Ormond; Or, The Secret Witness. Volume 1 (of 3)Brown, Charles Brockden
History
Ormond; Or, The Secret Witness. Volume 1 (of 3)
Brown, Charles Brockden
Gothic fiction; Philadelphia (Pa.) -- History -- 19th century -- Fiction; Young women -- Fiction
Her scheme, which was by no means unplausible, was thus completely
frustrated. There was but one other resource, on which she had already
deliberated, and to which she had determined to apply if that should
fail. That was to claim assistance from the superintendants of the poor.
She was employed in considering to which of them, and in what manner she
should make her application, when she turned the corner of Lombard and
Second Streets. That had scarcely been done, when casting her eyes
mournfully round her, she caught a glimpse of a person whom she
instantly recognized passing into the market-place. She followed him
with quick steps, and on a second examination found that she had not
been mistaken. This was no other than Thomas Craig, to whose malignity
and cunning all her misfortunes were imputable.
She was at first uncertain what use to make of this discovery. She
followed him instinctively, and saw him at length enter the Indian Queen
Tavern. Here she stopped. She entertained a confused conception that
some beneficial consequences might be extracted from this event. In the
present hurry of her thoughts she could form no satisfactory conclusion;
but it instantly occurred to her that it would at least be proper to
ascertain the place of his abode. She stept into the inn, and made the
suitable inquiries. She was informed that the gentleman had come from
Baltimore a month before, and had since resided at that house. How soon
he meant to leave the city her informant was unable to tell.
Having gained this intelligence, she returned home, and once more shut
herself in her chamber to meditate on this new posture of affairs.
CHAPTER X.
Craig was indebted to her father. He had defrauded him by the most
atrocious and illicit arts. On either account he was liable to
prosecution; but her heart rejected the thought of being the author of
injury to any man. The dread of punishment, however, might induce him to
refund, uncoercively, the whole or some part of the stolen property.
Money was at this moment necessary to existence, and she conceived
herself justly entitled to that of which her father had been
perfidiously despoiled.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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