Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 103: what you’re looking at

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

REPAIRING THE BIT. 105 bosom. They now only waited the arrival of Enoch Sedley to set off. “Surely it is past the hour by which he said he would be here,” whispered Lucy, whose heart fluttered wildly with Many mixed emotions. Dudley cast an impatient glance toward the moon, of whose time of rising he seemed to know enough to assent to Lucy’s remark. Probably his answer would have been the Sime had there been neither moon nor stars, nor any other celestial time-piece to consult ; for an impatient spirit is ever in advance of the hour. But, though there might not have been much ground for apprehension at first, yet, as minute after minute crept tardily away, and those minutes had grown almost into an hour, and still Sedley came not, it must be con- fessed th@e was little wonder that their hearts became greatly alarmed. The business which had detained Enoch Sedley all day from his home was to complete an arrangement for the sale of his farm with a person who resided several. miles distant. This object was at last accomplished, though at the expense of more time than had been anticipated ; and the sun was not far above the western horizon when the old man set out on his return. His road lay along the summit of the bluffs; he had proceeded at a fast gait and without interruption as far as the wild-looking bridge which spanned an abrupt gap between two of them, when, in jerking the rein of his horse, which manifested some reluctance to cross the rude structure, the bridle-bit broke. This accident rendered it necessary to dismount, and contrive some means of repairing it. While he was thus engaged, Nathan Dodge, returning from one cf peddling excursions, drove up. 23 “Why, what’s the matter, neighbor Sedley ?” asked* he, stopping his horse, and getting off from the box. “TI rather guess you've broke down, or something, ain’t you ?” “ Ah, Nathan,” replied the old man, “you're just the per- son I should have wished for. I dare say, now, you have something about you that I can fasten this bit with, so that it will hold together till I get home.” The peidier thrust his hand into one of his pockets, and " i | comliclooks.cohn