Beautiful Rienzi; or, The Secret Vendetta — page 273: what you’re looking at

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

266 BEAUTIFUL RIENZI. ore ren, but before long she began to be afraid of adopting so open a course, lest the lady might know of her past mis- deeds and assume a power over her in consequence. So she thought she would try what stratagem would do. ‘They had plunged into an obscure, though perfectly quiet street, the nurse always keeping in the darkest shadows, and at last the lady stopped at the door of a small brick two-story house and ranga bell. A slatternly girl appeared with a candle and let her in. To Cartier’s delight she recognized-a face which she had seen before. She man- aged to attract the girl’s attention, and beckoned to her. In a few minutes she reappeared at the door. «What do you want?’ she whispered, gruffly; ‘I’m a re- spectable girl, earning a character, and dont want to see one of ye.’ «<< You're the girl that cleaned ont young Walsingham of five hundred dollars,’ whispered Mrs. Cartier, ‘aren't ye, now?” «¢* What’s that to you? Tve give it up now, and am airn- ing my character. Go away, Cartier, that’s. a good un, and don’t spile my chance.’ ““*Vou’re quite happy here, then, and have all ye want, same as if ye was a lady born, as that face o’ yours would make one think?’ asked the nurse, insidiously. «Quite happy?’ echoed the girl, bitterly; *‘ yes, if slavin’ from gray morning till this hour of night, with a mis’able ten dollars a month and no soul to speak to, is happiness.’ “< «Ts that all ye get?’ exclaimed the nurse. ‘Come, now, I’m not here for nothing. Somebody has had an eye on ye, if ye are hid in this out-o’-the-way hole. Would ye lke to hear how ye could airn not ten but fifty dollars a month— work jist mere play?’ «<*'T'o be sure I would.’ ““<Well, then, let me in somewheres easy, where your mistress won’t find me. Hush! don’t waken this baby!’ ‘The girl eagerly led her up stairs to her own bedroom,” locked the door and lit a candle. ‘‘ Having gained admittance to the house, Cartier was clever enough to avail herself of her advantage. She first of all applied herself to raising the girl’s cupidity by prom- ising liberal ‘ pickings’ if she would return to the gang which she had left some time previously, in a faint attack of con- _ trition for her crimes. Having overcome all her scruples, GOomicbooks:¢o