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FRANK READE AND HIS STEAM- HORSE.
The maddened buffaloes were leaping and
rancing in that immense circle, their deep-toned
owirg sounding like distant thunder. ,
‘There appeared to be two sides to the fight, for
there were about half a dozen on one side and
half a dozen on the other, but instead of rushing
forward and locking horns, as a domesticated
bull would have done, they continued their flerce
buttle ix that big ring, and a desperate battle it
was, too. : a . .
Even as tho darkey stood up one of the big
beasts made a desperate leap upon one of his
foes, the other in turn attacking a foe ahead of
Lim; but the flerce charge of the first-named
brute was well directed, and the secord buffalo
sank dying to the plain, a gash fully a yard long
in his side, showing where he had been disem-
bo veled as quickly and as neatly bya cruel horn
as the sharpest sword could have done.
Pomp’s horse was heading direct for the fight-
ing beasts. ‘
The pursuers, thundering rapidly up in the
rear, thought that Pomp’s ride was over now,
and they set up a loud shout of expectant
triumph. ‘
But Pomp didn’t have. any idea of giving up
just then. .
His powerful eyes recognized the features of
the pallid boy at James Van Dorn’s side, and he
made up his mind tu rescue the lad if the thing
could be done. , ,
He turned lightly in the saddle, and his keen
eyes ranged over his foes.
They were gaining on him, but his horse was
still in good wind, and Pomp was sure that he
could keep them back, us
His arm went up, and again that long muzzled
Colt covered one of the advancing band of out-
WS.
It spoke out sharply,
“ Dar goes one,” said Pomp, as he re-cocked his
weapon, ‘Here we are again.” |
Again that long-range weapon sent forth its
nerring bullet. .
"Down goes anudder,” roared the delighted
darkey, as his enemies wavered and broke up in
some confusion. “ Now for dat ar’ poor little
ry." :
He thrust his pistol in his belt, and with a firm
rip seized the reins, pulled up on them taut,
&
» almost lifting the horse from his feet, and with a
loud yell urged him on. :
Forward bounded the steed at a fearful pace,
ashing down directly upon. the swiftly-movin
circle of buffaloes, and the darkey’s steady han
and quick eyes guided him through a slight gap
in the living ring. .
As he gained the inside of tne ring, his enemies
‘came thundering down upon his track, their rifles
ready for either the buffaloes or himself,
‘omp lean far out from the saddle and
clutched Ralph Radcliffe by the arm, swinging
him before him with but small effort of his cable-
like muscles, and then he yelled at the horse
again, and pulled him up with one hand, short
d as the animal was going at full
epeed it caused him to leap.
Straight over the fighting circle arose the horse
end his double burden. uote
CHAPTER XI.
. THE TRAPPED TRAIN!
Tne reader has of course guessed that the
Steam Horse and the Steam Man became sepa-
rated in some manner,
After starting away on the tracks of Pomp’s
arsuers, all went smooth for some time, and
then Charley’s man got out of order in some
part, and he was forced to pull up and investi-
gate the matter.
“Tl keep right on,” yelled Frank. .
“That's right!” shouted back Harry Hale fro
Charley's wagon. ‘ We'll soon be on the road
in.” :
again.” , :
And then Frank shot away over the plains
with his gallant Steam Horse, the animal of met-
tle and metal spurning the hard course with rapid
hoofs. .,
But Frank lost his bearings, and, in some un-
accountable manner, got off his course, and in-
stead of following in the trail of the darkey, and
the outlaws, he took a course some points off
the line, and, as the reader knows, was enabled
to rescue Jared Dwight from the roof of his
burning home. | :
After Dwight had registered that solemn vow
that made him an avenger?for life, he sank down
into the bottom ofthe wagon and covered his
face with his hands, and for some time did not
utter a single word. .
Barney then looked at him with a rather awe-
strnck expression, ard then clambered up beside
Frank. . ,
“Frank, dear?”
»
“Yes, Barney.”
“It’s a bad lot he is, 80 he is, and he’ll make
them rue the day, so he will.” ,
“Shouldn’t wonder,” said Frank. .
