A Silver Brand — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

32 A SILVER BRAND. atolls a thought of hanging either in its proper ace. ‘ “Another letter, Paul!” exclaimed she, in that high, incisive voice; “and there is no remittance due yet. Then it must be something extraordinary. Have you read it?” | “No, Theodosia. Is it likely I would read it be- fore I brought it before you all? Come, let us go together and break the seal. Are you ready, Urban?” “Certainly, just let me get my other glasses, these are the far-sighted ones,” responded Urbanus, dart- ing back into the work-room, where he had been employed at a tool-bench. | Theodosia took off her apron, folded it, and laid iton the table. She stooped also to pick up the fallen coat and brush, then carefully shook out the folds of her secant skirt, lest by any chance a stray atom of dust had lodged there, and should be carried into the grand room of the house. Rhoda had been standing still, pulling helplessly at the ribbon- strings of her black silk apron. She looked over to Theodosia inquiringly, stroked and shook her own dress, and then moved on toward the little room where all the solemn consultations of the family were held, with the outside show of impartial dis- cussion at least, although Theodosia and Paul usually settled the whole. : Penelope did not follow the others at once. She stood leaning against the wall, her hands clasped behind her, her eyes fixed upon the letter. The lowered lids hid from her brothers the wild terror, the fierce anguish which those eyes betrayed. When Paul picked up the letter she gave one deep, convulsive shudder, then turned slowly and stiffly, and followed behind Urban. Theodosia had pulled up the green cambric curtain of the solitary window of the library, a tiny room holding a center-table, a tall book-case with glass doors, five high-backed, stiff-looking chairs, and a picture hanging under a green curtain. Miss Theodosia had already taken her seat, and with a becomingly grave face awaited her brother’s (e(e) Eomicbooks