Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 11 — page 20: what you’re looking at

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

18 THE PRISONER OF LA VINTRESSE. “Wedding!” the young girl spoke with pained surprise. “T heard them talking about it, the general and Don Carlos, when they knew nothing of my being near. It is to take place to-night, at twelve.” “ To-night, at twelve,” murmured the senora, looking blank- ly at the octoroon; “to-night, at twelve, did you say? and my uncle ?” “Both of them,” replied the girl, with a strange glance, “are to take part.” . “They will never be so uncourteous as to leave their guests!” exclaimed Minerva, her color-heightening. “No, they will not need do that,” was the response. . “What do you mean, Althea!” asked the young girl, now thoroughly roused, and not a little frightened. “There is something you wish to tell me, but dare not. Don’t leave me in suspense. My uncle and that man have been plotting, I am sure of it; and oh, Althea, you would not see me suffer, if by a word you could prevent it.” “No, indeed, my dear mistress,” said the girl, “you shall be saved, if any word of mine can do it. To-night, Padre Rouez is to be here, and Heaven only knows how it could be done, but you would be married.” Trembling from head to foot, the girl sprang from her seat, and began pacing the room. “Tt would be monstrous,” she muttered, “but they would not scruple; as Althea, says, it would be done,—I believe it, Now there is only one way to act, I must appear to acquiesce, or my doom is sealed. Little they think that by twelve o'clock, I shall be passing away from their hated influence. Althea, bring me pen and ink.” é The girl placed both before her. Steadying her hand, and controlling the indignant impulse that almost shook her, so wronged did she feel herself, she wrote, as follows: “ HonoreD UNCLE: “JT have overheard that I am to be married to-night, at twelye. This anticipation of an event, which for some time I have known you to consider quite near, should not be approached without due reflection. I ask, therefore, that you will allow me to remain in the solitude of my own room, comiclookks.com-