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FOR SOME TIME 110m); AND Bo! LISTENED WITH ALL THEIR MIGHT; BU’J.‘ BEARD Home SAVE
1'83 WIND AMONG THE TALL GRASS.

 

 

White Lightning.

 

White Lightning;

THE BOY ALLY-

BY T. C. HARBAUGH,

AUTHOR or “NICK 0’ run NIGHT.” “ JUDGE
LYNCH, .73.,” “ TORNADO TOM,” “ DANDY
JACK,” “ ARKANSAW," “ GOLD TRIG-
GER,” “Krr HAREFOOT,”

ETC., are, ETC.

CHAPTER I.
THE RAID.

“ SILVER VALLEY, cap’nl
beauty?"

The speaker and his companion had just reined
in their handsome steeds on the summit of a
lofty eminence, from whence could be seen the
most beautiful valley south of the Arkansas.

It lay like a gem at their feet, with the dews
of starry night still on its millions of grass
blades, and dotted here and there with the
buildings of ranches.

Silver Valley was a “ reg’lar beauty,” and no
mistake.

“ I’m not a great band fur scenery, Texas,”
answered the man addressed as “ cap’n," as his
eyes took in the view beneath for a second.
“ Thar ar’ things purtier to my eyes nor growin’
grass an? herds ov long—horns. Fur instance,
Texas, a Wrty hoes—J

“Like hite Lightnin’,” interrupted the lis-
toner.

“ Now ou’ve struck it, Texasl Yes, like

. White Lig lining!" and the. speaker’s eyes, just
visible beneath a pair of bushy brows, twinkled
like stars. “ Silver Valley ar’ purty to me

’ only because the best horse in the hull South-
west eats its grass. He’ll be mine afore two
hours hez gone by. Bodine nrn’t‘ lookin’ fur
such visitors as you an’ 1, Texas. We’ll kind 0’
surprise ’im.”

The man finished his sentence with the coarse
laugh heard so often on the border and the next
moment the twain had left the halting—place,
and were riding toward the valley at the foot of
the mountain chain.

They were large-boned, muscular men of that
the whose actions have given to the history of
t 0 Southwest more than one page of crime and
cunning. The one Jailed cap’n was his compan-
ion’s junior by several years. His clothes did
not indicate that he was one of the noted char-
acters of that locality; they were dark brown
and ran h in appearance, from his throat to the
tops of is alligator-hide boots into which his
pantaloons had been crammed. His features,
while they denoted his character, like the pre-
face of a book, were not unhandsome. His eVes
were dark and piercing, and the only exhibition
of hair on his face was a great hunchy mustache
that covered his mouth. A hat like a New Mex-
ican sombrero was his head gear.

I‘llis companion called Texas was similarly

a .

 

Isn’t she a reg’lar

‘The rising sun dissipated the dew as the
couple rode across the little valley. They kept

t

 

close together, seeing everything around them
and occasionally they glanced at the heavy re-
volvers that made up a portion of their arma—
ment. ‘ .

“ What of Bodine should recognize you,
cap’n?” asked Texas, suddenly looking up into
his companion’s race.

They were approaching the dwellings of a
Well-tordo ranCh.

“Halli recognize you, too, Texas,”was the
reply.
we war rivals. Ha! ha!”

“ Ov course he hezn’t forgotten you. You or”
enemies still, and I’ll bet my spurs—them ez I
made Cavalry Bill pull off in the canyon—thet

er name, cap’n, is well known at the ranch.

hat d’ye say?"

“Perhaps, Texas,” was the answer, accom-
panied bya smile that lifted the bushy mus-
tache. “ But whether he knows me er not, I’m
goin’ to hev White Lightnin’ all the same; I’ll
hcv the boss hoss ov Texas ef I’ve got to kill his
owner!”

“ 0v course; an’ I’ll jes’ remark that I’d like
to hev a peep at Bodine’s gal. She war a baby
when I See'd ’er last; but that war twelve year
ago. She used to stand on a block before the
shanty, up on the Washita, a little thing ov six,
and, ez I rode by on Black Bugle, I’d grab ’er
uE jes’ like an Injun. Lor’l how she’d laugh!
S e war purty then. I’ll bet thet she’s a reg’lar
stunner now.”

There was no reply to Texas’s enthusiastic
words, for his companion had his keen eyes
fixed on the house they were approachin .

As they rode up to the porch Texas 5 ouched
his hat over his eyes, while Captain Bullet
slightlv elevated the brim of his, as if he did
not intend to hide his face from any one.

The house was unpretentious in looks, yet it
indicated thriftiness. A porch shaded by the
beautiful cree rs of the Southwest ran the
whole length 0 the front, and it was before this
that the pards drew rein.

“ Hello !" shouted Texas, at asig'n from Cap-
tain Bullet.

A moment later a figure appeared in the open
doorway. ‘

“ The gal by gracious!” ejaculated Texas,
starting, and his eyes shot Captain Bullet a fur—
tive glance. _

That worthy had started too, for the girl
was very lovely. dressed as she was in a simple
robe, that, while it concealed, revealed the ,
voluntuousness of her figure.

“ She war only a bad, twelve year ago; she’s
a full—blown rose now,” was Texas’s observa-
tion. ‘

, The girl seemed disagreeany surprised at the
appearance of her visitors, and her eyes scru-
tinized them closely.

“ Any bosses to sell or trade, my dew-drop?”
asked Captain Bullet. .

“ Not this morning. Father drove oi! all he
wants to dispose of at present, vesterday.”

“The deuce! then Colonel Bodine is not on
the ranch just now?”

“ He is not at home.”

‘a‘flHe hasn‘t sold that boss animal 0v his, box
he

The girl in the doorway started at t

. .

“ We haven’t met fur years-notsince V

 
 

  

 
  

 

   
  

  

  

  
 

 

 
     
    
 

White Lightning.

  

 

abrupt question, and her face seemed to lose
some color

“I rein? to White Lightning,” continued
Bullet, before she could s ape areply. “No,
ov course he hezn’t parted with the hoss, an’
since I’m hyar. I'd like to take a look at ’im.”

“I never show White Lightning to stran-

ers,” answered the girl, quickly. “That is
ather’s duty.”

“ We’ll look at ’im ourselves, Whar is he?”

Bodine’s daughter surveyed the men from
head to foot, and as her eyes went downward,
they rested for a second on their terrible revel;
vers.

“ I cannot break father’s commands. I dare
not show his favorite horse to you, but if you
must see him, it shall be in my presence.”

“ We’re goin’ to see ’im whether ou’re nigh
er not,” flashed Captain Bullet. “ he boss hes
a reputation that extends all through these

arts, an’ I want to see ’im, an’ totry ’im, per—

a .”

K: the last word left the man‘s lips, he wheel-
ed his steed toward a pasture in which a num-
ber of horses were visible, among them one
that looked like a skiff of snow from the house.

The girl stepped back into the house, but re-
ap red in an instant.

er glance told her that the men had already
discovered the coveted steed, and springing for-
ward, she walked beside Captain Bullet toward
the pasture. .

Texas shot many a covert glance at the girl
from beneath the rim of the sombrero. He
could not keep his eyes from her, so beautiful
she was in the pearly freshness of youth. As
for Captain Bullet, he saw nothingbut the white
horse grazing in the field ahead.

The pasture was not large, and as they enter-
ed it, a number of horses raised their heads and
looked at them.

Among this number was a large snow-white
animal whose figpre was equine perfection.

The sight of im drew from Captain Bullet
an oath that crimsoned the girl’s cheeks; but
at .tlhe same time her eyes lit up with a flash of
pm e.

She was proud of White Lightning.

When the horse saw the girl he ambled for-

ward with a joyous whinn , and when he came

up he stopped and put own his head for a
friendly stroke.

Captain Bullet and Texas exchanged glances
at this moment. The eyes of the former said:
“ This horse is mine!”

“He’s all they’ve said he was,” said Bullet,
suddenly addressin the ranchman’s daughter.
“He’s the king 0 horses. I guess I’ll take

' him I”

The significance of the last sentence could not
be misunderstood.

Bessie Bodine started back, and fixed her eyes
on the man.

“ White Lightning is not for sale 1” she cried.
r “gor sale, Dewdropi Who talked 0v buyin
1m

“ 0h! then you intend stealing him.”

“ Call it what you will, White Lightning is
mine i”

&uick as a flash after the last word Captain
B et stripped the bridle from the head of the

 

 

 

horse he rode, and sprung upon the white steed’s
back. The next instant the bit was in the cap-
tive’s mouth.

“Hurrahl. Come along, Texas!” he shouted,
and almost before the girl could recover from
the bold theft the thieves were dashin away
followed by Bullet’s own steed at full gal op.

Their departure roused the ranch-owner’s
child.

“Villains!” she exclaimed. “Because you
have left me on foot, do you think to get away
so easily with your prize? The warnings that
have reached us were nit idle ones as I now
know, although he laughed at them. Yes father
laughed when he heard that Captain Bullet ex—
pressed adesire to own White Lightning. He
owns him now, but not for long if the horse I
want does his duty.”

Bessie ran toward the little knot of horses
that were gazing with necks extended at the
thieves and their prize, and sprung upon the
back of one.

A piece of stout cord which she drew from her
pocket soon formed both bit and bridle, and the
raiders were still in full view when the chase
began.

Away went Bessie Bodine on a horse that
seemed to possess the speed of the wind. Her
long hair whipped from confinement by the
morning breeze streamed behind her. She
looked excited.

The horse that followed Captain Bullet and
Texas, scarcely seemed to touch the ground.
Bessie sat like a queen of the race~course. She
gained on the raiders.

“ She knew which horse to ick,” said Bullet,
looking over his shoulder. “ 9’s :1 hotter one,
I fear, than White Lightning, but not half so
purty. We mustn’t be bothered by the gel. I,
say We sha’n’t be, Texas.”

“ But she’ll overtake us.”

“ Ef you don’t halt till she comes up an’ give
me time to get on,” growled Bullet.

“ I’ll stop ’er, cap’n!”

' The speed of Texas‘s horse slackened, and
Cagtain Bullet kept on. ;

exas turned and faced the girl, now coming
forward like an arrow shot from an Indian how.

Rising in his broad Mexicali saddle, he held
up his bronzed hand.

“You can’t stop me!” exclaimed Bessie, and
the next instant the revolver that leaped from
her pocket covered the raider’s body.

She never stopped. Texas saw her movement
and tried to avoid her bullet by dodging, but
her finger touched the trigger as she thundered
down upon him.

There was agufl? of white smoke and a report,
and Captain ullet’s partner reeled from his
saddle and fell to the round.

“Don’t be a fool,
as the girl dashed past. “The oap’n—Cap’n
Bullet—Will kill you before he gives the white
boss up”: I ‘

“Then he shall kill me!” was the determined
re ly that came back.

he girl had not diminished the speed of her
horse one jot.

Having placed one rascal hers du combat, she
was flying on, pistol in hand, and with her eyes
fixed on Captain Bullet.

  
   

  

   

/

essie Bodine,” he shouted, .

   

    

White Lightning.

 

 
 

CHAPTER II.
LITTLE TOPKNOT.

CAPTAIN BULLET was looking over his shoul-
der when Texas tumbled from his horse.

“Jehul” he exclaimed; “the gal means busi—
nessl” and then, turning his head again, he gave
White Lightning a. pair of spurs already red.

Bessie Bodine's flushing eyes and compressed
lips told that she had determined to overtake the
terror of the ranches or parish in the attempt.

, She Curried in her right hand the revolver before

'which Tean had fallen, and her finger was at

the trigger, ready to send a bullet whizzing
through Captain Bullet’s brain.

“ I don’t want to be overtaken, only because I
don’t want to make Bodinc childless,” he mur—
mured, as he skimmed over the ground. “ I
didn’t come hyar to kill a gal, but to steal a
horse. I’ve done one ov the two things. I’d
rather not do the other, ov course; butw”

The man paused abruptly, which was the some
as though he had finished the sentence.

He Was determined to escape with his prize,
even if he left Bessie dead among the, flowers of
Silver Valley.

. Our heroine had not lost a foot of ground.
She‘ came on steadily, with her eyes fastened on
the ray trying to escape with the bes: horse in
the Southwest; she saw only the dastardly
rider. ‘

All at once a cry parted her lips.

A multitude of dark specks had appeared on
the horizon far ovol' Cu )tain Bullet’s shoulders.

“ Indians!” ejaculate Bessie, turning slightly

ale. “ I must hasten on, or the (Jonimichos will
rob me of two things—revenge and \Vhite Light-
ning. On! on, Alamo. Do your duty like a
horse of royal blood”

The animal had been straining every nerve
from the outset of the chase; Voice and spurs
could not urge him into a greater ell‘ort.

Captain Bullet also saw the objects far away,
for he stood erect in his stirrnps, and was shad-
inf},r his eyes with his great bronzed hands.

‘ Ten thousand bufflcr!” he exclaimed almost

' at the same moment that Bessie had ejaculated
“Indians!” “They’ll get between me an’ the
camp before I can gain the ford. I’ve got to
break fur the hills.”

The “ hills” were for to the horse—thief’s right.
' On high ground he would be safe; Where he
was the approaching: herd would certainly
trample him beneath them, grind him to powder
as it were.

The specks on the horizon had become a mass
that seemed to extend for miles. and as Captain
Bullet veered a little to the right he heard the
faint detonations of rifles.

" Jes’ cz I expected, Injuns behind them
humor!” he said. to himself.

Bessie soon discovered that her prey was rid—
ing; from the straight course he had held from
the commencement of the race. She knew that,
once among the hills, she would in all probabil-
ity lose him.

‘ “ I must catch him before he reaches the

timber. The Comanches must not get between

1331” she said.

Comanchesl The girl's eye had deceived her,
but not for long. A long distance stretched be-
tween her and Captain Bullet when she became

 

undeceived. Rifle—shots and Indian yells had
come over the advancing herd to her ears. A
dozen puffs of smoke were continually rising
over the backs of the buffaloes, and the im~
mense herd, shaking the earth with its trend,
was coming toward her with the awful cer-
tainty of doom.

The daring girl did not realize her new danger
until escape seemed almost impossible.

“Fate favors the villain!” she exclaimed.
“He is going to reach the hills while Imust
turn and fly or my life. Never mind, Captain
Bullet, we will meet again. I’ll keep a load in
my revolver for you!”

The ranch-mvner’s daughter shot the escaping
desperudo a farewell glance and reined in her
steed. The horse wasglad to stop; his wind
was gone; he had been terribly tried.

“We must go back, Alamo,” Bessie said, ad-
dressing him. “ We were the hunters a minute
ago; we are the hunted now.”

Tue steed hounded forward at her command;
he strained every nerve, but the thundering
herd, bellowing like mad. gained on him. ,

Bessie looked back. Despite her courage her
cheeks blanched; a, brave man would have
groaned with despair.

One of the largest herds of buffaloes she imd
ever seen was u on her. Behind and on its
flanks still rose ndian yells and the whiplike
reports of rifles. She could see the figures of
the red hunters rising and falling like the bil-
lows of an ocean.

And there was not a single, opening in the
shaggy ranks!

“Heaven help me!" involuntarily rose from
Bessie’s lips. “.Alamo has been tried to his ut-
most. He is doing all he can now; but it will
not save us.” I

This was true. The horse realized the danger
that menaced him, and needed no spurs to goad
him to his utmost. With bloodshot eyes and
heaving chest he was doing all he could, but all
the time he was losing ground; his powers were
completely spent.

“ Ve’ll die facing them, Alamo!” cried Bessie
at last. “We’ll turn and trust ourselves to the
all-seeing eye."

She turned the horse, which 121an his front
foot in the ground and snor defiance at the
herd. It was a terrible moment. The girl did
not expect to esca .

“I’ll do my best!” she cried, leaniu forward
with the revolver in'her hand. “ hey shall
feel Bessie Bodinc's welcome as they come up.”

She could speak no more; the thousands were
about to trample her to death. I

Lowering the pistol, she fired once, twice,
three times, in rapid succession stcaight into the
faces of the leaders of the band, and then as the
lowered heads were about to strike her steed,
she sprung upon his back and leaped over the
front horns! '

It was a terrible venture, and one she had

~ formed in the twinkling of an eye.

Hor lean carried her clear over the first rank,
nnd she alighted among a. lot of moving banks.
The herd had already trampled Alamo to death,
and if she had not clutched a. knot of hair upon
F7251]: her hands tell, she would have shared his

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White Lightning. N 5

 

Bessie was forced to drop her revolver in
order to cling the closer to the buffalo, which
all “2? while made desperate efforts to shake
hero .

She clung to her new seat with all the energy ‘

of despair; it was her only hope, for to fall
would be to die.

The excited herd thundered on, urged forward
by the scarlet hunters mercilessly slaughtering
those on the outside.

Suddenly a wild cry peeled from Bessie’s
throat.

A human bein was approaching her—a per-
son who bonnde from back to back, like one
leaping from one cake of ice to another on a.
winter torrent.

The girl could not believe her eyes. There
was some delusion; no person would be mad
enough to attempt to cross the backs of a thou—
sand enraged hufl’aloes.

No; the Strange sight was no delusion! The
[caper came nearer and nearer, as if he was on
accustomed ground; his fearlessness and agility
amazed the clinging girl.

In one hand he clutched a revolver.

He looked like a young Indian, for he wore
soveral feathers in his hair; but all at once the
girl started.

“ A white boy)” she exclaimed. “ Oh,
Heavens! the herd is dividing under his feet!
He tottersl he loses his footing! Now I am
lost!"

Bessie Bodine shut her eyes, for a gap had
suddenly yawned before the youth; she saw him
stagger, and even heard his cry of surprise.
But she did not See the wild leap he made all at
once, nor see him clear the chasm to alight
again on the backs beyondl

When she opened her eyes she saw the young
adventurer bending over her.

“ A white girl 1” she heard him exclaim.

“ Yes; I am Bodine’s child.”

The boy’s eyes dilated.

“Then you must be gotten out of this,” he
said. “ Let me keep you up.”

, Bessie did not need his assistance, but scram-
bled to her feet, and braced herself on the but-
falo’s back. He was a strong, manly youth, her
would-be preserver, and from a quick glance
over the herd his eyes returned to her.

“Have you been clinging to one bufl'alo all
the time?" e asked.

it Yes.”

“ Just as I thought. You have weakened him.
His companions have pressed past him.”

“ I did not notice t at, ” replied Bessie. “ I
knew that I had to keep my perch or be tram-
pled to death.”

“ Your buffalo is near the rear of the herd,"
continued the boy, not noticing her last words.
“ I think we can divide them now.”

He stooped as he finished and thrust the re-
volver forward. The next moment a dull re-
port was heard and a buffalo reeled. Although
shot dead the huge animal was carried on a few
feet by the impetuosity of his companions; but
he broke the compact ranks.

“Are you ready?” cried the boy, looking into
the gap thus formed. ’

Bessie said “ Yes.”

    

 

He lifted her from theback of the buffalo and
sprung to the ground.

“ Saved! thank Heaven!” she exclaimed.

Yes, she was saved, for the herd was thun—
dering on, goadcd to desperation by the Coman-
ches who pursued to kill.

“ So you are Bodine’s child?” said the boy,
looking into our heroine’s face. “You are the
Wild Rose of Silver Valley ?"’

“ 1 never heard myself called thus before,”
said Bessie, blushing. “ But who are you?”

“ That’s rather difficult to answer; I ess,
though, that I’m who the Comanches say am
—Little Topknot. But let me question you.
How came you to meet the herd?”

“ I was following a horse-thief.”

“A raider! Captain Bullet probably.”

“ Ahl it was that villain!"

The boy’s eyes seemed to flash. ' .

“ What did he do?” he asked, trying to sup-
press risimr anger.

“He took our best horse—W'hite Lightning."

“White Lightning, eh?" echoed the youth. as ’ V

if the name was not unfamiliar to him. “ He’s
at his old tricks again. I would like to meet
him. I owe him a debt that I’m itchingtopay.”

Bessie caught the boy’s arm.

“ Then you will help me?” she cried with en-
thusiasm. “ We will hunt the miscreant to-
getlier.”

“ I will stand by you through thick and thin;
but we’re going to tackle the greatest devil in
the Southwest. He’s the chief of the Red Hoods
they say.”

Bessie’s look now became an inquisitive stare.

“ The Red Hoods?” she echoed “ I never
heard of them.”

“ Well, I have,” was the significant reply.
“ We’ll know them before we get through with
Captain Bullet. Mark my words. But my
friends are coming back. They’ve given up the
chase.”

Bessie followed the boy’s glance.

The red buffalo-hunters were coming back.

CHAPTER III.
AN ENFORCED BARTER.

THE sun was going down on the day that wit-
nessed the events just recorded when aman,
well mounted and accompanied by two cattle-
herders halted before the most pretentious dwell~
in on Bodine’s ranch.

%ne of the [trio was Bodine himself, a stern-
looking man of forty, with eyes like an eagle.

The deor of his house stood open, but nobody
ran out to Welcome him home.

“ I wonder where m pet is?” he ejaculated;
as he dismounted “ S 9 never served me this
wa before.”

btill suspecting nothing, he took ofl’ the sad—
dle-bags, that seemed to be very heavy, and
entered the house. The herders exchanged
glances, as if they had certain suspicions stowed
away in their heads.

All at once Bodine rushed from the house,
pith rage and disaster visibleon his blanched
ace.

“Bessie hasn’t been in the house since morn-
ing!” he said. “ Something has happened. The ,
pasture will prove it.” '

Bodine sprung past the rancheros, and ran

 

 

 
 
 
 

    
  
   
  
   
  
  
 
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
    
  
   
   
 
  
  
  
  
   
  
   
  
  
  
   
  
 
   
   
   
 
   
  
    
 
  
    
   
 
 

 

6 White Lightning.

 

tU'VIH‘d the clearing. _At sight of him a troop of
horses came up as if for inspection.

“ White Lightning; isn’t here, neither is
Alamo,” he said, aftera look at thu herd. “ My
child and my best horses have disappeared!
Woe to the thieves!"

He went back to the house in a dazed sort of
way. Jack Bodine loved the beautiful girl
whom he called his daughter, and tho imawe of
the wife he had won with knife and pistol in his
wild days on the Mexican border.

The herdsrnen had not ‘followed him to the
pasture, but awaited his return before the

- rancho.

“ Go and get fresh horses—at once!” said B0-
dine. “ My child has been carried off. I think
I know where to find her.”

One of the men was so inquisitive as to ask:

" Where?”

“ You shall discover if you do not prove cow-
ards!” was the reply. “Did you ever see that
before?" and he held up to their gaze a silver
whistle.

The two rancheros shook their heads.

“ Never heard it, either?”

Another shake.

