A Daughter of Maryland — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

A DAUGHTER OF MARYLAND. 5B -- ‘Tt was the old pine, aunty. Luckily it fell the other way or we should have been crushed to death be——’’ ‘We s’all go nex’, honey. Do yo’ hear dat, Frostus? De ol’ pine hab gone suah.’’ The fire had burned so low that Aurian could barely discern the burly figure of her companion. From the inner apartment Uncle Frost’s moans and groans made more wild and weird the terrible situation. Miss Lancier did not lack for courage, but at that moment if she had not before she felt that they were hopelessly lost. ‘*We must keep a fire, aunty, at all hazards. If there is nothing else to be burned, we must tear down a portion of the house. This darkness is worse than everything else, for it makes it impossible for us to know what is taking place around us.’’ ‘*Dar is no hope fo’ us, honey, now de ol’ pine is gone. Dat ol’ tree dat’s sheltered me an’ po’ Frostus from de suns an’de storms so many years. ’’ Seeing that her overwrought companion was in no con- dition to assist her, Aurian lost no further time in seeking material to replenish the fire in a new direction of search. In this she was more fortunate than she had anticipated, and from the half ruined walls of a sort of lean-to built at the back of the main structure she obtained a sufficient number of boards to make a roaring fire, whose cheerful blaze scattered the shadows to the darker corners. Aunt Debby was still by the couch of poor old Uncle Frost, whose frail hold upon life was weakening fast. Through the open door the fire shone out upon the scene in front of the dwelling, showing plainly the drenched form of Maze. It may have been the sight of the fire which caused the intelligent creature to suddenly lift its head and give a whinny of delight. That single, untranslatable utterance gave Aurian a thrill of pleasure. | ‘‘Noble fellow! You are not discouraged. Let me get another armful of wood and I will hug you for that!’’ at V ate) ee ialkes 1 tinal hed PAB cp w ne Uk ee at ert Wh PEE Ra a A be Dan Rw aT PS Om Pe AE Oe et A ew DY OOP, oo MA eee eae ok Se Ae rs ENP SEE fe POEM eID, Mrs eo OU AARC Pen MMMPERaSn OL I Clee at ME AMEE SLID PL EMT GAWD CALLMRA IRE AT Vi EGER SMS Ce HTS Ba Wa lrouh gi MUTA) book of 0)