The Illegal Marriage — page 220: what you’re looking at

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

212 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE. CHAPTER XX. OLD HAWKS GIVES STANNARD A VALUABLE PACKET OF PAPERS—HIS STORY. “Why, Trippe,” said Stannard. entering the room, “alone here in the dark? Why don’t you have the lights in?” “T wanted to reflect a little in the twilight. Where have you been roaming?” “Down to the creek. Crawford, come in here; Trippe doesn’t mind a bit of smoke.” “T rather like it. Id like to try a cigar myself.” Crawford sauntered lazily into the room and went to Trippe’s bedside. Taking advantage of a second when their backs were turned, Alfred sprang into the hall, and running to the end of the porch, leaped into the garden. “What was that?’ cried Stannard, starting for the door; “I’m sure a man left this room.” Crawford followed him to the garden, but they could see nothing, and returned to be joked by Trippe about the delusion. Still Stannard could not drive it from his mind. nor could he believe that he was mistaken in his impression, but he said no more, and joined in the conversation of his friends. But a few yards bevond the house was a corn-field running out to the woodland, and into this Alfred ran, not feeling safe from pursuit until he had reached the swamps. Concealing himself in a clump of bushes, he sat down to rest, and to think over the words that had fallen from the doctor’s lips. “Whata fool I have been!” he said to himself; “to let that old man cheat me in this way. Had I gone to my father honestly, I should have known that the money was paid and that he had no hold upon me. Yet how can I break away from him even now?” Eomicbooks:com