Mrs. Bob: A Novel — page 48: what you’re looking at

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

40 THE VIRGINIAN HOOD WINKED. business as soon as possible. I put a day in with the quail, lost my way, and at dark turned up at a grand old mansion which I knew must be the Gordon manor. ”’ The girl listens eagerly. “Tt was with the intention of asking my way that I entered the grounds and advanced toward the build- ing, for I had no desire to spend the night in the woods. ‘“The house was dark, save in one quarter, where I could see the gleam of a lamp, shining through a window. ‘“Tom had told me something of the strange man who lived there, and I was prepared for some sort of experience in the event of my running across him. “When midway between the house and the long range of stables, I heard some one running and mut- tering to himself. Another moment and a negro came banging up against me. ‘“ <Hello!’ I said. ‘What’s up?? ‘“The fellow’s knees began to knock together, he was that badly scared, but seeing I was a white man, © he suddenly changed his tune and besought me to follow him into the house, declaring he had just been about to get a horse and ride for a neighbor. ‘From what he said I imagined old Squire Gordon must be dying. He had lived here a strange life, with no companions, and only his faithful servants, some of them former slaves, around him, but at the approach of the grim monster, Death, a sudden desire to see and talk with some one of his own race had come upon him. ‘‘I followed the darkey into the house, and in a Gomichooks.com