A Fair Fraud — page 249: what you’re looking at

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

238 A Fair Fraud ‘That, of course, was a melancholy necessity. . J don’t blame them in the least for that.’ ‘And the fiction of her mother being a widow ?’ ‘That also was forced upon her by the exigencies of the case. Good God! cant you see that Hester’s confession clears her entirely from the only black and unpardonable suggestion of the whole story ?’ ‘As—how?’ ‘Why, the poor man having been her father makes all the difference in the world. It puts filial duty in the place of—of an unholy love,’ ‘Ah, of course!’ and Marion was really obliged to laugh outright. ‘I see what you mean! Yow thought Bradford was a rival! Well, my dear cousin, but nobody else but yourself ever jumped to such a very far- fetched conclusion!’ ‘It makes me furious, Marion, to stand by and hear you running down these two poor ladies instead of takivg their part! Why, I thought Hester was your friend!’ ‘A few minutes ago your mother was re- proaching me for taking their part against my own flesh and blood, as she called the rest of you! Really, Kenneth, yours is a very re- markalble family!’ ‘Look here, are you her friend and mine: > GORMGIOO oO G' Q)