Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

A PRISONER. 81 upon the point of th? mountain spur where the Tiger chief Was supposed to be. It was a. pretty sight as they swept ilong the base of the mountain in. the morning dew, their tongues quiet, but eyes sparkling and heads erect, thinking ‘hat they were stealing pust the dreaded White Tiger of the = ‘Tropics as he slept in his mountain lair. A ery, loud and shrill, arose. It was Arnaud Boussard’s order to charge, acd with a wild, almost unearthly yell, the hundred Tigers crushed to the earth, in a mass, the surprised Liberals. Steager’s quick eye saw the advance of the Tigers. He drew his saber instead of his pistol, and clove the first enemy to the ground; then another, and finally broke from the dying and butchered men. Boussard saw Steager’s es- Cape, and on his blooded horse followed, when a fight that Was fierce and desperate occurred, and fire flashed and fell in sparks from their blades. Boussard knew that his oppo- nent was not a Mexican, and desired to capture him. With dexterous movement he parried a thrust from Steager, then launched his saber-into the flanks of the Liberal’s horse. It reared, plunged, and fell. The fall was so sudden and*vio- lent that Steager was stunned, and when he thoroughly re covered was in the hands of the enemy, and supported upon « horse that ‘was rapidly approaching the mountain spur, They rode up the mountain pass, and only stopped when in the camp of the Tigers. From the brow of the mountain the fight had been wit- nessed by Murieta, and when they entered the camp she was ready to receive them. “ Bind him,” said Boussard, “until I am ready to nueeale tion him,” | . Steager was securely bound and placed under the wide: branches of an oak, and a blanket given to him upon whieh , he could recline. “What will you do with this prisoner, Arnaud ?”’ sehen Muricta, “Try to win him to our side ; you must do that, as he is a brave soldier and one of the best swordsmen I ever came in Contact with. If he refuses to enter into our schemes, then the tree and a halter. . But, Murieta, you can win niet Lo our Cause,” “SHIRES : comicbooks. com. I ~ ; : _ ~ jt?»