The Works of George W. M. Reynolds — page 45: what you’re looking at

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

28 REYNOLDS’ WORKS reader fully acquainted with the details of that tragedy in the Spanish forest. From the statement of one of the mule- teers 1t was gathered — as indeed previously surmised — that the innkeeper’s wife, being completely overcome with liquor, was ordered by her husband to get up to bed, so that the house might be quiet and the murderous scheme carried into execution as soon as possible. It was but too clear that the miserable woman staggered into the first chamber to the door of which her uncertain steps brought her, and throw- ing herself upon the bed, at once fell into a profound sleep. From this slumber she was only awakened for a few swift brief passing moments, to struggle and writhe in death- agonies beneath the bolster which her miscreant husband retained with tremendous force over her countenance. There can be little doubt that on her ceasing to move he felt amongst her garments for the purse which he supposed to be concealed there, and that the texture of the raiment sud- denly sent the hideous, horrible, blasting conviction to his mind that it was his own wife whom he had thus assassi- nated. : All the depositions being duly taken down in the presence of the mayor, Miss Marshall intimated, through the medium of the interpreter, that it was of vital consequence for her to be allowed to continue her journey to Madrid, and she therefore hoped that the purposes of justice might be served without any further detention on her part. This request was promptly acceded to, there being ample evidence against the accused to ensure their conviction. The mayor was so much pleased with the conduct of Paquetta through- out the transaction that he introduced her to his wife, who proposed to take her into her service in the capacity of lady’s- maid. The girl, being an orphan, and entirely dependent on her own resources, joyfully and gratefully accepted the proposition. Before parting from Paquetta, ‘Kate Marshall — speaking by means of the interpreter — offered to make her a present of as large a sum from her purse as she could possibly spare, but the young Spanish girl replied, through the same medium, that there were services which one fellow creature could render to another of too holy and sacred a character to be recompensed by gold, and that the service she had been enabled to afford Miss Marshall was one of these. In short, she positively declined to accept anything, CONNIE OO KS (E(0)