Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED, 167 at one end of the room, and at.aword of command from him each raised his weapon, and held if ready for action. The smugglers gazed in terror around, but every entrance had an armed sentinel, and not a chance of escane was pos- sible. - Forward and bind these villains, every one of them!” shouted Fredrich, and boldly springing forward to lead the attack. The scene which followed was exciting beyond descrip- tion. , Those great lawless men, who for years had fearlessly roamed the world at large, committing their crimes, and the most daring acts conceivable—who were a terror and a dread to all who knew of their existence—were now rendered pow- erless in a single instant. The fame of an artist, who could have faithfully trans- ferred to his canvas that brilliant, gorgeous room, witly its strange and excited occupants, would forever have been es- tablished, and his praises sung throughout the world.. See them! That company of conquerors, with their flushed, eager faces, weapons raised and aimed at the hearts of the baffled villains, Fredrich Weimher’s men, with coils of stout cord ~ in their hands, and in the act of springing forward toe bind their helpless foes. The smugglers, with their sullen, terror-pale faces, their confused and faltering manner, gazing half beseechingly, half menacingly at their hitherto infallible chief, who, with white and foaming lips, frantic eyes, despairing mien, stood stunned and dismayed before them. While on one side were the beautiful maidens, huddled together, shivering and gaz- ing with a sort of horrible fascination upon the scene before them, though in their faces one might read of hopeful hearts beating beneath their colorless features. Opposite this group, and seated upon the floor of the al- __ tar, was Madame Alroyd, holding the senseless bride clasped in her trembling arms, while Ralph, the clergyman, and Nina were bending anxiously over them, and applying restoratives, Last, but not least, was the astonished squire, who stood with his gray locks streaming back, his eyes protruding from their sockets, his face shrunken and livid with fear Gomicbooks ae co