Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

106 THE WRONG MAN. drew thence a handful of miscellaneous rubbish. Sedley se- lected what suited his purpose, and Dodge returned the oth- ers to his pocket. As he did so, his eyes, ever turning inquisitive glances in all directions, fell upon the stirrup-strap of Sedley’s saddle. There was something in its appearance which fixed his attention for a moment, wen he moved round to the other side of the horse, as if to examine the opposite stirrup-leather. “ Well, now, I vow that’s strange !” ejaculated he between his teeth ; and he stepped to his wagon-box, whence. he di- rectly returned with the very strap that had been fastened round the body of Overton, but holding it in such a way that the flap of his coat covered it from sight. Sedley was too busy repairing his bridle to pay heed to the motions of the peddler. “Well, neighbor Sedley,” said he, “I kind o’ @@ess your stirrup-leathers ain’t fellows. This one this side is a right nice one. I should like to know what’s come of the match on it.” “T lost it in the woods a long time ago,” said the old man, aot pleased with the question. “That was bad,” returned the peddler, “ because you don’t get such straps every day in this wooden country. Where- abouts might you have lost it?” “ Oh, fifteen or twenty miles up the river, or may be more,” answered the old man, a good deal embarrassed. “ This stirrup-leather is the very mate of it,” said the ped- filer, showing the one which had been found with the body. “They are as like as two peas, and I sort o’ guess they’re twins.” As he said this, he fixed his keen, twinkling eyes upon Sedley. “Poh! poh! I tell you mine is lost,” stammered the old man. “ And this was lost, too, but was found again, and in rather a queer place for a stirrup-leather to be lost. It was found tied to the feetwof Ned Overton’s body. “Ha! let me see it!” cried the voice of a third person, who, unperceived, had joined the group. Both turned quickly round, and saw the sinister counte nance of Hugh Overton leering between their shoulders. He was just )sturning from a hunting-excursion that had lasted comicbooks.congg