Beadle's Dime Novels, No. 11 — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

40 THE PRISONER OF LA VINTRESSE. There was an embarrassing pause. Minerva longed to sey a word that would lead to some hint of Herman. But she could not. Even the attempted question, whether Don Carlos - were very il], and whut was the matter with him, died upon her lips. “ There will come a time,” she thought to herself, struggling to keep up her courage till the. last, for the slightest depressing feeling with regard to Herman always set her heart to aching. With a graceful hesitation, Senor Abrates took his leave, and Minerva, somewhat lighter in spirit, went to her room to make preparations. To her extreme surprise, when she asked for her bill, the _ charges set down to her, amounted to nearly all the gold she possessed. Unused to regulating expenses of any kind, she had ordered freely, little knowing that even a look or a step must be paid for, especially if the landlord sees indications of wealth in the manners, dress, or habits of the stranger. How- ever, she took the amount from her slender store, then, having attended to her packing, she proceeded as her new friend had It was with a comparatively light heart that she ascended the marble steps leading to an elegant mansion in the upper part of the city. Within could be heard the singing of a bird, the light, silvery chords of some fairy music-box, while at the nearest window, the richest exotics gleamed temptingly. No sooner had the servant answered the ring, than coming steps were heard. A beautiful girl attired in a cloud of India muslin, her dark hair coquettishly dressed,. the incomparable Spanish fan depending from her wrist, her large eyes, bright with a beaming welcome, came hurriedly from a side-room, and met Minerva with a childlike caress. “T am so glad you have come,” she said, leading her into the apartment she had just left, seating her on a magnificent lounge, and then dropping herself beside her, as if she were a wee girl. “There is Coco, my maid; she will relieve you of your bonnet and mantle. Do you like the music-box? I do, besides, it is so much exertion to play, hark, that is from one of the operas, I forget which, but we will go, you and I, and hear a whole one. I have never been yet, but Manuel has promised, and he is very good. Are you fatigued? Will you go in your room and lie down ?” comniclooks.com