Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 180: what you’re looking at

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

176 GEOFFREY VISITS THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY. lieve it will be exactly safe for you to go there by youre self, to visit your old home. Suspicion might be aroused immediately, and you would be liable to get into trouble ; but no one would think it at all strange if I should return to make inquiries regarding my old nurse.” “Wall, but everybody knew we went off together,” said Jack. “Very true; but if unpleasant questions were asked, I could explain that you escaped to Australia, while I was cared for by friends in New York; all of which would be true,” Geoffrey responded. “Thank ye, sir; ye’re kinder to me than I deserve; but even if I knew they’d snap me up, I reckon I should go. I can never rest till I know where they’ve laid my girl,” Jack returned, with a heavy sigh. “You shall,” Geoffrey answered, “we will find out all there is to know; but I particuarly wish to learn if my father ever visitedthe place after we left. If he did he probably left sorne address so that information coula be found, in case any trace of us was discovered.” Jack appeared to be very grateful to have his path thus smoothed for him, and the next morning the two men left the mining village and proceeded directly to San Francisco. Before leaving, however, Geoffrey had cut several slips from the ivy that grew all about his mother’s grave, and inclosing them wrapped in wet paper, in a small tin box, mailed them to Gladys. = “My darling,” he wrote, “if you can coax any of these to live, pray do so, formy sake. I havea particular rea- son for making the request, which I will explain when I _return,” and Gladys had three of them nicely rooted be- fore she returned to Brooklyn, at the end of the season. Geoffrey and his companion reached the small town, near which Jack Henly had once lived, and only a few miles from San Francisco, about noon one warm August day. They had their dinner, and rested for several hours, then when the dav grew cooler, Geoffrey started out to alone to visit Jack Henlv’s former home, and to try to discover the grave of his wife. He found the place without any difficulty, asmall house and barn standing ina lonely location, about two miles from the town, while there were only one or two other dwellings in sight. There was no sign of life about the place, and the buildings were fast falling into decay. comicloookksS.€