José — page 142: what you’re looking at

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

JOSE. 135 and taking out a book, tried to read; but she could not center her thoughts on the subject, and invol- untarily her mind reverted to her situation and the utter impossibility of continuing her present mode of living. She next sprang to her feet, hurried to the window and looked out upon the broad expanse of prairie. Whether in search of some avenue of escape, or of some feature to redeem the absolute loneliness of her condition, she knew not which. At length she resumed her chair, and was soon deeply immersed in thought. The sun was lowering in the west, when finally a knock was heard at the door. Again it was Mc- Gregor, who appeared at Mary’s answer. But the girl’s face remained as passive as tLough she had been expecting him. “T am real sorry, dear, that I was not able to carry out your instructions, and that in consequence you had to get along all alone in the meantime,” he said, in his former trifling tone. “ Your fatker ate his dinner and then went out to inspect the river at a point below, while we were up here chatting. I hope we shall meet him at the supper table. May I now presume to offer my arm, Mary?” “T shall go with you, sir,” she replied, calmly. But her face wore an expression of sudden deter- . mination. She laid aside the volume in which she had ap- parently been reading, and then walked toward the door, where she took McGregor’s proffered arm, without hesitancy; permitted herself to be con- ducted along the dark corridor, which divided the small front rooms from the larger ones that derived their light from the yard, until they arrived at a room adjoining the staircase. This compartment ‘Tcomicbooks (E(0)