Beadle's Dime Novels No. 37: Godbold, the Spy — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

56 GIDEON GODBOLD. “That leads to 2 rvoom—go in—but remember that your lives ¢epend upon your silence.” ’ The sage did not object. He retreated to the room, and made fast the door with all the bolts upon it. He then re- mained there, in order the better to ascertain whether the new- comers were friends or strangers. He soon saw, with alarm, that they were in nothing better than a robber’s den, and he could distinguish, tnrough the chinks in what he might now term his prison-door, that the crone was signaling to her mates who sat at supper, that she had two victims in her power. The old man was almost in despair, as he surveyed the vil- lainous faces that composed the party, consisting of four brig- ands, fully armed. He knew that their thirst for blood and plunder would soon induce them to burst into the room where he and Alice were confined. He quitted the door, and looked around the apartment in which they were. It was small, and had but one window near the ceiling, and this was well secured with iron bars: There were two chairs in the room, upon one of which Alice had dropped, unconscious of her danger. Theold man placed the unoccupied chair beneath the window, leaped up, tore down the iron bars, and then assuring himself that the noise had not disturbed the inmates, and begging Alice to remain and place confidence in him, he descended into the forest. Alice was astounded at what she had just witnessed. ‘ The activity of the aged traveler, under the excitement of the mo- ment, was greater than any of the feats of youth she had ever seen exhibited ; but, while she was thus wondering at his marvelous agility, an attempt was made to open the door. It resisted, for it was strongly barred. Then the old crone, in a voice rendered more hideous by its affected kindness, gaid : “ Open the door, friend, all is safe now. They are gone.” Alice knew that it was false, for she had an instant earlier heard whispering voices. She, therefore, said nothing. But the hag was infuriated by this silence, and threatened to burst the door, and one heavy bléw had already been struck with- out success, when a shriek so terrible rung through the silent forest that Alice sunk in awe upon the chair from which she fad risen, and which so appalled the Lardy assailants at ths Copmiclooolks. corn