Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED. , 129 to-day, he would have my full and free consent to do so. How does that compare with the heavy blow to my pride that you tell about?” Squire Moulton threw back his grizzled head and laughed a long, loud, and scornful laugh, making the dull and un- earthly echo ring’ again and again through the dim, low vaults. It was the utter abandonment of the most fiendish joy, and his captive, goaded almost to madness by its mock- ing tones, gazed upon him with a look in which perplexity, fear, and anger were mingled. What did it mean—that taunting, derisive peal of laugh- ter? Couid it be possible that he had been so closely watched and followed that his rival knew of the signatures attached to that document lying so safely stowed away in his pocket? Could it be that his son, like himself, had been enticed into captivity? He began to think so, and his heart sank like a stone, as he marked the look of gloating triumph that gleamed upon him from the savage eye of the wicked squire. CHAPTER XXII. A FATHER’S ANXIETY, When the squire recovered from his fit of merriment, which lasted many minutes, he replied, in a voice of in- tense satisfaction: “Oh, my fine gentleman, that is too good! The joke is really refréshing, after my hard labor in accomplishing what Ihave. It is truly very cunning of you to seek to blind my eyes in that manner, when you know that the marriage be- tween your son and Miss Dupont is rendered null and void— that you have the signature of both parties in your pocket at this very minute, agreeing to consider itso. You are very smart, Robert ‘Ellerton, but I must own that lama little ahead of you, this time.” The look of blank and troubled amazement which spread itself over Mr. Hllerton’s face, at this unexpected disclosure, was distressing to see. And with a disturbed and crest- fallen air, he exclaimed: ‘*Who told you—how do you know?” (Ele) comicbooks