Beadle's Dime Novels No. 153: Mohawk Nat — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

-— ALL DECLINE. 21 _ “No words, sir. While we waste time here, those we are following will be on their way. Dispatch him as quickly as you can.” Nat raised his rifle again, ‘the captain looking on coolly. As before, the face of Barbed Arrow did not change, but his lips opened and he began a monotonous chant, his death- song. He evidently did not expect to live, but the natural or acquired stoicism of the Indian came to his aid, and he was ready to meet death bravely. Nat dropped the rifle again. 0 aaa a oar top an enter on me,” he muttered, “What? I thought you ‘laimed it as a right.” “ Ain't it?” said Nat, in a belligerent tone. “Certainly. Do the work.” “That’s just it. Ef you would only stand out agin’ it an’ say I shouldn’t, I could give it to him-good. But, thar ain’t no opposition} You ain’t got no right to ask me to kill him.” “ You do it, Turner,” said Lewis, Seville: | to the settler. “T think you will claim the right, in retaliation for your own losses.” “ Not I,” said Turner. “I’m a rough sort of chap, but it would almost seem like ieteeumnas red; any way, I won't do it,” “ You shoot him, Bates,” “Don’t ask me. Do it yourself.” “T opposed it, you remember, and I could see by your faces that you sided with Nat in the matter. So, what could I do but give him his way ? Now it seems he don’t care to take what he claimed.” “You knew me, didn’t you?” said Nat. “You knew I wouldn’t do it, when it come to the p’int. I ain’t that bad that I could do it, Where in thunder kin we put him anyhow ?” “T see no way butto bind him, and leave him here until we return,” said Lewis. “Umph! pose we don’t come back ?” “T thought of that. But I think it would be best to “risk it. There is no other way. I dare not set him at liberty.” During the conference, the Indian had not shifted his posi- tion except to turn his melancholy eyes upon the dark river conmicloooks scorn