Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 41 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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

. ee ratte Ni wevilh ——_—— ~—— Vol. II. _ Single Lasso Jack, THE YOUNG MUSTANGER. BY OLL COOMES. ‘“ KEEN-KNIFE,” ETC. CHAPTER I. THE FUGITIVES. Low along the western horizon—that distant BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, | | | | Copyrighted in 1878, by BEADLE AND ADAMS. No. 88 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK, are a band of Comanche Indians. ly perceived; a few hundred yards in advance of them two fugitives were riding for their lives! They were both white men. Their faces were | bronzed by exposure to the sun and wind, and AUTHOR OF *‘ VAGABOND JOE,” ‘‘ ANTELOPE ABE,” | boundary of the vision—upon a wild Texan | rairie, a dark cloud was rising from behind the evel of the plain and drifting rapidly, and in a direct line, along the bosom of the green ex- panse, at the same time standing lainly outlined against the azure blue of the midsummer’s sky. Was it a storm-cloud float- ing over that great green ocean? What else could it have been? Still it seemed singular that a cloud would thus rise and float away in a volume over the plain, as though borne upon a strong head-wind. A casual observer standing upon the eastern extremity of the prairie would have dis- covered at once that the cloud was approaching him. And soon he would detect a dull rumbling, like that of distant thunder, and also, the sound of human voices issu- ; ing from out that cloud—hu- if ‘ man voices that were high f and fierce with wild emo- : tions. Then the observer could readily tell that that dark mass was no storm-cloud, but a cloud of dust thrown up by the flying feet of horses, the pounding of whose hoofs on the hard, dry plain he could distinctly hear growing plainer and plainer each mo- ment. And as the cloud, driven rapidly down before a strong head-wind, drifts further eastward, a band of horsemen can be distinguish- ed within it. There were over three score of them, and they are all covered with dirt and thetr faces are begrimed with sweat and dust and contort- ed with wild excitement. Most of them are half-naked, and their breasts and arms are streaked and ringed with pigments of piebald colors. right spear-heads bristle and flash above their plumed heads, and rifle-barrels glim- mer in their hands, They are mounted upon clean, strong-limbed ponies that are reeking with sweat and foam, and they all, with ‘ 4 .* —.% \ begrimed with dust and dirt. They were young men—almost boys. They were dressed in garbs The younger of the two was not over twenty years of age—a perfect model of manhood and grace. | was indicative of a wild, dashing spirit. He was mounted upon a neat-limbed and spirited clay-bank mustang that was caparison- ed with a light bridle and fine Mexican saddle. Nh, yA VAN; Weed 7) nT) ; visi j ; Mb 2 a “17 = = a t) ( — —— — ny OL — if if ty ' ' i : i ) a | eee ee but a few exceptions, ride bare-back, for they | the _ hide, with which its owner had won an enviable The cause of their wild, swift riding was readi- | — ; ' altlalalalalalalalalal) ug —_— Hy r =\ —— : l / A oe AN’ \ WY a | tN ——— . \\ ww RMN ROMAN ‘ & li BQ a ie oT TT \\ y ’ ~®, OWA Co Z.ctiiihs At the bow of the latter, hung a lasso of raw- fame as a mustanger. This gallant young knight of the prairies was the renowned o Jack. The other fugitive from the yelling savages | was a few years older than his companion, but he was a fair specimen of noble and vigorous manhood, quite rivaling Lasso Jack in many | points of physical development. of buck-skin, and armed with the weapons of | bordermen and carried the accouterments of | _ mustangers. He bestrode a spirited animal and was armed and equipped as was his friend. This youth was the daily companion of Lasso | Jack, and answered to the name of Henry Bt. His eyes were of a dark brown, and | _from their depths shone a pleasant light that | Elmo. For upward of two years had these two young men been engaged in capturing wild horses on | the prairies of Texas, and had made the busi- A HUMAN HAND AND ARM WERE THRUST UPWARD THROUGH THE EARTH! ness a lucrative one by running their stock to the nearest trading-post, where they could al- ways find ready market. On the morningy of the day that we introduce them, the young mustangers had, in pursuit of their vocation, ventured too far into the Co- manche hunting-grounds,and running across a large war- party, journeying south- ward, they were compelled to turn and flee. Then began a long and fear- ful race across the great prai- rie beneath the broiling sum- mer sun, and it was hours afterward that they first burst upon our view, far out upon the plain. For hours the fugitives had sped on in silence, now and then glancing back to a their proximity to the oe. “This is getting to be a pretty warm chase,” Henry St. Elmo finally said. ‘I fear our ponies are beginning to give way, and, in case they do, our hair is bound to be raised by a Comanche scalp- ing-knife.” “That may all be, friend Harry,” replied Lasso Jack, ‘‘but you must remember that the savages’ ponies are failing, too, and that they are as far behind us now as when the race first began. I believe yet, that nothing but accident to us wil] deter- mine the chase in the Co- manches’ favor, and you can rest assured, Henry, that fair object of your dreams will not stand in need of your strong arm long.” St. Elmo smiled hopeless- iy at his friend’s allusion, t was a critical moment for Henry to indulge in any plea- sant anticipations, with that horde of shrieking demons thundering at their heels for their scalps.” “Tt is a long way to the San Saba timber, Jack, and SP wf, Aa ” A. ee LAE ; ge A 4 4. te, a = wre a Wy WS a Wo f= WW A AWN > yw Ne SS \\ \\ ‘Se os ~ \— . = \ . * “ = . +" OS , ’ . ‘\ = Z SS Poe Dons Son oa a po —s \ ~y < TN E> \ (CO AAICE| OOo) KS (E(0)