The Evil Genius: A Domestic Story — page 115: what you’re looking at

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

SE Ona. 104 THE EVIL GENIUS. might catch some foreign steamer that sails from the east coast of Scotland.” Mrs. Presty, keeping a wary eye on Mr. Sarrazin, was not quite so ready as her daughter in rushing at conclusions. ‘‘T am afraid,” she acknowledged, ‘‘ our worthy friend sees some ob- jection. What is it?” ‘¢T don’t presume to offer a positive opinion, ma’am; but I think Mr. Linley and his lawyer have their suspicions. Plainly speaking, I am afraid spies are set to watch us already. ‘¢ Tmpossible!”’ ‘¢You shall hear. I travel second-class; one saves money, and one finds people to talk to—and at what sacrifice? Only a hard cushion to sit on! In the same carriage with me there was @ very conversible person—a smart young man with flam- ing red hair. When we took the omnibus at your station here, all the passengers got out in the town except two. I was one exception, and the smart young man was the other. When [ stopped at your gate, the omnibus went on a few yards, and set down my fellow-traveler at the village inn. My profession makes mesly. I waited a little before I rang your bell; and, when I could do it without being seen, I crossed the road, and had a look at the inn. There is a moon to-night; | was very careful. The young man didn’t see me. But JI saw a head of flaming hair, and a pair of amiable blue eyes, over the blind of @ window; and it happened to be that one window of the inn which commands a full view of your gate. ‘* Mere suspicion, you will say! J can’tdeny it, and yet I have my reasons for suspecting. Before I left London one of my clerks followed me in a great hurry to the terminus, and caught me as I was opening the carriage door. ‘ We have just made a discovery, he said, ‘ you and Mrs, Linley are to be reckoned up. Reckoned up is. if you please, detective English for being watched. My clerk might have repeated a false report, of course. And my fellow-traveler might have come all the way from London to look out of the window of an inn, in a Cumber- land village. What do you think yourselves ?”’ It seemed to be easier to dispute the law than to dispute Mr. Sarrazin’s conclusions. ‘‘Suppose I choose to travel abroad, and to take my child with me,” Mrs. Linley persisted, ‘‘ who has any right to prevent me ? Mr. Sarrazin reluctantly reminded her that the father had a right. ‘* No person—not even the mother—can take the child out of the father’s custody,” he said, ‘‘ except with the father’s consent. His authority is the supreme authority—unless it hap- pens that the law has deprived him of his privilege, and has ex: haan confided the child to the mother’s care. Ha!’ cried Mr. arrazin, twisting round in his chair, and fixing his keen eyes on Mrs. Presty, ‘‘look at your good mother; she sees what I am coming to.” ‘‘T see something more than you think,” Mrs. Presty an- swered. ‘lf I know anything of my daughter’s nature, you will find yourself, before long, on delicate ground.” EONMICLOOKS,(eO)