Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

D4: BONNY JEAN. to show their ubiquitous heads above the soil. He searched about the premises until at length he had founda spade, and began at once to dig. For, horrible as the possibility was— fearful as the sight upon which he expected to gaze—John felt that the uncertainty of suspense would be even more horrible. He worked away with a will—the stricken old father, who had sunk upon the grass not far off—turning his head and bowing it upon his clasped hands. Bob lay, still bound, upon the ground near by. On, on, John’s toilrelaxednot. The perspiration was stand- ing in great beads upon his clammy forehead, and his heart surged and beat tumultuously. On he worked. His spade struck something at last with a hollow thud. He paused, and his lips moved in silent prayer. ‘Then, with a heroic resolve, ‘he threw aside the spade, and sprang into the aperture. Yes, there was a coffin, rude andrough. Setting his teeth hard to- gether, his face pallid, his eyes blazing, John wrenched off the lid—then recoiled, with a low exclamation of horror. A putrefying human body met his gaze—a woman, for the hair, dark and shining like satin, was plaited in a coil upon her head—but the features were entirely indistinguishable, and covered with a damp, yellowish mold. Shuddering with horror, John buried his face in his hands. To think that she, the beautiful, sprightly girl who had laughed in his face just the other day, when he had told her of his love, should be there before him now, a thing of corruption ! Ah! in that hour, if John Averill had stood face to face with the leader of the vigilantes, the wretch who was responsible for this hellish work, he would have crushed him as he would a viper in his path. John left the horrible pit, and came and stood before Mr. Lee. His pallid face confirmed the old man’s worst fears. ““We will take—it—away with us!” groaned John, pointing toward the open grave. ‘‘Ride on home, Mr. Lee, if you are able, and break the fearful intelligence to your wife, I will re- ff =) comichbooks.¢co