A Daughter of Maryland — page 152: what you’re looking at

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

“a - ~ =e ? SRD UT Tee MRT NG, Ek mers er ee A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. 131 oe visit to Graymont this fall,’’ he said. ‘‘What a stirring episode that proved to be, and but for you I should never have lived to tell of it now. Let me improve this first chance to thank you for your heroic assistance in enabling me to escape. I trust that Maze got home all right, and that the affair did not make yon any serious trouble.’’ ‘*None whatever; and Maze came safely and gladly home. I was never so glad to see him in my life. I found your note, or rather word, telling of your escape. ’’ ‘‘He is a noble creature, and had it not been for his wonderful speed I should not have been able to elude them, for they did press me hard. I wanted to write to you, but I dared not to do it. You may judge of my joy, when Mr. Northup told me of your promised visits and have waited very impatiently for the day. But here we are at their house. I am sure you will like Mr. Northup and his kind- hearted wife. Ella, too, is one of the most lovable persons I ever met. I owe a great debt to them.’’ Notwithstanding the darkness of the storm, Aurian saw by the brilliant lights streaming through the large win- dows a grand-looking, old-fashioned mansion, standing on a beautiful eminence of land and overlooking a wide range of the town lying at its feet. Through a thick shrubbery of laurels and vines, overtopped by a row of majestic elms, denuded now of their foliage, she saw the white pillars of a broad portico. Then a flood of light suddenly bathed the wintry scene’ in a dazzling halo, making each snow- flake into a jewel of matchless purity, as the door was sud- denly opened, and a slight, girlish figure was framed in the opening. | -**Miss Northup, Miss Lancier,’’ said the latter’s escort, — adding as the newly met couple exchanged greetings: ‘‘As I have seen the wayfarer to such a good haven of safety, Ella, I will seek my own home.’’ ‘‘Oh, no, Mr. Southard! yon must stop awhile, for Miss Lancier’s sake if not for ours,’’ comic a Nie