“ Well, I have. Captain Bullet, my old friend,
didn’t know when he rode away with Bessie and
White Lightning that he was leaving a clew be~
hind. We are going straight to his camp. What!
are you afraid to follow me?” \

The men had started at the great horse—thief’s
name, hence Bodiiie’s question.

“ If you don’t want to go I'll leave you here
to take care of the ranch,” he continued. “ I’d
just as soon go alone, anyhow. Yes, you will
stay here.”

Then the herdsmen united in a protest; but
the ranch-owner Silenced themsin a moment.

" I shall go alone! You don’t like to face
Captain Bullet. I see that. His graveyards are
not very numerous in this country, but then,
I wouldn‘t lose a drop of your blood for the
world.”

The cutting irony of Bodino’s remarks had no:

effect on the bronzed listeners, and unable to
keep his temper before their display of coward—
ioo he went into the house. ’
Night had now thrown her mantle over the
face of nature. Bodine went to his private room

’ and struck a light. As the match revealed the

apartmant. he started bacx with a light cry. It
had been plundered!

0n the floor lay several bloody cast—off band-
agés; there were clots of gore on the carpet. A
wound had been dressed there, but Whose
wound, and by whom dressed? It was amyse
tei'y that puzzled Bodine. He made a hasty
examination of the papers scattered around the
room; on every one touched by the plunderei'

were bloody finger-marks, showing that who-

elver had dressed the wound had also examined
t e n. ‘

“ They have been taken—the papers that I
vuluosohighly!” he suddenly exclaimed. “If

I w my girl knew their contents her Whole life would

become imbittered, She would not meet me
with a smile any more. I doubt whether she
would prefer me to that devil, Captain Bullet.
Why didn’t I‘destroy those papers long ago?

Like a foolyl kept them that I might be ruined

 

in the end, that W own house might unite in
my overthrow. hat shall I do now?”

a sprung up like a ti er. “ There is but one
thing left me to do, an that is to follow the
man who robbed me of my papers, and to take
them from him, dead or alive. But who took
them’!I Captain Bullet? I think not. He hasn’t
been here. Bessie would have shot him dead on
the threshold of this chamber. She knew that
I never allowed anybody to enter here, not
ever. herself. But the thief came here after
the raid with his surgeon, and stole the papers.
Perhaps he was his own surgeon. I should not
be surprised. The bandages tell me that it was
a bungled job.”

Bodine said no more, but restored the docu-
ments to the case from which they had been
taken, and left the room. Antici ting his
wants one of the herdsmen held the ridle of a
horse before the house. A single bound carried
the ranch-owner to the saddle.

The first five miles were quickly ridden over,
so were the next, and the next. Bodine‘s face
had become set. He was a. man With a mission,
and aterriblo one at that. NOW and then he
talked aloud as‘if he ad'lressed somebody riding
at his side, and a. hundred times he swore—not
to rescue Bessie-but to reclaim the stolen pa-
pers, and to bullet-bore the thief!

Jack Bodine was at the end of his sixteenth
mile when a. summons heard every night and
day on the Southwestern borders struck his
ears.

“Halt!” .

The horse stopped Without being checked by
the rein. Bodiue drew his revolver and cooked
it. Oiled though the look was, its faint click
was heard.

“ No foolishness, J ack Bodine!” said a. rough
voice that emanated from a rough head that ap-
peared between him and the stars. ” I’ve got you

whar more’n one man would like to hev you of '

yer papers tell the truth.”

Bodine started and seemed to gasp.

“ Have you got my papers?” asked the ranch-
mau of Silver Val'ey. .

“ Ef I hevn’t what would I know about ’em?
Now, let’s come to business at once. What’ll
you ivc fur ’emi”

“ hat will you take for them?” be snapped.

“ More’n you’d be willin’ to give, mebbe,"
was the reply, accompanied by a. laugh.

“ Name your price.”

“ Wal, it’s yer gal, Jack.”

“Bessie Bodine?“ .

“ 0v course! You want the papers. I want
the Wild Rose 0v Silver Valley. We kin both
be suited of you act reasonably, What do you
sa 1

A sudden thought seemed to flash across Bo.-
dine’s mind. At any rate his face brightened.

“ 1 agree,” he said. “Give me the papers."

He put forth his hand as he spoke.

“ I can‘t do that. I can’t give you the docu-
ments and wait till I git the gal. Oh, no! I
must hev the one before you touch the other.

I’ve got an eye on business, Jack Bodine. The .

gal, then the papers! I don’t want her fur
speculation; I want to marry her; I-—”

Bodiue bent eagerly forward; he thought the
man was going to mention his own name; but

   
 

 

 
 
  

     
      
        
    
 
 

  

White Lightning. "r 7

    

 

he was not rewarded. The sentence was not
finished. ,

“ I can’t give you Bessie; she is not here
now,” said the ranch-owner.

“ All you hev to do is to say thet I shall hev
her in exchange fur the papers. I’ll find her.”

“ Then you know where she is?"

i “I’ll find her I” was the emphasized repeti-
t on.

“ Curse you, whoever you are, you’ve got the
advantage of me 1” rated Bodine.

“ Come, Jack. 0 I’m to understand that
we’ve made a bargain? The gel fur the papers.”

it Yes."

“ When I’ve found the former you’ll ct the
latter; not one minute sooner. Don’t f0 er me.
It might be .onhealthy.”

The speaker’s horse whirled, he threw himself
along the neck like a Comanche, and Jack Bo—
dine sat in his saddle listening to the wild gallop
that carried the unknown away.

CHAPTER IV.
CAPTAIN BULLEr’s WORD.

WHILE Bodine sat on his horse like a person
bewildered, the man to whom he had promised
his daughter Bessie in exchange for the com-
promising documents was going over the ground
as fast as a horse could carry him.

A haughty smile wreathed his lips and there
was a flash of triumph in his eyes.

“Jack weakened when I threatened to show
the papers to them ez would like to see the
same,” said this man to himself. “ Thar’s more
’11 one skeleton in closets, even hyar in Texas.
New, to keep my part ov the bargain good, I
must find the gal, an’ in order to he able to do
thet Imust first find the ca ’n. But what at
Bessie overtook him’i—yes, w at ef he shot ’er?
Then, by John, I’ll istol him; that’s all!”

The aker r0 e all night, and the first
flusheso the new day saw him enter a camp
ovn ltlhe Washita. It was a long way from Silver

8. e . ‘

Hisyhorse was Well blown, and a dozen burly
and roughly dressed men greeted him with ex
clemations of genuine surprise.

“When did you rise from the dead, Texas?”
was the Erevalling question that saluted his
ears. “ 'e cap’n says he left you fur dead in
Silver Valley; an’—” '

“ Whar’s the cap’n?”

“ Down yonder goiu’ crazy over thet wonder—
ful boss. He hezn’t left the critter fur a min-
ute since he came back to camp. He talks
nothin’ but hoes; you can’t get his mind onto
anithing else; no use is in’. I guess we’ll hev
to ill the animile in or er to bring the cap’n to
his senses.”

The speaker laughed at the close of the last
sentence.

“Elf you don’t that hoss’ll be the death ov
him,” remarked Texas, turning from the roup.
“ I’ll 0 down an’ see the cap‘n, an’,” signi cant—
Ly, 3‘, 11 made him talk suthin’ else besides

oss

 

Texas knew where to find' the man he wanted,
for be scaled a, little knoll to the left of the camp
and uttered an oath indicative of disgust as he
looked upon the scene below.

Leaning complacently against a tree, with his

 

   

arms folded on his broad chest, and with his
eyes fixed on a noble white horse tethered in
front of him, was the king of raiders, Captain
Bullet. His eyes had the look of greedy tri—
umph that misers have when they survey their
gold; and Texas saw at once that his infatua—
tion had not been overdrawn.

“ I’ll break yer dream, cap’n,” muttered -
Texas, descending. “ You’ll want to talk boss
——that’s nat’ral under the circumstances~but
jes’ now I prefer another subject.”

A minute later the two men stood face to face.
Captain Bullet was surprised to see alive and
before him the man he had left for dead the
day before.

“ I hevn’t got much use ov my left arm at
present,” exclaimed Texas. “ It bled like J ehu, '
an’ then I bed to dress it myself. The a1 swept
down on me like a thunderbolt. Sie never
heeded my orders, an’ the last I see’d her She
war ridiu arter you, (:ap’n." .

Captain Bullet smiled.

“But thet boss was too much for her,”ex—
claimed the raider, turning to White Lightning.

“ Look at that neck, Texas, an’ those 3 es!”

“ Good, I’ll admit, cap’n; but I’m kinder in-
terested in the gel.”

“I’ve looked him all over, an’ thar isn’t a
blemish on him,” continued Bullet. “He out-
winded my horse long before we struck the .
cam ; he-—”

“ ap’nl” interrupted Texas, in a tone that
could not be disregarded. “ I’m hyar arter in-
formation, an’ when you hev imparted it you
kin look at thet piece ov hossflesu till Gabriel’s
horas, calls Texas to jedgment. Whar is the
ga .

“.I don’t know.”

“ Whar did you leave ’er?”

“Ridin’ fur life from before ten thousand
buffler.”

Texas gas d. .

“ Honest njun, cap’nhyou didn’t kill her?”

“She didn’t come within revolver-shot, er I
might,” was the reply.

“ Tell me about the buffler,” said Texas.

In a few words, while he kept his eyes fixed
on the wonderful horse, Captain Bullet related
his adventures since his separation from his
companion in the theft. Texas listened silent-
] , without losing a word. He knew that the
ging of the Raiders was speaking the truth.
Captain Bullet’s manner of speech was proof of
this. -

“ Now tell me what you saw the gill last,” said
Texas, at the conclusion of the narrative.

The raider did so.

“Now look at the boss to yer satisfaction.
cap’n,” said Texas, turning awa . “ But don’t
you think he’ll prove the cos 'est thing you
ever owned?”

“Why Texas?”

“ You know Jack Bodine?” V

“ 0v course I do, an’ he knows Captain Bullet,
late 0v Tans.”

“Will thet knowledge prevent him from try-
in’ to git White Lightning back?” queried Texas.
“Will it keep him fnom huntin’ you with his
finger on his trigger, an’ his eyes s’archin’ fur
yer heart? Thet white boss, purty ez he is,
cap’n, ar’ goin’ to prove the most troublesome

y

       
         
     
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
  
  
   
 
  
   
  
  
  
  
   
   
  
   
   
   
 
  
  
   
  
 
    
  
   
    
  
   
 
   
     

    

 

 

White Lightning.

 

piece ov animile flesh you ever saw. I’m no
prophet but you kin mark my words all the
same. They sha'n’t cost you a red.”

Sparks of fire seemed to flash from Bullet’s
eyes. He took a stride forward, actually turned
his back on White Lightning. and laid his
bronzed hand on Texas’s shoulder.

“I’ve r’iled the old man,” said the wounded
man. “ It’s comin’ now.’ ”

“ You’re a prophet ov evil, Texas 1” be an the
raider king; ‘ but I don't care a snap ur yer
words. I want Jack Bodine to hunt his horse.
I’m goin’ to send ’im word to—morrow thet I own
the best animal on the Texas border, an’ thet
I’m goin’ to keep ’im in spite 0v everything.
Won’t you carry the message?”

“Me? I’ve got other business to ’tend to.
Carry it yerself, cap’n."

“I will!” cried the raider. “ By Jehul I’ll
deliver my own messa e to Jack Bodine, an’
that from the back ov’ bite Lightning. That’s
a grudge between us thet hez to be settled.”

“ You would kill ’im, I s’pose,” remarked
Texas.

“ Worse than that l”

“You’ll do no sich thing with Jack Bodine
until the trade between us hez been made.”

Captain Bullet opened his eyes.

“I’ll kill ’im on sight!” he flashed, his face
growing darker.

“Then, cap’n, you’ll never git to ride White
Li htnin long.”

11 oat fell from Bullet’s figs, and, springing
back, he laid his hand on the utt of a revolver
that protruded above his belt.

There was a menace in Texas’s look as well as
in his words.

“We’ve been pards fur fifteen year, cap’n ”
he continued, calml . “We‘ve hunted, sto e
an’ killed together; ut when I say that of you
kill Jack Bodine afore I give you leave to. I’ll
kill you, I mean every word 0v the remark I”

Texas had stepped forward; the faces of the
two men almost touched.

“ I’ll do as I please,’ grated Captain Bullet.-

“We’ll seel” exclaimed Texas, and the next
moment his huge revolver was held against
White Lightning’s head.

A single bound had carried him to the horse!

Captaln Bullet uttered an exclamation of hor-
ror, and every vestige of color left his face.

“ You wouldn’t kill the horse, Texas?” he

gasped-

“Try one! Draw yer weepun, er say ag’in
that you’ll do 92 you please. Jest repeat that
remark of you want to test the matter. I’ve
transformed you into a tombstone hev I? You
ought to hev the words ‘ Scared to death ’ carved
on our forehead!”

hese were bitter words for Captain Bullet to
listen to, but what else could he do? The bronzed
finger of Texas was on the trigger, and a slight
pressure would send a ball whizzing through
the white horse’s head.

“ What’ll you do, cap’n i” ueried Texas.
“Will you refuse to kill Jack 'ne until I say
‘ kill?’ er—J’

“ I promise.”

“ Sw’arl”

u The oath of the border fell from the raider-’9
p8. .

 

 

The menacing revolver dropped, and Texas
stepped back. As he did so the eyes of the
twain met. They understood one another; they
were friends no Ion er, but enemies.

Not another wor passed between them. Tex-
as Went over the knoll.

“ Now fur the gall” he exclaimed. “ N ow fur
the Wild Rose 0V Silver Valley, who is to be the
wife of Texas.”

He left the raider’s camp as silently as he had
entered it one hour before. He rode a fresh
horse in whose limbs speed and strength were
combined. The morning winds lifted the brim
of his sombrero, and toyed with the long hairs
of his handsome mustache. Des its his dress,
he looked like some modern A onis. But he
was a devil.

He had scarcely disa peared before Captain
Bullet astonished the enizens of the camp by
appearing among them mounted on White
Lightning.

‘ To horse! thirteen ov you!” he exclaimed,
and in less than ten minutes he was surrounded
by a baker’s dozen of the terrars of the Texas
ranches.

“ Hev you get yer hoods?” he queried.

Thirteen different voices said:

(A Yes.”

“We are goin’ to visit the kin ov Silver
Valley—the renowned Jack Ending,” he went;
on ‘ I want to tell him that I’m the man what
stole his horse.”

The thirteen exchanged looks. “Now we’re

off l” shouted Bullet as he touched the white.

horse with a spur and away the wild hand went
down a river path.

The sun was going down the western slope of
the skies when fourteen grotesque objects Well
mounted neared the ranch.

They were men who were red hoods that ef-
fectually concealed the face. The only open-
ings in the masks were peep-holes for the eyes.

They drew rem before the building.

” Hello l” shouted the leader of the band.

A man appeared on the porch, but at sight of
the dread party he uttered a wild cry and re—
treated. But revolver had already covered him.

“Whar‘s odine?" demanded Captain Bullet.

“ He left the ranch last night. He is still
awa_ .”

“ You lie! I’ll bring him out.”

Time next second the outstretched revolver
spo e.

 

CHAPTER V.
ROBBING A THIEF. V

IF Bodine was anywhere‘about the remises
the pistol—shot would be certain to bring im out;
but its echoes were the only sounds that saluted
the cars of the thirteen.

"Went oflf last night, eh?” ejaculated Cap-
tain Bullet, recurring to the murdered herder’s
last words. “ He’s huntin’ his white boss some
what, I s’pose. I’ll jes’ leave a line fur ’im one
thet he’ll be sure to see of he gits back hyar
alive.”

. The speaker reduced from underneath his
{locket a piece 0 paper large enough to hold in

is bold chirography the words ‘ Compliments
of Captain Bullet. "

Then away went the red hoods headed by

7 I'd-1

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 
 

. expect to find you in this

 

   

White Lightning.  f o

 

their leader chuekling over the welcome that
would greet Bodine should he ever return alive
to‘ the rancho.

They did not draw rein again until they
reached the little camp near the Wishita, where
the horses were unsaddled and turned out to

graze.

Captain Bullet led White Lightning to the
beautiful spot below the hill where he had held
his last interview with Texas, and there until
thewee sma’ hours of the ni ht he remained
rubbing his prize’s faultless imbs. He knew
that he had the best horse south of theArkan-
see, and one which he had coveted a long time.

“ What did Texas say about this hoss becom-
in’ troublesome to me?” asked the captain of
himself, as he paused a moment at his labors.
“A trouble? I’d like to see somebody try to take
’im from me. I would, by J ehul”

“Then you won’t trade under any circum-
stances?” said a voice at his elbow.

Bullet wheeled upon the speaker, who stood
like a statue against the nearest tree.

“ Who are you, and when did you come?” he
demanded, as he drew and cooked a revolver.

“I’ve been h ar an hour more‘n less," was
the answer. “ m on a boss expedition up the
Washita. My handle is Tom Sava e, com—
monly called Comanche Tom Whar ’m best
known.”

Bullet was not satisfied; his eyes tried to read
the speaker’s heart, and his finger twitched at
the trigger of the revolver.

“ You ve been watchin’ me then?” he flashed.
“I couldn’t help it, cap‘n, fur it’s 8. might
valuable hoes thet a man rubs down at mi -
night; a critter worth his weight in gold, I

should say.”

The raider king glanced furtively at his

prize. .

“A likely hoes mine is,” he said, assuming a
careless manner. “ Whar’s yours?”

“A piece down the river.’ I didn’t think I
war so, nigh a camp till I heard you talkin’ to
yer hoss While” you rubbed ’im down. I know
Wu jes’ ez Well oz of I war one ov yer boys.

hen I see’d you I said: ‘Thar’s Cap’n Bullet,
gie’man I saw clean out the Rio Dolores in Santa

e.
“ War you them asked the captain, quickly.

Comanche Tom nodded.

“ Don’t you want to j’ine my g‘angl Lots ov
good bosses like thet one in this entry. I like
to hev my friends of the Rio Dolores fracas with
me.

“ I can’t j’ine," was the answer, which seemed
to add a malicious flash to Captain Bullet’s look.
“ I’ll go back to my boss an’ proceed. I didn’t

entry, cap'n, but
since I’ve met 9, I’m glad to leave you pros—
perm’. Lots ov osses like thet one hyar, you
say? J es’ whar might I light on one?”
‘ At nearly any ranch in Silver Valley.”

Tom Savage for the first time started.

“ Am I nigh thet place?” he asked.

“ Yes, but why?”

“ Never mind, cap’n. I’ll jes’ go on my way
re‘oicin’."

he man drew back with his keen eyes fixed

‘ on the raider king, and vanished like a specter;

‘catch ’im. Tom Savage!

“What makes me so narvous?” exclaimed
Bullet, when he found himself alone. "I’ve
seen them eyes afore, but not in Comanche
Tom’s head on I knows of. Ef he war atthe
Rio Dolores thet ni%ht, he might know more
than I want ’im to. very now 311’ then some
feller turns up what War that. I’ve killed ten
0v ’em fur dead men tell no tales, an’ now I’m
faced by another. He showed sense when he
refused to j’ine my gang fur he’d sign his death-
warrant by doin’ so. Got a boss down the river,
didn’t he say? He’s capable ov lyin’, an’ I’m a
fool ef I leave him esca e me now.”

With a glance at hite Lightning, Captain
Bullet glided away in the direction taken by
his unexpected visitor. The night was not very
dark, and he could see his way quite well.

As he moved toward the river his ears were
on the alert for sounds.
ever he was, had eluded him. He was not at
the river, and after cursing him in the pale
Eminlight on the bank, the raider king went

ac .

“The man war a fool to think thet I’d trade
White Lightnin’ fur another piece ov horse—
flesh," he said as he approached the place where
he had left the prize. “Mebbe he thinks 0v
comin’ back an‘ stealin’ ’im, er perhaps——”

The sentence was not completed.

Captain Bullet stopped and turned white, his
eyeballs seemed ready to leap from his .head,
for on the spot where he had left Bodine’s horse
there was nothing. Nothing? Yes, a piece of
rein hung from a tree; that told the tale! .

White Lightning had been stolen from himl

Bullet stood like a dazed madman foremo-
ment. He could not realize that the wonderful
horse was not before him; but the cut strap
brought him to his senses, and a minute later
the little glade rung with the most terrible im-
precations that ever disturbed its serenity.

Captain Bullet was now a madman in reality.
He saw that Tom Savage had outwitted him,
for be doubted not the identit of the man into
whose hand White Lightning ad fallen.

What if it was past midnight? He roused the
camp and horrified its inhabitants with an ac.
count of the daring theft.

“ To horse!” he thundered. “We’ll chase
thet thievin’ skunk to the rookies but what we
War at the Rio
Dolores he said. I want every man what war
thar!”

The horse-thief‘s followers always obeyed his
commands. In less than five minutes thirteen
mounted men were at his disposal. It was now
near day.

“ Afore we
said Bullet, ad ressing his men. “
ye ever hear ov Comanche Tom?”

“ I did, cap’n," said one.

It Wen?”

The raider king faced the speaker.
“ Whar did you see him last?”

" Dead in the Red Hills kentryl” - l
“ Dead,” exclaimed Bullet starting. “ Don't
talk about suthin’ you can’t substantiate. Co-
manche Tom ar’ no more dead than I am at this
minute.” ‘

“ Then ef a man kin git a new set 0v brains

 

in other words he seemed to dissolve in thin air.

an’ resume blzness arter he hez lost the first

But Tom Savage, who— '

o I want to ask one gduestion,"
any 0V '

      
  
  
   
   
   
  
   
 
     
 
    
   
   
 
  
  
 
     
    
 
  
   
  
   
  
  
     
    
       
   
   
  
   
   
  
   
    
  
  
  
   
   
   

/

   

 

1o , ‘ White Lightning. _

  

 

supply; I’d like to know the receipt; that’s all,
1

on n

Bullet drew a long breath, and then leaned to—
ward the man who had just spoken.

“You mean well enough, Sam,” he said:
“ but I beg leave to inform you thet Comanche
,Tom war hyar an hour ago, an’ stole White
Lightningl”

‘ An‘ I want to tell you, once fur all, cap’n,
thet I killed Comanche Tom in the Red Hills
kentry five year agol I know what I’m tallcin’
erbout !” '

The chief of the horsestealers straightened
slowl .

“ Then who stole the white boss?” he cried.

“ Thet’s what I’d like to know, since I killed
Comanche Tom myself, an’ I never had to shoot
a teller twice—never, cap’n. War the thief a
tall man?”

” Not over five-seven.”

“ That settles it. Tom Savage war six-one in
his moccasins.”

“ Then I’m goin7 to know who deceived mel”
roared Bullet. “ Whoever he is, he knew thet I
didn’t know Comanche Tom. It warn’t very
li ht whar I met ’im, but still thar war suthin’
u out his eyes thet looked natural. He’s my
enemy. Now we’ll find ’im!"

