A Silver Brand — page 151: what you’re looking at

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

A SILVER BRAND. ; 143 and the most glittering gauds of earthly distinctions. Why do we care for them, or heed them ?” Then followed a long silence. The eeronaut was busy with his guiding apparatus, only casting occasional, fur- tive glances at the pale, wrapt, saintly face, and she with her eyes again upon the clouds looked as if commun - ing with angels themselves. ‘““{ know I am right,” thought the eronaut, exultingly. “I have done a glorious deed in rescuing this beautiful woman. I am sure she is innocent and good. I suspect she is high in rank. Who knows but at last my own good fortune may dawn, and the poor fraulein spare her tender heart its worries and perplexities, and I gain means to pursue my experiment to the golden goal of my fondest wishes? Who knows but all this may come, because I have helped the lady to-day ?” And aloud he added, gently : ‘‘And now, madam, I will hear the story if you please.” She told it in low, earnest accents, the silver voice now rising rich and high with indignation, and now sinking deep with horror and pathos. And the eronaut listened, his face flushing and paling, his eye flashing with anger and indignation, or filming over with tears of sympathy. When at length she paused, and turned her pale sweet face upward again to the skies that shone still above their dizzy height, he stretched out his hand, and exclaimed, impulsively : ° ‘“‘Madam, my lady, IT am but an humble. obscure, pov- erty stricken man, but suchas I am all that I have is at. your service in this cause. I will not yield you up except over my dead body.” : The poor lonely, persecuted creature seized ths extended hand, and her warm tears fel! upon it. * May Heaven reward you! I dare not promise that I shall be able; and yet, if I triumph, you shall indeed have no cause to say again you are poverty stricken or helpless. ” “Tell me the villain’ sname. I care notif it be a von oreven abaron. Letme know whom I must avoid and baffle.” | : She smiled mournfully. “Tet me have more time to think about it—not for my- self, but for your safety. Let me see your good wife, and she shall say if it be right to add this heavy weight to the already dangerous course you have taken by thus gener- ously befriending me, and for whom you must avoid— Eomicbooks (Efe)