Beadle's New Dime Novels: The Specter Chief — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

> 24 THE PHANTOM CHIEF. previous disputes between individuals. . The boat’s com- pany was large and well-armed, and it was not likely that it would be attacked by an inferior force, this being con- - trary to the constant policy of the Indians. Asiight show of the resistance of which the travelers were capable, would suffice to prevent a close assault, and this advan- tage, as the majority of the pariy were going below the — mouth of the Sciota, would. insure the worst portion of the route. It was further remarked that if any danger wag to be apprehended. from a few hostile Indians, it would be as probable on the return to Pitt as anywhere else. To remain at the Whecling was out of the questi>w and the ‘anxicty of Colonel. Victor to be once more at his home, near the Mississippi, rendered extremely unwelcome the idea of retracing his course. . Indeed, he would not have thought of discussing it, except on account of Merie. Upon the whole, it was concluded to adhere to the ecrigical design. Little did the Colonel think that the very men with whom he was thus consulting were themselves about to commit, upon unoffending Indians in the vicinity, some of the most fiendish murders of which border annals haye preserved any recor|! Marie retired early to rest. She had endeavored to per- suade herself that her uncle’s resolution was well ground- ed, but her habitual dread of the savages prevailed over every mode of reasoning which she could adopt to rid ner- self of the apprehensions with which she had set out op her journey; and she lay long awake. Noises kept up at the camp—sounds of revelry, too plain to be mistaken, contributed to render her restless; and after several inef- fectual attempts to compose her spirits, she arose, and _ looked out through an opeuing in that side of her apart ment which faced the scene of carousal. Sue bad been ip this position about a quarter of an hour, when her atten- tion was fixed by an extraor.linury commotion, which seemed to be rising higher and higher at every moment Rude cries, mingled with fearful oaths, were followed by a scuffly; a sndden flish of light was thrown over the ob- “jecls-in fromt—hen came a rasiing, and a yell which : - Eomicbooksac com ; come