Beadle's Dime Novels No. 35: East and West — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

EGRESS FROM THE SWAMP. . 19 “ No, indeed ; I hired this pony up at Kanesville, and right well I like him.” “I was watchin’ ov yer comin’ down the road at sich a fine canter, an’ I said ter my boy, ‘that woman rides as if she was born on horseback ;’ so when yer said yer was from York, I reckoned mebbe yer’d rode out here on that beast.” a “Oh, no; we New Yorkers are not such famous riders as all that,” laughed Constance, in a tone which acknowledged the compliment to her riding ; “ but I thank®you very much for the offer of a guide; and now I think my pony has blown long enough ; so, good-by.” “ Goofl-by ter yer. Ike, yer go as fur as the lady wants yer.” Constance nodded her plumes gracefully to the group in the doorway—for, by this time all the tow-heads were clus- tered about the yellow-haired mother—and followed at a gen- tle pace her light-footed guide through the tall grass of last year, which, in the wetter portions of the prairie, had escaped the annual burning; and, though dry and lifeless, stood erect, and higher than the boy’s head. Silent as an Indian, lithe and springy, Ike conveyed himself by a flapping motion of his arms, very suggestive of wings, over places where the pony and his rider were in danger of sticking fast. “So much for trusting conviction against advice,” mur- mured Constance, softly. “It isn’t the first time, either; but possibly I may learn something after a while ;” and the frown which contracted the delicate brows looked exceedingly determined. “There’s the sloo bridge, mum,” said Ike, directly, stop- ping to see how the pony came over it. The sagacious little animal tried the crazy structure very cautiously, and his rider’s heart stood still as she felt how it shook under them ; but the pony gained in assurance at each step, and finally ambled easily over. . “You're a knowing creature, Rosy,” said Constance, pat- ting his neck ; “I shall like you too much to part from you before we've had many days’ travel together.” Then, seeing that Ike was waiting, as if for orders, she asked: “ Are there no more sloughs or miry places on my road 2” comcbooks.com