The Prairie Detective — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

. 7+ - » ' - » . Wee 7 ’ fut, ; , * cee 9¢ : oe 4 iM i ° ; re ; Oe, We aa” OP os ee , . $ dy, ee ‘~_. 1 pai ‘ \ a : . AS al 5 a >? 5 a © ne ES a ; » = « “a + > *¢ - ss ~ THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. 139 ‘ CHAPTER XV. THE FUGITIVES AND THEIR PRISONERS. It becomes necessary at this time to follow the movements of Marian and Doc Harper;not only be- cause much of the interest of this story attaches to them, but also in order to explain some future occur- rences which might otherwise puzzle the reader. When Robinson inferred from the traces left by the retreating band, that the two *bronchos were ridden by Marian and her father, he showed that his long training on the frontier had not been in vain. They had, indeed, been unfortunate enough to fall - into the hands of their foes. ‘They were soon bound, and as the hunters were thoroughly defeated by that time, the Bloodsuckers began to prepare for their retreat. | . Old Doc Harper was half stunned and well-nigh exhausted by the sharp encounter he had taken part in, but felt disposed to be thankful that Esther, at — least, had escaped. He was doubly grateful, because the whole attack had been planned and executed for the purpose of making this particular capture; — and it furnished his resentment with food to know — that, so far as the real object of the murderous as- sault was concerned, the-whole thing was a failure. - But where was Esther? What would become of her, alone in the midst of a strange and wild coun- try? Would she succeed in eluding the pursuers who would surely be sent upon her track? And if cS 7 comicboo! com