Reins Were hastily gathered up, and the band
was about to leave the raiders’ camp, when a
. loud voice startled every one.

“ In 'uusl”

Ca in Bullet’s men looked at their leader.

“ hey come at a bad time,” he said, in no
tghood-humor, between his teeth. “ Whar are

9y?»

“ Jest over yonder. They’re Comanchcs. I take
it, ef I kin see the sign the chief holds up.”

Every raider looked over the speaker’s arm.

Morning was breaking once more, and on the
summit that overlooked the camp appeared the
apparition of a horse and his rider outlined
against the lightening sky.

“ It’s Black Mustang!” ejaculated Bullet, after
a glance. “ That’s no tellin’ how many braves
back ’eml He’s holdin’ up a builder-tail. I know
the signal.” _ .

Up went Captain Bullet’s right hand, and the
red—skin disappeared.

A‘minute later the hill-top bristled with
mounted Indians, and, with a hundred wild
yells a vast cavalcade dashed down upon the

cam .

Th2 raider king watched them for a moment
from beneath his shaggy brows, and then a
startling cry escaped him.

“ Curse my luck!" he said. “ The buffiers
didn’t kill the gel, arter all, fur hyar she comes.
right down into my camp l”

CHAPTER VI.
A BOY AVENG-ER.

WE left Bessie Bodine, as the reader will
recollect, on the plain just after her timely res-
cuefrom the buffaloes by the white boy who
called himself Little Topknot, and now we see
her riding with the Comanche band into the
camp of the raiders.

She had discovered that her rescuer was an
important person among the red-skins, many of

 

whom treated him with adeference due only,

7

 

 

one would have supposed, to their leader, Black
Mustan . She had already been made ac-
quain with a portion of the boy’s life. She
knew that he was one who had cause to hate
Captain Bullet. If he was a foundling, he was
also a chief—a boy chief—among the Coman—
c es.

Since her rescue she had scarcely once thought
of her home; for but one desire had animated
her, the recovery of White Lightning’s the equine
king of the Southwestern borders. Therefore,
Little Topknot had induced her to postpone her
return home, for he promised to hunt with and
for her, and his speech to the red buffalo—hunters
had enlisted them in her cause.

These events in brief account for Bessie’s ap-
pearance on the outskirts of Captain Bullet’s
camp. The amazement of the leader of the Red
Hoods was indescribable. He had last seen her
doomed to death by a thousand Indiamhaunted
buffaloes; now she was entering his camp if not
for revenge, for what?

“ Thar be flfty Comanches behind Black Mus-
tang,” said Captain Bullet, addressing his men.
“It’s a huntin’ an’ not a war party, but the
may be bent on mischief all the same. Watc
‘em. an’ watch me, too. Ef I 11ft my right hand
proceed to bizness. Don’t miss a shot an’ shoot
fast. We wiped out forty Snakes once in five
minutes. New hyar they ar’.”

The raider could say no more, for the Coman—
ches were before him and the stalwart figure
and haughty countenance of Black Mustang
rose from the saddle directly in front of him.

"’ Well?” began the captain. “ To what sar-
cumstances ar’ we indebted fur this visit?”

Black Mustang rose in his stirrups.

“ The white girl wants her horse,” he said.
sending a quick glance at Bessie, whose eyes
were flashing a world of hatred at the raider.

“ Her boss!” echoed Bullet, in his rough, in-
sulting tone. “ I hevn’t got the gal’s hoes.”

“ You stole him, at any rate!” flashed the
ranchman’s daughter. “ You and one I your
tools invaded the pasture the other a and
forcibly took White Lightning from it. 0 not
lie to me, Captain Bullet. I witnessed the theft.
but had it not been for the buffaloes, I would
not be here demanding the return of our prop-
erty, nor would you be capable of telling a
falsehood. Give me back the horse, and we will
let the future pay the debt of vengeance."

While the girl spoke every eye was fastened
upon her. She never took hers one second from
the person she addressed.

“ Thar’s my camp,” said Ca tain Bullet, wav-
ing his bronzed hand towar the raiders’ re.
treat. “ Go an’ s’arch it. Ef you find yer hoss
he'snvours, but I’ll say hyar that you’ll not find
1m

“You’ve hidden him in anticipation of my
visit.” , ,
The man laughed. -

“ I thought you war dead!” he said. gruflly.
“But, since you ar’ hyar, I grant you the free-
dom ov Camp Washita. Go an’ look fur yer
boss my Valley Rose.”

“ Your eagerness tells me that search would

rove fruitless,” she returned. “ Captain Bul-
et, I am not friendless. The red warriors you

see behind me are my allies. Now where is my I

.V -"

      
  

 

  

 

    

White Lightning.

    

1!

 

home? Stop! don’t lift your right hand—the
old signal to your killers.’

The last words came over a revolver which
had suddenly covered Captain Ballet’s head. It
was held by Bessie Bodine’s hand, and he was
lookiii into it with a thousand fears.

The Iifting of that weapon had caused others
to leap upward. Without orders the thirteen
had drawn their pistols; but not one was raised
against the girl, for their leader's lite hung on a
thread.

“My horsel quick! where is he?” demanded
the irl.

“I don‘t know,” snapped Captain Bullet.
“ What a man don‘t know, he can’t tell, kin
he?’

“ He doesn’t know thet’s a fact,” said one
burly fellow. “ The boss war stolen from the
camp about an hour ago.”

“ Stolen, and by whom?" asked the girl.

“ Thet’s the question; the thief called himself
Comanche Tom- but—-—"

“ Comanche Tom!” echoed a. voice at Bessie’s
ri ht. “Torn Savage alive? Impossible!"

he eyes of the raiders were turned upon the
speaker. He looked like an Indian boy of seven-
teen, but his voice and his eyes told more than
one that underneath the paint on his face was a.
skin as white as theirs.

When Captain Bullet’s gaze rested on the boy
his eyes said: Who are you? But the youth
continued before his lips could frame the ques—
tion he evidently desired to ask.

" “ The thief was not Comanche Tom,” he said.
“Tom is dead. He died at the fact of Dead
Chief Mountain in the Red Hills country.”

“ You’re right thar, youngster!” exclaimed a
milder. “Comanche is dead, fur I wiped ’im
on . ,

“ You! Who are you?” exclaimed the boy,
our friend Little Topknot. r

“ Sam Yost, or Silver Sam 0v Shasta ten year
ago.

" And you killed Comanche Tom?”

“ I did, by hokey l”

The boy raised his arm. Sam Yost did the
same, but the avenger was too quick for him;
and as the youth‘s revolver cracked, the
lfiody of one of the Red Hoods fell from his

orse. '

It was a vengeance as swift as it was terrible!
The twelve raiders glanced at their leader. His
face was white, his eyes flashed fire; but the
resolute girl still covered him.

“I am Comanche Tom’s avenger!” said the
boy, addressing the startled raiders. “ I have
a right to be such. and the man who questions
that right will follow the murderer from Shasta.
So the man who came and stole the White horse
from Captain Bullet called himself Tom Savage.
eh? He lied; I buried Tom myself where I
found him dead. Iain no Indian as you men
know by this time; but when you touch me you
touch the whole Comanche nationl I ought to
kill that man Bullet.”

Captain Bullet started and rated his teeth.

“ Take ’em l” he cried. ‘ I’m defenseless.
Murder me like you’ve jes’ murdered Sam
Yost.”

“ No! Let the future bring us together I”
was the response,

 

“Jes’ ez you like,” said the raider, “not ez I
care particularly; but why you hate me I can’t
ima§§uefl

“ ou can’t, eh?” roared Little Topknot.
“Look back and see whether you ever lefta
baby boy fastened to a bare rock two thousand
feet above the sea level for the eagles and the
kites; and ask ourselt' if you did not kill a. man
named ColonelV Santa Fe in the infamous Rio
Dolores on that night which all who were there
will never forget.
Bullet?”

The raider could not speak. His look wasa
stare, and he seemed on the point. of reeling
from his saddle.

“ Convicted!” cried the boy, covering the Red
Hood chief with accusing finger. “Convicted
and condemned. I am the boy left to the mer—
cies of the scavengers oi’ the air, and I am the
son of Colonel Santa Fe. You seem to see all,
now! You believe that Comanche Tom saved
me from the kites.

headl I don‘t want you now, Captain Bullet;
but my time will come.” ‘ ’

A terrible impulse of rage drove the border

horse-thief erect in his stirrups despite the pis~,
tol that still covered him. He no longer saw
the ranchman’s daughter, cool, collected, and
with outstretched revolver; the statue—like Co—
manches also seemed to confront him no longer,
he saw only the boy avenger. ,

“ So, you oi" the boy I gave to the birds?” he
roared.
fool toleave you on the rock; but the matter
can’t be helped now. You want my life? Take
it now, ef you want it!” .

“ No!” said Little Topknot, resolutely. “ I
want to take it under other circumstances.

“ Lower your pistol.” he said to Bessie. “ We f ‘

can do nothing more here. Black Mustang has
some business with Ca tain Bullet.”

The chief of the rai crs seemed relier when *
the girl’s revolver had ceased to cover him; but '

his brow darkened when he saw Bessie and his
young enemy withdraw. For a moment he and

is men exchanged significant glances, and more
than once his right hand seemed on the point of
being raised to give the signal for fight; but the
rank of stalwart red-skins between him and the
youn couple kept the member down.

If ie attacked the Comanches he might lose
White Lightning, and his chances for , getting
even with the boy. ,

Little Topknot and our heroine rode over the
hill, down which the red band had galloped a
short time before. Not a word was spoken un—
til they had reached a. spot half a. mile from the
raiders’ camp.

“ You failed, Bessie.” said the boy. “ The
white horse is still lost.”

“ Yes. Did you believe him 3” she asked, with

- eagerness.

“ I believed him. The man Who stole him was
not Comanche Tom, for he is dead. I am burn-
ing to know who he  I will know! You want
to return to Silver Valley, do you not?”

“ Only for a season. Father will miss me; he -

will become wild.”
“ Then we will go down to the valley.”
She looked fit him, . ‘ .

‘ x.

What do you say, Captain.

He did, and that is why yon -
‘mun lies at his horse’s feet with a bullet in his

"You are Santa Fe’s son? 1 war a ‘

 

 

 

 

  

12

White Lightning.

 

 

“Of course I’m going with you,” he said,
answering her look. “ Your foes are mine new,
are they not?"

Bessie did not reply, and they rode off to—
gether. *

At the first stream the boy removed the paint
from his face and became himself again.

“ Ah! Silver Valley I” suddenly exclaimed the

irl.

g The next moment the sharp report of a rifle
awoke the echoes of the gulch from which they
were just emerging, and as Little 'l‘opknot
pitched forward with a groan, Bessie’s horse
plunged away like mad. The sudden lungc un-
seated her, but she clung to the heavy mane,
and was forced along,r at a rate that made her
brain reel.

She could not look back, but a horseman was
following her just the same. He was a bronze—
faeed, rough-looking uthlete, who rode like a
person born in the saddle. As he neared Bessie
the smile of victory broadened on his face,
and when he darted at her horse’s rein, he
laughed.

His strength alone checked the frightened
steed.

Bessie looked up and saw a. face not alto-
gether unfamiliar—that of Captain Bullet’s
companion in his raid on the ranchol

Yes, her eaptor was Texas.

“A fool for luck!” he ejaculated. “Jack kin
hov the papers now for I’ve got the gall”

CHAPTER VII.
ONE PART OF THE TRADE KEPT.

“BY Jove! it was a trick that sm-ceededl I
didn’t kill the rascal although I had him in my
power. I’m leaving him for the future. One
of these days I’ll bring: him down at the head
of his raiders. Then I will lau h to see him
throw up his hands and fell baczward with a.
death‘yelll I had him last night; yes, I had
him under my revolver, five minutes, and yet
I didn’t drop the «1: g. I contented myself with
robbing; him of this horse. Now he will hunt
me. So, Comuucho Tom, you'll have to look
out for your carcass.”

The speaker was approaching Bodine’s rancho
on the morning after the theft of White Light-
ning from Captain Bullet.

A great bronzod follow he was. His face was
covered bya (lurk heard that resembled the
mattodnmne of a lion. He rode the famous
horse once the pride of Jack Bodine’s rancho in
’ Silver Valley, and the animal galloped OVer the
plain as if proud to carry the man he bore.

Before the rancho the man dismounted and
sprung u on the porch, to start back with an
exclamation of surprise.

“ Who’s been h'ere?” he exclaimed, tearing up
the paper on which Captain Bullet had scratch-
ed his compliments. “So you’ve visited these
parts, my toe?” he went on as he read the
words. “I’ll serve you the same trick one of

 

these days.”

' The man entered the house. grating his teeth
as he crossed the threshold. He walked straight
to Bodiue’s private room as though it was a fa.-

" miliar locality to him.

V “ I’m back again!” he said, in a different tone
from the one in which he had lately addressed

 

the chief of the raiders. “Curse this dis ise!
I make up pretty well as Comanche Tom, utin
my own house I must be Jack Bodine.’ ’

While he uttered the last sentences he busied
himself with tearing of)? the heavy beard that
covered his face, and all at once be cast it on
the table before him. Then his true self was
again revealed. It was Jack Bodine.

“I’m back again, and without the papers;
that’s what maddens me!” he went on, clinching
his hands. “ They’re dearer to me than the
girl—than Bessie. even. The loss of her couldn’t
hung anybody; their loss could. I’ve modes.
bargain; yes, I offered the girl to somebod in
exchange for the document, to a. man w ose
voice I did not know, and whose face I could
not See. He had me before his revolver: but I
didn’t care. so much about that. He knows the
value of the papers] Ay, there’s the rub. Bes-
sie Bodine, you’re the best girl that ever
breathed, and I‘m the man that wouldn’t lift a.
finger against you; but, my God! they’ve
dragged me to the edge of a precipice, and then
what will a man not do to save his own neck?”

Jack Bodine dropped into the chair before
which he stood. His face dld not possess a ves~
tisse of color, his eyes stared like a man’s before
which a ghost had risen, he shook like a, reed.
In short, the horse king of Silver Valley was
com leter unnerved.

hot great crime revealed in the stolen
papers could hold such a terrible sword over the
ranchman’s head? He had never quailed before
the cocked revolvers of'border desperadoes; but
now, in his own house, he did not possess the
nerve of a child.

All at once he started from the chair and
grasped a revolver which he had transferred
from his belt to the table.

Some one on the outside had certainly shouted
his name.

. As he moved toward the door he staggered a.
little, but grew steadier as be advanced. Ho
wasconiing back to his former self.

He reached the threshold to be greeted by a
voice already familiar.

“ Hyar you ar‘, Jack?”

Bodine could scarcely believe his eyes.

Seated on a horse just beyond the porch was
the man with whom he had made the infamous
bargain. The ranchman was sure of it; the
voice and the man’s contour satisfied him.

“ l’m back—that is, we meet ag’in, sooner
than you expected, eh, Jack?” said the man—
Texas~with a. coarse laugh.

“ You hevn’t forgot the trade?”

“I couldn’t if I wanted to,” was the response.

“ You’re still willin’ to stan’ b it?"

“ Did you ever know Jack Bo ine to lie?”

“ Only once.”

Bodine started.

“ Who the deuce is that man, anyhow?” he
asked himself, and then he said aloud: “ When
was that?”

“ Never mind. You want the
got the girl.” -

“ You ve-got—Bessie? Oh, you—”

The ranchman paused. He had lea ed Over
the dead man still on the porch, and wit cocked
revolver and flashing eyes was facing the man

\

papers? I’ve

 

on horseback. For the moment he was thirds. I

   

  

 

White Lightning.

13

 

ing only of Bessie; the stolen papers and their
importance had entirely escaped his mind.

‘ Don’t tiger me, Jack,” said Texas, with a
coolness that mollifled Bodine’s rage. “ I don’t
scare worth a picayune! I’m hyar to keep my
part ov the barg’in. Hyar is the (papers?

As he finished somethin‘ passe through the
air between them, and fel at the ranch—owner’s
feet. ,,

Bodiue stooped with a cry of joy, and picked
it up. He he] the precious papers in his hands
once more!

Texas watched him with strange interest as
he counted them over.

“ All 0. K.. kurnel?” he asked.

I “ They’re all here.”

_ “ Then food-byl Keep your Word. I’ve kept
mine. 1’] treat the girl well. She Shel heva
ranch tonier than this one by—and~by. Don’t
try to break the agreement. he a man ov yer
word, J ack.”
, The ranchman did not seem to hear: he stood

in the shadows hr the porch creepers like a man
in a trance, and it was not until Texas was ac-
tuall leaving that he realized that he had sold
the ild Rose of Silver Valley for a few com-
promising pa rsl

“No! no! can’t keep that trade!” he sud—
denly cried. “Bessie is Clara’s child, and she
would rise from her grave if I sold her daugh-
ter. Haltl man, or evil, whichever you arel
I repudiate the bargain! Take these infernal
papers and show them to the governor. Give
me back the girl, and I’ll give myself up to jus
tice. r ‘

L‘I‘exas heard these words, but never turned
, his head.

He was already beyond pistol-shot, and
White Li hning had returned to the pastures
from whic Captain Bullet had filched him.

“Halt!” repeated Bodine in a louder tone.
“I break my word! I lie for the second time.
I can’t sell Clara’s child. By the gods of van

eanjcel I’ll follow and kill you if you touch
er.

Then Texas seemed to beer for the first time.
He straightened himself in the stirmps and
whirled upon Bodine.

“ You are welcome to kill me, ef you kinl”
he said. “I’ve bought the girl, an’ I mean to
keep ’erl The Wild Rose ov Silver Valley
hyarafter blooms fur Texasl"

He neutered the house, flung the papers upon
the floor, and set his heel upon themes if he
would grind them to powder.

While thus exhibiting his passion, a figure
sprun across the porch and uttered a cry that
made ,odine turn.

“Who are you?” demanded the rauchman,
sprin ng forward.revolver in hand.

“ yname is Little Topknot,” was the an—
swer’r. “Don’t you Want to find your daugh-
ter

The ranchman stopped and stepped back.

“Where is she, boy?”

“I’m goingto help you find her after you
have dressed my wound l”

“ So you’re wounded?"

‘-‘ Look for yourself.”

The youth opened his ljeoket and displayed a
' ,_ shoulder covered with b 00d.

 

“ It’s lucky that it wasn’t nearer my heart,
he said smiling as Bodine gazed.

The ranch king of Silver Valley had dressed
wounds before, and while he attended to the
bOV’s needs the two chatted incessantly.

Suddenly Bodine paused in his work and
turned pale.

“ What’s up?” asked Little Topknot, and then]

he added, “Oh, you’ve seen my tattoo. Do you
recognize it?” I

And Bodine answered in a voice not a Whit
like his natural tone: ‘

“ Recognize it? Of course I do. I knew your
father. Love made us enemies.”

 

CHAPTER VIII.
CAPTAIN BULLET MYSTIFIED.

IT was not until Black Mustang and his party
had retired from the raiders’ camp on the
Washita that Captain Bullet fully recovered his
senses. His men were swearing all around him;
they had raised the corpse of Sam from Shasta
and carried it from beneath the horses’ feet.

“ Let ’em be. Dead men can’t touch a trig—
ger,” suddenly cried the raider. “ The boys
thet we leave behind will laut them decently.
We a1" goin’ now. Black Instang kept us hyal‘
long enough.”

" W'e kin overtake the boy and his gal pardl"
ventured one fellow.

“Let ’em go for the present. I’m goin’ to
find another man first.”

The men stared at their captain.

“I mean Comanche Tom, the man who stole ‘

the boss animile 0v the Southwest from me,”
exclaimed Bullet.

The countenances of the raiders fell visibly;
but without remonstratiug they lifted the reins
and waited for orders.

A moment later thirteen men were riding/

through the little grove from which Bodine
alias Comanche Tom had taken White Light-
ning. The keen eyes of Captain Bullet. soon
found the trail, and away the party went with
their leader’s eyes listening with vengeance and
anticipated triunufh. ,

The sun came up and soared toward the zeni

th ,
but not a line was drawn. The trail still led

them on. e

“ Whar is the thief taking us?” suddenly ex-
claimed Captain Bullet.

“To’ards Bodine’s ranch, cap’n,” was the re«

5’- .

On, still on across the waving grass of Silver
Valley, until the buildings of the noted ranch
rose before them.

“ Mebbe Comanche Tom is Bodine’s pard,”
murmured Bullet. ‘* By J ehul I’d like to find the
two together. I’ll finish the work begun in the
Rio Dolores ef I do.”

There was no voice to assure him that Tom ‘

Savage was dead, for the man who claimed to
have killed him lay dead in the camp by the

river.

“We’ll make a. detour b ar an’ come upon the
shanty through the tim er,” he. said aloud,
wheeling to the right.- ,

To reach the beltvof trees behind the rancho
was but a. minute’s gallop, and the thirteen each
with a cocked revolver in his right ‘hand
swooped down upon the home of Jack Bodme.

- .-...._.,-—:u—»_~—-fi~.  .

,swwlr...fifs

    
 

 

 

 

    
   
  
   
   
  
 
    
  
    
   
  
   
  
    
 
   
    
   
   
  
   
  
   
    
  
   
   
  
   
   
  
   
  
   
   
 
  
 
 
 

.him for the time.

14

 

White Lightning.

 

Dashing around the house, they drew rein be—
fore the porch, and Captain Bullet called the
name of his foe.

To the surprise of all, there was a reply, and
the next instant the ranch—owner himself stepped
into view.

“Jack himself, an’ without a revolver!" ex—
claimed half a dozen raiders.

“ The fellcr’s crazy!”

Instantly thirteen weapons covered the fear-
less man; but he neither blanched nor flinchcd.

f‘lYou Wanted me, captain. I am here:" he
saw .

“ Ov course you’re thar; but I never saw you
act the fool before,” said the raider. “ Whar
ar’ yer revolvers?”

“ Where I left them—on my tables.”

“ Do you s’pose I’m hyur to talk and not to
kill?”

“ Two can play at the killing game,” Bodine
went on. “You are now covered by a rifle that
never fails.”

The chief of the Red Hoods hit his lips.

He knew the mettle that had made Bodine
one of the notorious characters of the border;
but he kept up his insolent bravado.

“ You lie. Jacki” he said “ Comanche Tom,

' yer purd, could kill but one.”

“ And that one would be Captain Bullet.”
A course laugh was the raider’s reply. His
arm. shot forward us it still rung out on the

air.

“ I’ll risk it anyhow!” he grated.

Death was in his eye and a finger that had
killed before was at the trigger; but before he
could press it a window above the )orch sud-
denly opened and the click of ari c—lock was
suddenly heard.

Bodine sprung back with a cry of disappoint-
ment, and at the raised window the raiders saw
the figure of the boy who had shot Sam from
Shasta!

