A Daughter of Delilah — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

ST. LEONARD’S FINE HAND. 115 bez Alston said. This was only one of his forms of diplo- macy. He had little use for Edward Hawley now. It is doubtful if he would have seen him at all had he not re- membered that he was Edgar’s closest friend. In this capacity he might be useful still. ‘You have not been to see us for weeks, my boy.’’ Hawley pressed his lips hard together for a moment, then replied, calmly: ‘‘T have been to your house to-day—not fifteen minutes since, sir. You will hear of it!’’ ‘‘No doubt—no doubt. Edgar is never tired of singing your praises. You have been with him to-day?’’ He elanced sharply at Hawley, and saw that there was some- thing on his mind. “Do you object to walking a little way with me—that is, if you are notina hurry?” Then seeing that the young man hesitated, he added: ‘‘I believe that it is in your power torender mea great service—if you will.’’ Hawley took the arm that was held toward him, say- ing: ‘‘T must be candid with you, Mr. Alston; I owe it to you as much as I do to myself. I partly divine that you have discovered something of Edgar’s latest infatuation, and imagine that I am capable of exercising some control over his actions—that he will listen to my advice.”’ ‘That is so,’’ assented Jabez,Alston. ‘‘T am sorry, then, that I cannot help you in the way you wish.”’ ‘‘You encourage him?’’ was the hot retort. ‘Wait, and I will explain. Yesterday your daughter sent for me to discuss this very question. At her desire I Eomicboo <S (Elo)