The Argosy, Volume XXIV — page 26: what you’re looking at

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

22 Gabriel’s Appointment. prowling villains who were never found out? I am doing my best to fathom that mystery, and if it is tried again, it will be at more risk than it was before. But I would have you know this—there is a man dogging us, who hates Gabriel Bruce; and I strongly suspect he has taken the name of Jones on one occasion, if not on more. If we mean the same person—do your best to warn him off; for if he per- sists in trying to injure my friend, there is neither mission, nor church, nor priest, nor prayer, that shall stand between him and me. He has escaped me twice since we came to England—let him take care how he crosses me the third time!” “Oh, Mr. Martin—you don’t believe it is the same! You wouldn’t judge an innocent man unheard, because of the name?” “No, I wouldn’t. But, Grace, if you are so sure of your friend’s innocence, will you help me with a proof? I told you what I thought about that attempt at Mr. Bruce’s door. Here is a witness.” He took the fur cap out of a box in a corner of the room. “TI give that into your charge. Find out for yourself if it is his, or not—énd according to what you find, judge him and me.” She took the cap, but through her blinding tears she could hardly see what it was. Moved by her distress he began to say something about the possibility of a mistake, which gave her a momentary , courage. “Oh, sir!” she said, clasping her hands, ‘you are a young gentleman, free and respected—I’ve heard you have lived a deal in the wilderness, like Abraham and Isaac, and so perhaps you don’t know so much about the bad ways of town, and how men are tempted, if they once go wrong, to get worse and worse. But if you had ever been yourself or seen one you cared for in the case of Ishmael— his hand against every man, and every man’s against him—and knew how dreadfully hard it was for him, so long as he was poor, to get a. chance, or a hearing, or a good word, you would see there was some excuse even for the worst—and that anyone may he drawn into wickedness, if no hope is left him of ever doing better unless he first does something worse !” Her tears choked her speech, and she did not see what a change had passed over Martin’s face as he listened. She had struck a chord of whose power she knew nothing, and he had to command himself before he could reply. When he did, it was to observe, with a sarcasm intended to conceal his own emotion, that she had betrayed her secret. ‘‘Itis for no friend’s messenger you are pleading like this. What- ever else he may be, he is the friend himself, Grace.” “Then,” she said, bravely, standing up before him, “ I have trusted you, sir, as I have not my own sister, nor yet Mr. Forrest ; and I have put my life in your hands, Mr. Martin, but I know it is safe, for there never was a real gentleman yet as would turn a poor woman’s words against herself if she went to him in her trouble. See now, sir, you have a friend you love—and no wonder, for he is a noble comicbooks.com