Despard, the Spy: Or, The Fall of Montreal — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

82 DESPARD, THE 8PY. seemed to be rather neglected just at present. To: his sur- prise, Despard went to, the door, and producing’ a pass-key from. the folds of his coat, opened the door and entered the hall, _As:they did so a door swung wide: on: the. left of the hall, and an old woman came out. She looked surprised, and was about to say something, when Despard checked. her hy a movement of his hand. i “ Where is your master, Annette ?” he ane ‘‘ He is in the house,” she replied, with a smile. “] will go to him,” he said. “Show: this gentleman into the. sity and have.a fire lighted. Excuse me for a. moment, Wilton.” He ran up the. stairs which led from the hall té‘the rooms above. Wilton followed Annette into the parlor, which was plainly but neatly furnished, She. rung a bell, and a negro appeared, who soon kindled a fire, forall’ the materials’ were in the grate... This.done, the two servants Jeft him, and. he took a seat before the blazing wood, looking dreamily into it. As.he sat there, he was:not aware that he was not‘alone, but the door had opened noiselessly, and a stranger had come into the room. It: was.an old man, with hair white as snow, and beard. which dropped. upon his breast; and who. supported his steps by the aid.of:@ stout cane, the body of which was painted to resemble the rattlésnake,;\while the head and neck was, erat iniqunemi ‘The. rattle, which was of iron; was o; quaiptly,,earved into the resemblance of a real rattle: ot obe, ¥ hich was ‘heat: loosely over the person, and gathered at the waist by a girdle;was of some soft, white cloth, His feet were: shod with sandals, which acconnted for the noiseless manner in which. he = entered. the room. The young man looked up in:surprise | Mie age the: other. made a estore which disarmed. him: of a “[ Gandy iawn eos von. are Wilton, better known 0 as 8 the Bi feb, Saget aepy of she a 9p read