Beadle's Dime Novels No. 120: The Hunchback — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

12 =: THE HUNCHBACK. years. . As man liveth and as my soul liveth, I shall hate you all while I have power to think. If I were lying in my coffin and one of you should Jay his accursed hand upon it, I should rise and speak to him. You see the place where I live. It is beautiful, for, branded and deformed as I am, sent into the world before my time, I love to be among beautiful. things. Here I have dwelt’ for more than five years, and dwelt in peace. The Indians respect me, for I give them aid. But they fear the man they called the ‘ Little Dark Man of the Lake.’ This infernal hump they think is given me by the master whom I serve. Others have thought so, too, and men with white skins.and black hearts have beaten me out from among them, because I was not like them. I ask you once more as I Leiniis asked this chief, to choose anny place for your conference.” “Ts this land yours ?” “ By possession only.” ‘We must have our conference here.” “Be it so, then, I have a prophet’s vision, and I see strange things. This place is peaceful now; but, before another snow shall fall, blood shall flow like water along these pleasant places. Blood will flow, and J shall be there. Do you dare to come with me, Samuel Stanton, to visit my dwell- ing? There I will show you strange things. I have two houses. One I will show to you.” “ T do not see any house.” > “Will you come? I promise you that you shall be hate, Your friend shall go with you. I wish to tell you my story, for, of all your race, you are the only one who does not know it. Come with me, I say, and you shall say that Caspar Decker has the right to hate you all.” “No go, cappen,” whispered the Indian, touching his com- panion on the arm. “ Little dark man is son of the bad Manitou. Let him stay alone; you go with Wando.” “Not so,” replied Captain Stanton. “ He has given his word that he will not harm me, and I believe he will keep it faithfully. Go aside, good Caspar, since you are called so, and wait until I have held some conference with our friend Wando. That done, I will go with you. I confess that Iam very curious to hear this tale you speak of.” CconmmiclooOolkks.conn