Beadle's Dime Novels No. 213: Squatter Dick — page 68: what you’re looking at

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

‘70 SQUATTER DICK. . Ada cautiozsly worked her hands back ‘and. forth in the handkerchief with which they had been bound, and to her great exultation found that with but little difficulty it could be slipped off, owing to the haste in which Keedy had knotted jt, at the mansion. The motion of the horse that was going at a fast canter, prevented her efforts being discovered by her abductor. As her hand became freed it struck against some cold, hard object, and to her joy she found that it was the handle of the outlaw’s knife. This discovery suggested n plan to her, so wild and desperate that under ordinary circumstances she would have shrunk from it in horror. ~ Ada listened intently. | Ata little distance ahead .of them rode the two outlaws who had assisted ‘Keedy in the’ abdue- tion. And she thought she could hear shouts and trampling of horses’ hoofs behind them im the-distance, but was not cer- tuin, as the splashing of the three horses now inereascd. The road had dwipdled dawn into a mere footpath, and the bushes occasionally Would brush them upon either side, Ada tried to remember where they weretand in which direction they: had. come, and, thought that she could do so ; but the many curves and abrupt turns they had taken in the darkness confused her somewhat. Her hand closed upon the horn handle of the knife, and to her delight felt it yield readily to her touch, It was loose and would slip from iis, sheath witbont difficulty, There. was no. time to be lost and she determined to risk the attempt. : Fonte all her Seat Ada i al the long blade from . it tb Ria ht a's: belt, and mare it with all her force | into the al ; then, as. his” a relaxed their held, and he pasha ply a sharp ery of mingled | surprise and pain, the maiden leaped to the ground, The outlaw’s liorse was frightened by. the sudden move- ment, and plunged ahead with a. snort of terror, almost. un- seating its rider, Ada ‘stooped and guickly severed the cord that secured her ankles, with the knife she still held, and then ted away into the gloomy recesses of the swamp. through re and water, iatent only upon. escaping from her brutal With a frightful volley of imprecations, Mat Keedy ‘finally comicloooks.com