Page:The Mysterious Warning - Parsons (1796, volume 1).djvu/271

 horrid dungeon, for it is not likely you would have discovered them."

"Me, Sir! O, no, I should have crept out of the Castle as fast as I could if he had died when I was alone with him, though the Lord knows how I should have managed, for I could not walk to the village I am sure, and he might have died many days before our market man came, and I should never have been able to stay in this place with a dead corpse by myself.—So Providence sent you here, Sir, to save them poor souls from starvation, and me from dying of fear or fatigue." During this time Ferdinand had opened the bookcase to replace the keys, and curiosity induced him to search if there were any papers or memorandums relative to the deceased. Opening one drawer he met with a manuscript, the pages being open as if lately written, his eye caught the words: "The stranger, who calls himself Ferdinand."—"Ah!" exclaimed he, "this is doubtless a kind of journal, and may develop the whole mystery." Turning to the back,