Beadle's Dime Novels No. 142: The Sagamore of Saco — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE SAGAMORE OF SACO. upon the face of Hope, who stood looking upward to him, her exquisite head thrown back; while ever and anon she gave her long hair a shake to relieve it of the heavy drops of water, and then twanged the bowstring as a help to her expression, they heard her say : “You know I can swim, John Bonyton. Yon know I never want help anywhere, nor for any thing.” (A shake of the hair, and twang of bow.) “TI know you fear nothing, Hope—” “Fear!” interrupted the girl “Fear! I scorn the idea. Haven't I leaped a hundred times from rock to rock across the Saco falls? Leaped the wolve’s chasm ?” '“T know it all, Hope, but—” “But me no buls/ Haven't I defied Samoset himself when he made me angry? (A shake and a twang.) When that ugly Terrentine would have carried me off to make me into a medicine-woman, did he not barely escape with his life? and hadn’t I his scalping-knife out of his own girdle to defend myself with ?” Young Bonyton shuddered. “ You fear nothing, I know, Hope, but I could not see you drown.” “Drown!” returned the other, twanging her bow till it fairly yelled ; “do you not know I would rather drown ten times, than be brought out of the water in your arms? You know I would, John Bonyton.” “I could not see you drown, Hope,” he reiterated, with more of softness in his look and tone. “ Suppose I chose to drown, John Bonyton, what right had you to interfere ?” “ Hope—dear Hope, I know you did.” “ Well, and what if I did? Do you think I will be pulled out like a fish, and be laid upon the bank to open and shut my mouth for lack of breath, and you looking on? I tell you, John Bonyton, I hate you.” The youth smiled—a manly, deferential smile, and whis- pered a word in her ear. Suddenly she started, gave one wild, earnest look into his face—then stepped aside. The blood rushed like a torrent to her face, and she fled homeward With the speed of a startled fawn. : comicloooks.comn