Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

26 THE DOOMED HUNTER. firing, andes own fall had been like portions of a confused nightmare to him. Whether they were sounds from this world or the other, he knew not, | At length he began slowly to régain consciousness, The rope still held his throat in a suffocating grasp, but it was gradually relaxing, and he was able to breathe, with some dif- ficulty..-His first realizations were of a comfortable feeling of freedom, after which his faculties returned quite rapidly, The first defined sensation which he had, was that some persons. were about him, and the impression which he ex- perienced most naturally was that he had been let down be- fore life was extinct, either through mistake or because his executioners had relented. But he soon comprehended that something unusual had taken place, All was dark around, in the absence of the glaring torchlight which had last. greet- ed his eyes. Numerous persons were moying around, and they occasionally spoke in muffled tones, but he could under- stand nothing of what was said. Suddenly the truth burst upon him. An Indian assault had been made, and he was now in the power of the savages. What did that fact presage? He knew very well that the red-men were far from being merciful, and though he had oc- casionally heard of persons being made prisoners by them, it was the exception, and not the rule. His conflicting hopes and fears soon were put at rest by the appearance of a, tall, athletic Indian, who bent. over him, and placed a hand upon his brow. Then he turned toward his companions, and grunted something in gutturals which the young man could not comprehend. The savages hastened to the spot, and. bending over the half-animated form, proceeded to rub and chafe the limbs, much as white men might have done. under the same circum- stances. Ralph felt the warmth and vigor rapidly returning to his body, and in a short time he was enabled to raise him- self to a sitting position. The Indians muttered their satis- faction at this change, and ceased their vigorous efforts. Ralph wondered why he was spared, By the very uncer- tain light he could see that several of the savages carried scalps at their belts, and he expected each moment that his own would be required. But, singularly enough, he was Ccomiclbooks.conn