Beadle's New York Dime Library No. 1036

This issue contains the first two chapters of "Death-Notch the Destroyer; or, The Spirit Lake Avengers" by Oll Coomes. The serial is a frontier adventure narrative set during the historical Spirit Lake Massacre of 1857. Eight young border men, led by Fred Travis, form a vengeance league after their homes are destroyed and companions taken by Sioux warriors under Chief Inkpadutcha. The narrative introduces Death-Notch, a mysterious scalp-hunter who marks victims with notches cut into trees. Complications arise when the Avengers discover Death-Notch is actually a young woman. The story incorporates a romantic subplot involving Ralph St. Leger, a trapper-boy, and Sylveen Gray, a settler's niece; her uncle Abel Hatch opposes their relationship and favors rival suitor Scott Shirely. The narrative concludes with St. Leger being attacked in a thicket by a Sioux warrior while the Avengers investigate the scene.