Guy Hammersley; or, Clearing his Name — page 196: what you’re looking at

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

GUY HAMMERSLEY. 187 ‘Oh, it’s just Max’s forgetfulness. If you” (turn- ing to Guy) ‘‘ would be kind enough to step back a few feet you may find the key in one of the turns of the stairway next the wall.” ‘* Well, this is the queerest series of proceedings that ever came to my notice,” muttered Guy to himself, as he retreated and began to fumble about on the stairs. He soon found the key, and having unlocked the gate, stood aside for the ladies to pass. Meanwhile the old gentleman was bowing and scraping in the upper hall. ‘‘Major Warburton, mesdames,” he was saying. ‘At your service. And so pained that you should have happened to arrive at such an inopportune mo- ment, with all the servantsaway. Pray allow meto show you at once to your rooms.” Mother and daughter exchanged a startled glance en hearing this. What did he mean by speaking of ‘‘their rooms,” as though they were visitors? But then he had gone on ahead, thrown open a door, and such an alluring prospect peeped forth that they de- cided they must have misunderstood and hurried in after him. They now found themselves in a beautiful apart- ment, looking out over the Sound. It was furnished throughout in pink, and the absence of a bed pro- claimed the fact that it must be a sitting-room. Major Warburton now insisted that the ladies should lay aside their wraps and remove their bonnets, as- serting that the house was very warm, which was indeed the case, and he seemed to take it so to heart Gomicboo CS (E(0) m