His Other Wife: A Novel — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

696 MR. CROFT'S WARD. CHAPTER IX. MR. CROFT'S WARD. ‘‘Excuse us a few moments, Warren,” said Mr. Croft, as he rose, and, with great embarrassment, greeted his junior partner, to whom he made a confused motion of conducting him within the house. Warren had fixed a steadfast gaze full of the coldest contempt upon the shivering Leda, and from her his rapid glance flashed over the other two. He saw at once that he had made a most untimely intrusion upon a scene full of agitating interest to the three persons engaged in it. In reply to Mr. Croft, he said, quietly : ‘‘Do not let me interrupt you, sir. I will retire to the Jake until your present business is dispatched. I bring information of much moment to our interests, and, not knowing when you might come to the office, I thought it best to call upon you here without delay.” ‘Quite right, my dear fellow; and I shall be very shortly at leisure. Meantime, if you don’t mind having a cigar in the lime grove by the water, I’ll join you there directly.” This colloquy had taken place at the archway over the steps of the piazza, where Mr. Croft had met and halted Eomicbooks.¢o =|