Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

) THE WRONG MAN. , actions of the hunter. “Mighty good-natured, dis morning, Massa Overton.” “Not so very good-natured. How long since you Ieft home, Cato.” “*Bout an hour, more or less.” “ Folks all well ?” “ Dey was kickin’ ’round purty spry when I left, ’specially Massa Sedley.” “And why especially him ?” “ He gib Cato a big kick, to show dat his strength hadn’t left him yet. Doesn’t think it has. Yah! yah? “What did he kick you for ?” “ For exercise, s’pose.” “Tt couldn’t have been that. I know Sedley is very kind. What was it now? You might as well tell your old friend.” “Tell ole friend?” repeated the negro, rolling up his big, bright eyes with a most comical expression. “ Yes, of course,” replied the hunter, blushing. “I'm your friend, and always have been.” “Didn't lick me for nuffin’ much. I wanted to shoot a little, and put de mark up on de brindle cow, and missed de mark.” “ Did you miss the cow ?” “No, dat's where de trouble was. I hit de cow in de eya and killed her. Dat’s what massa kicked me fur.” “ He ought to bave been ashamed of himself How is Misa Lucy ?” “‘ She well, ’cordin’ to last accounts. *Pears to "prove, under de fosterin’ care ob Mr. Dudley.” The hunter’s eyes sparkled. The negro had chanced upon the very theme toward which he himself had attempted sa awkwardly to lead him. “So squire Dudley calls occasionally, does ‘he ?” “What mean by occasionally, eh?” asked Cato, with « curious expression, “ Well, say once every day or two.” “ Mr. Dudley doesn’s call occasionally, den.” _“ Not so often then?” . “Yah! yah! he call double occasionally.” _ The old scowl flitted ptlaiaintbderietics. conmiclooks.com