Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 11 — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

38 THE PRISONER OF LA VINTRESSE. off-hand manner to speak of the beauty of the day, and of several little things unimportant in themselves, save as the hinges upon which greater topics hang. “You have come from Don Carlos,” at last Minerva found courage to exclaim, after a pause; “I think that is what you would say.” “I left him ill,” he returned with a peculiar smile; “yes, | senora, I have received my orders from him, but it depends * altogether upon you, whether I shall execute them.” Minerva looked anxious. “T promised to serve him to the best of my ability, but it would be doing him an injustice to bring him an unwi guest.” “Oh! how I thank you!” she ex¢laimed, sincerely; his meaning was becoming now more apparent. “ You would not use unjust measures to force me home again.” “Do I look like such a one?” asked the young man, his brow flushing. No, indeed he did not; at that moment, self-deceived, ani- - mated as he thought by an entirely generous motive, he seemed too noble for treachery. His dark eyes were beauti- fully sincere, his smile was born of a generous impulse. Then the “ might be,” was shadowed forth for a brief season, he had put his real idle self in the background. “But you must not remain in this isolated situation,” he ‘continued. “It will not do in a place where envy and detraec- tion abound. I have taken a suite of rooms for my sister and myself in a private house. We have our own servants, live in fact entirely by ourselves. To ensure success to the plan by which I mean to delude (pardon me, but there is no other way) Don Carlos, my friend, you had better leave so public a place as this. Every day, almost, there are Cubans stopping at the hotels; you would be recognized, and perhaps the victim of some conspiracy.” “What you say is true,” said Minerva; “the Senor Velas- ques to whom you presented me to-day, dined at the tadle- d'-hote.” “He did!’ exclaimed Senor Abrates, a frown settling on _ his face. “Ah! he is a dangerous man, but do not be alarm- ed, fair lady, I have him under my thumb.” 4 conmicloooks.com