A Silver Brand — page 218: what you’re looking at

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

216 A SILVER BRAND. to be—my sister !” whispered Aubrey’s heart, sinking with a keen pang of dismay and regret. But to her he answered reassuringly : “Yes, we will find Lina.” CHAPTER XXI. \ FEARS SET AT REST. The short, subterranean passage, through which the frightened maidens followed Robinson’s lead and Ste- phano’s insensible figure, was evidently excavated by arti- _ ficial means, but the long walled way into which it led was simply a natural gully, the old bed by which some rushing body of water in other times had found its way to the sea. Great rocks piled up on either side as com- pletely screened any passers through this natural road as if it had been roofed, but it was a relief for them to see the sky once more and Serena looked up thither, an earn- est petition for help in her beautiful eyes, and a calm, trusted smile on her lips. Lina looked at her wistfully and witha sortof awe as at some superior being, but clung the more closely to her arm. Then came another short excavation, all traces of which were evidently carefully concealed, and next they emerged through a rude door-way into the cellar of some house. Not a word was spoken until the whole party had mounted the stairs and arrived in a small, barren-looking, but decently furnished room. Mike dropped his burden with a muttered anathema, and Robinson exclaimed, jubilantly : “Well, here we are at last. So far so good, Mike.” And turning with a mocking bow, he said, gayly : ‘“Welcome to the Haunted Castle, young women. Any- thing I can do to serve you only name it.” “I would like a glass of water,” said Serena, calmly, while Lina stamped her foot angrily and dashed off the flood of tears that poured over her cheeks. “You hear, Mike? There’s plenty in the barrel. If we had on. been sure of ladies’ company we would have had it iced. | , Mike shuffled into the inner room and came out with a tin dipper filled with water. Serena took it from him and went hastily to the prostrate figure on the floor, and kneel- ing down by it, began to drop the water carefully upon bn Eomichooks.co