Beadle's Dime Novels No. 97: The Doomed Hunter — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

IN DISGUISE. At length came the sounds for i. oe had listened so long. The chief was asleep, and snoring soundly. So faras — he was concerned there was now comparatively nothing to fear. The partition between the waiting white and the room of Sleeping Fawn was quite thin, and by listening closely he could hear her steady breathing between the sonorous blasts of her father. She, too, was insensible to all about her. There remained but the sentinel to dispose of. This was no ordinary task. Of course the slightest noise would defeat the entire plan. Caution, patience, daring were required in extraordinary degrees. , A thought struck Ralph. Carefully emerging from his - hiding-place, he threw Wolf-Slayer’s royal robe over his shoulders, and slipped into the apartment which contained the subject of his schemes. The sentinel’s back was toward him at the moment, and slipping into a dark corner, beside the heavy fireplace, he waited an opportune moment for the carrying out of his plan. While thus waiting, his hand touch- ed something cold and hard. It was a hatchet—the very thing he needed for the fatal but necessary blow. Carefully disengaging it he waited for the moment. It was very’ dark in the apartment, now; Ralph could scarcely discern the form of his victim. The latter seemed to __ notice the fact, and hastened to replenish the fire, which was the only means of light. The time was at hand. Ashebent ~— over, his head was within reach of Ralph’s arm. Silently the weapon whirled through the air, and almostas~silently the See Indian pitched forward upon his face. | cae The hunter could not bear thei murder, and had struck but a stu ally had it been given that savage’s raising an imm secure the gun and amm belt about him, and hatchet. Then—and how his heart beat—he approached the place where Nancy was lying. -Death or deliverance was at hand, which was it to be? He found that the maiden was already cognizant of his movements, and rose to her feet at his ap- proach. Her frame trembled violently under the excitement ea of such deliberate uning blow; yet so effectu- ere seemed no prospect of the ate alarm. Ralph proceeded to ion of the fallen sentry, tied his cked it in due form with knife and commiclbooks. conn ah