Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 110

The Black Steed of the Prairies This serial installment, "The Black Steed of the Prairies" by James L. Bowen, begins a thrilling tale of Texan frontier adventure. Set in spring at the remote settlement of Cedarville in Blanco County, the narrative introduces Eleazar Roberts, a fair-complexioned Eastern-born scout who has spent years on the Texas frontier developing exceptional hunting and tracking skills. Mounted on his prized black horse Ranger, Roberts rides out to scout for Comanches reportedly on the warpath and threatening the settlement. After glimpsing suspicious movement near a forest, he circles cautiously to investigate. A lone Comanche emerges making peaceful gestures, but Roberts recognizes this as a decoy. Thirty mounted warriors suddenly burst from cover in pursuit. The narrative climaxes with a desperate race across the prairie as Roberts urges Ranger toward Cedarville, with the pursuing Indians gradually scattering as superior and inferior horses separate during the grueling chase.