Bonny Jean, and A Severe Threat — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

A SEVERE THREAT. 151 as his eyes fell upon the cold white face upturned upon the floor. ‘‘ Great Heaven !” he ejaculated, ‘‘she—is—dead !” ‘‘Ves, dead!” cried the girl, with bitter emphasis—‘‘ dead ! struck down upon her own hearth by the She paused abruptly, and, controlling herself with wonderful presence of mind, added: ‘‘Struck by lightning, sir—stone dead—my mother, all I had to care for in the great, cold, cruel world!” For in her heart this strange girl had decided to keep the hideous secret of murder, and let no one dream that aught but the lightning’s stroke had deprived Stella Gordon of life. The strangers handsome face wore a troubled expression. ‘‘Are you all alonehere?” he cried. ‘‘I1—beg your pardon, miss—I do not mean to be rude ; but this—is a frightful posi- tion for you. Ifyou will permit me I will ride to the nearest village for assistance. My horse is outside; I can go and sum- mon help, and return within the hour.” Lola looked up into his frank face. ‘‘God sent you here,” she said, simply. ‘‘Do you live in Waltham, sir ?” ‘“No. I have just returned frorh a long sojourn in America. I seek relatives somewhere in this vicinity; perhaps you may know ofthem. My name is Vernon, Lloyd Vernon, and my father, Lionel Vernon, has a country-place near here.” Lola shook her head slowly. ‘No, sir, I know no one at all. I, my poor mother and our only servant (who is, unfortunately, passing the night in Waltham), are strangers here, quite. But if you would take the trouble for the sake of a friendless stranger, you might ride over to Waltham, and go to the little inn there, and ask for old Zingra ; she is my only friend, now,” and sobs choked her utter- ance. ‘¢Let me be your friend?” cried Lloyd Vernon, impulsively, touched to the heart by the girl’s forlorn situation. ~ He took Lola’s hand for an instant, while her dark, pathetic eyes searched his face, with a mute appeal. Eomichbooks:.co