Beadle's Dime Novels No. 127: Bald Eagle — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

50 . BALD EAGLE. At this moment Colonel Vinton entered, to whom she con- tinued : “ Good-morning, Colonel Vinton. Did you hear my praise of Black Dick ?” “T have not the honor of knowing whom Miss De Witt thus designates ; but if accounted worthy of praise from her lips, I readily endorse him.” And he bent a pair of large, admiring eyes upon her face. “Have a care, Colonel, or you may find it not altogether a safe criterion.” “May I venture to ask who Black Dick may be ?” “ Nay, Colonel, the name is suggestive of the Black Douglas, Black Forest, and all that is courtly, dark and mysterious. Ac- cept the illusion, and lift not the vail—” She was interrupted in her rattling speech by De Witt, who broke in, with a laugh, which illy concealed his real anger. “ Black Dick, colonel, is a marauder, a thief, a double- traitor and murderer—the most infamous scoundrel of the day |” “ Papa, that is not mildly spoken, but you will admit he sits a horse well, and rides like the best—” “ Ay, ay, girl; he has a taste in horse-flesh, and steals only the best. Not a week ago I saw him tearing down the Cleaye with my noble white charger, Which I had refused to sell to Sir Henry Clinton himself.” “Tt took courage to do that in the face of his owner,” mut- tered the girl. “Oh! nobody doubts the courage of the scoundrel.” By this time the party had reached the parlor, and Katrina ran her fingers down the keys of the spinet, and half uncon- sciously struck into the notes of Yankee Doodle. Colonel Vinton joined in chorus, and the giddy Kate sung in nasal twang with great glee. They were interrupted by Mrs. De Witt, who, to the amazement of the little group, laid a plump, matronly hand upon the fingers of her daughter. “Hush, Kate, hush; I do not like this foolery.” | Katrina wheeled round on the music-stool, and with a mer- ry, but surprised look, which well became her red lips and dark eyes, exclaimed : connicloooks.com