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The Headless Horseman is a chapter-by-chapter summary. "The Headless Horseman": main characters, brief description

Headless Horseman
Summary novel
The action takes place in the 1850s. Wagons are driving across the Texas prairie - this is the bankrupt planter Woodley Poindexter moving from Louisiana to Texas. His son Henry, daughter Louise and nephew, retired captain Cassius Colhoun, are traveling with him. Suddenly they lose track - in front of them is a scorched prairie. A young horseman in a Mexican costume shows the way to the caravan. The caravan continues moving, but soon the rider appears again, this time to save the displaced from the hurricane. He says his name is Maurice

Gerald, or Maurice the Mustanger, as he is a wild horse hunter. Louise falls in love with him at first sight.
Soon there will be a housewarming dinner at Casa del Corvo, where the Poindexters have settled. In the midst of the celebration, Maurice the Mustang appears with a herd of horses, which he caught on Poindexter's order. Among them, a mustang with a rare speckled color stands out. Poindexter offers a large sum for it, but the mustanger refuses the money and presents the mustang as a gift to Louise.
After some time, the commandant of Fort Inge, located near Casa del Corvo, organizes a return reception - a picnic on the prairie, during which it is planned to hunt mustangs. Maurice is the guide. As soon as the picnic participants settle down at a rest stop, a herd of wild mares appears, and a speckled mare, galloping after them, takes Louise to the prairie. Maurice fears that the speckled one, having caught up with her herd, will try to get rid of the rider, and rushes in pursuit. Soon he catches up with the girl, but they face a new danger - a herd of wild stallions, extremely aggressive at this time of year, is galloping towards them. Maurice and Louise have to flee, but they finally get rid of the pursuit only when the mustanger kills the leader with a well-aimed shot.
The heroes are left alone, and Maurice invites Louise to his hut. The girl is pleasantly surprised to see books and other little things there that testify to the owner’s education.
Meanwhile, Cassius Colquhoun, burning with jealousy, follows in the footsteps of Maurice and Louise and eventually meets them. They drive slowly next to each other, and jealousy flares up in him with renewed vigor.
In the evening of the same day, the men drink in the bar of the only hotel in the village, “At Privale,” which is run by the German Franz Oberdofer. Colquhoun proposes a toast that is insulting to the Irishman Maurice Gerald and pushes him in the process. In response, he throws a glass of whiskey in Colhoun's face. It is clear to everyone that the quarrel will end in a shootout.
Indeed, right there, in the bar, a duel takes place. Both participants are wounded, but the mustanger still manages to put a gun to Colhoun's head. He is forced to apologize.
Because of their wounds, Colhoun and Maurice the mustanger must remain on bed rest, but Colhoun is surrounded by care, and the mustanger languishes in a squalid hotel. But soon baskets of provisions begin to arrive to him - these are gifts from Isidora Covarubio de Los Llanos, whom he once saved from the hands of drunken Indians and who was in love with him. Louise becomes aware of this, and, tormented by jealousy, she arranges a meeting with the mustanger. During the meeting, a declaration of love occurs between them.
When Louise once again gets ready to go horseback riding, her father forbids her to go on the pretext that the Comanches are on the warpath. The girl surprisingly easily agrees and begins to get involved in archery - with the help of arrows she exchanges letters with Maurice the Mustanger.
The exchange of letters is followed by secret night meetings in the courtyard of the estate. One of these meetings is witnessed by Cassius Colquhoun, who wants to use this as an excuse to deal with the mustanger at the hands of Henry Poindexter. A quarrel occurs between Henry and Maurice, but Louise persuades her brother to catch up with the mustanger and apologize to him.
The enraged Colhoun tries to set a certain Miguel Diaz against Maurice, who has his own scores to settle with the Irishman because of Isidora, but he turns out to be dead drunk. Then Colquhoun himself goes after Maurice and Henry.
The next day it turns out that Henry has disappeared. Suddenly, his horse with traces of dried blood appears at the gates of the estate. They suspect that the young man was attacked by Comanches. Fort officers and planters gather to search.
Suddenly the owner of the hotel appears. He says that the night before the mustanger paid the bill and moved out. Soon Henry Poindexter appeared at the hotel. Having found out in which direction the mustanger had gone, he galloped after it.
