Beadle's Dime Novels No. 305: The Girl Scout — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

AN INQUISITIVE YOUTH. 81 The two followed the party, Gaston Foix in the saddle and the boy seated on the crupper, holding on by his captain’s belt. If that worthy could have seen the expression of the boyish face, he might have doubted whether he had made a valuable acquisilion or not. There was a fierce, wild look in it which it was hard to understand. “T say, Cap, what did the girl mean about this Rood— Rod—Roduey Phelps ?” “A young ches who was shot up here by the lake, a few days ago.” “ She lays it to you.” “A great many things are laid to my charge in these latter days,” replied Gaston, lightly. “Some of them I deserve, and others I don’t.” : “ How about this one ?” tp “ Ask me no questions and I'll tell you nolies. What good could it do you to know whether my hand or another laid Rod Phelps in the dust? He was nothing to you.” “No, no,” replied the boy, in a strange, choking voice. “Nothing, nothing to me. An utter stranger, of course; but I like to hear of such deeds, I have a spice of the tiger in my blood, I’m thinking.” “T’ll tell you this much, my lad,” said Gaston Foix. “ Rod- ney Phelps made a discovery which affected the fortunes of men who do not think much of a human life when that. life stands in the way of their desires or interests. It was ne- cessary that he should die, and be—died.” _ “ Were you one of the men whose fortunes were involved, Captain ?” asked the boy, “What do you ask so many questions for, boy ?” cried the captain, turning in the saddle and looking savagely at the i aaa “I don’t propose to answer any more of your ques- tions.” “ All right, Cant ; all right,” said the boy... “ 1 didn’t think yowd care about me. Lord bless you, what harm would it do for me to know 2?” No more was said on this subject, and an hour later they passed the strange corral, where the captain halted. “There is some of the loose properly we have picked up from time to time. Every week, we send a droye on to one . COmMicoooks., conn