Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

4. THE DOOMED HUNTER. when the sound of footsteps at a little distance in his rear startled him. Plainly he could hear them, slow and stealthy. Almost afraid to look around the broad trunk which sheltered him, Ralph prepared for a struggle, and waited till the in- truder should come. But the footsteps, instead of drawing nearer, seemed to retreat. Cautiously peering around the tree, Ralph saw that the form was indeed moving away—and he saw something else, too. The intruder was a woman! WNot only that, but he had recognized the clothing, and sprung to his feet, with a quick and joyous exclamation : “My God—I thank thee!’ The woman heard the moyenients, and uttered a low cry of terror, for she had supposed no human being was near her. But, when she heard the young man’s devout exclamation, she stopped, and turned about with an eager, trembling ex- pression. ~ “Ralph, my dear Ralph, is it really you ?” she asked, mov- ing toward him and sinking upon the strong arm which was extended to her support. “Thank heaven, I have found a friend at last !” “Yes, my beloved girl, it is none other,” he said, gazing down into the pale and sorrow-marked features. “ But I am scarcely worth the considering as a friend. I am only an outlaw, hunted and doomed !” “What do you mean ?” she demanded. “ You—Ralph— an outlaw? I do not comprehend !” “Tt is a fact,” he replied; “I am charged with having killed your father, and am hunted like a wolf to be aang. & = the first tree.” : “ Ralph—Ralph! can this be possible? Can men be so blind and cruel? And you above all others!” She bowed her head on his shoulder, and wept conyulsively for a while. When her grief had somewhat subsided, he drew her to a seat beside a fallen tree, and related in succinct terms the oc-— currences of the past ten days. And then he, in turn, lis- tened to an account of what had befallen the maiden | during the same eventful period. | 7 conmiclooolks.conn