Beadle's Dime Novels No. 309: Mountain Ned — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

44 _ MOUNTAIN NED. » “Let the chief ask no question,” said Silver Lance, “Ig it peace or war between us, white father ?” ae “When I have found my child or am satisfied that she 8 dead) I will return.” “She is dead.” “Oh, yes,” sneered Veracity “ She is dead.” “He will lie, stranger; let’s keep on an’ trust to hard bul- lets an’ cold steel.” ; , The party mounted and rode forth, with the same boy lead- ing who had showed them the way before. It was nearly sunset as they rode into camp, where they found the hostages drawn up with their arms bound and the rangers waiting only for the sun to disappear before they cut them to pieces, “ Drop it, boys!” cried De Forest, riding into the midst, “Cut their bonds for we’ve come back all right. Hualpa, you are at liberty to go when you will.” “Our horses,” said Hualpa as the cords dropped from hig hands. “ We will go back and tell in the Comanche village, that the Comanche chiefs are tied like dogs, while the limbs of white men are free,” | ~* Don’t pat on too much style, Hualpa,” said Snodyvrass. ‘I'd like to fetch you a lick acrost the jaws anyhow,” Hualpa looked at the speaker, and recognized a man with whom he had twice sa athe without much advantage to either He smiled grimly, mounted, his horse and rode away with his friends, disappearing in the mountain passes. “Thar he goes, the born devil,” said the hunter in a moral- izing tone, “It beats all nature how mean a man kin be when he sets his heart on it. Get me suthin’ to line my in- nards with; ’m hungry ez a cayote.” Buffilo-ribs were brought and Snodgrass made aq mighty meal, bewailing his poor appetite as his jaws rose and fell. The rangers looked on in silent admiration at the stupendous appetite of this remarkable man. “T never could eat any thing, boys,” he said, in a mourn- - ful tone. “‘ My stomach don’t crave much food, I did eat a raw buffalo onc’t upon a time, but you understand Lhadn’t eat: nuthin’ fer two days, an’ I felt empty ez a barril, You wie now how little it takes to fill me up.” 1-5 Matt teed aebad commicloooks.Ccon