Beadle's New Dime Novels: The Specter Chief — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

6 THE PHANTOM .CUIEF, cooking utensils—strips of jerked meat—stores of maple sugar, ete., all of which were placed without any other ar- rangement than that suggested by momentary conve- nience. An aperture in the middle of the roof afford- ed egress for smoke, when fire was used within the dwell- ing. At the back end of the inner apartment, upon a bed such as we have mentioned, which seemed to have been arranged with more minute attention to the case of the oc- cupant than was usua] in an Indian hut, lay a venerable- looking man, apparently in the last stage of life. His sil- very hair told that his course had been prolonged beyond the average of human existence, and the air of composure and manly resignation pervading his posture and counte- nance, bore witness that the career about to close had not been marked by apy signal deviation from the dictates of virtue: Kneeling by his side, with one hand of the dying : clasped convulsively in both of hers, was a female, whose dress partook more of Indian than of any European cos- tume, but whose pallid hue and delicate features disclosed os the sameness of her race with that of the individual in whose fate she seemed so deeply interested. At a little distance, gazing with evident sympathy on her weeping companion, stood another female of darker skin, and —~ whose exterior in other respects evinced a closer resem-~ blance to the daughters of the forest. Some moments el psed in silence, interrupted only by broken sobs. At length the sick man said, with an effort: : *“My dear Marie, I have done what my remaining ‘strength permits to console you for the loss you are about to sustain. If it had pleased God to allow me to watch over you a little longer—but His will be done. We have been long enough here for me to see that your safety is eared for by the chief; and-my trust is strong that before many weeks you will be suffered to return from the settle- ments. For myself, I have nothing to desire bere but the presence of some one who couk! administer the last con- - #olations of our holy religion. Yer I trust that the Divine | Mercy will not be withdrawn frem my fiual hour. J tech