Beadle's Dime Novels No. 316: Hurricane Bill — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

NUMBER ONE. 25 coils of the lassoes swiftly circling above their beads. Then the coils shot through the air, lengthening, settling in a sinuous tracery over the motionless formy A cry of wondering apprehension burst from the Mexican spectators—echoced back in shriller tones from the stand where Cluster the women. Surely this is sheer suicide—it seems as though the bold American had allowed himself to be caught and dragged from the saddle without a single attempt to avoid the deadly loops. Such is the first thought of the spectators, for Mustang Sam had not moved a muscle until it seemed as though the lassoes were touching his person. Then, however, his action Was too rapid for the human eye to follow, and the next mo- ment he was a score of yards beyond the spot where the Tupes fell! Choosing his time well, Mustang Sam raised his left hand lo his forehead, thus forming a taut line with reins and the | lance shaft from his head to that. of Tornado, and as he felt the cold coils touch bis arms, he touched his horse with the spur, at the same time dropping flat upon Tornado’s neck, thus casting off the coils. At the second leap of his noble horse, Mustang Sam wheeled abruptly ; but it was not to await another attack. It was bis turn to assume the offensive. With alow cry he pressed forward, selecting one of the two subordinates for his first prize. Seeing his object, the Mexican, who was hastily drawing in and coiling up bis lasso, wheeled his animal and fled at full speed, hoping to evude the American long enough to get ready for‘another cast. But | 88 well might a rattlesnake hope to escape a prairie fire by flight, as for that stunted mustang to measure speed with the (king of the desert—bold Tornado. It was the wind racing With a flash of lightning, A rapid score of those marvelous strides, and then Mustang ‘Sam bent low in the saddle ; a flashing blade——and then the- _ borderer laughed loudly as he arose holding on high the ring jend of the Mexican’s lasso. “ Look out, Mustang~-thar comes tother cusses!” yelled Hurricane Bill, warningly; but his partner was fully upon ‘the alert,. » comicbooks.com | hp ere ie)