Jos. E. Badger

“ There was little need of the exclamation, for all, both human and quadruped, heard the sound that called it forth; the quick, rapid thud of a horse’s hoofs upon the solid prairie. All eyes were instantly turned toward the arch before alluded to. The rider—and a trained ear has but little difficulty in deciding whether a galloping horse is riderless—whoever it might be, was beyond the neck of timber, yet evidently approaching the bivouac.
The hunters felt only curiosity, for they knew that only one horseman approached. Then a simultaneous cry broke from their lips. ”

“ The moon shone clear and full upon the prairie, lighting up this unique, double chase. First—far ahead, almost invisible in the dim, deceitful light, sped the strange woman rider, the spotted mustang running freely and seemingly at ease. Close behind—in fact not more than a hundred yards, thundered the dark figure of the young ranger, urging on his noble “buck-skin” with both voice and spur. A mile further to the rear was Ned Campbell, his big bay holding its own, if not slowly gaining upon the two foremost racers. Gradually losing ground, on struggled the others, bringing up the rear. ”

“ A more beautiful face I never saw. I can’t describe it—only that her great big eyes were black and shining as those of a deer; that her figure was the most superbly developed, the most symmetrical that I ever beheld in my life. Boys, that face and figure has haunted me ever since. If that woman is as good and pure as she is beautiful, she would be well worth dying for!” suddenly added Hawksley, puffing vigorously at his extinguished pipe.
“And still better living for—eh, Fred?” and Ned Campbell laughed. ”

“ In less than a minute from her first appearance, Fred Hawksley sprung upon his noble beast, and dashed through the arch out upon the prairie. The strange rider uttered another laugh, clear and silvery, yet with a taunting cadence that caused the young hunter’s blood to tingle and his lips to compress firmly. He resolved to overtake the woman, even if it cost him the noble steed he bestrode. ”

“ Those coming without are their friends, not yours. They are white men—the settlers who were on his trail,” and Lola glided forward.
“Traitress! but I’ll not be balked entirely—I’ll strike one blow before I die!”
His pistol spoke, and the bullet claimed a victim. But not the one at whose life he had aimed. Lola sprung forward, shielding with her body the life of the man whom she so madly loved.
With a groan of agony she sunk down upon the blood-sprinkled floor, her young life going out as she gasped a name—the name of him she had saved from death. ”

“ Inside the brothers—outside, what? A writhing, bleeding body from which the life was rapidly ebbing. Thompson the outlaw had been outwitted, and paid the penalty with his life!
As he gave Colton the signal that the time had come for his bloody deed, the young man turned his pistol against his breast and fired. With bullet-pierced breast, the outlaw fell, dying.
Henry Colton was thunderstruck. At first he believed that the assault was upon him, but when his brother closed and barred the door, with that horrible groaning outside, an inkling of the truth flashed upon his mind. ”

“ It may seem strange that the Night Hawks take no alarm at this approach, but they did not. The prairie-grass was thick, the turf moist and springy; the burning building roared and crackled loudly, and they were all intent upon watching the doors, knowing that the inmates must soon emerge or else die a horrible death in the flames.
They had not long to wait. Those within were not men to die tamely, while a chance remained to deal a blow at their enemy. To stay within was certain death. ”

“ Back, Fannie—get behind me,” hastily muttered Campbell, as the echo of a quick step came to their ears from the outer chamber.
A simultaneous cry followed the appearance of the figure, and Campbell’s pistol muzzle slightly fell as he saw it covered the heart of the strange girl, Lola Mestayer.
“You free?” she cried, in amazement; “but come—there’s no time to lose. You must meet my father, but it is the only chance. The Indians are coming up like the wind. You can hide in—my God! who is that?” she abruptly added, for the first time observing the shrinking figure of Fannie. ”

“ Hawksley sunk into a troubled reverie, and then abruptly retired, first showing Haley his room.
An hour later Ned Campbell took his departure, sad and heart-sick. For several months he had been Fannie’s accepted suitor, but never until this night had she set the time for their wedding.
“Ned,” she had said, looking up into his bold, handsome face, as his arms tightly encircled her lithe, rounded form, “I can not marry until Fred returns home, or—or is found. If alive, bring him here; if dead, bring me proof, and I will be yours. In this horrible uncertainty, I can think of nothing else. ”