The search party is riding along a forest clearing, when suddenly, against the backdrop of the setting sun, a headless horseman appears to the eyes of those gathered. The detachment tries to follow in his footsteps, but the tracks are lost in the “chalk prairie”. It was decided to postpone the search until the morning, and the major, the commandant of the fort, reports on the evidence found by the ranger Spangler that excludes the involvement of the Indians. Suspicion of murder falls on Maurice Gerald, and everyone decides to go to his hut in the morning.
At this time, the hunter Zebulon (Zeb) Stump, a friend of Maurice, comes to Casa del Corvo. Louise tells him rumors about her brother's death and Maurice Gerald's involvement in it. At her request, the hunter goes to the mustanger to save him from lynching.
When the hunter finds himself in the hut, the dog Tara comes running with Maurice's business card tied to his collar. It is written there in blood where he can be found. Zeb Stump arrives just in time to save his injured friend from a jaguar. Meanwhile, Louise sees a horseman resembling Maurice from the roof of the estate. Having galloped after him, she finds a note from Isidora to Maurice in the forest. Jealousy flares up in the girl, and she decides, contrary to decency, to go to her lover to check her suspicions. In the mustanger's hut she meets Isidora. When she sees her rival, she leaves the hut.
Thanks to Isidora, the search party easily finds the mustanger's home, where Woodley Poindexter discovers his daughter. He sends her home. And just in time, since those gathered are already ready to lynch the alleged murderer, mainly thanks to Colhoun’s false testimony. She manages to postpone the execution for a while, but passions flare up with renewed vigor, and the unconscious mustanger is again ready to be strung up on a branch. This time he is saved by Zeb Stump, who demands a fair trial. Maurice Gerald is taken to the guardhouse at Fort Inge.
Zeb Stump follows in the footsteps of the drama participants. During his search, he manages to see the headless horseman at close range, and he is convinced that it is Henry Poindexter.
While awaiting trial, Colhoun asks his uncle for Auiza's hand - he is his debtor and is unlikely to be able to refuse. But Louise doesn't want to hear about it. Then, at the trial, Colhoun talks about her secret meeting with the mustanger and about the latter’s quarrel with Henry. Louise is forced to admit that this is true.
From Maurice's story at the trial, it becomes known that after a quarrel, they met Henry in the forest, made peace and exchanged capes and hats as a sign of friendship. Henry left, and Maurice decided to spend the night in the forest. Suddenly he was awakened by a shot, but he did not attach any importance to it and fell asleep again, and in the morning he discovered Henry’s corpse with his head cut off. To deliver it to his relatives, the corpse had to be placed in the saddle of a mustang that belonged to Maurice, since Henry’s horse did not want to carry this gloomy burden. The mustanger himself mounted Henry's horse, but did not take the reins in his hands, so he could not control him when he bolted. As a result of a frenzied gallop, the mustanger hit his head on a branch and flew off his horse.
At this moment, Zeb Stump appears, leading Colquhoun and the Headless Horseman with him. He saw how Colhoun tried to catch the horseman to get rid of evidence, and makes it clear at the trial that Colhoun is the killer. The evidence is a bullet with Colhoun's initials removed from the corpse and a letter addressed to him, which he used as a wad. Caught, Colhoun tries to escape, but Maurice the mustanger catches him.
Colhoun confesses to the murder, which he committed by mistake: he aimed at the mustanger, not knowing that he had swapped clothes with his cousin. But before hearing the verdict, Colhoun shoots the mustanger, who is saved from death by the medallion donated by Louise. In desperation, Colquhoun shoots himself in the forehead.
It immediately turns out that Maurice Gerald is the owner of a large fortune. He marries Louise and buys Casa del Corvo from the heir Colhoun (it turns out he had a son). The servant Phelim O'Neill and Zeb Stump, who supplies the game to the table, live happily with them. Ten years later, Maurice and Louise already have six children.
Shortly after the wedding of Maurice and Louise, Miguel Diaz kills Isidora out of jealousy, for which he is hanged at the first branch.

The action takes place in the 1850s. Vans are driving across the Texas prairie - it is the bankrupt planter Woodley Poindexter who is moving from Louisiana to Texas. His son Henry, daughter Louise and nephew, retired captain Cassius Colhoun, are traveling with him. Suddenly they lose track - in front of them is a scorched prairie. A young horseman in a Mexican costume shows the way to the caravan. The caravan continues moving, but soon the rider appears again, this time to save the displaced from the hurricane. He says his name is Maurice Gerald, or Maurice the Mustanger, because he is a wild horse hunter. Louise falls in love with him at first sight.

