Beadle's Dime Novels No. 85: The Fugitives — page 88: what you’re looking at

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

90 THE FUGITIVES. both the young men, whether the Indians had really encamped ornot. It might be, they reflected, that they had paused, but had doubtless resumed their flight, and perhaps at that mo- ment were miles distant, The lieutenant could not help believing that the escape of little Arthur had opened ‘their eyes to a threatened danger. He would be sure to make his way back to the house, where, ifnone of his friends presented themselves, they would be hunted out, and the probabilities were, that a pursuit would have. been organized at that very moment. The Indians might have been justified in believing that until morning at least they were safe from disturbance; but it was not charac- teristic of their race that they should make no provision against it. Stoddard Frontlin, as he cautiously led the way over the Big Warrior’s Path, occupied his mind with all manner of conjectures and speculations. To him, every phase of the captivity presented itself. His friends might be tomahawked,; although this was extremely improbable. Their captors might have taken the alarm from the flight of Arthur, and be hurrying them mercilessly forward, subjecting, them to every possible indignity of which the mind can conceive, Should this be the truth, there is no stating how fearful the retribu- tion of the quiet Friend would: prove. ‘The manner in which he clenched his hands, and closed his teeth when this thought presented itself, certainly augured ill for any guilty ones who might come into his power—and again, should he find that Annie and her mother had received kind treatment at the hands of the savages, the latter were certainly safe from his vengeance. Hopeful and confident; the little band of pursuers were threading their way through the forest, when their progress was checked by an occurrence that ‘was natural and was yet unexpected. by all. Young’ Arthur, who had gone bravely through numerous trials, now began to understand that his frame was overtasked. He was'a delicate boy, entirely unac- © customed to fatigue, his will, unduly stimulated by the ex- traordinary circumstances, having sustained him thus far. It had not escaped the attention of Lieutenant Abingdon, that his young brother had been lagging ever since the last, halt. pgaebgeksrcom