The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 139 tempts, and opened on its hinges, for Mabel was sure of this from the rush of cold air that entered at that moment. There was some indistinct kind of noise that Mabel could not make out, and much shuffling and shifting of feet in the pas- sage; the door was then carefully closed after them, and then a whispered conversation was held in the passage. ‘“‘T tell you,” said one, ‘‘ the house has been empty for years; and Iam frequently in the neighborhood, and not a light nor a soul have I ever seen in it.” ‘* It doesn’t follow but that there might be, for all that,” said another voice; *‘ and we can’t be too careful in this matter; you know how Ned Williams was taken in the other day.” ‘‘No, I don’t; and I don’t care, that’s more. I know that you are an infernally timid cove, and would start at your own shadow if you saw it. Why don’t you help me on with the cove ?” There was a whispered consultation among these who were now in the passage, and they seemed to move with great caution and care. They seemed to be dragging something or somebody along the floor; Mabel could not distinguish which it was; indeed, she was fearfully agitated; she could not tell what to imagine. These men, be they whom they might, were doubtless murderers; and if they should find her, they would, no doubt, sacrifice her to their sense of safety, for while she lived, she knew enough to make her very dangerous to them. What, therefore, was to pre- vent them from taking her life, when their own lives were at stake, or when they believed so, and that was the same thing to them? She sat up in her bed, and feelings of horror and despair came over her heart with strength it is difficult to depict. Her eyes were fixed toward the door, for it was too dark even to see its shadow. ‘It’s d——d heavy,” said one. a Yes,” replied the other; ‘‘and we mustn’t complain of that.” ‘‘No, no; his purse was heavy, too; and that’s some consola- tion; though ’'m sure ['m very dry and very tired. Let’s put him in this room.” : “ What, the front parlor ?” They pushed the parlor door open, and dragged somebody in; Mabel could hear the scraping of the feet of somebody that was being partially dragged and partially lifted along the ground, until it was laid on the floor, and then there was a pause, durin which she could hear the men breathe, as if they had deposited a heavy burden upon the floor, and they were recovering them- selves from the fatigue. : ‘“ Well,” said one of them, ‘‘there ain’t much accommoda- tion here—no inducement to stay long. And, as I am wet, cold, tired, and thirsty, I will sit down on the floor for a short ime, ‘*‘ And can you sit down at such a moment ?” “And why not? haven’t T got some brandy in my flask? comicbooks. com