“ A light rifle was carelessly balanced across the deep-seated Mexican saddle. Other weapons gleamed from the belt that encircled her round, compact waist.
“Who and what are you, anyhow?” cried Campbell, breaking the spell with an effort.
The only reply was a low, clear laugh, melodious as the notes of a silver bell. Hawksley had not exaggerated in the least. The most skeptical now acknowledged this, mentally, if not aloud.
“Keep her in sight, Ned,” muttered Fred, as he arose. “If Mott can do it, I’ll answer that question before I’m an hour older!” ”

“ Jasper Morton—coward!” he cried, in a voice that trembled with rage and hatred. “Stop and prove your manhood—it is only one man that chases you.”
The Night Hawk turned and glanced over his shoulder, but instead of checking his madly racing steed, he bent lower in the saddle and urged him to a greater speed. Colton fairly howled aloud in his rage as he saw the outlaw slowly but surely creeping away from him, and drawing a knife, he thrust its keen point several times into the hips of his horse. ”

“ Fannie Hawksley was more than ordinarily beautiful—indeed the family were noted for their good-looks, and she was the bright star of all. Under the medium hight, small and light as a fairy, her form was well developed and true-proportioned. Rich brown hair, a clear, fresh complexion, and melting hazel eyes—little wonder that Mark Haley gazed admiringly at her. ”

“ An exultant shout broke from Ruel’s lips as he saw that he was in time. If indeed the Kiowas contemplated escape by such means, they would find their path a gantlet of death.
The defile alluded to ended in a steep hill, up which a horse could climb, though with difficulty. This once surmounted, a broad, gentle slope led down to the prairie beyond. Ruel’s position commanded this ascent, and was within easy pistol range.
“Good! we’ve got ’em in a hole, now!” he chuckled, breathing hard with fatigue. “We kin make things hot for ’em, I reckon!” ”

“ Campbell it was that spoke, but the gesture of his outstretched hand was unheeded. All eyes beheld the same object, and easily interpreted its meaning.
Sweeping round a timber island, a thrilling sight burst upon their gaze. A bright glare was rapidly ascending to the heavens, spreading and growing more and more vivid with each moment. One glance told them the meaning of this. A house was burning—the house of their friend and neighbor, Henry Colton! ”

“ One and all, they saw that a long and severe race was before them, and that all their attention must be given to their horses, already jaded by their hard day’s hunt, if they hoped to keep within view of the young ranger. Up hill and down, over gullies and through the patches of tall grass and weeds, sped the hunters, now no longer in a compact clump, but strung out with intervals of a yard, a horse’s length, maybe, between each other. A dozen lengths in front thundered Ned Campbell on his big bay horse. ”

“ We saw by the trail that he came here.”
“I thought as much. Well, there is no need of keeping the truth from you, for I don’t think you will ever betray me—for a very good reason. He did come here—in much the same manner that you did. But he is not here now,” and the old man laughed diabolically.
“You did not murder him?” faltered Campbell.
“Never mind. You had far better be thinking of your own self. It may be beyond your power to do so ere long.”
“Threatened men live long. But tell me: where is Fannie Hawksley?” suddenly added the young hunter. ”

“ The big bay horse covered the ground, with long, deer-like bounds that swiftly lessened the distance. Though laboring heavily—for full fifteen miles had been traversed since leaving the bivouac, in addition to a long day’s travel—the noble brute did not falter. He would continue his stride until his great heart burst, as Ned well knew. But this was no time to consider the welfare of a horse, when the safety, perhaps the life of a dear friend hung in the balance. ”

“ The rifles of the brothers clicked ominously, and then two dark muzzles protruded slightly from the small loop holes. The house had been built with an eye to defense against the Indians though until now the settler had been unmolested. The outlaw whom he had shot, he detected riding off on a valuable stallion, the day before, and at his rifle’s crack, Israel Hackett fell dead. Horse-stealing was regarded as an even more heinous crime than murder, in those days.
Jasper Morton had chuckled fiendishly, as he heard the shot and death-cry. ”

