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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
8 The Girl Cowboy Captain. ~
strange fear was upon him—for the time being
he was a very coward,
At that moment ths bright moon burst
through the swiftly whirling clouds, casting a
soft light down upon the scene of blood. Oaly
for that, the Skinner chief might easily have
escaped. . .
Guided by the light, Maria raised a pistol and
fired—not atthe rider, but the horse he bestrode,
The distance was short, and her aim true.
With an almost human cry of agony, the poor
creature plunged forward, sorely wounded,
Though generally a good rider, the unnerved
Skinner was flung heavily from the saddle,
tearing through a dense clump of bushes, that,
while breaking an otherwise awkward fall, sadly
tore his clothes and skin. With an exultant
ery, Maria darted forward. .
The darkness of the swamp favored him.
More than once Maria was forced to pause, to
listen for his footsteps. Then guided by the
splashing, or by the crackling of bushes and
twigs, she glided on anew.
Maria listened intently for a moment, then
arose and glided forward in the direction
whence she had fancied the sound came. Noth-
ingis more natural tnana mistake under such
circumstances, and she did not pass near where
tho man lay hidden. .
For an hour she continued her pursuit, but
without success, And all that time Dixon held
himself in readiness to sprig up and grapple
with her, should she come within arm’s-length
of his slimy covert.
Faint and distinct there came to her ears the
report of fire-arms, seemingly from near the
spot where she had left her followers. Could it
be that the Skinners had beeu reinforced or had
rallied again?
_ With these thoughts, Maria turned and glided
toward the spot as rapidly as possible. Once
she turned her head, loth to abandon the spot
where she had lost trace of her foe, and started
as she fancied she beheld a human form stand-
ing near where she had sat.
After a few minutes’ rapid walking, Maria
paused and crouched down in the shade of a
bush. From before her there came the sound of
rapidly-approaching footsteps.
‘Hal some others coming this way; now I
will know the truth,” the woman hastily mut-
tered, as the sound of floundering steps drew
near,
‘* There! down ye go!” came a hoarse voice,
followed, or rather accompanied, by a dull,
heavy blow, that Maria Shelby well knew came
from a saber-stroke, ‘‘ Had your fellows fought
as well as you ran they’d have given us better
sport.
“ Quarter, for the love o’ God! mercy!” came
a second voice, low and faint, gasping and un-
certain.
‘Bah! you remembered the word too late! A
dog you’ve lived—a dog you die!” and then fol-
lowed a second blow,
Maria Shelby had heard all this, standing
motionless, as though petrified. She thoucht
she recognized the voice of the man who had
vainly .begged for quarter as that of one who
had followed in her lead but a few hours before,
The brutal murder—for such it seemed, the
killing of even a foeman when helpless and
begging for mercy—recalled her past vow, und
nerved with a yearning for vengeance, she
sprung forward with cocked pistol. The next
moment she stood within the little moonlighted
glade, where stood the ranger above his sti,l-
quivering victim. :
Be had heard the woman’s approach and stood
at bay, as if scorning to flee from an unknown
foe. The heavy, broad-bladed saber, still drip-
ping with blood, was clutched tightly, its point
uplifted,
‘““Who comes?” he demanded, his deep voice,
sounding ominously, .
‘The avenger! Coward! to kill a helpless
man as he begged for mercy! He was worth a
score such as you—”
‘Bah! words cost little. Who are you? Ste»
outin the moonlight, that I may see this won-
derful avenger, as you term yourself,” mocked
the big ranger, for such his dress proclaimed
lim.
Maria sprung forward and confronted the
ranger, . for a moment ho gazed on her
in astonishment, then burst into a sarcastic
laugh. .
‘By the beard o’ my father! a ‘dainty cock-
bantam, that ruffles its feathers like one with
full-grown spurs! A mother’s darling, truly!
And yet I’ve heard no ery of lost child,” laughed
the Hercules,
“You will not be the first barn-yard boaster
that has felt my spurs,” angrily cried the Girl
Captain, as she drew her Weapon and sprung
forward. .
Tue ranger easily put eside her first thrust,
laughing heartily as he did so at the fury of toe .
seeming boy. But he soon found that it was not
entirely child’s play. The light, agile form
glided around him with tireless activity, her
light blade threatening him at every point,
The ranger ceased Jaughing, and a cairse broke
from his lips as he felt a sharp twinge in his side,
and then, as he mechanically started fron it,
another in his shoulder, Maria Shelby laughed
hardly as she felt the flesh yield before her ra-
pier. -
“Devil take you, then, boy or not!” snarled
the enraged ranger, ‘You will have it—be it
so!
As he spoke his heavy saber whirled round
with resistless force, fairly crossing the light
rapier, The frail blade broke, and only the hilt
remained in Maria’s hand.
Now thoroughly maddened, the big ranger
raised his weapon to finish the struggle. Hiss-
ing through the air, it must have wrought his
purpose, had not Maria sprung lightly aside,
crouching low down, her left arm suddenly
shooting out,
The point of his weapon deep buried in the -
earth, the ranger staggered forward and fell
flat upon his face.
resisted force of his blow: there was a bright
glare—a sullen report. The woman bad fired.
His face upon the breast of the man he had
murdered, the big ranger lay dead.
“More blood—more crime—and still that de-
mon goes free! My God! will it ever he so?
Will the innocent never be avenged? <All is
against me—everything! At times I fear lam
Not altogether from the un-.
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