Beadle's Dime Library No. 147 — page 2: what you’re looking at

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

vf r . aK ” #2," A we- a Tie Gold Spur, The Gentleman from Texas; OR, The Child of the Regiment. THE ROMANCE OF A FRONTIER GARRISON, BY COL. PRENTISS INGRAHAM, AUTHOR OF ‘‘ MERLE, THE MUTINEER,”’ ‘ TEZUMA, THE MERCILESS,” ‘*‘ CAPTAIN KYD,” ‘“‘ DARKIE DAN,” ETC. CHAPTER I. THE PRAIRIE PHANTOM. “Ty are a spook or a sperrit, or I are a liar!” he speaker was a buckskin-clad frontiers- man, and he stood in the border of a “‘ timber MON - | out upon the rolling prairie, which spread away like the limitless ocean upon all sides until land and sky met in the far distance, In the timber was a bivouac of cavalry, the horses standing as motionless as statues, the troo lying down upon their blankets to n rest for the morrow’s rough ride after the red raiders of the border. Not a camp-fire gleamed in the timber, only here and there the spark of a cigar or pi being visible, and heavy shadows fell upon the woodland scene. But out upon the prairie the moon shed its mellow radiance from a cloudless sky, lighting up the landscape afar off, and causing the tag wolf and the chirping insects. to vent eir delight at the beauty of the night in howl an song. n the border of the timber stood a group of men, gazing out upon the moonlit prairie, and evidently attrac by some Object other than a buffalo or skulking coyote that had come within range of their vision. There were in the group several buckskin- clad bordermen, and from the lips of one of these came the remark that opens this story. The others were men in uniform, and one of them, a tall man with commanding form and a bearded, bronzed face, that wore a habitual expression of sternness, held to his eyes a field glass. “Tf I believed in superstition, Buckskin Mose, T would agree with you that yonder horseman belonged to the supernatural,” replied the sergeant, for he wore that rank on his arm, and he changed the focus of his glass to get a better look at the object under discussion. All present started at the. words of Sergeant Sylvester, f at hasty co a s we like a horse and rider.” “Yes, and both the animal and the man a look, but we shall soon know on ) “Bucks Mose is right in calling it or ‘‘ Shall I call the major, sergeant?’ asked ‘‘No, for we have nothing to fear, and the ‘is-it is Gain, ewig here and— > all hear t?’ and Ser- power that made even that h the prairie wince with pain and an- r: sergeant; it are ther cry of ther and acorporal said n of ipa 90 " Bt a Re it comes from the o’ yonder s “s Wait and - n!” yeh gee ae ae Maurice ester, an 5 e shoulder of Buckskin ee he shod like one awaiting some dread sound that would prove a of ; 8 » all listened, and every eye was riveted upon the snow-white forms of a horse and rider out upon the prairie, and which looked, in the moonlight, like misty phantoms. An t of inte ence, when even the prow 3 ep vem ts dismal howl, eh prairie cricke rein chirp, an en once more was hear the Sey of the Whip-o- gd OY kt” The words broke sternly from the lips of the sergeant, and their utterance and his statue- like attitude, turned All started as Buckskin Mose — and turned tieir eyes again upon the misty forms upon the prairie, and which again seemed float- they knew him to be no man to ing, rather than walking, toward the timber isl- an “No! no! no! he must'not come here. Quick, Caspar, my horse, and I will run him down, be he spook or devil,” cried the sergeant, and the soldier addressed darted into the recesses of the timber to obey the order of his superior, while Buckskin Mose said firmly: ‘**T are with yer, s’argint, ef it’s ghost-huntin’, fer I never yit run down a critter o’ thet kind.” ** No, Mose, I go alone on this trail; and be- sides, your old Rattlebones couldn’t keep pace with my horse,” answered the sergeant. ‘* Rattlebones are lightnin’, s’argint, when he gits up steam, and—” “Tsay no! Ah, Cc , thank you! Good- py comrades all!” and with a light spring aurice Sylvester threw himself into his saddle and dashed away like an arrow from the bow, directly toward the phantom-like objects on the prairie. Breathlessly his comrades watched his course, heard once more the wailing cry of the Whip-o- Will, and then beheld the Prairie Phantom turn