Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

66 THE DOOMED HUNTER. He had often practiced this exercise, and few could handle a rifle more readily than himself, yet he found it a serious task to ram home the bullet without slackening his speed to a great extent. Still, he succeeded, and was withdrawing the ramrod, when it slipped from his fingers, and dropped to the ground. This was an accident of no trifling moment in such a life-and- death race as the present. He was obliged to stop upon the instant and retrace several steps before regaining it. As he did so one of the Indians fired, his bullet cutting close the young man’s head, but producing no injury. Just as he regained the rod, and was upon the point of re- suming his flight, Elk’s Foot came to a halt, and hurled his hatchet with great fury. The distance was long, but Ralph only escaped a wound by stepping to one side. At the same time he drew a pistol, and fired at the savage with a deliberate alm. Long as was the range this shot was more successful than that with the rifle had been. Elk’s Foot uttered avery, and - gyasped one arm with the hand of the other. Instead of con- _tinuing to lead the pursuit, as he had done, the son of a chief pointed in advance, and urged on his warriors, exhibiting to them his wounded arm. ‘With fresh cries of vengeance they rushed forward. Ralph had taken advantage of the slight pause to prime | his loaded rifle, and with a quick movement he brought it to bear upon the dusky pursuers. A sharp detonation bespoke the fall of another brave, and again the fugitive turned to flee. But his shot had in no wise slackened the pursuit. The In- dians were determined upon giving him no time to reload, and pressed forward at the top of their speed. Unfortunately for the fugitive they had passed the region of rolling country which had been so opportune for him upon a previous race, and the landscape spread before th : dreary level. The wood was mainly of gigantic growth, and quite open, so that no opportunity presented for str ategy. Any deviation from a direct line would only bring him nearer the savages. The only thing he could do was to press directly — onward, and trust to fate to deliver him from pursuit. But steadily the savages came on, gradually gaining, as it seemed to the fugitive hunter. He, on the contrary, began — Cconmicl ooo kKS..comn) 7