Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

54 7 THE CRESTED SERPENT. Atnow that for ‘her sake I am carving my ‘way to fame and fortune.” 7 So Arnaud Boussard, the man of blood, the Tiger fon tel Tropics, a human vampire, whose very nature craved the life-_ current of man, loved Murieta, the woman of the Arabian plains; loved her with a devotion that no language could ex- press; it was as.the love of the tiger and his mate. All that afternoon preparations for the scout went on, and — hilarity and excitement prevailed about the encampment, us — the Tigers’ mountain life had been one of weary inactivity, while heretofore they had ranged like Cossacks, fighting, — feasting and rioting. ‘That night Humfredo again descended the: mountain, and long before midnight was under the shadow of the old mis-_ sion, en route to Vega motte. ‘The guards passed him on into the camp, where he found Steager and Tristan, sitting alone | at a fire, talking of the Tigers in the mountain, and weighing | the chances of an attack when reinforcements would make their appearance. At thesound of footsteps they both turned, and at sight of Humfredo, Steager jumped to his. feet, and, with a hearty langh, folded his arms around the young Mexi- — ean, exclaiming : “He saved Steager’s life, Captain Tristan. Steager will never forget him. ‘Ha! ha! Good boy, captain—went down through the center of the mountain. Could take a ‘tpousand | men in at the same place.” 4 Tristan greeted him with warmth, and they all sat down before the fire. : - ©aptain Tristan, Arnaud Boussard, the Tiger, marches for Vega to-morrow morning, map two hundred men. ‘Senor Vidal sends this nressage to you.” | “ When ri easiah the bed will be warm but the bird gone.” “He wishes you to facie Boussard ‘so-that he will remain — upon the scout over to-morrow night.” “It shall be done. We will separate in four parties, and — make our appearance in different timbers, so that he will be | Jeft in doubt as to our strength. Being a good commander, © he will not retire from the eet until he has tested our carci ? > cnt ¥ - comighoos, coms