The Wrong Man — page 52: what you’re looking at

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

oe ~ 54 THE WRONG MAX. “Be not alarmed, my dear, my gentle Lucy,” answered Dud- ley, in a soothing voice; “the plans of the villain have been defeated—you are happily rescued; and you have one beside oe ou now able to defend you—one who will leave you no more, “og he clergyman waits for us, Lucy. Let us return, and before = him and your uncle—” E “Oh, my uncle, Charles,” interrupted the maiden, “my soul s is filled with darkest apprehensions for him. Have you seen nothing—have you heard nothing?” 4 “ Nothing, dearest Lucy—what is it that you fear?” “The worst that could befall! He is near at hand Charles —alive or slain, he is somewhere near us.” Lucy then related in brief and rapid terms the events which d passed within her hearing, and Dudley listened to the ou with a deeply thoughtful brow. As she concluded, he asked : “Are you certain, Lucy, that your uncle was the pursuer?” asked Dudley. “ Oh, too certain,” answered she. “ On overtaking the wretch, he cried to him in a loud voice to halt. I could not be mis- t taken in that voice—though I never before heard it exerted in =" so fierce a tone. Sounds of strife, mingled with deep impreca- . bh » tions from the hunter, then reached me; and presently a loud Ae yell was uttered, so wild, so shrill, so piercing, that it still P: rings in my ears. Then all was silent—nor was the dreadful oF silence broken, until I heard, afar off, the galloping of your x ? “* And the voice—whose voice did that seem ?” a 3 “JT can not tell—it was a horrid, unearthly sound, such as e : a strong man might utter in mortal agony. Oh, Charles,” con- >. tinued Lucy, (and as she clung to him, Dudley felt that_she trembled in every limb,) “I fear some dreadful thing has hap- a ned—that blood has been spilt—and it may be life destroyed. 3 - Perhaps my generous, my noble-hearted uncle has been slain Ge ~—perhaps— a: But she was unable to give utterance to the dark fear which . . disturbed her mind, and hiding her face in Dudley’s bosom, a 24 flood of tears came to the relief of her throbbing heart. ; wee aa “ Pear sao 9 be comforted. These torturing surmises may | a haye no foundation. The sounds which reached you were dis- = tant, and you may have been deceived astotheirnature. Your | uncle may even now be returned—” r=! “Oh, Charles! this was to havd been our wedding-night,” in- = -_ terrupted Lucy, “and I was so happy!” : And will be happy again, and have many log, long years of imess,” said Dudley, pressing the maiden to his m. _ “Trust me, this cloud wil pass away. ~The wretch who we _ occasioned us this anxiety shall be brought to justice. Your = ___-‘wnele will witness and bless our union, and remove with us te | . 5 he « 4 -