Beadle's Dime Novels No. 38: The Wrong Man — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

62 THE WRONG MAN. “Oh, Massa Dudley, Missy Lucy is carried off! Ned Obev- ton hab run away wid her! I seen him as I .ome by ae block-house wid a womdn on afore. I tought den t’was young missy—I is sartain now.” This intelligence thrilled like a bolt of ice to Duidley’s heart. In a hoarse, low tone, scarcely louder than a whisper, yet of that kind which makes the hearer start, he demanded of the negro, as he flung himself upon his horse, which road the hunter had taken; and before the question was half-answered, plunging his spurs to the rowel-head, and reining his steed suddenly round with the skill of an accomplished rider, he darted off in pursuit. The voice of the astonished missionary, as he called to him to know what course he should take, scarcely reached the furious horseman, so rapidly did he along the path. At the foot of the bluff, Dudley encountered the peddl who had just finished his slow and careful descent, and w turning the head of his weary beast toward Adrianopolis. “ Hallo, Dodge !” cried Charles, who recognized the oth as he drove out in the broad moonlight, “did you meet Edward Overton on the road ?” The peddler, ever ready to enter into chat, reined up his horse. “Ha, Squire Dudley, is that you? A good-evening to you. Has any thing bad happened ?” “ Answer me, Dodge, did you meet Overton?” asked the young man, impatiently. “ Well, now, I sort o’ guess I did. I met some one that was streaking it off mighty fast, I tell you. Can’t exactly say who it was; but railly, »ow, I shouldn’t be surprised if it was Ned Overton.” “ Had he a female on the horse with him?” “ Well, I can’t say he hadn’t. I rather calculate there was some one on with him. But railly, now, this is mighty strange ! Has he been doing any thing ?—has any thing happened ?— has—has—” | But che hoofs of Dudley’s ‘sorse were rattling at a distance _ before honest Nathan had gor half through the string of ques- tions he wished to propose. Wondering what the pursuit meant, and thinking he should be able to learn something of conniclooolkks.conn