Laura Brayton — page 147: what you’re looking at

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

138 LAURA BRAYTON. “Your friends are safe. Your absence has pre- vented strife and bloodshed!” whispered their con- ductor. “We will go on. Step carefully. We are about to descend a stairway.- Let the lady lean on your arm, young man.” Laura was all the time clinging to his arm, and Eldridge Putnam felt happy in the thought that whatever might be before them they would not be separated, and that the dangers they had left, were surely as bad as any they might meet. Down, down, a great way it seemed to them, silently they passed until again their conductor halted. He touched what seemed to be a bell-pull or knob, for they heard just one sound like that of a call or office-bell. Then on some board. or door, near, there was a sound of two distinct blows, not loud, but plain to distinguish. The person who had conducted them all this time in darkness, now answered that signal by one single and two double knocks. Then the slight creaking of adoor on hinges was heard before them, and their conductor whispered: “Go forward fearlessly; you will soon find light. I must return to see how things go above. We will soon meet again.” 7 And Putnam found himself pushed forward into a room apparently, for he felt a carpet under his feet. Laura was still clinging to his arm. The door was heard tocreak again. It had evidently closed behind them. | “Oh, where can we be?” murmured Laura. | “In safety; fear not, light will show you one friend who never, never in life will-desert you, if you are the person I think you are.” “It is the angel voice I heard when I was in Sink comicbooks.com . > a - Was ; ty Pe ster + ” oe