The Prairie Rifles

"The Prairie Rifles" by Henry J. Thomas follows three American rangers—Black George, Long Eph, and Jake Jaggerton—who served under their leader Comanche Dick during the Texan fight for independence and now live in New Mexico. Observing a mysterious fire ten miles north, they suspect an attack on Dick's hacienda. Racing across the prairie toward the blaze, their horses detect Comanche riders approaching. The rangers dismount and engage approximately twenty Comanches in a tense firefight. Using tactical dispersion and stealth tactics reminiscent of their frontier experience, they position themselves to appear stronger than their actual numbers. Black George kills one Comanche in close quarters. Long Eph encounters an Indian attempting a surprise assault over a crouching mustang and defeats him in savage hand-to-hand combat with his Bowie knife. The narrative emphasizes the rangers' skill, their horses' training, and their knowledge of prairie warfare.