Beadle's Dime Novels No. 310: Foghorn Phil — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

58 FOGHORN PHIL. And now instead of the combatants’ cries, and the din of battle, arose drowning shrieks and moans of distress, as, side by side, both friend and foe struggled, not with each other, but their new enemy, the swift rushing waters of the mad Missouri ! CHAPTER X. - BELZEBUB BUMBLE, ESQ, SPEECHLESS with terror, Pauline Afton and Josie Markham clung closer to each) other, and watched those dull, burning orbs thrust almost into their very faces. They could not move—they could not ery out, and witb all the agonies of a horrible nightmare, fr hich they could not wake,*they sat and met, with dilated eyes, that subtle, fascinating gaze. But at length relief came ae broke the strange, mesmerie spell—a voice chose befére them asked : : “ Hey, arn’t you female weemin ?” : A. thrill shot through the maidens’ veins—a vague thrill of hope and fear. ‘There was relief in knowing that those orbs of fire were those of a human being. : “T say, are .ye females what’s clim’ from yer hosses into this ’ere tree right afore me? Speak right slap out ; ye need- mt be afeard of me, for I’m ole Belzebub Bumble, Esquire, hunter and trapper of the flowin’ Milk river.” “Thank Heaven !” gasped Pauline, the load of fear upon her heart lightened by the man’s words; “we are helpless girls, and greatly in need of friends, Mr. Bumble.” “ Je-whiz !’ exclaimed the apparently astonished Bumble. “JT know from yer seft, music-like voice that yer young and purty ; and Til bet a picayune that you’ve got hearts as clean as angels’ that sing around the throne on high. But, gals, Belzy Bumble can’t say that for hisself; altho’, I prides my- self on being a good shot, a swift)raunner and a monstrous old ignoramns, and, also, a woman’s man—that is, I fight fur fe- male innocence and purity. Them ’ere good qualities I know you uns persess, else a pack o’ Injin varlets with that infurnal. commiclboooks. con