Angelina: Or, The Mystery of St. Mark's Abbey — page 106: what you’re looking at

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

THE MYSTERY OF 8ST, MARK’S ABBEY. $3 With these words, the mao again laid his head on the table, and his load suoring svon convinced our heroine that he once more slept. Thaukfal to the Almighty who bad given her the presence of mind to reply in tbe manner she had done to the ruffian’s questions, Angelina stepped softly to the door which was open, and passing out, bulted it on the other side, eo that the men could nut pursue her that way, until she had sufficient time to effect her escape. Many undergrouad apartments and passages did our heroine traverse, to the walls of. which hung unwholesome damps, and which struck a deadly chill of terror to her heart as she gazed upon them ; but at length she paused, and concealed her light, ae the glimmering of another at a short distance met her sight. She trembled violently, and hid herself fo a small recess in the wall, to watch whether they were friends or enemies. They advanced pearer and nearer, and then our heroine could perceive the dark shadows of several persons, but she could not distinctly recognize them. ‘“‘Surely the woman has deceived us3—it is getting late, ane yet there are no signs of be: {’’ ** Uncle, dear, dear uncle, I am here,” ejaculated the frantic damsel, whe knew his voice in a minute, and rashing from the place where she had concealed horself, they were quickly locked fondly in each other’s arms. During the brief interval allowed to this, Hugh Clifford with folded arms, and eyes sparkling with admiration, had been contemplating the beaunteous and aylph-like form of our heroine, as she threw herself gracefully into the arms of ber uncle and benefactors but he did not suffer them to indulge long in this, but gently reminding them of the danger by which they were sur- rounded while they remained there, he took the arm of Angelina in his, and in a few seconds afterwards, they emerged from the hollow in the rock, which formed the secret entrance to the Grey Tower, and were standing on the sea-beach. e e ° ® * * ® * Contrary to the opinion of Bridget, at midnight, Rufus returned to the Tower, and made his entrance unknown to any one. His brow was gloomy ; and it was evident he contemplated the perpetration of some dark deed. He made his way to his own room, where he hastily swallowed off two glasses full of wiae, and taking the lamp in his hand, began to ascend the stairs towards the Northern wing of the tower, in which our heroine had so lately been confined. As he proceeded, no sound interrupted the death-like stillness which reigned throughout the building, save the dreary screech of the owl, which seemed like the harbinger of some approaching event of horror. The roffian reached the door which opened into the apartments wherein our heroine had been incarcerated; it was all secure. He paused and listened. Everything was stilli—and with as little noise as possible he proceeded to withdraw the bolts. He entered the room on tip-toe, and advanced towards the chamber. There he once more paused, and drawinga dagger from his vest, listened at the door. A low breathing sound vibrated on his ears. ‘* She sleeps,’® he muttered, ** it will be a long one to her; a moment longer and all will be over; and yet do I feel a secret dread upon me, which | never felt before; ’psha! have I grown a coward?” As the villain spoke, he entered the chamber. A form was stretched upon it—-it was that of a female.—IRtufus again paused; shuddered, and then, COL @ OO SS (CO)