The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

He was by her side in a moment, and once more alae her in his arms carried her into their own room, where he laid her gently.on the bed, and tried to soothe her. , She clung to him, repeating incoherently over and over again: ‘‘ You will not leave-me, will you?” ‘No, darling; no, I am fiot going to leave you,” he - would answer. But nothing seemed to reassure her. She would not cease to cling ‘wildly to him, now whispering to herself, and now imploring him frantically not to leave her. T'o all his questions she would make no answer, only shaking her head and sobbing. At last she became more ‘calm, and finally closed her eyes and slept. breathing regularly. By this time it was midnight, and all the servants had retired to rest. Presently Grace partially rose in bed and listened to _ Honore’s regular breathing. from the room, closing the door after her. The moment she did so, her husband rose from the bed and pressed his thumb against the wall. A panel moved out of place. Honore passed through the opening and disappeared. _. The panel slid back to its proper position. Grace sped swiftly and silently across the hall and en- tered the square chamber. ) She pressed her two hands over her mouth and stifled a cry that rose to her lips. There was a hunted look in her eyes as she stared around _ her. ‘ ‘* Yes,” she murmured, with blanched lips; ‘‘this is the room.” She walked wildly to the middle of the chamber. ‘* And this is the very spot.” With a moan upon her lips, she sank upon her a and clasped her hands. | ‘‘ Have mercy, oh, Heaven, have mercy! I was so young then; and I meant no harm.” f ; ‘There i is no mercy for such as you:” THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. 159 Her husband lay by her side, and ere long he, too, was Then she silently slipped out of bed and stole noselessly s a books: Go & | Gom