A Heart's Bitterness — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

» A HEART'S BITTERNESS. 85 thinking himself watched, and then more easily, feeling that the friendship of a man of unsullied honor and noble standing, such as Keith, would aid himin maintaining his social credit, and hiding his errors from the world. A million and a half of Violet’s money had been go settled on herself and her children, that Leigh could only handle the income; and large as that was, and easy as the half million committed to himself had made him, Leigh knew that no fortune can defy the inroads made by a passion for gambling. Reason now warned him to retreat to the safe shelter of a auey life with his bride, before he finally wrecked imself. ee ee he ee a CHAPTER XXII. KEITH’S TASK IS SET. ‘©Go home, Leigh,’’ said Keith, echoing, unconsciously, the plea of Violet; ‘‘go home and interest yourself safely. Go amuse yourself by being the country magnate.” “It would wear out in a season,” said Leigh. ‘‘I can’t live without excitement. I should go mad.” «“You may find some excitement at Leigh Towers,” said Keith, unaware that he was now unhappily among the rophets. | «Yes, I'll go home, but I know I’ll break out again some way.” ‘‘In that case,” saith Keith, calmly, ‘‘if you must have excitement, don’t find it at the green table. Warn me, and | _ [ll take you off to shoot lions in Africa, or hunt elephants in India, or run away from tigers in Burmah—anything: that will not disgrace your wife;” and a vision came to him of Leigh and himself lying dead on burning sands or in deep jungles, torn by fierce beasts or devoured by fever, and of two women who wept at home—his mother and Violet, the little Countess of Leigh. | For Keith had taken up a work and meant to perform it to the end. He meant to save Violet and shield her from destruction, by guarding and rescuing her husband. She was going from his sight. He might never see her again—at least, long months might roll by, and what might Comicbooks.co