The American Marquis by Nick Carter — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

22 THE AMERICAN MARQUIS. The moon shone through the window and fell upon the portrait. The red lips were curved in a mocking gmile, the blue eyes danced with mirth. The blood-stained face of the man, stern and set, looked up, grim, ghastly. A black pall fell over the face of the moon. The lonely house was still. CHAPTER VI. THE GARDENER’S ASSISTANT. Two years later, The soft, warm sunshine of early spring glanced gayly - back from the upper windows of the Chateau d’Iberri. ‘The buds were joyously opening, and the paren song of the birds filled the air. A sturdy young peasant, clad in the picturesque garb. of the Breton, walked Rey toward the gates of the chateau. 2 - Over his shoulder, on the end ofa stout stick, was a _ bundle of clothing. There was no hesitation in the man’s air as he walked up to the gates and rapped vigorously on them. ‘‘Good-day to you, Father Pierre,” he said, with his rough Breton accent, as a decrepit old man opened a small side-door and looked curiously at the new-comer. ‘“Good-day to you, lad, whoever you are. I see you are a Breton, or I’d ask for your manners in rapping like that— on the main gates, too!” ‘‘ Nay, there, now, Father Pierre! See how lucky I am in coming here, where I can be polished up.” «What mean you by that?” ‘¢Only what you will learn better than I can explain, if - you will run your old eyes over this letter.” «‘Oh,” exclaimed the old man, querulously, when he had read the letter. <‘So you are come to take my place?” ‘‘Nay, now, Father Pierre; I did not so understand it. It seemed to me that I was to assist you. The notary said you had been a faithful servant so long that you deserved more ease in your old age, sol am sent to help igi ose that is all.” comicbooks.com* ‘Seu | ert. \ ; -" 4