Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 66 — page 5: what you’re looking at

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

. * f ; F ; _——S —_—— _— it isso. That is one of my stock ranches. % They passed a number of rudely-built huts with a large corral near at hand which was f of cattle. A number of Mexican half-breeds b were loitering about in the sun, who became in- | you. tensely active when the horsemen appeared.” tes to apologize for liking the ancient poets u _ef I was you, I wouldn’t send that word to Tom | | | ‘That is the way the villains act,” said Har- | din, ‘I’ve gotan overseer who will do any ne rather than force his countrymen to work, anc it is simply impossible for us to get on together. Here, Enriquez, where is Pedro Gonzales?’ ‘He is at the next horse corral, Senor Cap- itano,”’ SF ame the man. ‘‘ Shall I run ahead and tell him that you are coming?” all that trouble. ‘*No trouble at all, senor,” said the man, ea- gerly. ‘I will make haste.” ‘‘‘You may stay where you are, Enriquez. We are riding that way, and will see him our- selves.” The man looked disappointed, and drew back, with a muttered oath, and the party rode on. They passed through a ravine between low hills, and came suddenly upon the horse corral, where they found the man they sought, crouching up- on the greensward in front of the corral, playing cards with two disreputable-lookin ans, in the rude dress of the ee So absorbed were they in their game, that they did not hear the sound of the coming hoofs until the horsemen were almost upon them. ‘* Hip-hurrah!” cried one of the strange men. ‘Pll have all your share if this thing goes on. There’s an ace for you, bully boy.” ‘You are having a pom game, Pedro,” said Captain Hardin. ‘‘ Now tell me who these fine fellows are, and by what right you are wasting the time for which I pay you?” Pedro bounded to his feet, in great astonish- ment, while the two men quietly a <g> een the money which lay upon the meant as ita mistake, or was there something in their manner which showed that they were not unknown to Ned Clayton? They seemed to look him over as a stranger, it is true; yet in the mind of Lilly there was ak half-formed thought that they re- co : Don’t get wrathy, captain,” said one of the men. ‘* You see, we’ve come in from the Santa Fe trail, and the greaser wanted a game, and we thought we’d humor him. No offense, I hope?” is don’t allow men to hang about my corrals who can not give a good account of them- selves.” ‘“We was thinking to join the rangers, cap- tain,” said the man. “Tt seems to me that, for men that have just come from the Santa Fe trail, you know a great deal about us here.” ‘Lord love you, captain, do you s’pose that there isa man in Texas that don’t know the Rangers of the Riot We want to jine, and kin fight, too,” added the other man. ** No one joins my company who is not vouch- ed for by some of the members. If you can find any rangers who will say that you are good and true men, you can come in.” “But, captain, ain’t that a little hard? We are strangers to your men—” “Then I don’t want you, boys. Live around here a year, and let me see that you are the ht sort, and we will take you in.” “You seem mighty particular,” said the man, with a covert sneer. ‘‘Come, Jim, get the horses and let’s toddle.” ‘Wait a moment,” said Hardin, who was looking at them ee Do you happen to know a man named Tom Duke? The fellow started, but recovered himself in- stantly, with a look of rise on his face, “Do you say Duke, captain?” sé “45 can’t say I know him, captain. I have heerd that he 1s a mighty d man and makes a heap of trouble round here, but I don’t know him ? ‘He is ted of pare sr league with the sree shlovas who pare = me ae ou ould meet him, sa m that Ca ar- din, of the Rio ae ors, will hang Pa before the year is up.” ‘I ain’t likely to meet him, Cap,” said the fel- low, with a furtive glance at the immovable face of Ned Clayton; ‘but if Ido, Pll be sure to tell him what you say. He’s got heaps of friends in Texas, I’ve heerd.” “He has many accomplices, some of them high in power. They steal negroes and horses, and have been holding high carnival in Texas, but I'll have them yet.” ] | | | lenly, ‘‘ but I know nothing about them.” ‘*Oh, no, my good friend. You