The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 14: what you’re looking at

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

10 THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. “This is really all there is of it, monsieur. Surely you have all to gain, and nothing to lose.” - **JTs your sister good-looking?” ‘* What difference can it make to you if she is or not?” «¢ Answer my question.” **She is beautiful; but youn may not see her face. Do you consent?” “‘If you are poor, how can you give me ten thousand francs?” ** Ah, monsieur, ten thousand franes! What a sum is that? When I say poor, I mean poor fora noble family.” ‘‘ Very well, then,” said Clinton, who had come to a sud- den resolve to see the adventure out, come what might of it. ‘‘ but how am I to have the use of your services, and, the same time, drop you out of the window?” ““Oh,” said the stranger, gayly, ‘‘:we can postpone that.” Two things,” said Clinton. ‘‘I must have something to eat, and I must havesome good clothes.” ‘*Kverything is prepared. In the carriage, which will be at the door in a minute, areall you ask for.” **How thoughtful of you!” 4 *<’'This affair has been carefully planned.” ‘‘ But suppose I had insisted on throwing you out of the window?” d ‘« You would ‘not have done it.” ‘Oh, but I was very near it.” “Well, then, this!” The stranger threw aside his cloak, and showed a pistol in his hand. Already suspecting that there was more in the adventure ‘ than appeared on the surface, Clinton now decided that he had éntered ‘on a hazardous enterprise. If the stranger, who knew all, was prepared with weapons there must be danger. | Little difference did it make to Clinton, however. The more danger, the more excitement. Anyhow, he reasoned, he could be no worse off than he was. The danger probably was his. He would be on the alert to ward it off. While he was soliloquizing, the stranger had taken the lamp, held it in front of the window a few seconds, dropped it suddenly below the window, and repeated the signal twice, | Gomicbooks.co me