A Silver Brand — page 15: what you’re looking at

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

“vt Pes A SILVER BRAND. 7 through the trap-door, and as it raised farther, the _ dull, perplexed peasant face of Seippel came to view. “But, my lady, his royal highness bade me——” “You have done your duty. You have delivered the message. Gothen, and say to the man below that I bade you reply for me, that I would not stir ae inch from my track at command or entreaty of T1Ss Poor Seippel stood a moment fidgeting, twisting — his fingers together nervously, and then, as she turned away and resumed her employment, he made good his retreat. She dropped her hand from the flowers the mo- ment she was sure of his departure, and pressed it hard and fierce against her heart, and stood thus, never stirring somuch asto lift the long, golden- fringed eyelash, until the creaking stairs betrayed another and still heavier tread. Then she bent down again, and seemed absorbed in the roses. The new-comer’s face was flushed, his eye angry, when he appeared upon the scene. It was a man, richly clad, with a glittering order on his breast, which was revealed by the open traveling-cape thrown half aside in the hasty entrance, but his countenance was sensual, brutal, and vindictive. He spoke in a coarse, guttural voice. | “And so you still preserve your willfulness, my lady? One would think the long years might teach you the folly of such behavior. By Heaven! such an insolent message from any other should have received prompt punishment upon the spot. I have a mind yet to begin with you as 1 would with a rebellious slave, and try what the lash can do.” She never cast so much as a look toward him, but went on gathering roses, taking apparent pains to select the freshest and finest, and to place them in becoming position in the bouquet. How wondrous- ly graceful she looked, how fair and charming, for all the silver sprinkling in the golden brown hair!—the signs of weary years and wasting sor- rows. How wondrously noble and dignified! The royal villain gnashed his teeth | with rage as_ he looked. te ~ cS Eomichoo (eo),