The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. | 99 was enticing the reptilesaway, from Esther’s pros- trate form. Vixen would bound forward almost within reach of her hissing, rattling enemy, making a feint as if about to attack the crawling, repulsive thing, and then spring backward just in time to avoid the mur- derous fangs as they descended with incalculable rapidity. The snake was ina wild fury of disap- pointment, and soon forgot all about his former prey. He followed the retreating form of the wild- cat, without turning one way or the other, and bent only upon revenge. The subtle influence removed, Esther soon regained control of her limbs. She was a courageous girl, as I have already intimated, and no sooner was she fairly herself again than she resolved to put an end to the snake, which had come so near depriving her of life. pales -Many girls, under like circumstances, would have run; but she was far from being like an ordinary young woman in this as well as other respects. Seizing a heavy billet of wood, she approached within striking distance of her enemy, who was fully occupied with Vixen. Then, with careful ac- curacy, she launched out a blow with all her force, the club catching the snake just behind his head, upon the slenderest and most delicate part of his body. The reptile coiled up ina labyrinthine knot, and then straightened outin the death-agony. In another instant Esther had dropped her weapon, and with — Vixen folded in her warm embrace, was covering the intelligent animal’s face with kisses, comicboo cS (elo)