On the Trail of Geronimo — page 50: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

42 ON THE TRAIL OF GERONIMO. rancher asked himself, as he began stealing cautiously forward. ‘ Ah! that’s luck!” To his surprise and delight, the rattle of harness at that moment identified the animal as one of the stage horses. It was nibbling the scant grass at the roadside, where a tiny stream of water trickled down the rocks. This was the very thing he wished just then above all others. ‘The other animals were not in sight, and had probably continued their flight up the road. The steed raised his head and looked suspiciously at the man while a couple of rods still separated them. As was the custom under such circumstances, Buck uttered a number of soothing expressions, and advanced with the utmost care. But the animal did not hke his looks, and before he could reach him, uttered a neigh of alarm and broke into a gallop. “ Plague take you,’ muttered Buck. “Tl have you yet.” The horse continued his flight for some minutes aiter vanishing in the gloom, the clamp of his hoots finally dying out in the distance. Buck broke into a trot, for the increase of speed was so auch clear gain to him. Conniclooolkks (C(O) mM