He stood in full view irrcsolutc, for the bullet
intended for Captain Bullet’s heart still remain-

or! in his gun.

“Downl char-gel” thundered Captain Bullet.
“ Take him alive.”

Instantly thirteen saddles were emptied, and
like tigers the Red Hoods sprung forward.

Led by their captain, they cleared the porch
at a single bound and dashed into the house.

The charge was so sudden that Bodine had

‘ hardly reached his room before the bandits of

the Southwest were upon him. The failure of
the boy’s attempt on Bullet’s life had unhing-ed
He reached his strong room,
however, and darted at the revolvers on the
table: but ere he could turn to meet his toes. he
was hurled brick and almost instantly over-
powered.

“The boy now!” thundered Captain Bullet.
“ Does it take twelve Hoods to hold one man?”

A dash was made for the stairway, and as
the rough raiders mounted the steps, crack!
crack! went the chambers of a revolver, and
gwlo burly forms pitched downward upon those

6 0W.

“ If you don’t want your men shot down with-
out mercy, call them off,” was Bodine’s advice.
“The youngster is shooting through abole in

an iron deorl”

 

“ The deuce he is!” cried Captain Bullet,
springing away.

He reached the foot of the stair, where four ‘
dead men already lay trampled under foot by
their companions. The top of the stair was
hidden by smoke.

“ You can’t take the young wolf by chargin’
’im hyarl” he cried, throwing himself before the
muddened men about to charge the iron door
the third time. “ Go out an’ surround the
shanty.”

He hurled them back by brute strength, and
saw them rush from the room.

“Your men are too late, captain,” said Bo-
dine, gs the raider rejoined him. “The boy is

one.

“ Not yet,” was the response.

“ Count your horses and see."

Captain ullet sprung from the house, but a
moment later he came back swearing like a.
dru con.

T ere were but twelve steeds before the porch,
and several adventuresome desperadoes who had
scaled the roof were saying from the windows
above that the room With the iron door was

omlpty. , V
he ranchbwner’s eyes glittered with fero-
cious triumph as he listened to the report,

“Well we’ve got you, Jack!"suddenl cried
Captain ullet. “ Do you want to face 1: 9 two
governors?” »

“ I’m not afraid to face a. dozen.”

He had fallen into the clutches of a. man
who had been his enemy for fifteen years,
and, as the sun sunk lower and touched the rim
of the horizon, he seemed to be busy with his
thoughts.

Constant] watched, although he knew it not,
by Captain ullet, he rode through the lovely
valley where the second happy period of his life
had been passed—that through which Bessie had
cheered him.

The cavalcade suddenly halted.

They were in the center of a little grove above
whose loftiest trees towered the hills of the
Southwest. At a Sign from Captain Bullet, the '
raiders dismounted. -

He seemed to understand what they signified.
His grave was to be dug.

Nor was be wrong, for at Bullet’s command, a
grave was made in the center of the valley, and

e was led to the edge of it, and stood with his
face toward its depths.

“ Are you ready, J tick?" asked Captain Bul-
let, as he stepped back a few steps and lifted a
revolver. .

The next moment the clear tones of Captain
Bullet’s revolver awoke the echoes of the se-
cluded s . 0t, and the figure of the ranchman of
Silver alley reeled for a moment at the edge of
She open grave, and then disappeared among its

ept 5.

Five minutes later the raiders rode away,
lenving Bodine in his unfilled grave, for not a
particle of earth had been thrown upon him.

“How did I come to furgit that ?” exclaimed
the chief raider, mechanically reining in his

horse.

He left his men and rode back. Myriads of
stars were shining over the valley when he re«
entered it, and alighting from his horse, be up,

  

 

White Lightning.

 

preached the grave. His men had made it
shallow.

Lying‘ down, he plunged his hand into the
damp depths, but it touched nothing.

The grave was empty!

It was a. mystery that gave Captain Bullet
the look of a thoroughly frightened desperado.

CHAPTER II.
THE AMPUTATED HAND. .

THE capture and shooting of Jack Bodme,
the ranchman of Silver Valley, had resulted
from Little Topknot’s failure to klll Captain
Bullet from the window of the rancho; this the
reader well knows.

‘fIf, by any fatal circumstance, you should
fail,” said Bodine to the youth previous to send-
ing him up—stairs to cover the raider chief while
he talked to him, “ you will escape at the first
opportunity, for. since I know you, I would
not have you fall the second time into Captain
Bullet’s hands for the world. Leave the house
and take White Lightning; ’yes, take my best
horse, for you may need him.

The boy had obeyed these orders. .

After a. brief but bloody defense of the iron
door—an event just witnessed—he left the house
by crossing the roof of the rob and dropping
to the ground among the rai ers’ horses. Throw-
ing himself into the nearest saddle before his
escape could be discovered, he rode away toward
the pastureto which the white horse had re-
turned.

“ I’ll take Jack at his word,” he exclaimed,
espying the steed; “ Captain Bullet will make
short work of the lord ot Sliver Valley, and if
I don’t take White Lightning away for Bessie,
he’ll fall back into that scoundrel’s clutches.”

White Lightning was easily caught, and Lit-
tle Topknot was soon flying over the ground to—
ward the mountain passes, and the rapid rivers
of the North.

Jack Bodine he would never see again, and he
would not know why the ranchman started and
turned pale at sight of his tattoo. Brief had
been their acquaintance, terrible their separa-
tion.

“ I’ve got a task, anyway," said the boy, as he
rode along; “and that is to find and protect
Bessie. The man that put the bullet into my
shoulder must have overtaken the girl, for she
never reached the ranch. I want to finish the
career of that monster who left me on the
mountain for the eagles and the kites. Too
many irons in the fire, Topknot. You must
take some out or they will burn. You can’t
hunt Bessie and Captain Bullet at the same
time; that’s certain. You must toss for it.”

He rained in his horse and drew a gold coin
from his ket. Tossing it into the air, he
said, “Tai s for Captain Bullet: heads for the
girl,” and watched the piece descend. As it
struck the ground at his horse’s feet he leaned
over to ascertain the result of the throw.

“Heads it is! the girl first!” he exclaimed,
and darting at the coin he picked it up, and
transferred t to his pocket. “ I Wouldn’t have
turned my hand for the difference ” be con-
tinued. ‘ Such a girl as Bessie B ine’s gota
lover somewhere, and even if I help her out of
this scrape, at the risk of my life, there’ll be no

~~ -. , .

 

chance for me. Somebody would ste between
us and say: ‘Here, you young omanche;
you’ve got no business to think anything of this
al. What are you around here for anyhow?
it!’ and the girl would let me go. But I’ve
tossed fairly and she wins. I’m going to find
her, whether she thanks me or not.”

Thus Little Topkuot made a. decision which
was destined eventually to change the whole
course of his life. ,

He kept straight on toward the raider’s camp
on the Washita. Did he expect to find Bessie
there?

He entered the country of the hills as the sun
went down. .Silver Valley was behind him.

“ Halt, strangurl” came suddenly from the
shadows of the first pass into which he rode.

The young hunter drew rein and cocked hi
revolver. "

‘ That’s a fine horse you’re on,” continued the
same voice. “ Hev ye any objections to trad—
in T

Little Topknot did not answer; his eyes were
busily looking for the speaker. At the first
glilrppse of him the boy intended to give him a

u et.

“ Giv’ me an answer, er, by hokeyl I’ll hev to
swap horses with a stiff 1 Ar’ you lookin’ fur
my anatomy? No use, youngster; I’ve got the
dead drop on you.”

“Who are you i”

“ I’ll answer that.
ov the Red Hills.”

“That’s a downright liel" retorted the boy.
“ Tom Savage is dead, and I’ve killed the man
that wiped him out.”

“Then I‘m somebody else,” was the response,
accompanied by a coarse laugh which made the
boy start as though it had betrayed the man in
the shadows. “ I can’t be a corpse and talk.
Do you mean that you hev actually killed Tom’s
slayer?” '

H I do.”

“ Then we ar’ pardsl”

“ I want no partner; I’m doing business on my
own book.”

“ Wal, I wish you good-luck, but I’m willin
to j’ine hands with the chap What avenged Tom
Savage. You kin go on now." ,

Certain noises told Little Topknot that the
pass ahead was clear; the man had pulled his

orse to one side.

“ I’ll go on.” our hero said.

“ All right; turn to theleft at the end ov the
gulch.” ’

“ I'm my own master.”

The boy was riding slowly forward as he ut-
tered the last'words.

“ See hyarl” exclaimed the unseen, and out
from the shadows darted a hand that closed on
Little Topknot’s bridle-rein. “ Life lies to the
left; death to the ri ht! You avenged Tom
Savage, eh? That’s w at I like you fur. Tom
war a brick l”

The boy was gazin into the great, hairy face
that lime above the tlantean shoulders of the
SP?

I’m Comanche Tom, late

death. and don’t you furgit it I"
“ Who is there?"
“Death himself ! Isn’t that enough!”

.a er.
“To the right, I say, boy—to the right is .

 

     
  

 

 

I ’ Woman’s han

  

1 e White Lightning.

 

“ I’m not afraid.” . _

The man ground his teeth till they seemed to
crack.

“I don't often hev to save a life ag’in’ the
owner’s will,” he said, “ but I’m goin’ to do you
a favor whether you appreciate it er not.
Don’t object; act decently.”

The white boy of the Comanches could not re-
alize his real situation until he found himself
being led down the pass by the stalwart man
in the other saddle. A great bronze hand ke t
an iron gripe on his rein, and from amid t 9
hair that covered the unknown’s face, a pair of

v glitterin eyes looked out.

Little opknot was too amazed to' speak, and

not a word was said until the couple had reach—
’ ed a certain spot a few rods beyond the pass.

“Now you kin proceed," said the bearded
rough. “ I’ve saved yer life, an’ only because

on killed the man what shot Comanche Tom,

he best horse-thief south 0v the Arkansaw.”

' The hand had already left the rein, and the
stalwart preserver had straightened in the
saddle.

“One word,” said the boy, eagerly. “Who
are you?”

“No! You caught me in one lie about my
name, to-night. I won't try to tell the truth.”
b “"3Uit yourself,” was the response. “Good-

The hand of bronze waved an adieu as the
girl-hunter turned away.

“Another enigma l” muttered Little Topknot.
“This country is full of them; and every one,
somehow or other, is connected with Tom Sav-
age, the king of horse-thieves in the Southwest
--but the man who snatched me from the
wolves of the air. When I shot Sam from
Shasta, I did every one of Comanche Tom‘s
pardsa favor. Hello! I‘m followed."

The boy stopped and turned his head; the
rapid gallop of a horse was heard. It seemed to
be coming straight toward him. He took out
his revolvers and waited.

“ There’s likely to be a corpse in that saddle,”
he said, quietly, as the horse came on. “I’ve
been stopped once to—night; no living mortal
shall stop me a ain!”

He was in a ittle valley beautifully revealed

,' by the moonlight, and into it the strange horse
sprung almost suddenly from the shadows that
' la toward the pass.

he saddle was already empty!

“ Ah! I am not to be stopped, but I will stopl"
said Little Topknot, and, rising in his stirrnps,
he waited for the horse.

The animal had slackened its gait as if its
fear was passing away, and, when it espied the
handsome white horse ridden by the boy, it
came forward with a neigh.

' Little Topknot seized the bridle and stopped
the steed, but the next moment he uttered a
cry of horror and dropped the leathern rein.

A dead hand was c in ing to the bridle, and
from the hideous stum lood was still oozingl

If it had been the her hand of the mountain
desperado. Little Topknot would not have
turned white' but, on the contrar , it was a

d, white, delicate and s apely!

he tried to loosen its gripe, but imvain: it clung
to the rein with the tenacity of death itself.

“It is Bessie Bodine’s hand! I would know
it among a thousand, although I haven’t seen it
a dozen imes,” he exclaimed. “ I did not dream
that she was so near and in peril. The man
who stopped me in the pass knew all about her.
He wanted to keep me from finding her; he
succeeded. I let him lead me where he pleased,
like a fool. I’ll find him new and y him back,
and I’ll take with me the hand of essie Bodine,
which I will hurl into his face.”

As he finished, the boy cut the rein and se—
cured the dead hand. Then he struck the
strange horse with his spurs and sent him on.

“ Curse the devils that cut off Bessie’s hand!
I‘ll have more than one life for that devilish
rleedl I’ll shoot them down without mercy 1"

He was riding back now. When he reached
the mouth of the pass, he did not stop, but kept

on.

All at once an outburst of laughter assailed
his ears and made his eyes flash.

“ I’m nearing theml” he hissed. “ I will show
them that a girl’s hand, even in these parts,
cannot be cut of! with impunity.”

The laughter betrayed the presence of some
kind of a camp to the boy, and a few minutes
later he came n n it almost abruptly. In the
light of a fire urning on the ground sat ten or
twelve as rough-looking fellows as ever shot and
stole in the Southwest. The blaze revealed
their stalwart figures and showed the boy the
greasy cards they were manipulating. They
were resting in fancied security, for note. guard
protected the camp.

Little Topknot rode forward through the
mountain grass, that was as a velvet carpet to
his horse's feet,

When he stopped he leaned toward the fire
and thrust forward his revolvers.

“ Hello, demonsl” he cried.

Instantly a dozen heads were lifted, and an
insgant later as many men sprung up and stared
at 1m.

“Draw and die,” came over the boy’s lips.
“Where is the girl Whose hand on cut oil!
awhile ago? Where is Bessie B 'nei Don’t
stand like statues before me. Talk I”

“ We hevn’t seen a girl since we left the Injun
cam on Cavalry Creek,” was the response.

“ ou lie!”

“You kin say that, stranger, when you’ve
got the dead drop on the Crested Jaybawks 0v
Texas, but jes‘ giv’ us a show, an’ repeat them
words. of you dare!”

Little Topknot’s look changed.

“These men are innocent. I’ve rousod the
wrong camp and made new enemies. ' The
Crested J ayhawks. eh? To me they look more
like human ti ers.”

Then he ad essed the men.

“ I’ll take you at your word,” he said; “but
I’ll find the amputator of Bessie Bodine’s
hand!"

“ Kee out ov our way. You’ve insulted the
Jayhaw s by calling ’em liars. You’ve got to
apologize.”

The boy, who had 10Wered his revolvers,
quickly raised them again as the Jayhawks

 

e beamed at the horrible object several
moments are he ventured to touch it. Then

r.“

strode forward.

 
   

 

 
 

White Lightning. ‘ - I V '1’?

“Stand backI” he cried.

“ Apolo ice!”

The boy 3 eyes flashed.

“ A Comanche never takes anything back!”

r he said. “I’ll be avenging somebody if 1 fire

on you. You’ll shoot me when I turn my back
on you.”

“ We may!” was the menace.

“Then I‘ll open the ball.”

Little Topknot lowered his weapons just an
inch, and the next instant he was sending death
from both revolvers straight into the ranks of
the Ja hawks.

The order rufilans reached from that steady
fire which seemed to kill at every second, and
before the death-freighted chambers could be
emptied they fled pell-mcll into the shadows,
leaving the boy chief of the Comanches in pos-
session of the field.

“ We’ve got to leave our battleground!” he
said, addressing his horse. “ Like cowards that
(121118 ,are, the Jayhawks will shoot from the

ar .

He turned White Lightning’s head, and
throwing his body under the strong arched
neck, after the manner of the Indian rider,
dashed away like a thunderbolt.

The movement had not been executed a mo-
ment too soon, for the J ayhawks opened on him
with their revolvers, but he escaped untouched
perhaps to fall before them at another time.

CHAPTER X.
A FIRE FIEND.

 

THE white Comanche did not select any par-i

ticular road to safety but gave the equine king,r
of Silver Valle both rein and spurs and trusted
all to him. he horse carried him away at
breakneck speed, and the boy was satisfied. He
had. too much to think about to watch the
course of the horse.

Miles from the cam of the Jayhawks, White
Lightning stopped 0 his own accord, not ex—
actly to blow but to raise his head and snuff the
air.

This action roused the boy.

“ Somebody coming, eh ?” he ejaculated as he
sent a look of defiance over his shoulder.
“ Maybe the J ayhawks have turned hunters. I
hope they have. I am quite ready to meet
them I” and he clutched the butts of the two re—
volvers, loaded once more and ready for the

fray.

But the border bandits were not on his trail.
He was being approached from the front, but
by whom? The horse had already told him that
some one was coming.

Behind him were the hills from whose fast-
nnsses he had just ridden for his life; around
him grew the tall ’grass of the Southwestern
valleys. It touched his stirrups, green, soft
and beautiful.

“Down!” he saidtothe horse. “ You have
been Jack Bodine’s property long enough to
know that this ass can hide you.”

The comman was not a new one for the
white steed, for he knelt and then lay on the

- ground with his eaves blazing, and his ears set to

catch every soun
Little Topknot ,, stooped beside him with his

fingers at the triggers.

 

, the incendiary.

For some time horse and boy listened with all
their might; but hoard nothing save the wind
among the tall grass. Still the did not move.
‘Vhite Lightning began to 100 disappointed;
his iulwlligront eyes told the boy this.

“ Never mind, l‘ll trust you," Little Topknot
said. “You heard something coming, a stray
bufialo, perhaps; but something nevertholrss.”

Before the sound of his last word llud died
away our hero started. A horse was gallopin,
through the grass; the sound which he ha
heard a thousand times while with the Coman-
ches could not be mistaken.

Nearer and nearer came the horse. .

Little Topknot ventured to poop throu h the
top blades, and he saw what 175' oxpocted see
a man on horseback and alone, but whether red
or white he could not distinctly make out.

“ He’ll sit for his portrait presently,” he mur-
mured as he gazed. “If he comes straight on
he will pass within twenty feet of me.”

As if to oblige the boy'the man kept straight
ahead: but all at once he rcined in his steed forty
feet away.

“ Who’d want ’im?” the boy Comanche heard
him exclaim in a tone that make him start. '
“ Who’d drug a karkiss from a grave? [Thet’s
what I’d like to know. Mebbe, arter all, I
only winged ’im. He might hev hed life enough
left to oran out an’ drag;r himself toward the '
hills. He may be somewhar in the grass waitin’
fur strength to creep on. By J ehu! at I thought
so, I’d fire the valley. The grass is green an’
soft I know; but it’ll burn jes’ the same. They
bumed me out of Blacksnake Valley arter the
Rio Dolores affair with jes’ such grass ez this. I
lied to ride for my life an7 my boss lost half his
tail by the fire! Whewl thet war yer closest
shave, Cap‘n Bullet.”

“ Captain Bullet! my enemy!” fell from the
boy‘s lips. “ Who does he want to burn out?
Ah! I’d like to know before I proceeded to let
him know that I am nearer than he thinks.”

“ Let me see. W hioh way ar’ the wind?
To’ard the grave I had dug fur him! I’ll light

’ up the valley jcs’ fur the fun ov the thing.”

“ Not while I can prevent!” grated Little Top-
knot. “The wind is blowing against my face.
If you fired the grass, villain, escape for me be-
comes almost impossible.”

This was true. The Comanche boy knew the
deceptive nature of the rass that surrounded
him just as well as Cap in Bullet did. Al—
though green and soft, good food for stock, it
would at any time burn like powder, and es-
pecially when the fire was fed by a strong wind.

Captain Bullet laughed when heleaned over
the grass. He was going to burn out awounded
enemy; no; he intended to burn him up.

Little Topknot sprung erect when he saw the
raider bend over to fire the blades. He even
started forward, but a sudden thought made
him stop. He was deserting his horseand unless
he slew Captain Bullet before the fatal match
was struck escape without the horse was not to
be thought of. '

He went back and at his command White
Lightning left the‘ground. The boy gained the
saddle as the steed established his footing.

“ Now I have you!” he cried, lookini toward

‘ With your last mate in your

 

‘ I deuly cried the boy.

 

18 White Lightning.

 

hands, Captain Bullet, I’ll avenge the murder of
Colonel Santa Fe.”

As the boy’s pistol went up a spark of fire
leaped ever the top of the grass forty feet away,
then another and another until he saw a blaze!
At the same time Captain Bullct’s horse sprung
away, carrying with him a man who kept his
body bent toward the ground as if he was car~
rying a torch through the grass.

The villain was doing nothing more nor less!

“ The old trick! I’ve been a fool!” exclaimed

Little Tepknot, who seemed rooted to the spot
by the terrible discovery he had made. “He
learned from the Comanches how to make a
grass torch in a second, and how to fire a valley
with it while he rides at breakneck speed! But
I’ll catch him yet. I’ve got the best horse, and
I’ll spatter his brains along the edge of his last
fire!
, The torch which Captain Bullet now and then
waved over his head to give it new life showed
him to the young avenger, and burning to reach
the desperado he urged his horse away.

The blades were too pliable to obstruct a
horse, and, with the wind blowing athwart his
face, the boy rode for the chief of the Red
Hoods.

Already a line of fire was eating up the grass
at his left hand, and the roar of the fiery sea
was assailing his ears.

Captain Bullet had obtained a start that was
greatly in his favor, and Little To knot was
compelled to ride parallel to the haze, for it
had established a scaniet wall through which no
horse could break.

Hissing and roaring like a thousand demons,
the fire swept onward; but the boy saw only
thevflgure flying on beyond the blaze. Once or
twice White Lightning flinched, for, with wild
eyes and distended nostrils, he was trying to
help his master on to vengeance, although he
felt the attempt a futile one.

“I must stop! the fire will master me!” sud—
“ Captain Bullet escapes
me for the present, but not for long!”

White nghtniug was not loth to stop; the
horse knew the awful peril that now menaced

hem.

The boy looked at Captain Bullet no longer;
he saw but the mad sea of lire almost at his side;
he felt the heat of the blaze on his check.

The valley was (loomed to destruction, and
with it the wounded enemy, todestroy whom
the raider had fired the grass.

“ You can outrun the fire, White Lightning!”
cried Little To )knot, patting the horse‘s
heated neck. “ ow let us beat the rascal’s
flamesP’

No spurs were needed to urge the white steed
on; he flew from the fire like a rocket; but, at
the same time, the flames seemed to gain new
impetus.

“Aha! we’re going to escape to avenge!”

‘ Little Topknot said more than once. “ We’ll
find Bessie dead or alivo, and pay with bloody
interest the hand-stealers.”

Suddenly the boy stopped; there were fires on

.1 his right, and the valley was blazing in front of
him. Little bunches of blazing grass carried
before the wind had ignited the prairie in a

thousand places!

A

I x

 

White Lightning turned his head and looked
in uiringly into his young rider’s face.

‘ We must go back and run the gantletl" said
the boy, shutting his teeth hard behind the sen—
fence. “ If we go on .we will become hemmed
in. Back we must ride, to do or to die!”

~It was a terrible resolve, but the only manly
one under the circumstances.

