A complete, restored issue of Pulp Fiction from 1885 — all 16 pages of painted-cover fiction magazines that launched science fiction, horror, and hardboiled crime, free to page through at ComicBooks.com.

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A complete issue · 16 pages · 1885

Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 417

1885 · Free to read

Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 417 — page 2 of 16 — 2 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 417 — page 3 of 16 — 3 / 16

Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 417 — page 4 of 16 — 4 / 16

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Beadle's Half Dime Library, No. 417 — page 16 of 16 — 16 / 16

About this issue

This issue of Beadle's Dime Novels (No. 417, July 21, 1885) contains "The Boy Bear-Slayer of the Sierras" by Oll Coombes, a frontier adventure serial. The story follows sixteen-year-old Ned Hooker (called Bearslayer), a renowned hunter in Virginia City who has killed numerous grizzly bears and gained wealth from miners' bounties. Late one night, masked road-agents visit his cabin demanding he abandon bear-hunting or swear secrecy about mountain hideouts—threatening death by hanging. After Bearslayer refuses, a second masked party (apparently Vigilantes) bursts in, opens fire on the first group, and flees. Intrigued and suspicious, Bearslayer pursues them into the mountains, following wolves tracking blood. He encounters a wolf pack, nearly overwhelmed until armed men dispersing the animals emerge from darkness. The story ends ambiguously as five men attack him. The issue also advertises "Webfoot Mose, the Tramp-Detective."

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