Beadle's Dime Library, No. 261 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

4 \ ew a <e, <3 i 7 Fa ‘ : - p r= aS e i . -of their hoofs on th: parched plain became audi- e, At as swift a pace as possible they urged their horses onward and away till the foam flecked thei: lips and their tawny coats became wet with sweat, As tbeg galloped onward they slackened their ace without looking round, Their Horses’ feet at less loudly on the parched soil. Then came ap ominous sound, The sound of hoof-beats coming rapidly from | the rear: Witt a common impulse both men turned in their saddles, A troop of light horsemen headed by a slender form on a steed white as snow Was approaching them at full speed, Their sbouts already plain- ly heard, the glitter of their arms already visi- ble over the waving sea of grass, CHAPTER IIL FIRE! ‘“‘Henun! dey hab spotted us, shoah!” was the exclamation that fell from the negro scout’s lips as his glance fell upon the rapidly nearing forms of their pursuers, As, for Richard Mooro his firm gray eves glowed with the excitement of the moment, Otherwise not a tremor betrayed him from his usual calm exterior. “Let them come,” he said, chase us but they have not yet caught us. Now is the time to try our horses’ mettle, Sam, and away !” wore Then with one slender hand he shook the reins on bis courser’s neck, Like an a forward and away over the broad level. Sam’s powerful mustang mighty leaps through the tall grass though soon Up | ow from the bow the splendid thoroughbred darted | shooters; a brace of revolvers apiece. shallow, ’spesbially in de hot season. I s’pose bekase de kintry am so lebel.” With which very lucid explanation Sam turned in his saddle to take a look at their ene- mies. The view that greeted his backward glance dispelled all thoughts of the stream they had forded, The short pause on the opposite side, brief as it was, had served to bring the pursuers danger- ously near. The latter were only within a dozen rods of the stream itself. Their voices were plainly heard and the dark forms of men and steeds began to loom forth in the dim moonlight. Our two friends urged on their borses anew. A long chase seemed now to threaten them, The wearied steeds responded nobly to this fresh demand upon their strength. Too evi- dently the effort was exhausting. Their strug- gling breath began to come in fierce pants; their flagging limbs could scarce make the swift allop. nr This cannot last long,” cried the lieutenant. ‘We shall bave to make a fight of it, for sur- render to that Mexican thief—never!” The words, shouted fiercely, rose above the sounds made by the galloping steeds. The negro re-echoed the daring speech. ‘Neber! Jes’ gib dis darky a chance at dem cussed Greasers, Hi'll scatter wuss confushun “They may | dan a dozen wildcats. If you’se mean fight, Mars’ Moore, hyer am yer right bower.” ‘*No doubt of it, Sam. But it’s tig odds even with your Samson-like strength and courage.” ‘‘How many shots hab we atween us?” - “Two long-range Winchesters—sixteen- There are plenty to clean ’em out, Sam, provided they followed ‘With | stand still and let us sboot at them.” ‘Haw! haw!” laughed Sam, “not apt to. his labored panting showed what an ‘effort if | More'n likely dey’re heeled as good as we,” required. * Halt!” The cry came faintly borne to their ears from the rear mingled with shouts and curses in two or three different tongues, A loud, taunting laugh was echoed back by the young lieutenant. lt was a grand burst of speed—that first effort of the straining horses and carried our friends almost in an instant out of bearing of the cries of their pursuers. But the noble steeds, already fagged by a day’s travel, could hold such a tremendous pace but a short time, _ First Sam’s horse burdened as be was showed bigns of giving out, In mercy to the struggling easts they were compelled to slacken down to & more moderate gallop. The distance between the parties now re- mained for some time the same, neither in- creased nor diminished, Meanwhile the sun had set and with a rapidi- ty peculiar to Southern latitudes darkuess set- tled down over the broad prairie, shutting out from view of either party the forms of their enemies, Gradually the stars peeped forth and the crescent moon, a silyer-whita disk, beamed down with mystic light from the dark-blue vault. Only the sounds of the rapid hoof-beats were heard with strange, almost startling dis- tinctness through the silent air. Ov they sped, like swift-gliding shadows under the spectral light of the moon—with nerves tense and