Penny Dreadfuls, 1916 · page 232 of 400
Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil: A Young Virginian in the Revolution — page 232: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Page 214: Running Prose from "Tom Anderson, Dare-Devil" This is a page of running prose text from a Victorian penny dreadful serial. The passage depicts a dramatic scene during the American Revolution in which British soldiers search a house for the rebel leader Marion. A woman protects Marion's hiding place while Tom, apparently working as a British sergeant, subtly aids her deception. When the Commandant Lord Rawdon arrives frustrated that Marion has escaped, he interrogates Tom—whom the woman claims is a missionary to the Indians—with evident suspicion and disdain. The text emphasizes the tension between loyalty and hidden sympathy for the American cause.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
214 Tom ANDERSON, DareE-DEVIL Tempe’s mistress pointed to the keys. “Use them, please. Don’t break the locks.” “Do you mean to say the Rebel American Marion is not hidden in this house?” “T assert that he is not.” Then, in an outburst of indig- nation, “Look for him!” “You, yourself, woman, are in danger for aiding and abetting this arch-enemy of His Majesty,” retorted the sergeant Tom had promoted. She measured him with scathing eyes, but held her tongue. At a signal the troop- ers rushed through the house, tramping, shouting, throw- ing open doors, and sounding the wainscot with their sabers. On the veranda a man wrapped in a heavy cloak leaned against a column. He was still as a statue; and it was dark under the old shaddock tree. Tom said to himself: “Waiting for the dogs to jump the fox! A cold trail, my Lord!” A passionate whisper was in his ear: “ Who could have betrayed his hiding-place to Rawdon: I have come to know the meaning of that terrible injunction, ‘A man’s foes shall be those of his own household.’ Thank God for you!’’ And she turned off, to pace the room with the foot of a queen. [he baffled soldiers were coming downstairs, without a prisoner. “Well, Sergeant’’’ demanded the incisive voice. But the Sergeant mumbled. His report could not be overheard by the listeners. And suddenly a light step was in the drawing-room; and there stood the Commandant of His Majesty’s forces at Charleston. His handsome, high-bred face was dark with passion. The prize had slipped through his fingers. Marion had mocked him! With a haughty bow he pointed to Tom. “Madam, who is this person?”’ ‘A missionary to the Indians, Lord Rawdon; and, I pre- sume, ’— corrosively, — “to the British as well!” He bit his lip; his fine eyes surveyed the emissary of the Church with no favor. Beautiful, contumelious eyes they were; for did not the “scornful looks”’ of Cornwallis’s aide Gomicbooks (E(0) m