The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. © 30 him that his system was greatly weakened. The difficulty of his work was also greatly augmented by the current, which, directly below the sharp point of land which, jutting boldly outward, changed the course of the stream, sent the full sweep of water over against the opposite shore in a diagonal course. Therefore, his efforts to reach the bank for which he had started brought him almost directly in contact with the full force of the heavy current. But, knowing his great strength as a swimmer, and forgetting that he was laboring under great and unusual disadvantages, he plunged courageously across the tide, covering the distance with long and powerful strokes. A dull, aching pain in his head, reminded him of the tremendous blow he had received, but he could not stop for an instant to investigate his injuries. He knew that each second he remained inactive car- ried him farther away from the point he desired to reach. And so he pushed ahead through the water, each sweep of his long arms telling upon his already weakened system. His large pistols, knife, and box of ammunition weighed heavily upon him and checked his progress, but still he fought with determination and energy. Almost any. other man, under those conditions, would have unbuckled his belt, and allowed the weapons to sink to the bottom of the river. But Sycamore Dan was not like ordinary men. He was used to peril in every form, and had faced dan- ger often. The thought of leaving his accouterments behind flashed upon his mind, but was dismissed in the same breath. It would leave him free, but what of that? Even if he succeeded in reaching the shore, what (ECO AAICEl exeye) cS (E{o)