The Twin Detectives; or, The Robbers of the Tomb — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

THE TWIN DETECTIVES. Oe aE “Don’t sit up for me, mother; I may not get home to- — night.” : “Very well, dear boy,” she replied. Madge smiled a bright farewell, and proudly thought how happy and handsome her Charlie looked. ““How glad you must be, auntie, to have such a good son,’ she said, as they washed up the china and cleared the supper-table. ‘“‘Glad! yes, indeed, dear. I have known only two oreat eriefs in aH my life-time—the loss of your uncle, and one other ‘“And what other sorrow have you known, dear auntie?” asked Madge, in some surprise. “Something I cannot speak of—something terrible.” ‘* Not a death?” ** No—worse than a death!” pins Mrs. Hudson, in a low tone. ‘‘ Worse than death. Why, duntia, can it be possible that anything could be worse than death?” Mrs. Hudson had grown very pale, and her hands trem- bled as she arranged the dishes in the cupboard. ‘< Yes, there are worse things to bear than death. Don’t you think it would be harder for a mother to lose a living child than to have God call one away.” “Certainly I do. Think of it!—a child living in some part of the world, and its poor mother not knowing how or where—perhaps brought up to stealormurder. Oh! auntie, what is the matter?” Mrs. Hudson had fallen down upon the floor, white and | insensible. When she revived, and lay on the lounge pale and feeble, she put out her hand to Madge, saying, faintly: | ‘<Say nothing to Cae or any one. Neyer Py k to me — on this subject again.” Madge promised. She now knew that there was < am: / Gomicboo S Leo | « =) , -