The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

140 THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE. she did, would she not perish from fatigue and star- — vation? Better that—better a thousand times that she should die and go back to her Father pure and un- sullied as when He sent her here, than to live a hun- dred lives on earth after once falling into the hands of Persimmon Bill. It was a hard alternative, but it was the better of the two, and in the stern integrity of his heart he would have preferred it. He had little fear for Ma- rian. . The robber chief had alwaysishown dislike for her, and therefore the danger was not so great in her case. The band soon got under way, and before day- light appeared they were well on their way. The road chosen led them away to the southward, and during the afternoon it swung. around: toward the west. } 2 Tike One thing Harper could not understand—that was the non-appearance of the chief of the robbers. AI- though the party had been many hours on thewmarch, Persimmon Bill was still invisible. But perhaps he had gone personally in search of Esther? That, no doubt, explained his absence. The father and daughter were allowed free intercourse, and im- proved the liberty thus given them by cheering each other as best they might. | Of the two, Marian was in the best spirits. : She had all the sanguine disposition of youth, and was confident that before very long there would come a time. when, in place of captivity, they should have freedom, and possibly an even exchange of positions with their enemies.. The young girl was defiant and aggressive. When one or two of the Blood- suckers took occasion to speak to her in taunting eat « comicboo S.cO mM.