Soon there will be a housewarming dinner at Casa del Corvo, where the Poindexters have settled. In the midst of the celebration, Maurice the Mustang appears with a herd of horses, which he caught on Poindexter's order. Among them, a mustang with a rare speckled color stands out. Poindexter offers a large sum for it, but the mustanger refuses the money and presents the mustang as a gift to Louise.

After some time, the commandant of Fort Inge, located near Casa del Corvo, arranges a return reception - a picnic on the prairie, during which it is planned to hunt mustangs. Maurice is the guide. As soon as the picnic participants settle down at a rest stop, a herd of wild mares appears, and a speckled mare, galloping after them, takes Louise to the prairie. Maurice fears that the speckled one, having caught up with her herd, will try to get rid of the rider, and rushes in pursuit. Soon he catches up with the girl, but they face a new danger - a herd of wild stallions, extremely aggressive at this time of year, is galloping towards them. Maurice and Louise have to flee, but they finally get rid of the pursuit only when the mustanger kills the leader with a well-aimed shot.

The heroes are left alone, and Maurice invites Louise to his hut. The girl is pleasantly surprised to see books and other little things there that testify to the owner’s education.

Meanwhile, Cassius Colquhoun, burning with jealousy, follows in the footsteps of Maurice and Louise and eventually meets them. They drive slowly next to each other, and jealousy flares up in him with renewed vigor.

That evening, the men are drinking in the bar of the only hotel in the village, “On Privale,” which is run by the German Franz Oberdofer. Colquhoun proposes a toast that is insulting to the Irishman Maurice Gerald and pushes him in the process. In response, he throws a glass of whiskey in Colhoun's face. It is clear to everyone that the quarrel will end in a shootout.

Indeed, right there, in the bar, a duel takes place. Both participants are wounded, but the mustanger still manages to put a gun to Colhoun's head. He is forced to apologize.

Because of their wounds, Colhoun and Maurice the mustanger must remain on bed rest, but Colhoun is surrounded by care, and the mustanger languishes in a squalid hotel. But soon baskets of provisions begin to arrive to him - these are gifts from Isidora Covarubio de Los Llanos, whom he once saved from the hands of drunken Indians and who was in love with him. Louise becomes aware of this, and, tormented by jealousy, she arranges a meeting with the mustanger. During the meeting, a declaration of love occurs between them.

When Louise once again gets ready to go horseback riding, her father forbids her to go on the pretext that the Comanches are on the warpath. The girl surprisingly easily agrees and begins to get involved in archery - with the help of arrows she exchanges letters with Maurice the Mustanger.

The exchange of letters is followed by secret night meetings in the courtyard of the estate.

Headless Horseman

The action takes place in the 1850s. Wagons are driving across the Texas prairie - this is the bankrupt planter Woodley Poindexter moving from Louisiana to Texas. His son Henry, daughter Louise and nephew, retired captain Cassius Colhoun, are traveling with him. Suddenly they lose track - in front of them is a scorched prairie. A young horseman in a Mexican costume shows the way to the caravan. The caravan continues moving, but soon the rider appears again, this time to save the displaced from the hurricane. He says his name is Maurice Gerald, or Maurice the Mustanger, because he is a wild horse hunter. Louise falls in love with him at first sight.

The heroes are left alone, and Maurice invites Louise to his hut. The girl is pleasantly surprised to see books and other little things there that testify to the owner’s education.

In the evening of the same day, the men drink in the bar of the only hotel in the village, “At Privale,” which is run by the German Franz Oberdofer. Colquhoun proposes a toast that is insulting to the Irishman Maurice Gerald and pushes him in the process. In response, he throws a glass of whiskey in Colhoun's face. It is clear to everyone that the quarrel will end in a shootout.

Indeed, right there, in the bar, a duel takes place. Both participants are wounded, but the mustanger still manages to put a gun to Colhoun's head. He is forced to apologize.

The exchange of letters is followed by secret night meetings in the courtyard of the estate. One of these meetings is witnessed by Cassius Colquhoun, who wants to use this as an excuse to deal with the mustanger at the hands of Henry Poindexter. A quarrel occurs between Henry and Maurice, but Louise persuades her brother to catch up with the mustanger and apologize to him.

The enraged Colhoun tries to set a certain Miguel Diaz against Maurice, who has his own scores to settle with the Irishman because of Isidora, but he turns out to be dead drunk. Then Colquhoun himself goes after Maurice and Henry.

