The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

124 THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. strength he soon succeeded in getting one foot en- tirely free. But. that was not of much “material aid to him in conveying his thoughts to his partner, although he certainly did find that it gave him relief in standing, because he was no longer confined to any one par- ticular attitude. | I have intimated that after the first few moments of their captivity, their spirits began to rise, almost sumultaneously. ) Both were thinking of Robinson. Why, of course! How ridiculous it was to suppose that he would not soon come back and release them. And how fortunate they had been to form an alli- ance with him as they did? How very foolish it was for them to give themselves a single moment of un- easiness about their prospects. True, the position in which they stood was rapidly becoming irksome— but then, the time would not be long before they would again be free. Their eyes met for the second time; and though debarred from elaborate communication, neither of them found it very difficult to read an easier and pleasanter expression in his partner’s orbs. But as an hour dragged slowly by, and then another,their hopes grew less radiant, and their con- . fidence less perfect. Why did not Robinson come to their rescue? Could it be possible that he had repaid their kindness by such: baseness? Yes, it certainly had that look. As Ryan dwelt upon the series of incidents just past, he reproached himself bitterly — for having allowed a notorious villain to hoodwink ~ him in that fashion. At that moment he would have given almost any- thing he possessed for the power of speech, in order er \ comicboo co