The Widowed Bride — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 31 ‘‘T don’t know what you mean, maam,” said Rena, tim- idly, and yet reassured by the sound of a human voice which, though sharp and high-pitched, was not unkindly in its tones. ‘‘We are Aliceand Rena, and grandpapais dead, and we are lost.” ‘‘Lost, eh?” said the woman. ‘‘Where do you live?” ‘We lived in France once,” answered Rena; ‘‘but we don’t live anywhere now.’ Then it don’t stand to natur’ as you can be lost,” the woman retorted, with a hoarse chuckle. ‘ Where’s them as belongs to you! 2? Ne obody belongs to us,” innocently responded Rena, un- conscious of the depth of utter desolation involved in her words; ‘‘there’s only Alice and me since grandpapa died.” ““Was you goin’ to London?” abruptly interrogated the woman. “No, maam, not that I know of. Is London far?” asked Rena, looking wonderingly up into the womans face. aN good bit!” the gipsy answered, with a backward mo- tion of her head toward the north. ‘*But law, it wouldn’t be nothin’ of a ways for them as has the pluck of you young kids! Ye’re tired, ain’t ye? and the little ’un’s hurt her foot, as _I live! Bide a bit—bide a bit!” She drew a tattered piece of cotton cloth from her pocket as she spoke, and kneeling down beside Alice, bound up the sore, blood-stained feet, with a hand which if hard and brown was not ungentle. *‘Doesn’t that feel better?’ she asked, straightening her- self up again, aud placing both hands on her hips. “Yes, maam, thank you,” said Alice, while Rena’s face mutely expressed her gratitude. The woman, after eying both of them a minute, suddenly stooped and took Alice into her arms, ‘The kid ain’t no weight to speak of,” she at with a short laugh. ‘Vl carry her a bit of a ways, if so be as yere goin’ on to London.” ‘We are not going anywhere In particular,” said Rena, hesitatingly. ‘‘If you would let us keep with you——” ‘And welcome,” the woman answered, almost eagerly. *‘London’s a fine place for them as has their livin’ to get. Nobody don’t need to starve in London!” “Do you think Allie and I could earn our living there?” asked Rena, who, child though she was, had been in danger <S mn EComicboo (e(e)