Richard Forrest, Bachelor — page 264: what you’re looking at

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

A LIVING SAIN™. 255 It was plain that everything possible had been given to keep warmth in the old man’s body by these two, to whom life meant so much more than it could have to one of his years and calling. Even hardy old David Derby felt a tear trickle down his weather-beaten cheek, as he gazed upon the touching scene. None of them moved or spoke as he intruded upon them, so he ventured to touch each lightly in turn. There was no response. Returning to the door, he beckoned to old Uncle Sam with so solemn an air that his son retreated a dozen feet. “There are only three of ’em,’’ he said, ‘‘and I don’t know whether they’re alive or not. Take the mare out of the shafts and ride straight to Doctor Parkin’s house. * Never mind the wagon; we’ll tend to that. Tell the doctor to get to the hotel at once; we'll reach there nearly as soon. I1’ll drive the ’bus home myself. Plague take that cussed, white-livered boy 0’ mine! I b’lieve he's goin’ to faint! If he does, I’ll leave him in the open wagon, I swear.’’ Less than half an hour later the stage drew up to the side entrance of the Park Hotel. Doctor Parkin was al- ready waiting as David jumped down from the box. ‘‘Doctor,’’ said he, ‘‘here is the ’bus, just as we found it. No one an’t been inside, excepting myself, and I resign it to you in the fervent hope that the pore souls has still some show in this world. You will recognize two of them; the third is a stranger here. Take a peep, sir, and see whether I was wise in not allowing none o’ them niggers to poke their noses in?”’ CORNIElOOO KS.) im