On the Trail of Geronimo — page 299: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

ON THE TRAIL OF GERONIMO. 285 His blows right and left were given merely to clear the road. The instant he saw the way open, he bounded over one of the prostrate bodies, and without seeing whither he went, shot off in the gloom like a frightened deer. Furious and effective as was the demonstration he made, it could not result in bringing all the Apaches to the earth. One of those who escaped was more active than his companions, and raising his tomahawk (with which weapon only a few of the Indians were supplied) he poised himseif to launch it at the swiftly vanishing prisoner. Had the hatchet left the hand of the thrower without hindrance, it would have cloven Bedford’s brain or spine, but while it was poised over his head, the sharp crack of a rifle broke the stillness, and, as for that particular Apache, the subsequent proceedings interested him no more. Good fortune followed the brave Bedford. While there were half a dozen directions which, if taken, would have carried him over the rocks and broken his neck, Providence saved him from that. He had no opportunity nor time to choose his course. Had he found himself on the edge of a precipice a hundred feet high, he would have made (C(0) nn) (e 6)(0)(6) (CO) mM