Beadle's Dime Novels No. 300: The Crested Serpent — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

56 HE CRESTED SERPENT. © but the heads and shoulders of their riders were still en- — shrouded in the vail-like fog. In the advance rode Arnaud — Boussard, as the bold picket knew the trappings of the blood-_ 4 ed horse he bestrode, and also the original costume of the — rider. # “ Steady, Steager; one shot and a sure one, and. then. you | must give them all battle,” and a rifle was poised in the Siege of the kneeling Liberal. 5 The fog no doubt misled the Tigers as to the proximity of ; the motte, as they continued to advance cautiously. ‘a “Now, now! Aim for his breast, Steager, where his heart — is supposed to be.” Statue-like kneeled Steager, The ominous rifle lay almost | level in the palm of his hand, and his gray eye lookedst through the delicate-sight and tipped the bright bead at the — end of the gun, and on untilit rested upon a silvery button — on the left breast of the .man who had doomed him to an — ignominious death. Only a second it rested there; the finger pressed the trigger; there was a sharp report, ‘the smoke. of the rifle curled up and mingled with the fog, ‘and in the — ' distance there. was a confused sound, and the fog was stirred as if a gale. of.wind had troubled its mid-air repose. Then — —. follow: in equick succession reports from Steager's pistol, ‘Sis threw. ‘bullets into the coufused mass of horses, men, an att Steager must go,” and he mounted his horse and galloped in the direction of the nearest motte, at least'a league away, _ to where Tristan and a number of the Rifles were estates awaiting lis appearance. -- Ousnearing Vega motte the order had been given t0 3 move,slowly and cautiously. At that moment came the re- port, of Steager’ s rifle, followed by the fall of Boussard to the ground, and the plunging of horses threw the advancing | colunin into confusion. The pistol-shots succeeded, and two — of the Tigers, who had dismounted to lift their chief, fell 3 dead at his side. Although a momentary panic existed, they a rallied around Boussard, lifted him from the ground, and hur- ried to the rear, at the same time firing at random in the direction whence the shots had come. — 5, “Water !” said Boussard, faintly. “ That cursed bullet bas i Ecomicbooks: fm ie