Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

24 THE WRONG MAN. to any living mortal, and especially to those in Sedley’s hoase Don’t ever let them know you have seen me. Do you prom- ise ”” “I promise, if you promise me nebber to tell any one dat I's been in conversation wid you.” “Of course. Why don’t you wish me to tell any one ?” “ Might injure my reputation ’mong de ’spectable portion ob de population,” The hunter was strongly tempted to show the negro that he was also “ well and kicking,” at this impudence ; but, remem- bering that it was best to keep his good-will, he merely laughed, and added that he should be careful to keep it a secret from all. Then leaving the darkey, he turned and walked rapidly away. Pressing briskly forward for the space of a quarter of an hour, he reached a place where the soil descended by a steep declivity into a deep valley, in which the trees grew at wider intervals, and the ground between was free from bushes and underwood. A rapid stream whirled and gurgled through the midst, the long green herbage of its banks bending over to kiss the braided current as it glanced away. The air of the valley was damp, as was shown in the rankness of the tall grass, and in the soft, verdant moss that tufted the bark of the trees, and covered with a coating of velvet the old trunks that for ages had “ cumbered the forest-floor.” Here the hunter paused, and, after casting his eye slowly round, as-if he had to meet some one in that secluded spot, placed his hand to his mouth, and uttered a shrill, low ery. The sound startled a flock of wild fowl from a neighboring swamp, and they rose screaming into the air, directing their flight to a more south. ern region. As the flapping noise of their wings died away, silence again settled on the scene. The hunter paused a mo- ment to listen, then repeated the cry, shriller and louder than before. An answering cry was now heard at a distance, and in a few minutes a second person approached the spot. His general appearance was not unlike that of the hunter, save that he was considerably shorter, and his seamed face and grizzled locks showed that he was further advanced in years. The two, on meeting, entered into low and earnest conversa- tion, in the course of which the hunter related the adventures conniclooks.com