The Silent Rifleman! A tale of the Texan prairies

ly upward from the Eastern horizon, and usurping the dark azure of the cloudless sky, when the ligh

a large body of horse was passing along the hard prairie, not far from the skirts of the timber. Instantly awakening the young lieutenant, and his dragoons,

iter the party, which had now come so near that the clank of the steel scabbards agains

idently ridden down the outer edge of the forest to the Southwa

erre returned with a v

within an hour, for they are evidently on the look-out for our trail, which they must have followed from the last bottom, and lost at night on the dry p

xious eye to the face of his wife, who was already equipped and ready to m

oncerned," replied the Partisan; "but how

bag of that material, depending from two air cylinders of the same stuff, whic

the Partisan, "for all this takes time, a

e, at the spot where he had watered the animal on the previous evening, followed

bank, all the dragoons mounted and entered the broad and rapid river, which could not at this spot have been less than five hundred yards in width. Three of them leading the pack mules

oons were as well trained to the management of their horses in the water as on dry land, they w

d the frail vessel, which sunk so deeply in the water, even under her slight burthen, that the extreme e

est and plentiful pasture, pawed the earth, eager to be once more in motion. Gordon had already ridden a yard or two into th

small, thin ears were pricked acutely forward; his large eyes dila

es of the forest, his left hand raised to his ear, for he had let fall his re

heeling his small but fiery horse round the thicket,

his shoulder, and there remained as still and firm as though it and t

most feared on earth-the far-famed Partisan. Wheeling his horse in an instant, by dint of his cruel massive bit, which threw him on his haunches, as if by magic,

and threw it to the ground, turning as he did so to forbid Gordon-who had unslung his carb

r your life! Cross the river, and rid

Emperor the spur so suddenly that he bounded six feet into the air, w

of his saddle, and whirling it around his head in the true Spanish fa

rsuer, and knowing that he was riding for his life, or at least f

nd upon the trembling fugitive. Now he was within twenty yards distance, when the r

opers; but ere he could pull the trigger, the Partisan wheeled Emperor by a quick movement of his han

of the Mexican horse as he sprang forward, was drawn taut on the instant by the very speed of the trammelled cap

eaped from his saddle an

for the love of God, and the most holy Virgin!

ternly, "who the devil do you think would trouble

seat by Pierre, who, cutting the lasso from the Mexican saddle, fastened his feet with it under h

to be strangled, he leaped lightly into his own saddle, and cantered back toward the river, followed by his captive, who took a

nfall of man and horse, than, perfectly content to trust all to the skill and judgment of a man who had exhibited such readiness of thought and action, he addressed himself to obey his directions;

ord, pistols, and escopeta he threw into the river, and then taking his own pistols from the holsters, and holding them a