The Colonel's Wife — page 186: what you’re looking at

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

_ GENTLE, WHITE-WINGED PEACE, 179 Dar am some thievin’ coons round dis ar place. An’t like Atlanta, I’m tellin’ youse.”? ‘Why is she here? When did you come? Has she been sick ?”” ‘Gory, ask ’em slow like. We have been hyar quite a spell. Miss Mollie she sick when we arrive, but better now. Speck she work too ‘hard in dem horsepitals, pore chile. Dar sumpin on her mind, I reckon, too.”? ‘“Tell her Iam here—that I must see her.’’ “Well, honey, dat kin be arranged. You wait, an’ don’ youse get away wid any more ob de provisions or dar may come trubble.’’ Then she was gone. Time passed. The engineer, worn out, slept, but John kept vigil alone. He anticipated coming happiness, and each ‘minute seemed interminable. | At last Aunt Chloe came down the cellar stairs, her ebony face beaming, a strange messenger of Cupid, a mockery of Mercury. ‘‘She say come. ’’ ‘What kept you so long? Hours have passed.” “‘Gorry, de sojers dey stay, and missy afeared you be seen. She mighty keerful *bout one of Marse Linkun’s boys now. ‘Time was w’en she despise de hull lot, bag an’ baggage,’’ which last muttered re- mark was music in his ear, of course. John did not present a very elegant appearance— indeed, he was much like a tramp, but had made himself as presentable as possible with the limited ac- commodations. Chloe led him to a room and left him to finish his toilet. In ten minutes John came out, feeling fresh, and eager to discover the girl whose fate had SO strangely been linked with his. He stood in the door-way looking at her. She was - white and thin, but had never looked so lovely in his comicbooks.co