Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 743 — page 4: what you’re looking at

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

fe - ee ° . ~ . 4 — a ey te o> » 2 ehh a * ¥ * @ nal - i = > ° es } >. s e * a i a a >. ieee g Ree of _ es Ss ” —, _&" * " me * Oe - ous He had led the charge of the largest column, the one first seen out upon the prairie, and had been unbarmed by the hot fire of the lit- tle party at bay. is horse was a clay-bank stallion, with snow-white mane and tail and he too had escaped as had his taster. Beaten back by the hot fire the chief rallied his leading warriors to hold a talk over what was best to be done, The open space between the timber on the ridge of the hill on two sides, and the other ruins in the rear, was swept by the fire of the party at bay, and the warriors knew that it would be death to attempt to charge across it. It was now a couple of hours before night- fall. To wait until darkness aided them would be to lose most valuable time and give the people from the ranches a chance to rally; so it was decided by the red raiders to make another charge, and on foot, from one point, driving the ponies before them as a breastwork. This would enable the warriors to get close enough, before their living shelter was brought down, to dash on the rest of the distance and get into the chapel with a rush, and thus end the struggle. Having thus decided, the worst of the ponies were picked out, their bits were tied together, fifteen abreast, but so lightly that when one fell the others could readily break loose and push on. There were three rows of these ponies, and be- hind them came the braves, bows and arrows in hand and sealping-knives ready, Then the platoons of animals were set in mo- tion. Over the top of the ridge they appeared, lashed into a full run by the warriors, who fol- lowed close upon their heels, while the braves, sheltered in the timber and among the rocks, sent showers of arrows into the mine. ‘* Now it is beat them back, boys, or die!” cried Ruth Redmond, and her repeating rifle opened the fight! ; CHAPTER VIT, BUCK TAYLOR’S BOYS, ‘*Say, pards, do you believe in dreams?” The stanatp was a youth, towering several inches above the ordinary height of men, broad- shouldered, straight as an arrow, with a beard- less face, and hair of a light-brown hue. He was dressed as a Texas cowboy, with an air of neatness in his make-up and desire to look well, His light-gray sombrero was silver-embroider- ed, and the rim was pinned up on the left side with a gold star. The scene was a camp of cowboys near an army post, and the men were in Government service as herders, There were some forty in the camp, and if there was a man of twenty-five in the outfit, he did not look if, 5: In spite of his size, the one who asked the question that opens this chapter, was the youn- gest one of, the band, and he was the chief, or ‘ captain.” , To the soldiers and ranch people the band was known as Buck Taylor’s Boys, and they bad won a reputation as a most daring Jot of horsemen, and tho best fighters on the Texas Plains. Every man among them was a competent guide, and all of them were scouts of skill and courage which made them able allies of the army. Wild riders, typical cowboys they were, too, caring well for their cattle and protecting them from red-skins and raiders alike. Thousands of cattle were under their charge, oe they had hundreds of horses also to look after. They would go on @ range, where grass and water were plentiful, and perhaps make a cir- cuit with their herdin a season of several hun- dred miles. - When cattle or horses were needed at the posts, a courier would be sent to Buck Taylor with orders to send in the required number, and the best of the herd would be — ard sent in under half a dozen of the band, The camp of Buck Taylor’s Boys, at the time they are presented to the reader, was some sixt miles from the Sunset Ranch owned by Rut Redmond. It was a pleasant camp, for they had been resting there some two weeks, and they made themselves comfortable and lived on the best in their wild life of danger. ** I does believe in dreams, Cap’n Buck, for I has know’d ’em ter come true,” answered one of the men, who was lying upon his blanket in the watching a couple of his comrades cook $ Soak breakfast, for it was just after dawn, and the band was just waking up, those whose duty it was fo go on post as guard, getting ready to ride out and relieve their comrades who had stood the night through. Buck Taylor had just made his toilet, by a jump ip the river, upon the bank of which their camp was located, and refreshed by his bath, he was combing out his long locks when he went up to the group and asked the question: ‘**Say, pards, do you believe in dreams?” **T believe in ’em,” ** Me too.” ‘So does I,” ** You bet I don’t go ag’in’ ’em.” ‘‘Dreams is warnings no man should go against!” Such were the answers to the question, and then came the words: ‘* Well, Buck, what has you been dreamin’?” ‘“*T’ll tell you, pards, and it impresses me so I feel like taking all but a cattle-guard, and going to see if it is true.” ; ** What is it, Buck?” - ** Well, you know I have a firm friend in Bible Bill; who is chief cowboy on Sunset ‘*We have not met for a year now, and we were once firm pards, ** But we both fell in love with the same little Mexican gir! at a fandango down in San Antone, and Bible Bill took it to heart so that we drifted apart, Mi Now, last night I dreamed that I saw Bible Bill and a young girl corraled by Indians, and ‘I distinctly heard his words: ‘** You can save us, Buck! Come to me! come to me ”? ‘* It’s a warning for you to go, Buck.” **So says I.” ‘*’'m with yer, Cap’n Buck.” ‘“Order out the Boys, Buck, and take the trail.” | ‘Don’t slight the cry, pard!” ‘* Listen to the call of your old pard, Buck!” Such were the cries of the men, and Buck Taylor seemed pleased to feel that his words had met with such a hearty res eae ‘“*T thank you, pards, and I will obey the call, ‘*'You see [ jumped in the river for a plunge, i the