The Land Claim — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

A CAPTURE. 85 if you can be composed and cool enough to do as I tell you, your father is saved. Will you?” Alicia gave a sign of assent, and Allen pressed her hand in return. He had no time for thanks. “I might knock him down senseless,” he said in the same low tone, “ but I do not want to do that. I must take him prisoner, and haven’t got the means. Listen, dear! Get up slowly, and walk toward the house leisurely, as if you did not suspect his near neighborhood. That will reassure him, and keep him from running away; but when you get out of sight, run as fast as you can to the house and bring me the lariat I left lying on the porch. By the time you can get back I will have him, or my name is not Fred Allen !” Alicia did not need urging, timid as she was, for in this event she saw the greatest hopes for her father. She made her movements with so much quiet ease that the prowler was deceived completely, and kept advancing along the path directly toward the place of Allen’s concealment. He came very slowly, without any apparent motive, but watching the flutter of Alicia’s white dress as she disappeared in the direc- tion of the cabin. “ The young bird hovers about the nest, tho’ the old one is caged,” he muttered. “It would be a little odd fur she and I to meet. What the devil brought me here? - To see New- come’s girl ?—pleasantly suggestive, any way! She’s a pretty creature to be a murderer’s daughter !” and he laughed a low, strange sort of laugh, that roused the waiting lion in Allen’s blood. E By this time he was quite abreast of where Allen was stand- ing, screened by some low oak bushes; and, as if irresolute about going any nearer the clearing, paused and half turned in the path. “I suppose Squire is looking for a horse to-day. Wonder how he likes that kind of practical joking? There comes Newcome’s girl again—I believe I'll wait and speak to her— she don’t know who I am.” Aiaic “ But I do!” exclaimed a stern voice behind him, and the next instant he was struggling violently in the iron grasp of a pair of powerful arms, which so pinioned his own that he could not use them for defense. In the struggle both fell to comiclbooks.com