“ It was nightfall when a single horseman drew rein before the dwelling of Archibald Hawksley, dismounting, and, with 52 plump saddle-bags thrown over his arm, approached the front door with that assured freedom so characteristic of the West. There, hospitality is a matter of course. If sunset catches a traveler near a house, that, for the time being, is his home. He is welcomed, given the best the place affords, then sent on his way rejoicing. An experienced traveler never offers money in return; ’tis a poor reward for hospitality to insult a host. ”

“ So sudden was this movement that the settlers did not comprehend its meaning until the Kiowas had gained full two-score yards the start. But then they dashed on in hot pursuit.
No man living understands better how to extract every ounce of service from a mustang than does a Kiowa, and though riding by far the most jaded horses, they slowly increased their vantage-ground, aided by the fact that the settlers devoted much of their care to pistol practice; at best but an uncertain art while riding a galloping horse. ”

“ Bending low in the saddle, Hawksley rode on at a rapid gallop, his keen eye, sharpened by a knowledge of his child’s peril, picking up the trail unerringly. Straight as the flight of a crow, for miles, led the trace.
Hawksley’s brow darkened as he noted this. The abductor seemed striking for the broad, unsettled prairie. Could it be that he was one of those fiendish renegades who found a refuge among the Kiowas? He could think of no other solution for the abductor taking such a course.
“Never mind—’twill only be the easier to trail him, if he keeps away from the settled track. Ha! ”

“ Bah! you are dull—very stupid. Well then, I am sworn brother to Chigilli, the Kiowa chief. He is waiting for me to send him word when all is in readiness for him to strike a blow at the settlement. My nephew is to bring them on—seventy-five strong. He has my instructions to follow back his trail—and to kill or capture all who may be upon it. This is why I laughed. I have just been scouting round them, so close that I could have picked off any one of their number, had that been my wish. But I have a different fate in store for Hawksley—the rest I care not for. ”

“ I will kill you first. You hear? I am not a man to idly threaten what I will not perform.”
Fannie, half strangled, asked the question with her eyes—“What do you mean to do with me?” Haley seemed to read her meaning, for he replied:
“I do not intend to harm you, at least not now. But you must go with me. Remember, at the first attempt to alarm your father, I send this knife home to your heart,” and as he hissed the words, Haley held a broad, keen blade before the maiden’s eyes. “I tell you this as a warning. You will heed it if you have any love for life. ”

“ I know of one instance where a young man, naturally generous, affectionate and kind-hearted, on a two days’ trip rode three ponies until they dropped dead under the saddle. And this with no more urgent cause than that he was eager to meet with his relatives after a nine months’ sojourn herding cattle in lower Kansas. In forty hours—two days and one night—he rode three hundred and seventy-odd miles.
As the sun set, Mestayer caught sight of the hill-range in which he knew the Kiowa chief was awaiting a message from the old man, his “white father.” ”

“ Jasper Morton waved his hand for silence, then resumed:
“Yes, Israel Hackett is dead—he was killed last night, while performing his duty. He was one of our best men, and now duty becomes a pleasure—we must avenge him as our laws demand.”
22
“He shall be avenged—the name? who killed him?” came the fierce cry from more than one pair of lips.
“Keep cool—all in good time, men. We will proceed by rule. It is only one man, and upon one of us the duty falls. We will decide by the lottery. It is the fairest way. Thompson—the pouch!” ”

“ At his movement, the strange rider wheeled her mustang and seemed ready for flight, her face turned, glancing back over her shoulder.
“I can drop the piebald without hurting her,” muttered Campbell, half inquiringly.
“No—that would never do. We have no right. Keep her in sight—I think I can overhaul her,” and Hawksley uttered a low whistle, at the same time gliding toward where his saddle and bridle hung.
With another clear laugh, the strange rider turned and, bending low along the spotted mustang’s neck, dashed around the timber. ”

“ Noticing the signal, Hawksley managed to mount his horse and ride to the spot. His disappointment at seeing a stranger was great, and brought on another and more severe fit. While it lasted, and while the attention of all was directed toward him, the outlaw breathed his last. This was the state of affairs when Zeb Ruel came in and told his story. After some discussion, it was decided to go back and take up Ned Campbell’s trail, in hopes that, should he capture the strange rider, the mystery might be elucidated. ”