dream would be worked out of my mind, ‘*But it stuck there, and now I am ready to say heed it,” A cheer answered his words, and he con- tinued: ‘*] will take thirty men, and the other ten can head the herds toward the fort by slow marches, ‘“* It ie sixty miles from here to Sunset Ranch, and I will strike for that point, as if the Co- manches have made a dash in there, they will find half a hundred rich ranches to plunder and plenty of scalps. | ‘There are people enough to beat them back if they knew of their coming; but if surprised, then the red-skins would have their own way. ** So, boys, just put in three days’ food in your haversacks, mount your best horses, and we’ll be off in an hour’s time to trail that dream down,” and a wild cheer greeted the words of the young Cowboy Captain. CHAPTER VIII. TRAILING A DREAM, THIRTY-ONE splendidly mounted, thorough) armed young men rode out of the camp of Buc Taylors’ Cowboys, bound upon the trail of a dream, , Five led horses were taken along, carrying extra weight in provisions, ammunition, and camp outfit, and they would come in well should any animal break down, or get wounded. Buck Taylor headed his men, who almost in- variably rode on a trail in Indian file. He led them by a flank movement on Sunset Ranch, to approach it from the range of bills, and thus he knew that they would cross any Indian trail that bad gone toward the settle- ments, and get at an idea of the force they would have to meet. If there was any one of the young horsemen who doubted that they would find the dream true, he did not declare himself, Men who dwell in the solitude of the prairies and mountains are just as superstitious as those who sail the seas, and no reasoning can argue them out of it. : That Buck’s dream would show that the Comanches were on the war-path they were firmly convinced, and when, toward sunset, they came upon a trail leading down from the range and stretching away across the prairies toward - the settlements, there were a number of mente ‘* T-told-you-so’s,” But the cowboys soon got at the force that had gone that way, and Buck said: ‘* About a hundred and fifty, I take it, boys; but they won’t keep together, but divide, and we don’t mind tackling any force, that is, three to one,” The derisive laughter of his men, at the thought that they should mind fighting three In- dians to one, showed him that he need have no dread of the result. So on they went, following the well-defined trail now, and going at a canter, for they knew that delays were dangerous, Just at sunset, they came to where the trail divided into three, Some sixty warriors had gone in one direction, obliquing to the left, forty more had held in the poem and as many more had flanked to the right. But Buck Taylor did not divide his force, His experience told him that the three trails would meet again at a certain point in, or near the settlements. They studied the trails thoroughly, and decid- ed that they were made during the night, They showed that the Indians had been mov- ing leisurely, but the tracks going to the left and right gave evidence that those two parties had quickened their pace, and this was proof that thay had a longer distance to go to reach a cer- tain point on time with the center column. ‘We will stick to the center trail, pards, and I'll guarantee that it follows this belt of timber along the stream,” said Buck—which opinion was shared in by his comrades, They camped just at nightfall; but, after an hour’s rest and supper, they pressed on once more, , They were compelled to make frequent halts to discover, by a burning match, if they were still on the trail, and, when the dawn finally ap- peared, they bad reached the end of the belt of timber they had been following. As they came out on the open, afar across the prairie loomed up a dark mass, and upon it was. the bright light of a fire, ‘¢ Pards, yonder is Old Mission Hill. That must have been the point where the red-skins were to meet; but why they have built a camp-fire I cannot understand— Ha! hear that!” The sound of ashot came across the prairie; then another and another, until they rung out rapidly. ‘Into your saddles, pards. You are needed onder!” and Buck Taylor in the lead, the gal- ant cowboy band went at a gallop over the prairies, straight toward Old Mission Hill, As they neared the hill, rising like a giant sen- tinel above the plain, they discovered that the firelight illumined the walls of the old ruined chapel, and that there appeared to be a fire built on each side of the ruin. Then from the dark recesses of the surround- ing timber came the unmistakable war-cries of the Comanches! Now and then a band of a dozen warriors would dash into sight, but they would retreat under the withering fire poured upon them from the defenders of the ruin. ‘*Pards, the Comanches have got a gallant band of whites corraled there, and if the whole force of red-skins are after them, we must not count odds,” cried Buck Taylor, fire in his fine eyes, ‘So say we all of us,” answered a cowboy for his comrades. , | ‘‘Now we must try and appear more than we are, so I will push on with twenty men, and you, Carl and Gordon, can go with four each to the right and left, and make row enough to ap- pear to be many more, ‘ ‘“‘Come straight on to unite with us at the hill, for together we can stand off a couple of hundred red-skins, : ‘‘ Take the led horses with you, Carl.” Thus, after a short halt the plan of attack had been arranged, the force was divided quick- ly, and straight toward the hill rode Buck Tay- lor and his squad, while the other two little bands circled to the left, to appear to be coming from the settlements to the rescue. CHAPTER IX. THE SURPRISE. As he neared the hill with his men, noting that the party were holding out well in the ruin, Buck Taylor brought the rae down to a walk formed his men in two approached the hill from the direction of the In- alan advance, well aware that they would not be expecting a rescue from that direction, They were in thedeep shadow beyondtherays = es of teneach,and =