need not take | ? ST Ss ‘‘T wouldn’t be surprised if you did, Cap, but | Single Hand. D ———$ Oe -rmrlc rl Se — ma ee _—_—- | he would rise a little in the saddle, and come | down easily when the animal struck the ground, ‘* And why not?” with a smile on his face. , ‘** Because such a thing mout happen as for him “He'll get sick of that exercise after a while,” to ketch you, and likely he’d make it warm for | said the young man, as the horse bucked again. Hyar’s our hdsses. Good-by, Cap—I wish | After bucking three or four times without you'd take us in the rangers?” avail, the horse stopped and seemed to hesitate Hardin shook his head, and they rode away | before trying a new trick. Then he darted out at a sound pace, never looking behind them, and as before, and tried to dispossess himself of his the captain turned upon his overseer, who was | obstinate rider, but Ned was on the watch and waiting for his share of the captain’s anger. kept his equilibrium by leaning back in the sad- ‘Now, Pedro, itis your turn. Youknow who dle. Up to this time Ned had kept the snaffle those scoundrels are, and I must know, too.” _—_| and had not attempted to use the curb, but took ‘* Pardon, Senor Capitano,” said the man, sul- it up now as the horse showed a disposition to rear. The Mexican bit is a cruel thing, and a heavy hand upon a curb will quickly cure the most ob- stinate horse of rearing. With the curb in his left hand, Ned lifted his heavy riding-whip, and began to rain blow after blow upon the wild steed. Again and and again he tried to rear; but kept down by the iron hand upon the curb, it was of no avail. Then he tried the last of his accomplishments—falling suddenly to the ' ground, and endeavoring to roll upon his rider. As he fell, Lillian uttered a cry of fear, but _her alarm was dispelled as she saw that Ned had cleared his feet from the cloth, and was stand- ‘You are going to ride him. If you doit, all | ing over the horse, we eG The animal right; I will give youa place still. If you fail, _ leaped up again, but only to find his rider fixed I want another breaker.” as y as ever upon his back. Then Ned sent Half a dozen greasers came out of asmall | the spurs into the sides of the now wild horse, corral, leading a magnificent sixteen-hand black, and started him at a furious run across the with a wicked eye. He had suffered them to plain, and out of sight behind the horse corral. put the saddle and bridle on him, and seemed to Five minutes passed, when the thunder of await developments. _ hoofs was heard again, and Ned came back at a ‘‘Can you ride that horse, Ned?” whispered | mad gallop, his rowels red with gore, and the Lillian. | foam flecking the sides of the conquered beast. ‘‘T can ride any horse,” replied Ned, calmly. | He was sitting easily in the saddle, no longer “Set the greaser at work, captain.” | using whip or spur, and holding the snaffle light- ‘Ride him,” said the captain, pointing to the | ly in his hand. horse. ‘‘ You know what it means if you fail.” To show them that he was completely success- ful, he put the horse through his paces, making CHAPTER V. him trot, canter or gallop at will, and then HORSE-BREAKING~—THE COLPORTEUR. Erpagat him back to the astonished party. It was evident that the fellow did not like the |. * ere he is captain,” he said. ‘* After I have job. The Mexicans are good riders—perhaps, | trained him to stand the flapping of a woman’s as a Class, the best in the world, and he had | riding-habit, your sangeet can ride him with been trained in the saddle from boyhood; but | safety, but he is the beau ideal of a ranger’s there was something too meek and humble about horse.” ‘‘He is yours, Ned,” replied the captain. this animal, which he did not like. Such an- lic quietude meant mischief, and the man ap- | ‘‘ The man who has conquered him has the best right to own him.” ge pr ed the horse slowly from in front. The animal began to swing slowly around, as if up- Bet captain, he is a very valuable animal, an _— on a pivot, always presenting those threatening heels to the enemy, but never offering to kick, ‘You won’t refuse him if J give him to you,” Duke.” He was adark-faced fellow, in the gaudy dress of the Mexican of middle rank, rather fine-look- ing, but with an evil eye. “That is