THE TRAPPERS OF ARKANSAS OR THE LOYAL HEART BY GUSTAVE AIMARD AUTHOR OF "SMUGGLER CHIEF," "STRONG HAND," "PRAIRIE FLOWER," ETC. LONDON WARD AND LOCK, 158, FLEET STREET LONDON MDCCCLXIV PREFACE. The publication of the present volume of Gustave Aimard's works renders the series complete. It takes its place as the first of all: and it is succeeded by the "Border Rifles," "Freebooters," and "White Scalper." In exciting scenes and perilous adventures, this work, if possible, surpasses all those which have as yet been offered to the English reader. Moreover it enables the development of Aimard's literary talent to be distinctly traced. The critic will discover, that, at first, Gustave Aimard's brain so teemed with incidents, that he paid slight attention to plot, and hence this volume--as is indeed generally the case with works relative to Indian life and character--consists rather of a succession of exciting adventures than of a regularly developed drama. This fault our Author has corrected in his later works: his hand, at first better suited to wield the bowie knife than the pen, has regained its pliancy; and the ever increasing encouragement bestowed on his stories in England, is a gratifying proof that his efforts after artistic improvement have been fully appreciated. L.W. CONTENTS. PROLOGUE. I. HERMOSILLO II. THE HACIENDA DEL MILAGRO III. THE SENTENCE IV. THE MOTHER PART I. I. THE PRAIRIE II. THE HUNTERS III. THE TRAIL IV. THE TRAVELLERS V. THE COMANCHES VI. THE PRESERVER VII. THE SURPRISE VIII. INDIAN VENGEANCE IX. THE PHANTOM X. THE ENTRENCHED CAMP XI. THE BARGAIN XII. PSYCHOLOGICAL XIII. THE BEE-HUNT XIV. BLACK ELK XV. THE BEAVERS XVI. TREACHERY XVII. EAGLE HEAD XVIII. NÔ EUSEBIO XIX. THE COUNCIL OF THE GREAT CHIEFS XX. THE TORTURE PART II. I. LOYAL HEART II. THE PIRATES III. DEVOTEDNESS IV. THE DOCTOR V. THE ALLIANCE VI. THE LAST ASSAULT VII. THE BATTLE VIII. THE CAVERN OF VERDIGRIS IX. DIPLOMACY X. LOVE XI. THE PRISONERS XII. A RUSE DE GUERRE XIII. THE LAW OF THE PRAIRIES XIV. THE CHASTISEMENT XV. THE PARDON EPILOGUE CHAPTER I. HERMOSILLO. The traveller who for the first time lands in the southern provinces of America involuntarily feels an undefinable sadness. In fact, the history of the New World is nothing but a lamentable martyrology, in which fanaticism and cupidity continually go hand in hand.