Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 1148 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. While the fire was burning good, he took the hop xg of roan king and againsprung upon his back. At once the fight began over again for mas- tery. But again the human mastered the brute, and Buck then lariated the horse out to feed upon the rich grass in the canyon. But the roan king was sullen, his proud spir- it was hurt, and he would not eat, ‘‘ You'll soon come to it, my fine fellow,” said Buck, and he soon had breakfast ready and lib- erally supplied the red-skin, whoge broken leg he arranged once more as best he could, Then he set to work to start on his way back to join the Rangers, whom he expected to find at a camp where they often made a halt of weeks at a time, and where Captain McNally told the young recruit he would find them. Having gotten all in readiness he asked Mad Wolf wnich was his horse, among the three ani- mals that had been left there by the Comanches, Mad Wolf, being an Indian, picked out the best of the three animals, though all were good. It was the chief’s horse, and the trappings near each pony showed to which one it belonged. ‘‘ That is the cbief’s horse, Mad Wolf, for I know the outfit of a chief,” quietly said Buck. Then he addled: ‘‘ My red brother is mistaken.” The Indian squinted his eyes, as though to get a better look, and then pointed out an- other of the ponies as his, while he said: ‘Yes, me no see right; that my pony.” ‘‘ A dollar to a cent you are wrong again, red- skin; but you can have him,” said Buck, who knew the Indian character pretty well. He then led the horse up, saddled and ready, and taking the red-skin in his strong arms placed him on his back, arranging him as com- fortably as possible. Then the Ranger got the other two Indian ponies together and fastened the gray mare be- tween them, while he made of Snakeroot a pack-horse for his own and the traps of the dead red-skins. Mounting the roan king upon which he placed his saddle and bridle, he had another short battle with him; but when the wild steed was made to feel the severe Mexican bit and spurs, he became as docile as a lamb and obeyed the will of his master without further struggle against the inevitable. After leaving the timber Buck turned to his prisoner and said: ‘‘Now, Mad Wolf, you can go your way, and [suppose you will scalp some white woman or child as soon as your leg gets well, in return for my letting you go. ; “ But you can reach your people before night, and I have tied some food there to your sad- dle, so you won’t starve if it takes you longer. “Here are your weapons; and I'll say good- by, but not luck to you, by any means.” The red-skin did not understand all that was said, but seemed glad to get free, and held out his hand, while he answered: : ‘‘ White brother has good heart, and is great chief. Mad Wolf will not forget him.” The young Texan grasped his hand and the two parted, the red-skin going off to the left alone, and Buck, leading his horses, riding on his way toward the camp of the Rangers of the Rio Grande. CHAPTER VIII. A RIDE FOR LIFE, Witru seventy odd miles between him and the ers’ camp, and the way overrun with red- skins, or infested with Mexican raiders, Buck Taylor could well appreciate the danger of his position. Mounted upon the roan king, and alone, Buck Taylor need have dreaded no foe, But he was anxious to carry back with him the two Indian horses he had captured, the gray mare and Snakeroot, the latter bearing the weapons of the Comanches and all the traps. “T cuess we'll get there, Vermifuge; but we'll make a big fight if we don’t,” he said, and the dog seemed to be of the same opinion as his mas- ai was toward noon when the young Ranger rest and dinner. as A ee with the example of the other horses, seemed to have decided to behave him- self, and he not only drank when Buck rode him into a small stream, but ate grass with a great relisk when he was staked out to feed. Buck liked a good square meal, He had not yet stopped growing, though six feet two in hight, and he knew that it took a great deal to sustain his system, and consequent- ly he lived well when he could, So he got a good dinner, out of his own haver- sack, aaa the provision-bags of the red-skins, and shared it with his dog. Then he rested for half an hour, and once more resumed his way. The roan king of course objected to the sad- dle and bridle again, but saw that resistance was useless and soon yielded, though in a sullen way. Hardly had the Ranger started once more, when Vermifuge suddenly shot off like an arrow from a bow, to the top of a rise in the prairie. ‘* What is it, good oy Sa said Buck, as Vermi- fuge came back, his tail between bis legs. ‘That meaus you seen something to scare ou. ‘‘ Well, if it scares you, it will me, and [ll get as far from that rise as [ can.” So saying Buck urged his horses forward at a quicker pace, bearing off the while from the rise of land on his right. He had gone but a short distance when sud- denly over the rise appeared a human head. Then came another and another. They were bedecked with feathers, and were Comanches. They had not expected to see any foe there, it was very certain, and they halted quickly, Then they gesticulated wildly, others appear- ed, and with a wild shout in chorus they started toward the Ranger. Buck Taylor, meanwhile, had gone along at a brisk gallop, until he saw the Indians start in chase, ‘¢ Guess I'll give ’em a hint not to crowd me,” he said, and he brought his long rifle up for use. The roan king had never had a rifle fired from his back before, and he was very restive. So the Ranger had to fire without a steady aim. The aim was true enough, however, to bring down an Indian pony, and the rider was thrown heavily to the ground, while a yell of rage broke from his comrades. Over the rise now came the Indians, and as they spread out in chase, Buck muttered: ‘* Twenty-seven of em. ‘*That’s the band we saw last night, Vermi- fuge.” At the shot from his back the roan king seemed almost frightened out of his wits; but the heavy bit and sharp spurs brought him to a realization that they were worse than the report