Vashti's Fate — page 244: what you’re looking at

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

7 B? . : . ™s Ss r. 3 a will. REVELA TIONS—DESPAIR. a59 stepped in, it was not much better. The sheriff’s officers were imperious and insulting. , his trial he would undoubtedly have been hung. Child, be patient; I must tell the story in my own way, and I If your father had stood ‘Frank, sit down—I did not kill your father, though he begged us to do that, to save him from that ignomin- ious death. Doctor Gracie once lived some years in India. While there he became informed of the existence of a drug that, administered to a person in proper quantity, throws them into a state so nearly resembling death as to deceive a very critical observer. Your father took the drug. All who were not in the secret supposed him dead. We filled - the coffin that had been ordered with stones, and buried it in the Everleigh burial-place, and in the dead of night re- moved the living but still unconscious man to a room in the Hermitage which we had had fitted up for him. He came to himself the third day. He was recovering from his wounds, and was intending to leave the country as soon as he was able, but in his impatience of his fate, and his remorse regarding the life he supposed he had taken, as he erew better in health, he became capricious in his temper, indulging in boisterous fits of passion, and moody and silent We had obtained a trusty attendant for him, a man who had known him from his boyhood, and loved him, who was without family, and willing to be immured with him as long as it was necessary. He took a most sin- gular and uncontrollable dislike to this man, and finally quarreled with him, giving such serious offense that we dared not let the man remain with him lest he should betray He was incapable of doing that, however, as after circumstances proved. About this time Doctor Gra- cie informed me that he was suspicious that this singular by turns. our secret. m Cc (Ele) 900 cs (E(0) mn