The Wrong Man — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

&0 THE WRONG MAN. who for some time had seemed waiting impatiently for the shades of evening to close in, that he might go forth, and, un- observed, carry some plan into execution. His brow, as he pre- pared to set out, had those deep, perpendicular lines, and his mouth the firm compression, which are said to denote determin- ation of character. Toward the block-house he directed his steps. Before approaching it very closely, he made the entire circuit of the building, to be sure no listener was at hand to overhear him. Then cautiously drawing near, he called upon {ts inmate, in a low tone. A long and earnest conversation ensued, in the course of which the old man made a full disclosure to Dudley of the cir- cumstances connected with the death of Overton. Other mat- ‘ers were discussed between them; but the purport of these we leave to be gleaned from the following pages of our narrative. The fifth day since the arrest of Dudley arrived. The of Lucy Dayton began to resume something of its former bril- liancy, and her cheek its bloom, How far this result was to be ascribed to the natural tendency of a young and vigorous mind to throw off sorrow, and how far to the purport of several con- versations she had found means to hold with Dudley, we shall not pretend to determine. Her uncle and she had, also, two or three times been closeted for a long while together, and the good old man’s communications had probably not been without their effect in lessening the load on both their hearts. To one of these conferences, which occurred on the evening of the fifth day, Cato, in whose attachment and fidelity the utmost con- fidence was placed, was called. As Cato issued from the apartment in which he had been hon- ored with a confidential communication from his master, and his much-loved and honored “ young missy,” there was some- thing of ludicrous importance in his air; his face wore an expression more nearly approaching to a smile than bad Leen ween on his ebony countenance for several days. A small bundle or package, rolled carefully up, was ‘tucked under one arm, and with the other hand closing the door softly and ie img a second as noiselessly as B epaneyy he stepped out of the house, and glided along the little path that led toward the vil- lage with a tread as light as if performing the juggler’s trick of walking upon eggs. “ Very importarit bizness Cato has on hand,” he remarked, with an air of great self-complacency. “ Reckon they're be _ sinnin’ to ’preciate his gen’us. Can't get along in big matters without Cato’s help. No, sah!” He waiked rapidly forward, continually grinning with de light, for he was indeed upon an errand which was a pleasant — “2 “és é | ; : “a Comichbooks.com ~ -* «