A complete, restored issue of Pulp Fiction from 1897 — all 16 pages of painted-cover fiction magazines that launched science fiction, horror, and hardboiled crime, free to page through at ComicBooks.com.

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A complete issue · 16 pages · 1897

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie

1897 · Free to read

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 2 of 16 — 2 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 3 of 16 — 3 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 4 of 16 — 4 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 5 of 16 — 5 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 6 of 16 — 6 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 7 of 16 — 7 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 8 of 16 — 8 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 9 of 16 — 9 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 10 of 16 — 10 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 11 of 16 — 11 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 12 of 16 — 12 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 13 of 16 — 13 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 14 of 16 — 14 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 15 of 16 — 15 / 16

The Phantom Spy; or, The Plot of the Prairie — page 16 of 16 — 16 / 16

About this issue

The Phantom Spy; Or, The Pilot of the Prairie, by Buffalo Bill, constitutes the primary serial featured in this issue of Beadle's Half-Dime Library. The story follows Prairie Pilot, a seasoned Western scout and guide, who pursues a mysterious figure known as the Phantom Spy—a white-robed rider on a white horse reported to herald bloodshed and robbery. During a night chase across the prairie, the Phantom is revealed to be a beautiful young girl of sixteen who has been spying for the outlaw band led by the Hermit Chief. Prairie Pilot captures her but releases her upon her promise to cease reporting on the traders' wagon-train, after she warns him of danger ahead. A secondary narrative thread introduces Bravo Bob, another scout who captures a bearded robber. The narrative emphasizes frontier action, pursuit sequences, and romantic tension between the protagonist and his captive.

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