The Opposite House: A Novel — page 101: what you’re looking at

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

96 The Opposite House. tinued. ‘‘One day he disappeared with more than half of Ida’s fortune, and Lewin was found dead in the forest.” “ And was no trace of the murderer discovered ?” exclaimed Brand, excitedly. His voice sounded hoarse and unnatural. ‘‘ How could that be possi- ble, madam? Did you not denounce him at once?”’ “Tn vain. Not the faintest clue was ever ob- tained. Count Berndthad disappeared. My friend grieved herself to death. She was attacked by nervous fever and died. Her last words were the name of the man whom she had so ardently loved. It was she who, on her death-bed, forbade any further search.” “And now, after so many years, would you wish—’’ asked Doctor Brand, with an incredulous smile. “I think, after so long an interval, the sharper must have effaced every trace.” “Certainly,” replied the baroness, nodding assent. “But look—this account recalled the whole affair to my memory.” She took a newspaper clipping from the table and handed it to him. Doctor Brand hurriedly seized the scrap and looked at the marked portion. “A Remarkably Artful Speculation,’ was the ‘heading of the article, which described in detail a robbery in W——, where the swindler had met with an exasperating degree of success. Obtaining ad- ComicbooOoks.c©