Darke Darrell, the Boy Detective — page 54: what you’re looking at

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

_ DARKE DARRELL. 45 perately hungry. Aunt Carlina, this is Master Darke Dar- rell. [owe him much for his kindness to me.” Darke bowed. Aunt Carlina seized his hand; she spoke a welcome, yet scanned him very keenly. Throwing open the doors of the parlor, they all entered, and ordered a ser- yant to prepare supper. ‘Mr. Darrell, V’ll show you to the faticroom,# she said. She was polite and thoughtful. She had called him Mr., and it sounded oddly to him. She had caught his name properly, and stored it away in her memory. He followed her up the wide stairs, and noticed that the house was complete in all its appointments, Tea declared ready, Darke and Leotine seated themselves at the table. The dining-room was handsomer than any parlor Darke had ever seen. Aunt Carlina sat near, listening to Leotine, who talked faster than she ate, and didn’t seem to grow tired of de- scribing what had occurred, all the time giving Darke more credit than he deserved. They adjourned to the parlor. lLeotine played ‘‘ The Battle of Prague” for Darke, and played it well. Now that her hat was removed, he saw how black, glossy, and abundant her hair was. Aunt Carlina left the parlor, re-entered, then left it again. She evidently cared more for the man who had been killed than Leotine did. ° Darke used his eyes, noticing everything in the room, and the relationship it bore to other rooms down stairs. The furniture, pictures, ornaments, carpets, etc., were quite elegant. He picked up an album from the center-table. In it was a photograph of Leotine, in fanciful attire, looking very pretty. ‘You do not play at the theater?” Darke asked, a look of regret on his face, Eomicbooks (E(0)