At a Girl's Mercy, or, The Fortunes of War — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

8 AT A GIRLS MERCY. grass of the lawn, then a faint, quickly extinguished gleam of light from a bull’s-eye lantern, and the peace of the night was broken, and the touch of evil had marred the breathless waiting of nature for the dawn. “Ts it all right, pard?’’ whispered a voice that, in the stillness, sounded almost startling. ‘“Rioht,’? was the concise reply, as another form and another step blended with the elm shadows. “Hverything’s quiet as the grave, but you may as well keep a still tongue in your head. Where are the others?’’ Instantly a half dozen voices replied in a whisper that was like the stirring of leaves in a low wind; a half dozen other forms arose from the roots of the hedge, it might be, like spirits of the night; but again silence fell upon them. They were in the presence of their chief; their safety lay in obeying unquestionably. ‘‘All’s ready,’’ was the command, in a voice that sounded distinctly to each and all, yet which would not have been heard at the distance of two yards. “Everything in readiness; all of them asleep as sound as the dead; we have only to enter, and, mind you, a man goes back on his courage under pain of death! Follow me, and follow my example.” They moved under the trees as though they were part of the trees themselves; not a sound was heard save now and then a faint fall of footsteps as they _ trod the walks of the lawn; every hand was on the butt of a revolver, and every man was ready to sell his life dearly, if need be. They filed, one by one, up to the house, up the steps, and on to the piazza lead- ing to the two long windows of the library. Not a word was spoken; all knew what was ex- Gomicbooks (ee)