Beadle's Dime Novels No. 95 — page 84: what you’re looking at

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

86 EPH PETERS. & “But to this request the Indian gave no heed. Speak- ing to his followers, the savage approached with a flaming torch, and began to light the pile. Before it had kindled, a pistol cracked close to the partisan’s ear, and he saw his red friend topple over, With a loud yell. Falling on the torch, it was extinguished, and only one dim light remained. . The chief seized the extinguished brand, lighted it again, and whirled it about his head. In the circle of brilliant light, he saw that the fagots were scattered, and that the partisan had a hatchet in his hands. He cursed his own stupidity for not tying the hands of his prisoner, and lifting his hatchet, hurled it at his head. , g The movement was so rapid that the partisan had scarcely time to dodge the weapon, which flew past him, just grazing his hair. Had he retained his first position, he would have been a dead man. The friend who had fired the pistol now severed the cords which bound Moran to the tree, and as the chief sprung for- ward with the knife, the two met in deadly conflict, At the same moment, two other savages fell by as many pistol-shots, leaving a man to each of the rescue-party. For Eph Peters had fired the first shot, and Ronald the next. They had been prowling about the camp when the partisan was taken, and seeing the state of affairs, had sent Tom to take charge of the canoe, instructing him to paddle out from the shore, and come in again when they showed two torches, one above another. They then followed the band who car- ried away the partisan, and aided him at- the right moment. The wandering, eventful life of Eph Peters had given him * muscles like iron, and when he closed with the savage he had chosen to encounter, that person knew his doom. He was a “brawny fellow, of great power, who fought for his life as only he can fight who knows that he has but his own arm. upon which to depend.’ For some moments they swayed to and fro in a close grapple, their hot breath upon each other's ‘cheeks, When they went down, in spite of his exertions the spy was uppermost, and his hand upon the Indian’s throat. ; The left hand of the savage was free, and found its way to the knife-hilt of his adversary, as he had lost his own comicbooks.com