A Daughter of Delilah — page 181: what you’re looking at

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

172 EDGAR ALSTON’S BETTER SIDE, He paused and fixed a penetrating glance upon his son. ‘‘Father!’’ cried the young man, in agony, ‘‘I have acted the part of a fool—a madman; but I have not been re- sponsible for my actions! Do not judge me too hardly! When I signed your name, I knew not what I was doing. I was under some spell of enchantment.’’ “Drunk !’? murmured the elder man. | Then aloud: ‘“‘And the money?”’ ‘‘T have never seen one dollar of it—but,’’ fiercely, ‘‘it shall every cent be returned to you.”’ Jabez Alston smiled, then looked pityingly toward his son. Edgar did not understand that glance then, but he had cause to remember it long afterward. ‘“T forgive you freely; we are all weak. It is human to be weak, and you are young!”’ - His son was almost overwhelmed. He had never ex- pected such kindness as this. ‘Father, you shall have no cause to complain of me hereafter. I have learned my lesson. I have been scorched, and thank the blessed fates, Iam not destroyed. I shall never see Isabel Russell again. I hate and abhor her now!”’ The financier moved uneasily in his seat, and averted his face. ‘‘T am glad to hear it,’’ was all he replied. ‘‘You will return to your duties, Edgar—vyou will go home at once— you will attend to your business at the office. And now about Hawley. Jam glad to believe that he is innocent. I will do what I can for him, on one condition. He must give up all pretension to the hand of your sister—particu- Eomicbooks,con