The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 189 round, and at once recognized Mabel, for if, was he who had pro- cured the lodging. | ‘‘ Why, here she is, your worship,” he said, with the utmost satisfaction depicted on his countenance. “Who?” inquired the magistrate, not knowing what was meant, for hiseye had been wandering over the paper. ‘‘ Mabel Morton, the young woman we were speaking of just now, who had left the lodgings I procured for her by your wor- ship’s orders, near the water.” In another moment Mabel stood up in the box, and the magis- trate at once saw she had been suffering greatly from some cause or other, and he said kindly,— ‘“-Your presence here at this moment certainly gives a contra- diction to some surmises that were being made as to the motive that induced you to quit the lodging the officer provided for you by my orders.” ‘*T left on the impulse of the moment,” said Mabel. ** And you will be able, at once, to explain the cause of your doing so satisfactorily, I dare sity.” ‘‘T hope so,” said Mabel, who for some moments seemed to be anxious to gain time and strength. ‘‘ Where have you passed the night ?” ‘‘In wandering about I know not where,” replied Mabel, ‘* until the office opened, and since that time I have been here.” ** You have been here ?” ‘* Yes, in the waiting-room.” ‘‘Is that a fact?’ he asked the officer who accompanied her into the office. ‘- Yes, your worship, she has been here since the office opened.” ‘*God bless me! and here have we been wondering where she could be.” ‘‘It is very strange,” said the officer, “why she should not have stopped where I left her, because then I could have found her at a moment’s notice, when I wanted. But as she’s here, she can best tell your worship why she did it.” ‘*Certainly. Now, Mise Morton, be so kind as to furnish us with the key to this mysterious conduct on your part—quitting, without leave, your Jodgings.” ‘‘I am sorry to have done so, but couldn’t help it, your wor- ship; 1 was compelled,” said Mabel. ‘*Compelled! who compelled ?” ‘* The officer told me,” said Mabel, who took no notice of the last question—‘‘ the officer told me that the man whom I had so much cause to fear, had broken out of prison, and was once more at liberty.” ‘* He told you the truth.” ‘‘ Exactly, your worship; but in the night I heard someone walking about overhead fora long time. I could not go to sleep; the sound of the feet seemed dreadful. and even familiar to me; Icould not sleep. I determined. at length, so great was my fright, to call on some one for help. I endeavored to do so, and for that purpose opened my door, but, instead of that, I was ter- comicbooks. com