The next day it turns out that Henry has disappeared. Suddenly, his horse with traces of dried blood appears at the gates of the estate. They suspect that the young man was attacked by Comanches. Fort officers and planters gather to search.

Suddenly the owner of the hotel appears. He says that the night before the mustanger paid the bill and moved out. Soon Henry Poindexter appeared at the hotel. Having found out in which direction the mustanger had gone, he galloped after it.

The search party is riding along a forest clearing, when suddenly, against the backdrop of the setting sun, a headless horseman appears to the eyes of those gathered. The detachment tries to follow in his footsteps, but the tracks are lost in the “chalk prairie”. It was decided to postpone the search until the morning, and the major, the commandant of the fort, reports on the evidence found by the ranger Spangler that excludes the involvement of the Indians. Suspicion of murder falls on Maurice Gerald, and everyone decides to go to his hut in the morning.

At this time, the hunter Zebulon (Zeb) Stump, a friend of Maurice, comes to Casa del Corvo. Louise tells him rumors about her brother's death and Maurice Gerald's involvement in it. At her request, the hunter goes to the mustanger to save him from lynching.

When the hunter finds himself in the hut, the dog Tara comes running with Maurice's business card tied to his collar. It is written there in blood where he can be found. Zeb Stump arrives just in time to save his injured friend from a jaguar. Meanwhile, Louise sees a horseman resembling Maurice from the roof of the estate. Having galloped after him, she finds a note from Isidora to Maurice in the forest. Jealousy flares up in the girl, and she decides, contrary to decency, to go to her lover to check her suspicions. In the mustanger's hut she meets Isidora. When she sees her rival, she leaves the hut.

Thanks to Isidora, the search party easily finds the mustanger's home, where Woodley Poindexter discovers his daughter. He sends her home. And just in time, since those gathered are already ready to lynch the alleged murderer, mainly thanks to Colhoun’s false testimony. She manages to postpone the execution for a while, but passions flare up with renewed vigor, and the unconscious mustanger is again ready to be strung up on a branch. This time he is saved by Zeb Stump, who demands a fair trial. Maurice Gerald is taken to the guardhouse at Fort Inge.

Zeb Stump follows in the footsteps of the drama participants. During his search, he manages to see the headless horseman at close range, and he is convinced that it is Henry Poindexter.

While awaiting trial, Colhoun asks his uncle for Auiza's hand - he is his debtor and is unlikely to be able to refuse. But Louise doesn't want to hear about it. Then, at the trial, Colhoun talks about her secret meeting with the mustanger and about the latter’s quarrel with Henry. Louise is forced to admit that this is true.

From Maurice's story at the trial, it becomes known that after a quarrel, they met Henry in the forest, made peace and exchanged capes and hats as a sign of friendship. Henry left, and Maurice decided to spend the night in the forest. Suddenly he was awakened by a shot, but he did not attach any importance to it and fell asleep again, and in the morning he discovered Henry’s corpse with his head cut off. To deliver it to his relatives, the corpse had to be placed in the saddle of a mustang that belonged to Maurice, since Henry’s horse did not want to carry this gloomy burden. The mustanger himself mounted Henry's horse, but did not take the reins in his hands, so he could not control him when he bolted. As a result of a frenzied gallop, the mustanger hit his head on a branch and flew off his horse.

At this moment, Zeb Stump appears, leading Colquhoun and the Headless Horseman with him. He saw how Colhoun tried to catch the horseman to get rid of evidence, and makes it clear at the trial that Colhoun is the killer. The evidence is a bullet with Colhoun's initials removed from the corpse and a letter addressed to him, which he used as a wad. Caught, Colhoun tries to escape, but Maurice the mustanger catches him.

Colhoun confesses to the murder, which he committed by mistake: he aimed at the mustanger, not knowing that he had swapped clothes with his cousin. But before hearing the verdict, Colhoun shoots the mustanger, who is saved from death by the medallion donated by Louise. In desperation, Colquhoun shoots himself in the forehead.

It immediately turns out that Maurice Gerald is the owner of a large fortune. He marries Louise and buys Casa del Corvo from the heir Colhoun (it turns out he had a son). With them, the servant Phelim O'Neill and Zeb Stump, who supplies game to the table, live happily. Ten years later, Maurice and Louise already have six children.

Shortly after the wedding of Maurice and Louise, Miguel Diaz kills Isidora out of jealousy, for which he is hanged at the first branch.

