A Heart's Bitterness — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

A HEART’S BITTERNESS. : 81 Looking at the childish roundness of that soft face, at the dewy sweetness of those heavenly brown eyes, the kneeling servant coyld not imagine other than that her empire over his master should be absolute. : “* Adam,” she moaned, ‘‘I could do nothing; he would not come with me; he would only drive me away, and hate me for interfering. Oh, it would not do.” ‘That changing, flushing, paling face seemed to Adam an irresistible argument; he insisted on his point. «« Lady, come with me, by this night’s train, You will find him in the morning worn, exhausted, tremulous, de- spairing. You will come like an angel of hope and com- fort; you will lead him back to safety. What man would refuse a sweet young bride like you?” A wail broke from her against her will. ‘* He does not love me, Adam; he would not heed me; he — would drive me away, and only hate me more 4or having discovered this. Oh, why did you come tome?” >_> ‘‘For the last hope of saving my master,” said Adam, sturdily. “So that the name of Leigh shall not he scorned and scoffed, and that your fortune shall not be de- vastated, and your children shall not be beggars. My lady, don’t resent, but pity him. He inherits this passion; it was born in him from his mother, my lady, and from her father. She was the daughter of an old army officer, who had ruined himself with gaming, and she lived on gaming until she married my lord’s father. She had the beauty of Satan, as the French call it, and she led us a miserable life for five years, till she died, and left this passion in her son’s blood. Oh, my lady, as by one woman the house of Leigh has fallen, and he has been destroyed, by you, dear lady, let it rise, and by you let him be saved.” Violet was sobbing wildly. She had thought the depth of woe reached on her wedding-day. She had found a deeper depth when she stood face to face with Kenneth Keith, and knew that he loved her and was lost to her. But now her woman’s soul endured a fiercer agony, finding her fate bound to this gamester’s, in whose veins-ran the fierce and tainted blood of an adventuress mother. ‘«< Lady, will you come with me to save him? Itis but an hour before the train leaves. Oh, mistress, come!” Then Violet’s shaken soul rose up to do her duty. «‘ Adam,” ghe said, ‘I cannot go, for it would be useless, com (€ eyo\e) ESS (E(0)