Beadle's New Dime Novels: 'Kirke, the Renegade'

This is a Beadle and Adams dime novel from 1870, a publisher's catalog page followed by the opening of "The Renegade Chief; or, Kirke, the Renegade" by Joseph L. Henderson. The story follows two college friends, Harry Sprague and the unnamed narrator, who join an emigrant wagon train heading to California during the gold rush. The narrator, hunting deer near camp one morning, becomes lost on the prairie after pursuing a herd and walking in circles all day. Stranded without food or horse as night falls, he reflects on his predicament and considers possible rescue scenarios, including encounters with Indians or a passing trapper. The catalog lists numerous Beadle titles across multiple series: speakers and dialogues for recitation, etiquette and letter-writing guides, games, dance instruction, cooking and domestic manuals, and classics like Robinson Crusoe, all priced at ten cents.