Beadle's Dime Novels No. 96: Little Moccasin — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

26 LITTLE MOCCASIN. young officers, hoping to get a peep at her eyes; but no, not once did she .look up, and her short black hair, black as death, fell about her face in such careless profusion, that he could only guess at the features. That she was very beauti- ful, and modest and shy, and probably a half-breed, and per- haps educated by the nuns at Montreal, so far at least as the bead-work -was concerned, he felt sure. - Having satisfied himself on these points, and made the purchase of a bullet- pouch for his father, he was turning to go away, when his attention was arrested by a slight scream, and by what sounded like a struggle. He turned to’ see what the matter was. The young officer he had well-nigh throttled in the morning, had one hand under the poor girl’s chin, and was trying to lift it up, as if to get a good look at her face, while his companion stood by laughing. The outrage brought the young creature to her feet with the suddenness and fierceness ~ of a spotted panther. ‘ Ma mié/’ she cried, and before any- body could interfere,_though half a dozen, at least, of the loiterers hurried up at the cry, there was.a sudden flash—a blow, which her hand was lifted to repeat, when Smith caught her b¥ the wrist—and the wounded officer staggered away, and fell with his whole length upon the grass. “«Oonanee! Oonanee!’ shouted the Chippeway, just as the young officer, raising himself on one elbow, called out + “¢ Back with youl back with you all}! Touch her not for your life !’ ; “The old woman leaped to her feet and came forward by successive springs, With her coarse black hair streaming wildly on the breeze, and all her showy rags fluttering like torn ‘banners; and the huge Ojibbeway, whom we call the Qhip- peway, sprung forward with what sounded like a distant, half- smothered war-whoop. “«The fault was mine! I’ve got no more than I deserye— tell them so, George, continued the officer. ‘ Say it was an accident—all a boyish frolic on my part, or they will have her away to prison. God help the fools! ! “* Are you much hurt, Will? said the other, trying to lift him up and set him on his feet. “é No, not much yiwe palin his hand to his sition but the bleeding must be stopped; and thrusting his hand into his connicloooks.com