The Prairie Detective: Secret Service Series No. 24 — page 143: what you’re looking at

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

THE PRAIRIE DETECTIVE, _ 141 tones, she did not sulk or pout, but answered them in a like spirit to the one they exhibited. She was sharp and brilliant as a diamond, and they were glad, as a rule, toretire from her presence after a very few words. One of their number, however, a repulsive-looking fellow, was more persistent than the rest. He re- turned to the attack after every rebuff, and more than once made use of expressions which were shocking to her ears. But, unfortunately, she was at his mercy, and her only weapon was her tongue. She made the most of her resources, however, and talked with such biting sarcasm that he at last be- came intensely enraged. It was well along toward five o’clock in the after- noon when this culminating point to their conversa- tion was reached. The prisoners rode far back toward the rear of the cavalcade, so that such of the band as cared to talk to them must pull up their horses and wait for them to catch up. | | Marian and her tormentor were traveling side by side, and both were. so thoroughly occupied in the task of making each other uncomfortable, that they did not notice a third horseman who ap- proached behind them with the evident purpose of overhearing their remarks. The ruffian was in the midst of his cowardly work, and was saying: ‘““Oh, my fine bird, you may flutter and dash your wings against the bars now, but when we end this journey I shall tone you down a bit.’’ , Marian shrugged her shoulders. ‘Indeed! Do you think so? Now, let me tell you, that if you undertake that operation you will require help. It is not work that a half-witted child can succeed in doing unaided.”’ cComicbooks (ele)