The Price He Paid — page 165: what you’re looking at

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

156 THE ICE BEGINS TO THAW. “They say the town is very much disturbed Just now,” observed Gabrielle, with an anxious, Inquir- ing look up at her companion, which, however, he did not appear to notice. | “There have been some rather noisy demonstra- tions of late, certainly,” he replied. “But the troubles are. not of a serious nature, and will soon be over. You need feel no uneasiness.” ! “But they say that this movement is directed principally, if not entirely, against you,” continued Gabrielle, in a faltering voice. Raven frowned. “Who says that?” | “Colonel Wilten often let falls hints on the sub- ject. Isit true that you have somany enemies in the town?” “TIT have never been popular in R——,” explained the baron, with perfect equanimity. “In the first days of my appointment, the duty devolved on me of stifling the germs of a revolution then in active preparation. I succeeded; but success in such mat- ters generally breeds hostility. We have lived in. a state of constant warfare; but so far I have always had the upperhand, and I mean to preserve it in this instance.” Gabrielle thought of George’s enigmatic words, of which she had as yet found no solution. Of one thing, however, she felt certain—the baron was in some way menaced, and she resolved to warn him at all hazards. “But you stand quite alone against a multitude,” she said. “You cannot tell, cannot even guess what they may be plotting against you in secret. Suppose there should be danger in store for you!” Raven looked at her with an expression of undis- guised astonishment. “How long have you taken an interest in such matters? ‘They were formerly as far from your ken as night from day.” gt The young girl tried to smile. 3 “I have learned so much of late that was beyond my ken. But lam now alluding to some very de- cided hints——” Eomichooks: co