Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

16 THE DOOMED HUNTER. CHAPTER 11. THE. TRAGEDY, Two days had passed since the little event recorded in the preceding chapter. Night and darkness reigned over Forest Valley. Suddenly a wild, sharp cry—that cry which ever conveys such terror, in settlements like that in question—rung out upon the midnight air: “ Fire! FrrE!?? One sturdy pair of lungs after another took up the shout, and the startled sleepers rushed forth from their homes to combat the dreaded enemy. Ralph Rilley lay upon his couch, not sleeping, but gazing and thinking. ‘The first alarm reached his ear, and without pausing he sprung out, hastily dressed, and was soon in the open air. At first he saw no indications of any fire, but joining the hurrying crowd ‘he soon found that the flames were kindled, or had broken out, within the little dwelling occupied by Je- honikam Andrews. Though their progress was as yet con- fined to one room, it seemed questionable whether the build- ing could be saved. A fire was far from being an everyday occurrence, and the first efforts of the startled inhabitants were far from being | the right direction. Confused running about and homing seemed to be the extent of active measures for subduing the - threatened conflagration. : With a quicker eye and clearer brain than others, Ralph saw the state of affairs. Selecting such men as had puckets, he formed a line from the bank of the creek to the dwelling, and as buckets of water were passed rapidly along, he ecg them in person upon the flames. Shouts of applause went up as the progress of the flames was checked, and those who had labored thus far, were re- lieved by others from the crowd. Renewed exertions brought corresponding success, and in a short time the glad tidings went from one anxious lip to another. COmmicooolkxS.Conn