Roanoke of Roanoke Hall: A Romance — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

Roanoke of Roanoke Hall. 213 river rolled between us and the Grange. ‘* How many men are there in the place?” Meg, to whom the question was addressed, . with difficulty abstracted her attention from the one absorbing fact of my safe return suf- ficiently to understand, and answer : “‘Hoo mony? Ou the haill gang ‘Il be there. Thretty or fourty black-a-viced carles, a’ reekin wi’ wrath and blood-guiltiness.” “‘Thirty or forty exclaimed the man, casting a glance round upon his few sup- porters. ‘“‘Wecan’t take the place with those odds. We had better come to a parley.” His intentions were anticipated by the appearance of John o’ Compton himself at the bay window in the second story, above the door. “*Good morrow; good morrow, merry meu all,” he cried jeeringly. ‘‘ Ye are stirring betimes. I grieve that I cannot ask ye in to break your fast.” “‘Come down and open the door,” cried the officer. “Come down, say’st thou? Open the door ! At whose bidding? Not at that of man or devil.” comichbooks.com