The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 17: what you’re looking at

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

“a THR, AMERICAN MARQUIS. 13 i Remarkable. I thought we were there. May I take this bandage off my eyes?” _ j ‘<Not yet,” interrupted the str anger, hastily. — | The door was opened and Clinton assisted out of the — carriage. Up a short flight of marble steps; across a tessellated porch. Clinton counted the steps, counted the strides over the porch. Through a wide door-way into a large hall. Clinton _ could tell that by the echo of their footfalls. | Up a broad wooden staircase, with massive, carved balustrades. Clinton did not fail to note every possible particular. Two wide landings before the upper hall was reached. Seven paces forward, ten to the right; double doors opened; a large room entered, and the doors closed. $i Stand here a few moments and do not remove the > bandage.” ‘The echo of the stranger’s steps on the wooden floor was followed by the closing of a door at the other end of the chamber. Scarcely had the door closed than from the side of the chamber Clinton could hear the noise of another door softly opened and as softly closed. A gentle rustle of female garments, a low, musical, half suppressed laugh, and all was still. But Clinton knew that the owner of the garments, the owner of the laugh, was still in the room and not far from him. He knew it because of a sweet, indescribable, indefinable odor which floated toward him and told him that a — delicately nurtured lady was near to him. He could have sworn she was beautiful. All sorts of visions floated before him. He was almost intoxicated _ with mystery and imagination. His first words, however, were characteristic of him, and betrayed none of his real feelings. ‘‘My heart responds to the magic charm of your divine presence. Oh, beautiful and mysterious princess, may | pluck from my eyes these envious folds and gladden my whole soul by the sight of all that grace and beauty?” _ ‘You take too much for granted, monsieur. How know Eomicbooks: co