A Silver Brand — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

158 A SILVER BRAND. treasures. Once freely handling them, I will trust your. woman’s wit to secret the brand about your person. I shall have no peace until I try if it fits to that mark.” Theresa was in no wise loth. A rich color came to her cheeks, her eye sparkled, and at the door she turned and said, half it would seem in menace, half in excuse :. “Remember, it is by your order I go. Baron Baer, it is your wish that I should charm Herr von Schubert. Blame me not for what comes of it.” Her father scarcely took in the meaning of the words. He was examining again with closest attention the signifi- cant mark upon the young man’s wrist. “Tf it should be,” he muttered, gloomily. “T think I have. fallen into the castle of mystery ! ” ex- claimed Aubrey, impatiently, “and all things have grown misty and unreal tome. I would have staked my life, a few weeks since, upon my own identity and my mother’s - good faith with me. Now——” And here he broke intoa troubled, bitter laugh, “now I dare not even swear that -my name is my own.” The baron was pacing slowly to and fro. He turned at this speech as if he thought some answer was expected of him. ‘*Indeed,” he said; ‘‘and I Aare riot tell you what wild conjectures are dazing me. It is inexplicable, thoroughly inexplicable. ‘“‘T wonder if Dr. Mentz cantell me anything,” mut- tered Aubrey. “The old man certainly had a singular way when I went to him with my mother’s letter.” ‘‘Mentz? our German physician, do you mean?” ques- tioned the baron, sharply. “The same. My mother was very particular that I should go and see him. It seems she had pleasant and kindly memories of him.” “Then your mother has been in Germany ?” ‘Certainly. My parents spent three years in Europe. I have always understood that I was born at Berlin. It was one reason that induced me to come this way instead of following the direct route.” ‘It makes the thing more probable,” muttered the baron. “If Mentz knows anything, he can be forced to speak.” And then he fell again into his pacing walk, while Aubrey sat with forehead resting on his clasped hands, bewildered and distressed by the wild ideas that thronged upon him. Meantime Theresa had glided swiftly down stairs, care- -comicbooks: cor