Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

20 BONNY JEAN. woods just as quickly asI can get there, if I perish in the attempt.” * * * xk * xk It wasa fearful night; a night of storm and tempest; the very demons of destruction seemed to stalk abroad. ‘The rain came down in blinding sheets ; the thunder rolled like crashing artillery ; athwart the inky blackness of the sky the lightning shot in broad, sulphurous flashes, revealing for a moment the dense forest, the swollen river dragging itself sullenly along ; while over all the wind swept howling through the branches of the pine trees like the wail of a lost soul. ‘The sheets of light- ning which dashed across the heavens with their lurid flashes disclosed a horseman making his way with difficulty through the night and tempest ; now pausing an instant, overcome by the ferocity of the warring elements, and shrinking down in his saddle in the darkness, as though hoping to avoid destruction ; or, perchance, with that instinct which draws one nearer a liv- ing creature in such a strait, even though an unreasoning brute. ‘My God!” broke from the lips of the traveler at last, asa gust of wind, fiercer than usual, dashed by him, tearing his hat, rain-soaked though it was, from his head, and nearly knocking him from his saddle. ‘‘ Mercy! what a witch’s saturnalia it is, to be sure! Must I perish out here alone in this frightful storm and darkness? AndJIa stranger in these fearful woods. Ihave lost my road, I know that, and I know not which way to turn. I am afraid of riding my horse into the river, or dashing my brains out against a giant tree. Oh, Heaven, fora single ray of light! Ha! what’s that? Can it be a light?—a shelter, perhaps !” He drew rein as he spoke before a dark object which loomed up before him—a darker patch on the midnight gloom. Yes; one tiny, dull, red ray of light pierced the Tartarean darkness like a glaring eye, while upon his ear fell the faint and indis- tinct murmur of voices. | EComichbooks.co =)