Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 166: what you’re looking at

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

162 A THRILLING STORY. stopped near me, and a beautiful little girl beckoned to me, at the same time opening the door of the carriage. I darted away from my tormentors, sprang in beside her, and the next moment was driven away in safety, much to the rage of the boys. The girl’s father took an interest in me, consulted a physician, who made an examination of my case, and reported that my demented state had been caused by a heavy biow on the head several years vefore.” Geoffrey saw the man shudder, as he made this state- ment, while a low exclamation of pain or fear escaped him, and a dim suspicion began to dawn on his mind. “Tt was found,” he resumed, still watching the man, “that my skull had been fractured, and that a portion of the bone was pressing on my brain, which caused tem- porary paralysis, and made me an imbecile.” Another shudder, more violent than the other, strength- ened his suspicion. “This physician and another,” he went on, “ believed that an operation might be performed which would im- prove my condition, if it did not fully restore me to my right mind. Mr. Huntress, the man who had taken me under his protection, authorized the doctors to undertake the operation. They did so—it was successful, and I was restored.” “ Heaven be praised !” ejaculated his listener, heartily but tremulously. “I haven’t that quite so heavy on my conscience any longer.” Geoffrey started, and his face brightened. He was gaining hght, ittle by little. “The first words that [ uttered on coming to myself,” he continued, ‘‘were something about a woman named— Margery——” At the sound of that name, the man before him bounded from his feet as if he had been shot. “Margery !” he repeated, in an agonized voice, his face twitching, his hands clenching themselves convulsively, while his eyes rolled in every direction, a look of wildest fearin them. “Do you remember Margery !” He leaned breathlessly toward the young man, while he awaited his answer with trembling eagerness. “Tt remember only this—and it is only a confused re- membrance, too,” Geoffrey replied, ‘“‘that some one by that name was kind and good to me—that she was called Margery, and Iloved her TIhaveadim revolection that comicloookks.€