Beadle's Dime Novels No. 226: The Mustang-Hunters — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

af A LOCKET AND A LOCK OF HAIR, 5 - not bring her the Black Mustang of the Prairies to ride to church on ; and, as she said this, she smiled upon me as only she can smile, and said: ‘ Frank, get him for me, and [ll love you forever” And I came away from the ranch, and ever since that I’ve been beating my brains out to think of how I shall find the Black Mustang.” Old Pete Wilkins ruminated in silence for some time. At - last he looked up. : - “ Are yer sure the gal ain’t foolin’ yer, Frank ?” - « [ think not,” said the youth; “I’m sure she likes mea little,” (he was gradually growing confident in his talk,) * and her father was under great obligations to mine once. If I can only lead home the Black Mustang, she is pledged to me ; and has given me a year to accomplish my task. See, here is her pledge.” And he displayed to the hunter a gold locket in which reposed a coil of bright hair. __* Wal, lad,” said Pete, after a pause, “ itll be a long hunt and a hard hunt, and I can’t promise yer the hoss. Many and many’s the crowd as hev started arter that hoss, hopin’ to get him. Greasers an’ Injins, hunters an’ sogers, they've all had a crack at him; but I never seen the hoss as c’u’d keep him in sight for half an honr, It’s the b’lief o’ sum, as how he’s the devil hisself, and he Ain run like the devil, I tell yur © “Then is there no hope of ever catching him?” asked oung Weston, in a despondent tone. . = “JT don’t say there ain't,” said Pete. “ Ye've got a hoss of yer own thar as ‘Il give even the Black Mustang a hard push, ef he’s wypat you say, a four-mile racer.” : “ And he is,” replied Weston, eagerly. “He can give any common horse a mile in a four-mile race, and beat him on the third mile.” : “ Well, ef he Ain do all that, yer may ketch the black ; but I tell yer, Frank, yer've got a hard road to travel.” And the old hunter forthwith entered into a long account of that singular animal, the Black Mustang, which we will give, stripped of the uncouth dialect of the narrator, and convey to the reader all the information that we can as to the | habits and ways of the wild horse of the Texan and Mexican = ~~ nat - . 4° as : - .