“Td not like to mate him alcne on a dark
night, so I wouldn’t, if [knew that the man had
a grudge agin me.” .
s“*He is a tough customer,” said Frank, “ and
T’'ll back him to avenge his wife and little ones if
he rots a square show.”
The Steam Horse was now running, or rather
trotting away at the rate of about fifteen miles an
hour, for Frank knew that he was off his course,
and therefore there was no use hurrying.
For some time he trotted along ina leisurely
manner, but no signs could he see of, either
Pomp, his pursuers, or Charley Gorse and the
man.
- Go ahead, Barney.”
“ Av coorse it sames out 0’ place totalk of such
thrifling matthers, whin we're enjoying such ille-
nt rows an’ ructions, but thin I’m only a man
afther all, and be me sow! I have a stummick.”
“ And that ‘stummick’ is hungry?”
“Tt is that.” .
“Well, I don’t mind confessing that Iam inthe
same condition,” said Frank. ‘I could eat a
horse, shoes and all.” : .
“ Unless the animal was a sthame horse,” said
Barney, with a grin. .
* Exactly,” said Frank, ‘See yonder, there’s
alittle grove. We'll stop there, cool off all my
wheels, attend:to everything, so as to have the
concern in the best traveling order, and get away
with a square meal. I gaess by the look of the
lace that we shall find a little spring of beautiful
tesh water bubbling up there.”
“ Arrah,
fresh wather,” said Barney; ‘that is, wid the
whisky in, av coorse.. Faith, it’s only haythens
that would think o’ drinkin’ beautiful’ fresh
wather widout a wee shmall dhrop o’ poteen to
flavor wid.” .
In a few moments they were at the grove,
beautiful shady little spot of about a half acre in
extent, furnished with several tall trees, a lot of
bushes, and a bubbling clear spring. ‘< .
Here the Steam Horse came to a halt, and the
avenger started abruptly from the dark train of
thought that had absorbed his mind.
Frank walked up to him.
“Come, sir,” he said, kindly, “I sympathize
deeply with you, but it will do you no good to
brood over your troubles, You cannot forget
them, nor your vow of vengeance, so nursing
your hatred in this dark and gloomy manner can
dono good. Whatis your name?” -! .
“Tal Dwight.”
“And mine is Frank Reade, of the city of New
York, and my com >panion here is Barney Shea, of
Clonakilty, Ireland.”
“I know you both,” said Dwight, as with an
effort of will he shook off the dark cloud hanging
over his spirits. -“*I was with Snap Carter, the
prairie guide, when we were all penned up in
that blind pass,and you rescued us by cutting
through with your Steam Man, dashing away to
the fort, and bringing the soldiers down upon the
outlaws, I knew that it must be you when I saw
this Steam Horse coming over the plains when
my house was burning under me. for itis just
what I expected of you.”
“Oh, it’s a wonderful gossoon he is, 80 he is,”
said Barney, casting a look of pride upon Frank,
‘and it’s rare foine ideas He has, so he has: but
divil a wan would amount to anything ifI didn’t
come wid the’ braw jaynus to, kape him straight.”
With a faint smile the avenger turned from him, |.
and walked to the bubbling crystal spring,
Frank had made a dive into tho body of the
wagon. .
Here he had constructed a locker or larder, and
kept in it a sufficient quantity: of food to last
several days if need be; for his food was nearly
all dried or else condensed, and could be kept in
a pure state for several months.
n & few moments Barney had a cracking flre
started, Frank produced a little silver tea-pot and
hung it upon a wire frame which sat airily above
the flames of the little fire, and in less than five
minutes a good cup of tea was produced by the
young genius,. =.
“I merely do this to try how my frame works,”
said Frank to Dwight, who was watehing him
with interest. ‘‘ My furnace would serve me for
all cooking purposes, but this seems the nicer
way, and it don’t seem natural to do your cook-
ing in the breast of a horse, even ifthe animal be
made of metal.”
“ Science isa wonderful thing,”’said Jared, look-
ing pitentively at the horse,
‘ Yo
uu bet it is,” said Frank, warmly. “ Just by
1 scientific trickery, nothing else, I was able to get
and it’s-meself that oikes beautiful 5
the best of one of the smartest Indian jugglers in
the West, and now I’m equal to a dozen of them.”
