horse with astonishment par- - taking of fear, Frank shouted : | “ Hallo, strangers !” ‘* Hallo !’ came back the reply. “ What wil ye have?” * “What range is this ?” “The Pan Handle range.” an There was a moment of silence, and then one of the cowboys shouted : hea “Who in thunder are you, an’ what opie: lind of a new-fangled arrangement do ye . ae “This 1s the Steam Horse,” replied <] Games “Steam Horse, eh? Waal, I swar! 4 | What'll come next? TI s’pose ye can g6 ee + anywhere with that thing.” ‘i The cowboys now approached. Two tough-looking customers they _.. Were, sure enough. One of them, ejected — ahig quid of tobacco from his mouth, and Baits. 3. leered at the travellers. X |// - « “What the devil are ye after in this aD | Hel part of the kentry, anyhow °” i, ‘ene “YT am looking for the Star Ranch,” re- “y plied Frank; “perhaps you ean tell me a Where to look for 16.” mn “} reckon I could,” was the reply. ‘“‘Do a ~=—S ye + see the brand on them cattle out hon ti yonder °” ) a Frank looked and gave a start, as he ). Saw a star branded upon the side of each “Waal,” continued the cowboy with a leer, “them cattle belong to ther Star : r ' 7 eff me e.. IN TEXAS, “Bear downyupon them, Barney,” he | came: said, finally. “TI want to see what they | The Steam | aal, yas. = ‘Who runs it now ?” The two cowboys «| 4) exchanged glances, and then the reply 4 a) ee + < ea nm =" “< ~~ “ Waal, I méught as’ well say thatitis 4} | run by ther League.” ) ee | ‘The League ?” repeated Frank. N Sune “ Yes, ther Cowboy League, an’ thar’s — | enough on ’em to hold it,” | age “Ab,” said Frank. “I. thought it was the property of a young fellow named Arthur Bentley.” The cowboys again exchanged glances. “Look here, gents,” said one of them, roughly, “air you friends of that | “Well, yes,” replied Frank. One of — abe the cowboys threw himself into the saddle. He spurred his mustang close up to the — ee Steam Horse, and said, impressively: == 4H “ If that’s the case, strangers, (’d warn ye to cut sticks for the Hastagain jestas quick as ever ye kin, Itwon’t behealthy = | | fer ye around here. That’s all.” Save © The other cowboy had mounted by — ad ie we ae atect rae | —~ a . ~ - 7) vr % >. - ~ ~~ Pe -_ a * Tw Ee" i Ne Os net ~ this time, and both spurred away. i Resgeeae Frank watched their receding forms for af a moment, and then muttered: paar, ee ‘ D’ve a good mind to call them back. — Lamy | But let them go. It might not amount ~~ 4. to anything, anyway.” Sines ty The situation now was a most inter-~- © | © esting one, for they were certainly in the - oe neighbourhood! of the Star Ranch. — vad There seemed no better move than to — ae |p find it out and reconnoitre. Toke at It was quite certain that they need not. ais pi expect a warm or hospitable reception ab == the usurped ranch. fee: The gang of cowboy robbers in pos- session would not relinquish it without a ae struggle. eet Of course the Steam Horse was an element of safety and advantage in their 5) ee Rae bi favour, and yet Frank knew thatit would = be folly to attack the cowboys. ee Their numbers were such that, in a) : A ag bd “\,4 MOLE close combat, the Steam Horse. would be — Th ae a torn to pieces, Wore |< The Horse now went ahead at a rapid “aie pace. Ay tea Skirting the immense he&rd of steers,a _ a distant range of hills were seen. aie 9 “Lhat is the place,” declared Frank, =~ with interest. “Oaptain Bentley told me =) that it was at the foot of some hillf” = aed 4 “Begorra, Vm glad av that,” cried <. 2 ryan «4 e tetas “Ah! exclaimed Frank, eagerly, Barney. nure, Well soon ‘ave a look = — | cA ees th hp? t the spal ! | ae 4 “then you belong at the rane at the spalpeens. sa a ces , - ‘ Ly a 4 ‘ af gr Fa - { rt j : M f ; : t nae it, at F . ap tBu | Ne 4 , ‘ f ‘ » ae % : , 4 ey ae wn : 4 Pte IY), by 3 . a Shi Fe oak os pi ; : t LJ 7 Pky ‘ 1 ; v : ’ Py s Fae Vey > i Pe Ai q ‘ 4 ; , 4 7 , My ‘ et eS ‘ is te = », i . h-. Wy 4 La a P 1 @ : Rearsiteiaucs igen erred CHa seats Tanti sien colts: cea ty oes EOoM choo cs-com, SOE. RI edie Raine ig tgs rag ciara iti aCe One ML MAN is Meee LIEN Se ee es emer bale Sal ee a Prec te ee ee ae = eA 8 Pt. hp : -