Beadle's Dime Novels No. 213: Squatter Dick — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

86 SQUATTER DICK. can hey forgotten it, seein’ you hed so much fun with Lajoie. You didn’t think then that you'd die in the same place he did, did. you ?” "tu “ My God!” shrieked the wretched man, “ @'s the quicksand !”” “ Jes’ so, An’ thar is the tree and the limb whar you fel- lers strung up poor Lajoie. It’s retribution-like, you see, I put you so’t the last thing you’d see would be it. Mebbe it'll make you die easier.” 3 “Mercy—have mercy !” cried Keedy, as he vainly strove to lift. first one foot and then the other from the mire ; dey were buried to the knees ! ‘+ _ You've found out the meanin’ 0’ thet word a leetle too late, Mat; it won't do you no good now. You never put, it eut at interest nowhar’s, an’ so, you cain’t jestly ’xpect_it_ now in your need.. Better sober down your thoughts, an’ try to prepare fer what comes herearter, fer yer hours, yas, I mought say yer minutes, on top o’ airth is numbered, Judgin’ from the way ’at you've bin a-settlin’, | calclate that in ‘bout ore hour you'll gi’e your last breath,” said Laflin, slowly, taking a fresh quid of tobacco, _ Keedy writhed and struggled to extricate himself, but in yain. Each effort he made only served to bury him deeper in the slowly-shifting sands, and hasten his inevitable fate. Then he raised his voice in a series of wild, piercing shrieks for help, intermingling his prayers with the most hideous blasphemies, until at length he ceased through sheer want of breath, “Don't stop—goon! Llike to hear ye, It’s music sweeter'n any thin’ ’at I eyer heerd, to lis'en to, you a-beggin’ thet way. But then ’tain’t so wise fer you. I reckon that you've. short ened your lease of life just ten minutes, by them didoes,” The captive did not answer, but his bloodshot eyes rested upon the form of his enemy with a glare of hatred so horrible in its intensity and. bitterness that the gaze of Laflin drooped before it. Then a wild, vindictive ery of joy broke from Keedy’s lips, sounding so strange that. the squatter cast a startled glance around him, as if fearing lest some unexpected chance should snap his cup of revenge from. his lips. .,“ Wal! the man must ’a’ gone clean crazy !’ he muttered, as, his fears relieved, be glanced onee more at his eapiive. . , Commicloooks.corn