Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 192: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZL. 187 a friend; tell me what calamity has befallen you; tell me in a word.” A thrill of hope ran through my chilled heart; convul- sively I pressed my lips to the hand which held mine in such kindly keeping; my woeful eyes gathered comfort in his face. “Oh, will you indeed, befriend us?” I cried. “« Prove me, little girl; only prove me.’ ‘We have an enemy,” I breathed, with abated breath, “a woman who has brought us nothing but ruin. She came here to-day under a false name, and poisoned my mother and my sister. I alone escaped.” “Tsolina?” The stranger’s eyes darkened with apprehen- sion. ‘Yes, Isolina. They were both insensible when [I left the house.” ‘‘This woman’s name 7 “Mrs. Ringwood.” ‘‘Hah! Ithought so! Viper!’ His face was hard and bitter; he clenched his hand as often as I had done, when this viper’ s sting was sharpened. ‘‘What were you doing down in the village bare-headed ?” he demanded, leading his horse up the lane. ‘““T hoped at first to arrest her before she should leave the village, but she had escaped. I sent a telegram to my father, that she might be intercepted at the New York station.” ‘Right! you have your father’s spirit, girl.” He stopped at the door; Sophie rushed out, her eyes swol- len with weeping, and flung her arms about me. ‘‘Qh, Miss Iva, darling, where have you been?” she cried; ‘“T thought you had run and drowned yourself!” “How aré they, Sophie?” ‘< Misses 1 is sleeping so heavily! and Mrs. Haller says it’s no use——” ‘* And my sister: “Oh, Miss Iva, don’t ask! I believe she’s dead!” “<'That’s enough of news,’ interrupted the stranger’s de- Gisive voice; ‘‘run, now, girl, and carry in the medicine- chest which you will find under the seat. Yorfng lady, show me in.’ He almost dragged me into the hall, flung his hat and 999 CONMIC DOO S (©)