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Full Title
The Girl Cowboy Captain; or, The Skinners of the Carolina Swamps / by Jos. E. Badger, Jr.
Author
Badger, Jos. E. (Joseph Edward), 1848-1909.
Date Added
9 January 2014
Format
Journal
Language
English
Publish Date
1889-05-18
Publisher
New York : Beadle and Adams
Series
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure > v. XXI, no. 266
Source
Dime Novel and Popular Literature
Alternate Title
Beadle's Boys Library of Sport, Story, and Adventure, v. XXI, no. 266, May 18, 1889. Skinners of the Carolina Swamps.
Topic
Dime novels > Specimens.
About
More Details Permanent Link
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability Disclaimer of Endorsement
OCR
4 The Girl Cowboy Captain.
She uttered a faint cry and shrunk back as she
met bis burning gaze, but with a low laugh, he
eld her fast.
» ‘No, po, my pretty bird,” he muttered,
“yowre mine now—all mine! You must get
used to being clasped in these arms. Ha!”
Hysterically Maria raised her band and struck
him in the face, then shrieked wildly. Cursing
with pain and rage, the Skinner bound her
hands with his kerchief, then tied another over
her mouth. He feared lest her screams should
alarm his other victim. ;
Laying the maiden upon a sofa, Dixon
awaited impatiently for the coming of young
Shelby. . . .
Then he crouched low, his eye glowing vividly
as be heard the quick thud of horses’ hoofs upon
the gravel walk. They were coming. toward
the house. / .
Then the hoof-strokes abruptly cease, Dixon
distinguished a clear, peremptory voice, then a
pistol-shot, quickly followed by another.
At this the Skinner flung open the entry door
and rushed out upon the Jawn. In the dim
moonlight he could see a confused struggle was
going on between a horseman and others upon
foot,
“Take him, boys—but alive!” cried the out-
law chief, as he sprung forward.
Strong bands closed upon his limbs and he was
torn from the saddle, hurled heavily to the
ground; ‘a short, desperate struggle, then the
Skinners arose, leaving their victim lying bound
and helpless upon the green sward.
‘“‘Here’s your bird, cap’n,” ejaculated Seth
Possy, brushing the moisture from his brow, |
“Fetch the boy tothe porch, I am anxious
to tinish up this job.” ;
Strong hands jerked the young officer to his
fest, and then, though half-stunued, he was
force to walk to the front porch or veranda,
where willing hands were already busied with
arranging the noosed rope.
‘ Run bim up!” gritted Dixon.
Tho officer struggled desperately, yet in vain.
The strong noose was slipped over his head and
drawn tightly round his throat. Then with a
wild yell, the Skinners walked away. .
The building was speedily ransacked, and
such articles as weve considerel portable, se-
cured. Then the torches were applied in a score
of places, and the flames began their part of the
work of destruction.
His face glowing with satisfied revenge, the
chief Skinner sprung out upon the porch.
“Holy Ebenezar! the devil’s to pay, cap’n!”
criel Seth Posey, clutching with one hand his
leader’s arm, pointing out bsyond the moon-
ligh‘ed teaves with the other.
A number of swiftly-moving figures could he
distinguished, and the quick, regular thud of
hors3s’ hoofs upon the ground told that these
were not phantom riders. :
One and all knaw that those were Kirke
Arnold’s Rangers—the band to which the mur-
dered Hank Bardoc bad belonged. Thouch the
Skinners professed to fight for their country,
they generally dreaded the true patriots even
fore than their natural antagonists, the Cow-
oys.
. In his surprise, Dixon did not forget his prize.
—Maria Shelby. Hesprung to the tree beneath
which he had Jaid her, but then a yell broke
from his lips. Sbe was gone!
In fact the maiden’s swoon had lasted but a
very fe" moments, and scarcely had the Skin-
ners rusbed into the building when she arose.
The first object that met her gaze was the slowly-
swaying figure of her brother Horace.
A minute later she met the advancing troop,
and in wild, incoherent words implored tbeir
aid, Thus it was that Will Dixon found himself
threatened by another inveterate foeman in
the person of Kirk Arnold, at the head of. his
men,
Maria, unbeeding the scorching flames that
were darting through the door and windows,
sunk upon her brother's corpse, sobbing bitterly.
Arnold gently removed her, and the corpse was
borne back from the fire. .
The building was now entirely wrapped in
flames. Maria, unconscious, knew it not until
too late, Her father and mother were buried in
its ruins.
Arnold ordered a grave dug, and in it was
placed the body of the young soldier. In stony
calmness Maria stood by. Then she knelt be-
side the grave and swore a vow of vengeance.
As the gray light of day broke, the Rangers
rode away. Beside Arnold rode Maria Shelby,
calm and still. ee
CHAPTER III,
THE GIRL CIIIEF,
JUST two months later we resume the thread
of our story.
This period of time had been marked with
more than oue striking deed or daring exploit,
and had wrought great changes with those in
whom we ure more immediately interested.
Kirke Araojd bad been called to the South,
where his hard riders were mcre needed,
Will Dixon had fled to the mountains after his
bitter defeat, and there gathered recruits to
carry out his plans of revenge,
Maria Stelby—the greatest change was in
her. She had become the Girt Cowsoy Cap-
TAIN,
On the night in question an unusual stir and
amount of human and animal life might have
been noticad around the log cabin of old Ben
Duncan, A groupof men were gathered before
the nearly closed door, or rather were passing
toand fro, but none entering the building save
Ben himself.
Inside the cabin, beside the rude puncbeon-
table, was Maria, the Girl Cowboy Captain.
She was listening to Ben Duncan’s report.
The pine-knot torch cast its flickering, un-
certain light over her face and form. A
stranger would have shuddered at her ghastly -
Only for the eyes, she looked like a ~
pallor.
corpse. Bunt Ben Dunean, the stalwart moun-
tainger, who had heen silvery-haired years bs-
fore Maria Sbelby’s eyes: first opened to the
world, did not seem to notice this. He it was
who had nursed Maria back to life, when all
others despaired, He it was who turned her
thoughts to vengeance. And by his influence,
nearly two-score brave men owed allegiance to
the Girl Cowboy Captain.
With the vows and duties of a man, Maria
Dn ee a
~ a
el
|