John Newton Howitt

Experience the rugged beauty and harsh realities of frontier life in Hamlin Garland's "The Moccasin Ranch: A Story of Dakota." This compelling work of historical fiction transports readers to the Dakota Territory, offering a glimpse into the challenges and triumphs of ranch life in the American West. Garland, a celebrated author known for his authentic portrayals of rural America, vividly captures the spirit of the era and the unique landscape that shaped it. Dive into a time of vast open spaces and the daily struggles of those who dared to carve out a life on the edge of civilization. "The Moccasin Ranch" explores the universal themes of resilience, community, and the enduring human connection to the land. A classic Western tale, this meticulously prepared print edition allows readers to immerse themselves in a captivating story that continues to resonate.This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.

With terrible swiftness, the Master of the Green Death had struck. His victims lay in the streets, verdant-hued and ghastly-and the Underworld, which he had protected against all reprisal, ran riot in a Manhattan horror-holiday of loot and murder

The Master of Flame and Burning Death held New York fast in unholy worship of his strange god. For thousands had fled their doomed churches, lest they perish by fire-and the Spider alone remained to face this monstrous cult-leader from hell

Looting, murdering bands of desperadoes roamed the streets of New York like wanton jackals who destroyed what they could not devour. An underworld Juggernaut had been unleashed upon Manhattan, turning it into a place of desolation and terror. The Thuggees of the East, those masters of murder, the cruel minions of Tang-akhmut, held the city in a state of siege. One man could save New York-Richard Wentworth, the avenging Spider, and Richard Wentworth, hunted by the police, hated by the underworld he fought, had been ordered shot on sight

Richard Wentworth-whose grim, anti-crime crusades as the Spider have made him world-famous-was the first objective in the Poison Master's murder campaign. His best friend, Kirkpatrick, lay in a death-like stupor. His beloved, Nita van Sloan, was stricken with the horrible living death And at the same time, countless thousands were felled by the same fatal venom... Caught in the crossfire between the Law and the Underworld, the Spider must battle the blind apathy of a nation ensnared in a subtle death-trap-must overcome the despair in his own brave heart...

Never had Richard Wentworth-he who is the scourge of the Underworld in his guise of the Spider-faced such tremendous odds or been so alone in the strife Nita, his beloved, had tried to kill him, was hopelessly insane. His faithful servant had been tortured beyond human endurance. And the Master of Madness, chief of a powerful, fiendish syndicate, was spreading his germs of mania unchecked. Who could rescue America from screaming, murderous frenzy when the Spider, harried by Law and lawless, himself half-doubted his own skill and bravery?

The Spider-who was really Richard Wentworth, a true American aristocrat-had fought a hundred battles and faced a thousand foes... But never before had a more brilliant criminal genius challenged him. For the Boss, employing a horrible, new weapon, ruled the Underworld with an iron hand, slaughtering, maddening, and loosing maniacs to ravage the nation...

A happy crowd, inspired by the spirit of Christmas, was milling joyously in Times Square, New York. Suddenly, cutting through the sounds of gayety, came a shrill whine. It became louder, and at the very second of midnight, a gigantic shell exploded, killing, maiming, destroying At twelve hour intervals thereafter-no man knew in advance where-another shell burst devastatingly. Two great powers were openly accused in the newspapers. War-savage and bloody-was imminent, and Operator 5 realized that he had encountered his most cunning foe, the clever woman spy-Radi Havara