Little 'l‘opknot turned the white horse toward
the original fire. Then be bound his cap over
the animal’s mouth to keep the fire breath from
his lungs.

“ Ready!” he shouted.
death!”

Away plunged the horse headed straight for
the fire. He did not swerve an inch. The next
moment, as it seemed, a dark mass was swal-
lowed up by the roaring sea of flame; but a.
second later it fell from the torment to sink
upon the hot ashes and an ob'ect that hada
human shape disengaged itself mm the mass
End dropped with a groan in the wake of the

re.

Captain Bullet, seated on his horse far away,
was drinking in with boisterous glee, the de-
struction of the lovely valley.

He would have laughed louder if he could
have witnessed the result of Little Topknot’s
gallant attempt to pierce the fiery barrier and

me.

“Now for life—or

 

CHAPTER XI.
WHAT THE FIRE DID.

THE flrc kindled by the hand of the raider
chief, continued to sweep across the little valley.
Driven southward by a brisk wind from the dis—
tant hills, it seemed to gain momentum and de—
struction as it roceeded. Hundreds of animals,
roused from
fear—stricken, from the oncoming sea of fire,
which devoured everything as it advanced.

Captain Bullet had halted on the summit of a
rise, so that the rand sight was below him.
His eyes blazed With’revenge, for he felt that
Jack Bodine had now surely perished.

“ I leave my mark behind to-night!” he ex-
claimed, gathering up the lines. “ I’m rtial
to fires like this, as more than one man news.
Now let anybody say thet I heven’t finished the
prince ov Silver Valley, jes' let ’im remark in
my presence thet Jack Bodine is alive! He’s
down yonder somewhar, black ez the grass, an’
£6 ,dieil, too, cussin’ the man who killed Santa.

e.

The fire had ceased to roar for the raider; it
was far away, burning still, but gradually get—
ting out of fuel.

He turned his horse’s head toward the camp
on the Washita, but before he could start, a
loud hello came to his ears.

f Captain Bullet turned and looked toward the
ire.

“One 0v my Hoods!” he exclaimed. seeing
the object between him and the sheet of flame.
“What ef I’ve wiped out my men? What——
No! they wam’t in this valley when I struck the
match!” ,

He watched the approaching horseman with
strange interest; it made. him hold his breath;
but when the man drew rein before him, Cap-
tain Bullet reeled away with a cry 0! horror.

eir grassy coverts, were flying, .

 

 

White Lightning.

    

19

 

That man had passed through a furnace; so
had his steed. The beard of the former had
been burned away, his face was black and blis-
tered, and his garments held the smell of fire.

“The cap’n!’ ejaculated this hideous appari-
tion of man. “Why, you hevn’t been touched!
By Jehu! you must have been behind the fire,
while we Were riUht afore it.”

“ Before it? Where ar’ the rest ov my men?”

“ Back yonder, all in a heap, cap'n. We
stopped to Wait fur you; you went back to the
grave fur suthin’ you know; an’ so WP'dlS-
mounted fur a game to while away the time.
We never thought once 0v fire, an’ we didn’t see
i it till our bosses begun to snort and act like mad
critters. Even then we said we war in no dan-
ger, fur the Wind war in our favor; but it
turned quicker nor yer could snap yer fingers,
cap’n, an’ came down on us faster nor an ex-

ress train with the thi'ottlewalVe wide open.

5 never stopped to rake in the last pot. you
bet, but skip d fur the bosses, kickin’ an’
plungin’ like unatics. Jes’ nfore we reached
em they ot loose, an’ by the spurs ov Absalom!
cap'n, 0 they went—all ’ceptin’ Pecos, hyar,
the best boss in the gang.”

0919mm Bullet grated his teeth.

“ har we war, the,fire comin’ down upon us,
hn’ with only one hoss for ten men! What did
we do? We skipped, but thar never lived the
man thet kin outrun a fire like thet. I kept
even with the boys although I bed a boss.
Cap’n, the fire overtook us; the boys turned an’
cussed it to the last an’ I left ‘em when I saw
the last one fall down on the ashes. I ain’t ez
handsome ez I war yesterday- an’l am hyar
through a miracle. I’m goin to live fur one
object; to hunt down an’ kill the man what
fired the rass!"

Away rom the fire and into the night rode
the chief of the desperadoes. Behind him at a
slower gait moved the fire—scorched horse that
bore toward the last resting~ lace of the Red
Hoods the survivor of the band).

Big Horn Dick, as he was called, did not mut-
ter or laugh as he rode over the ashes. Perhaps
he was going back to bury his comrades.

All at once his horse shied and retreated from
some object on the ground.

Dick urged the animal on again, and leaned
forward to examine the cause of fright.

“A boss an’ hyarl” he exclaimed. “ I didn’t
know thet any 0v our animiles made fur the
fire. Why, the critter is alive, an’——”

“I, too, am living, thank Heaven!” inter-
rupted a voice, and a human figure rose at the
horse’s side. “ The hand of Captain Bullet has
failedto rid the world of me. Iam livingto
peg him for the past. Who are you?”

ig Horn Dick could not find his tongue for a
minute. He could only stare at the person who
had advanced to his horse’s head, and who stood
there with a revolver in his right hand.

- “ Who are you? I am Little Topknot, spared
by Cap’lin Bullct’s last fire for revenge. Out

with your handle, or I will leave you with my
horse." '
“ Don’t touch the trigger, fur a bullet in the
head onfits a man fur bizness," said Dick. “ I’m
rds. who yesterday
’m Dick Jasper from

the last ov the twelve
war bloomln’ like r0563.

 

the Big Horn kentry, er, in other words, Big
Horn Dick. What war thet you said about
Cup’n Bullet?”

“ I say that he fired the grass thet withered
his hated band.”

“ Cap’n Bullet?” echoed Dick, as he fairly
gasped to think that a few moments since he
might have taken vengeance for his pards. “ Do
you know thet fur sart'in, T opknot?’

“ I saw him strike the match,” was the an-
swer. “ But he didn’t expect to burn you, nor
me. He was after somebody who has escaped
from a grave somewhere.”

“Jack Bodine!”

It was the boy’s turn to start.

“ Tell me about that!” he said, looking up into
Dick’s face.

“ Not now, not hyar. We kin be pards in the
vengeance bizness. I’m perfectly willin’ to j’ine
bands with you. What do you say?"

Little Topknot did not hesitate, but put up
his hand, which was met half-way by the black-
ened and hlistered hand of the outlaw from the
Big Horn.

‘ Pards!” exclaimed Dick with pride as he
pressed the boy’s hand. “ VVe’ll never shake
one another, nor run from a foe. Get yer boss
on hls feet.” .

Little Topknot heaved a sigh.

“ My horse has just died. His last act was
to carry me through the fire. Captain Bullet
has stolen him for the last time!”

“Why, 7tis White Lightnin’!" cried Big: Horn
Dick, who had leaped to the ground. “ Do you
know, boy, thet hyar lies the boss what war the
innocent cause 0v the death 0v my pards?"

“ I believe you, but you must explain.”

“ I will, but not hyar as I said. We ar’ pards
—— ards! Hello! what’s this?” ,

ig Horn Dick had picked up something
vilhite which had lain at the edge of the saddle-
s irts.

“ Oh, that? Give that to me!” cried Little Top-
knot, springing at the find, at which the Red
Hood was staring: with distended eyes. “ You
must not touch it.”

“ War it yourn? No, you’ve got two hands,”
said Dick. “ 1t b’longed to a woman.
did you git it?" ,-

“ ptliero among the hills. It is Bessie Bo—
(line’s land.”

“ Bessie Bodine’s, eh? Thet’s whose you think
it is?" and Little Topknot saw Dick Jasper
smile.

“What do you know about it?” cried the boy.
“ You know something, and you must tell me,
or here and now our mrtnership ends forever!
If that is not Bessie odine’s hand, say so, and
tell me whose it is, or over your saddle, Big
Horn Dick, I’ll scatter the brains that the fire
has spared i” ‘

The mysterious hand slipped from the Red
Hood’s grasp. Y .
“ Whose hand is it?»—quick'l” grated the ho .

“ That is what I’d like to know myself. ut
it isn’t Bessie Bodine’s. I know that.”

“Tell me how you know it.”

There was no answer.

“You will not tell me?"

Dick’s eyes, not his lips, said. “I will not—not
just now, at any rate."

Whar '

 

n

 

 

 

    

  

80

 

White Lightning.

 

“But will you swear to me that this is not
Bessie Bodine’s hand?"

“0v course I will, pard," was the reply, “ an’
of you’ll mount behind me I’ll undertake to show
you whose hand it war.” _

The young avenger started toward the horse.

“ Let us be off at once,” he cried, eagerly. “ I
want to satisfy myself that Bessie Bodine has
not been mutilated.

The (place of this strange meeting was soon
doserte by all except the carcass of the equine
king of Silver Valley. White Lightning, the
coveted racer, had saved his last master.

Seated behind Big Horn Dick, the b0 Co-
manche had time to reflect on the sudden c ange
in his fortunes.

“ He's going toward the hills where I first
found the hand,” he suddenly exclaimed, uncon-
‘sciously speaking aloud.

“ You found it among the hills, eh?” said
Dick. “ The horse earned it thar 1 s’pose.
Wal,”hynr we ar’. Now I’ll unravel the mys‘

ter . .

’the horse had stopped, and Dick was already
on the round.

The re had not molested the spot they had
reached. It was near the foot of the hills.

“ E! the fire hed reached hyar, I couldn’t show
you what I want to," continued the Red Hood.

' I kivered her up with grass, fur I couldn’t
bury ’er, or thing.”

Little opknot had already leaped to the heap
of grass which Big Horn Dic was tearing down.
He held his breat .

“ Hyar she is!” suddenly cried the Red Hood.
“ Is that Bessie’s face?”

The boy, who had leaned forward, sprung
back with a cry of horror, which was taken up
by his new companion.

“Double thundersl” exclaimed Dick. “ What
kind ov an internal kentry is this? Two hours
ago I buried a white gal hvar in the grass, an’
new I find in the grave the karkiss ov a Ca
manchel”

It was true. Instead of gazing into a white
face in the moonlight the two partners were

itaring at the painted features of a Comanche
rave ’ '

 

CHAPTER XII.
A BORDER RUFFIAN’S woome.

BIG HORN DICK was right; the severed hand,
so startlingly thrown into Little Topknot’s os-
session among the hills, was not Bessie’s. uh

I whose was it? ‘There was the mystery.

The reader will readily recall the man who.
halted the boy even, or in the gulch, the person—
age who led him hal -unwilling to the left and
“away from the camp of the Jayhawks, into
which he might unsuspectin ly have ridden.

To that man, one of our c aracters, too long
neglected, perha s. we now return.

His-disappears from the boy’s sight imme-
diately after relinquishin the rein he had held
for some minutes, and Li tle Topknot rode away
to stop the unguided horse, and to find the dead
hand which he believed to be Bessie Bodine’s.

The str 6 man rode of! in a contrary
direction, an passed close by the camp-fire of
the Jayhawks, at whose burly figures, as they

handled the cards. he shot a quick and con—
tem tuous glance.

“ t wouldn’t hev been good fur the youna—
star’s hide of I had let him proceed,” he sai ,
under his breath. “ Them mountain wolves
would hev made short work ov ’im. I hed’im at
the end ov my revolver, but I couldn’t drop ’im,
fur I want ’hn to live an’ get even with Cap’n
Bullet fur the sake ov the past. I told ’nn I
war Comanche Tom, but I missed it thar, fur he
saw Tom dead in the Red Hills kentry.au’ he
killed the man what did thct job. Then Sam
from Shasta ar’ dead. The boy may trip me up
some day, but I didn’t feel like killin’ ’im back
thar although I may hev to do it yet.”

Half an hour later the man dismounted before
a huge rock that seemed to have been rolled
against the mouth of a cave in the hillside.

Putting his shoulder against the stone he
moved it to one side, and revealed an aperture
large enough to admit a man’s body.

‘ ’m back again to my valley rose," he ejacu-
lated, as he crept in. “ I hevn’t been gone a
great while, but I've hed several adventures jes’
the same, an’ I’ve seen somebodlgy in whom I
fancy she may be interested. ow, play yer
cfiards ‘6. ell, Texas, you’ve got the trumps in yer

st.

Texaswforthe speaker was that redoubtable
individual—soon left the dark corridor of the
hillside cave, and entered a chamber in which a
fire was burning.

A light exclamation of astonishment made
him dstop, but the next moment he stepped for-
war . v

“ Warn’t lookin’ fur me jes’ et, eh?" he ex~
claimed, smiling at the cold we come that the
beautiful occupant of the cave was bestowing.
“ I’m like counterfeit eagles, Iallus come home.”

“ And like curses, too! ’ said the girl, sharply.
“ Shall I tell you again that ou can never suc-
ceed with your plot? That—’

“ You’ve told me so often, Bessie, my valley
rose, that I kin re at yer language,” was his
interruption. “ ou belong to Texas! Now,
let me tell you how I came to get you."

The girl fixed her fair eyes upon the man with
a stran e curiosity, but did not speak. ,

“ In t 6 first place I bought you!" he be an;
"an’ secondly, you are here with Jack Bodine’s
consent.”

“ What! here with father’s knowledge? Never!
You are lying to me now.”

Beneath the rough mustache Texas smiled.

“ Your father has been a fool fur many
years!” he went on. “ Let me strike you gently
witha question? So pose a man had been the
leader ov a band 0 cut-throats, reg‘lnr white
Comanches, an’ thet one day he, with his own
band, should carry off the child ov the Governor
0v New Mexico-4L little gal jes’ bi enough to
prattle—thet a heavy reward shoul be offered
fur the cut-throats’ captain, dead er alive! The
man escapes; he hides fur years; he comes back
with a bonanza fur his bank; and he sets up not
a million miles from his old stampin’—ground.
Now, would thet man ef he war anyways sha
keep some papers that would ive him dea
away—papers that would prove t at be war that
child-stealer? Wouldn't you call ’im a fool,

 

Bessie Bodine?”

 

 

White Lightning. ~91

 

The girl could not speak. Her gaze had be-
come a wild, half—maniacal stare; her tongue
seemed lued to the roof of her mouth.

" 1 Ca 1 ’im a fool, an’ of I took advantage ov
what I knowed, because I wanted the purtiest
wife in the hull Southwest, I’m not to blame
am I? I found them papers, an’ I merely sad
to that man: ‘The dockerments fur the girl! . Is
it a trade?’ and he said: ‘Yes.’ He didn’t like
to say it. I fairly tore it from ’im, but the bar—
gain is jes’ ez bindin’. It war a fair trade, Bes-
sie. He’s got his papers, and Texas owns the
beauty of the valley. ' ‘ _

“I see! Iseel" broke from the girl’s lips, as
she staggered forward. “ That man is my—”

She paused. A new revelation, and a terrible
one, seemed to burst upon her.

“ Tell me all the truth, now that you have
told me so much,” she cried, in an imperative
tone. “ I“ am not lack Bodine’s child, after all,
but I am the one you say he stole from the Gov-
ernor of New Mexico. Is this not true?”

“ You’re wrong,” Texas said. “ As true as
the sky is above us, Co are Jack’s own child;
but the Governor’s aughter isn’t dead. They
say that she is somewhere in these parts, a reg’-
lar border queen, ez wild ez the winds, an’ 92
port ez a flower.” .

“ lid in return for those compromising pa-
pers my father agreed to give me to you?”

“ He did. It war a squar’ trade. When I
found you, I took back his papers.”

“ But didn’t he attempt to shoot you?”

“ Well. no, though he wanted to repudiate the
bar ain.” , I

“ eaven I thank Thee!” cried the girl. “He
loves me still.”

“ But he daren’t try to find you i” was the
quick menace. “ What of I hev co ies ov those

pers? When a feller plays sue a game ez

’m playin’ in these parts, he’s got to perfect
himself at every p’int. Jack Bodine thinks a

ood deal ov you, gal; but he thinks more ov
gis neck; the Governor of New Mexico wants to
stretch it. Now, do you think he will hunt for

ou? Hedn’t you better throw up the game, for

hold the trumps, an” you can’t rake in a single
trick.”

“ A thousand loves could not refine you. You
insult me when you approach a subject so hate—
ful as the offer of your love. My father may
have made the trade you speak of -, but I repu—
diate it, and I believe that since the return of
those papers he has cursed himself a thousand
times.”

She had not retreated a step, but stood proud-
ly erect more beautiful than ever.

“ Say What you lease,” cried Texas, halting
in front of her. “ wouldn’t harm my future
bride for the world. You can’t make me lay
violent hands on you, for at I touched you I’d
crush my valley rose. Go on! spit your venom
at Texas; but jes’ remember that I’m goin’ to
win this fight even at I hev todo some ov the
tallest killin’ ever done in the deadly South-
west." '

He turned his back on the girl as he finished
and deliberately Walked toward the corridor.

All at once he wheeled and faced her again.

“ I’m ov a notion to tell you whose life I
saved tonight," he said.

you attem t to carry out your threat

 

She did not speak.

“ Ho! ho! ye’r’ blamed independent. I saved
thet young white Injun.”

Bessie started, and a ray of hope seemed to
light up her eyes. It did not escape Texas’s
notice.
“I saved the little viper when I could hev
uared his accounts with death,” he went on.

owed him one because he rescued my future
wife from the bufiler.”

’«

Bess1e.

“ yarl” he cried, seizing her arm and look-
ing into her face. “ l’m standin’ before the
future Mrs. Texas, the purtiest gal south 0v the
Arkansaw.”

A singular sparkle seemed to illumine the
girl’s orbs, and the next moment she ierked her
arm from his grasp and was laughing with
derision and defiance in his very face.

“What! me become your wife?” she exclaim-
ed, suddenly relapsing into seriousness. “ When
on ma
discover t at the daughter of fighting Jae
[Bodine can hit a human eye at sixty paces l"

Texas attempted to laugh at the girl’s threat
but scored a failure, and without a reply turned
away. .

 

CHAPTER XIII
ruxxs IN CLOSE QUARTEBS.

TEXAS went down the narrow corridor to the. V
mouth of the cavern, there to execute a sudden :

halt. tor the smell of burning grass had greeted
his olfactories. ~

“ A fire in the valley!” he exclaimed. “ Some
ov the cap’n’s work, I‘ll bet, fur he’s allus firin’
suthin’. When he hunts he burns, an’ when
he’s hunted it’s the somemfirel fire, all the
time! I’ll go down an’ investigate.”

The speaker did not quit the spot until he had
rolled the bowlder against the month of the
cave. Then he rejoined his horse, and with the
bridle-rein in his bronze hand proceeded to-
ward the valley.

Many of the rough characters that render
our frontiers debatable ground, men who carry
their lives in their hands. possess the proverbial
curiosity of women. Texas was one of these.
Bessie of Silver Valle was in his ower at last:
but in the firing of t e verdure e recognized
the hand of an enemy who might be nearer than
he thou ht. '

He] his steed to the foot of the hills and
there listened as though confident that some
figure must come out of the darkness. The fire
had spent its force and died, but the disagree-
able smoke still filled the air and hung over
the hills behind Texas like a pal].

All at once the outlaw dropped the rein and
started.

“Pishl Texas. what ar’ you comin’ to when a.
snake scares you?” he exclaimed a moment
later laughing at his start. “ Et it war 8. Co-
manche, you might hev an excuse fur jumpin’;
but a fire-frightened snake-Texas, you’d bet-
ter go home to yer mother.”

The rutfian was thoroughly dis sted with his

display of fright, and was exhi iting his dis-

a

/

“Your future wife? Where is she?” asked .

:'.b_:-P" 1‘

 

82 p - White Lightning.

 

gust in sentences similar to the one just recorded
when something fell on his shoulders.

This time he sprung away with a cry of hor—
ror on his lips as that something tightened, and
he found himself caught by an Indian lasso! The
first noise was now explained; the snake was
fleeing from the creeping figure of a Comanche
warrior.

If the rope had confined its work to his neck,
Texas might have severed it with his bowie,
but it had tightened about his chest, and his
urns were pinionod to his sides. That there
was more than one lndiun at the end of the cord
he soon discovarcd, for he was unceremoniously
jerked forward and brought up standing in the
midst of a dozen mounted Urunauchcs.

“ Wal, this beats my lie-t time,” ejaculated
the border ruiiiuu, surveying the red-skins.
“ What could I hev boon thinkin" about not to
hcv heard yo come up?”

“ VVliito man think all by himself,” was the
reply of the stalwart Comanche who leaned for-_
ward and almost thrust his nose into Texas‘s
face. “ Comanches fixed for a still hunt. Look
at horses.”

The moon and the stars showed the muzzlcs
that kept the horses quiet, and the grass bound
about their hoofs.

“ You must hev been lookin’ fur me,” ho said.

“ Black Mustang iind wrong man, but incbe
him know whar Topknot is?”

Texas started at the name.

“l’ve seen the boy, an7 thct lately, too,” he
said quickly. “So you are the youngstcr‘s
pards?’

“ Topknot is the young white eagle of the
Comanches."

“ Jos’ so. I don’t object to that. He kin he a
dozen eagles ef he wants to. I’m Texas!” and
the man drew his figure up to its true hight,

“ Black Mustang: don’t czire,” was the haughty
rejoinder. “ Him wants to find Topknot.”

“ I don’t happen to hev a d’rectory in my
pocket jes’ now, but I might post you anyhow
efKou take this rope off ov my carkiss.”

t a Sign from tho Comanche chief the lasso
dropped at Texas’s foot. It was evident that the
band had bagged unexpected game, and Texas,
havingr recovered from his fear and chagrin,
was beginninrr to plan a way out of the muddle.
He assured filack Mustang that he had lately
encountered the youth, airi located the spot of
the encounter.

“ G ind!” cried the chief. “ White brother go
’louz to Show Black Mustang.”

Toan grated his teeth.

“ Sart’inly I’ll go,” he said, assuming a wile
Iingness that deceived the Comanche. “ I
wouldn‘t hey you doubt my word fur the
world. I’ve nothiu’ particular to do in these
parts, an’ I’d jes’ ez soon serve my red brethren
92 my white ones,”

A few moments later Texas left the spot of
his surprise at the head of the Camanche hand.
He was leaving Bessie Bozline behind, but with
the determination of returning to her if he had

, to fight his way back.

Texas at least was playing fair, for be con-
ducted the party to the mouth of the gulch
where he had left our hero, Little Topknot.

“ We ar‘ hyar,” he said, turning to the Co-
manche chief. “ Hyar’s whar I did the youngster
a favor. From thet p’int you kin trail ’lm. ’

Already several Comanches were on the
ground which they were subjecting to a close
examination. The hoof-prints of White Li ht—
ning Were soon found and reported to the c ief
who had not dismounted.

“ What kind of horse Topknot ride?” he asked
of Texas.

“ A white one—the boss boss 0v Silver Val-
ley.”

