The Widowed Bride — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

THE WIDOWED BRIDE. 43 should not be afraid to talk to him if he were to ask her any questions. ‘They are very young,” said he, sorvpassionately: “Young in years, but old in wickedness—we see too many cases of that here, Sir John,” said a tall, fair-haired man, leaning against the table. i ‘What is your name, my dear,” said Sir John Lavely, the magistrate, as Rena stood looking at him, her chin just on a level with the top of the box. “Rena Mordaunt.” “Serena?” “No, sir, Rena—nothing else.” “And your sister’s? She zs your sister, I suppose?” “Alice, sire? “Just what I told your honor,” eagerly put in Mother Mase “Rena an’ Alice—the only grandchildren I’ve got left in my old age, and them as innocent as the new-born babe.” “Weare not her grandchildren!” flashed out Rena, wrath- fully. <‘*We never saw her until yesterday.” ‘“Accounts disagree,” said Sir John, dryly. “Don’t pay no heed to nothin’ they says, my lord, your honor,” cried Mother Meg; ‘‘they’re little liars, an’ always was, to disown their poor old grandmother as has worked her fingers to the bone for “em. I never see such wampires in all my day.” “How is it, little one,” said the magistrate, suddenly di- recting his gaze at Alice: ‘ds she your erandmother?” “No, sir,” Alice answered, simply. Mother Meg burst into a torrent of angry exclamations and abusive epithets. “Officer,” said Sir John, ‘‘take that woman out, since she cannot conduct herself properly in the presence of the court. Now, then,” as the bustle attendant upon Mother Meg's re- moval was hushed into silence, ‘‘we will proceed with the _ examination. Rena,” with an encouraging nod to the small witness, ‘tell me as plainly as you can how you first met this woman.’ And Rena accordingly told her simple tale, with which Alice’s, who was separately examined, entirely coincided. “This is a str ange story,” said good old Sir John, ‘‘and I can’t make either head or tale of it. ns old woman lies. EOmiGck 200 «Ss (ao)