José — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

JOSE. 143 Mary feel sad. Breakfast was over some time, and she was waiting for the men to leave. But it seemed that they were not going about their work that morning, for two hours had already elapsed since the usual hour of departure, and so far all remained quiet. This solitary exception from the regular order of things was not at all remarkable. It might have resulted from the most natural causes. Nevetheless it fell with a harassing stress upon the girl’s heart. She wasin the act of debating whether to saddle her pony, and run the risk of being joined by McGregor, when her maid announced that the gentlemen desired to speak to her. A momentary look of alarm she gave, then raised her head, saying: “Tell them that I will receive them.” She was calm when they entered. “Good-morning, child!” Brown said, taking a chair. “Sitdown. There is a matter of great im- portance we have come to discuss with you,” he added. “Be seated, gentlemen,” the young lady answered, with down-cast eyes, advanciig toward her easy chair. “I am afraid my opinions in any matter will be of no impotance.” “It is a matter,” Brown replied, passing his hand over his forehead, while McGregor sat down in a chair a few steps back, “which relates principally to yourself. We have been made to realize,” he continued without looking up; “that in order to further our project it will be indispensable for me to undertake a journey which, on account of the great distance and the lack of accommodations, will probably consume from two to three months, This being the case, my child,” he added, raising his Gomichboo “S (E(@)