Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

oe THE FOGITIVES. “ Were your husband and son in the fight ?” “ Yes—both went.” “ God knows whethey they’re living ordead. Onur line was thrown into confusion and the Indians are massacring every one in their hands. It’s no place here for you; they’ll soon be along this way.” “ But—but how did you escape ?” “ When I found it was all up, I made for the woods. Be- fore I knowed it, I found a big red-skin on a horse trying to run me down. When we got into the woods I a te him, and this is his animal.” “ Where are you going?” “To tend to the old woman and little ones. They lives half-mile up the road. Come, you're losing precicus time.” * But, oh | where shall we go?” | “ Anywhere—away from here.” “ But where; in what direction?” . “Toward Wind Gap or Stroudsburg.” “Oh! my husband! my hushand | my darling Willie! what will become of us?” Gershom Smithson dashed a tear from. his eye. “Tt’s hard—mighty hard—I know; but it can’t be helped. They may escape. When [I left, the most of them were run- ning for Monocacy Island. I must be off, or the old woman will give me up.” The rider gave his steed the rein, and went tearing down the road at a tremendous gait. The alarm by this time was becoming general, and the women and children -were begin- ning to crowd the roads and paths in the woods—all fleeing in abject terror from @ foe that knew no mercy. Fitful dis- charges of guns in every direction—the palpable smell of gun- powder and smoke in the air—the occasional glimpses of the seething flame in the valley—all spoke of the terrible scenes that were being enacted in that beautiful spot on the Susque- hanna. Shouts, sereams, and rifle-reports were heard from every quarter—betraying the fact that ithe settlers were hope- lessly defeated and were fleeing blindly to every point that offered the least chance of escape. Smithson, or, ashe was generally termed, “ old Gershom,” had ridden scarcely a hundred rods when he encountered a woman > Ccomiclooolks.conn wh ew a ew a & -_y ~*~ |