While talking they kept their jaws very busy as
well as their tongues, and in the course of half
an hour Frank and Barney declared themselves as
feeling better. .
Frank replaced his articles in the wagon, had a
Jook at the axles of his wheels, and found that all
the parts were as cold as could be; and then, after
a peep at his furnace,and. a squirt.of steam
through the nostrils of the horse, declared every-
thing in proper traveling order. Lo
“Of course, you'll go with us,” he said to the
avenger. . .
“Tf you will take me Ishould be pleased to go,”
said Dwight. “I know that you arein the midst
of wild adventures day after day, and that will
afford me chance for the revenge I seek. Tama
homeless wanderer now, and all spots are alike
to me, so that they do not take me tod far away
from the wretches I have sworn to track down to
the bitter end; but—hark!”
- He ceased speaking, and held up his hand ina
listening attitude. :
Frank and Barney bent forward in eager at-
tention. .
The distant thundering of many rifles, clear,
though far away, came with a rumbling echo to
their ears, , .
“Where is that same firing?” demanded the
impatient Irishman. ‘Oh, there’s an illegant
row going on somewheres around here, and I’m
not there to take a hand. Och, where the divil is
the foight?” to.
Frank leaped upto his seat and seized the tele-
scope that lay in brackets alongside, his driving-
place, .
Ina moment he adjusted -it, placed it to his
eye, and slowly swept the plain with the powerful
ass, . ‘
_He saw, somc four or five miles away to the
right hand, the very trap Dwight had spoken of
a few moments before.
Two narrow but high spurs of rock, closing in
atoneend and forming a blind pase; into this
rocky trap a band of mounted men were forcing
&/ an emigrant train, and from hoth sides came the
thunder of the guns that they had heard.
ile handed the glass to his companions, and
they took in the scene at a glance through the
_
3. ‘
“That damnable blind pass again,” said the ©
avenger. “ What will you do?” oat :
“Not goto the fort again, anyhow,” said the
inventor of the Steam Horse, as fe took his seat.
‘‘Thold myself good fora tribe of red-skins, and,
I reckon, to be able to scare a few white men,
also, with my odd contrivance, Let me look again
through the glass,” . :
When he looked again he found that the train
was fairly into the trap, and that the outlaws of
the plains—red or white—were. forced to draw
out of gunshot, for the emigrants were at bay. + 4
“* What will you do?” asked Dwight. “I'd like
to pile right down there.”
“So would I,” said Barney, .‘Hooroo! give
me a whack at ’em, Frank, dear.”
“‘You’d both lose your hair and mine, too,”
said Frank. ‘Itis growing dark rapidly now,
and when night comes on I shall be able to as-
tonish you with some of my little inventions. I
shall stay kere until it is perfectly dark, and then
if I don’t trot down to that pass and yank those
poor people out of that trap lively, then you cas
call Frank Reade a fool, But just you wait.”
CHAPTER XIL
BABRY BROWN’S SEARCH, ©
THE reader will remember the individnal who
was admitted by the capfain of the gang of coun-
terfeiters in the second number of this story.
his person was Barry Brown, one of the men
under Harry Hale, and’ a most egol end skillful
secret service detective; as the reader has doubt-
less surmised, Jack, the tall stablemun, was also
& spy upon the counterfeiters who had been
worked into the service of the leader by the cun-
ning of Harry Hale.
Barry Brown had been selected by Hale to enter
the counterfeiting gang, and by his skill in die-
sinking and engraving, to work himself thor:
oughly into their confidence, for this gang con<
ducted its secret operations on alarger seale than
any other in the country, and it was worth time
and)patience,andfill possible risk, to have the glory
of bringing the rascals to justice,
This Brown was as cool'as a piece of steel, and
his nerves were like the sdmo chilly metal in
texture. : :
Hejwas brave to a’fault, but‘was never rash, and
the greatest danger had never proved sufficiently
exciting to cause him to lose his head, as the 6ay-
ng is. .
Therefore it will be seen that he was a maq