The Widowed Bride — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

40 THE WIDOWED BRIDE. arm, while Alice burst into clamorous weeping. ‘“Mother Meg gave it to me,” she answered, very pale, but firm, with her dilated eyes fixed full upon his face. “Your mother?” ‘““‘No!” Rena answered, with a flush of wounded pride upon her forehead. ‘We found her yesterday under a hedge.”’ ‘““Where is she?” ‘She went across the street,” Rena made reply, looking around with a bewildered glance. “T don’t see her now.’ “And you won’t see her—not at. present,” the onnenias said. ‘“hat’s all right! so come along! IT’ll never complain o bad luck again. ‘To think I should ha’ stumbled right on the reward arter all, and we clear of the track of it, as one - might suppose! Come on, I say,” he added, giving the child’s arm a little jerk. ‘There ain't no use a-hangin’ back.” ‘“‘Where are you taking me to?” asked Rena, wildly. ‘‘Hush, Allie! don’t cry so!” | “That's a pretty question to ask,” answered the police- man. -‘‘Why, to the station ’us, to be sure—did ye spose I’m a-takin’ of ye to Buckin’am Pallis?” Now, the two little girls, after threading a labyrinth of marrow, crowded streets, and walking until they could scarcely drag one foot after the other, found themselves locked into a square ceil—for it was hardly large enough to deserve the name of room—with whitewashed walls, a grated window close to the ceiling, an iron bedstead, and a wooden bench and table, by way of furniture. “They'll bring you some’at to eat, presently,” said the man with the keys, into whose hands their captor had in- trusted the poor fugitives, “You needn’t fret, neither, for nobody ain’t a-goin’ to hurt ye.” And the clang of the door behind them echoed his words. “Rena! Rena!” whispered Alice, looking around her, with a white cheek and fluttering heart, ‘‘where are we? Is this et ees _ *No,” said Rena, affecting a courage she did not feel, = fSt’s ee a station-house. Didn’t you hear the man say “But we are locked in—and don’t you see the bare at the eo window?” C omilcbooks.co