The chief turned to give his trailers a new
command. His eagle eyes no longer regarded
Texas, and a rapid glance told the ruffian that
he was for the moment comparatively, unno-
ticed.

“Now fur revenge!” fell from his lips as he
darted at Black Mustang, knife in hand, and the
flash of the steel was followed by a wild cry and
the reeling body of the Comanche chief! I

The Indians, paralyzed for a moment by the
loss of their great war~rhief, shrunk from the
slayer who did not hesitate to open on them
With the weapons of death.

Three fell in rapid succession before his deadly
aim, and then before he could fire again a loud
voice and the crack of new revolvers came from
the shadows of the bushes at his left.

“ The J ayhawksl” said Texas. “ They’re
helpin’ the worst enemy they’ve got on earth
when they give me a lift.”

“ Forward! J ayhawks, an’ help yer pard!"
cried a voice. “ We’re not savin’ the young
skunk but a man what hez been corraled by the
Comanches.”

The Indians turned from Texas to face the
more numerous enemy. Several of their num—
ber had fallrn before the unexpected volley,
and as the Jayhawks dashed into view they
were .met by several arrows which, hastily
fired, did no damage.

Texas withheld his fire for he saw that the
fight could now be finished by toe border out-
laws. He saw the Comanches separate at the
second volley, and catching sight of an open-
ing which would lead him past the Jayhawks,
he gave his horse the spur.

But at the same moment an Indian darted at
his bridle-rein and caught it, thus throwing his
horse back. Texas was almost unseated, and as
he made an effort to retain the saddle, his re
volvers were lostI
His horse wheeled half-way round and
darted away with the Comanche at the rein,
and his steed alongside.

The twain dashed through the ranks of the
Jayhawks. and almost outstripped the bullets
that were sent after them.

“ I’m tired ov this,” hissed Texas, leaning
toward his foe. “ I’m much obliged to you fur
yer kindness. but I’m goin’ to cancel the debt in
the usual manner!” ‘
Hisnrm shot at the Comanche’s side as he
spoke, and the blow was given. But the Indian
did not utter a cry; not a muscle quivered.
The hand was still at the rein.

Puzzled and chagrined, Bessie Bodine‘s rough
wooer struck again, with the same result,

5‘ Mebbe—n

 

There be halted, .

  

 
      

 

 

 

 

  
   
   
    

 

 

White Lightning.

  

23

 

He did not complete the observation, but
darted at the red wrist at the rein.

A thrill must have shot through his entire
frame as be grasped it, for it was stiff and cold]
He tried to wrench the hand loose, but death
was in the gripe! Then be seized the bridles,
one in each hand, and threw his whole strength
in an effort to sto ) the horses. His own steed
obeyed him; the omancho’s he subdued. The
horses stopped at the head of a pass through the
hills, and as they did so, the dead hand suddenly
relaxed its hold, and the Comanche rolled from
his perch to the ground.

“A corpse don’t make a good pard,” said
Texas, gazing at the Indian. “ He bed a bullet
in his heart when he darted at my rein. The
Jayhawks wiped ’im out at the second volley,
an I’ve curried ’im to this spot. W'hcwi Texas,
onu’l] never furgit yer ride with the dead Injuu.

ow I‘ll go back to my bird.”

" When you’ve done me a service, not before,”
saidavoice that made him start. “You are
Texas, the man above all men I want to meet.
Don’t lie to me, for I have just heard your
name from your own lips. Don’t draw. I’ve
got the drop on you, and you know that I can
shoot.”

AS he finished the rauclunan stepped back a
pace and stooped over an object, which until
that moment had escaped the outlaw’s atten-
tion.

The next moment he approached the horse,
carrying a girlish form in his arms.

Texas uttered a cry and started back.

“Itis Inez Manuello, the Governor’s daugh—
ter,” said Bodine, as he placed his burden on

i the horse. “ I’m doing the best I can to repair

the past. You can go and tell the authorities
What you please now. I am going to kill the
man who robbed this poor child of her right
hand.”

As the ranch—owner finished he showed Texas
that the white-faced girl had but one hand.

“ I’ll help you, by my knife!” exclaimed the
r an.

“ You help me ?” was the response. “ One of
us has got to kill the other.”

Texas drew his knife.

But Bodine did not draw; with his left hand
he steadied the almost helpless girl on the horse,
while his right hung carelessly and weaponless
at his side.

His calmness irritated and maddened the des-
perado. .

“ Ar’n’t you goin’ to fight me?” he cried. “ Ef
one ov us hez to wipe out the other, hyar’s one
ov the best chances we’ll ever get fur the play.
No spectators but the gal, an’ she won’t inter-

' rapt us.”

“ I do but one thing at a time: you know that,
for you’ve seen me tried before. My first duty
is to save the life of that young girl.”

“ Then you‘ll pay yer respects to me I s’posel”

(I I will.”

“ Where did you find her?” asked Texas,
glalncing at Inez.

‘ Down yonder in the valley, in the grave
]which the robber of her hand has made for

or!

Texas looked astonished, but Bodine continued
before he could speak:

 

“It wasn’ the same kind of a grave that Cap-
tain Bullet made for me a few hours ago. This
one was all grass, and there I accidentally dis--
covered the child I stole years ago because I
hated her father. I had to fight for her after I
had found her. A Comanche, it seems, bad
trailed me, and came up just after I had taken
Inez, almost dead, from her strange tomb. There
was a brief struggle, but I am here to say that
the Indian sleeps his last sleep in the grass, if
the fire has not burned his coflin.”

All this time Texas was looking curiously at
the girl, whose pale but wild loveliness appeared
to striking advantage in the moonlight.

“ So she's going to forgive you, J acki" he sud-
denly inquired.

“ I shall never ask her to,” was the answer.
“ I am going to save her life; that is my duty.”

“ 0v course it is. But ar’ you goin’ to take
’er down to the ranch?” '

“ I may.”

“ J es’ ez of you war sart’in it still stood.” '

“ Vtht do you mean? Has Captain Bullet
destroyed my house?”

“ Ef the fire ot to the gap why shouldn’t it go
on and blast Si ver Valley?7 '

Bodine’s eyes flushed madly.

“ What do you think? Tell me!” he cried.

“I think you won’t find yer shanty able to
pertect the gal.”

Fora moment the ranchlnan seemed unable
to utter a word. The rufiian’s observation had
dazed him.

“ I’ll go and see,” he said at last. “Woe to
Ca tain Bullet if his fire reached my ranch l” .

odine turned from Texas and began to con—
verse with the girl, who, during the talk just re-
corded, had listened without speaking.

“ Why doesn’t he say a word about Bessie?”
asked Texas of himself. “ Hez he furgotten the
child in his excitement? I’m gettin’ off remark-
abl well, considerin’ the tussles I’ve, had to-
nig t.” , i

The ranchman had apparently forgotten his
own child, the lovely creature whom he had
harbored for a few damaging papers. The find— ~
ing of the daughter of the man he had foully
wronged in years gone by. and in a wounded
condition, had caused him to forget his own
troubles,

Texas was not disposed to detain Bodine with
further conversation. A renewal of the confer-
ence might bring him back to Bessie’s situation,
and the border wolf was Willing to quit. V »

“ Good-by, curnel,” he said, as Bodine laid his
hand on the rein to lead the horse away. “I
donate that boss to the cause ye’r7 sarvin’ jes’
now. We’ll meet ag’in.”

“ Adieu, sir,” was the curt answer, and then .
Texas heard a name which he was inwardly
hOping would not drop from the ranchman‘s

1ps.
, “ Before long I’m going to call you to account
in a certain matter that deeply affects me,”
continued Bodine. “ Bessie is, I believe, in
your hands. You treat her harshly at your '
peril. I am still Jack Bodine, the ex-captain of
the Iron Band. and I am Bessie’s father, too!”

That was all.

The rauchmnn turned away and deliberately
led the horse from the spot, while Texas gazed

 

 

4

    

84

 

White Lightning.

 

after him with a. puzzled expression and with
wonder in his eyes.

Jack Bodine was advancing slowly over a
rough mountain-path. His left hand steadied
the young girl on the horse, and his eyes were
almost constantly fixed upon her. She appeared
asleep, but the keen observer would have seen
that she was watching the man through the long
silken fringe of her pallid eyellds.

Once or twice sho shuddored as if the presence
of the rauchuian was repulsive. Her wrist had
been dressed and rested in a rude sling made by
the hand that touched her.

The night was fast wearing away; its wild
and exciting adventures were soon to end, and
morning threatened to receive Bodine and Inez
at the edge of the hills.

Suddenly Jack stopped the horse, and threw
an anxious look ahead. He had reached the
foot of the hills, :1 plain was before him. Above
it hung a cloud of smoke.

Inez opened her eyes wide, and fixed them on
her Iiide.

“ exas was rig-ht,” said Bodine. “The fire
has desolated my ranch.”

He threw these words through clinched teeth.

“ I am sorry,” came a voice from above the
saddle. “But I do not crave shelter there. I
want to go back to——-”

She hesitated, for Jack Bodine had wheeled
and fastened his dark, mad eyes upon her. ‘

“, I know—to Juarez Manuello, the governorl”
He said. “I might also say—to the man who

V' will pistol me for bringing his lost child

home!”

“ He will not do that,” was the soft reply.

“He will kee his oath. I know him. He
belongs to that c ass of men who never break a
vow.”

The girl did not speak.

“ He will never know me as Jack Bodine, the
finder of his Inez—never! To him I am and
will ever be the captain ot the Iron Band—the

V mau'who robbed him of his baby rirl."

Still Inez kept silent, but a quic start on her
part told Bodine that her keen ears had heard the
same sound that had aroused the horse.

Voices!

“ Ef I hed it to do over, I wouldn’t strike so
hard,” said an uncultivated tongue whose owner
was hidden by some bushes that grew at the
base of the hill. “ She held onto the bridle like
grim death, and I struck with all my mi ht

, with the big bowie, not at her hand, boy— ’d

sw’ar to that a. thousand times—but at the
leather. The boss must hev seen the flash ov
the blade an’ started, fur I out her wrist
through an’ through, an’ she tumbled into my
arms.”

The last word was finished as two horses came
in sight from the bushes.

Inez uttered a. low cry of recognition.

“’Tis hel—the man who robbed me of my
hand 1” she said.

“ I know ’im—Big Horn Dick," fell from Bo-
dine’s lips, as be. advanced a stride.

The next moment the sharp report of a. re-
volver awoke the sleeping echoes of the roman-
tic spot, and one of the riders uttered a wild
death-cry as he reeled from his saddle and fell

‘ against his companion, a youth.

 

CHAPTER XIV.
FOLLOWED BY FATE.

CAPTAIN BULLET, with the blaze of his last
fire behind him, galloped toward the camp on
the'Washita.

He entered it at daybreak, and roused the
few men who had remained behind to guard it.
They were surprised to see him return alone.

He mustered them, seven in number, near, on
the bank of the stream, and addressed them
from the saddle:

“The camp an’ the bosses ai"yourn, boys,”
he said. “Stay hyar ef you want to, or pull
up stakes an’ travel.”

“ Whar ar’ the Hoods?” ventured one of the
most curious.

“No questions an’ no liesl” was the response.

Before the seven could com rehend the situa-
tion, Captain Bullet, the rai er of the Texan
border, had disappeared. The men stared at
one another. too much amazed to speak. .

“Suthin’s up,” said one, at last. “Hev ye
furgotten the big light last night?"

“ Nol” chorused the listening six.

“The boys warn’t fur from thet flre. They
may be thar still. The cap’n’s retracing his
stelps. VVho’ll foller me?” ,

be six instantly volunteered; but the man
who had assumed the leadership of the excited
men held up his hand.

“Two will do,” he said. “ I’ll take Red Bill
an’ Blanca Hank. Git yer revolvers."

The two men desi ated were already leaving
the group. Five minutes aftei they reappeared
on the scene, mounted and armed to the teeth.

Woo to Captain Bullet if the trio should dis-
cover thut he had injured one of his Red Hoods,

Unconscious of the vendetta at his horse’s
heels, the raider was riding toward the valley
blackened by the fire. The healthful breeze of
morn fanned his bronzed cheeks, and toyed
with the long hairs of his Mexicanish mustache.
Captain Bullet did not draw rein until his horse
shied at an Opening in the ground. He leaned
forward and gazed for a moment into the gap.

“Empty still!” fell from his tongue as be
straightened in the saddle. “ Mebbe he WOrea
bullet ,roof vest. He used to do it in the days
of the rou Band."

He gave the tenantless grave a parting glance
as he rode by, and then struck the horse savage-
ly with his spurs.

“ I’d give my right arm to meet ’im jes’ now
of he really lives!” he exclaimed. “ (1 go a
mile out of m road to see the boy—Santa. Fe’s
young cub—w at I left to the vultures on the
rock. Tom Savage got his deserts fur savin’
the cub. Shasta Sam did the work I could not
reach, an” I bed to see ’im drop dead at my feet
—shot by thet youngster—am not be allowed to
avenge him! The next time, my prairie viper
there will be no Comanches to back you. I
made short work 0v the father in the Rio
Dolores, an’ when I heard that Comanche Tom
hed been to the rock, I knowed thet some day
or other I’d be obliged to sarve the boy the
same way." '

The first valley had been crossed by this
time, and the chief of the Red Hoods was riding
over a rough path toward the second. Under
his horse’s feet were remnants at burned grass,

s

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

White Lightning.

25

 

and Captain Bullet chuckled audibly when he
saw that the fire had preceded him.

“Silver Valle doesn’t look ez purty ez it did
when Texas an’ came down hyar arter White
Lightning,” he exclaimed, as the new view,
blackened and desolate, burst upon his sight.-

The fire had crept through the gap and ignited
the grass of the valley where Jack Bodine had
buried himself from the vengeance of the
Governor of New Mexico.

Captain Bullet advanced with a gallop toward
a group of trees visible from the spot where he
had entered the valle . .

But he suddenly rew rein, and shaded his
eyes as he rose in the stirrups. v

“ Buflier!” he said, a moment later. “ The
big—horns hev a. grudge ag’iu’ me, fur I burned
their asture up. By Jehu! they’re comin’ this
way ike mad. Suthin‘s behind ’eml Injuns?
We won’t go on, Apache till we see.”

His last remark was addressed to his horse.

He halted among the trees and gazed u on
the ruins of a. hacienda. His eyeballs flas ed
like living sparks, for he was in the reseuce of
the ruined home of [us enemy, Jack odiue.

“ Ef I hev made ez short work 0v him ez I hev
ov his ranch, I’ll hev only the cub an’ Texas to
settle with,” fell from his lips. "' Then I’ll go
back to my old stanlpin’-grou11d on the Colora-
do an’ begin life over with a clean deck. An’
one ov these days I make take Quartz Jim’s seat
in the Colorado Legislatur’, .an’——”

His airy castles were suddenly overturned by
an object which had darted downward through
the trees like a swallow and fallen at his horse’s

feet.

Captain Bullet uttered an exclamation as he
stared at the object which was nothing less than
an Indian arrow.

“ Whar did thet come from?” he cried, turning
in his saddle.

His question was the next moment answered,
and he unslung his carbine.

“ The Comanche knows how to divide a herd;
their still hunt beats my best (time. But they
don‘t see me, thank Jupiter 1” _

The raider com rehended the situation in an
instant. The her of buflfalo which he had seen
a few minutes before had been divided by a
band of Indian hunters and that portion se—
lected for doom had been driven toward the
ruined ranch. They had halted so near that
Captain Bullet could see their glaring eyeballs.
The mystery of the arrow was at once explained;
discharged from a Comanche how, it had glanced
from a born to shoot into the air and then to
fall at his feeti

“The reddies will gums upon the shaggy
heads in a minute,” ullet said as he azed.
“ What ef they should come this way? 0 , I’m
a match fur all the Injuns an’ buffler thet ever
ran at large. I’m Captain Bullet, without a
page torn out 1”

He saw the animals thus brought to bay by
the Indians’ turn, as he made his beast, and, al-
most the next moment. seized with one of those,
terrible panics that make a wild herd resistless,
they came straight toward his cover.

“I’ll surprise the Injuns‘.” he said, “fur I’m
the last chap they expect to see in these parts."

The horse stood his ground well; he seemed to

 

trust for safety to the carbine that touched his
fox—like ear.

“ I thought I’d astonish you!” he exclaimed,
gazing at the Indians, who sat bolt upright on
their steeds just beyond the trees. “ Didn’t think
I wur hyar, eh? 0V course not. Now jes’ lift a
finger, ef you dare l” '

He rode forward as he finished and showed
himself to the astonished buffalo—hunters.

“ Whar’s yer chief — Black Mustang?” he
cried. _

A rough laugh was the response, and the one
from whose throat it came threw off the head»
dress that he wore.

“ Cap’n Bullet, by hokeyl”

“Don’t call us Comanches. We’re the Jay-
hawks ov Texas.”

“ Then take my complimentsl” was the an-
swer, and a bullet from the captain’s carbine
em >tied the laugher’s saddle.

'lhen, before the disguised J ayhawk could re—
cover, the chief of the Red Hoods was flying
across the valley at a speed that threatened to
overtake the buffaloes.

But once he looked back and saw that he was
pursued.

“ I kin reach the Tinoso Mounds because I’ve ,

got the best horse,” he cried with glee; but the
next second he was staring at a single horse-
iném who had suddenly come in sight on his
e t.

The stranger seemed to be riding for the same
objective point. Captain Bullet kept his eyes faw-
tened on the mysteriousperson; he did not seem
to fear the enemies :behind. '

tIl‘Temer and nearer the two approached each
0 icr. ‘

The identity of the stranger was no longer a V

question.
It was Little Topknotl

CHAPTER XV.
SHOT IN THE EYE.

FROM that moment the chief of the Red
Hoods rode on with his finger at the trigger of
his carbine.

His eyes continually measured the distance
between him and the boy Comanche. He was
waiting for Little Topknot to come within
range; then he would end at least one vendetta.
All at once the youth’s figure disap red.

“ A reg’lar
captain. “ I’ve see’d ’em do thet a thousand
times. I couldn’t hit a ha’r ov the cub at I war
the best shot in twenty States.”

His observation was truth itself, for the boy
had concealed his body in a manner that kept
his enemy from dispatching him.

“ I kin git away from hlm nn’ hunt fer a time

when he can’t hide behind a horse’s neckl Thet )

time will soon come!” he grated.

Captain Bullet’s finger left the trigger, and he
turned his attention to escape. The country of
the Tinoso Mounds was now ready to receive
him, and as he crossed the dividing line between
hill and plain he sent up a shout that must have
reached the ear of every pursuer.

The J ayhawks had Witnessed the new pur—
suit; they had noticed the desperate efforts put
fm'th by the boy to reach the raider before they
could avenge the death of their comrade, besides

/

pea
omanche trick!” growled the ‘

    
 

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m

 

  

86

 

White Lightning.

 

paying a number of old scores long due. They,
therefore, had urged their steeds to utmost ex—
ertion, and when Little Topknot reached the
Mounds with his enemy out of sight, the clatter
of the heels of the J ayhuwks’ steeds rung in his
ears.

“ They sha‘n’t overtake him at least,” grated
the boy. “ I’ll do my worst fee a favor now.
I’ll save his life!”

He Wheeled his horse as he finished and thrust
a pair of revolvers into the faces of the advanc~
ing outlaws.

,“ Stand!” he cried.
die!” .

Instantly every horse Was reined in, and their
riders stared aghast into the stern face that
looked over the outstretched weapons.

“ Ca tain Bullet is my property!” continued
Little I‘opknot, breaking the silence. “ You
will follow him at the risk of your lives." ‘

The men exchanged glances.

“ Ar’ you Cap’n Bullet’s pard?” was one of
the results of a whispered consultation among
Elbe Juyhawks which the boy avenger did not

3hr.

“ I am his deadliest fool”

“When I have settled with Captain Bullet
you may call me to account,” said Little Top-
knot. " All I ask now is to be let alone.”

The border outlaws waved our hero a parting,
and the next moment they were riding away
with their broad backs to him.

A new light seemed to illumine Little To
knot’s eyes as he urged his horse over the path):
in whose peculiar earth he saw the fresh tracks
of another horse. He was at last close to (Jap-
tain Bullet, and that worthy was alone. As he
had said, the locality was not unknown to him,
for during his residence with the Comanches he
had repeatedly visited the Tinoso Mounds, or,
more properly, bills, the buffaloes’ paradise and
the mustangs’ retreat.

Seated on his jaded horse, half-way up a hill,
and in the middle of a path, Captain Bullet was

' using his eyes and listening. He knew that Lit-
tle Topknot was nearing his post; the echoes of
the locality told him this.

The next second the head of the horse came
into plain view. and then the whole body; but
Captain Bullet did not flrel

The saddle was empt l

The countenance of t e eager killer fell.

“ Another infernal Injun trick; I’ll bet my
boots on it!” broke from his lips as he began to
scrutinize his surroundings.

“ All’s fair in war, captain,” exclaimed a voice
in his rear.

He turned despite his coolness, and saw his
young hunter standing erect in the path, hardly
fifty feet away with a revolver in his han .
And the formidable weapon was held in such a
position that the last of the border raiders
could gaze into the barrell

“ I spared you the other day at the head of
your be.an for this moment,” said the youth.
“I had hoped to finish your career in the
midst of the Red Hoods, but your torch has
deprived me of that vengeance. Fifteen years
ago the aflair of the Rio Dolores took place.
You haven’t forgotten it. There my father,
Colonel fiesta Fe, was shot and by you! Two

“Try to pass me and

 

days after the murder, 1, a mere babe, was tied
to a naked rock hundreds of feet above the sea,
and left there for the scavengers of the air.
The hand that slew the father tied the son to
the stone. Comanche Tom saved the boy's life,
but he. brave fellow, fell by your man in the
Red Hills country.”

Did Captain Bullet start?

No! he sent an epithet that made Little Top-
knot bite his lips.

“Your time has come,” he cried. “ Here
terminates the revenge made possible by the
affair of the Rio Dolores.”

“ Shoot 1”

It was Captain Bullet’s last word, for his lips
had not ceased to quiver with it when he
pitched forward, clear over his horse’s head,
and struck the ground with a disgusting thud.

The young avenger remounted his horse, and
started on again.

“Now for Bessie and Texas," he said audibly.
“Then back to the Comanches again—if the
girl does not give me more than a smile.”

CHAPTER XVI.
THE LAST BULLET.
h T1515: end of the border vendetta was near at
an .

Jack Bodine and Inez Manuello were pushing
resolutely across the Texan country with their
faces turned toward Santa Fe.

More than once the beautiful girl after
watching him through her long silken lashes
had said in her gentle way:

“ You have saved my life and I Want to see
yours preserved. Turn back now and let me
go on; we are getting out of the dangerous
country. You are riding to certain death for
my father will take vengeance for the astil

0 these words the ranchman had a ways re-
turned a smile.

