Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 497 — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

ne Me — *. ~ ~ an =< a a er ee 8 Buck Taylor, King of the Cowboys. ee ee The next night, soon after dark, that horse- man with the led animal rode into the Rangers’ Ranch. He was Roddy Armstrong, the Dandy Duelist; and going straight up to the quarters of Captain McNally, he dismounted and entered. His face was pale and he looked haggard. ‘‘ Ho, Armstrong, back again, 1 see?” said the Ranger Captain. ‘* Yes, sir; and I have bad news.” ‘Ha! Buck Taylor went with you?” cried the ‘aptain. ‘* Yes, sir; and poor Buck has gone on his last trail,” was the sad response. CHAPTER XAIII. THER GAMBLER’S STORY. . CAPTAIN MCNALLY sprung to his feet at the words of the Gambler Ranger, and two others present were also much excited, “Do you mean Buck Taylor is dead, Arm- strong?’ cried the captain. ‘6 Ves, sir.” : ‘¢ How is this?” he asked in asad tone, “ Well, sir, I barely escaped with my life, I assure you, and I will give you the story as it eccurred.” ** Do so.” ‘Tt was poor Buck’sidea that we should cross the river and—” “You mean the Rio Grande?” “Yes, sir.” ** All right.” ‘‘He thought if we got into Mexico we could find the exact whereabouts 6f Don Rafael’s camp.” ‘* Poor brave fellow.” ‘‘ He said if we could find the camp, locate it well, and get the approaches down fine, and not be discovered ourselves, that we could dash across the river some night with all the Rangers, surprise the Don and break up his band, besides destroying hiscamp and getting back before day with lots of booty.” ‘‘ Yes, he proposed this to me, but I told him we had no right to go upon Mexican territory, and besides it was a most hazardous undertaking which might result in the loss of my entire com- pany. ‘‘ Well, Captain McNally, urged by Buck, | consented to cross the river, and we did so the night following our leaving camp here. “Wefound a good hiding-place in the hills, and the next day recomnoitered as best we could and discovered the Raiders’ retreat. ‘‘ We camped near it that night, and the next day made no discoveries of importance. “But at night we started out to get.a closer look at the approaches, and see what force the Don had there. ‘‘We made the discovery that the retreat could be easily reached, surprised and taken, by the Rangers, if they could secretly cross the riv- er, and returning to our camp we went to bed, for we were very tired. ‘‘ How long I had been asleep I do not know, but I was awakened by shots, and springing to my feet I called to Buck, as I seized my weapons for use, ‘¢ But Buck did not move and I sprung to his side and found that he was dead. ‘The shots were still ringing, and bullets fly- ing, so I dashed throngh the timber, reached my horse, sprung upon /his back, and then saw that I could also carry the Roan King with me. ‘‘T drew up the stake rope, grabbed my sad- dle and bridle and fled.” ‘* Are you sure that Buck was dead?” ‘S Yes, sir.” ‘There was no mistake?” ** None, sir.” ‘© You tried to rouse him?” ‘A whisper would rouse Buex Taylor, sir, from his soundest sleep. ‘* But he was dead, ‘a am as sure as Il am. that Iam alive.” ‘* But who fired upon you?” ‘‘Don Rafael’s Raiders.” ‘¢ Not Comanches?” - ‘No, sir, for by the flashing of the firearms I saw that they. were Mexicans and plenty of them.” a “Well, you were lucky to escape, Armstrong.” “We had been seen reconnoitering the camp uubtless, and were tracked to where we passed ght.” "That is doubtless the way of it. But you brought Buck's horse?” * Ves, sir, I lec ing to eat.” *W¥ou only saved your weapons then?” * And my life. ‘7 tell you, Captain McNally, that was the | him here all the way, anJ, having left my provision haversack I had noth- ee hottest place I was ever in, and I am surprised I got away. ‘* Why those feilows fired upon us as we slept, and my idea is that they supposed we were both sleeping on the same blanket and so poor Buck got all the bullets. ‘‘ But I lay ten feet away and was not seen, I suppose, until I started to my feet.” ‘Well, Armstrong, you are a brave man, as I know, and a cool one under fire, so I do not think you are one to run off and leave a com- rade in trouble.” ‘‘No man dare accuse me of it, Captain Mc- Nally,” was the hot reply. ‘‘T said that you were not one to do so, and I therefore feel convinced that Buck Taylor is dead, ‘* But I shall avenge him.” | | ‘ Ay, sir, and gladly will [ doall inmy power | to aid you, for | was deeply attached>to the young cow be yy.” ‘“You discovered where Don was situated?” ‘© Ves. sir,” ‘“Tt is easy of aceess, you say?” ‘* Yes, very.” ‘You can lead us there?” “ Certainly, sir.” : ‘¢ Then, as soon as the two scouting parties now out came in, I shall start on a raid across the Rio Grande, to return Don Rafael’s many visits, ‘‘T wish to take my entire force, we will ride our best horses, and I shall carry the war into Mexico with a vengeance, for Buck Taylor, that King of Cowboys, shall be bitterly avenged.” And all who knew Captain McNally were well aware that he meant every word he uttered. CHAPTER XIV. AN APPARITION. Tue loss of Buck Taylor fell like a pall upon the Ranger band. The death of their captain would hardly have created a greater degree of sorrow, and the stories of his short but adventurous career was talked over again and again around the camp- fire. There was not a man in camp that did not wish to fall heir to Roan King, his magnificent horse, the gray mare, Snakeroot and Vermi- fuge, The latter looked most sorrowful, seeming to realize that he had lost his best friend. Sol