A Silver Brand — page 232: what you’re looking at

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

224 A SILVER BRAND. ment. I hope your highness will not blame me too severely.” pes “Well, well, it is not so bad as it might be. The security — of the lady was the principal thing. Lead me to her, I say.” | “Oh, but your highness, the lady has disappeared with him,” tremulously declared the man. Now, indeed, they witnessed a tempest of wrath. He uttered volley after volley of oaths, he stamped, he raged, he anathematized them all. He even so far forgot his royal blood as to strike poor Hernberg with his sword. He seized the fraulein roughly by the shoulder, and shook her fiercely, while he demanded of her the destination of her husband. — Pale as death, with eyes ghttering with horror and dread, Crezence stood the test nobly. “T know nothing. I can tell you nothing. He had no time to explain. He only said that the toy balloon was strong enough to take him up into the air, and that he could lash himself to the rope, and was not afraid to risk the trial. I saw nothing. There is no more for me to tell,” she reiterated, firmly. x aSae He flung heraway with a force that sent her reeling against the wall, and woke the babe, who began to cry lustily. “Away with her. Guard the mate and help securely. We will find the tiger yet. Ho! out on the pursuit! We can hunt them down yet. What is an hour’s start, if there be as much. Call up more men if need be, and scour the country on every side,” vociferated he, coming out of his passion into the grim determination that was the man’s power and strength. “I will find them, if [I creep on my knees for leagues,” cried out’ Hernberg; ‘‘and no accursed balloon shall take them out of my reach again, though the fiend himself came in it. ‘Hind them, and I will take back my displeasure,” de- clared the master. And then in hot haste though with little noise, the whole party set fourth again, separating in four directions. It was less difficult than they had feared to trace the fugitives. Scarce two miles out they came upon the bal- loon, collapsed and spent, lying forsaken in the highway. They searched carefully for a trace of the fugitives it had | borne away from the sronaut’s roof at such imminent Be risk. But nota sign was given. Another mile and they @ & comicbooks.com —