Beadle's Dime Novels No. 215: The White Hermit — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

_ otherwise nob.e frame. He was slightly bunchbacked, or rather, one shoulder rose higher than the other, giving him a distorted and ungainly look. The eye which looked so keenly over the lake was one of wonderful power, keen and piercing, and Austen felt that the man could be a dangerous enemy. Bending forward to get a fuller view of him, a rotten limb up- on which his foot incautiously rested gave way and precipitated him to the bank below, unhurt, but full in the sight of the masked chief, whoever he might be. Austen started to his _ feet, and for a brief space the two looked into each other's eyes with a questioning stare. “Who are you?’ hissed the mask. “I need not ask that, since you wexr the accursed uniform of the Colonial Rifles. You are mine, and thus I claim you.” _ Too proud to cry out for aid, and knowing that it was more likely to come to the masked chief than himself, the young captain closed with his Herculean antagonist and exerted all his strength to bear him to the ground. “ Larry” Austen _ was famed in Albany for feats of muscle, and no ordinary man could put him on his back, and this the masked chief _ found. . In vain he put out his almost superhuman strength in SIE ce to. sign the young, mari trams the: gvoul nd Sl upon him ; the feet of the captain seemed glued to the earth, and although his body swayed backward and forward before _ the giganiic strength of the mask, he still stood up. “Curse you!” hissed the mask. “T'll have you, by this Y _ . ar -o- & You must win me ere you wear me,” was the cool reply. ue TI hope to show you that Laurence Austen is no child in arms. Call your myrmidons, you may need them.” _— * Never!” whispered the masked chief. “ We will fight this battle out alone. Look to yourself.” They had paused a moment, by mutual consent, whilesthe whispered conversation went on, and, at the signal, they again put out their great strength. It was the battle of : cs ready to take advantage of any slip on the part of the other, __ the two strong men fought. The pride of the mask evidently sn was aroused ; he would not call out for help, although he felt _ that while he had the most strength, Austen was a scientific = “e ie a or " 7 —_ * r “, —— Ss a a > Eee : the giants. Up and down the shining sand, hand and foot- ~ " ' 3 2 Seen CeO Oe LO - a