Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAIDEN PROPOSES. = A Had the young man never met with Naney Andrews, or even had he been less firm in his moral convictions, it is quite possible that the Indian maiden’s enterprise might not have been in vain. Candidly it appeared to lim that he never had seen a form more lovely than the one which now Stood before him. Her features were regular and faultlessly beautiful, while the sparkle of intelligence and love gleamed in her deep hazel eyes. To be the object of such passionate affection from such a source might well have turned the brain of a man whose_ years had been spent in the wild freedom of the forest ; more especially when it was considered that she was a princess in her own right. But Ralph had taken his stand, and his Studied reserve must have been plainly apparent to the lovely Sleeping Fawn. She gazed fixedly at him for a moment, then her eyes drooped with an expression of sadness quite touching. “ Sleeping Fawn would-wed the pale-face,” said her brother, briefly. “She has come for his answer.” _ This was certainly putting the question bluntly—a trifle more so than Ralph had expected. For a moment he hesi- tated how to reply. “What if I will, and what if I don’t choose to?’ he - finally asked, hoping to learn more positively of their inten- tions. “Tf he will, me love him, and pale-face rule over my peo- ple,” said Sleeping Fawn, who spoke English with a purer intonation than her brother. “He shall be great man in the councils of the Indian. Everybody love him, and braves de- light to go on war-path with him.” “That is if I will,” said Ralph. “ Now what if I do not Wish to ?” | The maiden gazed a moment. Her reason told her very plainly that he dd not wish any thing of the kind, but love ‘Was still strong in her bosom. “Tf he well “not,” she said, finally, “ me hate /” The tone in which she spoke left no room for doubt. She had loved violently, and no pains had been spared to gain pos- session of her love’s object. If that love was scorned, it would be but natural that she should hate as intently, and in that | i “s COMiICDOOKS.CO