Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

56 THE DOOMED HUNTER. his brother might escape. Rufus again approached him, and the pistol was once more brought into requisition. “Where is that fellow?’ he demanded, brandishing the weapon. “ You know where he is, now, don’t deny it; *tmay be the wuss for ye, in the end.” “T told you he was gone,” replied Stephen, calmly. ‘ You found my words true.” “ But I tell you we know he hain’t left this house. He’s here somewhere, and we want him.” “You’ve my permission to search the house. I know no more than you what has become of him. He has left—that is all 1 know.” “Fe ain’t gone, I tell you—the house has been watched ever since we found out he was here. Have you looked in the chimney ?” The last remark was addressed to one of his fellows, who was especially active in the search. The person questioned ran to the chimney, peered up, and even ascended a few steps. “ Confound it all, Bill,” he muttered, sliding to the floor, and brushing off the soot, “I ge gl Seems as if I could see suthin’ up thar’ but I ain’t sure.” A general peering up chimney followed, some going so far as to declare that they could see him plainly, while others seemed far from certain in regard to the matter. “ See here!” exclaimed Rufus, stepping to the bed which had been vacated by Stephen and his wife, “one of you jest throw that straw into the fireplace, while I tell them outside to keep their rifles on top of the chimney; we'll soon bring him down if he is up thar’ !” The men were delighted at the prospect of such rare sport, and filled the ample fireplace with straw, when Rufus stepped to the door, and in loud tones bade them without watch the chimney, aia Shoat at any one attempting to leave it, This done he returned to the room where his followers “were assembled, and fire was applied to the combustible mass. Siephen watched the fierce flames as they shot up, with a terrible fear at his heart. He did not think it possible that Ralph could have left the house, and the only place where he could be secreted was there. Every moment he looked to see asmothered form fall to the floor, or to hear the report of rifles u Comic Oolks. Conn