The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. 163 ‘¢ Who was that,” inquired the magistrate, ‘‘ that interrupted the proceedings ?” The officer now stepped up to her, saying: ‘‘ You must step here, if you please, and tell his worship why you spoke just now.” Mabel did as she was desired, and then the magistrate, when he had fixed his eyes for a moment or two upon her, said: ‘¢ What do you know of this matter ?” ‘* That he is innocent.” ‘Who did commit the murder, then ?” ‘‘Several men, who left the house before this man returned to it, after some hours’ absence.” ‘‘ How long had he returned ?” ‘¢ About three or four minutes; scarcely so much.” ‘<'Well, tell us all you know about it.” : Mabel then went into a full relation of all that had occurred after the entrance of the murderers into the house, until the en- trance of the officers who took the mendicant into custody. ‘* Aud why did you not come forward before ?” ‘Because I felt afraid of that man, and was almost determined to leave him to his fate.” ‘*‘ How came you in that house ?” inquired the magistrate. ‘I was forcibly taken and confined there by this man,” re- plied Mabel. ‘*‘ He took me from my friends,” ‘* What is your name ?” ** Mabel Morton.” “¢ Where do you live ?” ‘* At Morton Hall.” ** How came you in town ?” **I was forcibly carried away from that place, and was forci- bly brought to town by this man, who retamed me in custody till he was taken by the officers, and I then escaped.” oe were forcibly confined by him against your will?” c¢ was. “‘A clear case of abduction. What motive did he allege for detaining you in this manner ?” ' ‘‘He said he was my father, and thus tore me from the arms of my friends and benefactors, who had been more than parents to me since my childhood. He tore me away from them.” ‘*What do you know of this man ?” ‘‘ Nothing more than what I have told you. I never saw him till lately, and never desire to do so again.” ‘Well, your testimony seems disinterested enough. It cer- tainly acquits him of murder; but at the expense of a very serious charge of abduction.” ‘*Tt matters not,” said the mendicant. ‘‘I am innocent of the blood of this man. I care not for the result. What I have said to this young female in private I now tell her. I have told her nothing but the truth, and that, when I have the will, I have the means of proving.” “You had better set about it,” said the magistrate; “for, under all circumstances, I shall not think it consistent with my duty to part with you, even upon bail. You will remain in cus- comicbooks. com