The Opposite House: A Novel — page 195: what you’re looking at

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

igo | The Opposite House. hunted game. ‘These beastly #ranc-tireurs infest the whole tegion, and, by heaven, it’s no child’s play to slip through their line.” “Bven if our brave comrade should not return,” interposed one of the captains, ‘he will probably die the most honorable death of anyofus. Inthe open field the soldier has his enemy before him ; he knows whete Death grins at him and does not fear his dart; but Gerrald volunteered for a ride dur- ing which every step may be his last, where danger threatens on all sides, and before which our boldest men qutailed. It was necessary to carry to head- quarters the news that the enemy was advancing in strong force, unnoticed ; if he obtained free passage all was lost. Thanks to the bold spy and our friend Gerrald’s excellent glass, we perceived the ma- neuver in time, and, I hope, shall now be able to thwart the clever plan.” Meantime the smothered beat of horses’ hoofs was heard amid the neighboring thicket; the branches snapped and rustled; now and then a saber clanked. Impatient snorting and the noise of pebbles dashed aside reached the ears of the officers; then the dewy moss subdued the sound, and nothing was heard except the pattering of the rain-drops shaken from the drooping boughs. The sentinel challenged. “ Lieutenant Gerrald and ten hussars returned CoOmicboook<s