Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

a drawer, and going into the closet, listened com 4 THRICE WEDDED. arose, saa noiselessly lifting the lid of the steaming coffee- pot, emptied the whole powder he had obtained at the drug store within it, then resumed his seat and former posi- tion. ‘‘What room do the strangers have? I thought the house was full,” he carelessly fsked when Mina returned to her - duties. €Oh, the one over the keeping-room. We never let any ~ but big bugs have that, you know, no matter how Se we are,” replied the girl. His eyes glowed with astrange bright light for a. conlent then a look of fierce determination settled over his face. Soon after he arose, and taking a candle retired to his room, which proved to be directly back of the one which Ralph Moulton occupied. The house was a wide building, with a hall running through the center. ‘The public room and kitchen were on one side of this, and on the other the keeping-room and dining-room; and overhead were chambers corresponding. Between the room which the Moultons occupied and that _ belonging to the strange man was a huge chimney, leaving quite a space on one side for closets, one in each room, which were separated from each other only by a thin, loose, board partition. The man, on entering his room, set his candle upon a table. He then began to disrobe himself, first removing a - huge wig and heavy pair of whiskers, revealing the black, — curling locks and handsome face of Ralph Moulton’s ally, honald Edgerton. ‘<I guess the old rascal couldn’t have known me, anyhow,” he muttered, with a complacent smile at the transformation, “hut I felt rather ticklish when they came in so unexpect- not—— He stopped suddenly, and looked around as if he feared some one might overhear what he was about to utter. Then, heaving a deep sigh, while a look of sadness overshadowed his face. he removed his coat. “Well, I must to work now. Iam bound to know if he _has it in his possession. If I do not find it lonighs J shall give up the game.” edly. To think that youngster should be so near me and Saying which, he took a small screw-driver from the table oe ™~ al chooks.co!