Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

A HUSBAND WANTED. 89 “And do you think she would kill me if I refuse to wed with her ?” “ Better not try um. Sleeping Fawn is proud—she could not live in scorn. Pale-face marry her, and be chief of the great people.” There was silence for some moments, when Elk’s Foot rose to his feet. “ Now me go,” he said.‘ You sleep good to-night, and in the morning me see you ag’in. Sleeping Fawn see you, too.” “ Perhaps she will, and perhaps not,” mused Ralph, as the door closed upon him. “I may conclude not to put up at this place much longer.” For the moment he really entertained thoughts of trying to escape during the night, but upon second thought he abandon- ed them. His limbs were stiff and swollen, he had no food, or the means of procuring it; and even if he should succeed “in leaving the place, it would be next to impossible for him to make any progress in his crippled state. If overhauled and brought back, it might fare worse with him thanif he re- mained. Besides, where would he go? A return to Forest Valley would insure his death, in all probability. To attempt any longer journey would be simple madness. After reflecting upon the matter fully, he resolved to await the events ofthe morrow. Possibly there might be something of hope for him, after all. <i Darkness had settled over the face of earth some time pre-_ viously, and after peering out into the gloom for awhile, Ralph threw himself upon the really comfortable couch, and mused upon his strange situation til] sleep visited his eyelids. During the night he waked frequently, but his exhausted frame required more rest, and he as often relapsed into slum- ber again. Finally morning light began to throw the walls of his apartment into relief, and then he rose from the couch. He was pleased to find that much of the lameness and pain of the evening previous had been allayed by the sound sleep which he had experienced, and after pacing up and down the apartment for some minutes he began to feel a longing for free- dom. He even felt that he could distance any of his pursuers in a dead tos through the forest. But it would be more than difficult for him to get outside : Eomilehooks:com