Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 262: what you’re looking at

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

A LIVING SAINT. 253 Derby, sulkily, ‘‘and we'll all take down sick if we keep up this darn fool watchin’ a great while longer. What’s the use?”’ ‘‘Hark!’’ commanded the father, sternly. They all obeyed, and presently a faint grating sound was heard. ‘There she comes round the bend!’’ cried Derby, ex- citedly. “Quick, boys! jump in!”’ ‘‘Sho’s yo’ bo’n,’’ rejoined Uncle Sam, with equal agita- tion. Without the loss of a second, they all sprang into a light wagon waiting near by and seizing the whip, old Derby drove as rapidly as possible up the mountain side. More and more distinct grew the sound, until the hoof- beats could be distinguished. Then suddenly an abrupt curve brought the stage almost uponthem. But what a spectacle it presented to their sight! The four horses, half frenzied and nearly exhausted, were galloping down the steep road with the lumbering vehicle only partially attached to them at their heels. The hanging reins and the numerous cuts and bruises on their sides bore evidence to the fact that for many a mile there had been no guiding hand held over them. The box was unoccupied, the whip gone. As the old man at Convent Road had prophesied, Ned Matthews had indulged in the ‘‘rosy cup’’ once too often, and the same afternoon bis frozen corpse was found at the top of the cliff. One of the stable-men quickly sprang to the heads of the leaders and dextrously brought them to a stand-still, while another led up two fresh teams, which had been hitched to the back of the wagon. Then, without further EGoOmichbooks (E(0) im