of a rifle, and he bounded away at a swift and steady run. The gray mare also grew restive, but fast as she was, between the two Indian ponies, she was compelled to obey. These three the Ranger was leading by a lar- iat, attached to the gray mare, while Snakeroot followed behind at will, for he was not led, and the dog ran on ahead to lead the way. As they sped along the Ranger was ene to see that his horses held their own well with the ani- mals of his pursuers, und the roan king and the captive mare showed by their going that they could readily increase their pace to a much fas- ter one, With no load upon them, Buck felt no uneasi- ness as to his ability to keep ahead of the red- skins, and he only hoped the roan king would prove as gooda horse ashe was said to be, by the hundreds who had attempted to catch him. So the chase continued for several miles, and, without pressing his animals harder, Buck Tay- lor managed to keep outyof range of the In- dians. It was no easy task to load that long rifle on the back of a wild borse; but Buck managed it, and turning in his saddle again sent a bullet fly- ing back at his pursuers. e saw that he had hit a red-skin, by his ac- tions, and the movements of those about liim; but the wounded man still kept his seat on his pony, so could not have been badly hurt. Afar in the rear came a pony bearing a double load, for he carried the red rider of the horse Buck had killed, riding behind his master. The Comanches did all in their power to over- take fie fugitive, and lashed their ponies un- mercifully to urge them on. They also kept up a running fire, both of mus- ketry and arrows, for half of the band were armed with the former weapon, in addition to their bows and arrows. And so the fight continued, the Ranger hold- ing bis own, and the Comanches pressing him hard, until at last, as he neared a clump of tim- ber upon a ridge, Buck drew rein. He had again loaded his rifle, and seeing shel- ter near, determined to risk another shot, and at closer quarters, for the musket-balls of the red-skins barely reached him. His horses seemed getting fagged, even the _— . = — - = =< 5 ty eam SE 5 ee ge eS EE ee roan king showing fatigue under the weight he carried, and to which he had never been acvus- tomed, Vermifuge held on well, running still with ease, but the pace kept up for the past two hours had begun to tell also upon him. ‘*T will give themahnt not to crowd me,” said Buck, and drawing rein, be sprung to the ground, as he reined his horses up to a stand- still, and throwing his rifle to his shoulder, took a quick aim. ut the Indians saw his act, and quickly tried to dodge the bullet by throwing themselves flat on their horses, But the rifle flashed, and a yell told the re- sult, even had not the red-skin fallen from his pony to the ground, Buck Taylor echoed the yell with a defiant war-cry, and leaping upon the roan king, started once more in flight, just as out of the timber ahead dashed a band of horsemen directly to- ward him, CHAPTER IX. THE TWO MEXICANS, THE party who dashed out of the timber at once caused a change in the situation of affairs, There were fifteen of them, and the Indians quickly came to a balt, and then those in the lead began to fall back rapidly upon their com- rades, who were stretched for half a mile over the prairie, the pony with the double mount coming on far in the rear. The dead body of the warrior dropped from his saddle by Buck Taylor the band carried off along with his horse, which one of the braves lassoed as he was running away after bis rider fell from bis back. But Buck was by no means pleased at the turn affairs had taken. ~ He preferred the red-skins, from whom he felt his power to escape, to those who now dashed out of the timber. At aglance he recognized them, for many a time had he seen them before, during his cow- boy life upon the ranch. hey were Rafael’s Raiders of the Rio Grande, as lawless a set of Mexicans as ever crossed the river to prey upon American territory. They were fifteen in number, dressed in the picturesque caballero costume of their country, their horses were equipped with the heavy sil- ver-bespangled saddles and bridles that ies won such fame, and they were cne and all arm- ed to the teeth with repeating rifles and revolv- ers. They were at peace with the red-skins on the other side of the Rio Grande, but upon Ameri- can land they warred pees all people, They saw in the red-skins a splendidly mount- ed band, knew that they must bave been on a raid, and therefore were well supplied with money and small articles of value, and would therefore bo prizes vell worth recuring, Their horses were comparatively fresh, while those of the red-skins were jaded, from their long run after the Ranger. To surround and kill the red-skins then, was their intention, rob them, and then with their booty and horses to dash on to the river and re- cross into Mexican ternitory, for their raid bad not been one of success On that trip. Singling out two men the chief bade them to capture Buck Taylor, wishing to carry him back as a hostage, or to hang him, rnd he, with his remaining twelve n.en made a rush for the red-skins. The two men detailed for the work of captur- ing the Ranger came riding rapidly toward him, their revolvers at a level. They were dark-faced, villainous-looking men, and they looked just what they were ~-cut. throats and thieves, Buck, in his cowboy life, bad picked w‘) con- siderable Spanish, as well as Comanche, g td he saw but one chance to escape. — He knew that if he fired upon the twe men, killing one, or botb, the Mexicans riding upon the red-skins would at once charge dow1 upon him and escape would be impossible, So he took to strategy, and pretending to be lad of their coming, called out: ‘*Good-day, senors! I am glad you have come to save me!” He made no demonstration that was hb stile, and the two Mexicans dashed up, at the same time lowering their weapons. ‘“Who are you?’ asked one, as they both drew rein near Buck. ‘““T am a poor settler, run away from my home by the red-skins,” said Buck, in a doleful voice and in his best Spanish, or rather Mexican, ‘*T speak English better than you do Spanish, — '