Beadle's Dime Novels No. 153: Mohawk Nat — page 13: what you’re looking at

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

THR GAST-AWAY MOCCASIN. 15 “T’'ve seen New England rum so strong,” said Nat, with an appearance of the greatest candor, “ that it would eat a hole in a beard two inches thick. A friend of mine from Albany wanted to wash his gan one day, and he thought it would be a gay thing to wash his gun in sperrits. The durned stuff e’t the bar’! off afore he c’u’d wash it out.” “Isn't that rather fishy; Nat?’ said Lewis, smiling. “ Mebbe you'd like to doubt my word, Mister Independent Captain of Independent Rangers? Perhaps you don't remem- ber my name, an’ the day of the month Twas bornedin? Ef ye've forgot it, Pll tell ye. My name is Nat Hazard; I’m forty years old on the tenth of this month; an’ I kin lick any man out of his moccasins that goes to say I'm a liar.” “TI would not doubt your earnest word for the world, Nat, but that was very active spirits used im that gun.” “Actyve? I guess so! A man must travel rather fast to keep up with them. I don’t know jest whar the man is and whar the rifle is, but.ef I could find ’em I'd show ’em to ye and satisfy ye that itis allright. But hush. What is this?’ He stooped and took something from the ground. It was an Indian moccasin, small, and beautifully ornamented with bead-work; not a man’s moccasin, that was evident. A cer- tain daintiness of form and make showed that it was the pro- perty of a woman, «6. “ Git out,” said Nat. “ What’s the meaning of this, now ? A woman in the hills? Darn my buttons ef this don’t beat my time. A woman with a war-party of Hurons? Good gracious |” Lewis, taking the moccasin, examined it minutely. It had been thrown. away by its owner, worn out. The sole was ragged and torn off in many places. The pretty article passed een oo hand wed elicited various comments from the § * Mebbe she don’t belong to our crowd ? said Tom Turner Yom, she does,” replied Nat. “Don’t ye see that their tracks cover hers, and are jest ez fresh? I hope I know an old track. We've got Injins somewhar’ nigh us this minnit. They ain’t gone fur in the hills.” As he spoke he waa looking with a cautious eye at the comico am