Bradford suggested’ that the Rargers should club together and buy Roan King for their captain. ‘¢ Who would you buy him from?” asked Roddy Armstrong. This question was a poser; for if Buck was dead, who owned his outfit? He was known to have an uncle, but the uncle was said to be well off, owning a large ranch, and no one had ever heard Buck speak of other relatives. He had managed tolay up some money, the sales of his captures, and it was in the captain’s keeping. Then he had half a dozen horses and his dog. Such was the cowboy’s fortune. + What to dowith Roan King was the main question, for all wanted that animal of light- ning speed. Roddy Armstrong had tha that he should have the animal, as he had saved Kim from falling into the hands of the Mexican Raiders, Rut he saw that the Rangers did not take kindly to this proposition, and Sol Bradford sug- gested that they should raffle him off, ali taking a chance at ten dollars, or enough chances to make him bring a thousand dollars. Thus it was settled, and the Rangers quickly took their chances, and the list was made up. The money was paid over to the captain, to be held by him until he communicated with Buck’s uncle, and their chances were taken on Miss Mollie, Snakeroot, whose worth had come to be fully recognized in the band, and the other horses and the dog Vermifuge, who looked si- lently and sadly on. The numbers were then written on pieces of paper and put ina bag, and each man had as many draws as he had chances, the lucky num- ber being written in blue ink instead of black, so that there could be only fairness in the draw- ing. : Captain McNally was to hold the bag, and he having taken several chances, was to have the tlrst draw. | ‘* All ready.” As the captain uttered the words, a tall form suddenly advanced into the circle. It was a form that towered several inches tafael’s camp SRO SE 67 6 NC EENAROTS over six feet, but it was bent now, and the face was haggard and white, ‘* Buck Taylor !” The vame burst in a yell from the crowd of Rangers. They saw before them the man that they be- lieved dead. They beheld the one whose little property they were then raffling off. But was it Buck Tayor in flesh and blood, or his apparition? It seemed almost the latter, so white was. his face, so haggard, and so bent his tall form, ‘Great Heavens! buck, is it you?’ cmed Captain McNally, grasping his hand and drop- ping the chance-bag. “What's left of me, captain,” was the reply, with a sad smile, ‘* Thank God you are not dead.” ** ?’m second cousin to it.” The Rangers now gathered around, and grasp- ed the hand of the cowboy, and among the first was Roddy Armstrong, who said: “ Buck, old fellow, I believed you dead, or I never would have left you. ‘“ Porgive ne, Buck, for Td have died right there rather than desert you, unless 1 thought ’ you were surely dead.” ‘‘T guess you thought so, Roddy. “Tn fact I know you did. ‘Only I wasn’t dead,” was the reply. Then the captain saw that the young Ranger was really suffering, and he said: ‘* Come, Buck, you look half-starved and used up. ‘‘Come to my quarters and I'll bring you roundall right,” He led Buck away, and Sol Bradford and Mack Hastings, the old Ranger, followed. _ The crqwd broke up, going to their respect- ive quarters to talk, over the strange affair, and wonder how the cowboy had escaped, ‘*He’s been through the mill, from his looks; but I guess he'll tell us soon, for Buck is willing to talk over his adventures, though he never brags,” said one. (joing up to the quarters of the captain, Buck was placed in an easy-chair, and the negro ser- vant of the Ranger chief hastened to place food before him. He lay back in his chair for awhile, silent and motionless. Then he aroused himself and ate heartily of the food brought bim by Black Sam, Having dispatched supper enough for two men, and braced up with several tin-cups full of strong coffee, he became brighter, and said: ‘‘] was almost starved, for I haven’t had a taste. of food for three days, and I have walked nearly two hundred miles besides. “T tell you, pards, I was pretty well played out, strong as I am, and I hada preuy severe hurt here, too,” and he placed his hand over his heart, while he fixed his eyes separately upon the faces of Captain McNally, Sol Bradford and old Mack Hastings. ‘Are you wounded, Buck?” hastily asked the captain, ‘No sir, only hurt, that’s all; but it will be all right soon. “T think Pll goto my roost now,” and with- out saying one word about his remarkable escape Buck Taylor arose and went to his own little eabin, where he and Roddy Armstrong had lived together, for the Rangers had erected for themselves log houses on the ranch of their captain, and lived in them by twos, fours, or ag their humor suited them. CHAPTER XY, A MYSTERIOUS AFFAIR. Wuen Buck entered his little cabin all was darkness within, But he quickly struck a match and lighted a amp. It was’ a small but cosey little hut, built of small logs, with stucco between, and had a gen- erous fire-place, Upon the hearth were a number of culinary sepa and in either rear corner Was arustic cot. A table was in the center, 2 Shelf on one side of the hearth and upon it were dishes and pro- visions, while on the other side were shelves of books of various sizes, but mostly novels of a lizht character. Over the mantle were firearms, and atouton the walls were the skins of wild animals and fenthers of birds. Roddy Armstrong had been the only one of the Rangers who had no cabin comrade, and he had asked Buck to be his chum, The young cowboy had consented, and as the reader has seen, in spite of the warning given