A Texas ranger

Front matter

C-

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BY

Chapter II

Cattle-men and Their Cheery Customs — "Mavericks" — My First Job, Watering Horses — Engaged by John Ross — Removed to Laredo — My First " Norther '* — Christopher Criss's Story — Howling Coyotes — The Town of Laredo — A Mexican Fiesta — Mexicans at Monte — Rescued by a Compatriot, . Page 12

Chapter III

I Become a Quartermaster's Clerk for a Brief Season — United States Commissioner Peterson — His Duelling and Other Traits — Arrested by Mexicans — The Tables Turned — Peterson's Revenge — Mexicans Charged with Smuggling — Heavy Bail Required — General Exodus of Mexicans, . . Page 32

CHAPTEK IV

Off on a Surveying Trip — Appointed Chief of Police — " Gringos " and " Greasers " — Origin of the Term *' Gringo "—My First Arrest— An Unpopular Proceeding — Shot at Five Times in One Night — The Diaz-Lerdo Struggle in Mexico — Battle on the Rio Grande — United States Colored Troops to the Front — A Little Artillery Practice, Page 49

Chapter V

Quarrel with Peterson — I Join the Mexican Revolutionists — From the Frying-pan into the Fire — Mexican Marksmanship — Slaving for Hard Masters — Attack on Nueva Laredo — How I Led a Charge, and the Reward I Received — Back Again in Texas — " Wanted " for Filibustering — A Narrow Escape — The Tables Turned Again — Arrested — Crockett Kelly to the Rescue, Page 69

Chapter VI

Again Ut the End of my Resources — McNelly's Rangers — Their Youthful Aspect — I Interview the Leader — Disappointment — Aid from an Unexpected Quarter — I Join the Rangers — A "Greaser" Horse — I Make Friends with the Ranger Sentinels — Tom Evans and Charley McKinney — A Sound Sleep at

Last, Page 87

vi

Chapter VII

The Awakening in Camp — Antics of the Eangers — Joining McKinney's " Dab " — Breakfast and Texas Coffee — "Forward, March" — Duties of the Rangers — The Texas Desperado and His Eeign of Terror — Mexican Bandits — How the Eangers Made Arrests — How They were Armed and Equipped — The Price of Horses, Page 101

CHAPTER YIII

Personal History of the Officers and Men of McNelly's Troop — Captain McNelly's Career in the Confederate Army — Eoster of the Old Troop — Few Texans in the Command — Lieutenant Wright — The Captain's Little Boy " Eebel" — Eeappearance of Some Eangers Among Eoosevelt's Eough Eiders, Page 113

Chapter IX

Mexican Eaiders Around Corpus Christi — Anival at Para — Eoving Vigilance Committee Disbanded by McNelly — Fight with Eaiders at Laguna Madre — L. S. Smith Shot— The Eaiders Killed— How Mc- Nelly Caught the Leader — Funeral of the Eanger — Spying on Cortina, .... Page 129

Chapter X

Getting a Eeputation as Dare-devils — Shooting up Fandangos — Passing a Sentinel — Breaking up a Dance Single-handed — The Sequel — Night-riding — Sandobal, the Solitary Eanger — Why He Became One — His Wrongs and the Vengeance He

Wreaked, Page 141

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Chapter XI

Following up the Raiders — A Eide that Beat the Record — The Eighth Cavalry — McNelly Rejoins the Command — Parrott's Bold Feat — Reconnoitring — The Command Crosses the Rio Grande — McNelly's Speech — Capture of the Wrong Ranch — Los Cuevos at Last — Retreat and Pursuit — Rout of the Mexicans, Page 159

Chapter XII

Captain Young and Henry Guy Carleton — Correspondence — McNelly's Disappointment — Abandoned by the Army — Drawing the Mexican Fire — A Flag of Truce — The Conference — Twenty-seven Mexicans Killed — A Big Bluff that Worked — Arranging Terms — Trying to Back Out — Swimming the Cattle Across the River — Letter to Adjutant - General Steele, Page 183

Chapter XIII

Results of the Los Cuevos Fight— The Mexicans Completely Cowed— Quiet on the Border — Poker-playing — Shooting Contests — Practical Jokes — Snipehunting, So-called — Rattlesnake Ventriloquism — Comradeship Among the Rangers — Reasons for Prevalent Good-nature, . . . Page 20-1

Chapter XIV

After the Raiders the Desperadoes— Laredo Once More —Letter from McNelly to the Adjutant-General— Three Thousand Names on the Rangers' Outlaw List— Capture of King Fisher and His Band — A Precious Gang of Cut-throats— Porter's Record- Fisher the Type of Dandy Desperado— All Out at

Once on Bail, Page 216

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Chapter XV

State of Affairs in Atascosa County — Women Armed with Derringers — Lieutenant Hall Joins the Kangers — My Turkey-shooting Adventure — Numerous Arrests by Hall — All Prisoners Liberated on Straw Bail— Eule of King Fisher, . . Page 233

Chapter XVI

Off for a Long Scout — Taking Everybody Prisoner — Capture of Noley Key — The Birds Flown — Attack on the Camp — Two Hundred Shots in Four Minutes — A Hand-to-hand Fight — Death of the Guide — Mc- Alister's Ingratitude — En route for Eagle Pass — Arrest of an Embezzler, . . . Page 244

Chapter XVII

Armstrong's Foolhardy Scheme — Over the Border — An Empty Cage — The Threatened Ambush — A Moonlight Kide — Drawing Lots for Dangerous Service — Kangers, not Desperadoes — King Fisher Caught Again, and Again Released — Warning an Old Benefactor — Extra Guard Duty, . Page 258

CHAPTER XVin

Arrest of J. B. Johnson for Cattle-stealing — Saved from Angry Germans — John Mayfield Slain — His Body Hidden — The Great Feud Between the Suttons and Taylors — Murder of Dr. Brazell — Sitterlee's Wedding Party and the Eangers as Guests — The Court Proceedings — Heroism of Judge Pleasants, ....... Page 272

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Chapter XIX

Hot Words with Eector — A Duel Avoided — Reorganization of the Eangers — Ham White's Chivahy — His Facetiousness — Execution of Frank Singleton — John Wesley Hardin, the Worst of the " Bad Men "— Some of His Crimes — His Wonderful Marksmanship — His Pious Parentage, . . . Page 291