Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 50: what you’re looking at

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

§2 THE DOOMED ILUNTER, eye could reach through the forest. I had not Jain in this position more than five minutes when I saw the form of an Indian through the woods. Others appeared behind him, and I knew they were in pursuit of me. “As I had no means of fighting them, my only safety lay in flight. I calculated that they were eighty rods distant, and this distance gave me a tolerable start. In ordinary times I would not haye asked for this advantage, but I had found that my bitten leg was not entirely sound, and I knew not how seriously it might trouble me in a long race. “Hor two miles I ran vigorously, and up to this time the Indians had not caught sight of me, though they had my fresh tracks to guide them. At this time I came to a long, level stretch of land, upon which the trees, though of great size, grew very sparsely. I did not notice this fact till I had en- tered upon it, perhaps could not have avoided it if seen. “T had almost gained a roll of ground at the opposite side, and was straining every nerve to compass that object, when the Indians caught a glimpse of me. With fierce shouts and yells they came on, and although I had gained somewhat up- on them thus far, I saw that they must eventually run me down. Unless I could hit upon some method for throwing them off the track I felt that all was up with.me. “T did not abate my speed, as that would have been cer- tainly fatal. My good luck was uppermost.” At the distance of eighty or a hundred rods I saw a water-course. If I could reach that I felt there was hope for me. Possibly I could en- ter the water, and thus divert them from my track. “ Exerting every muscle to the utmost, I soon gained the banks of the stream, and plunged in. Looking back I saw that none of the savages were yet in sight. Turning up the ~ brook I walked rapidly, and soon gained a point where the banks were high and overgrown with dense masses of juniper bushes. Under these I found abundant shelter, the banks in many places being hollowed out by the action of the water, to a considerable depth. Gaining one of the water-built cay- erns, I waited to notice the action of the savages. “On reaching the water they suspected that I had not crossed in that place. Probably they saw my tracks going - down, but none coming up on the other side. There was Cconmiclooolks.comn) ‘. rs