Detective Bob Bridger — page 102: what you’re looking at

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

is ee DETECTIVE BOB BRIDGER. 95 ‘‘Pogsibly the man at my feet had tired of his wife on finding that her father had left her to her fate, and deserted her—and the surmise caused my blood to boil in kindling anger. ‘But the bent of my mind had changed, and realizing that I myself was the direct cause of all the troubles that had befallen Alfonse and Alice, I resolved to be the res- cued man’s friend come what would. *At least from his lips I would learn something that I yet knew not concerning the outcast daughter who had again become my sole thought, my lfe’s aim, and my heart’s idol. * ‘T ordered the reviving man conveyed to my own apart- ment, and placed upon my own bed. ‘‘Under the stimulus of the dram of brandy he speedily recovered consciousness, and making myself known to him, I begged him to tell me the fate of his wife, Alice. ‘Alas! Dr. Macy, I know not,’ the poor fellow said when he had become assured that I was his old master, and promised friend. ‘Alice and I lived happily while our means lasted, and even when we found that you had left us to our fate, we hoped that my father would aid us. The hope proved vain, and I was forced to behold my gentle wife and the tender babe in her arms suffering from want. ‘**In my quest for employment I one day mot a man who spoke to me kindly and offered to procure me a situation in a match factory. ‘““We then entered a porter-house at his solicitation, and I drank some beer—and the next that I knew I was on board a sail ship, and far out to sea. ‘““How can I express in words the thoughts that racked my brain when I perceived that I had been drugged, kid- napped, shipped as a common sailor, and realized that my starving wife and child were there behind in the cruel streets of London, without a friend. ‘“*T begged the captain to return me upon passing ships, but he only gave me grog and put me to work. ‘*The ship was bound for Calcutta. From thence she sailed to China; thence to San Francisco; thence again to China, and thence for Kngland. “<T had been three years upon her, had a goodly sum of money due me, and looked forward prayerfully i in hope of reaching home and Kngland once more. ‘** Alas for my hope! The ship was driven in a hurricane upon an island in the Pacific Ocean, and five seamen, I of the number, were alone saved from the wreck. (ECO ayicel exeye) “S Eo