Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

28 HAWK’S NEST. Bob sees them, but his thoughts are more pratic- cal, and he rejoices at the idea of assistance being near at hand The group of riders carrying the will- o’-the-wisp lights dash around a bend in the valley | road. In another moment they threaten to ride over the two, when the girl, seizing a hunting horn she carries at her side, gives a silvery blast that rings out sharp and clear on the night air. Immediately there is a drawing in of horses in hot haste. ‘““Gypsy, is it you?’’ calls a woman’s voice, shrill with apparent tense excitement. ““VYes, auntie, safe and sound.’’ ‘“Thank Heaven! Child, we feared the worst when Ichabod came in reporting a terrible fire to the north, and darkness drew on without a sign of you. I could restrain my anxiety no longer, but, ordering out all the horses in the stable, mounted our guests and ser- vants and made up this search and relief party.’’ ‘‘I must be a second Sir John Franklin, then, only, instead of being lost in the ice, it is fire this time. I trust you have two spare horses, auntie.”’ ‘“Two—why, you have a companion—a man.’? ‘Yes, a gentleman who saved my life—but for him I should even now be in that blazing forest.’ ‘‘I beg pardon,’’ begins Bob, when some one cries: ‘Bless my stars, it’s Bob.’? ‘‘Ah! are you there, Senator John? I give in before you say a word—you win the wager, but don’t be- lieve I envy you. Fate had other things in store for meé,’? | ‘He is almost dead from fatigue—he actually ran COnnicloOoOxS.conn