After some time, the commandant of Fort Inge, located not far from Casa del Corvo, organizes a return reception - a picnic on the prairie, during which it is planned to hunt mustangs. Maurice is the guide. As soon as the picnic participants settle down at a rest stop, a herd of wild mares appears, and a speckled mare, galloping after them, takes Louise to the prairie. Maurice fears that the speckled one, having caught up with her herd, will try to get rid of the rider, and rushes in pursuit. Soon he catches up with the girl, but they face a new danger - a herd of wild stallions, extremely aggressive at this time of year, is galloping towards them. Maurice and Louise have to flee, but they finally get rid of the pursuit only when the mustanger kills the leader with a well-aimed shot.

The heroes are left alone, and Maurice invites Louise to his hut. The girl is pleasantly surprised to see books and other little things there that testify to the owner’s education.

Indeed, right there, in the bar, a duel takes place. Both participants are wounded, but the mustanger still manages to put a gun to Colhoun's head. He is forced to apologize.

Because of their wounds, Colhoun and Maurice the mustanger must remain in bed, but Colhoun is surrounded by care, and the mustanger languishes in a squalid hotel. But soon baskets of provisions begin to arrive to him - these are gifts from Isidora Covarubio de Los Llanos, whom he once saved from the hands of drunken Indians and who fell in love with him. Louise becomes aware of this, and, tormented by jealousy, she arranges a meeting with the mustanger. During the meeting, a declaration of love occurs between them.

Enraged, Colhoun tries to set a certain Miguel Diaz against Maurice, who has his own scores to settle with the Irishman because of Isidora, but he turns out to be dead drunk. Then Colquhoun himself goes after Maurice and Henry.

The search party is riding along a forest clearing, when suddenly, against the backdrop of the setting sun, a headless horseman appears to the eyes of those gathered. The squad tries to follow in his footsteps, but the tracks are lost in the “chalk prairie.” It was decided to postpone the search until the morning, and the major, the commandant of the fort, reports on the evidence found by the ranger Spangler that excludes the involvement of the Indians. Suspicion of murder falls on Maurice Gerald, and everyone decides to go to his hut in the morning.

Zeb Stump follows in the footsteps of the drama participants. During his search, he manages to see a headless horseman at close range, and he is convinced that it is Henry Poindexter.

While awaiting trial, Colhoun asks his uncle for Louise's hand - he is his debtor and is unlikely to be able to refuse. But Louise doesn't want to hear about it. Then, at the trial, Colhoun talks about her secret meeting with the mustanger and about the latter’s quarrel with Henry. Louise is forced to admit that this is true.

At this moment, Zeb Stump appears, leading Colquhoun and the Headless Horseman. He saw how Colhoun tried to catch the horseman to get rid of evidence, and makes it clear at the trial that Colhoun is the killer. The evidence is a bullet with Colhoun's initials removed from the corpse and a letter addressed to him, which he used as a wad. The caught Colquhoun tries to escape, but Maurice the mustanger catches him.

It immediately turns out that Maurice Gerald is the owner of a large fortune. He marries Louise and buys Casa del Corvo from the heir Colhoun (it turns out he had a son). The servant Phelim O'Neill and Zeb Stump, who supplies the game to the table, live happily with them. Ten years later, Maurice and Louise already have six children.

Shortly after the wedding of Maurice and Louise, Miguel Diaz kills Isidora out of jealousy, for which he is hanged at the first branch.

Retold

Let's get acquainted with the work "The Headless Horseman". A summary of this novel is described in this article. It appeared in 1865. Its plot is based on the adventures in America of the author himself, who is Mine Reid. “The Headless Horseman,” a summary of which interests us, begins as follows.

The action of the work takes place in the 50s of the 19th century. Vans are driving across the Texas prairie - Woodley Poindexter, a bankrupt planter, is moving to Texas from Louisiana. Henry, his son, daughter Louise and Cassius Colhoun, his nephew, a retired captain, are also traveling with him. Suddenly the travelers lose track. The scorched prairie appears before them.

Meet Maurice Gerald

A young horseman dressed in Mexican costume shows the way to the caravan. He continues moving, but soon the horseman appears again, this time to save displaced people from the hurricane. This man says his name is Maurice Gerald. He is also called Maurice the Mustanger because he hunts wild horses. Louise falls in love with him at first sight.

