The Illegal Marriage — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE ILLEGAL MARRIAGE — Despite the hard character that old Morgan had borne in the settlement, he had been a second father to Stannard, and he now deeply lamented his dreadful death. One by one the neighbors began to come in. A few women arrived, and at once took possession of the house. Stannard left them all to their gossip, and going into the fatal room, sat down by the fire. Presently, Trippe touched him gently. “T’m obliged to go back fora time,” the doctor said; “I was attending Roper’s wife, and had been up all night when Olgetree met me. I have to go back there now—you can stay ?” “Yes—that is, Pll ride home fora few moments and come back.” “Don’t be long, Stannard, if you can help it. We must see to Miss Morgan, you know.” The peculiar emphasis gave Stannard to under- stand that the doctor meant something more than attention to personal wants. “Of course we must,” he answered, absently, nod- ding his head, “of course—of course.” “She’s better now—that is, I can’t say she’s better exactly, but she has recovered from her swoon. Keep the negroes quiet and we’ll fix it all right.” “Yes; we'll fix it all right,” said Stannard, warm- ly, grasping the doctor’s hand. Trippe smiled at his manner of seeing it. “We'll fix it—all right! all right!” he repeated in _ the same tone, fancying that the smile referred to the secret between them. “TI believe he’s wandering too,” Trippe said to himself, as he crossed the room to where a group of men were talking. They opened a fire of ques; Eomicbooks (Elo)