The Freemason's Daughter: A Novel — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

58 THEFREEMASON S DAUGHTER. have no hope,” she added, bitterly; ‘ and the sense of loneliness, the desolation, the void in my heart, which the bare anticipation of his loss causes me, came sud- denly over me. It was wrong—weak—foolish ; but if ever you feel yourself as wretched as I do, you will understand and forgive me.” “And even suppose your worst anticipations should be realised, Amy,” whispered the young man, “‘ would the world really be so hopeless a desert? Have you forgotten me?” “You would be kind, very kind,” she answered ; “indeed, you have always been so; but not even your friendship could replace the void caused by a brother’s loss.”’ “Friendship?”’ repeated the young man, gently, ' drawing her closer towards him; “ perhaps not—but love?” ** Love?” ““ Hear me, Amy. You cannot have mistaken the deep, the true, the ‘disinterested passion which exists between us—for women, where the heart is concerned, are far more quick-sighted than men. I love you— not with the light passion of a boyish love, but with the deep fervency of the heart’s freshest feelings. If I have hitherto been silent on the subject it was that the growth of the passion has been so gradual, so entwmed with my years, so like a thing of course, that it required the aid of circumstance to reveal it to myself. ‘Tell me,” he added, gazing ardently upon ecomnuicloooks (SO mn