Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. 185 I might have invoked Mr. Fernley’s help in this hour of extremity, but evidently he was engaged with a visitor. Fast, fast I sped down the gravelly road, the busy devil in my heart. tempting me to blaspheme. I was going to that desolated home, which no prayers had sufficed to save from destruction. ‘* Miss Rienzi! Miss Rienzi!” I quickened my speed. I could not face mortal in this dark mood, Let me fly the presence of man. Footsteps gained upon me; I suddenly dropped my pace, and stood, determined to suffer this interruption also. A hand was laid on my shoulder. ‘What in the world is this?” panted Mr. Fernley; ‘* what brought you out in this guise?” He had had a long chase, and was almost spent. «“ What guise?” ““Good Heaven! something dreadful has happened, by the look of your face! And you have no shawl nor hat on, do you know that?” His words had some impression on me; I began to under- stand why I had attracted such universal attention. ‘‘T forgot a hat,” I stammered. ‘‘I will go home now.” ‘‘No, you won’t. Come up to my house, and get a glass of wine, and a bonnet; you are as pale as death.” He drew my hand upon his arm, *“ No,” I muttered, peevishly; ‘‘I shall go home as I am. My mother and sister are dangerously ill—perhaps dead. I hoped to get a doctor, but have failed.” He stared at me for some time, confounded at my com- munication. Suddenly he dropped my hand and began running up the hill toward his own house again, as fast as he had come down. I stood looking after him, almost as confounded as he ~ had been, and saw an incomprehensible scene transacted. The carriage which I had seen at Fernley’s door was just appearing on the brow of the hill when the stout form of Mr. Stanton loomed in sight, passing it excitedly, and waving a large, dark shawl. The driver of the carriage looked round, and drew up, when a hurried consultation appeared to take place. While they parleyed, Mr. Fernley joined them; and the conference became general, all being eens excited, and pointing repeatedly down the hill. Presently the white horse began to move down the hill too, Gomicbooks.co