Thrice Wedded, but Only Once a Wife — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

THRICE WEDDED. 87 Everything you wish you have but to name, and it shall be granted.” ‘| thank you, chief, for your kindness and hospitality, but I have only one desire at present, and that is my liberty. I am rich, or at least, my father is. Heisnowin this village, and I promise you that I will give you a check for fifty _ thousand dollars—the same sum that you have been promised for detaining me here—as soon as you place me in his presence.’ “Your offer is very generous, Mr. Ellerton,” said the chief, after a few moments deliberation, ‘‘but I cannot ac- cept it. My word is pledged to another, and no amount could tempt me to break that.” ‘“My friends will surely institute a thorough search for me, and thus your retreat may be discovered, and yourselves routed, perhaps arrested,” returned Robert, deeply cha- grined and disappointed that the smuggler refused to set him at hberty. A sneer half-curled the lip of the chief, but quickly re- pressing it, he politely replied : “T have no fears, my friend, on that score ; for our for- tress is of solid rock, with no crack or crevice to betr ay that there 1s aught within: Only those who are perfectly fa- miliar with our secret openings can ever enter these vaults. There is but one in the wide world outside of our band, who has an inkling even of their existence; and he is not now in the country. He learned it through the carelessness of one of our pages ; but I have no fear that he will ever trouble us.’ «“Who are the instigators of this foul wrong?” demanded Robert, hotly, hardly heeding the latter part of the chief’s speech. eeThat, also, I cannof reveal to you. You doubtless — -yealize they are enemies,” he returned, not at all disturbed ___ by Robert’s passion. ‘‘Well, then, will you tell me the motive which actuates it?” The chief did not reply at once. He sat absently sipping his coffee for a few minutes; then suddenly waving the pages from the room, he bent toward his guest, and said, in ee he ever saw eyo mother. That woman he forsook, a ‘ow tone: ‘A person has discovered that you are not the legitimate son of your father—that he was married to another woman <S Eco Eomichoo