Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 16: what you’re looking at

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

s 18 THE DOOMED HUNTER. burned down, so that it required a deal of care to ascend. But. Ralph lreeded not. the peril. With afew quick bounds he reached: the floor above, and his. companions could do no less than to follow his impulsive lead. But, when. .the chamber was reached, and the light had brought all its outlines into view, a low ery of. distress broke from the hunter’s lips... The one he sought was not there ! The bed upon which she had been sleeping was there, and its appearance indicated that she had passed several hours in slumber. But.she was gone! None of her clothing remain- ed, so it was evident, that her departure had been expected, or that she had been allowed time to. select. mecessary, articles of apparel. A quick . search convinced Ralph that her body was not within the confines of the building, and then he hastened back to the excited group, about the body of Jehonikam with the painful. intelligence... Of course the former commotion was in- creased rather than allayed by this additional evil. To.render assurance doubly sure, messengers were dispatch- -ed to every. house, to make certain that she had not fled there ina moment of terror. These soon returned with tidings that she was not in the place, neither had any person seen. her since the previous evening. The nearest dwellers, who resid- | ed at some little distance, had heard no confusion, and only a person. in the lower portion of the village, who was watching with a sick child, had discovered the fire in time to DASHED a general conflagration. a The mystery which surrounded all the facts of fe case, served.to make, the citizens more eager for the solving of the problem. Nothing of the kind had been known to them be-— fore, and common, safety demanded that such an example be made.as should thoroughly intimidate all, lawless characters in the future. Actuated by these feelings and ‘ma0tiyae, Ralph, who was certainly. the hero of the night, took a blazing torch, and suggested that the room in which the body had been found be - thoroughly examined, since something might be found from which proof could. be obtained. - Strangely enough this had been neglected, thus far, but the idea was a good.one, and immediately acted upon. Three men COMIC OOS. Gorm ? .