text_original: It was a slim hope  but it was a hope. If the girls had had the courage to tell Reuben Cowder the truth about their parting with Nancy, he probably would have held the hope that she had escaped as lightly as they did; but that they could not do.
text_transcription: IT WAS A SLIM HOPE BUT IT WAS A HOPE IF THE GIRLS HAD HAD THE COURAGE TO TELL REUBEN COUNTER THE TRUTH ABOUT THEIR PARTING WITH NANCY HE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE HELD THE HOPE THAT SHE HAD ESCAPED AS LIGHTLY AS THEY DID BUT THAT THEY COULD NOT DO
phonemes: ɪt wʌzɐ slˈɪm hˈoʊp bˌʌt ɪt wʌzɐ hˈoʊp. ɪf ðə ɡˈɜːlz hæd hæd ðə kˈɜːɹɪdʒ tə tˈɛl ɹˈuːbən kˈaʊdɚ ðə tɹˈuːθ ɐbˌaʊt ðɛɹ pˈɑːɹɾɪŋ wɪð nˈænsi, hiː pɹˈɑːbəbli wʊdhɐv hˈɛld ðə hˈoʊp ðæt ʃiː hæd ɛskˈeɪpt æz lˈaɪtli æz ðeɪ dˈɪd; bˌʌt ðæt ðeɪ kʊd nˌɑːt dˈuː.