José — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

JOSE. 237 thoughts appeared to retard the movements of her hands, she finally completed dressing, and soon aiter McGregor again announced himself. He reached her his arm without a syllable and con- ducted her into the court below. It soon became apparent here that the usual order of work had been suspended. Brown, stalwart men were partly gathered in small groups, conversing in eager tones, partly scattered about the court, occupied with the cleaning of long-barreled rifles, and a single glance at the animated faces, told that some unusual oc- currence was expected to take place. <A singu- lar cry, as of exultation, from those standing near- est, greeted Mary as with her companion she issued from the house; the sound was repeated as she con- tinued past the various groups, while on every side she encountered fiery glances and heard exclama- tions, which she did not understand, but whose import was easily divined. She was touched by the ungarnished deference paid her by these rough men, and her face had lost its sorrowful expression and assumed its natural hue before she was herself fully aware of the change in her feelings. McGregor paused when they arrived at the re- mote end of the court, where McAllister was stand- ing in the center of a group of men engaged in examining the guns after they had been cleaned. Mary’s first look had been directed toward the weapons, her second glance fell upon two large, dark eyes that were regarding her with a steady, almost melancholy expression. A stripling it was, standing at the side of the overseer. Mary felt her- self sirangely attracted by this youthful, finely featured face. “That is the young man,” said McGregor, who Gomicbooks (E(0)