The Illegal Marriage — page 216: what you’re looking at

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

208 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. “They say he can’t live. I heard at home that he wouldn’t live but a few days more.” The statement was false, but Alfred understood the motive which prompted the question. “Then I’ll go when you’ve done what I told ye.” “But, Hawks, it ain’t safe—indeed, it 1s not.” “T’ll risk it, anyhow: I don’t stir a step from here till you’ve done it, so jist stir your stumps. Il want tu sleep, tu, so jist leave me, will ye?” “Couldn’t I stay here for to-night, Hawks? Ihave no place near that I know of. I can sleep here.” “Couldn’t think of it, boss,” said the old man, with a leer, laying one finger beside his nose. “My boy, that cat won’t jump.” “Hawks, you don’t think I would try to harm ou?” “One or tother on us might git murderous in our sleep, d’ye see? I don’t want my rest spilt. Don’t want to hurry ye, though.” Alfred could say no more, but left the hut, and crept carefully up the hill. Crouching along the fence he came to the coppice in which he had left his horse; but before reaching the spot his heart leaped into his mouth as he saw the shadow of a man disappearing in the pines. Go where he could now, that terrible shadow was ever hovering near him. Thenceforth he had kut one object. In one way only could he hope to get old Hawks out of the country, and his mind was busy with plans for accomplishing this purpose. — Hiding away by day—stopping at various small houses about the country to get food for himself and horse—every night found him near Stannard’s house, watching for an opportunity to get alone into the sick man’s room. At length came the evening of Crawford’s visit. Not suspecting Stannard’s presence, Alfred had gone earlier than usual, and was hidden in the bushes beyond the garden fences, when the two men came out with Doctor Pierce. Peering through the trees, he saw them on the veranda, shaking hands with the doctor, and a moment later watched Stannard and his friend as cComicbooks com 3 : } :