Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

THE ABDUCTION. 51 it not expire in the city ?—migat not the rustic, who n the heart of DudTey in seclusion, be doomed to lose ety, and be sadly tacght that the wilderness of nature jll-exchanged for the wilderness of man ? gs like these possessed the mind of Lucy, til’ the ning shadow on her path aroused her from abstraction, and warned her to retrace her steps. She had turned with this purpose, and was tripping lightly forward, when her ear was startled by a heavy footstep near at hand, and the burly form of Ned Overton, breaking through the screen of under- wood and clambering vines that lined the path, presented it- self before her. Lucy started at sight of him, and her heart sunk within her with an ominous foreboding of evil. There were tales told of the lawless life of the hunter which had always rendered him an object of abhorrence ; and this feeling had been aggravated into apprehension by his morose bearing and certain vague threats which he was said to have uttered since the rejection of his suit. Had the nature of the ground permitted, she would gladly have turned aside from the path, 80 as to avoid the necessity of meeting. But this was hardly practicable, and she stepped quickly forward, intending to pass aim with only a slight salutation, when her purpose was frus- trated by his laying his hand rudely and with a strong grasp upon her shoulder. “No, no, Miss Lucy, you don’t git cl’ar this time !” said Overton, his small, keen eyes twinkling with an expression that made her shudder. “ What is your purpose, Mr. Overton? Let go your hand —release me, sir !—I have business—my father—” ' “ Your father—ha, ha! he’s safe enough. Hugh has too good care of that.” “ Merciful heaven !” exclaimed Lucy, “ am I the object, then of premeditated outrage ?” “ There’s no time for talking now, gal; you must go with me, that’s the upshot of the business. No harm is meant, if you behave quiet—no worse harm than making you the wife of a Kentuck’ ranger, and so keep you from the d—d Yanket varmint that’s been cavorting round you.” “Unhand me, Edward Overton,” exclaimed the terrified Lucy, her sweet voice trembling with agitation, us she vainly conmicldooks.conn >