Beadle's Dime Novels No. 13 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

60 CEDAR SWAMP; OR, WILD NAT’S BRIGADE, mean you by that word? Has she died, eloped, or was she—- abducted ?” “She was*stolen away, sil,” said the mother, speaking very sternly. “Stolen away, but by whom I much wish to know. Can you tell me who it might be ?” Reginald turned pale when this question was so directly put te him, but he quickly responded in a light, heartless tone: “Indeed, madam, I cannot. Were I but acquainted with such - a secret it would indeed kill me to keep it from you.” “Then let it kill you!’ cried a-voice deep with passion; the door of the house, which had been ajar, was flung open, while on the threshold, white with rage, stood John Vale. In either hand he held a loaded pistol. Surprise, for the moment, held Preston motionless and speechless; the sudden apparition completely unmanning him. Recovering, by a great effort, his presence of mind, he turned to his men who had not yet dismounted, and shouted : “ Shoot him down! shoot the rebel down! Forward, men, and—” As Reginald spoke, he drew his sword; but, whatever else he would have told: his comrades, was left unsaid—a ball from the pistol of John Vale had done its work. The dragoons hastily snatching their pistols from their holsters, fired, but ap- parently without effect, for the rebel disappeared again, clos- ing the door behind him.” The stout oak door withstood the rush made against it by the four soldiers, and it was some time before they ventured to enter by the window, When, however, they did venture in, they found a window on the op- posite side of the room, thrown wide open, and beheld far over the fields, a black steed bearing away, right gallantly, the young avenger. Seeing pursuit. was hopeless, the troopers deemed it neces- sary to go to the assistance of their captain. They found him weltering in his blood, a ball seatiaas en- tered his right arm near the shoulder, and another the left thigh some distance above the knee joint. The supposition was, that Vale had fired both pistols together, for but one explosion had been heard. Notwithstanding the wrongs which Mrs. Vale had good reason to suppose she had received at the hands of this man, she had lifted his head and was endeavoring to stanch the comliclbooks.com