A Silver Brand — page 41: what you’re looking at

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

‘ASILVER BRAND. 33 motions. Rhoda stood with her hand on the back of hers, fluttered and nervous as usual upon any event out of the common routine. When the others entered she sat down, and then started up again, — and finally settled herself, working off her agitation by plaiting and unplaiting her fingers in the folds of her dress. Penelope, on the contrary, though | her very heart seemed bursting beneath the mighty © throb which also choked her breath, dropped down into her seat, and turning her face to the window, never afterward moved an inch. : Paul took up the letter, carefully inserted a paper- knife under the seal, moving with tantalizing slow- ness as he separated it intact, and laid the stamped wax carefully on one side. Then he spread open the paper, smoothed it out, and read aloud: ‘June 20th, 185-. ** Danger menaces your charge. Let there_be strict seclusion and con- stant watchfulness. These are the strict commands of one high in authority. Be cautious in all respects. Only afew months longer, and you will be relieved of the anxiety and care. Remember, posi- tively strict seclusion. There was neither signature nor address to the letter, but that seemed no matter of surprise to the Foss family. | | “Danger!” ejaculated -Rhoda, lifting up_ both hands. “Oh, Theodosia, what can it be? What does his lords——” “Hush!—hush, Rhoda, you will always be such an imprudent child!” exclaimed Theodosia, shaking her long, skinny finger in Rhoda’s face. “If there is danger, the very walls cannot be‘trusted. Why can’t you say he—we all understand whom you mean?” 3 Urban reached over and took the letter, and read it through carefully. He passed it on to Theodosia, who put on her spectacless and likewise looked it over. “There can be no mistake about the writing,” said she, holding it in turn to Rhoda. , Rhoda was still frightened; she shivered as she glanced at the letter, and dropped it into Penelope’s Eomicboo <S (Eo)