Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 41 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

Lasso Jack. 5 would make another attack soon, and he could see no avenue of escape from a relentless mas- sacre, unless it was effected through stratagem. But, even this seemed im le. How could they mislead the foe there in plain sight upon the open prairie, with four score of eyes wate them? : All relapaid into a hopeless silence. Lasso Jack became thoughtful and silent. He stood gazing reflectively upon the ground, and toying with a nervous impatience with the haft of his knife. At last a grim smile lit up his bronzed, boyish face as he glanced toward the wagon under which the body of Captain Gray lay wrapped in a blanket; then turning to his com- panions, he said: ‘‘ Boys, I believe I have it—the plan by which we can esca It may fail, but if so, there will be no great loss nor risk. But I must have the consent of the maidens before I undertake to carry it out. So I will see them at once.” He turned and walked to the wagons wherein the maidens sat. In a few minutes he returned, and said: . “Tt is all right, friends; one of you saddle and bridle Captain Gray’s horse, and I will pro- ceed to put my scheme into execution.” One of the traders turned away to compl with his request, wondering, as did all the rest, what the young mustanger’s intentions were. CHAPTER VILLI. ‘TEXAN TERROR” AND HIS MINIONS. Ovr upon the summit of a little swell in the rairie, about five hundred yards from the be- tomireindt party of Captain Gray—now, alas, no more !—a of savages were gathered, watching with fiendish triumph the little circle of covered wagons. I said they were all sava- ges. This is true so far as humanity is con- cerned, but there were white renegades, half- breeds and Mexicans in the party. One tall dark-browed fellow, whose plumed hat an gold-embroidered serape told that he was leader of the band, stood gazing with grim, moody and sullen brow toward the feeble barricade of the whites. ‘What think you, Don Diaz—can the whites hold out much longer?’ a white degre ay finally asked of Texan Terror, for as such was the prairie pirate, Don Juarez Diaz, known. ‘*] can’t see how they have held out as lon as they have,” the villain replied; ‘‘ but I woul like to knew what has become of the two spies sent into their camp the night they were en- camped on Clear Creek.” ‘* Probably they got their hair lifted,” replied a renegade. ‘‘It may be possible,” returned Texan Terror, ‘*but I hardly think they would permit them- selves to be caught. If I was sure they had en- sconced themselves in the traders’ wagons, among their bales and boxes, as they were in- tending to do, I could rest easy, and await the signal they were to give, but I declare I can’t wait much longer for their movements.” pie Eaneo dnck, ts wilt tn ee Dee it will be a hard matter for us to get into - ‘“‘Tt has been proven ” said Terror, ‘‘ that they are we must capture that costs. It is worth considerable money, yet the literal value of the train would be not to me, to what the life of Captain Louis Gray would be.” ‘‘ Are you sure he is in the y, senor?” ‘‘ Without a doubt, and if I ean once get my hands on him I will make his life pay for those of my men that were hung by the sailors under his command, a year ago on the Maracopa. But I am satisfied our attacks of last night thin- ned out the enemy’s some, and unless they have a supply of water with them, the ill soon have to succumb, or famish. Then know from the wounded horses they have turned loose, that they suffered some loss.” “Tf Sly Wolf and Brave Heart are in their camp, hidden in their wagons, and succeed in firing their wagons at the proper time, we may get them with but little more ble.” “Yes.” returned Diaz; ‘if I did not think they would do something soon, I would press the whites from all sides. I am sati we could carry their defenses easy enough by storm, but it would entail the loss of many of m command upon me; and perhaps, in the conflic those pretty nieces of Captain Gray would get killed, and that would be the heaviest blow of all, for they are to be my portion of the plun- dered train.” ‘““We've got to capture it before we plunder it, captain,” said a half-breed; “ but, look yon- der, senor, I see smoke rising from the wagons : exan hters over there, but no matter what it now. Brave Heart and Sly Wolf must be at work. Caramba! See! see!” The party gazed a toward the circle of wagons. ey saw a dense column of smoke rising from the camp of the whites. Something had been set on fire, and the Mexicans and say- ages believed it was the beginning of the long- e ted movement of their spies, who, they not a doubt, were ensconced within the wagons. exan Terror raised his field-glass to his eyes and surveyed the besi camp, but the inter- vening wagons prevented him from seeing what was on fire, and what was going on. “*T can’t tell what is on fire in their camp, but let my braves and lancers be ready for any emergencies,” he said, “for I believe the crisis is coming.” The prairie freebooters stood pre to mount. Texan Terror gave the si to keep on the alert to his Comanche allies, grouped in a circle over the plain. Several minutes had passed, when suddenly a horseman shot from the circle of wagons, and swept like an arrow over the plain. The pirate chieftain again lifted his glass to his eyes, and brought it to bear on the flying horseman. ““Caramba !” he exclaimed, excitedly, “‘ it is Captain Gray. I can recognize his long, flow- ing white beard and hair. He is trying to es- cape through our lines, no doubt to procure as- sintaanct and relieve his train. Mount, men and away in pursuit. Ride as pote the devil was after you—run him down—catch the white- haired villain and a fine reward will be yours!” The next minute the whole party had leaped upon their animals and were sweeping away like the wind over the prairie in pursuit of the mihi A horseman, Texan Terror taking the lead and shouting at the top of his iron lungs. The Comanches stationed in small parties at various points around the wagons, saw what was going on, and they, too, mounted and shot away in pursuit. The Sos Ter was headed directly northward, and his white charger seemed like a snow-white bird skimming along the surface of the dark- n prairie. But at times the rider seemed to ve no control over the beast, or was