“ I am going to restore you to the governor!”
he would say. “ I shall make all the reparation
in my power if he kills me the next minute.”

A few days later Bodine reined in his steed
and pointed to a collection of elegant buildings
that graced the richest hacienda in New
Mexico.

Tears came into the girl’s eyes as she gazed.
It was home once more; the ranch-owner’s look
told her this.

“ For the last time I ontreat you to go back!”
she said to Bodine, in an imploring tone.

“ I go to the end l” was the reply.

They rode forward again, and soon confront-
ed an elegantly dreSSed New Mexican of mid-
dle age who was enjoying a cigar on his piazza.

“ The governor,” murmured Bodine. “ He
hasn’t changed much.” >

At sight of the couple Manuello left his cosey
chair and advanced.

The next moment the eyes of the old enemies
met. ’

“ Great heavens i” cried the (ax-governor.
“ The captain of the Iron Band!”

Bodine smiled faintly and waved his hand at

uez. «

ZIMy reparatidn, governor. Your child!” he
sai .

Manuello turned and encountered the gaze of
Bodine’s companion A mist seemed to t

\

 

‘ .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

l
i
i.
I.
‘33


\ 3w

, yr‘i, 1

White Lightning.

2’?

 

before his eyes, and a wild cry of joy walled
from his throat as he sprung forward. An in—
stant later he held his child in his arms!

Bodine looked calmly on from his saddle; he
was waiting without a quiver for the. Mexican’s
revenge. _

Suddenly Manuello started forward as his
daughter slid from his arms into those of a faith-
ful peon.

“Captain, you must have heard of my oath!”
he cried.

“ I have ” was the answer. “ I am here; keep
it! Jack .JBodiue makes all the reparation that
lies in his power. He stole your child. but he
killed the mm that took her hand—Big Horn
Dick lT’ '

Something seemed to turn the New Mexican
from his resolution: his hand left the butt of the
half—drawn revolver.

“ Gel”. he cried. “You have stolen. but you
have avenged. This is the mercy of Manuello.”

Bodine seemed to doubt the speaker’s sincerity.

The next moment the (ax—governor stood at his
side and was looking up into his face.

“ Inez has saved you. She says that you have
a daughter to find. Go and do your duty.
have failed to do mine i”

As he finished he caught Bodine’s bridle and
turned his steed’s head to the north, then he
struck the animal with his hand, and the man
who expected death was borne away.

“ Better than I expected,” muttered Jack.
“ Now, since he has spared my life, I will do
the duty that lies before me.”

 

“ Wal, I’ve succwded at last, an’ two ov the
best pieces of hossflesh on the border or" wait-
in’ fur us on the outside. I had to wipe out a
Comanche fur "each hogs, but what does then
matter? I war out ov meat an’ bed to have
’em. Now for the great Arkansaw kentry, my
wild flower, an’ then to the land whar you she]
bloom, the purtiest rose in the hull diggin’s.”

The speaker was of course our old acquaint-
ance, Texas, and his listener, Bessie Bodine, still
an inmate of the cavern in the hill.

A week had assed Since the ruffian’s en-
counter with Jac ' Bodine—a week spent by the
' lotter in a hunt for horses, found at last by the
083 of two lives.

Bessie did not reply to his rough announce-
ment, but followed him to the mouth of the
cavern where she was Soon seated 01r_the back
of one of the Indian steeds.

“Ho! fur Coloradol’7 cried Texas, springing
into the saddle, and showing his captive a face
a low with triumph.

hey reached the frontier of the hills. she
unarmed and apparently reconciled to her fate,
he well fixed for an encounter with any kind of
foe. He. carried the rifle or the border across
his saddle—bow.

Many were the covert glances that the Wild
Rose of Silver Valley shot at this weapon. He
saw not one of them.

“Now or never! Fortune favor me 2" sudden-

ly said the girl to herself.

The next moment she darted at the rifle and
snatched it from Texas’s hands, and before he
could recover from the attack her horse was
carrying her away at a breakneck speed.

 

“ I might hev thought she would do suthin
fur thar‘s Bodine blood in her. But I’ll catch
the beauty. I didn’t do a bad thing when I guv
her the poorest boss. I hell an eye to bizness
when I did thct.”

He had the better, horse. This fact was de-
monstrated a minute after the race began.

On across the valley sped the girl and her
pnrsuer. She seemed to be eager to reach a
dark spot far away, a clump of timber in which
she might elude him.

Sherodo like a queen of the arena and the
horse appeared conscious of the worth of his
burden for he strained every limb.

But Texas gained on her. The girl saw this
in swift glances over her shoulder. She might
reach the trees, but they would not save her for
he would be then at her horse’s heels.

Bessie cooked the rifle.

“ I told him that I could hit at. sixty paces!”
she said. ” I must make good my assertion, or
become his unwilling wife.”

She stopped and wheeled.

Texas was coming down upon her at full
speed. He seemed to forget that she carried
death in her hand for when she reined in her
jaded horse at the fringe of timber, an exclama—
tion of triumph excapcd him. _

But when he saw her raise his own rifle he
uttered an oath and seized the rein he had
dropped on his horse’s neck.

“ Hold!” cried a voice. behind the girl, and a
man sprung forward. “ I have the best right
to stop him. You don’t want blood on your ‘
hands, Bessie, my child.”

The gi r1 almost gasped as she started from the
man who had halted beside her.

It was her father.

“ If he belongs to you, take him!” she said as

her rifle came down.
_ The ranch—miner did not need these words to
incite him to Vengeance. He drew on Texas,
and a second later the Indian horse came on,
ridcrlcss.

“We had to meet some time,” said Bodine,
slowly. “ Fate was bound to bring us to
gether!” And he added with a smile: “ I would
like to see him present certain. papers to the
governor now.” ’

Bessie looked strangely at her parent as he utL ,
tercd these words. -

“ You are the man 1” she said. “ You are the
captain of the Iron Band; you stole—”

She stopped; his hand was on her arm.

“I 51111 the man!" was the interruption. “I
stole and killed, but I have found and avenged.
Mannello‘s child is under her father’s roof. I
sold you for some compromising papers. but
then i was a coward. When manhood returned
-—when I found the governor’s child whose
hand had been stolen by Big Horn Dick, who
accidentally encountered her-I resolved to do
what I could to make whole the past. I have re-
pudiated the bargain Toan forced me to make.
You know this now; the man out yonder in the
grass proves ir. I have yet another foe—Cap-r
tain Bullet. He made my grave and gave me a v
ball: but, thanks to the bullet-proof Waistcoat I
have worn for years, I still live. Why do you
look at the man in the grass, Bessie? Do you
regret the bullet I gave him?”

/

 

    

28

White Lightning.

 

“ N 0,” was the reply. “ But we are going to
have a visitor.”

The ranch-owner followed the girl’s glance.

A distant horse was carrying somebod to
ward them. In silence the twain watche the
new-comer.

All at once the girl’s 9 es sparkled.

“ It is the boy!" e'acu ated Bodine, and when
he looked at his chil he saw the flush that made
her youthful beaut the more striking. “ You
needn’t tell old J ac Bodine what ou’re think—
ing about,” he said, laughing. “ ’ve no objec-
tion. His father and I were rivals for the love
of one woman; we uarreled; but 1 never
spilled his blood. Gap in Bullet did that. He
won Clarida, and I turned and loved your
mother, Clara, who had infatuated Captain Bul-
let, yet to fall by my hand. 1 did not know
that the boy lived until he came to men few
days ago with a wound to be dressed, and then
I saw the tattoo mark that betrayed him.”

Little Topknot was warmly greeted as he
came up, and a blush suffused is checks as Bes-
sie put out her hand and spoke words that made
his heart beat faster.

Explanations soon followed. .

The youth had failed to find the trail of Texas,
although he had hunted diligently for it since
the death of Captain Bullet. At last, however,
he had struck it to find the cave empty and the
tenants gone.

Bodine started when he heard that the chief
of the Red Hoods had perished. '

“ Well, you had the best right to him, boy,”
he said, after a moment’s thought.

“ The blood of Colonel Santa Fe, the best man
that ever loved woman, was on his hands. We’ll
go down to Silver Valley and rebuild the old
ranch." ,

“ But White Lightning will not dicker at our
coming,” said Bessie with a sigh.

“Nor will Captain Bullet ride him any more,”
finished Bodine.

We are willing to leave all parties here.

A splendid home rose on the ruins of the old
ranch and the grass grew green in Silver Valley
again.

A brief year ago there was a wedding in the
ranch—owner’s homo, and the ac uaiutance be«
gun on the shaggy heads of a hem of buffaloes
was cemented by the bonds of marriage ‘

And‘side by side at the ceremony stood two
who had once been deadly foes—Jack Bodine
and Manuello.

The raider’s camp on the Washita was broken
up, for the three who had followed Captain
Bullet from it found him among the Tmoso
Mounds, shot in the eye!

Inez, the lost child, it is needless to say, found
a lover. notwithstanding the cruel treatment
she had received at the hands of Big Horn Dick,
and not long after the wedding in Silver Valley.
the ranch of Manuello, the (ex-governor, echoed
to the laughter of a bride.

The vendetta of the Southwest exists no
longer, for the silken cords of love have covered
01d haireds; and Captain Bullet and his wild
rideis—Texns included-sleep their last sleep
where they stole, killed and burnedl

THE EN D.

 

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1 Peerllunter, the buy Scout oi the Grant North Wooda.
By Oll' Coomoa.

9 Bufifilo Bill, from Boyhood ioMnnhood. By Col. Pren-
tie: Ingrahnm.
8 Kit Carson, King ofGnidu. By Albert W. Aiken.

don Lillie the Boy—interpreter ofthe inneen. B
4 Gilliam. H. B. sioddnrd. Y

5 Bruin Adams, Old Grlzlly’l Boy Pard. By Cuioml
Prontlu Ingrnhnm.

8 Deadwood Dick us nBoy.

’I Wild Bill, the Pintol Prince.
lngrnhnm.

8 The Prairie Ranch. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

9 Roving Joe: The Hintory of n “ Border Boy.” By A.
H. Pmt.

10 Texas Jack. the Mmtang King. By Colonel Prontiu
lngrnhlm.

11 Ohm-1e Skylark. ASin 'oiSchool-dn Sen and
Cullegendporl. lly Mnjnr‘fi. B. Stoddardy. P“

12 Muriposn Marsh. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

13 Roving Ben. By John J. Mnrnhnil.

14 Hiring Steel, King of the Bush. ByJ. E. Badger, 1..

15 invi‘lfi-Itw-ke George, the Boy Pioneer. By Edward
0

By Edward L. Wheeler.
By Colonel Puntin-

16 The Boy Wizard. By Barry Ringoid.

17 Peter Pe er run, the Greenth from Gotham. B
Nonh Nude.» “ M y

18 Adrift on the Prairie, And Amateur Hunters
on the Buffalo Range. By 011 Coomen.

9 h F0 tune Hunter; or Rovin Joo u Minor
1 chwboyf'frlpper and Hunter. ,By A.  Poet. '

80 Trupper Tom, the Wood Imp. By T. c. Harhnugh.

$1 Yellow llnir, the Bay Chief of in: Penn"; By Col.
Prential Inxrnh am.

82 The Snow Trail. By T. C. Hubnnzh.

23 01d Grizzly Adams, the Bur Tuner.
Powell.

24 Woods and “Waters. lly Cflpt. Frederick Whitaker.

25 A Rollin Stone : incident: in the Career on Selllld
Land of l. Prenilsn Ingmhnm. By Wm. R. yntur.

26 Red River Rover-A. By C. Dunning Clark.

2'? Plaza 11an Piuin or, Wild Adventure: of“Bnchkin
Sam.” (Maj. bum. . . Hall.) By Ch]. P. Ingrnhnln.

The Sword l’rirme. 'l'ne Rmmntic Life 0! Col. Mon.
:8 mary. By Cunt. Frederick Whittaker.
B9 Snow-Shoe Tom. By T. C. Harbaugh.

80 Poul do Lacy, the Funch Bout (Simmer. By C.
Dunning Clerk.

81 Round the Camp Fire. By Jouph E. Bldg", Jr.

82 White Beaver, the India Medicine Chief. By Col.
Prontinl lngrnhnm.

88 The Boy Orlmndcr. By Capt. Fred. Whittnkor.

34 The Chase oi’ the Grcnt White Stag, nnd, Camp
and Canoe. By C. Dunning Clark.

35 Old Tar Knu (ekle and Hi: Iiny Chuml. By R. Stnrbnck.

§8 The BIL-hing Dragoon; or. The Story of Gen. Gear
A. Cutter. By Cunt. Fred. Whittaker. .

8’? Night-Hawk George. By Col. Prentiu hurrah-m.

88 The Boy Exiles of Siberia. By T. C. Hnrhnngh.

89 The Young Bear Hunters. By Morri- Redwing.

40 Smart Sim, the load with n Invol Heed. By Edvard
Willa“.

411 The Settler’ll Son. By Edward 8. Ellis.

43 Wnlt Fergunon’.) amine. By C. Dunning Clerk.

48 Ride end Revolver. By Cunt. Fred. Whittnkor.

By Dr. Funk

 

 

44 The Lost Boy Whalers. Bv 'i'. C. Herb-ugh.

45 Bronco Billy, the Saddlu Prince. By Cohlngrnhun.

46 Dick, the Stowaway. By Cheri" Martin.

47 The. Colorado Boys; or,Lifa on In Indigo Pint-110m
By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

48 The Pampas Hunters: or, New York Boy: in
Bnenon Ayrel. By T. C. Harbaugh.

49 The Adventurous Life of Nebraska Charlie.
By Col. Prentiss Ingrnhnm.

50 Jack Harry and Tom, the Three Chunpion Brothm.
By apt. Fred. Whittaker.

51 The Young Lnnd-Lub‘ber. By C. Dunning Clerk.

52 The Boy l)eteetlveo._ By T. C. Herbeugh.

58 llonent llnrr ; or, The Country Boy Adrift in the
City. By Char el Morril.

54 Onlii'ornin Joe, the Mysterioul Plan-nun. By Col.
Prentiu lng‘nhnm.

55 Tip Trench the Flonter. By Edward Willott.

56 The Snow Hunters; or, Wlnhrin tho Woodt. By
Berry de Forrest.

57 Harry Somers, the Seller Bay Madden. By 3. W:
Pearce.

58 The Adventurous Life of Oagtuln Jack, Lin
Border Day. By Col. Proniiu Ingrn Am.

59 Lgqulm, the Mule Boy of the Minn. By Chulu

QTY“.

60 The Young Trail Hunter-I; or. New York Boy- in
Griuly Land. By T. C. Harbnugh.

61 The Tiger Hunter-a or, The Colondo Boy- h lla-
phnut Lnnd. By Julep E. Badger, Jr.

68 Doctor Carver, the " Evil Spirit" oftho PM”. By
Col. Prentiu Ingrnhmn.

6831):“ 08 tthdltW .
szcflmck'orn ill, a n rocker By Roger

64 Young Dick Tulbot or A B0 1110 h d '1' hi
Fight from New York lo Colilordln. uB‘y Alfw. {Rent

65 The Boy Pilot; or, The llllfld Wrecker. By Col.
Prentiu lngrnhnm.

66 The Desert Rover or,8townwny Dial Among the

Arnbe. By Charla: arril.
67 Texas 0hurlie,lhe Boy Rangers By Col. Pmi‘iu
Ingmhem.

68 Little Rifle or Th Y F H
“liruin”AdlimI’. a on“ I, “hm 3’ on“.

69 The Young; Nihiliafi or A Ynnku Boy Among the
3

Ruuinm.

' Charles orr e.
70 Pony the Oowboid: or, The Young lid-"hull" Md.
By liijor H. B. 5m Ird, lx-Swut.

71 Rut? Rnburt and llil Bur. By Capt-in " Bruin "
Adnml. 2

72 The Ice Elephant. By Capt. Irederick Whithhr.
73 The Young Moose-Hunters. By Williun H.

Manning.

74 The Boy Coral-Fishers. By Roger Btubuh.

75 Revolver Billy, the Boy Rugs! 0! Tons. D, co],
Prentiss Ingnhun.

76 The Condor Killern. By ‘1‘. C. Hubunth.

77 Lud Linnheels, the Young Tigur NM“. 31”"
Sun-buck.

78 Flntboni. Fred. By Edwnrd Will.“

79 Boone, th- Hunief» By Cunt-in F. Whittaker.

Beudle’s Boy’l Library in for «in by nil Nnnduim,
five cenu per copy, or uni by mull on receipt oflix can“ and.
BEADLE AND ADAMS, Paul-hon,

98 William Street, New Yon

‘  ,.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

80 Kentucky Ben, the Long Rifle of the Cflwfidel. By
Roger Smrhuck.

81 The Kit Onrnnn Club. By T» 0- Hnrbmlrzh-

82 Little Bunk the Boy Guido. By Barr Ringguld.

83 Pony Iioh, tus liel‘hlvaa Rider. By Cu . P. lngrahnm.

84 Unptnln Fly-by-Niizht. By Joseph E. Badger, Jr.

85") Unptnln linlph, the You)”: Explm’er. By(}. D. Clark.

.10 Dnn Kooks. By Morris Rudwing.

l Wenngerle Ilnntern. By Mali. [1. Grenville.

88 The Buy ’lI-mnpn; or, Life Among Lia Gipsles. By
J. M. llnli‘mun.

89 ’Lon . Inn-c Llje. By (1. D. Clark.

90 Rovfilm “Him! mun-’a Little Scout. By T. C. Harbnngli.

9i (In-gun Jodh, Ila: Wizard ililia. By Roger Stnrbuck,

92 llnl'rlunne lilt. By A. F. Holt.

93 .I Ilnnpinlir Jnke, the Colorado Circus Buy. By Bryant
Smuuru go.

94 Sum Sven ,, the Broudimrn Buy. By Ed. Willow.

95 lilmmow in Siberia; 0r, A Yankee Boy to the Rescue.
liy Cllnrlus Morrls.

96 Fighting Fred. fly 1‘ C. Hurbunxrh.

9'? Ornlne ol‘tllc Flynn’ny. liy C. Dunni"? (“MR-

98 The Boy Vigilnnten. liv Mn, ll. '5. Stamina.

99 The White 'l'lu‘ers. liyf‘ . lumen ilmvard.

100 The Sunny-Slim- Trail]. 3‘. L. George liaihbone.

101 Min-lulu), the Ottawa Hiri. By Edward S. Ellis.

102 The Flynn'in Allnnt. By C. Dunning Clark.

103 Pat Mnllnnoy’u Adventures: (>r,Silvur Tongue
um Ducnmh Queen. By c. L. lidwarda.

104 The Boy i’rounevtor. By RUE” snub“6k-

105 \llalonce, the \Vmul Witch. By Edwin Emerson.

106 The Buy Urnlnern. By Edward Willett.

107 The linrder Iinvern. By J. Milton linil‘mnn.

108 Alunkn. the Wolf-Queen. liv Cupt. llownrd Lincoln.

   

   

  

’ 109 ghfi-lthlnn Jim, the White Man’s Friend. By Edward
. I

110 i’lnvky Joe, the Buy Avenger. liy .l. M. I‘loil‘mun.

111 The “order llumnnkcr. Byd’amua L. Bowen.

112 Left-"untied Pete. By Jusoph E. Badger. Jr.

113 The River lilllen. By Cum. J. l". C. Adams.

114 Alone on the l’lnlnn. By Edward Wliiett.

115 :lblfierl Horn, and lilo Rifle Fircdenth. By Roger
. armM.

11 Ex ln’ltm nfllezekiah Smith, the Backwoodoman.
B 'fi'flmursnn Rmhnnn. ,

The Young Mnfitnngern. By C. Dunning Clark.

0m Tug“; ..r, um liny Rivals. By Barry Rinuguld.

)enter hot. the Whitn Crow. liv 'I‘. (1. ilarhaugh.

A Hot Trull; or, Clark ClovurlyAnuung the Tartan.

ll Charles Mnrris.
“inter I’m-ll lien. By Roger Stnrhuck.
The Emullnmllx’ Queen. By G. thio Browne.
Tim, the [my Acmbnt. By Charles Mnrris.
neon Bennie. the. BarderGii-i. By Henry .l.'l‘homan.
'l mu ’l‘nlmr, Ilm Buy Fugitive. 13 Barry Ringgnld.
Mink Cont, thn Duath-Shnt. By mil E. Badger, Jr.
Th0 liver Ilnniurn. By John J. Mnrahall.
r “UHF-Cum or, ’J‘hu Night-Hawks of the Flu-Lands.
By Unut. “him. Huwurll.
129 Svelnvlcrnpnr; or, The Munnzuin Heroine. ByEdward
V x‘lt. '

0 Keelnen, Qnm“ 0' the Plniuu. By Percy B. St. John.
1 \‘Vlfltnh, thu (‘hild Spy. B chorgo Glemnn.

2 The lNilIIlil Trapper. . y Charles Howard.

8 The Fol-out Specter. By Edward Willott.

4. Wild Nat. Hm 'rmnm. By Wm. R. Eysm.

5 The Silver liagie. liy Liaut. (10L llnmlton.

ll The Prairie Trapper. liy C. Dunning Clark.

7 The Antelope Inn. By “an. L. Aiken.

8 Lem: Shot; nr, ’i'lm hxxuiri'iluido. By Capt. Cnmninck.
9 (Jalnnel Crockett, the New King. liy (I. E. handle.
0 "Id Pegs, (In; Mmmtainuer. liy Lule W. Carson.

l The Glamt Hunter. By Harry lInznnl.

2 Black Panther. the l‘lulfilllnnd. By J. E. Badger.
3 Unrnnn. llm Hulda. By idout J. H. Randolph.

4 Kent. the Hunger. By Edward s. Em...

5 Hill Ihvhhlnn, Hunlvr. By Edward Willett.

ii The “air-Breed lilvul. ByJoR. E. Badger, Jr.
7 The Mnuked Avon or. By (.‘nl. l’roufizn [nzmhnm.
8 Nut, tho Trapper am lndinn Fighter. By Pqu J.
' Prenentl.

149 The Elk Demon] on?!» Giant Brolhors. By T.
C. Harbin!th

.. :HHH
w'lamlfiwifi‘ 93““ a:

uuuhuaun

v

HH-‘HdflHflHHi-KHH
— a... «—

J-lH
r»

 

uudu
n...

 

150 The Boy Mustan -llunter or. E3“
“'1 llieantikthszmn. “By Ymderisll‘x whitish". lane, “w
) ‘rnn in en we mun: m r- or Moan

Kate’s Warning. , By Joseph E. Bu gn’h. , “In

162 “'llll anen, the Scout. By Oll (homes.

158 111"]?.¥;-$|Il1); or, Four Truppers’ Among the Sioux. Bry
’uu i JR.

