Roanoke of Roanoke Hall: A Romance — page 136: what you’re looking at

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

130 Roanoke of Roanoke Hall. OHAPTER IX. HOW I ESCAPED DEATH; AND HOW I SAW AN UNCROWNED KING. Niaut had fallen, and it was by the light of flaring torches that I was carried across the courtyard into the kitchen. Old Meg burst into a torrent of stormy tears when she . beheld my evil plight, and would have rushed forward to embrace me had not John o’ Comp- ton thrust her violently back. “Oh, Ralph, Ralph !” she cried dolefully, wringing her hands in agony. ‘‘Whare are they ganging to tak ye? and what are they ettlin at doin’ wi’ ye, ma puir, puir bairn? I aye thocht that ill faured carle Jock 0’ Compton wudna alloo ye to bide ower lang in peace.” ‘* Hold thy prating tongue, thou old Scotch hag,” growled he. ‘‘Haud ma tongue, is’t?” cried Meg, in shrill menace, quite undaunted by his threat- ening manner. ‘‘T’ll no do that at thy bid- ding. Tl tauk till I gar thy lugs crack—” comichbooks.com Bes