Roanoke of Roanoke Hall: A Romance — page 134: what you’re looking at

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

128 Roanoke of Roanoke Hall. choose to take upon yourself to cross John you must pay the shot. I am a poor, weak old man, and dare not make or meddle with his affairs.” ; It was in vain. He would not even deign to an:we my further supplications, nor did he take other notice of me than to cast an occasional upward glance, accompanied by a pitiless smile, at my arms stretched out through the gratings. Presently he rose and left the room, and I was left alone in deathly silence, while dark- ness slowly descended upon the chamber. I had sunk into a state of sombre apathy when I heard a movement in the room below, and looking out I beheld my unfortunate Aunt Alice carrying a lighted taper. “ Alice, Alice !” I cried, with some return © of hope, “let me out! Oh, let me out! I am shut up here and cannot find the spring, and John o’ Compton means to murder me, I know.” She looked up terrified at the sound of my voice, but recognizing me, came and stood beneath me, comichbooks.com > a