lips compressed—their heads bowed to the breeze that now blew strongly from the west. There is a sudden cry from the lieutenant who rides slightly in advance, With the er he pulls the reins before lying loosely on his courser’s neck till he rears again. Directly in front is dimly seen a dark glittering mirror that ripples along between shallow banks. Within this liquid mirror shone fathoms deep the myriad stars, and the pale crescent moon, fora ing a second firmament in the shadowy — oa eranger a plunge into these calm, clear waters would seem like taking a last farewell of earth and its vanities. It was Sam who broke tha silence ercated by thisseemingly fatal discovery. _ He reined in his horse alongside his com- panion’s and took one look at the stream and its grass-covered banks, ‘“Psbaw!” he cried as he noted Moore's hesi- tation. ‘Dis am only a branch ob de Paycos, It am sballower ’n’ a dish-pan dis time 0’ year, Jes’ watch me.” , And with the words he gave his_horse the ur. The well trained horse leaped with the touch of the iron rowels out into the mirror-like stream. Moore expected at least that he would sink to the saddle-rim, To his surprise the steed landed as if on solid ground. The water did not reach bis knees. The soldier gave a loud laugh and without further delay urged his mare into the stream. au oe they reached the opposite side without difficulty. ‘* What a sell that was!” Janghed Moore as he reined up on the bank beside Sam. “I thought the stream at least beyond a horse’s depth.” ‘So enny one ’u’d think,” replied Sam, ** who iw no ecquaintanceship wid de natur’ ob de er see all dese prairie ribers am bery = Ri” ‘V4 ... ““ While there’s life, there’s hope. Our horses may stand it another half-hour and who knows what may turn up?” Be ceae: 4 n they galloped. Buta france stillness began to reign in the air, The breeze from the west bad fallen, The atmosphere felt dry and rarefied, and even the two riders began to breathe with less ease, “*Isn’f there something peculiar abéut the air, Sam?” inquired Moore, drawing a long breath. * ‘Yessah, I’se noticed it fur de las’ ten min- utes,” answered the negro in an anxious tone, ‘Ope to heben it mayn’t be what it seems!” ‘* Why, what is that, Sam?’ Spm was on the point of replying when at that instant they rose a slight ridge in the prairie whence they could’ see far off through the darkness, - The young soldier needed no further answer to_bis question, . Far off along the horizon spreading north and south in a -igernom at endless span, ran a song line,of. flame, glow ug sparkling, leaping wit tremendous speed Over the withered prairie. No sound was yet beard, no smoke was visible through the Ri ess, Only that endless cres- cent of glowing red flame, sweeping onward swift as a race-horse, noiseless as death—glitter- ing, terrible, subline—liko the sword of the de- stroying angel. Only one word breke from the spell-bound pair. That word came from the negro, — re-echoed thrice in a tone thrilled with despair: a “Lost! Lost! Lost!” CHAPTER IV. “A RACE WITH DEATH. Ir was an awful, yet sublime moment, There on the rounded summit of that slight ridge s the two scouts seemingly doomed to a terrible death, Before bay A c flames; behind them—a merciless foe. should they choose? The two friends were stirred by quite differ- ent feelings. | A strange terror ad the negro, Sam, whon: mere human power could never have daunted; but whore superstitious soul trembled before the mysterious forces of nature. On the other hand Richard Moore, as he sat on his/coal-black mare, his man brow bared to the hot, dry breeze, felt thrilled with a sense not of fear, but of intense awe and grandeur mingled witha certain flerce joy. He forgot the fire in his rear—be forgot the peril, even now vast and threatening, evoorins down on him from the west. He forgot all in that first glance at the lurid crescent of flame and the grandeur of its swift yet noiseless approach, He recalled his old cadet davs and the count- less histories he had read of Napoleon and the burning of Moscow. Yet now he realized for the first time what must have been the emo- tions of the great emperor, gazing upon tlie burning capital of all the Russias and exclaim- ing: ‘This is the most sublime spectacle the world ever saw.” ‘ “Is it not grand?” he cried to the trembling negro, waving his hand toward the fiery cres- cent, ‘1 would willingly be chased another ane of miles if such a scene was at the end of t. Black Sam, the Prairie Thunderbolt. em LP——L~LLL————————————— LT - = ————————— -_burden. 