Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

GLOOMY THOUGHTS. 69 savages. The only possible opportunity of escape he had spurned, throwing it aside as involving a living death and perpetual dishonor more to be feared than immediate dissolu- tion. Altogether the picture was not pleasant, nor one which he cared to contemplate. But it was hard to take his mind from surrounding circumstances. Try as he would the fiery spec- tacle of a man burning at the stake, to appease the honor of a slighted Indian damsel, would intrude upon his fancy. And when he realized that within a few hours, or days at most, he should in all probability have the pleasure of experiencing that novel auto da fé, it must be said, in all candor, that a sickly sensation pervaded his being. He longed for forgetful- ness—éven regretted that he had not resisted to the last gasp, and induced his savage foes to shoot or tomahawk him before surrendering. Still would hope come in his calmer moments, and whisper various improbable things to him :—that he might escape— that the cause of the murder might have been found out, and that his friends would hasten to seek and save him. These and many more improbable, but not utterly impossible fancies, passed through his mind as he traveled slowly onward. The long race had taken up the best portion of the after- noon, and wearied the braves exceedingly. So much so, in- deed, that after walking a few miles it was decided to stop for the night. Two expert hunters were sent out to provide game for their supper, and the others busied themselves in building a fire, quizzing the prisoner, and smoking pipes— not those of peace, however. Within an hour the hunters eoturded; teiciting been fortu- nate in securing a fine buck, Here was an unexpected treat, the long race having given every participant a keen appetite, not excepting the prisoner. A dozen broad slices soon were broiling upon the coals, filling the forest with an agreeable odor. The hungry natives did not wait for it to cook, how- ever, but snatched she: savory steak before it was really warmed. Ralph was venitientedl to: help: himself, but, hungry as he was, preferred to wait until the meat was tolerably cooked. He came near losing it; the hungry warriors haying hastily 07 3 w ey CORMIE DOO KSEEOM