Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

268 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. fall into strange hands, and perhaps you of all on earth will be the only witness that this child is aJoselyn.” Mad thing! I half believe she’s gueer/ But do tell, for gracious sake, how came you by the child? I saw her carry it in past my very eyes.’ ‘‘Mrs. Cartier gave some half explanation, all the time carefully perusing the mark on the child’s flesh. She re- solved to make a duplicate mark on her little charge, if she recovered it, in order to mislead the strange lady should she return to Mr. Rienzi’s house. She was strongly superstitious, and perhaps the belief that this mark imparted a peculiar virtue to the wearer helped to influence her impulse. ‘‘«Was Mrs. Joselyn any plunder, worth?” she asked, cunningly. ‘« « Lots o’ jewels, cash, dresses, rare ones,’ whispered the irl, one Well, you look here now. I'll take all the risk of this lark. You make up your bundle and be ready, or stay here another day, just to shift the blame off yourself, and leave all your things open for to be searched. And if ye show me Mrs. Joselyn’s rooms, [ll slip in and take what I can find, and leave this here baby to its owner, and all you'll have to do is just to keep watch and give me a safe passage out. Then give warning, and jine us to-morrow night. The old place, you know.’ ‘“¢ All right, Pll not bein this mess there, but mind, I must have my share of the plunder.’ «¢* TWalf, as sure as I’m an honest woman.’ ‘¢¢Surer than that ma’am, it must be.’ «<Tittle Toad! Well, then, sure as youre a born beauty.’ ‘«“¢Mfumph! I’m spoilt in the breeding then! Well, Tl trust ye.’ “The two women stole down to Mrs. Joselyn’s room,. and the nurse made her way safely in. The heavy breath- ing of the lady showed that she was asleep, and the room was very dark. Thenurse coolly strucka match, and dis- covered by its aid where the bed was. The infant which had been stolen, was lying just asleep in a cradle along- side, and holding the lighted match in its face its nurse made out beyond a doubt that it was Mrs. Rienzi’s child. ‘‘Hastily she lifted, without awakening it, and put the other child in its place, who began to wail piteously. The CORNUCG OOO S (©)