in doubt as Mg +- ie nites Bea wove swerve to the right or the left, thereby givi @ pursuers much ad- vantage, and at Unies Pirtiging them within gunshot of bim. Still he swept on—on! And still the inhuman Texan Terror led on the chase. He was satisfied the tive was Captain Louis Gray, and he knew if he eluded them he would soon return with aid and raise the siege, for he was headed directly toward ort ——. ‘ For noir She ge: = ~~ the coe continued Fee it was no y the lynx-eyed pursuers t the fugitive’s horse was unused to such lon heats—that he was fast failing. He could hol out but little longer. Victory would soon re- ward the pursuers’ efforts. The race continues. The fugitive seems to have hope. He sits erect in hissaddle. No fear head. possesses him; he never turns his Texan Terror is now ahead of his companions several rods. He is almost se Cada ptain Gray. He will soon overtake True enough, a few minutes more and the Mexican freebooter dashes alongside of the fu- gitive! He puts out his hand and seizes the reins of the captain’s foaming steed, and then, as he brings both horses to a stop, he levels a pistol at the captain’s breast, and demands his surrender. But the captain never flinches—never speaks. He stares on in advance of him with stony eyes, ghastly, haggard features. Texan Tester eels a rpg ty dsied creeping over him, for he sees that he been pursuing a dead man! He sees that Captain Louis Gray is dead— stone dead, and tha ie had Boat tied and prop- ped up on his animal’s back. The followers of Diaz soon came up, and learned their great mistake with a cry of disap- pointment. a have been deceived, my friends,” Diaz said. ‘Yes, yes,” replied one of his men; “‘ Lasso Jack has again outwitted Juarez Diaz, the great Texan Terror.” The brow of the pirate chieftain knitted with suppressed rage and resentment, and his black eyes flashed with vengeful light; but he did not speak, for he knew his man had told what to him was a bitter truth. “Yes,” responded a Comanche chief, ‘ the have beaten us. They have turned a horse loose upon the prairie with a dead man upon it. They have carried their point. — have drawn usaway. When we return we wi find the rest of the train has escaped us.” **Then let us retrace our steps at once,” said Diaz. ‘‘ We may be in time to catch them yet. We should not all of us have left.” “One party of Comanches returned to watch the whites,” said a half-breed, ‘‘ after they had ridden a few miles.” “Then we may get them et,” cried Diaz. ‘“*Come, spur up, men; ride, ride!’ They began retracing their steps, but their Piss fl were nearly exhausted, and it required long hours to regain the point where the race n. ut, a shout of triumph and joy pealed from pany ke when they saw the wagon-train stand- ing just as they had left it. “But they soon dis- covered that thére was not a sign of life about it. They thought, however, this absence of life was another trick of the pale-faces, and so they kept their distance frcm the wagons, until they had become fully satisfied that the pale-face <r was deserted ! ith defeated hopes they approached the train. They reached the wagons, and dis- mounting, entered the inclosure of vehicles. There a fearful sight met their For 2 moment they stood and looked about them, with an orereeean of silenthorror. Dead men, black and bloated lay around them, and here and there the contents of the traders’ wagons were strewn in one promiscuous mass. At one side of inclosure was a deep hole, that had been recently dug, probably a ve for the dead; but no 6 Am 8. whati beak bee of ashes where intended for, it had been abandoned. Here and there were hea boxes of goods taken from the traders’ ns had been wey no doubt to prevent their fall- into the enemies’ hands. However, there were three or four wagons mnt contained part of their loads. This was mostly small kegs of rum and brandy. Texan Terror knew at once why these were left undisturbed, to fall into the Co- manches’ hands. It was to make drunk the enemy, and give the whites time to make good their escape, ere they could sober off. No sooner was the liquor discovered than the Comanches, the Mexicans, and renegade free- booters made a dash for it. The kegs were roll- ed out into the inclosure, the heads stove in with tomahawks, and the fiery contents down their throats like water. Diaz tried to in- duce them to drink moderately, but he might as well have tried to stay a hurricane. Some of them were so drunk they could not walk, and in less than half an hour, Texan Ter- ror was the only sober man in the party, and — he was ye: with and anger, and proceeded empty every cept a private flask full, which he put in his own pock- et—of the my out on the ground. For hours the pirate chief walked to and fro among the prostrate forms of the drunken men, cursing raving like a madman, occasionally em maeeing an oath by giving a sa a furious kick, with heavy-booted foot. d it was no a eaclas him that two or three of the band, whom he held an old grudge, never recovered from their debauch. It was hours before the drunken pack had. slept off the effects of the liquor, and were en- abled to walk straight again. en did, Diaz put them to work, but by this time it was nearly sunset. The pirate chief had his minions harness their nies to the wagons of the emigrants, while the manches gathered ther al] the boxes, kegs and things strewn about and placed them i The bodies of the dead those in the w that Tiles had senate’ while they lay drunk, and those of the white traders and recruits, were also placed in a vehicle for removal to some other point. The re had an object in thus clearing the lace of every trace of the late bloody conflict. e had learned that another train of great value was coming in a few days, and by remov- ing oS traces of Captain Srey s aemea/a they mi suspect no danger, an ere an easy prey to the freebooters and Comanches exan Terror felt satisfied that those of his band who had ped from the chase.of the lifeless Captain Gray, had returned and were in pursuit of the fugitives, who, judging from the number of their dead, could be but few. Of course, he knew the fugitives had taken Captain Gray’s nieces with them, and thus incumbecred, the villain had t —- the capture of the entire escort and their charge. In placing the slain whites in the wagon for removal, they were not a little startled to fnd GOMiGbDoo (E