The Colonel's Wife — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

FATE WEAVES THE FABRIC. 51 Sinton me, again, if I say I don’t fully believe. that; but it does not matter at all. Iam curious to know how you came ‘to be fastened in that attic - room, a place where, as a boy, I spent many an hour clebbe play, and even once escaped doing penance up there by following the same route over which our line of retreat ran. How came that door locked??? She looked’at him curiously. ‘What right have you to demand an answer ?”? ‘The best right in the world—that of a husband.”? © ‘‘T refuse to acknowledge the relation, sir.” ‘‘Just as you please. ‘Then I havea right to ask the same question because my life was put in peril to Save you.’’ | “On that account I will answer you. It wasa strange thing for me to do.: I had not been over here for a year or more, though we. keep the keys of the Ridgeway house. Perhaps the mention of your name last night stirred up some memories of pleasant ram- bling's in these grounds in years gone by. ‘“‘At any rate I came, and having entered the house roamed all over it. A flood of memories swept over me as [ went from room to room. “Suddenly I heard voices—lookinge out of the window I saw unknown men dismounting. I became alarmed. “Escape was no longera possibility, and I retreated’ to that small room, hoping they would look for valu- ables and go away without discovering me. ‘‘My hopes were without foundation for I was seen by aman who came seeking some ‘hidden wealth or valuable property. I have in these troublous times always gone armed, and my father taught me as a girl how to shoot. ‘*When he would have seized me I put a bullet in his shoulder that sent him tumbling down the attic stairs. ‘I‘hen I slammed the door shut. It caught in some way, for I could not open it again when I dis- ~ comicbooks.com —