and speed away like the wind, until pursued and pursuer were lost to sight in the distance. ‘‘ Waal, thet do beat all thunder,” said Buck- skin Mose, as the sergeant’s form disappeared from sight. “TI will report it to the captain, and see what he makes of it,” answered the corporal. ‘“* Hold on, for the sergeant is coming back,” cried a soldier, whose quick eye ‘had caught sight of a dark object far off on the prairie. — All eyes were at once turned in the direction indicated by the cavalryman, and Buckskin Mose said slowly: ‘‘That are not ther s’argint, pards, or be hev turned ghost too, fer thet fellow area mile from whar they went out 0’ our sight.” ‘You are right, Mose; but whoever it is, he iscoming on rapidly,” answered the corporal. ‘Waal, ef it’s a sperit too, it are ther ghost o’ a nigger an’a mule, fer them thar comin’ is both dark-colored; by hunky! they are.” Eagerly all watched the coming forms of horse and rider, and in silence others joined the group, until two score troopers were gathered there gazing out upon the prairie. Nearer and nearer at a swift gallop came the horseman, until, unchallenged by the sentinel a few paces distant, he drew rein in front of the group, and said pleasantly: ‘“‘Good-evening, gentlemen! is this a bivouac of cavalry?” “It are fer a fact; but who in thunder be ou?’ responded Buckskin Mose, taking upon imself to answer for all and ing too, ‘‘T am agentleman from Texas,” was the cool y, and ‘dlamoutititig? he strode on into the er without another word, his horse follow- ing, oes upon his heels. aal, ef The Gentleman from Texas ain’t a cool ’un, jist set me down fer a liar,” said Buck- skin Mose to his amazed comrades, and shoulder- ing his rifle he followed on after the mysterious stranger. CHAPTER II. THE GENTLEMAN FROM TEXAS. IN an open of the timber, through which the moonbeams struggled to light up the scene, sat half a dozen officers upon the ground, their saddles, or whatever else was near to form a comfortable resting-place. — and chatting, they were whilin away the hour after their frugal supper, un worn-out nature would urge them to roll them- selves in their blankets and seek rest. Toward this p, with a seemingly intuitive knowledge of their presence there the mysterious stranger, who had called himself ‘‘ The Gentle- man from Texas,” > and suddenly halted “« their midst, his pa ient horse standing behind im. . As he stood there, where the moonlight streamed full n him, his presence caused a sensation, for like an apparition he had a peared in their midst, and one glance was suffi. cient to show the group of officers that he was not of their command and utterly unknown to them. A man of tall form, and with broad shoulders, he was commanding in presence, and evidently one possessed of immense power and panther- like quickness of movement. e eyes of his comrades| D in full Mexican attire, from the gold- upeo | embroidered black sombrero and silken sash to Then they stood watching, waiting, | the cero boots, with their massive gold and with a superstitious awe and dread of evil spurs, he looked like a gallant cavalier at- case over them, until once more came the | tired for ‘ ball, rather than a_ solitary hip-o-Will’s cry floating over the prairie. roamer of the wild P airies, where few men Then the spell was broken by a ag of an- | dare alone; but that he ‘was prepared to See wrung from the heart of | meet ger, the pearl-handled knife and re- ce and the words: | vers in bis roved, , D Signal, . Jther wee e carried not, unless a lariat, ik @ Gripe upon Buck- swung to the ense horn of his Mexican sad- skin Mose, an Ke one ¢ one dazed for an | dle, could be called such. — re > ,F instant, while bis comrades were gazing upon As he raise ‘sombrero poli to. the him in silence, for what did his strange words | group of officers, his face was plain y visible to mean?” “ every eye, and a noble, handsome, daring face it ‘The speerit are comin’ ag’in.” was, with features of womanly perfection and manly beauty combined, though it was utterly rdless, His hair, worn long, fell in golden curls upon ' bis massive po orighe ohm him, to a casual observer, an almost effeminate look, which his small hands and feet added to, for a woman might have been proud of their diminutive size. “Good-evening, gentlemen,” he