Beadle's Dime Library No. 597

# "The Secret of the Hollow" by Jos. E. Badger, Jr.

This installment features the opening chapters of a Western serial set during the Reconstruction era. "Big Bandy," a deformed but respected former Confederate officer with scarred face and bowed legs, reviews a gathering of Civil War veterans at a barbecue. Despite his disheveled appearance, his keen eyes and military bearing command their respect.

When the assembly discusses supporting Carl Krishtner as sheriff, Big Bandy questions whether Krishtner served in combat, learning he served only in the Home Guards. Big Bandy declares he will vote for the current sheriff, John Hooper—a Union officer—because Hooper performs his duty well, regardless of which side he fought for during the war.

A violent altercation erupts when 'Gene Fuller attacks Big Bandy, but Green Gentry intervenes to prevent bloodshed. A third character, a shabby, seemingly drunken drifter, arrives seeking liquor. The fragment concludes mid-scene with this stranger's rambling dialogue.