Beadle's Half Dime Library (no. 72) (1878 12 10)

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Tre os fil = a rare (AR | se, Single Number. . Vol. III. Mad Tom Western, THE TEXAN RANGER; THE QUEEN OF THE PRAIRIE. BY W. J. HAMILTON, AUTHOR OF “THE RED BROTHERHOOD,” ‘‘SINGLE HAND,” ETC., ETC. CHAPTER IL. THE DAUGHTER OF THE RANCH. On the northern branch of the Colorado river, in Texas, a new settler had built a ranch, and gathered his little family about him. He was a man entirely a stranger to the scattered settiers, coming from whence no one knew, nor was le apt to be communicative in this respect—a tall well-shaped person, of middle age, who had been remarkably handsome, and who had some remains of his former stately grace upon him. -His eyes retained their olden brightness, and his pale face wore a shadow which never left it. His fam- ily consisted of a wife, upon whose face the hidden sorrow which bore her husband down was reflected, and a daugh- ter whose marvelous beau became known through that region. The men who peopled Texas at this time were not likely to ask many questions in weference to the antecedents of any man who might choose to take up his residence among them, so long as he did not steal horses, the most crying sin in the eyes of a frontier set- tler, and most likely to be punished by “short shrift and sudden cord.” The man answered to the name of Arthur Dunham. Mabel Dunham was at this time in the zenith of her beauty, and was the admired of all the wild young settlers, before she had m six months in Texas. Young hunters, wandering trappers and scouts soon found a pre- text for stopping often at the Dunham ranch, pra for reasons connected wit their craft, but in reality to bask in the smiles of the set- tler’s daughter. She had a stately way of repelling all except mere friendly advanc- es, which, while it did not make enemies, served to keep her admirers at a friend] distance. And, while ali swore by her, and were read to fight any man or beast in her defense, not one laid claim to any dearer right. ** Tell you whatit is, lads,” said Jack Fenway, an old member of McCullough’s ‘ — Deep epope Copyrighted in 1878, by BEADLE AND ADAMS, No. 98 WILLIAM STREET, NEW YORK. BEADLE AND ADAMS, PUBLISHERS, 5 Cents. Rangers, ‘‘ that little gal knows how to make us keep our distance. ves us right, too, for what man among us hez the right even to think of takin’ that delicate little creature to ranch? Lord love you, half on us ain’t got a house to kiver us, and them as has, kin see the stars shine through the cracks on a clear night. We mout ez well let the job out, till some one comes along that’s more to the gal’s mind.” “*Seems me that she needn’t be so mighty uppish to them as means well by her,” said a dark-browed, saturnine-looking young fellow in a red shirt, as he stroked his heavy mustache. “Her old father ain’t no great shakes, I reckon.” ‘* See here, Dick Dempsey,” growled Fenway, sending a frowning glance at the speaker. “Don’t you ride so rusty because the gal wouldn’t have anything to say to you. knows what she’s up to, I judge.” Dempsey had no wish to get into a quarrel with Fighting Jack, a man famed far and wide THE QUEEN'S RIVAL. his | She | | need ride a poor horse in a country where tke for feats of — strength and daring, and he ‘shut up’ like the blade of a knife, oMnanals his dark eyes glittered under his heavy brows, as the band of gers rode on their way. were out upon an expedition in search of a man who had stolen some horses from a ranch fur- | ther down the river, and had been tracked to this point. Rough-bearded men, smooth-cheeked boys, men of every nation formed the motley group, and not one among them but would have | risked his life in an Indian fight with the fiercest {oy Indeed, some of the most effeminate- one men among them were the most desper- ate fighters in the band. True of heart, ready of hand, bold in the hour of danger, the Texan ranger is and has been all that is requisite for the eee of a genuine frontierman. They were all admirably mounted, for what man orses, fleet as the Arabian, and as enduring and tireless, and having far They dashed through a grove of mesquit bushes knoll, and struck a level bot- tom, dotted here and there clumps and patches along the bottom-land, while through ran sluggishly on to the , Passing Ghrough one of es of the ranch of Arthur Dun- ham, nestling down by the ready covered with vines, which the shaban Mabel and her mother had been in Texas. All the eur- roundings gave an air of lace, and the plain was dot- with cattle and horses, into stock-raising at a heavy rate. The foundation for a and further on stood a clus- ter of small huts, for the ae- men, “This yer Dunham will be a rich man in'three years’ rode up. ‘‘He is workin’ like a beaver.” ed up to the door of the ranch, and it opened, and ted them courteously. “*Glad to see you, square,” ‘We are doing finely, now that we have got used to the “Mabel was unwell for a month or so when we first of health now. What are the Rangers out for?’ pnts teemed with countless droves of wild greater strength. which grew on a barron with trees which grew im the center, the river clumps, they came in sight side of the stream, and al- trained up since they had thrift and comfort to the for Dunham proposed to go great house had been laid, commodation of the steek- time,” said Jack, as they As he spoke the band dash- Mr. Dunham came out and said Jack. ‘‘Fam'ly ali well?” climate,” said Mr. Dunham. came, but she is the picture “We are arter a cuss that