Dinner party

Some time later, a housewarming dinner is to be held at Casa del Corvo, where the Poindexters now live. Maurice the Mustang appears in the midst of the celebration along with a herd of horses, which he captured at Poindexter's request. The rare speckled mustang stands out among them. Poindexter offers a large sum for him, but the mustanger refuses the money and presents the horse as a gift to Louise.

Events that happened at the picnic (their summary)

“The Headless Horseman”, outlined by us chapter by chapter, continues with a picnic. Let's talk about what events happened in this part of the novel. The commandant of Fort Inge, located near Casa del Corvo, arranges a return reception after some time. A picnic is being held on the prairie, and mustang hunting is also planned during the picnic. Maurice acts as a guide. As soon as the participants of this picnic settle down at a rest stop, a whole herd of wild mares appears. Having galloped after them, the speckled mare carries Louise out to the prairie. Maurice is afraid that, having caught up with his herd, the speckled one will try to get rid of the rider. He goes in pursuit. Soon Maurice catches up with the girl, but a new danger awaits them - a herd of wild horses is galloping at them. Stallions are extremely aggressive at this time of year. Louise and Maurice have to flee, but they finally get rid of the pursuit only when the mustanger kills the leader with a well-aimed shot.

Louise and Maurice are left alone, and the mustanger invites the girl to his hut. Louise is pleasantly surprised to notice books here, as well as other little things that indicate the owner’s education, which Reed notes (“The Headless Horseman”). The summary of the work proceeds to a description of how Cassius Colquhoun, burning with jealousy, sets off in the footsteps of Louise and Maurice, and finally meets them. They drive slowly next to each other, and jealousy flares up in him with renewed vigor.

Calhoun's quarrel with Gerald

The men are drinking in the evening of the same day in the bar of the Na Prival hotel (the only one in the village), which is run by Franz Oberdofer, a German. Colquhoun proposes a toast that is insulting to Maurice Gerald (the Irishman), and also pushes him. He responds by throwing a glass of whiskey in Colhoun's face. It is clear to everyone that this quarrel must end in a shootout. Indeed, right here, in this same bar, a duel is taking place. Both participants are wounded, but the mustanger still manages to put a gun to Colhoun’s head, who is forced to apologize. M. Reed ("The Headless Horseman") talks about all this in more detail. The summary describes only the main events.

Gifts from the lover Isidora

Colquhoun and Maurice are forced to remain in bed due to their wounds. If Cassius is surrounded by care, then Maurice languishes alone in a wretched hotel. However, soon baskets of provisions begin to arrive to him. These are gifts from Isidora de Los Llanos, who is in love with him, whom he once saved from the hands of drunken Indians. Louise becomes aware of this. Tormented by jealousy, the girl arranges a meeting with Maurice, during which they declare their love for each other.

Louise's communication with Maurice

Louise wants to go horseback riding again. However, the father forbids the girl to leave, explaining that the Comanches are now on the warpath. Louise from the work “The Headless Horseman” agrees surprisingly easily, a very brief summary of which is presented in this article. She begins to practice archery: the girl uses arrows to exchange letters with her lover. This is followed by secret meetings at night in the courtyard of the estate. Cassius Colhoun witnesses one of these meetings. He wants to use this circumstance as an excuse to deal with Maurice at the hands of Henry Poindexter. Indeed, there is a quarrel between them, but Louise persuades her brother to apologize to the mustanger, for which he should follow him and catch up with him.

Henry's disappearance

Presenting a summary of the story “The Headless Horseman,” we note that Colhoun is furious. He is trying to set Miguel Diaz on the mustanger. This man has his own scores to settle with the Irishman (because of Isidora), but he turns out to be dead drunk. Colquhoun then decides to go himself after Henry and Maurice.

The next day it turns out that Henry is missing. His horse suddenly appears at the gates of the estate, on which traces of dried blood are found. The young man is suspected to have been attacked by Comanches. The planters and officers of the fort set out to search.

Suddenly the hotel owner appears, who says that the mustanger paid the bill the night before and then moved out, then Henry Poindexter soon appeared at the hotel. Having learned in which direction the mustanger went, he followed it.

Search for Henry

Do you want to know what events continue in "The Headless Horseman"? A summary of further events is as follows. A search party is driving through a forest clearing. Suddenly, against the backdrop of the setting sun, a headless horseman appears before the eyes of those gathered.

