The Price He Paid — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

78 FORTUNE AND MARRIAGE. reissuing at the main entrance, wandered into one of the side wings. He only remarked his error on finding himself in a corridor which evidently led to an inhabited dwelling. Just as he was about to turn and go back, a door opened, and an elderly woman looked out. . “Ah, you are there, doctor,” said she, gladly. “Pray comein. My young lady is ready, and ex- pecting you.” “Kxpecting me?’ asked Max, astonished at the welcome. , “Surely. You are the doctor, are not you?” “Well, Iam that, certainly,” “Come in, then, please. I will let the young lady know.” Saying which, the woman, apparently a superior sort of housekeeper, vanished, and Max re- mained alone in the outer room she had constrained him to enter. “Now this I call luck,” said he to. himself, under his breath. “Ino sooner set foot in R——, than a practice tumbles unexpectedly into my lap. We shall see what course the matter takes.” For this he had not long to wait. After a few minutes the woman came back, and ushered him into a pleasant, comfortably furnished parlor. A young lady rose from her place by the window, and came toward him. She was a very young girl, perhaps about sixteen or seventeen years of age, tall and slender, but fragile, almost sickly in appearance. Transpar- ently pale of complexion, her face, though not beautiful, was delicate and prepossessing. Dark shadows encircled her eyes, and there was hardly a trace of colorin the cheeks or lips. Very timid and embarrassed in manner, she stood before the physician with downcast eyes, saying not a word. “You wish for medical advice, fraulein?” asked Max at length, having waited in vain for her to speak. “JI am at your service.” | At the sound of his voice, the girl raised a pair of dark, expressive eyes, but quickly lowered them again, and drew back a step in evident alarm. Kven her more mature companion seemed, on closer ‘7S (EO) Eomicbooks