154 The Champion Texan Rider; or, Red Buflalo,
and thu, Hui-miles Hunter. liy Harry St. George.

155 Iix lk Dick’s Doom. B ' Joe. E. Badger, Jr.

156 Fran ' Bell, the Boy Spy. y 011 Gnomes.

v Doyle, the Gold Hunter. By P. H. Mycn.
158 kidnapped Dick; or, The Fats of the Fire Fly. By
.1. Stanley Henderson. ‘

159 Sam’s Long Trail; or, The Twin Scouts. By W. J.

Hamilton.
160 llnnk Triplet’A Vow. By Harry Hazard.
16! The Mad Sklpier. By R. blarhuck.
“$2 The Trnppor 'ing. By Maj. Mux Martine.
103 Sinlun Kolltnn. Hunter. By Emerson Rodimn.
164 2‘ In lioy Chief; or, Frank Bell’s Compact. By 0"
Ammvs.
165 The Trade:- Traitor. By J. Stanley lieadenon.
161i (Ild June’s Clew. By Mrs. Orrin lame:
167 The. Young Trailer. By  J. Hamilton.
llifl The Specter Spy. By May. Lewis W. Carson.
169 Lunk Lute, the Old Colorado Hunter. By E. W,

Arc er.
170 The “’hlte Wolf. By Edward Willcti.
171 The Swamp Guide. By W. N. McNeil.
1’22 The Yankee Peddler. By C. Dunning Clark.
173 T‘ls‘hg hScent; and His Young Chum. By Warren
. t. n n.

174 Iilnoknmlth Tom's Mask. By Geo. D. Gilbert,

1’35 The Buckskin llldcr. By Guy Greenwood.

176 The fiquntter’s Surprine. By M". H. J. Thoma.

1’37 Four Fellow Scouts. By J. Stanley HEDdEl'IDn.

"’8 01d Kit nnd His Comrades. By Jon. E. Badger, Jr.

179 Tinele Grill’s Disguise. By Harry Hazard.

180 The Marked Miner. By Lieut. Col. Hawltine.

181 The Wild llnntress. By Capt. Bruin Adamo.

182 The Dwarflieeoy. By Mom 0. Rum.

183 Job Dean’s Tactics. By Ingoldoby North.

184 Yankee Eph’n Dilemmn. By J. R. Won‘uier.

185 The “lily “'iteh’s Ward. By Edwin E. Ewing.

136 Frnnk, the Furrier. By 1. Stanley Header-on.

18’? lilnnn, tthalr Mountaineer. By Capt. F. Whitaker.

188 Jnck’n Snare. By Mn. Ann E. Porter.

189 Sam, the Swamp Scout. By W. J. Hamilton.

190 The Dashing Tronper. By Frederick H. Dewey.

191 The Buy Brave. By James L. Bowen.

192 Sunfly Bill, ol'Texns. liy Edward Willott.

198 Harry \Vilikle’n Long Chane. By Wm. H.
Eyelet. .

194 Creeper Onto, the Shadow Swamp Trailer. By
hedunck Dewey.

195 The Ranger Detective.
Ready January 7.

196 $35” [Edifi'flififilf‘ii’ifln WM“ 8’ ‘5' Wm"

19'? The Branded Captain. By W11. Hamilton.
Ready January 2i.

198 (Did Cronnflre’s Crisis. By Cont. Charla: Howard.
Ready January 28. u

199 Zebra Zack, the Tenn. By W. J. Hamilton.
Ready February 5.

Boodle’a Boy’s Library in for solo by all Nowodealen,
five cents per copy, or sent by mail on receipt ofolx cent: ouch. _

BEADLE AND ADAMS, Publisher-o,
98 William Street, New York. ‘

 

By’Harry Ronni. .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

hi

4!!
4
5
51

9Q

58
5

56
56
57
68
69

 

6 The Red Brotherhood. By

4 01d Zip’n Cabin: nr, A Green

 

l Deadwon Dick, the Prince of the Rand. By

Eilwurd L, Wheeler. ‘

KIIIII. rt King; ur, The Red Right Hand. By
Bufi‘irin Bill. I

The ll‘lyi i: \"nnl.ec. Bv Col. Prentiss lVliL'i’IiliIlfli.

The Don ble Dimmers. iiy Eilwnrd 1.. \‘i iii-clef.

The Two Detectives; or, The Fortune: 0‘ n
Bowerv Girl. lly Albert \‘i'. Aikrn.

The P‘ruirie Pilot. lly llulinlo Bill.

The I! ’ulo Demon. By hiwilrd L. Vi’lieelcr.

Anteio \he. lllc ltu_\‘ (‘ I r. '

Ned Vyvlde. this "my Smut.

Buii’nio lien. i’rium: ui‘iliei/iuul. llyE.l..\/\ h l.- .

Ralph Roy. the l5 iv I urmnu-r. il_\' (7 l. ingi-nluni.

Nick n'the Night. . '. 1'. ll lmugh.

Yellowntoue J 110k. My Jim-pl: lullger, .1 r.

\Vild 1 Von, rim Bu Clnnziu Duvnl. ii) 1. i..\i‘liueler.

Dlnuioud Dirk: ur. 'i'hv lilyflltrry of the Yellow
smile. liy CI'lI-ilr'l l'riviitiu l'=L'I'lill ri.

Keon-Knl ‘i'ium- if the Mnirivs. By Oil Gnomes.

(Dre an Sol, iuk \i'lilm n Buy spy; By on”.
J. ‘. C. Adnim

Deiitli-Fiioe. this Dviu-v‘iive.

Loni-o Jock, the Y unv,r liiininnuur.

Iioiti'int: liiilpli iioukwood, the
Ranger. Br “11' W \‘l. (ti-until.

The Bov (‘loii' lly Funk S. Finn.

The l’hiiiilo l .‘liiiei'; ur, Deadwood
Irmimmn. A lii‘m‘vl 1.. \\ iwm,

The Son-Cut; “r, 'l he Witch uI' Diii‘icn.
Frederick \Vlllliillb'l.

The Dumb Spy. By (Ill CW‘iflQL
Battling Rube. By Hurry St. George.

01d Antln ie. the Allliillililtiir. By it‘. L. “'hoelor.

Glues-Eye, the Grunt Shut or the West. By Cupt. J.
‘F' Chm”? t I n R.» Sta b it

0 ii n n. \' Kw. r “C .

llDi‘Ld: Darling. the Pony Expreu Rider. By Captain
Frederick W liiitulier.

Bob \Vooii’, the Border Ruffian. By E. L. Wheeler.

Nightiutrule Not. liy 'i‘. C. iliiflJliiiL'll.

Innek Jullu. the. Riiiirl Agvnt. 135‘ J. l'}. Hedger. Jr.

illnlllln. 011, the Musk i1 Terror. By E. 1.. \Vlirelor.

lilirt Bunker. the ’l‘rnliliei. By George, E. Lumille.

The lioy Hilton ; or, ' ‘ ie Underground Ciiiiill. By
A. C. irons.

The \Viiite Buil'ulo. By George, E. Lniialie.

Jim liludfioo. J r. Mr E. i.. \‘l liveier.

Ned linzeluue liuy Triim-er. By Cum. J. F13, Aliiill‘is.

Denillv Eve. iliii iliiluiuwn Smut. lii' illill‘l’tlv' lllll.

Nick tvii iilt‘N‘rl Pei. nycnpi. J. i“. C. Adiiuia.

Deadwood illt-k’ii Ellflli‘l‘; or, The Find: of
Flow! liiir. lll\‘ Hilnnrd .. Wheeler.

The “order King: By Oil Cumllufl.

   

             

 

 

    

   

  
     

 

By E. L. “'hveler.
liy Uli (Em-mes.
Rechlris

     

Dick‘s

 

5y Ciipt.

   

 

old Illekory; 0r,1’rindy Ellie”! Scull). By Hurry

S . Grnr ’0.

Tile \Villte lntlinn; or, The Scouts of the Yellow-
etnne. lly On it. J, 1“. C. Adiiuie. _

lluekllorn {ill} or, The lied Rifle Tenm. By
Edwurd L. “'lieeli-r. ‘

The Shadow Filip. By Col. Prriiinui ingruhnm.

W. J. limnlltnn.

Dandy Jack; or The Outlnw of the Oregon 'i‘rnil.
By T. c. Hm-imugt. .

Hurricane Bill; or, Musling Sum and iIii“I’iird.”
By Jose h E. liniiger, Jr. ‘

Single (and; or. A Life for ii Life. By w. J,
lliiinillt‘il. ‘ ‘ '

Potent-leather Joe. liy Philip S. V\ nrne.

The Border Robin Hood; ()I',Tlie l’riiii'ie Rm'ryr.
By Bliiillll) Bill.

Gold Rifle, the Strum-hauler. By E. 1.. Wheeler.

rum in the Wouiiii.

By Capt. J. F. C. Admin.

Delaware Dick, the Young Ruiger Spy. By 011
Gnomes. _ '

Mod Tom Wet-tern. By W. 1.}!mniIMn. '

Deadwood Dick on Dork; oi. Unliun'ity June.
the Heroine of Whoop—URI. By E. 1.. 'Iieeier.

lliiwkoye lliirry, this oung Trapper Ranger. By
Oll Coninee.

The Bo Duelist. E. Co]. Prentiss Iugrnhnm.

Alle (loft, the Crow—Ki ler. By Albert \l’. Aiken,

Corgiufioy Charlie. the Boy lsnivo. By lidwud L,

a. r.

 

/32 OCTAVO PAGES.  \ ' PRICE, FIVE CENTS.
POCKET LIBRARY.

wear/Mna:mtncocaa:v.r);wwear/iv;mmcammmmmmmmmmmmmwmmmmmwmmmw‘fil

62 \Vill Senior-u. the‘ Boy Detective. By Cline. Mei-m.
‘3 Sol Gin or, the (limit ’l‘rnpimt. lli' A. \l‘. Aiken.
64 Rant-but Rob. By Edward L. Wheeler.
65 [1| pinning Joe. My Girl-lulu J. F. C. Admm.
6'5  lllitrel'oot, the \l‘omt-llnwk. By '1‘. 0. lim-
innz i.
67 Rollo, the Buy Hunger. By 011 Canine].
GS ldyl, the Girl Miner; 01', ltnsi-hud lioh on “mill. By
Edwilrd L. “'heelw'.
69 Dfithtlre Dick ; or.'i"iie Heroin Rugs. By Charlel
i Oi'l'lS.
0 Sure Shot Seth. the Boy Rifloinnn. By Oll Cumin-l.
l Eluirp Stun; or, The Adventure! ofiili‘i-ienrlluaeiioy.
liy J. Alvxiiniler l’iitien.
72 The Lion oi’tlic Eco. By Alhurt W. Aiken.
73 Photograph l’hli.tlieilm Sleuth; nr, Rosebud Roh's
Kunlrpeiiritlive. By E. 1.. Wheeler.
4 l’loiiyulie Pete; or, Nicodemus, the Dog Detective.
By Cliurli-e Morr'e.
75 Inland Jll ; or.’i’he Pvtofliie Fuiuily. By Bruce-
h‘ritlge Ilieniynir (Jni-k lliii’kti“‘ll)‘)
Vi “it‘ll-Eye, the Slindnw. iiy liliiiiril L. “'heelcr.
Dlt-k Deud Eye. the Boy Sniiiggler. By ($01.1)-
Inzrnlinm.
Deadwood lliok’n Device. By l‘lll. L. “‘hoelrr.
The Rim-k lil "Monger. By (,‘n it. illnyuu Reid.
01d Frosty, ihe Guide. By T. C. linrlmngh.
The Eco \ iner. liy Col. l’n‘iiilbs lnrrnlnnn.
3  I Jazmin; or, The Captive» of the Frnlltie-T. By
\Hird  ‘3 lie.
83 (‘xiiii\idlii ({lit‘l, the Cuunterfciter Chief. ilyqiidwerd
‘- \' ii-v HT
84 The lluiub Puget or. The Doge’ii Dniighlrr. Ily
(awn. twin-iii iviminttr.
£5 The Boy .“iiiorA. By l‘;(l\\" n] S. Ellis.
‘ ‘ Jock lliirkiiwuy in how York.
bridge l‘lttillyllfl. _
The lilinnur (in iilhi. lly Col. i’reutise ingralinm.
88 Dendwood Die ‘ln _Lendvlllci or, A Sirilngu
St like for Libriy. iiy inimmi L. \l'lieelcr.
89 Bill Blddou, Trapper; ui‘,Lile iii the Northwest.
liy Edward S. Elliii.
90 Tlppy. the 'l'oxuu. By Gimme Gionsnii.
91 lluntnng Sum, the King ol'the 1'lniiis. lly Jon. E.
Builgx-r. .lr.
Til“ (Menu Bloodhound.
l’liil liiii'di‘, the Iii-us isny.

 

 

 

manta» am
"0:21 '13.

 

By Bruce-

If?
'QG‘

 

By Sniniii-l \‘V. i‘rnrce.
By (‘hnrles Morris.

2::=
Sui-le

 

Book lirit-kritni. By ('nlitziin J. 5. Ailiiimi.

Gilt-Edged Hit-k. By Edwll'd i.. Wheeler.

9'? 'l‘llit-“liltwk Steed oi” the l’ruirlen. By Jamel
.. “wen.

98 The Son Serpent. By Juuu Lcwln.

99 Iloiuiiixo lilll. Lln- illiui 'i‘rnnter. lly E. L. Wheeler.

100 Nut ’i'otltl: or, The Fate of the Sioux (,‘nptive. By
Eilivilr-l S. Eli's.

101 During "my; the Young Beer Killer. By Barry

Si. (yenrze.
102 The Yellow Chief. By Capt. Mayne Raid.
103 Chip, the Girl Spur-t. By Edward L. Vi’liueler.
104 The Blqu Schooner. By Ringer Sturhiick.
105 lituidlonio Harry, the Buothinck Detective. By
('hiirlcs Morris.
106 N Ight-Ilnwk Kit; or, the Daughter of the Renoir.
By .lm'. E. imam-r. Jr.
107 Jiu liovie’fi Lend. By Edward L. Wheeler.
103 Rock M’ounltilu Kit. lly '1‘. C. iiiii-bnugli.
109 The l¥rlll led "and. Bi' Friinh Diimoiit.
110 The Drcu Cider. By eon;th Browne.
1 BM... "an. tlIe_Kiiiuui'iiouthltickfi. i. ‘.L,wliaeior.
2 The Iielnleru llnnd. ily (Hint. Mayne lipid.
B sear-Fam- finul the Sileiitiinntur. My OllCoomH.
4 Pint-y i’ilni. Ilia Mount-ii lay; on The Lima
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l
Arrnw of the Ailiruiulnclie. Ily i'. C. llnl'lmliKh.
) Dciidwoml Dick’s Double. By E. L. Wheeler.
6 IIIth Collin. Skipper. By Cnpt. i“. “'htttnker.
7 Fancy Frank, 01 Cultirndu. By “iiumrlo Bill."

Issued Every Wedneudny.

Beodie‘n Pocket Library is fur rule by all New:-
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BEADLE & ADAMS. Publishers,

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/ 32 OCTAVO PAGES.

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POCKET LIBRARY.

 

118 ‘V ill Wildfire, the Thoroughbred. By (thus. Illorris.

119 Biunde Rill- nr, Deadwood Dick’s Home 13550.
By Edward L. \ 'huuler.

120 Gopher- Gid, the Bay Trapper. By '1‘. C. l'lurbnugh.

121 Harry Armstrong, the (‘npiain ol‘the Club. By
liracebridga lleinyng, (Jack Ilarlmwuy.)

122 The Hunted Hunter. 5y Edward S. Ellis.
128 Solid Sam, the llny Road-Again. By E. L. Wheeler.
124 Judge Lyneh. Jr. By '1‘. C. Hui-hangh.

195 The Land Pirates. By Capt.1tlayna Reid. r

136 Blue Blazes-i; nr,’l‘ha Break 0’ Day Boys of Rocky
at. By Frank l)lllll'vill:.

12’? Tony Fox, thu Ferret. By Edward L. Wheeler.
128 Black Bears, Will Wlhlfire’a Racer. Bv C. Martin.
129 Eagle Kit. the Boy Demon. By 011 Canines.
130 Gold Trigger, tln: Sport. By '1'. C. Hnrhnngh.
13]. A Game of Gold: or, Deadwood Dick’s Big
Strike. By Edward L. Wheeler.

13% Dainty Lance, the lluy Sport. By J. E. Badger, Jr.
188 Wild-fire. the Boss ol‘thc Road. lly Frank Dammit.
134 Mike Merl-y, the Harbor I’ulim: Boy. By C. Morris.

135 Deadwood Dick 01’ Deadwood. 2y Edward
L. Wheeler.

188 Old Rube, the Hunter. By Capt. Hamilton Holmes.

13‘? Dandy Rock, tho Man tram Texas. By G. Wado
Browne.

188 130]) Racketf', the. Boy Dodger. By Chas. Nlun’ls.

189 The Black Giant: or, Dainty Lance in Jeopardy.
By Juneph E. Badger, . r.

140 Captain Arizona. By Philip  VVnrna.

141 New York Nell, the Boy-Girl Datectlve. By
Edward L. \thelar.

142 Little Texnsfihe Young Multnnger. By 011 Comm-s.

143 Dead] Daah' or Fl mini; Fire with Fire. B
~ Jo|.E.llridger, J13. ’ g y

144 Little Grit, the Wild Rider; or, Resale, theStvclr
Tender’a Daugntvr. By Col. l’runtisu Ingrahum.

145 The Tiger oi’Tnoh. By Gen. Waldo Browne.
146 The Cattle King. By Frank Dumont.

14’? Nohhy Nit-.k ni‘ Nevada. By Edward L. Wheeler
148 Thunderbolt Torn. By Harry St. George.
149 Bob Roekett, the Bank Runner. Bv C. Morris.
150 The Mad Miner. By G. Waldo Browne.

151 The Ben Trailer. By Cal. Pmntias Ingrabam.

15% Dandy Burke; or, The Tigers offliin l’iuc. By
. William K. Eyater.

153 Wild Frank, the Buckskin Bravo. E. L. VVhealer.
154 The Boy Traileru. By Jog. ll. Badger, Jr.

155 GMdJ’lunre, the Bay ltandlt; or, The Kid-Glove
Sport. liy Cal. Prentiss lngrahanx.

156 Will 'wnaare n. the Wood... By a. Mam.
157 Ned Temple, the Border Boy. lin.(7. llnrhnugh.
158 Dendwuml Dick’s Doom. By E. L. Whaolur.
159 Patent-Leather- Joe‘s Defeat. By Philip. S.
fll‘lloa
160 Bufl'nlo Billy, the Boy Bullwhackor.
I Ingmhnm.
161 Rob Rockett, tho Crackrman. By C. Morris.
102 Little Hurricane, the Boy Captain. iiy Oll

CDOHIEE.
168 Deadwood Dlek’s Dream. By E. L. Wheeler.
164 Tornado Tom. By T. C. ilarhuugh.
105 Buil’alo Bill’s Bet. By Col. Prentlu lagralmm.
166 Will Wildfire Wins and Limes. By C. Morris.
16? Dandy Rock’s Pledge. By Guorga W. limwno.

By Col. 1’.

 

 

victim

168 Deadwoad Dlek’s \Vurd ' or Th
Jezebel. liy Edward L. Wheeler. ’ ° Black ml"

169 The Bay Champimn By Edward Willett.

170 Bob Roekett’s Fight for Life. By C. Morris.

l?l Frank Morton, the Boy Hercuh-s. By OllCoomen.

17% The Yankee Ranger. By Edwin Elmrrlon.

173 Dick Dingle, Scout. By Edward S. Ellis.

174 Dandy Rock’s Scheme. By G. W. Browne.

175 The Arab Detective. By Edward L. Wheeler.

176 “"ill \Vlldflre’s Pluck. By Charles Moml.

17’? The 13*[ Commander. ByColJ’rentius Ingraham.

178 The Maniac Hunter. iiy Burton Snxe.

179 Dainty Lance 9 or, The Mystic Marksman. By
.105. E. Badger, Jr.

180 The Boy Gold-Hunter. By 'I‘. C. Harbnugh.

181 The Sear-earner: Son. By Charles Mon-is.

182 The Dark. Skinned Scout. By Licut. Col.
Hawltine.

183 Jnlrez Dart, Detective. By 011 Coomer.

184 Featherweight, the Boy Spy. liy Edward Willett-

185 Bimn Bill, the Overland Prince. By Col. Prentiss
Ingraham.

186 Dainty Lance and His I’m-d. .By Joseph E.

mirror. 1'.

187 The Trapped Tiger- King. By Churllu Mon—in.

188 The lVentrlloquist Detective. By Edward L.
llt‘ ET.

189 Old Ror-ky’n Boyu. By Mai. Sam. S. Hall.

190 Sim fillupkina, Scant. By James L. Bowen.

191 Dandy Rock’s Rival. By Geri. Waldo Browne. '

192 Hickory Harry. By Harry St. George.

193 Detective Jouh Grim. By Edward L. Wheeler.

194 l’runpect Pete, the Boy Miner. By Oil Coomea.

195 The Tenderf’oot Trailer. By T. C. Hurbaugh.

196 The Dandy Detective. By Charlel Morris.

19’? Roy, the Young (fattlr- King. By Cal. P. lngraham.

198 Ebony Dan’s M ask. By Frank Dumont.

199 Dictionary Nat, Detective. By T. (I. Harbnugh.

200 The Twin Homemcn. ‘ By Capt. F. Whittaker.

201 Dandy Durke’u Par-«In. By Wm. R. Ey-tor.

202 Turn, the Texan Tiger. By Oil Cnomel.

208 Sam, tho Ofllcn Boy. By Charles Monti.

204 The Young Cowboy. By Co]. 1'. Ingmham.

205 The Frontier Detective. By E. L. Whuuler.

206 “'hite Lightning; or,’l'hu Boy Ally. By T. C,
llnrb .ugh. ‘

207 Kenluek Tullmt’s Band; Or, The Red Lasso.
By Capt. Mark Wilton.

208 Trapper Torn’a Castle Mystery. By 011
Canines. Ready January 4..

209 The Mensealxer-Boy Detective.
Men I Read ' January ll. .

210 The Huneh nek of the Minest. By Joseph E.
iladgcr, .lr. Ready January 18.

211 Little Giant and "in Band.
Really January 25.

212 The Jinltown Sport.
Ready February 1.
Issued Every Wednenday.

Beudle’fl Packet. Library is for min by nllNewr-
danlern, five cent! per copy, or sent by mail on receipt 0! ll:
cents each. ,.

BEADLE nlz ADAMS. Publishers,
338 William Street, New York.

By Charla!

By P. S. Warne.

By E. L. Wheeler.

 

 

 

 

 

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