People try to follow in his tracks, but they get lost in the prairie. It was decided to postpone the search until the morning. The commandant of the fort, a major, reports on the evidence found by the ranger Spangler. This evidence rules out Indian involvement. Immediately suspicion of murder falls on Maurice Gerald, and everyone decides to go early in the morning to his hut.

Hunter saves his friend

At this time, Maurice's friend Zebulon Stump (Zeb) comes to Casa del Corvo. Louise tells him rumors about the death of her brother, as well as the fact that Maurice Gerald was allegedly involved in it. The hunter goes at her request to the mustanger in order to save Maurice from lynching. When Zeb finds himself in his hut, Tara the dog comes running with Maurice's calling card tied to his collar. On the card is written in blood where you can find him. Zeb appears just in time. He saves his wounded friend from a jaguar. Louise, meanwhile, sees a horseman resembling Maurice from the roof of the estate. Having galloped after him, the girl discovers a note to Maurice from Isidora in the forest. Jealousy flares up in Louise, and she decides to go to her lover, contrary to decency, in order to check her suspicions. She meets the mustanger Isidora in the hut. When she sees her rival, she decides to leave the hut.

Imminent danger

Thanks to Isidora, the search party easily discovers the mustanger's home. Woodley Poindexter finds his daughter in him and sends the girl home. This is very useful, because those gathered are already ready to lynch Maurice, mainly because of Colquhoun's false testimony. The girl manages to delay the execution for some time, but passions flare up with renewed vigor. The mustanger, who is now in an unconscious state, is ready to be hung up on a branch again. He is saved this time by Zeb Stump, who demands a fair trial. Maurice Gerald is taken to Fort Inge, to the guardhouse. Zeb Stump sets off on the trail of the participants in the drama. During his search, he manages to see a headless horseman at close range. Zeb becomes convinced that it is none other than Henry Poindexter.

Colhoun, while awaiting trial, asks Louise's hand in marriage from her uncle. The fact is that he is his debtor, so he can hardly refuse him. However, Louise doesn’t want to think about it. Then Colquhoun at the trial talks about how she secretly met with Maurice, as well as about the mustanger’s quarrel with Henry. Louise is forced to confirm that this is indeed the case.

How it really was

The summary is already approaching the end. “The Headless Horseman” (the plot of the work is described chapter by chapter) continues with the truth emerging from the Irishman’s story at the trial. He tells how he met Henry after a quarrel in the forest, made peace with him and they exchanged hats and capes as a sign of friendship. Henry left, and the mustanger decided to spend the night in the forest. Suddenly he was woken up by a shot, but Maurice from the work “The Headless Horseman”, a summary of which we are describing, did not attach much importance to it and fell asleep again. In the morning he found Henry's corpse, whose head had been cut off. In order to deliver the body to the relatives, the corpse had to be placed in the saddle of a mustang that belonged to Maurice, since Henry’s horse did not want to carry such a gloomy burden. Mustang sat on Henry's horse, but did not take the reins in his hands, so when the horse bolted, he could not control it. As a result of this frenzied gallop, Maurice hit his head on a branch and then flew off his horse.

And at the moment of the story, Zeb appears, leading the headless horseman and Colquhoun with him. He saw how the latter tried to catch the rider in order to get rid of evidence. Zeb Stump declares in court that this is the killer. A bullet with initials belonging to Colquhoun, as well as a letter addressed to him, used as a wad, serve as evidence. Colquhoun tries to escape, but the mustanger catches him.

Spectacular finale

How does the novel "The Headless Horseman" end? The summary of the final events is very interesting. Colquhoun admits everything, but claims that he committed this murder by mistake. He wanted to hit the mustanger and did not know that Maurice had swapped clothes with Henry. Before hearing the court's verdict, Colquhoun shoots the Irishman, who is saved from death by a medallion given by Louise. In desperation, Henry's killer shoots himself in the forehead.

It turns out that Maurice owns a large fortune. He takes Louise as his wife and buys Casa del Corvo from the heir Colhoun (he, it turns out, had a son). The servant Felim lives happily with them, as does Zeb Stump, who supplies the game to the table. After 10 years, Maurice and Louise already have 6 children. Miguel Diaz, shortly after their wedding, kills Isidora out of jealousy. For this he is hanged.

This is where Mine Reid ends his work. “The Headless Horseman,” a summary of which we have just described, is a very interesting and fascinating work. It may appeal to a wide range of readers. The summary of the story “The Headless Horseman” presented above, of course, cannot be compared with the original text.