Penny Blood Serial Cover — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

164 ALFRED DE ROSANN. was enveloped in flames, that ascended in high and bright columns like the eruption from the mounts of /Etna or Vesuvius. The immediate vicinity of the spacious dwelling was as light as day ; and the glare was almost too dazzling for the eye to support. There was not a breath of wind to agitate or excite the fire ; but the house was old, rafters and beams of wood had been chiefly used in erecting it, and an immense quantity of straw occupied a portion of the loft, or grenier, between the second floor and the angular roof. There was consequently ample fuel to feed the spreading flames ; and our hero and his comrade soon saw the impossibility of saving the house from an entire conflagration. Having mournfully and hastily satisfied themselves on this head, they immediately turned their attention to the saving of the furniture, and to assist the two ladies, and the sick wife of the unfortunate Dorval, to escape from the burning pile in safety. The farmer himself behaved like a man of courage and resolution on the occasion. He saw as well as De Rosann and Belle-Rose that it was ridiculous to think of stopping the fire ; and instead of giving way to useless grief, he bestirred himself to extricate as much of his pro- perty as he was able from the building, which would soon be a heap of ruins. Fortunately his wife, by means of an extraordinary exertion, was enabled to rise from her bed, ill as she was, and walk slowly down stairs; but the poor woman appeared to be stupified with alarm and horror at the dreadful loss her husband would experience; and no sooner did she arrive in the open air, than she fainted. Belle- Rose and Dorval placed the helpless female in a chair, and conveyed her to an adjoining barn, where they administered the proper remedies to recover her. In the meantime De Rosann had re-entered the house, and sought the apartments of the ladies, natu- rally supposing that the one, whose ancle was sprained, would require assistance. Ju'st as he was about to knock at the first door, it was thrown open, and the ECOMMICLOOOKSsE©