said, in a deep, rich voice, removing his sombrero as he spoke. ** Will you kindly inform me which of the commander of this cavalry squadron Nearly every officer arose’ to his feet at his words, for there was that in the appearance of the stranger to command respect, and a wiry oe of small stature and middle age said po- itely: re f have that honor, sir; I am Major Giles Gregory, and I beg to know whom it is I ad- dress?” ** On the Southern plains, major, I am called Gold Spur; in drifting northward through Kan- sas and Colorado, 1 have won the name of The Gentleman from Texas; whichever suits you best, call me by it, please.” This reply seemed to create a peculiar inter- est among all who heard it, and the major said: ‘*T have heard of a person answering to that name and your description, who a most deadly encounter in Denver a short while since: may ask if you are the one?” ‘Tam; several desperadoes took a fancy to quarrel with me, and it terminated unpleasant- ly for them,” was the cool reply, and uttered in no tone of braggadocio. , ‘*Egad! I should think so, when you drop- ped four out of the five dead in their tracks, and threw the other out of a window; but may I ask to what circumstance I am indebted for the honor of your visit to our camp?’ ‘*T am heading for the garrison on the Platte, and striking the trail of two shod horses I fol- ou is lowed it, to come upon a precious of rene- ade whites, disguised as Indians, discussing an attack that was to be made upon an emigrant train coming up from Kansas, by Two Lance, and a band of warriors. ‘*T had crept near the two, as they halted to rest under the river bank, and heard their plot to join forces, for one of them was from the band of Medicine Bear, and I also learned of your presence in this timber island, from what was said, so came to inform you.” ‘‘ The renegade hounds! I wish you had killed them; when was this, sir?” ‘** At noon.” “ Where?” “Twenty miles from here, on the, Republi- ‘* And the train?” ‘‘On the Beaver, near the Kansas line.” ou know where the bands of Two icine are?” ** And do Lance and a Ras were ~~ : ro ery va omsay Bed = 6 renegades, I learn ne from the band of Two Lance to get the aT aie under Medicine Bear to join him, and the other was on a like mission, for both knew of the coming of the train, and it being a strong one, feared to attack it alone.” ** You are sure these two were white men?” “Perfectly sure, me and more, they spoke of the White Jackal as the leader of the two bands.” ** What! that white fiend? Why I would give a year’s pay to get hold of him,” said Major Gregory, while a murmur that ran around ae is brother officers boded no to the one who had the namo of the te Jackal, se he fall into their power. ‘It is possible, sir, if you have force eno to meet the twe Indian bands,” quietly ad The Gentleman from Texas. “T haye men enough to make the attempt, and can at any rate save the train, thanks to you, Mr.—, Mr.—” ‘The Gentleman from Texas,” mildl prompt- ed the stranger, and in his blunt way the major returned the pmpppenplinentary. response: ‘‘ D—— The Gentleman from Texas! do you expect me to say all that when I speak to you? Give me another name, for life’s too short to call you all that.” ‘*Gold Spur may suit you better, major,” was the mild suggestion. “It does decidedly: gentlemen, this is Mr. Gold Spur, a Gentleman from Texas,” and the major turned to his officers, all of whom bowed politely excepting one, That one was a man of herculean stature, a giant in strength, a bully whom ali shunned trouble with, even if they did not fear, and who had risen to a commissioned officer’s rank from having done several daring acts really deserving promotion. 7 When in the ranks he had been known as ercules Hiram; but when he got his second lieutenant’s shoulder-straps, he rs as Hiram Hale; but bis association with refined gentlemen had not caused bim to leave off bis coarseness of speech and manner, and he was often most insulting to those he called his ‘iends, : Now, when his brother officers politely bowed at the major’s introduction of the stranger, he arose to his feet, and said in his hoarse, insolent way: “ When a man advertises himself as a gentle- man, I doubt his claim to the title, so you wil Gomicbooks Cc * > con « - : ’ ‘» - y all