Under His Thumb — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

UNDER HIS THUMB” 87 CRA T the XL STELLA’S PERIL. Stella Brandon watched her vagabond father until he passed from view. She did not see the figures of © the two detectives who followed in swift pursuit, however, else she would not have felt so confident ~ that he would escape. For a moment she lingered at the window of the dingy brick building in which she had sought refuge with her father when she had led the latter from the midst of his drunken companions. Then she turned to the tall, slender girl who stood by her side. “T have done the best I can for my poor father, have I not, Katie?”’ The latter, who was a Sroitetyeed and warm- hearted Irish girl, placed one hand affectionately on her friend’s shoulder. | ‘To be sure you have, Stella!’ she warmly ex- claimed, adding: ‘‘It isn’t many old topers like Carl Brandon that has the likes of you to look after them —I’ll say that for you.” “You do not blame me, Katie?’’ ‘Not at all, Stella. Your father would bea gen- tleman if he didn’t drink so hard. And he is brave and good, too, even when he is that full of brandy that he can hardly keep on his feet. Didn’t he knock down the young scamp that insulted me on the street, and then walk home with me to see that I was safe, though he was drunk all the while? [ll never forget that in your father, and I’ll stick by ye both as long as the breath remains in me body !”’ EComicbooks (Ele) m