The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

: nt i - ‘5 *"s "% a ee J ‘ ' Ye | iy * a” oh : , & ¥' “4 Pe i : ue re * ; : , t . an a” - THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. 1 A few moments later the noise of a carriage was heard ~ outside. | puyateba ‘‘T will return, with the food and clothes,” said the stranger, departing. In a short time he was back; and Clinton was discussing a hearty meal, with as much calmness as if nothing un- usual was on hand. kt Ha The clothes fitted to a nicety. «You made a good guess, monsieur,” said Clinton, as he noted the fit. ‘Tt was not a guess; I had your measure.” “Oh!” «* Are youready now?” “Yes. Godown; I will follow in a few moments.” The stranger went down. Clinton pulled aside the cloth from the portrait, gazed at it earnestly a while, and then, dropping on his knee before it, kissed it passionately. ‘‘Beautiful creature!’ he exclaimed; ‘‘insensible image! my happiness! my destruction! to you do lowe it that | ~ have this night sold myself. Had I not wasted weeks mooning over your shadow, I would not now owe my life to astranger’s need. Fool as lam to have let you bring me _ to this, so, fool will I be to hold you accountable for the issue of this night’s adventure.” So intense was the passion of this singular utterance, that it was hard to recognize in the speaker the reckless, sardonic artist of a moment before. In another second the mood was changed, and with a mocking laugh, Clinton had tossed back the cloth over the sweet face, blown out the light, and dashed headlong down * the pitchy dark staircase. | ‘* What!” he exclaimed, as he sprang lightly out into the street; ‘“‘only two horses for a mystery like this! Why, we ought to have four at least, and six would be none too many.” | ce ‘‘Come, monsieur, we have no time to love. Will you enter?” : ‘‘Certainly, oh, man of mystery. But tell me first, is the driver masked?” ‘He 1s;, Why?” : ‘*Why? Because in an adventure like this, the least you comicbooks.com