Beautiful Rienzi; or, The secret vendetta — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

BEAUTIFUL RIENZI, 193 famishing; nothing had crossed my lips, since a slight breakfast the day before, with my mother. The doctor went to a tray which seemed to have been in waiting, and selected some viands which he brought and ordered me to eat. ‘You have got an hour’s business,” said Dr. Pemberton, ‘and you must prepare yourself for it.” He watched me with great relish, while I ate, and rubbed his hands with satisfaction. ‘¢Upon my word, young lady,” he exclaimed, “I wish all patients were as obedient as you. Hat away, you poor little dear —they’ve famished you.” When I had announced myself somewhat appeased, they gave me a note which was waiting on the table. -‘ Feed the body first—then the mind;” observed my friend in his usual half-serious way; ‘so there’s no chance of this robbing you of that fine appetite. A boy brought it from Shirley Sands, or some such place, at ten o’clock of the night.” - it was a return telegram from my father, and it ran thus: ‘Met the six o’clock train, but saw no Mrs. Ringwood. Traces lost, Willjoin you first train. | G. RIENzzI.”’ My face fell when I read these tidings; she had again escaped ; she had another chance to commit her crime. Without a word I handed it to Dr. Pemberton. ‘“Missed her, has he?” cried the doctor, reading. “Wumph! traces lost! No, thank Heaven, not while I’m here, IT hope. Cheer up, my little friend; I think I know where she is.” He folded up the dispatch and returned it to me. ‘“Miss Rienzi,” said Dr. Whitney, nervously, “‘I have waited—that is, my professional brother here has desired me to wait, so that we may hear from you the particulars of the incidents which happened yesterday. Here are a number of fragments of glass which your housekeeper collected from this carpet (which I see is unfortunately stained with wine), and here is a glass of wine which I am told was on the mantel-piece untouched, and which on analysis, my professional brother and I find to be quite pure. The fragments of glass are coated with strychnine —the glass of wine is pure; now my dear lady, as perhaps your explanations may be of very great importance I shall CORNUCG OOO S (©)