Manfred's Quest: Or, The Mystery of a Trunk — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

MANFRED’S QUEST. eee “¢ Wait.” ** Who are you?’ | Wait. ’’ ** Ts your name ee : ** At present, yes.” The lights in the room went out, and Stove: address- ing his companion, said: ** This is a go.”’ “* T should say so.”’ <¢ We’re in for it.’’ **T should say so. ”’ *¢ We’ve been nicely played.’’ **T should say so.’’ Both men were cool; they were greatly mystified, but fully aware that they had been caught in their own trap, and they had evidently made up their minds to make the best of the situation. Suddenly there shone a bright light on one side of the room, and at the same instant a figure began to assume form and shape in the light, and in a few seconds the figure of a female was fully revealed. Stevens uttered a cry of amazement and even of terror. There came a voice speaking as though it were the fig- ure; it was a female voice, and the words were: ce At last!” Stevens sat still and motionless, even speechless. ** At last! at last!’’ repeated the voice. There followed a moment’s silence; streams of perspira- tion poured down the ghastly face of Stevens. ‘‘ At last, Henry Stevens, we are face to face. I have come—I have come to see you die, wretch! I have come to see you die!’’ Stevens uttered a groan, but his companion cheered him up with the remark: “Take it easy, old man; 1 out.” The figure disappeared, and in its place came the figure of a man; the latter figure was a horrible apparition; it was the form evidently of a temporarily reanimated corpse. Stevens uttered a groan, and even his companion re- mained silent. | ‘¢ At last! at last!’’ spoke the corpse. There followed an instant’s silence, when the voice re- sumed: ** At last! at last we are face to face, and I have come see you die!’’ ‘* Hold on!’’ cried Stevens. up the game!”’ The voice came from the figure: ‘* Ah, you recognize me?”’ ‘¢ Bah! I see through the game. Give it up, whoever is working it, and come here and we will talk matters over.” There came a laugh. ‘* You give up the game?” $6 Yes. 23 ““¢ What will you give up?’’ ‘¢ Everything. ” ‘* What have you to give up?’’ There came no answer, and the voice said: ‘** You shall see the trunk.” The figure disappeared, and there came the picture of a trunk. ** See it opened!’’ said the voice. The trunk appeared to open, and money and jewels and ‘bonds were revealed. Stevens uttered a cry of astonish- ‘ment. ~ ** To you see it all?” 66 Yes. ’? ** And do you want the trunk? ’ t’s a good story; let’s see it ‘* Stop this farce! I give | 66 No.?’’ ** You give up the game?” 4 Week? There came a laugh, and a voice saying: ‘* You’re too late.’ ‘* Too late??’ 4 Yes. 223 ** You have gone too far.’’ °* I’m beat.”’ ** You acknowledge you’re beat??? 6é Yes.”? ‘Why, man, you are doomed to die!’’ ‘* T’ve had enough of this show. ”’ ‘** And you are ready to diet’’ ¢é Yes. IF ‘* Possibly you think it all a joke?’’ ‘* No; I understand the whole business. ”’ ‘** And you give up the scheme?’’ ¢¢ Ves. 33 ‘* Are you ready to confess?’’ 6¢ Yes.’ ’ 6é P35 Ses ‘*: Yes,-all.”? ‘“* Ready to admit you were engaged in a scheme é¢ Yes. a ** You will admit that Mr. Silver had a wifer’’ 66 Yes. I? ‘* And a daughter?’’ 4 Yes. 93 ‘¢ And that Mrs. Brownell is not his heir?’’ ‘¢ Ah, there you are off, Mr. O’Grady!’’ said Stevens. ‘You have played a nice game, but you have not as mang — facts as I reckoned you had. 7” °° So you tone “3 is Mr. Sag talking to you?”? °° T know it is.’ ** Well?” ‘*'You have not all the facts, but come stop this show business; let on the light; come in here and talk like a man face to face, and what you don’t know [’I! tell you!” ‘© You will?’’ Wh ** You are not up to another game?” **T am not.’’ ‘** Do you want Saunders in the room?’ ’ ‘* Just as you please. ’’ *¢ And you will confess all?’ *** 66 All. 23 The figures all disappeared ; lights shone in the room; Stevens and his friend were released, and Manfred, accom- panied by two other men, entered the room. Our here was gotten up as O’Grady. ‘Well, Mr. Stevens, we meet again.”’ ‘* Yes, and I am glad to meet you.’’ ‘*'You are willing to make good your word?’’ ‘‘T am. I never liked the game anyhow, and I would never have gone into it if I had known all the facts.” ‘* That is straight talk. *’ ‘*T mean to give you straight talk; Mrs. Silver is in this home.22 3° ok ‘* How do you-know?”’ ‘‘Your magic lantern business did not deceive me, but 999 = “it opened my eyes to the fact.” °*'To what fact?’’ ‘‘That Mrs. Silver had found powerful friends. ”’ ‘* Did you ever know Mrs. Silver?’’ *¢T never knew her by sight until a week ago.” ‘‘ When and where did you see her for the first time?” .