Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 280: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 275 an entreaty that the Italian lady would return Miss Rienzi to her friends, for if she did not Cartier would inform Guiseppe Rienzi herself of the attempted abduction which had taken place so long ago. The explanations were ended at last; she was fully en- throned in her rightful place, and could look from face to face of her kindred with thankful eyes; she had a claim upon us all—even upon Ernest, who waited upon her with such brotherly assiduity. But best gift of all, the priceless love of that true heaven-chastened heart, which was hers in holy purity and rightfulness! Ah! hold her in your arms—this wasted, ethereal form; fling chains and chains of love around her, to bind her from the spirit-land; come between her and these amaran- thine wreaths, which wait her in the skies. You have loved her fondly; you have mourned her long; oh, keep her angel wings close pinioned —woo her back to earth! CHAPTER AXXVI. THE STORY OF THE VOW. ‘* But she, with sick and scornful looks, arose To her full height, her stately stature drawn. §My youth,’ she said, ‘was blasted with a curse. TENNYSON. My dear sister’s little history, when from time to time she had been torn from us, was a very mournful one. Ralph Morecombe had come, like a rushing wind, into the cottage, flung the few articles of clothing and valu- ables together, and carried the fugitives off without a mo- ment’s warning. They escaped through a road but little known across the hills to the nearest railway station, took cars for Philadelphia, and proceeded by uninterrupted travel to Canada, where they buried themselves in a remote French Canadian village, to which there was little possibility of tracing them. Mrs. Beaumont had seemed satisfied, and signified her intention of remaining with only her daughter and Morecombe to attend her. Morecombe was a trusty protector, laboring faithfully for their comfort, and becoming more and more attached to the hapless young lady whom he had helped to bring into such slavery. With daily increasing remorse he saw her bearing CORNUCG OOO S (©)