Beadle's Dime Novels No. 95 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

A BUGLE NOTE. 7A were? It is useless to try to deceive me, mother; Jaques. Chattillon is at the bottom of it all.” | “ And if he is, girl? You would say nothing against him for that ?” “ What, to tear me from my heli 3 To force me against my will into a strange place? Mother, have you any heart ? The man struck me in the face, choked mé to keep me quict, would have killed me, I verily believe, if the brave scout had not saved me; and yet, you think him good enough for my husband. You were not wont to take insult so tamely.” “Doubtless he never meant fo harm you, but wished to scare you. | “Scare me! I should think so. Mother, he bent me back across his knee and choked me. I cried out first, and he struck me in the face with his clenched hand, and when that failed to quiet me, he took me by the throat.” “You belie him, girl,” cried the old woman, nets: you. belie him. You are set against him by that meddling dog, Ronald Mannering. I curse ‘him, as I cursed his father. I hate him, as I still hate Azm, for he hath stolen my daughter's heart from me. A plague strike him, body and bones ! May he never know a happy hour! Do not try to stay me, girl; 1 ew7ll curse my fill. Ihave never told you how I hate ~ him. I tell you now that I would sooner see you dead at my feet—-yea, dead in your coffin at my feet, than wedded to one of that accursed brood. These degraded beings, whom you affect to despise, are gui in my eyes than one who has Man- nering blood in his veins.” ” Maggie looked at her with dilated eyes. Dave shook his . head and rose slowly to go away, glancing back at the _ vicious old woman, much in the mannerin which he regarded’ a hungry wolf which might spring upon him at any moment. - “ Mother,” said Maggie, “you have no cause for this.” “| have the best cause. A better cause may yeu never have to hate any one, than I to hate the family of Ronald Mannering.” The sound of a ‘venta wound cheerfully and well, rung through the woods as she spoke. She sprung to her feet and , listened, It was repeated three times and Ann looked re- lieved. ) m comiiclbooks.conn