Laura Brayton — page 205: what you’re looking at

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

196 : LAURA BRAYTON. | CHAPTER XLIL RETRIBUTION. When Lydia Gardner was shown to a chamber by the lawyer, she at once saw that it had been ten- anted by one of her sex; not only because sundry toilet articles and wearing apparel were left, but, withered from want of water and care, were several pots of flowers. : Seating -herself ina chair by a window through which she could see the gas-lamps on the street, she began to reflect. There was an ominous chill run- ning through her veins, an indefinable dread, a sense of danger which she could not cast off, neither could she comprehend its cause. Reared in Christian faith, she knelt and asked the protection of Him who is all-powerful. Even then she could not, did not feel at ease. An unknown terror was absorbing her mind. Her heart beat so loud that its throbbing sounded like the steps of some one walking. “This is awful,” she murmured. “It seems as if I -wasin the presence of death. I did not like the face of that lame man. There were so many changes init. At first he seemed to be dumb with terror. Hethought poor old Mr. Withers was not alive, but a ghost. And then, though there was a glare more like the fire of hate than of love in his eyes, he became suddenly so fawningly obsequious that it was not natural. I fear he has some deadly intent in. his bosom. Would it be right for me to cEomicbooks (eco)