The Child of Waterloo, or, The Horrors of the Battle-Field — page 247: what you’re looking at

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

244 THE CHILD OF WATERLOO. To Mabel he spoke of it as well as to Henry, so that with the exception of the old man, all were prepared for some denoue- ment of adescription that would relieve Mabel from the pain and annoyance of prosecuting the mendicant, by involving him ina charge of so much more serious a character, that it would take precedence of the one which she could bring against him. And now, by half-past nine in the morning, according to ap- intment with the magistrate, who had fixed that early hour in order that there should not be sufficient tine for a crowd of persons to collect, Mabel and her friends had arrived at the police office. Very few persons were admitted besides those actually in- terested, so that there was none of that inconvenient pressure which is so commonly the case, when the cases involving any serious points in the details or their results are likely to come on. So far as regarded the feelings of the Morton family and of Mabel all was well, and now the magistrate gave orders that the prisoner should be brought before him. There was a slight bustle at the door of the court, and then, held by two officers, that most desperate character was ushered into the place usually set apart for criminals. The eyes of all present were immediately fixed upon him. He was frightfully pale, and from the neglected state of his beard and apparel, it was evident.that he had been in a desponding condition of mind. He looked like a man thoroughly beaten by fate—a man who had nothing to hope for—nothing now to do with the world, and who cared not how soon he kef¢ it. At first he did not seem to have any notion that the Morton family was present, but after afew moments of haggard glanc- ing at the magistrate, he glanced round the court, and then he saw them all. There was a faint flush upon his countenance as he looked upon Mabel, and saw that she was now again, despite all his exertions, surrounded by her best and dearest friends. Then his eves lit up with a savage sort of ferocity and he exclaimed in a voice louder than one would have supposed, to look at him, he would have been capable of assuming: ‘On what charge am I thus ignominiously brought here? Is & nan crimiual because he escapes from a jail in which he is contined for an alleged crime only, and of which he knows his own innocence?” “The charge against you,” said the magistrate, ‘‘is for the abduction of a young lady from the hands of her friends.” ‘* If vou allude to my daughter, it does seem somewhat strange to me that she should make such a charge against me.” ‘Your daughter ?” ‘Yes, that young girl, toward whom you look now, is my Gaughter. She is now under age; 1 claim not only my own discharge from custody, but I claim the legal guardianship of er.” ‘¢ Yes, sir.” said a spare man, advancing, ‘‘ I have the honor to appear here for the much injured prisoner at the bar.” *‘Oh, you are Mr. Meadows, the solicitor,” said the magistrate, ‘‘and have advised him to make the statement,” comicbooks. com