The Headless Horseman by Mayne Reid
The Headless Horseman is a story about an Irish adventurer and hero in the War with Mexico.
The story takes place in Texas soon after the War with Mexico. Louise Poindexter, a beautiful newcomer, is courted by two men – the arrogant and vindictive Cassius Calhoun and the dashing but poor mustanger Maurice Gerald. Calhoun plots to eliminate his rival when tragedy strikes: Louise's brother, the young Henry Poindexter, is murdered. All clues point to Maurice Gerald as the assassin. At the same time a headless rider is spotted in the environs of the Poindexter plantation.
Table of Content
Chapter One. The Burnt Prairie
Chapter Two. The Trail of the Lazo
Chapter Three. The Prairie Finger-Post
Chapter Four. The Black Norther
Chapter Five. The Home of the Horse-Hunter
Chapter Six. The Spotted Mustang
Chapter Seven. Nocturnal Annoyances
Chapter Eight. The Crawl of the Alacran
Chapter Nine. The Frontier Fort
Chapter Eleven. An Unexpected Arrival
Chapter Twelve. Taming a Wild Mare
Chapter Thirteen. A Prairie Pic-Nic
Chapter Fifteen. The Runaway Overtaken
Chapter Sixteen. Chased by Wild Stallions
Chapter Seventeen. The Mustang Trap
Chapter Eighteen. Jealousy upon the Trail
Chapter Nineteen. Whisky and Water
Chapter Twenty. An Unsafe Position
Chapter Twenty One. A Duel within Doors
Chapter Twenty Two. An Unknown Donor
Chapter Twenty Three. Vows of Vengeance
Chapter Twenty Four. On the Azotea
Chapter Twenty Five. A Gift Ungiven
Chapter Twenty Six. Still on the Azotea
Chapter Twenty Seven. I Love You!—I Love You!
Chapter Twenty Eight. A Pleasure Forbidden
Chapter Twenty Nine. El Coyote at Home
Chapter Thirty. A Sagittary Correspondence
Chapter Thirty One. A Stream Cleverly Crossed
Chapter Thirty Two. Light and Shade
Chapter Thirty Three. A Torturing Discovery
Chapter Thirty Four. A Chivalrous Dictation
Chapter Thirty Five. An Uncourteous Host
Chapter Thirty Six. Three Travellers on the same Track
Chapter Thirty Seven. A Man Missing
Chapter Thirty Eight. The Avengers
Chapter Thirty Nine. The Pool of Blood
Chapter Forty. The Marked Bullet
Chapter Forty One. Cuatro Cavalleros
Chapter Forty Two. Vultures on the Wing
Chapter Forty Three. The Cup and the Jar
Chapter Forty Four. A Quartette of Comanches
Chapter Forty Five. A Trail gone Blind
Chapter Forty Six. A Secret Confided
Chapter Forty Seven. An Intercepted Epistle
Chapter Forty Nine. The Lazo Unloosed
Chapter Fifty. A Conflict with Coyotes
Chapter Fifty One. Twice Intoxicated
Chapter Fifty Two. An Awakener
Chapter Fifty Three. Just in Time
Chapter Fifty Four. A Prairie Palanquin
Chapter Fifty Five. Un Dia de Novedades
Chapter Fifty Six. A Shot at the Devil
Chapter Fifty Seven. Sounding the Signal
Chapter Fifty Eight. Recoiling from a Kiss
Chapter Fifty Nine. Another who cannot rest
Chapter Sixty. A Fair Informer
Chapter Sixty One. Angels on Earth
Chapter Sixty Two. Waiting for the Cue
Chapter Sixty Three. A Jury of Regulators
Chapter Sixty Four. A Series of Interludes
Chapter Sixty Five. Still another Interlude
Chapter Sixty Six. Chased by Comanches
Chapter Sixty Seven. Los Indios!
Chapter Sixty Eight. The Disappointed Campaigners
Chapter Sixty Nine. Mystery and Mourning
Chapter Seventy. Go, Zeb, and God Speed You!
Chapter Seventy One. The Sorell Horse
Chapter Seventy Two. Zeb Stump on the Trail
Chapter Seventy Three. The Prairie Island
Chapter Seventy Four. A Solitary Stalker
Chapter Seventy Five. On the Trail
Chapter Seventy Six. Lost in the Chalk
Chapter Seventy Seven. Another Link
Chapter Seventy Eight. A Horse-Swop
Chapter Seventy Nine. An Untiring Tracker
Chapter Eighty. A Doorway Well Watched
Chapter Eighty One. Heads Down—Heels Up!
Chapter Eighty Two. A Queer Parcel
Chapter Eighty Three. Limbs of the Law
Chapter Eighty Four. An Affectionate Nephew
Chapter Eighty Five. A Kind Cousin
Chapter Eighty Six. A Texan Court
Chapter Eighty Seven. A False Witness
Chapter Eighty Eight. An Unwilling Witness
Chapter Eighty Nine. The Confession of the Accused
Chapter Ninety. A Court Quickly Cleared
Chapter Ninety One. A Chase through a Thicket
Chapter Ninety Two. A Reluctant Return
Chapter Ninety Three. A Body Beheaded
Chapter Ninety Four. The Mystery Made Clear
Chapter Ninety Five. The Last Witness
Chapter Ninety Six. Stole Away!
Chapter Ninety Seven. The Chase of the Assassin
Chapter Ninety Eight. Not Dead yet