3 **Oh, Mars’ Moore!” returned Sam in beseech- ing tones; ‘‘ you’se be triflin’ wid Fate. We'll all be burnt—shoah’s yer libin’—burnt, roasted, scorched to a crisp—bosses’n’ all. Hebens! Only look how it rises and leaps! an’ dar—did you oe dat roarin’? Ob, good Lord! we am lost— ost! In fact, the prairie fire, at first many miles away and only rendered visible by the dark- ness, Was now getting dangerously near. The dry, withered grass was licked up by the glow- ing flames like oil. <A faint, roaring sound like the first rumblings of an earthquake became audible to the two scouts. Half the stars were blotted out by a thick, black pall of smoke. ““Surange I hear nothing of our pursuers,” now remarked the lieutenant, bending his head to one side in a listening attitade, ‘* We have halted long enough for them to be on us,” ‘*‘Dey am gone, shoah,” declared Sam, look- ing back over the dark prairie they bad tra- versed. What a contrast it was to the awful splendor before them |! As far as his gaze could pierce the gloom Sam’s remark was true. Not a trace of the enemy could be seen. **Hal I have it!’ exclaimed the lieutenant. ‘*They have scented the fire before us and have sought for safe quarters, But where can they have gone?” 4 **De riber! de riber!” cried Sam, tossirg his arms in hisexcitement. ‘‘[ hab it, Mars’ Moore —dey am in ce riber. De riber will sabe us. Back like a streak o' Jightnin’, Mars’ Moore, if you value a cool skin.” And Sam turned his borse’s head for flight. It took the lieutenant but an instant to realize the sense of Sam’s proposal. The river was wide and would undoubtedly save them from a horrible death. But could they reach it in time? ’ In their’ flight from the cattle-raiders they bad put some two miles between the river and their present stand-point. Even should they succeed in outrunning the flames, would they not be running right into the hands of the raiders? These thoughts flashed through Moore’s mind inasecond. His choice was instantly made, — ‘‘Away!” the yore officer shouted to Sam; “ Balboaz will. more merciful than those he ths h d gall he fi li gain the mad gallop—the fierce struggling of the horses through the tangled grass, The pursuing flames vanish for an instant be- hind the slight ridge. But the roaring becomes louder and more terrible like tbat of a burri- cane sweeping Over the foaming waves of the sea, On and on, as if chased by demon-ghosts gallop the two scouts. On and on! a mile is passed. And lo, the vast crescent of devouring flame bas swept over the ridge, only a mile off, Can they reach the river? _ SAA Another half mile. Our friends press on their wearied steeds with shoutand spur. With lips tense and hands clinching the reins like iron, they look not to the rear. Still the ter- rific roaring perong all description sounds in their ears. Puffs of smoke sweep by and half stifle them. | Hurrah! the river is in sight and yet un- touched. One more burst of speed—another struggle—and they are safe. But no! Sam’s horse, though the sharp spur causes the blood to flow—can go no further. A last fierce bound! bis legs totter under bim. He falls. A horrible gasping noise comes from the open mouth and with it a stream of blood. Sam leaped from the over-wrought steed in time to avoid being crushed. As he touched the ground he cried: ‘‘ Away! away, Mars’ Moore! Stop an instant an’ you am lost, ““ And leave you, Sam?” cried the lieutenant. ‘What do you take me for! My horse, though, is nearly winded, and cannot bear a double But—can you run?” ‘* Like goose wid ’m wings cut. I’se too stout for to run much,” ‘ | “Then you must run now if you never ran before. Quick! Catch held of my saadle loop and omer. It is life or death now, Sam!” Black Sam obeyed at the word. The terror of the moment lent bis limbs an unwonted agility. His terrific bounds through the long grass would have astonished an acrobat. Even the lieutenant smiled nothwithstanding the awful crisis. , And now the last solemn moment nears, The heat becomes greater and greater. The noise is indescribable. The prairie for miles before them is lighted up asin open day. Must they perish there? They dare not look behind, The flames are almost upon them. Dexsth rides at their side! The noble horse, nerved with terror, makes tremendous leaps. Black Sam holds on with awful desperation. Thank Heaven! With a bound horse, rider and Black 8am ave upon the water course’s green bank. Another and all are in the river—saved! Oh, how grateful those cooling waters to the; exhausted scouts, the panting s Gomichboo . P ah —_—s