Vashti's Fate — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

| A SHOCK: 23 Margery Gresham stood a little away from the house, her stately head uncovered, her bonnet in one hand, the other idly smoothing the banded hair from her weary- looking face.. Her gray eyes dwelt contemplatively upon the wooded vistas; her ear gathered up the low refrain of the fluttering leaves, and, with serene thoughts touching up the somber hues of her face, she slowly tied her bon- net, and went with folded hands along a secluded walk. She was returning, after an hour’s absence, when a shadow flune across her path caused her to raise her eyes. A man in soldier's attire stood in the way, touching his cap respectfully, and saying: — ‘“Miss Margery.” She paused, waiting for him to tell his errand, her eyes dwelling almost impatiently on him. He looked confused, touched his cap again, and said: “Tf you please, maam, I’m Neil Roque.” ) The misty gray eyes had wandered away from him, but at these words they flashed back upon him haughtily. ‘“What do you mean?” “That I am Neil Roque, the man it was mpaent Mr. Everleigh shot.” She surveyed him sternly, every vestige of color going slowly out of her face. She put both her excited hands upon his shoulders, turning him to the light that came brightly through a vista in the trees. “Oh, its me, maam, and nobody else. Mister Ever- leigh didn’t kill me, but he hurt me pretty bad, and my brother helped me off, and pretended I was killed, for fear he should be arrested himself for shooting Mister Ever- leigh. You see, he thought they wouldn’t be so apt to touch him if they thought I was dead, so he smuggled me offi, and himself too, and he gota friend to fool the offi- EOMUG 200k ethene fie oles Dahnet? ait (Elo) < 2 ‘Fa, Seis Ss