Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 131: what you’re looking at

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

198 THRICE WEDDED. ter. You forget that I am the daughter of the man whom you say has wronged you deeply, do you not?” “I do forget it, as I trust you yourself do. For no such brute has a right to claim so pure a being for his child.” She smiled archly as she replied : ‘Silence, flatterer, thongh your words are very sweet to me, and I am only too proud to regard you by so dear a tie.” ‘‘Do you never feel lonely here with no companions of your own age and sex?” asked Robert, eager toturn her thoughts into a different channel. “Oh, no! I have plenty of company. Come and you shall see.” She bounded lightly from her seat, and moving quickly to a curtain of purple velvet, and sweeping it aside, revealed a glass door. She motioned Robert to conceal himself among the folds of the drapery and glance within the room beyond. He obeyed, and saw six lovely girls almost as lovely as his companion, elegantly dressed, and seated in different. parts of the room, and laughing and chatting pleasantly, though upon every face he could trace lines of sorrow. “They are my companions and my charges,” she said, gazing fondly upon them. ‘‘lam, as it were, their ‘mother abbess.’ For I protect them from all harm and unpleasant attentions from the band. My word 1s law here, and no person can enter their presence without my permission. It is my compact with the chief that I will remain here cheerfully so long as he allows these innocent girls to re- main innocent and unmolested. So you see that this must be my home, and that I have my duties here, and I assure you that Iam happy in being allowed to do even this much good. Come away now, please, for I would not have you discovered by my friends.” She led him back to his seat, first carefully drawing the curtains over the door. ‘‘How came these beautiful girls in this place?” he asked, ‘more and more surprised with what he saw. “They were stolen by diffierent members of the band from their homes, You perceive that everything is done here to render life beautiful and attractive. When the _ band are at liberty they wish to %e amused, and these young girls, with eine: play, sing, and read to them just as they f 7 h } rm js ae tT) dal 7 | 7 P| 4 ’ / a Pe, DR eh ed NF PI te es Be Ba Wi Veh eh » / ¥ a) . Mal ¥ y ; ‘ wires Ly tL . J i“ : , mar .. Ay, ¥ re Au 4’ MA WOW ELA comick 200 (S.cOMm