as much as to say that you won’t tell me who the men are, eh? We willsee about that, by-and-by. In the meantime, I am going to put you to the test, and see whether you are as good a horse-breaker as you claim to be, | Here, half a dozen of you go and bring out that bucking phenomenon—the black with the star mark.” ‘What are you going to ask me to do, capi- tano?” said Pedro. because he knew that this would be powder | said Lillian. ‘ You must take him, or I shall wasted while the Mexican kept so far out of | think you do not care to have saved my life.” reach. ‘““T accept,” said Ned, hanging his head; ‘‘I Pedro hissed out a lurid Mexican oath and ran | am not worthy to accept favors from Jou e in, and before the horse could strike, he was in any other good man or woman, but I w Ww the saddle. labor to make myself better, and to-day be- The horse gave one frantic leap, which sent | gin a new life.” the Mexican flying out into space, clearin “Verily, the young man rides like unto a air like a thunderbolt, and then settled down | warrier of old times,” said a snuffling voice; upon his feet again with indescribable meek- ness upon his front. Pedro rolled over twice before he could recover himself, and made a curious ; but he was on his feet in an in- stant, and again in the saddle, and actually got one foot in the stirrup before the horse could “kick” again. But this only brought out new tactics in this versatile beast. Darting suddenly forward at full speed for twenty yards, he ie as sud- denly, planted his fore-feet and lowered his head. Away went Pedro out of the saddle, alighting upon his head and shoulders with stunning force. The horse was now literally wild. pice. right and left at all who opposed him, he rushe furiously at the prostrate Mexican, and it would have fared badly with him but that Ned Clay- ton bounded from the saddle and stopped him in full career, and, to the surprised of all, the oungster was in the saddle and firmly seated ‘‘and it does my heart good to hear him promise to begin a new life.” They all turned in surprise and looked at the speaker. He was a tall, high-shouldered man mounted upon a sorry-looking Mexican “ plug,” with huge saddle-bags, stuffed to repletion on each side, His face was like that of one of Cromwell’s hard riders, and his long flaxen hair hung uncut to his shoulders. The plainly-cut black clothes, the huge saddle-bags and sanctified air, bespoke one of the colporteurs who traveled over the new States and Territories in their earlier | the ay ed looked at him in astonishment, and for a moment seemed absolutely horrified; but recoy- ered himself in a moment. i i “A colporteur, I presume.” ‘‘T am an unworthy member of the fold, seek- ing to pluck the brands from the burning.” fore the horse eould do any thing to baffle Well, you've got a good field o mee ; “The ‘Clear the way, all of you,” cried Ned, way- | boys shall listen to you; I promise that much at ing his hand. “I'll break or kill him, one or the | the least. If you will go on half a mile you will other. Back, I say!” find my ranch, and are welcome to make it The Mexicans willingly. stood aside, and a battle royal now began between man and horse. The mustang and half-bred horse of Texas is in- imitable in the trick of ‘‘ bucking.” That is, he will leap into the air at least two feet and come down with his legs stiff, giving the rider a shock which will either unseat him shee the saddle, or give him a blow that will half stun him. This particular horse was an adept in the ex- ercise; but Ned was upto the trick, and the mo- ment the horse began to ‘‘ buck,” he slipped his Clayton started, for he had been wrapped in feet out of the Prhip! and fastened his spurs | deep thought. in the heavy saddle-cloth. As the horse leaped, | did you speak to me?” he faltered. Gomic our head-quarters while you stay in this sec- on. The colporteur rode on after giving thanks, and H looked after him disapprovingly. ‘““T don’t like his looks,” he said. ‘‘ I have en- tertained many of these men in my time, and most of them were noble-hearted gentlemen, who had given their lives to a great and labori- ous work, but this fellow looks like a hypocrite. him here, sir,” said Hardin, smiling slightly. What is your opinion of him, Ned?” ooo) cS (E(0)