José — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

JOSE. 131 “T shall stay with you, father, as long as I can contribute to your comfort,” she replied, her face brightening. “I have learned many things that must be useful here, and I am sure I shali find some sort of useful work!” Brown continued to pace the room, in moody silence, for several minutes. “You scorn the road that would have led us both straight to fortune,” he finally resumed “For the sake of a romantic, girlish notion, you prefer to take the dark path whereby our steps are indis- tinguishable—may you never regret it for my sake and yours,” he added, with a half sigh, as with drooping head he left the room. Mary watched her father till he disappeared, and sat gazing at the door long after it had been closed, until at last she lowered her head in her hand, and became lost in thought. The dinner bell resounded through the house, but she did not hear it. The door of her room was opened, without attracting her notice; and not until a masculine voice smote upon her ear, did she start up, to confront McGregor. “Pardon me, dear Mary,” he said, with a strange smile; “I knocked twice without receiving a reply, and so I was compelled to extend my own permis- sion to enter.” The girl had quickly risen to her feet, and her eyes flushed an indignant protest at the intruder. “Ts it the custom here to enter a lady’s room with- out the least formality?” she asked, forcing her voice to sound calm. He shook his head with his former smile. “It may not be in strict conformity with polite usage, but here on the plains we do not scrutinize Gomicbooks (e(0)