A Daughter of Delilah — page 78: what you’re looking at

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

IN THE MESHES OF THE SIREN. ! 69 ‘‘A quarter-past five! In an hour I shall be whirling along with my darling beside me!”’ | He felt a hand upon his shoulder, and turned in no gracious mood te see Edward Hawley behind him. “Hullo, Ed!’’ he exclaimed. ‘I intended looking you up to-night. Only got back from Cincinnati yesterday even- ing.’’ There was something in the grave eyes of his friend that made him feel uneasy. “Sit down and have a cigar. I can spare you five minutes—not more—a pressing engage- ment, you know.’’ Hawley sat down, and accepted the proffered cigar. At that moment there was the sharp clatter of horses’ hoofs on the street pavement, and Alston began to fidget uneasily. ; ‘You will excuse me, I know, old man,’’ he said. ‘‘Are those your ponies outside?”’ ‘“Ves. Going for a spin.’’ ‘““With a lady?’’ | ‘Vou don’t think I am going to take a pug dog, do you?’’ Alston laughed, evasively. “Sit down one minute, Edgar,’’ his friend said, calmly. ‘“‘T wish to speak with you.’’ ‘‘Mind you, I will not give you more than a couple of minutes,’’ Edgar replied, impatiently. ‘And I would pre- fer that you wait until, say ten o’clock, when I will give you a call—on my honor, I will.”’ ‘Tt might be too late then,’’ Hawley proceeded. “What I have to say is of the utmost importance. You must not go for this drive, Edgar.’’ ‘“‘T must not, eh? Since when have you become my mentor, Edward Hawley?’’ was the savage retort, GEomicbookssco