Geoffrey's Victory by Mrs Georgie Sheldon — page 36: what you’re looking at

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

32 A GRAVE CONSULTATION. look in his eyes, his face has a wonderfully intelligent expression, especially when if is in repose. Can’t you make him say anything?” ‘No, sir; he tries to talk, but I cannot understand what he means.” ‘‘Ask him a question, Gladys,” said her father. ‘Boy, you have lost your hat—would you like a new one?” the young girl questioned. ‘““M’ha! m’ha!” he instantly answered, putting his hand to his head, thus showing as before that he had comprehended something of what was said to pum. Mr. Huntress’ face lighted. “Try something else, "09 he commanded. “Where do you live, boy ?” Gladys inquired. This query, like the previous one, only elicited a per- fect storm of unintelligible sounds. ‘Do you wish to go home to your friends?” Gladys con- tinued, making another effort. But the only response was a short, sharp ejaculation of pain, while the lad seized her hand and laid his cheek affectionately against it, looking appealingly into her face, as if thus to signify that he did not wish to leave her. ‘‘T cannot understand bim at all, papa, only it seems as if he wishes to stay with me,” said Gladys, with a sigh. Mr. Huntress thought a moment, then he turned to the coachman and said: “Drive home, John.” “Oh, papa, are you going to take him home with us?” cried Gladys, eagerly. ‘Yes; for to-night. I find myself strangely interested in him, and I have not the heart to turn him adrift upon the street. He evidently belongs toa good family, and has prohably strayed from home and got lost. We will care for him until we can learn who his friends are, and ean return him to them,” Mr. Huntress replied, and they -then proceeded directly home with their strange protege, where Mrs. Huntress received them with considerable surprise, although her sympathies were also soon enlisted in behalf of their charge, and she bestowed the kindest of care and attention upon the unfortunate waif so singu- larly thrown into her family. Mr. Huntress caused an advertisement to be inserted in the papers the next morning, inquiring for the friends of the wanderer. But a week passed and he received not one word in re- comicloookks.€