A Silver Brand — page 121: what you’re looking at

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

A SILVER BRAND. |. — 113 drawing. Can you give me any explanation, Lady Theresa ?” | ; She shook her head slowly, conquering her agitation, and guarding herself against further indiscretion. “ Nay,” pleaded Aubrey ; ‘do not turn me off with eva- sion. Surely I have a claim upon your help. It has been a matter of sincere disappointment and grief to me that I must return to America without accomplishing this errand. I shall not regret the detention and ruse you have so often asked me to pardon if it enables me to carry a satisfactory story to the watchful Undine there on that dreary island.” “You may tell to my father the romantic story. Per- chance he may throw some light upon it. Butit is very singular. And she is so lovely then?” 7 ‘Most lovely ; and as pure-minded and refined as spir- ited and charming. But Iam sure you know something about the mark. I did not give so much heed to it myself because there is one almost precisely like it on my own wrist.” “Show it to me!” spoke Lady 'heresa, imperiously. He unfastened the gold sleeve links, pushed away the _linen wristband, and showed her there upon the left wrist a purple brown mark. ‘“‘T used to tell mother it was more like a huge blot of India ink than a mole,” observed he, “for you perceive that the stain has little branching lines. ? The girl looked a moment with knitted brows, a wonder- ing awe deepening in her eyes. Then she rose and left the room, returning, however, a moment afterward with some- thing shut closely in her hand. “Close your eyes a moment, Herr Dalberg, I beg.” Smiling lightly, he obeyed. : She hastily held the magnifying glass she had brought above the black mark, looked an instant, dropped the glass into her pocket, and sat down hastily, drawing a long, tremulous breath. : “Well?” asked Aubrey. “Vou are to tell my father this singular story. And I am eager to hear the rest. You promised this beautiful princess that you would bring her back the explanation of all the mystery about her, the key to which she naturally enough supposed this coat of arms will prove. And what reward were you to receive in return ?” “Do you think I was so mercenary as that?” exclaimed Aubrey, indignantly. “Oh, but there are various degrees of reward. - A favor cS €o wap osha cae EComicboo