Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 199: what you’re looking at

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

THE FACE AT THE WINDOW, 191 seen ze picture of ze old boot zat ze mouse ran in— ze cat try to follow—begar! mouse pop out of ze hole in ze toe and run away while ze cat he is stuck fast half way in. - Colonel, we may be ze cat—while we hunt here he goes zere.”’ ~**VYou forget—we have Grubbs outside, as smart a detective as old Virginia ever knew. He will be apt to catch any one escaping. You see, Grubbs——’’ Bang goes a door. Hurried steps are heard—then a man bursts into the library, a forlorn-looking specimen he is, too, with clothes torn and dusty, a face scratched and his hair awry—a man whom they seem to know. ‘Why, Grubbs, what’s the matter?’ cries the colonel. ‘‘Diable! he has met ze ghost,’’ grins monsieur. ‘Vou’re wrong, sir, I met a cyclone, a whole cir- cus, with a dog under the wagon—tried to stop ’em —they let me down gently, and I’ve come to report,’’ is Grubbs’ reply. CHAPTER XXII. THE FACE AT THE WINDOW. The Virginia colonel and Monsieur Merle exchange a glance that means much. They are suddenly brought face to face with defeat. ‘““Grubbs, do you mean to say that you failed to hold the old man?’’ cries Corneel. Gomicbookssco in _»>