Rocky Mountain Sam — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

106 ROCKY MOUNTAIN SAM. from his saddle, and locked in the terrible embrace of the bravo of the Big Horn, though the latter made no attempt upon his lifeas they swung together through the air. ‘Scarlet! Robert Scarlet! do’ye know why it is I don’t wash my hands in yer heart’s blood?” hissed the avenger, in the other’s ear, the knife dropping from between his teeth as he did so. “T do not know, nor care,” replied the other, in that hopeless, forlorn voice which had distinguished him before in addressing the hunter. ‘‘You know the object of my life. Let me but look npon my lost mother’s face and I will freely offer you my life—anything!” “Do you deserve it, after kidnapping a fair, pure girlfrom - her father’s roof?” , ‘She will learn to love me in time.” “Bah! Robert Scarlet, d’ye know me?” ‘‘How should 1?” “But you will know in time—to your cost.” “«“And.my mother?’ “You shall, perhaps, see her, too, in time; and then my revenge will be complete. Ha!” his strange interview had passed in swiftly interchanged whispers, and had scarcely taken up a dozen seconds. 'The last exclamation was occasioned by a flying savage springing upon the hunter’s legs from behind and making a desperate attempt to stab him, which, from his disabled condition, he was unable to do. | In freeing himself from the attack, Big Horn dropped the renegade, who at once bounded back into his saddle, and made a last, frenzied attempt to stay the flight of his fol- lowers, whose demoralization was by this time well-nigh complete. But the effort was in vain. Big Horn made a final swoop through the flying redskins, and then reaching above his head and severing the ropes that sustained him, fell, covered with blood and almost ex- hausted, among his companions, who were pressing the pur- suit, with victorious cries. | They halted around the hunter, whose tremendous in- dividual valor had probably saved the lives of all, and, used as they were to fierce and bloody adventure, gazed upon him with admiration and respect that were akin to awe; while Dutton could only grasp his mighty hand, without a word. | ‘S Ecol Eomicboo