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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
The Girl Cowboy Captain. Z gg.
saddle, and clearing the low fence, struck into
the swamp along the trail left by the British
horse. Close beside him glided Limber-twig.
For some distance the main trail was kept,
and the young ranger knew that thus far
Agatha had not strayed from the direction
given her, But then there came a change.
‘See! she began strayin’ here,” muttered
Limber-twig, ‘ Shag-bark’s left his mark here.
Now it ll on’y be a matter o’ time. Sooner or
later we've got to ketch up ’th her.”
‘*Yes—but there are others in the swamp.
Should she fall into the hands of Dixon’s men,
or of his kind,” gloomily returned Arnold.
“Then we must git her out—that’s all.” And
Limber-twig glided along the double trail,
There is little need to follow their progress,
step by step. In time Arnold overtook Shag-
bark and bis fellow trail-bunters where they
had lost the trail in a airy portion of the
swamp. If the maiden had crossed this patch,
her footprints had long since filled with the
liquid mud, leaving no trace bebind.
_ for full two hours the vicinity was searched,
inch by inch, until at length a signal from Lim-
ber-twig told all that the broken trail was re-
gain;d, Gathering round, they found him
moodily gazing down upon two distinct sets of
tracks; one unmistakably that of the maiden,
the other broader and larger, being the impress
of a man’s foot.
“Some one’s with her,” he exclaimed, in an-
swer to Arnold’s eager look. ‘ But who—thar’s
the question! ?Tain’t one she’s skeered of—
ca’se she’s gone with him freely, as the trail
shows, Wal, we'll find out when we come to
the other eend o’ the trail.”
Time and again the faint trace was lost, and
only recovered after long and_ persevering
search. The day grew on—and the light grew
dim and uncertain, Arnold began to despair.
Would they succeed—would not Agatha be
forced to spend another night in the black
swamp? ‘Twould be ber death—they. would
only find her corpse when the trail was ended.
Limber-twig abruptly paused, and bent his
head in acute listeuing, Deadened by passage
through the dense swamp, there came to bis
ears the confused sound of firing—irregular and
desultory.
“Thar’s fun goin’ on, Cap’n Kirke,” be mut-
tered, excitedly, ‘An’ it comes from the p’int
our trail leads, S’pose we go see what’s up?”
‘* But the trail—”
“Shag-bark, Squirrel and Pigeon-wing kin
foller it up as well, or better, than ef we all was
along to confuse the tracks,”
“Then on—we’ll take a band inif it is as I
believe,” cried Arnold, his eyes flashing as he
scented battle.
Only too gladly the rangers followed their
leader, and as they rode on through the swamp,
each man looked to his weapons. Limber-twig,
having been denied bis full share of the “sport”
With the red-coats, was determined not to be de-
frauded now, and alinost distanced bis comrades
in his eagerness,
A few minutes afterward be stood upon the
edge of the clearing surrounding Mother Win-
kle’s but, Half-way between him and the
shanty, a desperate struggle was progressing,
and several of the combatants the scout quickly
recognized.
“HAi-yah! dog eat dog!” he yelled, as Arnold
cameup. ‘It’s Cowboy an’ Skinner—le’s go in
an’ flax ’em both.”
‘““They’re all thievcs and murderers—charge
and strike home, my gallant lads!” shouted
Arnold, drawing his sword.
Uttering their: wild battle-cry, the rangers
dashed forward.
At that well-known yell, the struggle mo-
mentarily ceased. But then, as the clash came,
both Cowboy and Skinner knew that to sur-
render would be death, and so, nothing daunted,
they fought for their lives,
Limber-twig was now in his glery. Fighting
had become to him a second nature, and he
raged here, there, everywhere, :
As the rangers appeared upon the scene, a
wild form darted from the house and rushed to-
word the scene of bloodshed. It was Mother
Winkle, her loug white hair matted.
As Dixon sunk hack, after discharging the
pistol-shot that-avenged his death, the old wo-
man gained bis side and flung herself upon the
corpse of the Skinner chief, with a wild, pierc-
ing ery of anguish,
“My son—my poor boy! Have they mur-
dered: you, too? Willie, my son, speak to me!
Just one word—Lis your mother calls, God! he
does not hear me—he is deac—dead!”
The last words rose to a piercing wail, and the
bereaved mother bent ber head to press the fast-
cooling lips, but a stream of blecd burst from
her mouth, and sbe sunk forward upon her
dead. Her heart was broken.
Arnold witnessed tbis scene and rode near.
Maddox sprung forward, as if to encounter him,
with drawn saber,
“Hold!” he cried. ‘This dead is precious—
would you ride over a woman?”
‘““Here’s to ye, yé pesky varmint!” yelled
Limber-twig, as he sprung before Arnold.
“You'd bother the cap’n, would ye?”
As he spoke, his blocd-stained saber flashed
through the air, and, tefore Maddox could
make a motion toward defense, the heavy blade
almost clove bis skullin twain, With a gasping
moan, the faithful creature staggered back, and,
turning, fell beside the body of her he had loved
so madly, so vainly, outstretching bis arms as
though he would shield her from further injury,
even in death.
“Hal Maria Shelby!” cried Arnold, leaping
from his horse, as the Girl Captain feebly lifted
her bead.
‘* Carry me to the house—she is there,” mur-
mured Maria, recognizing him.
‘* She—whom do you mean?”
“ Agatha Brand—the lady you love!”
Arnold, with a glad cry raised the bleeding
form in his stout arms, and, followed by Lim-
ber-twig, rushed toward tbe shanty. With
madly-throbbing heart, be entered; but the but
was empty, save for the form of the dead squat-
ter, Ham Winkle.
“ Cail her—she must be near,” gasped Maria.
Aratha—we ure friends, Agatha my dar-
ling—”
T’be stone slab suddenly raised, and then the
maiden was tight clasped in the arms of hor