A Silver Brand — page 219: what you’re looking at

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A SILVER BRAND. 211 the pale lips. Then she wetted her handkerchef and wiped away the blood that stained the. broad forehead and matted the fair hair. 7 Robinson did not interfere. He was closing the heavy wooden shutters and barring them. This done he pro- duced two lamps and lighting them once more illuminated the room from which he had just shut out the moonlight. He turned about once and glanced at his prisoners, and said to Mike in a low voice: x ‘‘It is as well they have something to take up their minds and keep them from making afuss and noise. I reckon that chap is beyond much help. But it’s no harm for them to try. We must go around and finish up our business here. Lock the doors both ways and come out and help me while they are quiet.” _ : | The moment that Lina perceived they were alone she flung her arms around Serena. “Oh, Serena, Serena, what shall we do? What shall we do? Even if we escape from this house we cannot find our way back. I cannot imagine where we are. Oh, Serena, how can you look so calm.” “ Because there is nothing else for us now but to do the © best we can,” answered Serena, gently disengaging herself and returning to her attempts to revive the insensible man. ‘‘Dear Lina, how can you forget your friend’s need. ‘Help me chafe these cold hands. One would think you had not cared to meet this Aubrey Dalberg.” : ‘Aubrey Dalberg!—that is not my Aubrey Dalberg, Serena,” returned Lina, in indignation. Serena lifted her bowed head to look a moment inquir- ingly into her face, then dropped it again, a faint color stealing into her cheeks. “ Well, he is good and noble, and he came to our defense, and has nearly if not quite lost his life by it. We must not let him die.” Even while she spoke the pale eyelids fluttered away, and the bright, frank eyes she had secretly admired that afternoon looked up into hers. “T am not dead,” he murmured ; ‘‘nor do I believe I am dangerously hurt. I came to my senses while somebody was bringing me along, but could not remember anything. It has all come back now. Where are the men a ie “Gone out, and we are locked into a room in some strange house. Oh, can you help us?” cried Lina, bending down over him tearfully. | Eomicbooks (ete)