A Daughter of Delilah — page 63: what you’re looking at

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

o4 THE TEMPTRESS AT WORK. ‘‘Mr. Hawley!”’ He swung round, and he saw in her blushing, beautiful face that which was more eloquent than written volumes. ‘‘Minnie!’’ he whispered, hoarsely. ‘‘God-forgive me for this madness of a moment. Icannot resist you! I have loved you as my divinity for long years. I have dreamed of you by night and by day, but the change in my for- tunes, independently of your father’s maudlin hopes, ren- ders it an insult for me to speak to the daughter of the ereatest capitalist and financier of modern times. Ihave worshiped you in the happy years that may never be re- called. I worship you now; I shall worship you forever! Now you may send me away, never to look upon or speak to you again!”’ He dropped the burning fingers that he had seized in his sudden passion. He turned and reeled half across the floor, and would have fled if Miss Alston had not held out her hands to him imploringly. “Mr. Hawley—Edward!’’ she said, with flaming cheeks. ‘This avowal has not altogether surprised me. My heart has told me that you care for me even as I do for you!”’ She bowed her head. His arms were about her instantly, his hot kisses on her face. His brain swam. Oh! this ec- static reality! What words of fond endearment passed between them— what vows of eternal constancy, only the angels heard! it was five o’clock when Edward Hawley left, and he had not been gone twenty minutes when Jabez Alston arrived home, accompanied by a tall, thin exquisite whom he addressed as *‘my lord.’’ This was St. Leonards, the Gomicbooks (E(0)