Darke Darrell, the Boy Detective — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

36 DARKE DARRELL. Tim Jordan gave a start, and his face whitened. «‘ You think you are smart,” he retorted, tugging at his red whiskers. ‘* Leotine, you have gone back on your friends,” his twinkling little eyes on her. : ‘©T am comfortable,” with a saucy toss of the head. ‘‘ If I take to people, I take to them hugely. If I hate, I hate with all my might. You know that, Tim Jordan. Shut your trap, and jog along.” It pained Darke to hear her use those slang phrases, “There'll be something to pay for this, my saucy little minx,” retorted the man, his face darkening. Leotine was on her feet at a bound, her eyes ablaze. Darke caught her hand, and held it with a tender, ap- pealing pressure. ‘‘Don’t mind him,” he said, soothingly. ‘You are right,” suddenly appeased, her hand returning the hot pressure. ‘‘He isn’t worth minding. He won’t have his deserts until he is hung,” loudly, for Tim Jordan to hear. : He passed down on the opposite side of the bank, and she resumed her seat. “You can restrain me, and I didn’t think that anybody could,” her eyes on him, and looking fabulously deep. ** Why do they call you Darke?” ‘“‘ Because it is my name,” with a smile. “It means ‘keep shady.’” ‘‘And mine? A little lioness, I have sometimes fancied. Why did you speak of me to the conductor as a little oirl ?” “Did I?” with a quizzical glance. “You are a girl, and you are little.” “Tam fourteen. I have read Don Quixote; I can play the ‘Battle of Prague’ on the piano, and can dance the ‘ Lanciers.’ ” ** Your accomplishments exceed mine,” smiled Darke, _ © You are making fun of me,” a pout on the red lips, Gomicbooks:co >, ~ : . oe id — ind ; = -